About Kathy Terrill

eBay Open 2024: eBay Seller Conferences Continue!

by Kathy Terrill | Sep 11, 2024 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

The long and colorful history of eBay’s seller conferences continues this year with eBay Open 2024!

eBay Open 2024 is the latest in a long and vibrant series of eBay seller conferences. It all began with eBay Live! in Anaheim back in 2002, then moved to Orlando in 2003 with Weird Al Yankovic performing his eBay Song.

eBay Live! was in New Orleans in 2004, and then in San Jose in 2005 for eBay’s 10th birthday. eBay Live! Las Vegas, Chicago, and Boston followed. Highlights over the years included serenades from the E-Notes, clapping tunnels, an actual wedding, and celebrity performances by the B-52s and The Monkees’ Davy Jones.

When eBay ended its big eBay Live! events as of 2008, eBay Radio stepped in and hosted the eBay Radio Party & Conference in Las Vegas from 2009-2015.

Meanwhile, from 2010 through 2012, eBay held a series of smaller regional events called eBay: On Location.

Their tagline was,” You’re in Business.” On Location took place in Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Orlando. In 2010, San Jose was included in honor of eBay’s 15th anniversary.

In 2015, eBay leadership wisely returned to hosting live seller events.

eBay marked its 20th anniversary in San Jose with “We Are Twenty.” Sellers cheered; live mega-conferences were back! During that seller celebration, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar was regifted with the infamous broken laser pointer. It was the very first item ever sold on eBay, back when it debuted as AuctionWeb.

eBay Open conferences ran from 2015-2019.

Executive keynotes, workshops conducted by various eBay teams, and seller panels and third-party vendors anchored these events. Hundreds of eBay employees were on hand to answer seller questions in the Expo Hall. eBay Radio broadcasted live from the event, and there was even a clapping tunnel

Then the pandemic shifted these popular seller events online.

With eBay Open now online, the eBay Community and Seller Events team stepped up their game. They took on the challenge of delivering an informative high energy virtual event. And every year, they knock the ball out of the park,, wowing attendees!

This year, eBay Open takes place on Wednesday-Thursday, September 25-26.

For details and to register, go to ebay.com/open. The night before —on Tuesday, September 24— 35 locations across the country will host eBay Open kickoff parties hosted by local seller groups. To see if there’s one near you, go to https://sellerevents.ebay.com/ebay-open-2024-kickoff-parties/.

Think of attending eBay Open as you would any other business conference.

eBay is picking up the tab, so there is no cost to attend eBay Open 2024! And since it’s online, it’s hassle free, no travel delays, no need to even pack a suitcase. In addition, you don’t have pay for a plane ticket or hotel . To help you get the most out of this online event, I’ve created The eBay Open Seller Success Planner. It’s your road map to optimize your eBay Open experience. Download your complimentary copy HERE.

With the eBay Open Seller Success Planner, you’ll be guided through each day of eBay Open. Stay informed about all the events and options to maximize your experience!

Now get ready to have the time of your eBay life!

Three Strategies for Beating the eBay Summer Sales Slowdown!

by Kathy Terrill | Jun 13, 2024 | Selling on eBay

If you’ve been told that there is an inevitable eBay summer sales slow down, don’t believe everything you hear.

Retail sales were reported as flat in April 2024, which could forecast a slow summer for selling. However, with the information I’ll be sharing, there’s no need for you to experience an eBay summer sales slowdown. Sure, people are on vacation, out of town, or outdoors enjoying summer activities, but they’re still shopping!

Remember, the majority of eBay shoppers are on mobile, and one thing people typically have nearby, no matter where they are, is their phone! Here are three ways to get summer shoppers to purchase from your eBay listings and keep your sales from slumping.

First, eBay seller, think seasonal!

Want to avoid slow eBay summer sales? Christmas in particular sells year round, furthermore Christmas in July is definitely a thing. So, consider this as a reminder to get your Christmas items listed! Got that done, good!

