Ebay Secrets Blog

Archive for December, 2009

eBay indicated in a press release earlier today that the number of items bought via eBay mobile apps were triple last year’s holiday volume and that eBay buyers and sellers are generating more than half a billion dollars of transactions via mobile in 2009.

Nearly 6 million people have eBay on their iPhone and eBay receives three-quarters of a million unique visits a day via mobile apps.

Here are some facts and figures out of the press release…

Cheers,
RBH

According to an IDC report earlier this year, mobile Internet users will double in number by 2013 to surpass one billion. Here are some mobile eBay trends:
• Nearly six million people are carrying eBay around in their pocket
• Users from more than 165 countries visited the eBay mobile Web site and iPhone application
• 1.5 million items were bought on eBay using mobile phones worldwide this holiday

In 2009, an item sold every 2 seconds via eBay mobile applications worldwide with luxury items a favorite of shoppers this holiday season; some recent mobile transactions in the US include:
• $19,108 for a 23-foot deck boat
• $10,025 for 250 grams of pure gold bullion
• $10,000 for a Boston grand piano made by Steinway
• $3,888 for a Hermes Kelly bag
• $770 for a Jean Paul Gaultier wool and leather coat
• $600 for a pair of Christian Louboutin camel colored patent leather pumps

eBay connects buyers and sellers across the globe:
• This holiday, more than 20 million items were purchased by eBay shoppers from sellers in another country
• Shoppers in more than 200 countries bought items on eBay this holiday season
• Sunday, December 13, was the biggest shopping day of the year with more than 2.3M transactions in the U.S.

eBay Daily Deals on eBay.com were flying off the shelves:
• The DVD for the movie “UP” was $6.99 (77% savings off MSRP) with free shipping – sold out (2,000 units) in 16 minutes
• Toshiba 32-inch LCD TV was $279 (49% savings off MSRP) with free shipping – sold out (nearly 2,000 units) in 26 minutes
• The Vibecellular 2-pack of LED Headlamps for $9.99 (75% savings off of MSRP) sold through 10,000 items in just under 11 hours
• The first four Daily Deals on Dec. 7 sold out in 90 minutes

Under the tree this holiday:
• More than half a million Zhu Zhu pets scampered into homes across the U.S. in 2009; in the first two weeks of December alone, there were more than 5 million Zhu Zhu Pet and related item searches on eBay (To watch how Zhu Zhus took over the U.S., visit: http://www.ebayholiday.com/zhu-zhu)
• Most expensive item to find a new home this holiday was a $495,000 1965 Shelby Cobra; followed by a 2010 Lamborghini Roadster which sold for $390,000
• Disney rules the DVD market, with “The Lion King,” “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast” and the new “UP” movies leading sales
• Christmas morning is all about the video game systems, with the Nintendo Wii as the most popular item this holiday season and Xbox 360 a close second
• More people playing “Call of Duty” than any other video game

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This one almost slipped by me. I just noticed that the Affiliate Summit 2010 will be held in Las Vegas in a few weeks. The event is being held at the Rio Suites and Hotel from January 17-19, 2010. If you have ever wanted to learn how to make money with affiliate marketing then this is the event to attend. Here is a link to Affiliate Summit 2010.  It’s not cheap at $549, but that is an excellent investment if you want to make money with affiliate marketing.  They have tons of educational seminars, over 200 exhibitors and you can network with hundreds of successful affiliate marketers.

Five other ways to make money with affiliate marketing

Everyone thinks you need a massive mailing list or a high traffic web site to make money with affiliate marketing, but in fact those are only two of the ways to do this. Here are five additional ways to make money with affiliate marketing:

