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/.

USPS Should Help Online Merchants with Product Returns

April 7, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

While product returns are a problem for online sellers, one business’s headache is another’s opportunity. The USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) pegged the U.S. returns business for shipping carriers at $3 billion annually and said it’s expected to approach Read more

eBay Sellers Move More Business to Amazon

April 7, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

eBay sellers have been moving more of their business to Amazon for a long time, as EcommerceBytes reader surveys bear out, so it was with interest we read Bloomberg’s report that seemed to state it was a recent trend. “Amazon’s Read more

Etsy Items Featured in Nordstrom Stores in Canada

April 6, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

Etsy is continuing to grow its wholesale business and has extended its partnership with Nordstrom to Canada. Nordstrom Ottawa will feature four Canadian Etsy sellers in its At Home department. Nordstrom opened its first Canadian store in Calgary in September. Read more

New eBay Promo Entices Sellers to List High Value Items

April 6, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

eBay is running some promotions for sellers that differ from the typical free-listing sales – it’s providing discounts on commission fees as an incentive. One promotion (“Sell High, Save Big”) provides eBay Store owners with 20% off Final Value Fees Read more

BigCrumbs Closes, Trades Cashback for Rev-Share

April 6, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

The popular BigCrumbs cashback site is closing, but its founder is not calling it quits. Vince Martin is turning cashback on its head with the launch of MainStreetSHARES. BigCrumbs was a popular service that allowed people to earn cashback on Read more

ArtFire Plasters Ads on Listing Pages to Sellers’ Dismay

April 6, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

ArtFire founder John Jacobs confirmed that the online marketplace has changed its policy about displaying ads on seller listing pages, much to the consternation of its merchants. “As a seller on Artfire, I work hard to drive traffic to my Read more

Amazon Expands Super-Fast Delivery to More Cities

April 3, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

Amazon Prime members pay an annual fee to receive free 2-day shipping, and in some cities, they can receive orders in a matter of hours. Amazon promises to continue to expand its free 2-hour delivery service to additional cities in Read more

Etsy Adds Competitive Listings on Mobile App Listing Pages

April 3, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

Shoppers using Etsy’s mobile app will soon see a new section at the bottom of a seller’s listing called “Similar Items on Etsy.” The new section appears below the “Similar Items” section that links to the seller’s other listings, but Read more

eBay Blames Robots for Delivery Date Glitch

April 3, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

For what may be the first time ever, eBay sent an email to customers acknowledging it displayed incorrect estimated delivery dates on listings, blaming a technical glitch for the error. While it used humor to soften the blow when it Read more

eCrater Launches Shipping Enhancements

April 2, 2015August 21, 2017 Ina Steiner

eCrater has introduced some enhancements designed to improve the experience for buyers and sellers for purchases greater than one item. The marketplace currently supports three types of shipping: flat rate, weight matrix and USPS calculator that is only available for Read more