Online Sellers to Benefit from Kabbage and UPS Partnership

Kabbage, Inc, a provider of working capital for small businesses, and UPS recently announced an important alliance for small businesses throughout the US. Kabbage provides advances to established online sellers who need a funding to help build their business.

In determining the amount of the advance a seller qualifies for, Kabbage looks at a seller's selling history, social networking, and other factors. UPS will allow Kabbage to view shipping history to determine how established an online seller is.

In addition to showing a seller's shipping history, UPS Capital, a division of UPS, will also provide Kabbage with a credit facility which will allow Kabbage to reach even more sellers. The company currently assists more than 15,000 online sellers.

�Access to working capital for small businesses is fundamental to the country�s economic recovery,� said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS chief sales and marketing officer. �This alliance with Kabbage is an example of how UPS and UPS Capital can help small businesses gain access to the working capital they need to grow their business. We�re looking forward to extending our alliance with Kabbage and the thousands of e-commerce companies it supports.�

For more information about the partnership, please click here.


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Tebow Fans, You Could Call This a �Cheesy� eBay Listing!

The end of the football season is no reason to not have a touch of Tebow, Tim Tebow that is, in your life. One eBay seller recently offered a grilled cheese sandwich that seemed to resemble the NFL�s Denver Broncos quarterback.

According to the listing, eBay Seller �carlspackler76� of Roanoke, Virginia, was just quickly making lunch with a less than perfect frying pan one day when he was �thoroughly amazed by the image staring back [at him]... the now iconic "Tebowing" pose of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow!�

The auction began at only 99 cents on January 13, 2012. After receiving 46 bids, it ended on January 20, 2012 at a whopping $85.00! And just think, this success story started with two slices of bread, a slice of American cheese, and poorly performing cookware.

Below is a screenshot of the actual listing on eBay after the bidding was over.



After the seller froze the sandwich and carefully packed it with dry ice, the package was shipped to it winning bidder. As I write this, the buyer has not provided any feedback. I can�t help but wonder if it ended up as lunch anyway!

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Amazon Plans New Fulfillment Centers for 2012

Image Courtesy of Google.com

With the growth of the sales of the Kindle Fire and with the increasing number of sellers using FBA, Amazon will add new fulfillment centers to reach more customers in a more efficient manner. The centers are planned for locations within Virginia, Tennessee and other states. With two new centers planned for Chesterfield and Dunwiddie counties, Virgina, the new centers are projected to bring approximately 1,350 jobs to that one state alone.

The growth is not focused on only US locations. Later this year, Amazon plans to open its first fulfillment center in Mumbai, India. In addition to the India location, Amazon will also add fulfillment centers in Nanning, China and in the cities of Koblenz and Pforzheim, Germany.

If you have ever wondered what the workings of an Amazon fulfillment center looks like, here is a YouTube video that will give you a peek:




The following are just a few of the new Amazon.com US fulfillment centers set to open in 2012:

� West Middletown, Delaware
� Spartanburg County, South Carolina
� Chattanooga, Tennessee (Opened 2/2/12)
� Lebanon, Tennessee
� Murfreesboro, Tennessee
� Dinwiddie, Virginia
� Meadowville, Virginia

What does this mean for the FBA seller? You may encounter additional shipping locations to forward your inventory. You may experience stock movement as inventory is transferred to other locations. While it may be a slight inconvenience to split your inventory, it is still a very efficient process. When you consider the time saved in shipping each item individually and warehousing your inventory, Amazon FBA is still a great alternative. Also, the additional centers shows the growth of Amazon.com. As the company reaches more consumers, so will your products.

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eBay Seller Success Story � One Seller, One Auction, Many Successes

I recently received this set of eBay seller success stories from Joyce West:

I am a member of the Treasure Hunters Cove with Carolyn. She has been after me to send you these scores.

I went to an auction this fall that was just loaded with goodies. These are just a few of the items I found. There are many more items, both Jadeite and other items, from this sale listed in my store.

For $75, I purchased the Jadeite Coffee Jar and the pair of Jadeite Shakers. The coffee jar sold at auction for $175 and the Shakers went for $65 at the auction. The screenshots below are for the coffee jar listing and the shakers.








I also purchased the Jadeite Measuring cups for $30 and they went for $150, from my store. The shakers and measuring cups both went to the same buyer in Japan. The next screenshot shows the closed listing for the measuring cups.



With just these three items, I turned $105 into $390. I could not have done it before I learned from the Treasure Hunters Cove not to under price my items. Carolyn and Mel are great motivators.

