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September 2008
***Join your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, for this week's broadcasts of eBay Radio and Ask Griff***

September 29, 2008 | 05:35PM PST/PT

Jim "Griff" Griffith
Call in to eBay Radio on September 30th, with your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, live from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time (3 hours). Griff's guests this week:

        • Debbie Gordon, CEO of Snappy Auctions, will tell you about a great way to sell your items without having to do all the work.
        • Usher Lieberman, Sr. Manager Corporate Communications at eBay, joins us to talk about eBay accepting the National Medal of Technology and Innovation this week in Washington.
        • Ginger Leishman, eBay Certified Provider Program Manager, will talk to Infopia.com to get the latest on what tools Infopia has to offer the eBay seller.
        • Lisa Suttora, Founder and CEO of WhatDoISell.com, talks about “Hot Holiday Products for 2008” and gives you holiday selling tips.
        • Jack Sheng, who accompanied John Donahoe to Washington this week, talks about his two successful stores, everydaysource and accstation, and how they have each received over 1 million Feedback comments.

Plus we'll have "The News" with Lee Mirabal, as well as the most important feature on eBay Radio: your calls! Call in during the show at 877-474-3302 (USA) or 001-858-678-8958 (Internationally) to talk with Griff and his guests or to ask a question and share your voice with the rest of the eBay Community.

Remember, one lucky caller per week, selected at random, will receive an autographed copy of Griff's book, "The Official eBay Bible".

Don't miss the Thursday "Ask Griff" show
This week's Thursday "Ask Griff" show will be a "Best Of" broadcast. Listen to (but don't call into) this week's pre-recorded broadcast of the "Ask Griff" show on Thursday, October 2nd from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Pacific time.

If you can't catch either of the live shows, you can always subscribe to the podcast , or access any past broadcast from the eBay Radio archives. To subscribe to the podcast all you need is an reader (a portable MP3 player is optional). Visit www.wsradio.com/ebayradio for more information about subscribing to the podcasts and to listen to eBay Radio on your computer.

Select and listen to any past eBay Radio broadcast, listed by topic and date, in the eBay Radio archives. You can also join the eBay Radio eBay Group for more information on eBay Radio.


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***Upcoming Workshops: Quick and Easy Ways to Improve your eBay Sales***

September 26, 2008 | 03:00PM PST/PT

Bev DeSomber
Hi everyone, I'm Bev DeSomber, and I manage the eBay Workshop program. I'd like to invite you to attend the following workshops taking place next week:

Quick and Easy ways to Improve your eBay Sales
This workshop will be held on Friday, October 3rd from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Join the Terapeak team to learn how to use Terapeak Marketplace Research to improve your sales! We'll review the basic research functions within Terapeak, and how to apply the information to your current listings. Get more bids on your auctions, and better sales on your store listings, all using marketplace research.


Workshops are hosted in discussion threads on the Workshops Board. Remember, if you can't make it during a particular workshop, just visit our Workshop Archives, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Want timely reminders about workshops? We recommend two ways to make sure you never miss an important workshop:

  • Sign up for the Workshops Information Group! By joining this group, you will receive an email notification reminding you about upcoming eBay Workshops. (To sign up for the Workshops Information Group, please click here.)
  • Subscribe to the RSS feed for the Workshop board. When a new workshop becomes active, your RSS reader will be updated. (You can also subscribe to just the specific topic thread that interests you.) To subscribe, click on the button at the bottom of the Workshop board or thread. Copy and paste the feed URL into your reader to subscribe. For more information on RSS, please read our RSS Help page.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Bev DeSomber
Community Development


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***Consumer Product Safety Commission - Children's Items Recalled This Week***

September 25, 2008 | 04:16PM PST/PT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a recall for the following items:

  • Razor USA recalls PowerWing three-wheeled scooters due to laceration hazard
  • Razor USA recalls Ride-On vehicles due to throttle controller defect
  • Toy police cars recalled by TCB Imports due to paint containing high levels of lead

eBay takes recalled items very seriously, and we work closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on these issues. We encourage buyers and sellers to visit http://www.cpsc.gov (see the Recent Recalls section) for more details about the products and model numbers included in this recall. You may also wish to visit our Recalled Items policy at http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/recalled.html.

For Sellers: Please check your product model numbers and refrain from listing any items that are part of this recall. Any currently listed items that are included in the recall should be ended.

For Buyers: If you believe an item you are interested in bidding on or purchasing may be part of this recall, we encourage you to use the Ask Seller a Question feature to verify.

As a service to our Community, eBay announces some product recalls, like these, when we believe the marketplace will be impacted. To stay informed about all CPSC recalls, please bookmark www.cpsc.gov and sign up to receive notices on new recalls issued by the CPSC.


