eBay Announces New APIs at eBay Connect Developers Conference 2018

August 14, 2018 11:35 am

eBay kicked off this year’s developers conference with news of new APIs and AI capabilities for companies that make tools and apps for eBay buyers and sellers. Image Search, Machine …
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Happy Returns Brings In-Person Returns to College Campuses

August 14, 2018 11:22 am

Happy Returns, which operates a network of drop-off locations in shopping malls where people can return goods ordered online, is expanding to college campuses. The company operates over 150 Return …
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Etsy to Kick Off 2nd Annual Labor Day Sale on August 31

August 13, 2018 10:22 pm

Today, Etsy announced it is hosting its second Labor Day sale that will run from August 30 through September 3, 2018. One year ago, Etsy launched sales and coupon tools …
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Overstock.com Adds ShipWorks Integration

August 13, 2018 10:16 pm

Overstock.com has added an integration with ShipWorks, a shipping and order fulfillment solution that helps online retailers and warehouses process and fulfill orders. While Overstock closed its third-party marketplace in …
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Advice for Sellers Dreading eBay’s HTTPS Deadline

August 12, 2018 8:53 pm

Some sellers are concerned about an upcoming change on eBay that is part of its Fall Seller Update. The mandate states: “Starting September 15, 2018, you will be required to …
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Amazon Subjects Sellers to Invoiced Payments

August 12, 2018 8:43 pm

As we previously reported, Amazon informed sellers in May they may have to wait for some payments thanks to its new payment option that allows business sellers to pay by …
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eBay Issues Advisory to Sellers Impacted by Wildfires

August 12, 2018 8:36 pm

eBay issued an advisory to sellers who are impacted by wildfires, and it provided them with a telephone number to call if they’re experiencing disruptions to their business. Announcement follows: …
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From the Editor – August 12, 2018

August 11, 2018 9:35 pm

Amazon Prime Day is behind us and back-to-school shopping season is well underway – and sellers are making sure they have their ducks in a row for the holiday shopping …
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eBay Hosts 2,000 Sellers at 2018 eBay Open Conference

August 11, 2018 9:34 pm

eBay hosted 2,000 sellers at eBay Open in Las Vegas in July – over 60% of them first-time sellers. It also held its annual Top Seller Summit directly preceding the …
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Is It Time to Try Google Advertising?

August 11, 2018 9:33 pm

Google shook up its advertising programs in early summer, including changes that make it easier for small businesses to automate campaigns, and it announced a collaboration with ecommerce platform Shopify …
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Collectors Corner: Garden Gnomes

August 11, 2018 9:31 pm

It’s the height of the tourist season, and it’s not just people who are hiking national parks, cruising the Caribbean, or ascending to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Garden …
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EcommerceBytes Soundoff: Letters to the Editor – August 12, 2018

August 11, 2018 9:30 pm

In every issue, readers soundoff about issues important to them. From shipping issues to payment processing, from fees to online marketplace policies, EcommerceBytes Soundoff gives you a chance to air …
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eBay Adds Second City to Retail Revival Coaching Program

August 10, 2018 3:02 pm

eBay launched a new program in Akron, Ohio, in January called Retail Revival that drums up new sellers and provides coaching and concierge customer service to help them sell on …
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Same Old Pattern as USPS Reports Quarterly Results

August 9, 2018 10:25 am

The USPS reported the results of its most recent quarter, where it saw more of the same: a decline in letter mail alongside growth in package volume. The Postal Service …
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USPS Is Adding More Package Pickup Lockers

August 8, 2018 9:17 pm

Remember package lockers the USPS began testing in 2011 that allowed shoppers to have packages shipped to them for pickup as an alternative to home delivery? The Postal Service announced …
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eBay to Kick Off Sitewide Flash Sale This Morning

August 8, 2018 8:57 am

eBay will kick off another sitewide flash sale at 8 am Pacific (11 am Eastern) that gives shoppers a 15% discount. The sale ends at 10 pm Pacific today (August …
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Future of USPS, Vital to Ecommerce, to Be Determined

August 8, 2018 1:38 am

This is a big week for retailers and online marketplaces that rely on the postal service to get ecommerce packages delivered. The President’s task force on postal reform will publish …
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eBay Announces Fall Seller Update for 2018

August 7, 2018 10:59 am

eBay published the third and final Seller Update for 2018 today, and grouped the changes into three buckets. We’re providing eBay’s description of those changes here (along with a few …
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FedEx Announces Holiday Surcharge Information

