Now, seeing as most of our clients trade on eBay and we have a piece of software devoted to selling through that outlet, we have seen many new eBay “laws” come to pass over the years. Whether you like it or not it might be your online ecommerce business, but it is eBay who call the shots. Here are five sure ways to fall out of favour with the ecommerce giant...so avoid at all costs!
- eBay have a number of prohibited and restricted items, and it is your responsibility to know them. A plea of ignorance simply won’t cut it! The forbidden sale of lottery tickets is particularly amusing (just in case you were thinking of auctioning your 1 million pound jack pot in a 99p auction).
- A second way is to provide a customer service that is very poor, or non existent. Too many negative feedbacks from customers and you can expect a pleasant call from the nice people at eBay suggesting you find another channel to sell your goods.
- Try and place an irrelevant item in the wrong category to boost its exposure and eBay will not be pleased...
- Provide external links (outside of eBay) from your listing or shop, such as the URL to your own ecommerce website, and you can kiss goodbye to your eBay selling privileges.
- Lastly, this may seem obvious but you must have a real product to sell. In the past people have tried to sell raffle tickets, or obscure items for 1p in the aim of getting customer details to employ outside of eBay. eBay however have become wise to this offense and are pulling such listings.
eBay introduces a new scheme to reward highly praised sellers.
Traditionally eBay has rewarded sellers with high volumes of sales through eBay by giving them a “Power Seller” grade. Power Sellers receive certain discounts, normally between 5-20% on final value fees depending on sales. However, under a new policy eBay will be giving special status for those that have the least negative feedback even if these sellers are not presently selling high and have Power Seller rank.
The new system employs the feedback system, whereby customers can rate sellers with a grade of between 1 and 5; 1 being the worse and 5 the best. In the new scheme, top level vendors will get 20% discount on final value fees, and will also receive a badge to display on their web pages. eBay is making the change to promote and reward good merchants who consistently received good approval from buyers but didn't sell enough to be highlighted as a PowerSellers. According to references, of the 150,000 vendors who are qualified to be top-rated sellers, 86,000 are not entitled to become PowerSellers under the present classification.
Still, a merchant must have at least 100 sales, summing to at least $3,000 on eBay per year to become a top rated merchant.
eBay’s new resolution procedure
eBay’s way of resolving disputes between buyers and sellers was reviewed in April earlier this year.
The eBay dispute resolution procedure was created to protect buyers, whom claim that an item is significantly not as described, or want to request a refund because an item has not been received. It will eventually be rolled out for eBay.co.uk fully before Christmas in the aim of replacing the Paypal resolution centre (but overseas eBay sites will have to wait).
Improvements
Whether you like to admit it or not, the Paypal dispute system almost invariably goes in the favour of the buyer. This might be good news for buyers, but sometimes very unfair for hard working sellers, dealing with frivolous claims. However now, the eBay resolution procedure can involve a customer service representative reviewing the case, and in some cases eBay will refund the buyer without taking money from the seller.
Secondly, the part where customers claim product not as described is addressed. If a customer tries to claim against a defect that was clearly described in the eBay listing eBay will dismiss the claim immediately.
If eBay rules that the customer deserves a refund, they will insist that the buyer returns the item and pays for the delivery. Now, eBay may carry these costs under some circumstances.
Sellers on eBay have always been wary of such claims, considering the funds written off as soon as a claim is flagged. However with the new dispute system, it’s thought that they have a little more of a fighting chance against unjustified claims.
Look Out, all media categories now have mandatory free postage!
From the 19th October, eBay has announced that free postage is now compulsory for all media categories; including Magazines, DVD, Film & TV and Music, and also Books. Sellers will be still be able to offer additional “upgrade” options for their goods, such as Special Delivery.
eBay is changing its policy, because it claims that free postage on the items that fall into these categories is the “norm” on all other ecommerce websites across the web. This is partly true of course, but many of these sites eBay is referring to are privately owned, where website owners do not have to pay reams of listing and final value fees. As a result there has been a fair amount of objection from sellers listing in these categories, with many claiming that it has made selling on eBay unviable. But eBay is sticking to its guns on the pretence that free postage will keep eBay competitive with other ecommerce websites. However, if this is true, shouldn’t eBay share their increase in sales with the sellers and treat them as the business partners that they are?
One consequence of this blanket imposition has been sellers switching their listings to related, (but not accurate) categories that don’t have the free postage enforced to sell their goods. This breaks one of eBay’s most fundamental laws, and one that can get you evicted from the site as a seller. And even if it doesn’t, it still really messes up the categories by creating misleading information in search results. eBay has worked very hard to prevent this kind of activity to ensure a better user experience for its customers. eBay has retaliated by publishing a new Selling Practices Policy,which bans both conflicting terms and conditions, and unprofessional language.
More carrot than stick would have been a better alternative. Free P&P should have been encouraged, but not enforced with incentives such as fee discounts and enhancements in search results.
