Newsletter #2 - featuring; eBay services section, eBay feedback stars.

 

May 19th 2007 - Issue#2 Hi, In This Issue: 1. eBay introduces it's new services section. 2. The new stars of eBay - what are they all about? 3. Got a question? 4. "Visit Amanda's Blog!" 5. Tell us what you think. ============================================================== 1) eBay introduces it's new services section. ============================================================== FEATURE EDITORIAL In case you haven't seen the announcement; http://www2.ebay.com/aw/au/200703.shtml#2007-03-30162037 eBay recently announced that they are creating a new services section. It was launched on the 9th April and whilst it is a great idea, there are lots of questions in regards to how it actually works....I know I had heaps of questions. After over an hour on the phone to the Trust and Safety department, it was all clear how it works, especially when it comes to the policy involved with it. The services section is just for services. I know that sounds obvious, but take a look for yourself, some people can't seem to tell the difference. The great thing about this, is the suddenly businesses who previously didn't have a tangible product they could sell on eBay, can now use the site to advertise. You can have a auction, a fixed priced listing, but most importantly you can now have a classified advert. These are purely to advertise, which previously had been banned on eBay. The auction or fixed priced format is priced at $5 to list and $5 FVF,(sales commission fees), if the item "sells". The classified adds run for 28days at a set cost of $19.99 with no FVF. As the main point of the classified adds is to advertise what services you offer, you can offer a range within your listing. Normally in a general auction listing, you can only list one item per add, you can't even offer a choice of colours or sizes between the same item. You can add your contact details to the classified adds, so that people can contact you directly and you can negotiate with them from there, to find the right service package for their needs. What you can't add is details of your website. I was originally told on the phone before the launch of this new services category that you could, which would have been a major windfall for people with a website to promote. However I had since had it clarified that it is in fact a major "no-no" and that the normal links policy applies to these listings as well. You can read up on the links policy here. It's a little too early to tell just how effective this new category will be, but at $19.99 for 30 days, with the ability to get unlimited business from it, I am giving it a go.   ============================================================== 2) The new stars of eBay - what are they all about? ============================================================== Now that the dust is settling on the new star ratings on eBay, we can start to see how they will effect sellers. The stars are being trialed in Australia and the UK to name a few countries, before eBay take it live on their main USA site. What this new rating does is give buyers the opportunity to rate sellers on the following four areas, in addition to the normal positive, neutral or negative rating; Item as described. Communication Postage time Postage and handling charges. Ebay have said that they give buyer adequate information that the third rating "Postage time" is for how long it takes a seller to post the item, not how long it takes to arrive. While I am not against this new rating system, I can see that many sellers (and buyers) are going to just get used to the fact that it will be basically impossible for a seller, no matter how good, to achieve a perfect rating. Many can get and keep a 100% satisfaction score, but 5/5 for all 4 stars really is impossible. Firstly these ratings are anonymous, so buyers are really letting their feelings be known about what they thought of the transaction. Actually this is a good thing across the board, as buyers SHOULD be able to feel free to rate sellers honestly, without fear of reprisal. It is ebay culture to expect perfection or near perfection from sellers. They expect as the norm far more from an ebay seller than they would ever dream of expecting from David Jones or Coles - imagine how good these stores would be if their buyers thought anything less than 99% customer satisfaction was "poor"! When the buyer goes to award stars for their seller, eBay give a guideline that describes each rating with the 4/5 normally being very satisfied, and the 5/5 reserved for extremely satisfied. I don't know about you, but it is rare for me as a consumer to feel "extremely satisfied" and I would think letting someone know that you were "very satisfied" would make that person/company very happy. In a way it is a good thing, as over time the stress to keep 100% or 5/5 is over whelming and really not worth it. If sellers came to look at their feedback in the way a buyer generally would, and accept that they can't keep everyone happy all of the time, no matter how hard they try, then they can get on with actually serving the customer. For me personally, I have managed to keep my stars at around 4.7-4.8 out of 5 for each one (they are graded in 10ths). I don't charge extra for my postage, I post on the same day as payment is received, I go to great pains to make sure my descriptions are accurate and I answer even the stupidest of emails with a smile. Before I understood how ebay worded each star rating, I wondered what I had done wrong, but now I am pretty happy with it all. The most heartening thing with the new stars is that, the sellers who don't look after their buyers are getting hammered with the ratings. The stars have knocked the good sellers down a little, but they have knocked the bad ones over.   ============================================================== 3) Got a question? ============================================================== I have been playing with the idea of adding a question and answer section to the newsletter. If you want to know something, I'm sure other people are dying to know as well. It can be any auction or internet marketing related question, you like. Be it software, ethics, marketing or just general, nothing is off limits. Don't be shy, we are all learning all of the time, so all questions are worth asking. Send your questions directly to me - amanda@helpmyauction.com and I will answer and publish one each newsletter.   ============================================================== 4) "Visit Amanda's Blog!" ============================================================== Check out "The Help My Auction Blog Spot!" with Amanda Callbutt at: http://helpmyauction.blogspot.com/ Here Amanda shares her thoughts, ideas, insights, and strategies with you, our customers and subscribers. Every week, sometimes even a couple of times a week, Amanda shares... 1. Updates from the Help My Auction! website: What is happening at HMA? 2. Cutting-edge industry updates: Every month Amanda meets extremely successful online and offline business owners who are using the hottest new moneymaking strategies and industry insights... and now she'll be sharing them with you. 3. Announcements! Be the first to know about new courses and resources, sometimes even BEFORE they have been created, so you can beat your competition to the punch! 4. Amanda's personal opinion, thoughts, and insights on many different auction site and e-commerce topics. If you want to get to know Amanda and what is going on in the day-to-day world of internet auction selling, then this is the place to be! Go to: http://helpmyauction.blogspot.com/ ============================================================== 5) Tell us what you think! ============================================================== I would love to hear other people's views on the stars, or on anything else auction related. This issue has centered around eBay, but you can comment on anything you like. Please send your comments, questions, and ideas for upcoming issues to us at: mail to:suggestions@helpmyauction.com Your feedback matters to us! ============================================================== Regards, Amanda Callbutt, CEO Help My Auction! Copyright 2005-2007 by Help My Auction! All rights reserved. www.helpmyauction.com ============================================================== If you have received this mailing in error, or if you no longer wish to receive e-mail from Help My Auction Newsletter, please send an e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject line news@helpmyauction.com You will be automatically excluded from any future mailings, including our Help My Auction Newsletter. If you would prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Help My Auction Newsletter PO BOX 165, Angle Vale SA, 5117 Australia. To view my privacy policy, please click here.