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***Updated: More eBay Pulse Updates***

September 24, 2008 | 04:12PM PST/PT

Dennis Goedegebuure
Hi everyone. I'm back with another update on the eBay Pulse. We've received a lot of feedback on the new Pulse, and what we're seeing is that while members like the new features, they also want the ability to see the "hot" keywords in more subcategories like the old version provided. So we're going to combine the best parts of each, and will re-launch it early next year.

While we're working on this, we're going to make both versions available so that members can use whichever they prefer. You can find the old version again at pulse.ebay.com, and the new one at new-pulse.ebay.com.

Sincerely,

Dennis Goedegebuure
eBay Marketing
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***Original: Updates to the eBay Pulse***

September 12, 2008 | 09:41AM PST/PT

Dennis Goedegebuure
Hi everyone. I'm Dennis Goedegebuure with eBay's Marketing team. We've updated the eBay Pulse, which you can use to find out what's hot on eBay.

Highlights include:

        • A fresh new look and feel that will make it easier to navigate.
        • New modules that display the most popular searches in each of our main categories, as well as the biggest movers.
        • A new section called the "Internet Pulse," which will display popular keywords from well-read blogs. Check it out to see what's being talked about around the internet.

Visit the Pulse at http://pulse.ebay.com.

Sincerely,

Dennis Goedegebuure
eBay Marketing


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***A Message from Kristina Klausen: Update on Shipping Limits for Magazines***

September 24, 2008 | 03:38PM PST/PT

Kristina Klausen
Hi everyone...As we previously announced, starting on October 5th sellers who list in the Books, Movies & DVDs, Music and Video Games categories will need to ensure that their first domestic shipping option is within the new maximum shipping charges. Learn more about the maximum shipping charges by visiting our Maximum Shipping and Handling table.

Update for Magazines
In response to USPS changes to their Bound Printed Matter (BPM) service, we are increasing the maximum shipping charge allowed for magazines from the previously announced $4 dollars to $5 dollars.

As a reminder, maximum shipping charge limits will be enforced for the first flat-rate shipping option to the U.S.. If an item's actual shipping cost is higher than the allowed maximum charge, we recommend that sellers include the extra shipping cost in the item price. Alternatively, if you're listing a non-standard, larger item that can't be shipped within the maximum limits, you may use the shipping calculator.

Sincerely,

Kristina Klausen
Senior Director, Shipping
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***Coming Soon: eBay AdCommerce – A Text Advertising Solution for Sellers***

September 24, 2008 | 10:26AM PST/PT

Caroline Malifaud
Hi everyone...I'm Caroline Malifaud with eBay's Advertising team. Over the next few months, we'll be introducing a new program called eBay AdCommerce. eBay AdCommerce is a pay-per-click advertising solution that will allow eBay sellers to advertise their listings and eBay Stores via a text ad on eBay search result pages.

AdCommerce is one more powerful advertising option for eBay sellers who want to drive more traffic to their listings and eBay Stores. Your ads are shown near the bottom of search results pages to targeted buyers that are interested in your product line.

How eBay AdCommerce will work
For example, let's say you want your ad to appear when buyers search for "computer." You would need to decide how much you're willing to pay each time a buyer would click your ad after running a search for "computer."

If you're one of the highest bidders for that keyword, your ad - which can include a title, a short description, and an optional image - will appear. You can also create a campaign for that keyword, and set your budget for that campaign.

Your eBay AdCommerce ads will show up near the bottom of the page when a buyer searches for a particular keyword or is browsing in a particular category. Depending on the keyword and the buyer's purchasing history we will either display eBay AdCommerce, Shopping.com or Yahoo! Ads.

With AdCommerce, there is no up-front fee, and no minimum payment or deposit. Sellers pay only when a buyer clicks your ad and goes to your listing or eBay Store.

Our launch plan
In the next few weeks, we'll start testing AdCommerce placements with a small group of beta testers, so you may start seeing these types of ads while you're searching. We expect our testing to be complete within the next two months and to be ready to open up the program to all eBay sellers afterwards. We'll be back with more information once we get closer to that launch date.

To learn more, please read our eBay AdCommerce information page.

Sincerely,

Caroline Malifaud
Advertising team
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***SYI Form: More Options to Make Listing Easier***

September 24, 2008 | 09:41AM PST/PT

Guenter Wiesinger
Hi everyone...this is Guenter Wiesinger from the Seller Experience team. As part of our efforts to make the listing process on eBay easier (see my earlier announcement), we're introducing a few more changes to the selling flow.

