eBay Offers (Almost) Instant Gratification to Some Buyers

Image courtesy of TheOnlineSeller.com

A few lucky eBay buyers have received an invitation for a new program from eBay. eBay Now was just launched to beta testers in the San Francisco, California area. eBay Now will allow eBay buyers to receive your purchases the same day the order is placed.

eBay buyers received an e-mail that sent them an invitation to download a mobile app that will connect them to the eBay now program. Those users will be able to buy new products sold by local stores. The stores include Toys R Us, Target, Walgreens, and many others. Once the buyer finds the item they wish to purchase, they click as the “Bring It” button. In an hour or more, a personal shopping valet will deliver the purchase to the buyer. Currently, there is a $25.00 minimum for purchases. eBay is offering the beta testers who currently have access to the program $15.00 off their first eBay order and no delivery fee for the first three orders. After the first three orders, the delivery fee is a $5.00 charge. Here’s a copy of the email that was sent to the invited buyers:

Hi [Name],

We know you love shopping on eBay. But sometimes you just can’t wait for shipping. Sound familiar?

If so, we’ve created an exciting new way to shop. Starting today, for purchases of $25 or more, San Francisco shoppers can order products from local stores and have them delivered to their door — at home, at work, or anywhere else in San Francisco. The new service is called eBay Now, and you can download it here for your iPhone®, iPad®, or iPod® touch.

Since eBay Now is in beta, we’re taking $15 off your first order and offering FREE delivery for your first three! After that, each delivery during the beta period is only $5. Your orders arrive fast — usually within an hour! Pretty convenient, huh?

Download the app now [link removed] and try it out. If you like it, share it!

You have three invites for friends and family.

Happy shopping!
The eBay Now Team

The eBay Now service is available Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The items can be delivered in as little as an hour but the store from which the item was purchased must be open for at least 30 minutes after the order is received. Here are a couple of screen shots that show what the app looks like on the iPhone.


Image courtesy of TechCrunch


In order to make this possible, eBay is using its Milo platform. Milo is a website that allows its users to search for a particular item and find out which nearby stores carry it. It also lets the website user know if the item is in stock and how much the item costs. eBay purchased Milo in late 2010 for $75 million.

This new service is in line to go the head to head with Amazon’s Same Day Shipping program that is currently in development for major cities across the country. While eBay Now is only offered to San Francisco area residents right now, anyone can sign up. Please click this link to be notified of when eBay Now will be available in your area. eBay will be using these registrations to determine if there is any interest in expanding this program throughout the country in future.

What impact will this service have on eBay Sellers? Will eBay’s marketplace become dominated by big-time retailers? Will the availability of new products and quick shipping impact Amazon's FBA business model? At this point, it’s a guessing game. What do you think? What impact do you think this will have on your business? Feel free to comment below to share your views.

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USPS Rate Changes May 2012

The United States Postal Service will be changing their rates starting the first week in May 2012. Their first-class service is being reclassified from expedited, (which delivery time is between 2 to 3 days) to standard shipping service (with an estimated delivery time between 2 to 5 days). The name will be changed from First-Class Mail to First-Class Package.

All vendors who have online stores need to be ready when these changes occur. Please warn your customers of the upcoming changes, and reset your online store items with the new shipping options. If you sell on eBay, you will have a little help in updating your listings.

E-Bay will automatically make these changes on the listings that have First-Class Mail as a shipping service option during the first week in May. For those who list expedited shipping, it is required that the wording is changed in your shipping descriptions. For customers who want a true expedited delivery of your products, you may use a different service that offers a 2 to 3 day delivery time.

Take a moment to review your stores and your listings to make sure you are still able to meet the shipping time frame as show your customers. Click here for more information.


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Got the USPS Rate Increase Blues?

If you are still learning to adjust to the recent US Postal Service rate changes, a new guide has been released that may help you figure it all out. Stamps.com is offering a free guide to the pricing change. The “Ultimate Guide to the 2012 USPS Postage Rate Increase” is now available online to help.

The guide takes you through all the various rate increases by level of service. From Express Mail to Priority Mail to First Class Mail, the guide has lots of information about new product offerings and details about the new pricing. The details for each price and service even includes pros and cons to help you decide which USPS mailing service would be best for your package.

To grab your copy of the guide, please click here.

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How to Shrink Wrap Products for Online Selling

Charlie, a member of my Facebook group, was kind enough to share his process for shrink wrapping items. Many of you sell health and beauty, food, baby, or other items that require sealing, bundling, or plastic wrap for shipping or storage. This technique is especially useful if you sell on Amazon FBA and bundle items or sell liquid items that could leak. Charlie showed us a way to make our products look really professional and the tools for this process. Here is Charlie’s demo video:





Here are the supplies you will need:

Easyway 16 inch heat sealer

Shrink wrap film

Wagner power heat gun


This sure beats using packaging tape and Saran wrap! What a time saver. I can see this process working for:

Health and beauty products

Food products sold in bundles

Plush toys

Toys in open-faced boxes

Clothing items (get them small enough to fit in Flat Rate envelopes!)

