Thursday, August 29, 2013

Spend Labor Day Learning Something New!


School is out for the kids on Monday, but I will be holding classes for grown ups! Launch date for my online school is September 10, however, Monday Sept 2, I'll offer 2 classes for those industrious folks who want to use holiday downtime to learn something new to grow their business. Come learn about selling groceries on Amazon, or my newest class, The Profitable World of Selling Women's Clothing on eBay. 
Click here to register and secure your spot, and I'll see you in class on Monday!
Also, make sure you are subscribed to my email list, so you can receive updates on new classes, schedules, and trainers. Visit this link to opt in and stay connected.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

eBay Seller Success Story - Sell Old Tractor Parts


Last week I bragged on fellow seller Shawn for his remarkable sale of empty paper towel rolls.  He went on to inform me of another trash to cash story:

"Way back in 2003, my brother and I sold tractor engines on eBay. He would go around and find tractors that people had abandoned for various reasons. The engines usually ran just fine but he is a mechanic and could fix any problems. We made $6,000 profit in about 6 months. Just another example of a trash to treasure story.

Many people are so negative about making money on eBay. They don't realize that they can make money if they just use their imagination.

I sell mostly software and video games, but I also make money by selling a few services. I install scripts (programs) on customer websites, I transfer sites from one host to another, and I also do custom programming. I made over $250 just from a few jobs last month."

So there you have it - no excuses now! If you still aren't a believer, download my free eBook, "Cash Hiding in Your Home" for a list of 30 things that look like junk but have value on eBay. Crazy things like broken clock parts, random board game tokens, and glass microwave turntables. ( I could kick myself for throwing out all those old trays from when a microwave broke!)

Visit my website here to download your free copy. You will be amazed to learn all of the stuff in your home that is worth something on eBay!

Do you have an eBay story to share? Have you sold something weird or unique lately? Send me a message here to have your find considered for posting here on my blog.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Don't Throw That Trash Away! Sell it on eBay!

We have been having a blast over on my Facebook group discussing all the wild and crazy things you can actually sell on eBay - things that are considered trash or worthless items lying around your home or backyard. Here are a few of the items mentioned:

Empty toilet paper rolls
Empty paper towel rolls
Bottle caps
Pine cones
Acorns
Sea shells
Leaves
Gourds
Tumbleweeds

Shawn started the thread by posting this completed listing of empty paper towel rolls that sold for $16.95:


Talk about pulling money out of thin air! These items are often used for craft projects. Take a look on Pinterest and notice what people are  making with these types of items. Many craft and DIY enthusiasts go to eBay to buy their supplies.

There are opportunities all around you to make money, you just might not know it. In fact, the average American household has over $7,000 worth of items that can be sold online.

Download my FREE eBook, Cash Hiding in Your Home, to learn about things you already have that you can sell for great profit on eBay things like parts from broken kitchen appliances, stuff in junk drawers, game pieces (like Scrabble tiles), rusty tools in the garage, and of course clothes and shoes.


Related Articles:

How I Increased my eBay Sales in 30 Days

YouTube 30 Day Challenge





Sunday, August 11, 2013

Mega-Seller eBay Moms Featured in Woman's World Magazine

 

Check out this week's Woman's World Magazine (on checkout stands in grocery stores, WalMart, Target, etc.) for an article about making big bucks on eBay. The article, on page 12, is titled, "Make a bundle on eBay...just like they did!"



I'm thrilled and honored to be featured alongside other superstar eBay moms including Sonya Lee Han, Jeanette Bushell, Marsha Collier, and Lynn Dralle. It is a great piece explaining how eBay can work for anyone and can be tweaked to fit whatever selling style or type of inventory that works best for you.

Woman's World is a weekly magazine, and this issue is only on news stands until August 19, so grab a copy quick and check out different ways to make eBay work for you!

Related Articles:

Cash Hiding in Your Home - free eBook

Money Magazine Survey

Thrift Store Items to Sell on eBay

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

eBay Blocks 15,000 Sellers from Listing


eBay instituted a new policy today regarding sellers whose Performance Standards are below minimum. Many sellers who have 4.8 out of 5 DSRs and occasionally see this message are being blocked from listing. Even though a buyer may leave you a positive feedback, he may ding your DSRs for any reason he chooses, even if unwarranted. If you were affected, and are blocked out and can't list, here is what is going on per an email from customerhelp@ebay.com:

Status:     Published
Published date: 08/06/2013
Updated:     08/06/2013

Increase impact of Below Standard ECGs

Details

•Each month we have an existing Below Standard cycle. We apply ECGs (consequences) to sellers who are BST.

•On 8/5 we have applied more severe actions (selling blocks and limits) to more sellers than we have in the past.This change to the standards consequences was a planned change, however this was inadvertently run a week earlier than planned.

1.We have move the worst 15k sellers to Seg D (Selling Block) Issue 181

(Yes, they have blocked 15,000 sellers from listing!!)

2.We have apply Seg C (75% limit) to all Segment B below standard sellers. This can be identified with Issue 361

General FAQ's

Why Do I have Selling Limits

•All sellers on eBay are required to meet minimum performance standards, which measures how well a seller is meeting buyer expectations. The goal is to ensure sellers are delivering both quality items and excellent customer service. Currently, you aren’t meeting the performance standards based on the rate of 1s and 2s you have received on your Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs).

•We’ve applied a selling limit to slow your selling activity, giving you an opportunity to identify and change the selling practices that may be failing to meet buyer expectations. Once you have shown improvement and are able to meet the Detailed Seller Ratings requirements, your limit will be removed.