The changes include:

  • Highlighting available listing options. After signing in to your Selling account from the Sell hub - the page you see when you click on "Sell" at the top of most eBay pages - you'll see a variety of choices that help you easily:
    • Start a new listing
    • Continue a draft listing you're returning to
    • Choose an existing Sell Your Item (SYI) template
    • Use a Selling Manager Pro template (if you are a Selling Manager Pro subscriber)

  • Helping you choose the right listing form for your needs. Depending on your listing requirements, you can choose between the "Keep it simple" and "Customize your listing" forms. (The two options have been available for a long time; we're just making it easier for you to make your choice as you progress along the listing process.) You can also conveniently toggle between the two forms.

  • Easier category and product catalog selections. As mentioned in my earlier announcement, we're organizing category and product catalog selections more efficiently. You will be able to use these for both the "Keep it simple" and "Customize your listing" forms.

    Sincerely,

    Guenter Wiesinger
    Seller Experience Team
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***Join your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, for this week's broadcasts of eBay Radio and Ask Griff***

September 23, 2008 | 09:51AM PST/PT

Jim "Griff" Griffith
Call in to eBay Radio today, September 23rd, with your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, live from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time (3 hours). Griff's guests this week:

        • Robert Chatwani, General Manager of WorldOfGood.com will give you an update about eBay's brand new marketplace that may help your sales.
        • Brandon Delgrosso, General Manager, DOBA, gives us product sourcing tips.
        • Cliff Ennico, eBay University instructor and author of a new book titled "The eBay Business Answer Book," will join us to give advice to eBay Sellers.
        • Danna Crawfordowner of PowerSellingMom.com, tells us about the Kansas Jubilee.
        • Chris Mitchell, PowerSeller and certified eBay Education Specialist, gives us his best PowerSeller tips.

Plus we'll have "The News" with Lee Mirabal, as well as the most important feature on eBay Radio: your calls! Call in during the show at 877-474-3302 (USA) or 001-858-678-8958 (Internationally) to talk with Griff and his guests or to ask a question and share your voice with the rest of the eBay Community.

Remember, one lucky caller per week, selected at random, will receive an autographed copy of Griff's book, "The Official eBay Bible".

Don't miss the Thursday "Ask Griff" show
This week's Thursday "Ask Griff" show will be a "Best Of" broadcast. Listen to (but don't call into) this week's pre-recorded broadcast of the "Ask Griff" show on Thursday, September 25th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Pacific time.

If you can't catch either of the live shows, you can always subscribe to the podcast , or access any past broadcast from the eBay Radio archives. To subscribe to the podcast all you need is an reader (a portable MP3 player is optional). Visit www.wsradio.com/ebayradio for more information about subscribing to the podcasts and to listen to eBay Radio on your computer.

Select and listen to any past eBay Radio broadcast, listed by topic and date, in the eBay Radio archives. You can also join the eBay Radio eBay Group for more information on eBay Radio.


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***Updated: Meet the Winners of the eBay MasterCard® “Look What I Found” Photo Contest***

September 19, 2008 | 02:49PM PST/PT

Elisa Stern
Hi again everyone. Over the summer we hosted the eBay MasterCard "Look What I Found" photo contest, where Community members were invited to share something special they bought using their eBay MasterCard. We received over 680 fantastic photo entries, and I am pleased to introduce the winners.

Please join us in congratulating Grand Prize winner theraftguide for an amazing photograph of himself and a fierce looking cheetah in Namibia! He bought his first camcorder on eBay which launched his career as a freelance film producer. Congratulations theraftguide – you've won a $1,000 eBay Shopping Spree!

Two First Prizes were also awarded to entries in the on-eBay & off-eBay categories. Congratulations a1r1t and scionxbgurl, who each won $500 to spend on eBay.

Take a look at the winning entries and the stories behind their purchases. To sign up for the eBay MasterCard today and get "NO Payments Until 2009," visit www.mastercard.ebay.com.

Sincerely,

Elisa Stern
eBay Marketing


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***Original: Enter the eBay MasterCard® “Look What I Found” Photo Contest***

June 17, 2008 | 04:02PM PST/PT

Elisa Stern
Hi everyone...This is Elisa Stern from eBay's Marketing team. We've just launched the eBay™ MasterCard® "Look What I Found" photo contest. Through July 20th, share a photo of something special you purchased on or off eBay using your eBay MasterCard and gain the chance to winning a shopping spree on us!

One lucky Grand prize winner will be selected to win a $1,000 gift card to spend on eBay and two First Prizes winners will each be awarded a $500 gift card to spend on eBay.

It's easy to enter! Got to www.ebay.com/lookwhatIfound and upload a picture of yourself with that treasured item, enjoying that amazing vacation, or having that once-in-a-lifetime experience that was funded with your eBay MasterCard. Remember to include a short description of what made your item or experience so special. And while you’re there, check out the Gallery of entries already submitted!

