So you’ve RSVP’d and marked your calendar for eBay Open Online 2021.
eBay Open Online 2021 is from August 4–6. And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Sign up today! Now it’s time to figure out how to reap the full benefits of this virtual seller conference. With the event just a scant month away, you need to start planning ASAP.
First of all, you don’t have to be an eBay store owner to go to eBay Open Online (although you may want to subscribe to one after you hear eBay Stores VP Tom Pinckney’s presentation on August 5). Sellers of all levels and experience are encouraged to attend.
Next, be aware of the time frame for eBay Open Online 2021.
Once you sign up, the agenda will display each day’s schedule according to your time zone. The first day, August 4, is only 2 hours long: 12pm-2pm Pacific Time (PT). Days 2 and 3 (August 5-6) take up 3 hours and 45 minutes, from 9am-12:45pm PT.
Block off these times on your calendar, either on paper or via a virtual calendar app such as Google, Yahoo, Outlook, or iCal.
Then decide how much of eBay Open Online 2021 you plan to attend. Each day includes an executive keynote along with assorted training or learning sessions and seller panels, interspersed with networking breaks.
At past eBay events, the main presentations have been recorded and later been made available for viewing online. Bear that in mind when you scope out the agenda for eBay Open Online. Furthermore, even though it’s only for a few hours each day, eBay Open Online is a three-day event that runs from Wednesday through Friday.
So pace yourself. Think through how much time you’ll need — and when you’ll need it — to take care of listing, packing and shipping, customer service, and social media for your business on eBay. Then schedule yourself accordingly.
The Agenda page has three tabs: one for each day.
In addition, when you’re signed in, you’ll see a fourth tab labeled My Agenda. As you look through each day’s various offerings, prioritize which sessions are must-sees and which ones are on your B-list.
To add a session to your personal Agenda, click on the little plus-sign-in-a-circle icon ( ) next to the title of the session. The icon will only appear after you have signed in to RSVP. After you add that session to your Agenda, the plus sign will change to an X in a circle. Click on that if you want to remove something from your Agenda.
You can also click the “Add to calendar” hypertext link next to the calendar page icon in the lower right-hand corner of each session’s agenda block. Then just select your type of calendar in the drop-down menu and click to send the time and topic straight to your virtual calendar.
Here’s how the overall event is structured.
Day 1 (Wednesday, August 4) opens with welcoming remarks from Andrea Stairs, eBay’s Chief Marketing Officer and VP of Seller Community for the North America Marketplace. Then the event moves right to the keynote address by eBay CEO Jamie Iannone. Next come training sessions, including one with a VP/Principal Analyst from Forrester, the leading experts on all things retail.
The rest of Day 1 is category breakout sessions led by senior managers and executives from eBay’s various verticals — i.e., Electronics; Fashion; Collectibles, Art, & Toys; Home & Garden; etc. Check out the description of each vertical’s session. What will it cover? Do you have questions related to that? If so, jot them down in case there’s time for Q&A.
Day 2 (Thursday, August 5) features presentations on eBay stores, branding and marketing, seller tools, the buyer experience, and more. Included is a learning session devoted to shipping best practices.
There will also be networking breaks.
Sellers are promised that they can connect with each other based on your location, the category in which you sell, and/or other criteria. Keep an ear to the ground for more information about this as we get closer to the event.
On Day 3, seller presenters are front and center, including myself. I’ll be addressing the topic of using social media in your business on eBay. I’ll tell you how to find your customers and what makes them tick, plus I’ll share actionable social media strategies for busy sellers (and aren’t we all?). I’ll also explain how to use social media to save on eBay fees.
Day 3 also features a session with Andrea Zwibelman, General Manager of eBay Deals. Personally, I’m interested to see if it’s made public what sellers qualify for this program and how to apply.
In addition, there will be virtual eBay Booths offered every day of eBay Open Online.
Each booth will showcase key selling topics such as packing and shipping, Government Relations/eBay Main Street, Promoted Listings, and more. If you’ve got questions, eBay Booths are where you can go for answers.
eBay is pulling out all the stops for eBay Open Online.
So take advantage of the opportunities it offers. Treat this virtual conference as you would a live event, minus the need to pack a suitcase and the cost of a hotel room and airfare. Dress comfortably, and keep your beverage(s) of choice (coffee, water, etc.) handy. Have a notebook and pen or note-taking app ready, so that you can take notes during the various sessions.
Grab my freebie tips sheet to help you maximize your eBay Open Online attendance and results!
Download your free eBay Open Seller Success Checklist!
Pick my brain! I’ve attended and presented at many top eBay and eCommerce events over the years. In attending such conferences I always brain storm with successful sellers. How do they prepare to attend online and in person events? What works to extract great takeaways that they can immediately put to use?
I put the best tips I know that rev-up attendance at online conferences into my “Seller Success Checklist for eBay Open Online 2021!”
This awesome check list is my gift to you. Be sure to get yours HERE.
These three short days will be here before you know it, then fly by. And it just won’t be eBay Open Online without you! Start planning now, so you’ll be ready to make the most of it.