August 6, 2018 11:39 pm

FedEx announced its holiday surcharge rates, published on Friday. The extra “peak” surcharges will apply to oversized and unauthorized packages and those that require additional handling. The fees will apply …
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Etsy Grows Sales 20 Percent in Second Quarter 2018

August 6, 2018 4:59 pm

Etsy reported financial results for the second quarter 2018 today. Gross Merchandise sales grew 20.4%, and revenue grew 30.2%. The company also raised its guidance for the year. Excerpt of …
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eBay Promoted Listings Ads Go Lite for Casual Sellers

August 3, 2018 4:55 pm

eBay is seeking to increase ad revenue by targeting casual sellers with a “lite” version of its Promoted Listings program, which lets sellers pay for ads on top of their …
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eBay Runs Flash Sale in UK

August 3, 2018 11:39 am

eBay is running a flash sale in the UK today, August 3, 2018. Shoppers can use a coupon code (PICKANY) to receive 10% off eligible purchases, up to 50 pounds …
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Amazon Tweaks Holiday Restrictions for Toys and Games

August 2, 2018 7:34 pm

Amazon has issued its annual notice of holiday restrictions in the Toys & Games category, but this year, there are a few differences in the timing of the restrictions and …
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eBay Delays Launch of New Store Tiers in Canada

August 1, 2018 2:03 pm

eBay introduced two new tiers to its eBay Stores subscription plans this year, but sellers in Canada will have to wait until 2019. The original announcement stated: “We currently offer …
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Amazon’s Screwy Image Search

July 31, 2018 10:07 pm

Imagine working on a DIY project and losing one of the screws needed to put things back together. Now you can take a picture of the like screw you still …
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eBay Enhances Visual Shopping on Mobile App

July 31, 2018 10:34 am

Last week, eBay enhanced visual shopping on its mobile app. Users can now drag and drop images of an item into the eBay mobile app search bar to help them …
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Five Sellers Win eBay Shine Awards for Small Business

July 30, 2018 10:50 pm

eBay announced the five winners of the 2018 Shine Awards for Small Business during last week’s eBay Open conference in Las Vegas. Thousands of sellers had submitted applications, and eBay …
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eBay Targets Inactive Accounts with Five Dollar Coupon

July 29, 2018 11:06 am

eBay is paying buyers $5 to make a purchase this summer through a coupon offer. It sent an email to some users at the end of July with the subject …
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PayPal Grows Q2 Revenue 23 Percent and Active Accounts to 244 Million

July 26, 2018 8:48 pm

PayPal grew revenue 23% to $3.86 billion in the second quarter of 2018, the company announced on Wednesday, growing total active accounts to 244 million, up 18%. It grew payment …
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Amazon Grows Sales 39 Percent in Second Quarter

July 26, 2018 5:22 pm

Amazon grew net sales 39% to $52.9 billion in the second quarter of 2018 compared with Q2-2017, or 37% excluding effects of foreign exchange (currency). The numbers reflect all units …
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Etsy Clarifies Its Sales Tax Obligations

July 26, 2018 4:18 pm

Etsy added a drop of clarity to a murky subject when it published a post about online sales tax on Thursday. Sellers want online marketplaces to tell them what they …
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Stamps.com to Buy UK Shipping-Software Firm MetaPack

July 25, 2018 1:43 pm

Stamps.com will acquire MetaPack Ltd., a UK company that provides an enterprise-level solution to global retailers and brands, for approximately $230 million in cash. MetaPack has 500 customers and processed …
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Amazon to Open Its Sixth Fulfillment Center in Ontario

July 25, 2018 9:27 am

Amazon announced plans for a sixth fulfillment center in Ontario, Canada, this one in the town of Caledon in the greater Toronto area. Earlier this month, it announced plans to …
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Head of eBay Marketplaces Scott Cutler Speaks

July 25, 2018 9:06 am

eBay Senior Vice President of eBay Marketplaces for the Americas Scott Cutler keeps a low profile in stark contrast to those who previously filled his position. On Tuesday, he spoke …
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eBay Open 2018: CEO Devin Wenig Answers Questions During Keynote

July 24, 2018 11:59 pm

eBay CEO Devin Wenig spoke on Tuesday at the eBay Open summit where he answered questions from eBay sellers that were presented by “celebrity” seller Corri McFadden. About 2,000 sellers …
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Amazon Dragged into Sales Tax Debate by Trump and Now eBay

July 24, 2018 8:55 pm

eBay CEO Devin Wenig said he has spoken to President Trump about the online sales tax issue in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota vs. Wayfair, …
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Square Capital to Provide Financing to eBay Sellers