Our very own Jim "Griff" Griffith, Dean of eBay Education, will choose the winners from the top 20 entries selected by an outside judging panel, based on their creativity, originality, and presentation. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to show off your purchase and get a chance to win up to $1000 to spend on eBay!

Visit www.ebay.com/lookwhatIfound to submit your entry and to view the Official Rules.

Sincerely,

Elisa Stern
eBay Marketing


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***A Message from Stephanie Tilenius – Join My Town Hall Tomorrow, September 19th from 11:30am to 1pm PT***

September 18, 2008 | 12:15PM PST/PT

Stephanie Tilenius
Hi everyone...this is Stephanie Tilenius, SVP & GM of North America Marketplaces. I'm hosting our Town Hall audio event tomorrow, September 19th, 2008 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time. I hope you'll join me and a number of my colleagues from Trust & Safety, Selling, Shipping, PayPal, and other teams. We gather monthly to talk about what's on your mind and answer your questions.

Ask your question LIVE on the air
The best part of these events is the conversation we get to have with the Community. If you have a question for me or one of the other leaders on our panel, call us at our toll-free number – 1-877-474-3302 - and ask us your question on the air.

If you'd prefer, you can drop us an email at townhall@ebay.com. We'll take several of these written questions during the Town Hall as well.

Tune in via wsRadio
We'll be broadcasting via Internet radio with the help of our friends at wsRadio (the same folks that produce Griff's eBay Radio show). Members can listen to our live event via Windows Media Player or Real Player.

So please visit www.ebay.com/townhall to join the event or for more information. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Tilenius
SVP & GM, North America Marketplaces


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***Consumer Product Safety Commission - Children's Items Recalled This Week***

September 18, 2008 | 11:16AM PST/PT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a recall for the following items:

  • Pottery Barn Kids recalls children's metal water bottles due to choking hazard
  • Regent Sports recalls MacGregor and Mitre brand folding soccer nets due to choking hazard
  • Simplicity "Drop Side Cribs" recalled due to entrapment and suffocation hazard

eBay takes recalled items very seriously, and we work closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on these issues. We encourage buyers and sellers to visit http://www.cpsc.gov (see the Recent Recalls section) for more details about the products and model numbers included in this recall. You may also wish to visit our Recalled Items policy at http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/recalled.html.

For Sellers: Please check your product model numbers and refrain from listing any items that are part of this recall. Any currently listed items that are included in the recall should be ended.

For Buyers: If you believe an item you are interested in bidding on or purchasing may be part of this recall, we encourage you to use the Ask Seller a Question feature to verify.

As a service to our Community, eBay announces some product recalls, like these, when we believe the marketplace will be impacted. To stay informed about all CPSC recalls, please bookmark www.cpsc.gov and sign up to receive notices on new recalls issued by the CPSC.


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***Join your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, for this week's broadcasts of eBay Radio and Ask Griff***

September 16, 2008 | 09:40AM PST/PT

Jim "Griff" Griffith
Call in to eBay Radio today, September 16th, with your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, live from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time (3 hours). Griff's guests this week:

        • Jen Cano, VP of Customer Experience with hammertapnow.com and eBay Radio Contributing Editor, tells you her top three ways to use research to rejuvenate your listings.
        • Ian Aronovich, President of governmentauctions.org, gives us his latest product sourcing tips.
        • Barbara Weltman, Host of Build Your Business Radio, joins us to give her latest small business tips.
        • Janelle ElmsVisionaire of the OSI Rock Stars tells you what you need to do to get your eBay Store ready for holiday shoppers.

Plus we'll have "The News" with Lee Mirabal, as well as the most important feature on eBay Radio: your calls! Call in during the show at 877-474-3302 (USA) or 001-858-678-8958 (Internationally) to talk with Griff and his guests or to ask a question and share your voice with the rest of the eBay Community.

Remember, one lucky caller per week, selected at random, will receive an autographed copy of Griff's book, "The Official eBay Bible".

Don't miss the Thursday "Ask Griff" show
Call in to this week's live broadcast of the "Ask Griff" show Thursday, September 18th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Pacific time. No guests on the Ask Griff show. Just two hours of your calls on any eBay topic of your choice!

If you can't catch either of the live shows, you can always subscribe to the podcast , or access any past broadcast from the eBay Radio archives. To subscribe to the podcast all you need is an reader (a portable MP3 player is optional). Visit www.wsradio.com/ebayradio for more information about subscribing to the podcasts and to listen to eBay Radio on your computer.