1. Start a blog. In my book, How To Make Money Blogging From Home I give a complete description of how to set up a blog and use it to make money with affiliate marketing. Once you start blogging, it is very easy to build an opt-in mailing list that you can also use to boost your affiliate income.
2. Another way to make money with affiliate marketing is to set up small niche websites that are optimized for one specific keyword or keyword phrase. For example, if you were an affiliate of Legal Zoom you could set up a web site targeted to the keyword phrase Start a home business. And then you put banners and affilaite links from Legal Zoom online incorporation service. Or you could become an affiliate of Carbonite and set up a website optimized for the term “online computer backup.”
3. Social marketing is not only hot –it is one of the fastest growing ways to make money with affiliate marketing. I now have almost 10,000 people following me on Twitter. It took me about 6 months to build that up. But now I can send out a single tweet with an affiliate link and make several hundred dollars from just that one tweet.
4. You can even use eBay and Craigslist classified ads to make money with affiliate marketing. A good book on Craigslist is The Official Geezer Guide to Making Money with Craigslist.  As for eBay, join Jim Cockrum’s Silent Team at www.thesilent-team.com.  Jim is the leading expert in making money with eBay classified ads.
5. Lastly there are people who do nothing more than comment on blog posts and add their affiliate link to the post. This is a lot of work –but it does work as long as your posts get approved. The way to that is to write good comments that help people –then the blogger doesn’t mind if you plug your affiliate link.

So there are a total of 7 ways to make money with affiliate marketing

The first two were the obvious ones and 5 more that almost anyone can do.  After I get back from the affiliate summit I should have a few more ways to do this and I will let you know then.

Cheers and a Happy New Year to all of my loyal readers,

Skip McGrath

If you can’t attend the summit, The Affiliate Code by super-affiliate Michael Jones
is one of the best and most affordable affiliate marketing training courses.

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There's been a lot of interest in what we are seeing as far as eBay/Amazon is concerned at ChannelAdvisor so I wanted to publish our last intra-month SSS before 2010.

As expected, eBay was more back-end loaded and accelerated in the last weeks of December.  Amazon was amazingly consistent through the period (very strong y/y trends).  eBay all-in for us tells the story of the big change from smaller sellers to larger branded companies coming onto eBay in a major way in 2009, a trend that looks to continue into 2010.

eBay trends

Through 12/20, eBay SSS was up 6%, An acceleration from November and the first week of December vs. last year.  As inventories deplete in other channels, eBay benefits from scarcity. eBay was a lot less promotional this year than last, favoring TV ads over discounts/coupons/cash-back.

All-in over this period, eBay was up over 20% for ChannelAdvisor. This reflects the addition of some massive mid-tier players and name-brands that grew significantly over a short time on the platform.

The eBay deal of the day program was a huge success this holiday. We saw single listing/sku transaction rates that we've previously only had to deal with on other channels. 

Amazon trends

Amazon was up a startling 75% y/y over the period of 12/1-12/20 compared to last year.  This year consumers were buying EGM items at an unprecedented pace.  The 75% is up from November's already brisk 70%.

It will be interesting to see the Amazon Q4 results as it looks to us like it was a blow-out.  I want to remind everyone that we do not see much of the media business so for all we know that could be down substantially, or be a huge drag on the business.  

Last post of 2009!

This will probably be my last post of 2009 – thanks to all the readers for your comments and for being a part of the community.  I'm looking at several new topics for 2010 and I'll do my annual 'State of eBay' post (I'll try to keep it shorter this year..) and I'm going to play with some new blogging tools over the holiday break that should improve the overall blogging experience.  Happy Holidays everyone and thanks for reading!

SeekingAlpha Disclosure – I am long Amazon and Google. eBay is a minority strategic investor in ChannelAdvisor where I am CEO.

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Have you ever been scammed on the internet.  I have been at this for ten years, and I still get duped once in a while. I get so mad at the scamers that I actually would like to shoot some of them. But alas, laws are not only written to protect you from me, they are also written to protect me from me.  So shooting the scammers will have to remain a fantasy –or so I thought until now.

Shoot the scammers and win a free iPod Nano

Would you really like to shoot some scammers and get away with it? I know that’s not exactly in the spirit of the season –but these guys deserve it.  My good friend Chris Malta has created a free online game where you can take aim at the scammers and fire away to your heart’s content. The game is fun –no special equipment needed just your computer and a fast mouse.