July 24, 2018 10:02 am

eBay entered into a partnership with Square Capital to provide eBay sellers with business financing. in its announcement, eBay said, “sellers may be eligible to receive up to $100,000 in …
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eBay to Begin Accepting Apple Pay on a Limited Basis

July 24, 2018 9:52 am

Buyers may be able to pay for eBay purchases using Apple Pay beginning this fall, eBay announced this morning. eBay is making a change to how buyers pay for goods, …
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Amazon Thinks Mobile Shoppers Are Worth a $10 Bounty

July 23, 2018 4:56 pm

Amazon is running a promotion to get Prime members to download and sign-in to its mobile app for the first time. The incentive is the generous sum of $10. Amazon …
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eBay Tries Boosting Selling Prices with New Promotion

July 21, 2018 9:17 pm

eBay is running a promotion to encourage sellers to list items priced at $50 or more. The invitation-only promotion for US sellers kicked off on July 20th and runs through …
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Amazon Announces New Fulfillment Center in Washington State

July 20, 2018 10:39 pm

Amazon announced plans for a new fulfillment center in Washington. While the Spokane facility will be the first in eastern Washington, the company employs 50,000 people in the state, home …
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eBay Grows GMV by 7 Percent in the Second Quarter of 2018

July 18, 2018 4:58 pm

eBay grew Marketplace GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) by 7 percent fx-neutral in the second quarter of 2018 to $23.6 billion, with revenue of $2.6 billion. Press release follows: eBay Inc., …
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Amazon Sellers Ring Up over $1 Billion in Prime Day Sales

July 17, 2018 8:02 pm

Twenty-five hours into Prime Day, small- and medium-sized businesses had already exceeded $1 billion in sales worldwide, with 11 hours left to go, Amazon reported on Tuesday afternoon. Despite major …
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eBay Runs Anti-Prime Sitewide Flash Sale on Prime Day

July 17, 2018 10:28 am

eBay is running a sitewide flash sale today and is taking a jab at Amazon Prime in the process. The eBay offer gives $25 off a minimum purchase of $119 …
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Amazon Prime Day Glitches Reportedly Impact Its Delivery App

July 17, 2018 9:54 am

Amazon kicked off Prime Day on Monday at 3 pm ET, and the site immediately began experiencing problems. According to one publication, the technical issues also impacted delivery drivers. Amazon …
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eBay Notes the Impact of Tariffs on Ecommerce

July 16, 2018 5:00 pm

Online sellers have worried that trade tariffs could adversely affect them, and on Monday, eBay weighed in on the impact of tariffs on ecommerce in a post on the eBay …
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PayPal Invests in PPRO Group

July 16, 2018 10:47 am

PayPal invested in PPRO Group so that it can “bring the benefits of alternative payment method acceptance to even more businesses around the world.” PPRO Group calls itself a cross-border …
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Sellers Pay for the Privilege of Running Amazon Prime Day Deals

July 15, 2018 9:14 pm

Amazon reaps tremendous benefits when sellers seed its site with discounted items during Prime Day. Nevertheless, sellers pay for the privilege of running Prime Day deals. Amazon charges sellers $750 …
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Sales Tax Victory Not Assured for All States

July 14, 2018 10:51 pm

A new analysis of the Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota vs Wayfair offers a ray of hope for small online sellers who are worried about the burden of collecting …
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Amazon to Open New Fulfillment Center in Ontario

July 13, 2018 9:33 am

Even as Amazon expands in new geographies including Australia and the Middle East, it hasn’t stopped expanding its logistics capabilities in existing markets. This week the company announced plans to …
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eBay Expands Prime-Like Program with New Fulfillment Deal

July 12, 2018 11:36 pm

eBay launched a program for shoppers last month in Australia modeled after Amazon Prime called eBay Plus. But with no warehouses or Amazon FBA-style fulfillment program, it was difficult to …
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Amazon Prime Day Meets Black Friday in July

July 12, 2018 9:34 pm

Amazon didn’t create the concept of “Christmas in July” or “back-to-school” sales, but its annual Prime Day shopping holiday has spawned annual “Black Friday in July” sales from rivals who …
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Auctiva Surveys eBay Sellers on Going Multi Channel

July 11, 2018 2:30 pm

Auctiva is surveying eBay sellers about using other marketplaces as it prepares to launch a new product called Auctiva Multi-Channel. Auctiva Product Manager Natasha Burns told EcommerceBytes that after 18 …
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eBay Runs a Second Flash Sale Ahead of Prime Day

July 11, 2018 12:28 am

eBay is running another flash sale in advance of next week’s Amazon Prime Day shopping extravaganza. Tuesday’s flash sale was limited to items in the tech category, but Wednesday’s sale …
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eBay Runs Category-Wide Flash Sales in Advance of Prime Day