Select and listen to any past eBay Radio broadcast, listed by topic and date, in the eBay Radio archives. You can also join the eBay Radio eBay Group for more information on eBay Radio.


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***A Message from Dinesh Lathi: New Pricing for Fixed Price Listings Takes Effect at Midnight, Plus Other Reminders***

September 15, 2008 | 03:20PM PST/PT

Dinesh Lathi
Hi everyone. I'm here with a reminder that the new pricing structure for Fixed Price listings, as announced by Lorrie on August 20th, goes into effect at midnight Pacific time tonight. That means that sellers will be able to start taking advantage of the new 30-day duration for Fixed Price listings for the new low Insertion Fee of 35 cents, and just 15 cents in Books, Movies & DVDs, Music, and Video Games.

Also starting at midnight, and good through the end of the year, our special holiday promotion goes into effect for Books, Movies & DVDs, Music, and Video Games: Fixed Price Insertion Fees are just 5 cents when you use Pre-filled Item Information (see details here).

If you haven't already, make sure you've reviewed all of the information pages we've provided to learn more about the other changes she introduced: "recent sales" as a factor in Best Match search results for Fixed Price listings (which may take a few days to roll out across the entire site), new maximum shipping and handling charges in Books, Movies & DVDs, Music, and Video Games, our paperless payments policy, our seller standards, and more.

In addition, check out the Seller Checklist, which will help you stay on top of when various policies and features will take effect, and provide updates on the availability of tools for bulk-editing your listings. A few key upcoming dates:

  • Starting October 1st and through the end of the year, sellers will get a free Subtitle listing upgrade, and eligible PowerSellers will get double their Final Value Fee discounts for items sold with free shipping.
  • By October 5th, make sure your first domestic shipping option in your Books, Movies & DVDs, Music and Video Games listings is within the new maximum charges.
  • On October 20th, our paperless payments policy will begin, and checks and money orders will no longer be allowed as payment methods.
  • Also by late October, you'll need to specify your handling time and return policy in your listings.

As we did on August 20th, we'll be answering your questions about these changes on our special discussion forum on September 16th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.

Sincerely,

Dinesh Lathi
VP, Seller Experience
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***Trading Advisory: Hurricane Ike***

September 15, 2008 | 10:12AM PST/PT


Hurricane Ike has affected many communities, especially in the Gulf Coast areas of Texas and Louisiana, disrupting power, communication and transportation lines. If you are involved in an eBay transaction with a member in one of these affected regions, this is a reminder that their ability to complete the transaction may be delayed, and we encourage you to be patient with them.

Our thoughts go out to our affected Community members and their families in these areas.
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***Upcoming Workshops: Switching your Marketplace Research Account to Terapeak; Hot Holiday Trends; and Treating your eBay Business as a 'Business'***

September 12, 2008 | 01:20PM PST/PT

Bev DeSomber
Hi everyone, I'm Bev DeSomber, and I manage the eBay Workshop program. I'd like to invite you to attend the following workshops taking place next week:

eBay Marketplace Research Changes - What's Happening to My Account?
This workshop will be held on Monday, September 15th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time.

The way you receive marketplace research is changing. eBay has retired its own research tool, and when you next access your account, you'll notice a new option: Terapeak. Migrating your eBay Marketplace Research account to Terapeak is simple. You’ll continue to maintain your current fee structure, and have access to improved research tools. This workshop will review how to migrate your account, and provide more information about Terapeak, including where to go for assistance and learning materials.

7 HOT Holiday Product Trends for 2008
This workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 16th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time.

The “It” products! Every holiday season has them! What products will buyers be snapping up this year? Please join Lisa Suttora, veteran trend spotter and Founder/CEO of eBay Certified Provider WhatDoISell.com as she unveils this year’s hot holiday trends. Find out what products will be on people’s wish lists this year!

How to Treat your eBay Business as a 'Business'
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 17th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Please join Phyllis Wischer, eBay Education Specialist and Business Success Coach for SageFire, Inc., Certified Solution Provider and creator of KeepMore.net, as she explains the importance of treating your eBay sales activity as a business and what it might cost you if you don’t. Using portions of KeepMore.net’s most popular workshop, “Accounting Do's & Don'ts for the eBay User “ and factual information from a recent IRS audit, you will better understand why it’s important to “treat your eBay business like a business” and what it may cost you if you don’t!