Office supplies

Books, DVDs, and CDs

Anything you need to re-bundle

Thanks, Charlie for this great demo!

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Tips for Selling Used Shoes on eBay

If you have plans on selling used shoes on eBay, there are a few tricks and techniques you should first know. There is a lot of competition on eBay, so therefore you want to make sure you understand and have knowledge of the different shoe types.

Athletic shoes such as Chuck Taylors, Keds and Nikes are probably the most easiest to maintain. These shoes are usually made out of fabric or canvas. Depending on the shoe’s material, a quick toss in the washer machine can have them looking good as new. You also want to pay attention to the shoelaces, and whether or not you need to replace them. Shoelaces that are extremely dirty or otherwise damaged will need to be replaced with a new pair. A $3 investment on new shoelaces can help increase the sales price. You won’t want to place a photo in your listing containing shoes that missing the laces or the laces are damaged in any way. 

For other type shoes, look closely for any imperfections such as scrapes, scratches or blemishes. A good tip for those handling children’s black patent leather shoes is a black magic marker to fill in any discoloration. With leather shoes, you will probably want to add a coat of shoe polish. In fact, it is a good idea to invest in different colors in shoe polish, if you plan to become a successful shoe seller on eBay. Next look at the sole of the shoes. Don’t try to sell shoes with holes in the sole. The soles won’t look appealing and the shoes will require too much repair to be wearable. 

Cleaning is a big part of selling used shoes. Especially if these shoes are found in second-hand stores or yard sales. The cleaner the shoe, the better they will look in photos. I keep a small kit of different colors of shoe polish, a small brush, brown and black sharpies, and some sneaker white to spruce up old shoes. A few minutes of cleaning can help increase your sale price.

When scouting for used shoes, you will want to keep your eye out for expensive designer brands. Used designers shoes will still sell for a decent profit. Get wide widths and larger sizes, as these are the most popular on eBay. A good guide to go by: Men’s size 12 and up -- Women’s sizes 9 and up. Click here for my free BOLO (Be On Look Out) list for good brands that sell on eBay.

When you create the listing, add all the relevant information concerning the shoe. This includes the measurements, condition, color, gender, and shoe size. Include plenty of photos, so the shoe can be seen at different angles. Always include a photo showing the bottom of the sole, as it is one of the buyer’s main concerns.

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Congratulations to the Kindle winner, Vickie Lynn of Lexington, Kentucky! Vicki Lynn will receive a Kindle wireless reading device valued at $139! Thanks to all who participated and promoted the giveaway. Look for another one soon!

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FINALLY! eBay Shipping Offers First Class International Postage!

Thanks to fellow seller Lynnette for notifying me this morning - we can now print shipping label through eBay for First Class International. Here is a video on how it works:





This is going to be a huge time saver for sellers. Thank goodness, we have waited years for this feature! Do I sound a little too excited about this? LOL

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USPS Rate Increase Coming in April

My colleague, Eric, over at Stamps.com was kind enough to notify me of the great news - another USPS rate increase is coming in April. The Postal Regulatory Commission approved the rate for April 2011. The rate increase will affect First Class Mail (domestic and international), Media Mail, and Parcel Post. Yippee.

The new prices will be implemented on April 17. Click here to see the new prices. The best way to handle this increase is to use calculated shipping on your eBay orders. eBay integrates with the USPS and when you use calculated shipping, the shipping fee is calculated based on the seller's zip code, the buyer's zip code, the weight of the package, and the class of mail. It is the most fair way to calculate shipping charges. The video below explains how to use the calculated shipping feature if you are not familiar with it.




And, in case you are not aware, you can print your shipping labels directly from your eBay Selling Manager. It is easy, fast, and free. Here is a video on how to print your shipping labels from eBay after a sale:

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An International Mailing Miracle!

I had to laugh when I got this package in the mail today. I mean look at it. Completely annihilated. I mailed it July 17 2009 - almost a year ago. Where has it been and what has it been doing all this time? But somehow, the international mailing Gods have returned it to me. I love this note by the post office:



It basically says that the post office apologizes for any inconvenience this has caused and they are continually striving to improve their mailing processes. It is actually very rare for mail to get lost, and those that do usually make it back to me, but not in this condition. Don't let this scare you if you are still considering international mailing of your eBay items.