Amazon vs eBay in the Credit Crunch
The economy is in a bit of a slump, and many are wondering how this will affect the ecommerce giants; eBay and Amazon. Who will come out top? And will they both survive this difficult time? A lot of people use these channels to sell online, and many have integrated Amazon and/or eBay into our ecommerce software platform; Cascade. So in such an uncertain time for commerce it is worth addressing how these portals are performing in the credit crunch.
eBay and the credit crunch
eBay has shown falling profits. In the fourth quarter of 2008, which is usually the peak season for eBay around Christmas holiday shopping period... eBay saw falling profits. However eBay did show some growth thanks to a 26% increase in revenue from Skype and an 11% increase from Paypal. Paypal is thought to continue increasing the revenue as people will start seeing it as an important payment method, caused by the inability to secure a credit card to pay for their purchases.
Amazon and the credit crunch
Amazon integration is popular among high volume sellers on Amazon. Therefore it is good news to hear that Amazon is showing a very alternate trend to eBay. During the same fourth quarter, they revealed a 9% increase in profits, despite the state of the worldwide economy. Amazon is well established, and retains a very high level of trust from its customers. It provides products of quality and affordability to consumers at a time when that is a major factor influencing where consumers buy their products. But...just because Amazon is ahead now doesn’t mean they will always be. eBay is in the process of making alterations to the way they do things.
eBay’s changes
In a bid to become “king” of the online selling giants, eBay has been reviewing the way its selling platform sell works. They are now giving incentives to sellers encouraging them to offer fixed prices which may bring some of the “buy it now” fans back that eBay at previously lost to Amazon. eBay has also started to lower the upfront costs of selling items, something that has caused a lot of complaint among sellers. Whilst these kinds of changes means a bit of work for all the developers working on Amazon and eBay integrations, and complex ecommerce platforms, these changes may bring eBay back on top meaning that it will still an even better channel to sell on. But whilst the economy is looking uncertain one thing is sure...that there will be a power struggle between Amazon and eBay for a while longer.
Scramble for free books in Amazon supplier’s abandoned warehouse
Earlier this year another online Amazon seller became victim of the tough economic times. The consequence was hundreds of people descending on a warehouse in Bristol to bag free books that had been left strewn in their thousands over the warehouse floor. The warehouse, used to hold stock for the Amazon.co.uk book seller had been left abandoned by the ecommerce business when the lease ran out.
Porsches and BMWs were parked alongside vans outside as people flooded the building, stacking second hand books into prams and trolleys. It was an endearing display of how the British not only like a bargain and free stuff in general, but also it illustrates their love for books. Bookbarn had been storing goods on the site for 5 years, and selling them through www.Amazon.co.uk. They ended up leaving millions of titles behind in the air craft hanger sized space that they were unable to sell on the ecommerce website.
Selling on eBay or selling on Amazon? If there is just one choice which to pick?
Since the beginning Amazon has invested on automated fulfilment and distribution centres. eBay has adopted an alternative approach by outsourcing absolutely all of its inventory, which has allowed it to geographically expand much faster than Amazon who had to invest time and money into establishing fulfilment centres in each country. Amazon also offers “Fulfillment by Amazon FBA), which gives every seller the option to outsource any fulfilment to Amazon (storing, picking, packing and shipping). eBay does not give their users any similar options. We will explore and compare some other key difference between selling on Amazon and eBay as a seller.
Return policy/ Guarantee
This is one of the largest distinctions between eBay and Amazon selling platforms. Amazon has a full guarantee, whereas eBay does not enforce any guarantee to protect the buyer. This might not seem too important from the sellers point of view, but in the long run it becomes a way a divide between the kind of buyers and sellers that trade on the marketplace.
Amazon’s A-Z Guarantee actually obligates the seller to refund or resend the item to the buyer if a claim is made. Consequently this gives confidence to the buyer, as they are aware that anything they buy from Amazon or any third part Amazon seller will be as described. Any Amazon sellers who fail to comply with their rules simply won’t be allowed to sell on Amazon Marketplace or Amazon Seller Central. The result is that only good quality service sellers will be approved to sell on Amazon, thus Amazon eliminates one of the key reasons that has prevented people from buying online...fraud.
Unfortunately there is a lot of fraud on eBay, and as a consequence there have been a number of claims for luxury goods but the problem still goes on. And the only way to try and protect other buyers is via the feedback system, and eBay’s resolution Centre whereby you can penalise sellers and log your disputes. This might protect some buyers from the making the mistake, but only after others have been caught out first, and many disputes can take some time to be flagged on their ID!
Seller of fake or low quality items will not sell on Amazon, as they know that if the buyer is unsatisfied they will have to pay the buyers or they will be kicked off the market place....so why go there in the first place? And this guarantees that Amazon will also select good quality sellers for its ecommerce platform.