Workshops are hosted in discussion threads on the Workshop Forum. Remember, if you can't make it during a particular workshop, just visit our Workshop Archives, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Want timely reminders about workshops? We recommend two ways to make sure you never miss an important workshop:

  • Sign up for the Workshop Information Group! By joining this group, you will receive an email notification reminding you about upcoming eBay Workshops. (To sign up for the Workshops Information Group, please click here.)
  • Subscribe to the RSS feed for the Workshop Forum. When a new workshop becomes active, your RSS reader will be updated. (You can also subscribe to just the specific topic thread that interests you.) To subscribe, click on the button at the bottom of the Workshop board or thread. Copy and paste the feed URL into your reader to subscribe. For more information on RSS, please read our RSS Help page.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Bev DeSomber
Community Development


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***Coming Soon: Pre-Filled Item Information Available in More Categories***

September 12, 2008 | 01:16PM PST/PT

Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing Pre-Filled Item Information in multiple categories, including several under Business & Industrial, Clothing, Shoes & Accessories, Coins, Dolls & Bears, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden, Sporting Goods, and Toys and Hobbies.

Pre-Filled Item Information enables sellers to easily add standard product information such as brand, model, color, and in some cases, a stock photo, to their listings. Buyers find this additional product information very helpful as they shop on eBay. Below is the list of categories where Pre-Filled Item Information will be introduced:

Business & Industrial

  • Welders

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories

  • Men's Sunglasses
  • Women's Sunglasses

Coins & Paper Money

  • US Dollars

Dolls & Bears

  • Barbie Dolls
  • Dolls – By Brand, Company, Character

Health & Beauty

  • Women's Fragrances
  • Men's Fragrances
  • Straightening Irons

Home & Garden

  • Cordless Drills
  • Riding Mowers
  • Chainsaws
  • Grinders
  • Dog Flea & Tick Remedies
  • Dog Collars & Tags

Sporting Goods

  • Bicycles
  • Western Saddles
  • Snowboards

Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop

  • Baseball Fan Apparel

Toys & Hobbies

  • Cars, Trucks Diecast
  • Radio Control Parts & Accessories
  • Radio Control Vehicles
  • Disney Toys

Cell Phones & PDAs

  • Bluetooth Accessories

Note: Sellers who use a 3rd party listing service (ChannelAdvisor, etc.), should contact them to verify that they will offer the Pre-filled Item Information capabilities in the categories listed above.

Please visit our Pre-filled Item Information page to learn more about this feature.
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***Consumer Product Safety Commission - Children's Items Recalled This Week***

September 11, 2008 | 02:30PM PST/PT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a recall for the following items:

  • Protocol recalls remote controlled helicopter toy due to fire and burn hazards

For additional details regarding the Simplicity Bassinet warning issued by the CPSC, please visit the following link:

http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/pdf/seeILAGwarning.pdf

eBay takes recalled items very seriously, and we work closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on these issues. We encourage buyers and sellers to visit http://www.cpsc.gov (see the Recent Recalls section) for more details about the products and model numbers included in this recall. You may also wish to visit our Recalled Items policy at http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/recalled.html.

For Sellers: Please check your product model numbers and refrain from listing any items that are part of this recall. Any currently listed items that are included in the recall should be ended.

For Buyers: If you believe an item you are interested in bidding on or purchasing may be part of this recall, we encourage you to use the Ask Seller a Question feature to verify.

As a service to our Community, eBay announces some product recalls, like these, when we believe the marketplace will be impacted. To stay informed about all CPSC recalls, please bookmark www.cpsc.gov and sign up to receive notices on new recalls issued by the CPSC.


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***Updated: Category Changes Now Available***

September 09, 2008 | 10:13AM PST/PT


The category changes outlined in the announcement below have now been made on the site.

If you have a category suggestion you can send it to us on the Sending Suggestions to eBay page, located in the Help section.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to these changes.
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***Original: Coming Soon - Category Changes***

August 26, 2008 | 03:02PM PST/PT


The category structure will be updated in early September based on feedback received from the eBay Community and from experts in the affected fields.

The September update contains some significant changes for Collectibles and Jewelry & Watches, as well as additions to Sporting Goods and Toys & Hobbies. If you sell in these areas, please be sure to take a look at the new category structure on Seller Central here.

The following categories will be updated:

ANTIQUES
We're building a brand-new section for pre-1930 Bed & Bath Linens.

COLLECTIBLES
Look for category additions in almost every section, including a reconstruction of Vintage Bed & Bath Linens and new section for Souvenirs & Travel Memorabilia.

JEWELRY & WATCHES
Last month we created a new Fine Jewelry section for items made of solid precious metals and naturally mined stones. This month, a new Fashion Jewelry umbrella category is being added and existing (non-Vintage) Bracelets, Charms, Earrings, Hair Jewelry, Jewelry Sets, Necklaces & Pendants, and Rings categories will move under it. If you sell in this area, we encourage you to view the category changes on Seller Central here.