You can click here to visit Joyce�s store, By Gone Oldies.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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Don't Miss Sale Event This Saturday At Big Lots

If you are looking for a great way to buy inventory to sell on eBay, then get ready to search this Saturday. On Saturday, January 28, Big Lots is having a big savings event for its Buzz Reward cardholders. Just find your deals, check out and show your Buzz Reward card to receive an automatic 20% off your entire purchase. For more information, click here.

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Hot Items to Sell For Valentine�s Day 2012

Valentine�s Day is less than a month away but it is not too late to stock your eBay store with the things your buyers want! Look at a list of the current hot items buyers are looking to purchase for their sweethearts.

For women, the hot gift items seem to be accessories. Designer handbags and sunglasses top the list. Brands like Michael Kors and Prada are popular gift items. Also, silk scarves and nighties are on the list. Sunglasses are popular for men, too. Rayban and Oakley are the brands that buyers are looking for. Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger and Perry Ellis wallets are on the gift lists, as well. As always, cologne is popular. Buyers are looking for Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue for Women and 212 for Men, just to name a couple of brands. Of course, Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Marc Jacobs Daisy are on the list, too.

Electronics like iPads, eReaders, and headphones are making the list. Buyers are grabbing cameras like the Nikon J1 and home theater systems like the Panasonic 3D Blu-ray system. Apple products like the Macbook Air, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch are on the list again this year.

And old standards like candles, jewelry and vases are hot items. Plus, tickets to Broadway plays, sports events, and concerts are being given, too.

Other popular items include:

Men�s scarves

Tablets

Camcorders

Smartphones

Expresso Maker

Rings

Bracelets

Earrings

MLB Spring Training Tickets

While being able to sell these hot items will boost your sales, there are other tips that may help, as well. Offering gift-wrapping services will help you increase sales as well. Make sure your listings are clearly marked to show the additional services you are offering. Increase your sales by offering expedited shipping. This will help make your listings even more appealing to the last minute buyer.

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eBay Seller Success Story � Santa Claus Ashtray

Carolyn Pritchett recently sent in this eBay success story:

During an estate sale, Carolyn found a beautiful 22 carat gold trimmed, Christmas Santa Claus Ashtray by Dixon Art Studios. The vintage piece was that had no damage measured 5�� x 5 3/8�. The ashtray appeared to have never been used before. Carolyn paid $1.00 for the ashtray and then sold it on eBay for $24.99.

The screenshot below shows the closed listing.





You can visit Carolyn�s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter�s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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Amazon FAQ � What if an Item Has No Sales Rank?

Here is another common question I have received from my clients and see on message boards. Part of the decision making process when determining whether or not an item is a good fit for Amazon is sales rank. But what if an item does not have a rank, or the rank is zero?

No sales rank. We (experienced Amazon sellers) believe this means that the item has sold at least once in the past but a long time period has passed. It could have been months or even years since a sale.

Zero rank. The item has recently been listed and no sales has occurred yet.

So, your next question is, what do I do if there is not a rank, or the rank is zero?

Here is how I approach a zero rank situation. If I have a gut feeling about a product, based on my own experience with a brand name or type of product, I will watch the item and see what happens. Eventually a ranking will appear when some are sold. My feeling is that someone obviously knows enough to have taken the time to list the product and do all the work. If I don�t have enough experience to make the call, I can take advantage of another seller�s initiative and pay attention to the situation.

I also pay attention to the seller who listed the item. I look at these factors:

1. Does the seller have a lot of feedback � meaning are they experienced?


2. Does the seller have a large product offering?


3. Does the seller specialize in a certain category, such as toys or health and beauty?


4. Does the seller have a lot of products with a zero ranking, which would indicate that they experiment regularly?

If you don�t have the experience or knowledge to understand whether a zero ranked product is worth listing, watch other more experienced sellers.

Also, a note about zero ranks. I have experimented with products with a zero rank and sold maybe 25-30 of the product before a ranking showed up on the listing or FBA Scout. So, although the rank may show as zero, and it APPEARS that no sales have occurred, you can�t always make that assumption.

My best advice on zero ranked products is to go with your gut. If your inner voice is telling you that the item will sell, you know the brand name is a good seller, or you yourself use the product and like it, follow that instinct. Buy a couple and see what happens. You may discover a situation where the item sells and the ranking stays a zero for a few months. Competitors will look at the item thinking none have sold yet. And you will be laughing all the way to the bank!

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