| The Online Seller | Vol. 4, Issue 18 |
|
Dennis L. Prince discusses the three keys to a successful drop shipping business … Miriam Otto shares a game plan for attending wholesale tradeshows … In Part 2 of our video series on shipping secrets, Auctiva's in-house selling expert demonstrates proper packaging techniques … Plus, frequently forgotten tax deductions for online sellers, the latest industry news, and more! |
Special Features: Auctiva Blog Weird and Wacky Listings Ask Auctiva Auctiva User Profile Auctiva Commerce Spotlight Feedback Forum |
 |
 |
With this inventory management approach, emphasis is on 'management.'
by Dennis L. Prince
If you've read recent articles on Auctiva EDU about drop shipping, you're likely curious yet a bit cautious about embracing this sales fulfillment method—and that's good. Drop shipping has become a selected and successful method for many online sellers, but it definitely requires a solid understanding of how to manage the supplier and customer relationships. Read story.
Navigating Wholesale Tradeshows
Planning ahead takes the pressure off, so you can have fun while sourcing.
by Miriam Otto
Video: Shipping Secrets Revealed, Part 2
Our expert demonstrates the proper packing techniques for shipping your items.
Tax Deductions for the Online Seller
Learn what you can write off for next year's tax season.
5 Tips for Great Customer Service
Ensure customers are satisfied before, during and after a purchase.
Get Green to Help You Grow. Kabbage provides cash to online merchants selling on eBay, Amazon and Yahoo. By looking at your seller history, seller rating and transaction history, Kabbage looks at more than just your credit score. Get the cash you need today to source inventory, market your site, update your technology or anything you need to grow your business! Learn more at Kabbage.com.
News Stories
 |
 |
Team Auctibeards hopes to raise $5,000 to help fight prostate cancer.
Auctiva employees are letting their whiskers grow wild during the month of September to do their part to stop prostate cancer.
The Auctivians are participating in Septembeard, an event that asks men from around the country to let their beards grow out to raise money and awareness about prostate cancer, the second deadliest cancer for men. Read story.
Wenig Named Head of eBay Marketplaces
Former media executive to lead unit through 'dramatic change.'
September Brings Changes at eBay
New policies meant to help buyers more easily find what they're looking for.
Auctiva Adds Shipping Labels
Much-requested feature will save sellers time and money.
Hurricane Irene Delays Deliveries
eBay asks buyers and sellers to be patient.
Asian Exporters Thrive on eBay
An estimated 200 sellers surpass the $1 million mark.
eBay U.K. to Create More Millionaires
'Considerable opportunities' seen for sellers who export.
Amazon, eBay, Alibaba.com Top Retail Sites
Marketplaces account for half of online retail traffic in June.
Auctiva Blog
 |
Last month we introduced our newest feature to Auctiva.com: Integrated Shipping Labels! No fancy name or additional subscriptions needed to use this great feature. It's just an easy-to-use tool that allows our customers to generate shipping labels and pay for postage right from their Auctiva accounts. Read more.
Free eBay Shipping Service! Stamps.com allows you to easily print all USPS mail classes, including First Class Mail International labels! Import your order data directly from eBay—no cut and paste needed. Also, Stamps.com posts back your delivery confirmation number into your My eBay account. Customs forms are integrated in the software. Sign up today.
Weird and Wacky Listings
 |
Is all the talk of global warming making you hot under the collar? This hat might help you chill out. It's got a built-in fan to keep you cool when the heat is on. Best of all, it's powered by a renewable energy source—the sun's rays—so you won't create any more of those pesky greenhouse gases.
 |
When you get the sniffles, you just want to curl up on the sofa and watch TV. Too bad you're stuck at work. So, take a little bit of home with you in a box—a tissue box, that is, dressed up like a comfy couch, complete with a mini TV Guide. And if find yourself longing to watch some bad daytime drama, you'll probably find plenty in the office halls.
 |
Just imagine the stream of sightseeing buses up and down your street when you display this 6-foot-tall "Legoman" sculpture in your front yard. It looks as if it could easily be dressed up for the season or holiday to attract paying tourists. So despite the inconvenience—and the rancor of your neighbors—consider it a potential stream of income.