For an overview of the August and September jewelry changes, please visit this page: http://pages.ebay.com/categorychanges/Jewelry-2008.html.

In Vintage & Antique Costume Jewelry, we'll be making changes to the Retro, Vintage 1930s-1980s structure so that sellers will be able to classify by jewelry type. Many items will be moved into "Other" categories during this transition, so we do encourage sellers who list in this area to evaluate the upcoming changes and move their listings into the new categories as soon as they become available.

SPECIALTY SERVICES
We're adding a Photography category under Artistic Services. In the Printing & Personalization section, we're consolidating Address Labels into two categories: Graphical and Plain.

SPORTING GOODS
We're adding a category for Indoor Roller Skating. In Fishing, look for Freshwater Swimbait, Fishing Tackle Craft, and Vintage Advertisements. There will be lots of changes in Paintball, an expanded Skateboarding & Longboarding section, a new Gaelic Sports category and updates in Ice & Roller Hockey.

TOYS & HOBBIES
We're adding a few categories in Action Figures, Beanie Babies, Stuffed Animals, and NASCAR Diecast. Look for new Star Wars games and a spot for Plastic Action Games. We'll make addtions to every scale in Model RR, Trains. Vintage & Antique Toys gets a spot for Card Games.

We appreciate your input on how we can make categories better for everyone. Please submit categories suggestions here.

Thanks again to all our members who contributed to these changes!


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***Join your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, for this week's broadcasts of eBay Radio and Ask Griff***

September 09, 2008 | 09:37AM PST/PT

Jim "Griff" Griffith
Call in to eBay Radio today, September 9th, with your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, live from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time (3 hours). Griff's guests this week:

        • Colette Marshall, Business Development Manager with Worldwide Brands Incorporated, gives product sourcing tips.
        • Annemarie Fitzpatrick, Sales Director with Collectibles Insurance, talks about the importance of having your collectibles inventory properly insured.
        • Jason Miner, Pay Pal Community Education Specialist and the Host of Pay Pal Radio, joins us to tell us about the Kansas Jubilee event as well as plans for celebrating Pay Pal's 10th Anniversary.
        • Skip McGrathwith Auction Seller's Resource and Publisher of The eBay Seller's News, gives you tips and techniques to use when selling in the collectibles market.
        • Martin Adamo, Officer with Onceuponabid, Inc., tells you what you need to know about eBay Trading Assistants.

Plus we'll have "The News" with Lee Mirabal, as well as the most important feature on eBay Radio: your calls! Call in during the show at 877-474-3302 (USA) or 001-858-678-8958 (Internationally) to talk with Griff and his guests or to ask a question and share your voice with the rest of the eBay Community.

Remember, one lucky caller per week, selected at random, will receive an autographed copy of Griff's book, "The Official eBay Bible".

Don't miss the Thursday "Ask Griff" show
Call in to this week's live broadcast of the "Ask Griff" show Thursday, September 11th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Pacific time. No guests on the Ask Griff show. Just two hours of your calls on any eBay topic of your choice!

If you can't catch either of the live shows, you can always subscribe to the podcast , or access any past broadcast from the eBay Radio archives. To subscribe to the podcast all you need is an reader (a portable MP3 player is optional). Visit www.wsradio.com/ebayradio for more information about subscribing to the podcasts and to listen to eBay Radio on your computer.

Select and listen to any past eBay Radio broadcast, listed by topic and date, in the eBay Radio archives. You can also join the eBay Radio eBay Group for more information on eBay Radio.


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***Upcoming Workshops: The Biggest Tax You'll Face When You Sell on eBay and What will YOU sell for the Holidays?***

September 05, 2008 | 03:03PM PST/PT

Bev DeSomber
Hi everyone, I'm Bev DeSomber, and I manage the eBay Workshop program. I'd like to invite you to attend the following workshops taking place next week:

The Biggest Tax You'll Face When You Sell on eBay
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific time.

When do you have to charge sales tax, and for which states? Sales taxes and the use tax continue to be the most confusing taxes for most eBay sellers. Please join best selling-author and CPA Diane Kennedy as she guides you through the ins and outs of the maze of sales tax regulations in this one-hour workshop.

What will YOU sell for the Holidays?
This workshop will be held on Thursday, September 11th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

If you haven't thought about it yet, it's high time to start. To capitalize on the biggest spending frenzy of the year, the first step is to know what products will be on every buyer's wish list. In this new video, Lisa Suttora from WhatDoISell.com and Colette Marshall from WorldwideBrands.com cover topics such as How to identify Holiday trends and Key trends for the 2008 Holidays. Watch the Video NOW - and come ask questions during the workshop.


