Author: Ina Steiner

Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.

Amazon to Open New $40 Million Robotics Facility

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019 Ina Steiner

Amazon will invest over $40 million to develop a new facility for its Robotics division. The new 350,000 square feet facility will open in Westborough, Massachusetts in 2021 and will include corporate offices, research and development labs, and manufacturing space. Read more

USPS Is Ready to Deliver 800 Million Christmas Packages

November 5, 2019November 5, 2019 Ina Steiner

The USPS will process and deliver 13 billion pieces of mail and 800 million packages to American homes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the USPS Postmaster General Megan Brennan told postal employees. She noted that the holiday window is 6 days Read more

Shopify Launches Email Marketing Tool for Online Sellers

November 5, 2019 Ina Steiner

Ecommerce platform Shopify launched a new email marketing tool for sellers. Currently available to select merchants at no charge, Shopify Email will be available to all Shopify stores early next year, with low cost plans available. A spokesperson explained Shopify Read more

eBay Updates Sellers on Sales Tax Changes

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019 Ina Steiner

Last month, eBay updated sellers on pending changes to the way it handles sales tax, and on Monday, it said the changes are now live. Starting now, the way taxable transactions are processed and how taxes are collected for remittance Read more

UPS Expects a 26% Increase on Peak Returns Day

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019 Ina Steiner

UPS is forecasting record-breaking holiday returns volume this year. It expects 1.9 million returns to take place on January 2, 2020, its forecast peak day. That’s a 26% increase over last year’s peak returns day. But high volumes aren’t expected Read more

Amazon Expands Delivery Options for Holiday Shoppers

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019 Ina Steiner

Amazon expanded delivery options for holiday shoppers, it announced today. The company is offering free next-day delivery to Prime members for over 10 million items, “including popular holiday gifts such as toys, games, and electronics.” Amazon has also expanded its Read more

eBay Vows to Protect Sellers Impacted by California Fires

November 2, 2019November 2, 2019 Ina Steiner

eBay announced this week it would extend seller protections to sellers impacted by the fires and power outages in California. The major carriers have been warning customers about the disruption and service delays caused by the events including evacuations in Read more

Amazon Opens Holiday Store with Gift Guides and Savings

November 1, 2019November 1, 2019 Ina Steiner

Amazon opened a Holiday Store today, along with curated gift guides, deals, and more. A spokesperson told EcommerceBytes, “With early holiday deals kicking off today and new deals all day, every day this season, our biggest-ever selection of curated gift Read more

eBay Turns to Brands and Deals for Holiday Marketing

November 1, 2019November 1, 2019 Ina Steiner

eBay is once again turning to brands and daily-deal style promotions in its marketing campaign. On Friday, it announced it will launch a Holiday Brand Outlet on November 4, and each Friday through December 13, it will offer shoppers “Black Read more

Amazon Launches the Amazon Small Business Academy

November 1, 2019November 1, 2019 Ina Steiner

Amazon launched the Amazon Small Business Academy on Friday, a range of educational initiatives to help entrepreneurs, startups, and business owners succeed online. The program includes free in-person seminar events and live webinars, as well as community college classes across Read more