The Launch of LampsandLighting.co.uk and EnergySavingLighting.net
Following on from “The BIG Lighting Launch” entry we have finally completed the launch with the go live of www.lampsandlighting.co.uk and www.energysavinglighting.net ecommerce websites. Check out their sophisticated lighting ranges on Lamps and Lighting, and view light fittings on Energy Saving Lighting that are not only funky, but also kind to the environment!
Both websites are fully integrated with our Cascade ecommerce software, which also allows Arthur English Ltd to list the same products and manage sales through Amazon and eBay from the same catalogue/ inventory/order management system.
Play around with Halloween Lighting this October
October is all about Halloween, and which better way to celebrate it than with some colourful Halloween lighting from TheGardenCentre.co.uk.
TheGardenCentre.co.uk has a range of Halloween rope lights that are suitable for indoor or outdoor rope light. Themes range from pumpkin rope lights, animated pumpkin lights to witch on broomstick light and even a life size skeleton animated display!
Halloween lights come with all the leads to set up in a trouble free fashion, and bulbs have a low cadmium content so are long lasting. In the event that one bulb breaks, only the defective bulb goes off without affecting other bulbs in the series.
For their full range visit www.thegardencentre.co.uk.
ASP.Net (C#) Developer Vacancy
Due to expansion we are currently looking to recruit an experienced software applications developer (ASP.Net) to join our growing software development agency based in Leeds.
You will be responsible for working on internal projects and the ongoing development of our in-house built ecommerce platform. All development will be ASP.Net based and you must have experience of SQL Server and ASP.Net (C#).
Excellent verbal and written communication is essential, and you must be comfortable with, and proficient at working in a team.
This role would suit a software developer with proven experience in .Net looking to further their career, past development of ASP.Net web applications would be considered a distinct advantage but is not essential.
If you are interested in the role and would like to find out more please apply by emailing a copy of your CV and covering letter to info@giant-systems.co.uk.
Salary: Dependent on experience
Advice from The Garden Centre: Choosing garden furniture- a guide on materials
You can buy garden furniture in a range of materials including cast iron, cast aluminium, wicker, hardwood and softwood products. The material that any consumer chooses will depend on their preferences for durability, aesthetics and desired strength.
Softwood garden furniture is usually pine and is both cheap and functional. However is lacks strength and durability and will deteriorate after 3 or 4 years if left untreated. Therefore softwood is not a long term choice.
Teak is the most durable of the hardwoods due to its high concentration of rubber and natural oils. Teak is also highly resistant to warping and rotting and can last for years without any treatment. But over time teak can develop hairline cracks, although this is natural and does not really affect the strength of durability.
If softwood and hardwood furniture is used in doors and away from natural sunlight the wood will eventually over the period of 6 months to 1 year become darker. If the same furniture is used outdoors it will become lighter as it is bleached by the sun. The silver grey colour that Teak develops in the sun is an attractive and easily maintained.
Eucalyptus is an excellent material for producing garden furniture; it is as strong and durable as teak, and on average 10 to 20 time denser. Eucalyptus has a straight grain, smooth finish and honey colour. We treat all of our Eucalyptus with oil to give the wood a hydro-repellent property. Further treatment is not required and the wood will fade if left outside over winter.
Meranti is a hardwood that is kiln dried prior to use as an outdoor furniture material. As a natural wood, without ongoing maintenance it deteriorate if left outside. We recommend that you give further applications of teak oil or hardwood protector periodically..Even with careful maintenance small cracks an splits can appear along the grain. Mercanti is one of the cheaper hardwoods and a popular choice for budget furniture.
Cast iron garden furniture appeals to many people because of its aesthetically pleasing nature. It is both ornate and heavy so will not be disturbed in bad weather (common in the UK!). Most iron furniture is powder coated to protect from rusting but if this gets scratched or chipped then rusting will occur to the exposed iron if there is no immediate maintenance. Cast iron is less common in modern furniture, but more common amongst antique furniture.
Cast aluminium garden furniture is becoming increasingly popular each year as an attractive alternative to Cast iron, without the weight, the rust and the maintenance! Aluminium is strudy and will not rust even if the powder coating becomes damaged. There are many attractive styles available due to its easy workability.
Wicker or rattan furniture is commonly used for conservatory furniture, terraces and balconies. It should not be left out in the rain and this will cause it to disintegrate (with the exception of manmade rattan). We recommend that this type of furniture is stored or covered during the winter.
Happy New Year from Cascade!
2010 is the year we transfer from the noughties to the tens, a year of great web design in Leeds and a year of growth for many companies- despite the credit crunch!
Over the last year Cascade has been growing from strength to strength, and has gradually evolved into the complete multi channel ecommerce platform we see today.
We would also like to thank our clients for their support throughout the year and wish them a happy and prosperous 2010! If you don’t know who they are, take a look at some of their hot products for sale this January from a selection of our online sellers.
MyCostumes- Elvis Fancy Dress Costume
The Garden Centre- Bronze Cast Aluminium 4 piece Garden Furniture Set
Picstop- Sandisk Sansa MP3 Player