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EcommerceBytes-Update, Number 188 - April 01, 2007 - ISSN 1528-6703
This & That: Online Auction Roundup
1) National eBay Drop-Off Store Directory
By Ina Steiner
Reminder: AuctionBytes-Update 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 has become 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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Consignment Pal launched an online National eBay Drop-Off Store Directory. "With free seller listings, Consignment Pal hopes the directory will attract many more independent eBay drop-off stores, eBay Trading Assistants, and other online sellers." http://www.consignmentpal.com
You can find other information about eBay drop-off stores on the AuctionBytes website including a chart of stores, directories, articles and resources, all on one page:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/pages/consign
2) International Sales Trends on eBay
By Ina Steiner
In the U.S., more than 88 percent of eBay sales are shipped within the country. That means only about 12 percent of eBay.com sales are to buyers outside of the country. Who are these international buyers? The most popular buyer location is Canada, which accounts for a little over four percent of sales. Next in line are the U.K., Australia, France and Germany.
If you like information like this, you will love Data Bytes, a new weekly column in AuctionBytes Newsflash provided by Terapeak ( http://www.terapeak.com ), an eBay Certified Service Provider that specializes exclusively in eBay Marketplace Research. Terapeak lets sellers know when to list, which items are hot, and how to value your items on eBay and offers research for eBay US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and eBay Motors Parts & Accessories.
You can read the first column on international sales trends online:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y07/m03/i22/s02
And last week's column on what's hot around the world:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y07/m03/i30/s03
3) eBay Survey Season
By Ina Steiner
It must be survey season, I've gotten two emails asking I let readers know about surveys. One is an academic survey
http://www.zendurl.com/auction/start.html
The other is a commercial website
http://snipurl.com/IncPlace2
As always, use caution in what information you divulge over the Internet to unknown parties.
4) UPS Launches Delivery Intercept Service
By Ina Steiner
UPS launched what it calls the industry's first Web-enabled delivery intercept service. The new service means shippers can now redirect or recall a shipment before it's delivered, at the click of a mouse. A UPS driver can even receive notification on his handheld DIAD computer to intercept a shipment, right up to the moment it's delivered. It's like an insurance policy for a small business that accidentally discovers fraud after a shipment has left the dock.
It does cost, however. In addition to the $10 charge, you have to pay shipping to return the item. So if it costs $25 to ship from Point A to Point B, and the shipper asks to have the item returned before delivery, it would be another $10 for the intercept, plus another $25 in shipping for the return trip, assuming the shipper had it returned at the same level of service, i.e., ground, or next-day air. But in an emergency, it's a nice service to have.
http://www.ups.com/deliveryintercept
5) GoAntiques Aggregates Antiques Pricing Data
By Ina Steiner
GoAntiques.com announced that its PriceMiner historical pricing product for antiques and collectibles now has more than 25 million pricing records making it the largest source of historical prices anywhere. Data comes from eBay, GoAntiques and TIAS as well as auction house records provided by Phillips de Pury, Stanley Gibbons, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Rago Art & Auction and a dozen more, and it also includes information from online retail storefront sales.
http://www.goantiques.com
6) DoMyStuff: Bidding on Chores
By Ina Steiner
On the DoMyStuff.com website, people list chores, and others can bid on how much they would be willing to be paid to do the chore for the lister. The site uses feedback and escrow. According to the company, "it allows people to have personal assistants whenever they need them."
http://www.domystuff.com
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