Ask Auctiva
 |
 |
Got a burning question about Auctiva, eBay or e-commerce in general? Through our Ask Auctiva program, you can speak directly to Auctiva's top managers. All you have to do is send an e-mail to "AskAuctiva" at the Auctiva dot com domain. Selected questions will be answered by Auctiva managers and published in an article on the Auctiva Education tab. Read some recent Auctiva Q&A articles here.
Please do not submit inquiries requiring an immediate response. Instead, please file a support request for technical or account-related issues.
Auctiva User Profile
 |
Selling holiday items year 'round might seem a little crazy to some, but for Debbie Reed, an eBay seller of more than three years, it's proved to be a sensible business strategy.
Reed gets about 120 orders a month, even in the holiday-free months. "Holiday items sell best in-season, but I do sell some Easter bunnies at Christmas, and a little bit of Halloween year 'round," notes the Top-rated seller and owner of Sugar Camp Cottage on eBay. Read story.
Get Featured Here
Got a success story you want to share? What amazing garage sale finds have you turned into monster profits online? How has using Auctiva's templates and auction management tools improved your eBay business? Drop a line and tell us in 50 words or less about an outstanding e-sale experience, and perhaps we'll feature your story in an upcoming issue of The Online Seller newsletter. Submit your story.
Auctiva Commerce Store Spotlight
 |
Magnetic and educational toy aficionados will find a variety of playthings at NeoMagnetic Gadgets, a store filled with magnetic cubes, spheres and bracelets, LED strips, solar-powered rainbow makers, puzzles and much more.
The shop began on eBay in February of 2010. Back then, founder Alex Miville-Deschenes only sold one product: NeoMagnetic Cubes—cubes users can mold into a variety of shapes by moving the individual magnetic balls. Miville-Deschenes discovered the plaything while looking for a stress reliever, says Simon Charbonneau, the company's vice president of operations and business development.
When Miville-Deschenes received the item, he noticed there was a lot of interest in it and decided to sell the product. The toy's appeal makes sense, Charbonneau notes.
"You don t really need special skills to start, but you cannot help to challenge yourself into building new shapes," he says. "Simply put, those gadgets are addictive counter-productivity tools."
And these "counter-productivity tools" quickly caught on, so Miville-Deschenes began looking for items that would complement the magnetic cubes.
NeoMagnetic Gadgets debuted on Auctiva Commerce last November. During the store's first month of operations, the company made $12,000 in sales. In its second month, it sold $28,000 worth of goods. With the online store's success, NeoMagnetic Gadgets opened a brick-and-mortar store in Montreal, giving clients a place where they could physically go to check out the products.
Charbonneau and Miville-Deschenes spread the word about NeoMagnetic Gadgets using Google Ads, Yahoo, Bing and feeds to TheFind. They also advertise their products on classified ad sites like Kijiji and Craigslist. "Locally, we pride ourselves on giving back to the community," Charbonneau notes. "We recently sponsored a local scientific fair named Eureka. This kind of opportunity gives us direct access to our end users by putting our products in their hands while helping local initiatives."
And though the company has grown significantly in a little more than a year, it keeps a "hands-on approach" to selling.
"We use the product we sell, and we would not sell a product we would not use," Charbonneau says. "This philosophy automatically has us looking for more products that we eventually offer to our valued clientele." Visit NeoMagnetic Gadgets.
Set up your own Auctiva Commerce Store and get complete freedom over your shop.
Feedback Forum
In response to "Confessions of a Yard Sale Diva, Part 1," one reader writes: "Thirty-five years as a dealer, and half my tips exposed. However, I have one for you: If you're not the first one there, you're too late, because I have already creamed the sale! Get up early." Read the entire thread, and post your response.
If you'd like to comment on this newsletter, any article contained within, or on topics you'd like to see us cover in the future, Auctiva editors would love to hear from you. Send us your feedback.
Sent by Auctiva Corp.
360 6th St., Chico, CA 95928