Detailed Seller Ratings, or DSRs as many of us refer to them, provide a “more complete picture of the member’s performance as a seller,” according to eBay. But I’m not sure how true this is. Recently, someone left me ones in each of the four DSR categories (item description, seller communication, shipping, and shipping and handling charges), but still left me positive feedback. How does that work?
I’ve never understood the true purpose of DSRs. I prefer the days when eBay allowed us to leave honest feedback about buyers. Today, buyers can anonymously rate sellers for things that are out of their control—shipping time, for example. Buyers don’t even seem to need a real reason to leave a low DSR score at all, so why have them?
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A mock funeral was held last week to honor an old friend to many, Internet Explorer 6. First released back in 2001, the browser was once highly regarded, but today users are less than enthusiastic about it. Funeral organizers think the browser should be officially laid to rest, and many Web developers couldn’t agree more. After all, Internet users have several other options for surfing the Web, including two more recent versions of Internet Explorer (IE7 and IE8).
But why does it matter what browser you use when you go online? There are several reasons: faster load times, getting pages to display the way they were intended to, and even added security are among the most obvious.
“If Internet users do not update their browsers, they miss out on the great improvements that make their browsing experience smoother and safer,” says Auctiva developer Ervi Bongso. “Browser developers have been improving their products by taking in consumers’ suggestions and comments, through testing and focus groups, etc., so they can provide you with something better. Some people dislike changing because they have to learn something new, but sometimes, changes are good.”
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February 12th, 2010
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The seasons are changing. We’ll be springing forward in no time.
And for some sellers this will mean their inventory will begin to change. So you may want to start the spring cleaning early and bring out those summer-themed items you picked up on clearance last year. Stores are already stocking their shelves with colorful outdoor decor, barbecue grills and accessories are popping up and bathing suits are hitting the racks.
Planning ahead can mean picking up seasonal inventory at deeply discounted prices and selling it for a hefty profit later on. Our Product Analyst Rebecca Miller scored some summer shoe wear last year, and will soon be putting them up for sale.
The beginning of February is a great time to stock up on seasonal items to resell later. While much of the country is still shoveling snow off of driveways and sidewalks, thoughts are already turning to the warmer days ahead.
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Now that you’ve had the chance to digest the upcoming changes on eBay, do you know how they will affect your bottom line? Have you decided how/if you need to change your selling habits?
There are, after all, several factors to consider. So how do you go about deciding how to adjust to get the maximum value out of your listings while not breaking the budget on fees? Glad you asked. While I know there are lots of variables to take into consideration, I’ve come up with a few tips to help you in your quest.
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Happy New Year!
Now, what are you going to sell this year to take your business to the next level? Are you going to change anything about how you sell? The same stuff you sold last year? Which of your items sold best in 2009?
If these seem like too many questions, I understand. But you have to admit that although the holiday selling frenzy just ended, you’ll soon have to address these topics. After all, you want to have a great selling year.
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to look back at your previous year’s sales to get the answers to some of these questions, and to see what selling format worked best, or if details like free shipping got buyers to click on—and buy—your items.
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December 10th, 2009
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If you’re like me, you probably have a number of items that you waited to sell specifically for the holidays, but they went unsold in the previous weeks. Now you’re wondering if it’s too late to relist them and get them into a buyer’s hands before Christmas.
I can tell you, it’s not too late. There’s still more than two weeks before the big day—plenty of time to list your remaining goods on eBay for those last-minute shoppers to buy!
While it certainly can be stressful listing or relisting items during the second week of December—and wondering if they’ll sell—here are a few things I do during this selling “crunch time.”
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November 25th, 2009
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Post offices will handle between 18 billion and 19 billion packages, letters and cards from Thanksgiving through Christmas Day, according to news reports. With so many parcels making their way to their intended destinations, the chances of items getting damaged or lost will increase.
Filling boxes with packing peanuts and wrapping items in bubble wrap and newspaper are good practices to prevent chips or breaks, but they don’t guarantee shipments will arrive as described when they reach a buyer’s doorstep. And unfortunately, sellers will also have to worry about possible thefts during the holidays, officials say.
Dealing with either of these scenarios is not only stressful, it can also be costly. So if you don’t already purchase shipping insurance for your products, now might be the time to start.
Product Analyst Rebecca Miller says shipping insurance is always a good investment, especially during these busy times. “The small price you pay is well worth the peace of mind you get in return. And the buyer will thank you for your forethought if something does happen to their package en route,” she says.
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November 13th, 2009
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Microsoft’s Bing Cashback program (formally known as Live Cashback) has been going strong for well over a year now, and anyone who buys and sells on eBay should be aware of it. It can save buyers a lot of money—and it can bring sellers a lot of sales.
Through this program, buyers earn a percentage of a product’s price as cash back when they buy the qualifying item. This can make items that qualify for the cash back very appealing.
At one point last year, cash-back rebates on eBay were 35 percent! Of course, that didn’t last long, and the discount percentage went back down, but not before savvy buyers—and sellers—took advantage.
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There are only eight weeks left of 2009, which means now is the time to kick your eBay selling into high gear!
Auctiva has many convenient tools to help you get organized and get your listings posted on eBay efficiently—and to help them look great, too! Here are a few tips to make the best use of our tool set during this holiday selling frenzy:
1. Use Auctiva to schedule your listings. Create your listings whenever it’s convenient for you and schedule them to launch on eBay at the optimal time. Remember, you won’t have to pay eBay’s 10-cent (or more) scheduling fee when you use Auctiva to schedule your listings. Just create your listings, and specify a time and date when you want them to launch. Auctiva will take care of the rest.
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The wind has turned crisp, the Yankees are headed to the World Series, the NBA season starts tonight and NFL football is in full swing. Yes, sports are all around.
The holidays aren’t too far off, either, which means now is the time to get your hands on some sports memorabilia and merchandise to make a profit. If you’re as enthusiastic as some of Auctiva’s own, you know how passionate people get about their favorite sports teams. And if you’re not, let me just tell you: People go crazy. I’ve seen it firsthand.
So why not take advantage? Here’s a little advice from our own Product Analyst and Oakland A’s fanatic Rebecca Miller to help you get started.
1. Buy items at the end of the season.You’ll be sure to find the best prices then as people get engulfed in other sports and stores try to clear their racks. The baseball season will soon be over, and it already is for all but two teams. So now’s the time to look for baseball gear. Browse through the clearance section and see what gems were left behind.
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