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Auctionbytes-Update, Number 133 - December 19, 2004 - ISSN 1528-6703
This & That: Online Auction Roundup
1) eBay Sales Data
By Ina Steiner
Reminder: AuctionBytes does not endorse the products and services featured in the "This & That" column, which often features new Web sites. (Anyone can set up a Web site.) Fraud is becoming widespread in the online auction world, and you should think twice before giving private information or User IDs and passwords to any third party.
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We are looking for ways eBay sellers improve sales. How do you pick the best keywords for your listings? Do you test the best ending times to close your auctions? Do you try to improve your sales by reviewing past sales data? Send an email to data@auctionbytes.com and your tips or techniques may be published!
2) CarBuyingTips Article about Fraud
By Ina Steiner
CarBuyingTips.com has posted information about fraud, including escrow fraud.
http://www.carbuyingtips.com/fraud.htm
3) FatFingers.com
By Ina Steiner
In a previous issue, we reported on a service in the UK that allows you to check for misspellings in eBay auctions. The site is called Fatfingers, and it now has a dot com URL. The service works with many of the international eBay sites, including eBay.com - just select the site from the drop down list box. (Knarf has a Canadian version at http://www.fatfingers.ca)
http://fatfingers.com
4) Ethical Technologies Launches eBay Tools
By Ina Steiner
Ethical Technologies announced the official release of its "ecommerce toolset" for eBay users. The tools were released in beta at the end of October and include a listing tool, scheduler, relister, and a "thank-you" tool that sends emails to thanking customers for their bids. Ethical has also created the Ethical Sell-Through Tool, available on a limited-trial basis to qualified sellers (no details on this yet). Soon to be released is the Ethical Item Rating System.
http://www.ethical2004.com
5) Stamps.com Raises Rates?
By Ina Steiner
A reader wrote in to tell me he had received notice from e-postage vendor Stamps.com. He said the email stated the company is discontinuing its Simple Plan ($4.49/month) and moving everyone to the Power Plan, which costs $15.99/month. Stamps.com did not respond to repeated inquiries from AuctionBytes looking for confirmation.
6) What Can Political Organizations and Government Learn from Internet Businesses?
By Ina Steiner
The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard held a conference last week, Votes Bits & Bytes. Dave Weinberger blogged the conference, here's a link to his summary of the Business panel, which included Tod Cohen of eBay and Craig Newmark of Craigslist http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/mtarchive/003454.html. (Yes, that is a shortened version of a question from the AuctionBytes' editor who attended the event.)
7) Weekend of Learning About Gems and Jewelry
By Ina Steiner
Gem expert and author Antoinette Matlins is holding a weekend seminar for participants to "learn the key things you need to know about Diamonds, Colored Gemstones, Pearls, and Gem Identification." The seminar takes place in Woodstock, Vermont May 19 - 22 and costs $585.
http://gemstonepress.com/Seminar_files/seminar.htm
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