From the Editor – June 16, 2019

June 15, 2019 4:41 pm

On January 31, 2018, eBay announced its plans to take over payments and explained: “Most sellers can expect their costs of payments processing to be reduced after they transition to …
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Understanding Next Week’s Postal Rate Hike

June 15, 2019 4:40 pm

New US postal rates took effect on January 27, 2019, but there was a “Part Two” that kicks in on June 23, 2019, having to do with DIM Weight. That …
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From eBay to Neiman Marcus: Seller Shows the Power of Branding

June 15, 2019 4:39 pm

Sarah Davis started selling clothing on eBay in 1999 and, after bringing on business partner Ben Hemminger in 2006, built up a business selling pre-owned luxury goods. The success of …
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Six Tips to Cut Shipping Costs and Boost Efficiency

June 15, 2019 4:38 pm

Closeup of a worker hands packing a box Online selling costs keep rising, making it imperative to periodically review your operations to find ways to save money and boost efficiency …
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Collectors Corner: Yard-Sale Hand-Tool Finds (Mechanic’s)

June 15, 2019 4:37 pm

Across the nation, yard-sale season is in full swing. Led by the Boomer generation (and inspired by Marie Kondo, who has been applying her organizational skills to helping the less …
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EcommerceBytes Soundoff: Letters to the Editor – June 16, 2019

June 15, 2019 4:36 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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Retailers Tell President Trump They Pay Tariffs, Not the Chinese

June 14, 2019 11:45 am

Retailers and manufacturers sent a letter to President Trump on Thursday asking him to end what they called the escalation of tit-for-tat tariffs. “Broadly applied tariffs are not an effective …
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eBay UK Runs Sitewide Flash Sale Post-Outage, Pre-Prime Day

June 14, 2019 10:52 am

eBay UK is running a sitewide flash sale today through Saturday, according to members of its affiliate program, though we are unable to see any ads for the promotion on …
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Target Puts a Price on Same-Day Delivery

June 14, 2019 10:23 am

Sellers might have cringed when they heard the news that retail chain Target is now offering same-day delivery of online orders, since it puts pressure on them to offer quicker …
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PayPal Launches Shipping Solution for Canadian Sellers

June 13, 2019 4:36 pm

Canadian sellers shipping to US shoppers are at a disadvantage when it comes to shipping rates and delivery time. PayPal launched a new shipping solution on Wednesday for Canadian sellers …
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eBay Updates Item Specifics that Help Listings Get Found

June 12, 2019 5:18 pm

eBay has updated Item Specifics, which are fields that describe a product’s attributes, and it reminded sellers that it’s making some Item Specifics mandatory (“required”) in the Home & Garden …
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Amazon Tweaks European Selling Fees

June 11, 2019 3:25 pm

Amazon has tweaked selling fees in European markets. UK publication Jewellery Focus included the following statement from Amazon about the impact on jewelry and watches, two of the categories impacted …
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eBay UK Reduces Certain Fees for Business Sellers

June 11, 2019 3:18 pm

eBay is reducing fees in certain categories for business sellers in the UK, effective July 11, 2019. eBay UK made the following announcement today: Price reduction for Business Sellers in …
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Amazon Recalls AmazonBasics Ceramic Space Heaters

June 11, 2019 3:12 pm

Amazon recalled AmazonBasics-branded ceramic space heaters today due to fire and burn hazards. The company notified customers who had purchased the heaters through email. According to the U.S. Consumer Product …
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It’s Official: Poshmark Selling App Expands to Home Goods

June 11, 2019 11:35 am

It’s official: Poshmark has expanded beyond fashion to allow sellers to list home goods on its mobile selling app. As we reported last week, sellers began listing items on May …
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Amazon Says Phone Compatibility Can Reduce Returns

June 11, 2019 10:54 am

Amazon is rolling out new rules that require sellers/brands to provide compatibility information for certain product pages, saying it will help reduce returns and negative reviews – and help ensure …
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Amazon Treasure Truck Launches Pop-Up Kiosks in the UK

June 11, 2019 1:11 am

Amazon Treasure Truck program is launching pop-up kiosks in the UK this month, beginning at rail stations across London. Amazon Treasure Truck travels to cities all around the UK several …
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Etsy Hires Chief Marketing Officer

June 11, 2019 1:07 am

Two years after becoming CEO of Etsy and going on a cost-cutting regimen, Josh Silverman showed his commitment to marketing by hiring a Chief Marketing Officer. Ryan Scott will join …
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A New Amazon Hook: Shop in Order to Establish Credit

June 10, 2019 11:30 am

Amazon has found a new way to attract shoppers to its site – it has partnered with financial firm Synchrony to offer a credit card to those trying to establish …
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What Will Loss of FedEx Express Mean for Amazon – and Everyone Else?

June 7, 2019 10:33 pm

Word leaked today that FedEx has decided not to renew its contract with Amazon for Express air delivery. The Washington Post said it could impact Amazon during the holiday shopping …
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eBay Calls Massachusetts Sales Tax Provision Onerous

June 6, 2019 11:30 pm

eBay called a sales tax provision included in Massachusetts lawmakers’ budget bill “onerous.” The bill heads to conference committee for negotiation before the budget package is presented to the governor, …
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Amazon Helps Fashion Shoppers with Visual Search

June 6, 2019 10:32 pm

Amazon Fashion launched StyleSnap this week, a feature in its mobile app that lets shoppers use photographs or screenshots to shop a look they like. The feature is powered by …
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Pitney Bowes and Pirate Ship Offer Free USPS Shipping Software

June 6, 2019 10:07 pm

Pirate Ship has integrated the Pitney Bowes Pure Post service into its software, which is targeted at small online merchants and subscription-box services. Sellers will be able to seamlessly access …
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Amazon Prime Day Inventory Is Due by June 27

June 6, 2019 10:02 am

The clock is ticking, and Amazon told FBA sellers to make sure their products arrive at its fulfillment centers by June 27 in order to take advantage of this year’s …
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eBay Offers Installment Plans to Canadian Shoppers

June 5, 2019 9:46 pm

eBay now offers an alternative to PayPal Credit, welcoming PayBright to its Canadian marketplace on Wednesday. eBay Canada executive Rob Bigler said, “We are excited to offer PayBright’s installment payment …
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Bonanza to Collect Sales Tax in Four States, Sellers Take Note

June 5, 2019 7:02 pm

Due to a change online marketplace Bonanza is making dealing with sales tax, sellers must take action this month or face suspension or additional fees. Bonanza will begin collecting and …
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eBay Says Sellers Can Offer Free Shipping without a Big Risk

June 4, 2019 11:22 am

eBay issued an announcement urging sellers to offer free shipping, telling them it’s “almost a must-have,” and telling them they can implement it “without taking a big risk.” While the …
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Etsy CEO Prioritizes Buyer Return Frequency

June 4, 2019 10:59 am

Etsy held its annual shareholder meeting this morning, and it held no surprises. Etsy CEO Josh Silverman gave a brief presentation, and there were no questions from shareholders. (Unlike eBay, …
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Amazon Prime Expands Free One-Day Shipping

June 3, 2019 2:05 pm

Amazon is expanding the availability of free 1-day shipping through its Prime membership program. On Monday, it announced that “Free One Day” is available to Prime members in the continental …
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Top Retailers Get a Boost with UPS ShopRunner Deal

June 3, 2019 1:51 pm

It’s hard to compete with Amazon Prime’s free-shipping program, but retailers who participate in the rival ShopRunner program got a boost today from UPS. The shipping carrier is offering members …
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