July 10, 2018 1:53 pm

eBay had announced on Monday it would be running category-wide sales today and tomorrow when it wrote, “Exclusively this week, eBay is hosting one-day-only sales in its top categories from …
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Etsy Starts Rolling Out New Subscription Plan Called Plus

July 9, 2018 11:25 pm

Etsy began rolling out its new subscription plan today. It had announced Etsy Plus in mid-June, but sellers can be forgiven if they don’t remember it since it was introduced …
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Google Rebrands AdWords Ad Platform

July 9, 2018 11:20 pm

Google recently announced it is rebranding its iconic AdWords advertising program that launched in 2000. Google AdWords will become Google Ads, and the company is launching two additional programs: Google …
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eBay Lowers Certain Fees – But Don’t Get Too Excited

July 9, 2018 5:20 pm

eBay is lowering fees, but only in certain subcategories in the Business and Industrial Goods category. It’s unclear exactly what prompted the fee adjustment, but competitive factors likely played a …
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eBay Launches Deals a Week ahead of Amazon Prime Day

July 9, 2018 11:53 am

eBay is launching what it calls massive deals this week. We can’t help wondering if like many in the industry, it thought Amazon would be holding its Prime Day shopping …
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Amazon Brags of Prime Day Impact on Small Sellers

July 9, 2018 10:01 am

Amazon is an ecommerce giant, but on Monday, it reminded the world that it also allows small- and medium-sized to sell on its platform. In fact, it said thousands of …
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From the Editor – July 8, 2018

July 7, 2018 9:34 pm

Devin Wenig is celebrating his 3-year anniversary as CEO of eBay by cutting costs and laying off workers (a “low single digit percentage of employees”). A spokesperson told EcommerceBytes eBay …
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Understanding eBay’s New Returns Policies, Penalties, and Protections

July 7, 2018 9:33 pm

eBay is pushing sellers to offer 30-day free returns, and its Vice President of Seller & Marketplace Operations Bob Kupbens made the case during a recent video presentation. He outlined …
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Email Turns 40, But Email Marketing Remains Relevant

July 7, 2018 9:32 pm

Over a generation has passed since the first email zipped along from sender to receiver. The medium persists today, useful in delivering plenty of information to its recipients. Once ecommerce …
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Collectors Corner: Vintage Swimwear

July 7, 2018 9:31 pm

Here in the Northeast we have put away the woolen underwear some months ago and have brought out the swimwear. From one-piece full-figure suits to the tiniest bikinis, there’s something …
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EcommerceBytes Soundoff: Letters to the Editor – July 8, 2018

July 7, 2018 9:30 pm

Newegg Changes Seller Status after Supreme Court Sales-Tax Ruling

July 6, 2018 11:09 am

Newegg is making changes affecting its third-party marketplace sellers after the Supreme Court changed the rules on sales tax obligations. The state of South Dakota had sued Wayfair, Overstock.com, and …
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Where Is eBay’s Chief Product Officer?

July 5, 2018 11:45 pm

Update 7/6/18: eBay has confirmed Pittman’s departure. A spokesperson provided the following response to our inquiry: “RJ Pittman has decided to leave eBay. RJ has made significant contributions and has …
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eBay Australia Runs Sitewide Sale Including US and UK Listings

July 5, 2018 5:07 pm

eBay is running a sitewide flash sale in Australia, but it includes listings on eBay’s US and UK websites as well. (To be clear, the sale only applies to eBay …
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Will eBay ‘Prime Day’ Deals Help Regular Sellers?

July 5, 2018 12:33 pm

eBay will hold a “Deals” event that coincides with Amazon Prime Day, it announced hours after Amazon released the date of this year’s July shopping event. But whether eBay “Prime …
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Amazon Puts Its Own Brands Front and Center on Prime Day

July 5, 2018 12:25 pm

Amazon is heavily promoting its own brands in its Prime Day marketing campaign, and it serves as a reminder of how many different brands it offers across a range of …
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eBay Apologizes for Technical Issues

July 3, 2018 10:51 pm

eBay apologized on July 3, 2018, for technical issues plaguing its site in recent weeks, though it made no offer to compensate sellers (eBay changed its outage policy in 2014) …
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PayPal Completes $6.9 Billion Deal with Synchrony

July 3, 2018 8:40 pm

PayPal completed its deal with Synchrony it had announced last November, selling Synchrony its consumer credit receivables. PayPal said the deal with Synchrony will help it enrich and expand its …
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Amazon Promises to Deliver an Epic Prime Day 2018