And he is giving away a free 5th Generation iPod Nano every week.

This is so cool everyone can have some fun with it.  If you are a little slow with the mouse, just let your kids or grandkids play for you and you may still win the iPod Nano.

Click Here To Shoot The Scammers.

When you get to the page, be patient as it takes a few moments for the game to load.  OH, and while you are there, take a minute to watch one of the educational videos that Chris makes.

Merry Christmas to all my loyal readers –and to anyone else who just happens to drop by.

Skip McGrath

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People never cease to amaze me. At a time that sees everyone tightening their budgets and thinner in the wallet, eBay buyers and sellers raised a record $50 million for U.S. and U.K. non-profit organizations in 2009 – a 17% jump since last year. Users have contributed an amazing $162 million to their favorite causes through eBay Giving Works since 2003.

Every little bit helps
While funds raised by nonprofits are at an all-time low, this year’s eBay Giving Works figures were released during a year of significant growth for online fundraising. Online giving is growing at 44% per year, seven times faster than offline giving growth. Online giving has enabled charities to leverage the power of the individual through smaller, more modest donations. The eBay charity program was built expressly to support this kind of fundraising, capitalizing on the philanthropic instincts of eBay’s 89 million member community and pioneering a new model for giving back.

How it works:
eBay Giving Works enables eBay users to support their favorite causes whenever they buy and sell. Today the program offers five easy ways to make a difference:
• Community Selling: Any seller can donate part of their sale price to a nonprofit. The seller decides which organization to support and how much to give (10-100 percent), and gets a tax deduction for their gift.
• Direct Selling: Nonprofits can sell their own items on eBay to raise funds. eBay waives most basic selling fees for nonprofits, making Direct Selling practically free.
• Shop eBay Giving Works: Every item posted by a Community or Direct Seller bears the eBay Giving Works blue and yellow charity ribbon, so it’s easy for buyers to shop for items to support causes that matter to them.
• Give at Checkout: 1.5 million shoppers every day are invited to add a donation on top of their eBay purchase, when they pay by PayPal. Give at Checkout has raised nearly $5 million in its first 12 months.
• Donate Now: eBay and PayPal users who discover an eBay Giving Works organization they care about can give as little as $1 right away without buying or selling.

A recent study of eBay shopping behavior, conducted by Columbia Business School, verified the philanthropic instincts of the eBay community, indicating that eBay buyers are actually willing to pay more to do good. Results showed that an eBay Giving Works item advertising that 10% of proceeds will be given to charity is nearly 20% more likely to sell than its non-charity equivalent, and at a 2% higher price.

“The eBay community has proven time and again that small actions, when brought to scale, can have a big impact,” said eBay Inc. CEO John Donahoe. “It’s what makes the eBay marketplace so unique, and what enables our community to do good things for causes they believe in. I want to thank every single buyer and seller who connected through eBay and gave back to their communities through eBay Giving Works. Your generosity this year, especially in such a tough economy, isn’t just impressive – it’s inspiring. We’re looking forward to helping you do even more good next year.”

You can read the full press release by visiting the ebayinc.com newsroom.

Fast facts about eBay Giving Works:
• Every minute, over $91 is raised for good causes on eBay
• Eight nonprofits in the U.S. have raised more than $1 million with eBay Giving Works
• The most money raised for charity from a single listing on eBay was $2.1 million in 2008, for a power lunch with Warren Buffett benefiting the Glide Foundation. The same auction in 2009 went for $1.68 million
• Kim Kardashian, a Top Rated eBay seller and avid eBay Giving Works supporter, has raised more than $47,700 for charity through the sale of her own clothing; she has raised $26,000 in 2009 alone
• In November and December of 2009, eBay Inc. matched $230,000 in funds that were committed via Give at Checkout

Cheers,
RBH

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Shipwire, an independent drop ship warehouse and eBay announced a new partnership agreement today wherby eBay merchants will find it even easier to sell their goods on eBay and fulfill with Shipwire, thanks to a free eBay shipping tool that connects their eBay and Shipwire accounts. The announcement underscores Shipwire’s commitment to helping merchants outsource the hassle of shipping and storage, leaving them free to focus on growing sales.