Now, look around you as you’re out and about. Furthermore, go on social media. What are people doing? Are they cooking on the grill, eating on the patio, gardening, traveling? Or are they playing sports, attending family reunions, or hanging out at the pool, lake, or ocean

Now think about what you sell, what you haven’t yet listed, and what you could source that would be useful for people doing those things. Think seasonal clothing, barbecue sets, pet accessories to keep Fido cool, travel goodies, bathing suits, pool toys…you get the drift.

Second, to avoid slow eBay summertime sales, think limited edition and discontinued.

For example, lots of eBay buyers rely on the site to keep them stocked with their favorite shade of lipstick, especially if it’s no longer available in their area. Scented soaps are popular, too. Sometimes they’re offered for a limited time only or sold as a limited edition. Discontinued and/or sold-out health and beauty products live on, thanks to eBay!

Check your unlisted inventory. Do you have any health and beauty items to list? Be sure to take a look at the shelves of your favorite drugstore. Check clearance and sale items. You can look them up easily on your cell phone, now that Product Research is on the eBay app! Just be sure items are new and unopened, and be sure to note the expiration date, if there is one. Some discontinued beauty products sell for a pretty penny. Hint: be sure to check bars of soap.

Third, while you’re thinking seasonal, limited edition, and discontinued, consider your closets, dresser drawers, and kitchen cabinets.

You might just find some in-demand items that have been retired from the retail market. If you’re not using something, now is the perfect time to declutter and list it. Win-win!

More strategies to avoid the dreaded summer sales slump!

Now, grab your complimentary copy of my newly updated, Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales. It’s your FREE guide to successfully sailing through the dog days of summer. Download it now HERE.

With the information in this blog post and my free tips sheet, Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales, you are on your way to selling, selling, selling all summer long! And with the eBay app on your phone, enjoy cha-chings wherever summer takes you.

eBay Winter Seller Update 2024: Key Points!

by Kathy Terrill | Mar 2, 2024 | Selling on eBay

It’s just out! The eBay Winter Seller Update 2024 was announced on February 21, 2024.

Unlike some previous seller updates, the eBay Winter Seller Update of 2024 has nothing in it that will set your hair on fire. The bottom line is that it’s basically all about the bottom line — that is, driving conversion, i.e., sales.

That said, there’s one thing you need to bear in mind while reviewing the initiatives and changes contained in this update: namely, how they’re going to affect YOUR bottom line. eBay only cares about our sales, not about our profits. It’s up to you to keep a sharp eye on your profit margins.

eBay Winter Seller Update 2024: Reach More Buyers!

eBay is rolling out new and improved tools to help you grow your business. For starters, sellers with a Basic or higher eBay Store subscription will now be able to create markdown sale events directly from the Active Listings page in Seller Hub. Previously, this could only be done from the Seller Hub Marketing tab. This functionality is also coming soon to the eBay Mobile app. Want more tips for your eBay store? Grab our valuable eBay Master Store Tips. They’re free!

Also rolling out are new “Sell it faster” recommendations. These data-backed suggestions will appear on your Active Listings page. For example, eBay already shows recommendations to Send Offer to Buyers for eligible listings. Now you’ll be able to automate offers based on considerations such as category, price, and condition. This is where it pays to know your cost of goods sold (COGS), so you don’t undercut yourself and lose money.

Don’t like eBay’s recommendations? Click “Remind me later” to snooze them.

Sell More Efficiently!

Sellers asked, and eBay listened: Drafts will now stay available longer. In the past, a draft would be saved for 75 days after its creation, even if you revised it. Now making revisions will restart the clock; you’ll have 75 days from when changes are made.

You can save up to 250 drafts through the quick listing tool on eBay.com and the eBay Mobile app, and you can save up to 5,000 drafts via the single and bulk business listing tools in Seller Hub.

Protect Your Business!

The Winter Seller Update announced that over the past few months, eBay has taken steps toward reducing unpaid item cases for Buy It Now and Best Offer items by requiring would-be buyers to first provide a payment method before they can send their offer.

