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the Online Seller newsletter
Vol. 5, Issue 1

Marketing Spot
the Online Seller newsletter
In This Issue:

Dennis L. Prince suggests a few steps to develop a brand for your businessBrad and Debra Schepp investigate tools to help you get organized on social media … PowerSeller Danna Crawford offers tips to make your listings stand out on eBayPlus, what to do now that the holiday rush is over, the latest industry news and more!
Special Features:
Featured Seller
Auctiva Blog
Wacky Listing of the Week
Feedback Forum

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Features

Dennis L. Prince
Marketing Spot
Make Your Business 'Brand' New
Develop a memorable image for your online sales presence.
by Dennis L. Prince
If your online business offers terrific products and superb service, why does it seem to struggle in growing a base of repeat customers? Maybe you need to try something new—a brand.

How do you build a brand? By presenting a name, look and style that your shoppers will associate with high-quality goods and excellent customer care. Read story.

Organize Your Social Networks
Let these tools make your networking time more productive.
by Brad and Debra Schepp

To Stand Out on eBay, Change Your Shoes
Think like a buyer and you'll sell more.
by Danna Crawford

Holiday Sales Are Over, Now What?
Expert shares tips to get your 2012 selling plan in place.
by Olga Munoz

View more Feature Articles.


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News Stories

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Marketing Spot
PayPal's Thompson Named Yahoo CEO
eBay's Donahoe to serve as interim leader of payments unit.
Former PayPal President Scott Thompson has left the company to become the new CEO of Yahoo, PayPal officials announced today.

Thompson will step into his new role at Yahoo on Monday. eBay President John Donahoe will serve as PayPal's interim president while officials look for a permanent replacement. Read story.

eBay Adjusts Best Match
Marketplace extends holiday promotion into the new year.

The Best and Worst of Online Stores
Holiday survey rates customer satisfaction of top retail sites.

Shoppers Ring Up Post-Christmas Sales
Mobile buyers make the day after Christmas a 'mega' shopping day.

World Audience Embraces Social Networking
Social sites open marketing doors for sellers.

eBay Acquires Billing Service BillSAFE
The invoicing technology gives online shoppers more payment options.

View all News Stories.

Get Instant Insight to Increase Conversion Rates. With FeedbackForms you get instant feedback from visitors to your eBay listings, Web store, blog or social media pages. Let the consumers of your site tell you where you can improve. Use the insight you gain to make changes that help your business grow. Find out more at FeedbackForms.com.

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Featured Seller

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Picture Perfect
Bob Cadloff began taking photos of the things around him at the age of 6, after his parents gave him his first camera, a Kodak Brownie. The Etsy seller still owns it. It wasn't an easy camera for a little guy to operate, Cadloff admits, but he made it work.

Being able to capture life's moments on film has been a love of Cadloff's ever since Read story.

Get Featured on TheOnlineSeller.com
Got a success story you want to share? Drop a line and tell us in 50 words or less about an outstanding e-commerce experience, and perhaps we'll feature your story in an upcoming issue of The Online Seller. Submit your story.

View all Featured Sellers.

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Auctiva Blog

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A Shipping Close Call
The third week of December was a nail biter. I listed a box set of Beatles albums that was in prime condition, with only minor blemishes from aging and a little dust from being stored for years. It was another score from the storage unit auction we had attended.

When I initially researched the albums' value, I was happy to learn that similar sets—that weren't in the same pristine condition—had sold for more than $100. A few had gone for more than $200. Read more.


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Wacky Listing of the Week

unique item
Dig up a fresh new outlook
You long ago grew bored with your desktop Zen garden, and now years of neglect have left it in need of some serious TLC. What you need is a miniature yard-tool set to shovel away the debris and restore positive energy to that uninspiring space. There's nothing like a renovation project—on any scale—to stir up excitement!


the Online Seller newsletter
Feedback Forum

In response to "Offering Incentives to Perk Up Profits," one reader writes: "For someone just starting out, this is very helpful. Thank you!"  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, The Online Seller would love to hear from you. Send us your feedback.

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