When will the limits be removed?

•The limits placed on your account will not be removed, but will be raised significantly so as not to heavily impact your account once you are able to meet the minimum standards, and your seller level has changed to ‘Above Standard.’ You can track how well you are doing in your Seller Dashboard, within the Performance tab. You may also want to monitor how you are doing on a monthly basis by checking your 12-month trending data.

How long do I have to improve my DSRs before I get any further consequences? / How long do these consequences last?

•Sellers should immediately identify and adjust any selling practices that may not be meeting buyer expectations, which resulted in receiving low Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs). Sellers who do not work to meet performance standards each month after falling to ‘Below Standard’ should expect heightened consequences – including a limit or block on selling activity.

 How can I improve if you place a limit on me?
 
•Although selling limits slow down your selling activity, you are allowed to continue to sell. Our goal is to slow the pace of your sales to provide you an opportunity to adjust your selling practices and work towards immediate improvement. Let’s work together by determining what you can do so we can help you get out of this.

Do the selling limits include shipping fees?

•Yes, shipping is counted if it's part of the total amount when the item is considered sold and a transaction.

There are 2 ways to deal with eBay's policies - quit your eBay business and go sell somewhere else, or adapt and become a better seller. Check out these resources designed to help you grow your ecommerce business. If we are going to survive on eBay, we have to adapt to their rules and policies.





Monday, August 5, 2013

Don't Call That Baby Bodysuit a Onesie - Unless Made by Gerber


Many eBay sellers have reported listing violations and even suspensions because of terminology used to describe this type of legless snap closure bodysuit for babies. Gerber has trademarked the word "onesie" and eBay is removing listings containing the word "onesie" that are not Gerber products. If you are listing this type of baby undergarment, and it is not made by Gerber, you are allowed to use any of the following synonyms:


  • infant bodysuit
  • creeper
  • crawler
  • snapsuit
  • onepiece 
Even though the word "onesie" is a common term for this type of baby wear, it is not allowed on eBay unless the item is made by Gerber. It seems somewhat silly to try and police the use of a word commonly used - such as substituting the word Kleenex for a tissue - but eBay and Gerber are vigilant about this issue.

Here is the official word on the subject by Gerber:

Gerber Childrenswear LLC, located in Greenville, South Carolina, is a leading marketer of infant and toddler apparel and related products, which it offers under several brands, including its licensed Gerber® brand and the Onesies® brand for one-piece underwear. The company distributes to volume retailers, department stores, and specialty retailers.

Gerber has used its Onesies® trademarks since 1982 in connection with infant and children clothing such as bodysuits and undergarments. Gerber is the owner of numerous trademark registrations that utilize the term "ONESIES", both in the United States and worldwide. As an example, Gerber owns U.S. Trademark Registration Nos. 1,292,981, 2,549,557, and 3,488,401 for the Onesies® trademark. As a result of its protection, Gerber owns the exclusive right to use the mark Onesies®, and anything confusingly similar, in connection with infant and children clothing.

Gerber is a member of the eBay VeRO Program and reviews items for sale on eBay regularly. Gerber uses eBay's VeRO program to report the listing of any auctions that infringe its trademark rights. Your listing(s) was removed for one of the reasons listed below:

UNLESS the item is a genuine Gerber product, you do not have authorization to use the terms "ONESIES," "ONESIE," "ONSIE," "ONEZIE," "1Z," or anything confusingly similar to describe infant or children clothing. Genuine Gerber garments can be identified by the presence of the Gerber baby head tag in the neck area and a rectangular white tag with the word "onesies" in blue located just above the left leg opening of the garment. If you believe you are selling genuine Gerber products, please contact Gerber to discuss how you may use its trademarks. Otherwise, please revise any future listings to avoid use of the infringing terms. Suggested alternative descriptions include snap-tee, snapsuit, bodysuit, creeper, or one-piece underwear.
 
Due to the high volume of merchandise for sale on eBay, it is difficult to identify and remove every unauthorized item. The fact that others are selling products that infringe Gerber's trademark rights does not give you the right to do so.

As a seller, you have a responsibility to ensure that your actions do not violate the intellectual property rights of another. Ignorance that it is a violation of any country's trademark, patent or copyright laws is no excuse.

Other news:

The next Amazon Grocery class is scheduled for Tuesday, August 6 at 7 PM.

Watch a video about the class here.

Register for the class here.

Happy Selling!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

And Now for Something Completely Different...

 

I am so excited to announce launch of my brand new website! I have been hard at work for the last few months developing several new projects - all of which will help online sellers be more successful, make more money, and enjoy the freedom of working from home. The site is only about 50% complete. Here is what I have so far:

A free gift for all my readers! Download a free copy of my eBook, "Cash Hiding in Your Home" - a list of 30 items commonly found in many homes that look like junk but actually have value in the eBay marketplace. These are items hiding in plain sight! You may have cash all around you and not even realize it.  Head on over to my new site, SuzanneAWells.com and grab a copy - there may be items on this list that even seasoned eBay sellers don't know about. (And thanks to the members of my Facebook Group for helping contribute to this fantastic list! I learned a bunch of new things reading their ideas, and I've been selling on eBay for 10 years!)

Have a question or just need some quick guidance on an eBay or Amazon issue? Schedule an appointment for a 20 minute consultation using my online scheduler here.

Take a look around my new site here and stay tuned for more announcements coming soon!