Based on favorable feedback, the company is now taking the same tactic with seller-initiated offers. Before potential buyers can accept your offer, they will first be taken directly to checkout to make payment. Only then can they complete their purchase. If they abandon the checkout page, the item will remain available to other buyers.

Delegate More Tasks with MUAA!

eBay has enhanced Multi-User Account Access (MUAA). Now you can authorize someone else to handle My Messages as well as to create, modify, and manage advertising campaigns and promotions. The company also has introduced two-step verification with authenticator apps to maximize account security.

Improvements to Shipping and Listing Management!

eBay Standard Envelope has been expanded into more categories; tracking has been upgraded; and the Free Shipping prompt now appears on your main listing draft, making it easier to offer this option.

Another change: As of this update, when you switch categories while listing, the most relevant item specifics will follow you over to the new category.

Running Your Business on the Go!

Now you can sort orders by Custom SKU or by buyer when using eBay Mobile.

Updates to Fees and Financials!

This is the only bad news in the Winter Seller Update, and it’s not terrible: Starting March 15, 2024, the per-order fee on orders over $10 will increase to $0.40 across all categories. For orders $10 and under, you’ll still be charged the current rate of $0.30.

Despite fee increases, the eBay Winter Seller Update 2024 is mostly good news for sellers!

eBay Winter Seller Update 2024: What’s the Bottom Line?

All in all, there’s not much to worry about in this year’s eBay Winter Seller Update. It’s mostly about eBay helping you to sell more quickly and efficiently — so you can sell more, quickly and efficiently. Be sure you know your numbers, and don’t shortchange yourself when it comes to staying profitable!

All About eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update!

by Kathy Terrill | Jul 16, 2023 | eBay

Are you ready eBay sellers?

Here’s what you need to know about eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update.

For eBay sellers, the most highly anticipated days in any given year are those when eBay releases a seller update — especially since specific dates are never announced in advance!

These updates inform the seller community about upcoming changes (and sometimes explain recent changes as well). They impact all aspects of selling on eBay, from categories and fees to listing and shipping to seller protections and more. For this reason, sellers often tend to view updates with great trepidation.

eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update!

Fear not! eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update is mostly good news:

Better tools for fighting chargeback
A crackdown on abusive buyers
The site-wide rollout of eBay International Shipping (EIS)
New solutions to the perennial problem of unpaid items (UPIs)
Also announced in this Summer Seller Update is eBay’s dynamic ad rate for Promoted Listings Standard (PLS). This is something you might want to consider trying.

Of course, no seller update is all sunshine and lollipops.

The most challenging (and confusing) part of this particular update is the section that explains the complicated new regulations around selling and shipping to buyers in Europe. I’ve gotten some clarification from various eBay executives and team leaders, which I’ll pass along to you.

eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update: Payment Disputes

When a buyer asks their bank or credit card company to reimburse the amount they paid for something, it’s called a chargeback. eBay has listened to seller feedback and made significant changes to their payment dispute process.

‘Now sellers can provide detailed information documenting a transaction’s validity, enabling them to more effectively challenge a charge-back (and hopefully get to keep the money). The info they provide may also help them qualify for seller protections. Get details and FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/business.

Reporting Inappropriate Buyer Messages

eBay was founded on the premise that people are basically good. Which for the most part, they are. But not all of them. Some unscrupulous buyers try to coerce the seller into taking their transaction offline; others attempt to bully their way to a full or partial refund.

New sellers are especially vulnerable to such ploys and may even be specifically targeted. Now eBay is giving sellers the power to report these bad buyers right from My Messages. Sellers can also block unwelcome buyers.

On your smartphone, Just click on “the kebab” button (three vertical dots) in the upper right-hand corner of the conversation to see the drop-down menu options for doing so. On a desktop or laptop computer, click the Action button above the message, then choose “Report message” (you’ll be asked to provide a reason) or “Block this member”.

Unpaid Items: a Never-Ending Story

Unpaid items following a successful auction or accepted Best Offer are a perpetual thorn in the side for sellers. But according to the Summer Seller Update, eBay is testing a new feature that requires buyers to add a payment method before sending a Best Offer. If their offer is accepted, eBay will automatically collect payment from the buyer.