Any eBay seller can now become a dropshipper.

The way Shipwire works is that you purchase your goods in bulk –thereby getting a better price. Then you ship your goods to one of Shipwire’s warehouses located in several locations around the US.  When you get an order, you simply use the free eBay tool to notify Shipwire of your buyers address and they  ship it out for you. The cost is minimal and in some cases can actually save you money.

Free Trail – Dropship your first 6 eBay items

Shipwire offers a great free trial. Send them 6 products and they will drop ship those for free to allow you to try the service.

Drop ship international eBay orders too

Shipwire has warehouses in Chicago, Los Angeles, Nevada, Toronto, Vancouver BC and the UK so you can save a ton of money on your international sales and undercut your competition on shipping fees. Shipwire service starts at $29.95 month for small sellers and up to $189.95 per month for really large sellers.

Visit Shipwire at Shipwire.com for more information and learn how to become an eBay Dropshipper

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If you have noticed that we’ve slowed posts on the Insider it’s because we launched a new, shiny site, The Inside Source. You must check it out–it’s chock full of great shopping and lifestyle tips an stories. To whet your appetite, here’s a video with the Source’s Editorial Director, Meredith Barnett talking about hot holiday gifts!

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Back again by popular demand, one of our Social Media gurus and eBay guest bloggers Julie Haddon from the eBay Holiday Marketing team, is here to give us a sneak preview about what’s in store for the eBay Mobile Boutique visitors as she and the team gear up for San Francisco tomorrow:

Our first-ever eBay Mobile Boutique will be painting the town all things Holiday tomorrow, and spreading good tidings to our San Francisco community. The eBay Mobile Boutique will preview just some of the best products available on eBay and highlight today’s hottest gifting trends from “Eco-Excellence” to “Savvy Splurging.” There will also be interactive shopping kiosks showcasing live listings from local eBay sellers. And on-site merchandise displays will feature popular holiday gift items this season such as Zhu Zhu Pets, Beatles Rock Band, iPod Touch, Xbox 360, Elmo Tickle Hands, Twilight dolls and more.

Cool Yule! The first 100 guests to show up at the eBay Mobile Boutique on Wednesday, December 15th at 12 noon and share a secret password will receive a $50 eBay Gift card. To learn the password and share your holiday wish, visit www.eBayHoliday.com. Here are details on where to find us on the road.

Where:
eBay Mobile Boutique
Justin Herman Plaza – San Francisco
Market Street at Embarcadero

When:
Tuesday, December 15 from 11am – 6pm

To date, more than 20,000 people have visited the eBay Mobile Boutique which kicked off on November 10, and wraps up its coast-to-coast tour in Los Angeles later this week where we’ll have some very special visitors joining us – more on that later…. Meanwhile, check out some videos with Griff from the San Jose stop of the Mobile Boutique from last week.

See you on the road!

Video: Jim Griffith on the buzz around the eBay Mobile Boutique.

Video: Jim Griffith on How the Boutique Benefits Small Sellers.

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One of my readers pointed out a very interesting article to me today on the Book Think Blog. It seems that Half.com, owned by eBay, will cancel your half.com listings and suspend both your half.com and your eBay account if you violate their book description guideline.  Worse yet, there are secret pitfalls that anyone can accidently fall into even if you are giving accurate descriptions.

If you sell books on half.com and have an eBay account then you really need to read this article:

http://www.bookthink.com/0139/139half1.htm

Skip McGrath

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Learn how to make money selling used books on eBay, Amazon and The Internet

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eBay has its problems, but even regular live auctions can go bad.  This is a very short video that every auction seller should view. Its only about 1 minute.  The auction is for a Chinese Ming vase worth about 1 million dollars.  Enjoy!

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Don’t let this happen to you.  Learn how to sell on eBay from a professional PowerSeller who sells on eBay every day. Take a look at The Complete eBay Marketing System by Skip McGrath who has been selling on eBay since 1999.

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