July 3, 2018 11:05 am

Amazon promises to deliver an epic Prime Day 2018 online and through its app, with the key word being *deliver.* Amazon Prime Day will kick off on the afternoon of …
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NH to Protect Small Sellers from Sales Tax Burden

July 2, 2018 5:50 pm

New Hampshire, which has no sales tax, is working to protect small businesses in its state from what its Governor called “improper attempts by other states to force our businesses …
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Sellers Seek Answers from eBay Executive Bob Kupbens

July 2, 2018 9:59 am

eBay executive Bob Kupbens answered 7 prescreened questions during a video presentation on Wednesday. Sellers were asked to submit their questions 2 weeks prior to the broadcast. The section where …
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Kyozou Now Compatible with Listing Templates from 3Dsellers

July 2, 2018 9:05 am

Canadian based inventory-management service Kyozou has integrated with 3Dsellers so their customers can access its listing templates, which include features that allow sellers to cross-promote directly within their listings. Kyozou …
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Etsy Lands in India and Expands in Europe

June 30, 2018 4:28 pm

Etsy has landed in India, placing a small team on the ground there, and is expanding in Germany and Central Europe through a deal with DaWanda. The online marketplace announced …
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eBay Partners with Trading Card Seller to Provide Pricing Data

June 30, 2018 8:58 am

eBay announced the availability of a new research tool on a third-party site. The publisher, PWCC, sells trading cards on the eBay platform. eBay said PWCC’s tool provides over 250 …
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eBay Adds Digital Content for the First Time Since 2008

June 29, 2018 9:45 pm

eBay added digital comics to its lineup, but only a small number from a single seller. Nevertheless, it’s significant since it’s the first time it has allowed digital content to …
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eBay Runs End of Quarter Sitewide Flash Sale

June 29, 2018 11:17 am

Update 6/29/18: We happened to notice this evening that the sale has been extended to 11 pm PT. eBay is running another sitewide flash sale that runs until 9 pm …
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BQool Partners with InventoryLab to Automate Amazon Selling Tasks

June 29, 2018 10:43 am

BQool partnered with product sourcing tool InventoryLab to make it easier for Amazon sellers to manage inventory and sell competitively with repricing features, and sellers can now populate their InventoryLab …
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Payability Expands Financing to More Marketplace Sellers

June 29, 2018 10:39 am

Payability gives online sellers quicker access to revenues they’ve earned from Amazon, and now it’s expanded Instant Advance Financing to additional marketplaces – Newegg, Tophatter, Walmart, and Jet.com. The service …
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ShipStation Partners with ShipBob Fulfillment

June 28, 2018 5:10 pm

ShipStation partnered with ShipBob fulfillment, giving merchants access to a service with fulfillment centers in Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Press release follows: ShipStation, the leading web-based …
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PayPal Launched the New PayPal Checkout

June 28, 2018 4:48 pm

PayPal launched the new PayPal Checkout with Smart Payment Buttons offering today. It is designed to boost conversions by presenting relevant payment methods, including PayPal, Venmo, PayPal Credit. It also …
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Amazon Will Buy Online Pharmacy PillPack

June 28, 2018 4:27 pm

Amazon will buy online pharmacy PillPack, which offers pre-sorted doses of medications, home delivery, and a commitment to customer service, it announced on Thursday. Press release follows: Amazon and PillPack …
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Etsy Delays Change to How It Collects Fees from Sellers

June 28, 2018 2:03 pm

Etsy notified sellers it is delaying a change in billing practices first announced in April. The crux of the change, it explained to sellers at the time: “Starting in June, …
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eBay Launches Best Price Guarantee, But Only for Deals and Top 20

June 27, 2018 5:13 pm

eBay will launch a Best Price Guarantee, it announced on Wednesday, but not for all listings – only for its special “Deals” that are preselected from certain sellers and for …
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PayPal Acquires Risk Management Platform Simility

June 27, 2018 12:57 pm

PayPal is acquiring risk management platform Simility for $120 million in cash after investing in the company last year. It will help PayPal merchants avoid fraud. It is the latest …
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Already? Amazon Launches Back-to-School Shopping Portals

June 27, 2018 9:42 am

It’s not even July, yet Amazon is already anticipating the back-to-school shopping season. Today, it launched Back to School and Off to College stores. It used today’s announcement to promote …
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eBay Extends Relationship with PayPal Credit

June 26, 2018 10:25 pm

eBay and PayPal extended their consumer-credit relationship, PayPal announced on Tuesday, meaning eBay will continue to accept and promote PayPal Credit on its Marketplace platform. The two companies broke up …
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