In the coming weeks, this feature will be rolled out to most Best Offer listings. Get details and FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/financials.

New Rules for Selling to European Buyers

Thanks to recently implemented and very complex legislation, selling and shipping to buyers in Europe — especially France and Germany — is currently somewhat of a hot mess.

Basically, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws makes manufacturers, importers, and eBay sellers responsible for the entire life cycle of the products they sell. It’s all part of a well-intentioned initiative aimed at protecting the environment by preventing, reducing, and managing waste.

For more details plus specific information on selling to France go HERE.

As for Germany, EPR laws there are especially convoluted when it comes to the Electronics category. In addition, the German Packaging Act (Verpack G) regulates packing materials. Get the full scoop HERE.

Meanwhile, rest assured that in most cases, EIS can fulfill your order while complying with applicable regulations.

If it’s an item that EIS can’t (yet) handle, the listing will be blocked for buyers in those countries. That makes using EIS a no-brainer for sure!

Dynamic Ad Rate for Promoted Listings Standard

Promoted Listings (PL) is a major moneymaker for eBay — especially the pay-per-sale version, Promoted Listings Standard (PLS.) As of the 2023 Summer Seller Update, eBay has added a Dynamic Ad Rate (DAR).

DAR is a system whereby you let eBay automatically adjust your PLS percentage. You can cap this percentage it at any desired amount, which is why you think about testing DAR to see if it works for you. Check out the details and DAR FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/listing.

Summing Up eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update

eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update includes an interesting gamut of changes, most of which should benefit you and your business on eBay. Read the entire update to get the best sense of what’s what.

Furthermore, summer isn’t just known for its annual seller update. It’s also notorious for its seasonal sales slump. Stay out of the ecommerce doldrums with I Love to Be Selling’s free guide Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales! Download your complimentary copy at https://ilovetobeselling.com/webinars-and-workshops/top-10-tips-to-ignite-ebay-summer-sales/.

Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales

Beat the eBay Summer Sales Slump!

by Kathy Terrill | Jun 10, 2023 | eBay

Summertime on eBay often means a slowdown in sales.

Buyers spend more time outdoors and they go on vacation. They’re busy taking kids to and from camp. In short, they’re is lots to do besides shop on eBay. So what’s a seller to do to beat the eBay summer sales slump? Plenty!

You don’t have to spend the dog days of summer mired in the eBay doldrums.

Facing an eBay summer sales slump? This could be the perfect time to catch up on projects, be they personal or business related.

Summertime projects could include prioritizing more time for yourself or with your family and friends. Maybe it’s your chance to finally tackle those home repairs you keep putting off or do some fashion-forward redecorating. If so, more power to you! Recently, I recently joined Jim “Griff” Griffith, host and editor in chief of the eBay for Business podcast, to share strategies for beating the eBay summer sales slump. Listen to our discussion in here.

On the business front, you might consider the following:

Reorganizing your home office
Fine-tuning your photography station
Streamlining your shipping process
Revamping your inventory management system
Taking a physical inventory of your listed items
Sorting unlisted inventory into batches for easier listing

Of course, if you’re a yard/garage/estate sale aficionado, summer is your best season for sourcing.

Making the most of it should keep you plenty busy! Then when you’re snowed in next winter, you’ll have lots of items to list. Start planning for Q4 and the holidays, too — always the year’s most hectic retail moment.

As for sales-boosting strategies, put on your eBay thinking cap.

What types of products are in demand for summer? Look for items that buyers are shopping for right now:

Patio and/or yard décor
Garden accessories and supplies
Pool toys
Beach gear
Summer clothing (e.g., bathing suits and cover-ups)
Home furnishings with summertime appeal

Just remember the #1 rule of buying inventory: The profit is in the purchase.

For even more ideas to help cure eBay Summer Sales Slump, check out my free guide Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales! Download your complimentary copy HERE.