Visit my post on international shipping for eBay sellers. You can get a free trial on Stamps.com, a free postage scale (keep it or sell it on eBay), and some other goodies.

Happy Selling!

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Free eBay Shipping Guide

Shipping can be a confusing issue for newer sellers. Miscalculating shipping can also cost you money. If you are having trouble getting the hang of figuring out how much to charge for shipping, and which way to ship your items, this guide will help. It contains a flow chart that shows the steps for shipping, and answers to common shipping questions.

Click here to download this free guide. Feel free to pass it on, post it on your blog, share it in your groups, etc.

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Losing Money on Shipping? Use eBay's Shipping Calculator

One of the most common problems with new eBay sellers is losing money on shipping. Calculated shipping is the most fair and accurate way to charge for shipping. Here is how to use that setting:


Summary:

A few tips:

1) Use the calculated shipping feature. It is the most fair and accurate method.

2) Watch your handling fees - avoid adding them at all. Add handling fees on to the price of the item instead so the buyer does not feel "swindled." (Many buyers on eBay are not business people and are clueless about the cost of doing business. We have to cater to that to get good DSRs.)

3) Avoid using USPS Flat Rate boxes. They are easy by design, but are not always the best choice.

Happy Selling!

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eBay Shipping Tip - Add Gallery Images to Shipping View

If you are like me, shipping might not be your favorite part of eBay selling. It can be boring and monotonous. I've made some pretty dumb mistakes when shipping, like sending the wrong item to a customer. Here is a cool trick for adding gallery photos to your shipping view, which prevents errors and makes the process move a little faster:



Summary
1) Go to your Selling Manager Shipping View.
2) Customize display.
3) Check the box next to PICTURES.
4) Save changes.

Do you have any cool tips for making your eBay Selling Manager more efficient? Send in those tips so we can all benefit!

Happy Selling,

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eBay Shipping Resources

Shipping can be a confusing issue for newer sellers. Here is a list of shipping resources. You may want to bookmark this page so it is handy if you have a question in the future.

Always Use Delivery Confirmation

First Class Polymailers (I buy mine here)

Free Shipping Supplies

How to Charge for Shipping on eBay Auctions

How to Print Postage from Your Home Computer

How to Reduce Shipping Costs on eBay Items

How to Ship a Package Internationally

How to Ship a Package to a Military Address

How to Use USPS Flat Rate Mailers to Save Money on Shipping

Increase Sales by Offering International Shipping

Schedule a USPS Pickup (I have a standing pickup every day for 10 packages. You don't have to know the exact number - just estimate based on your weekly volume. Some days I don't have any. You can schedule pickups up to 3 months in advance. The scheduling feature just helps your post office know what to expect, and your carrier gets paid a little more for the scheduled pickups - and they like that! I leave my pickup at the mailbox in a tub every day, unless it is raining or I wont' be home. If it is raining, my mail carrier knows to blow the horn and I bring them out.)

Streamline Your Shipping Procedure (how to use the AWAITING SHIPMENT view in your selling manager and use Paypal shipping)

Tips for Shipping Gift Cards Sold on eBay

What to do When You Ship the Wrong Item

Happy Selling!

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My eBay Flip - True Religion Jeans

This is how you have fun with eBay! I love flipping listings. Here is another one I did, and it just sold on Best Offer a few minutes ago. (Click here for a 5 minute video tutorial on how to flip listings.)

Original listing:

Trrue Religion Mens Jeans Size 34 Blue

Fatal errors:

NEW NWT keywords not in title
(anyone searching for NEW True Religion jeans won't find this listing)

True is spelled "Trrue" - misspelled words don't come up in searches
(when the word is spelled correctly)

Poor photo - item is sideways

No return policy

Listing does not give fabric content, measurements

Shipping is too high

No international shipping

I paid $51.00 + $9.99 for shipping. Total investment = $60.99

Here is my listing:

New NWT True Religion Jeans Big Billy T 34 x 32 $345

Improvements:

Added several more photos

Used keyword NEW NWT in title, spelled brand name correctly

Gave fabric content and measurements in description

Added 30 day return policy

Added international shipping

Charged $5.50 for domestic shipping
(these will fit in a Flat Rate Envelope - click here for more info on using Flat Rate envelopes)

I ran these on auction first and they didn't sell. Then I put them in my store inventory with Best Offer. I had several crummy offers. Accepted an offer for $150. I could have held out for more, but my profit on this item is $81, so I am happy with that. Waiting is part of the game, but don't get greedy.

Summary:

My cost = $60.99
Sale price = $150
My profit = $81.32
Time invested = 30 minutes

You can see that in this case, I realized an income of $162.64 an hour doing this. You can learn to do this, too!


Find sloppy listings and resell the items for way more than you paid for them!

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