Workshops are hosted in discussion threads on the Workshops Board. Remember, if you can't make it during a particular workshop, just visit our Workshop Archives, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Want timely reminders about workshops? We recommend two ways to make sure you never miss an important workshop:

  • Sign up for the Workshops Information Group! By joining this group, you will receive an email notification reminding you about upcoming eBay Workshops. (To sign up for the Workshops Information Group, please click here.)
  • Subscribe to the RSS feed for the Workshop board. When a new workshop becomes active, your RSS reader will be updated. (You can also subscribe to just the specific topic thread that interests you.) To subscribe, click on the button at the bottom of the Workshop board or thread. Copy and paste the feed URL into your reader to subscribe. For more information on RSS, please read our RSS Help page.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Bev DeSomber
Community Development


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***Bid Assistant To Be Removed***

September 05, 2008 | 10:51AM PST/PT

Henri Huch
Hi everyone, I'm Henri Huch from eBay’s Buyer Experience team. As part of our ongoing efforts to simplify the site and remove features that have very low usage, we're going to remove the Bid Assistant tool (which allowed you to bid on multiple similar items in succession) in the next few weeks.

The removal plan
Starting the week of September 15th, the links to Bid Assistant will be removed from item pages and from My eBay, and buyers will no longer be able to create new groups of items within the tool. If you've used the Bid Assistant tool recently, or do so before September 15th, here’s how you'll be affected:

  • If you have an active Bid Assistant group as of September 15: You will still see the link to Bid Assistant in My eBay, and will be able to view your groups of items within the tool. The Bid Assistant tool will also continue to bid on the items within each group as scheduled. However, you will not be able to add or remove items from a group, or alter your maximum bids. Because these groups will essentially "lock" on September 15, make sure that you don't want to change anything within your Bid Assistant groups prior to that day.

  • If you have a closed Bid Assistant group as of September 15: You'll still be able to view your closed groups via the link in My eBay.

The Bid Assistant tool will then be removed from the site entirely in mid-October.

Sincerely,

Henri Huch
Buyer Experience
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***Consumer Product Safety Commission - Children's Items Recalled This Week***

September 04, 2008 | 04:41PM PST/PT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a recall for the following items:

  • Circo children's bobby socks recalled due to choking hazard
  • Optave Inc. baby carriers recalled due to fall hazard
  • Benjamin International recalls Fairy Dust pendants and candle charms due to risk of lead exposure

CPSC also has issued a consumer alert urging parents and caregivers to stop using convertible "close-sleeper/bedside sleeper" bassinets manufactured by Simplicity Inc.

eBay takes recalled items very seriously, and we work closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on these issues. We encourage buyers and sellers to visit http://www.cpsc.gov (see the Recent Recalls section) for more details about the products and model numbers included in this recall. You may also wish to visit our Recalled Items policy at http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/recalled.html.

For Sellers: Please check your product model numbers and refrain from listing any items that are part of this recall. Any currently listed items that are included in the recall should be ended.

For Buyers: If you believe an item you are interested in bidding on or purchasing may be part of this recall, we encourage you to use the Ask Seller a Question feature to verify.

As a service to our Community, eBay announces some product recalls, like these, when we believe the marketplace will be impacted. To stay informed about all CPSC recalls, please bookmark www.cpsc.gov and sign up to receive notices on new recalls issued by the CPSC.


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***Join your host Griff (Jim Griffith), Dean of eBay Education, for this week's broadcasts of eBay Radio and Ask Griff***

September 02, 2008 | 09:23AM PST/PT

Jim "Griff" Griffith
Tune in to this week's broadcast of "The Best of eBay Radio" on Tuesday, September 2nd from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Hold your calls! This week's show will be a rebroadcast of a recent eBay Radio show. eBay Radio will be back LIVE next week on September 9th.

Don't miss the LIVE broadcast of Thursday's "Ask Griff" show
Call in to this week's live broadcast of the "Ask Griff" show on Thursday, September 4th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Pacific time. There are no guests on the Ask Griff show. Just two hours of your calls on any eBay topic of your choice!

Call in during the Ask Griff show at 877-474-3302 (USA) or 001-858-678-8958 (Internationally) to talk with Griff, to ask a question, or to just share your voice with the rest of the eBay Community.

If you can't catch either of the live shows, you can always subscribe to the podcast , or access any past broadcast from the eBay Radio archives. To subscribe to the podcast all you need is an reader (a portable MP3 player is optional). Visit www.wsradio.com/ebayradio for more information about subscribing to the podcasts and to listen to eBay Radio on your computer.

Select and listen to any past eBay Radio broadcast, listed by topic and date, in the eBay Radio archives. You can also join the eBay Radio eBay Group for more information about eBay Radio.

 

 

 


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