New Certified Provider Site for Advanced Sellers

eBay launched a new site to help advanced sellers learn about tools and solutions they need to grow their businesses. The Certified Provider site helps match sellers up with the right Certified Providers who can provide these tools. Sellers can find a selection of product demos, case studies and other materials from subject matter experts that will help them finalize the solution set that's right their business.

As you fine-tune your business strategy for 2008, explore the new Certified Provider Program website. There’s a helpful tutorial to get you started.

http://certifiedprovider.ebay.com

New Certified Provider Blog

The eBay Certified Provider Program now has an official blog for sellers on all things Certified Provider. Designed to help educate sellers on CPs, their products, and how they help sellers grow, the blog will include product, education, and other announcements from eBay Certified Providers.

If you're a seller and want to find ways to save time, increase profits, attract more buyers, and get them to come back, subscribe to the blog. If you're a CP, be sure to submit news and announcements for inclusion.

Visit the Certified Provider blog at http://ebaycertifiedprovider.blogspot.com.

Marketreserach.com Launches eBay Consumer Insights

Marketreserach.com now offers consumer insights products based on eBay Data. With the help of eBay Market Data Reseller Data Unison, reports and online subscriptions are now available at marketresearch.com - just type in the keyword "eBay".

While most business intelligence offered to retail and manufacturing F500 companies via PDF reports, this joint venture offers an interactive real-time dynamic tool for critical decision making, while still providing the same report option that these consumers are familiar with. Dynamic tools are the future, helping enterprise consumers pinpoint the right data quickly while having access to more information than ever before. Why is eBay reserach unique? Unlike NPD, Nielsen, and smaller tech-based research firms we offer:

• Minimal Latency: Panel data is 6-8 weeks after the response
  
• Empirical Data: we provide actual sales, not intent to purchase
  
• Larger Samples: we offer buyer behavior from over 241M users
  
• Real Data Where Sparse: eBay offers 50,000 categories, others offer <5>
• Find Data Fast: Dynamic tools offer quick queries amongst more data
  

By the way, I also run the eBay Market Data Program. Ok, off my soapbox.

10/23 CP Workshop: Importing (Worldwide Brands)

Topic: Member Workshop: Understanding the basics to importing physical Products to Sell
Host: worldwidebrandsinc
Date: Tuesday 10/23
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: Using importing as one of your product sourcing methods is method to stepping yourself above your competition. Colette Marshall, Business Development Manager for Product Sourcing Experts WorldwideBrands.com, will explain importing basics and answer some of the common questions surrounding importing products.

10/22 CP Workshop: Prep Your eBay Store for the Holidays (Whatdoisell.com)

Topic: eBay Workshop: Preparing your eBay Store for the Holiday Shopping Season
Host: eBay Staff and co-host, Lisa Suttora (whatdoisell.com)
Date: Monday 10/22
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: eBay Stores provides e-commerce solutions to increase sales, build a brand, and atttract repeat buyers. Get ramped up and ready for the upcoming holiday season, with tips and tricks ranging from inventory sourcing to optimizing your Store. Joining us for this workshop is Lisa Suttora, founder and CEO of What Do I Sell.com, an eBay Certified Service Provider that specializes in teaching retail entrepreneurs how to find the products buyers want most. She is a Contributing Editor to Entrepreneur magazine’s "Product Sourcing Radio Show" and "eBiz Radio Show" and has been a featured speaker on the eBay Live Product Sourcing Panel.

10/19 CP Workshop: Holiday Sourcing & Strategies (Terapeak)

Topic: Member Workshop: What and How to Sell on eBay for the Holidays
Host: terapeak
Date: Friday 10/19
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: In this workshop, the team at Terapeak will be on hand to discuss how you can get ready for the hugely profitable holiday season. What are the hot trends, and how can you find them and list them for maximum profit? How should you be listing for this busy time of year? Holiday shopping starts sooner than you think, and as a smart seller you want to do your research and have the products shoppers are looking for!

10/17 CP Workshop: Succeed by Positive Thinking (KeepMore.net)

Topic: Member Workshop: Powerful Thoughts for Business Success
Host: keepmore
Date: Wednesday 10/17
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: Please join Phyllis Wischer of Certified Provider KeepMore.net and her guest Chris O’Brien, Transformational Life Coach, who will present a workshop on ‘Powerful Thoughts for Business Success’. Mr. O’Brien states that people tend to think in the same patterns over and over, and this pretty much gets them the same results…over and over. Successful people think successful thoughts and are repetitively successful. Unsuccessful people experience the opposite. This workshop will explore empowering and disempowering thoughts, and take participants through some simple exercises to help bring clarity and focus in business. At the end there will be an optional assignment and an opportunity for additional free materials. We look forward to having you join us for this eye-opening workshop that will help you build the successful eBay business you desire.

10/16 CP Workshop Break Through Sourcing Roadblocks (Whatdoisell.com)

Topic: Member Workshop: How to Break Through the Top 10 Roadblocks to Finding Products to Sell
Host: whatdoisell
Date: Tuesday 10/16
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: If you want to build a business on eBay - you must have SOMETHING to sell on a regular basis. Yet this is the #1 area where people struggle in building a part-time or full-time income. Please join Lisa Suttora, Founder/CEO of eBay Certified Provider WhatDoISell.com as she discusses the 5 core reasons that people struggle with finding a profitable product to sell and the 5 things that cause people to overlook the most profitable products.

10/9 CP Workshop: Customer Support (HostedSupport)

How Customer Support Levels the Playing Field for Sellers of All Sizes
This workshop will be held on Tuesday, October 9th from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time.

In this workshop, Steve Yeich, CEO of Certified Solution Provider HostedSupport will discuss why customers don’t always look for the cheapest price or largest selection, but how they are treated, and why it’s worth millions. Learn how you don’t have to be the least expensive to get buyers.

10/8 CP Workshop: Get Repeat Business (HammerTap)

Topic: Member Workshop: The Power of Repeat Business
Host: htdeepanalysis
Date: Monday 10/08
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific time

Description: Please join Jen Cano, from HammerTap, a Certified Solution Provider, as she talks about how to use analytics and social networking to build repeat business. You can hook shoppers once and get them to buy. But what about the next time, and the next time? Research shows that repeat buyers are eight times more likely to buy. Come find new ways to build your repeat customer base.

Couch in the City, Pt Deux

The velvet couch tour went very well, and pictures are available for your viewing pleasure. Well done, Nick!

Push Me Pull You

Check out this story about a 2-headed turtle. It (no reference to he or she) needs a name, care to name it? The only question I ask is where is the tail?

Couch in the City

A colleague of mine bought a couch he didn't need, and couldn't fit in his apartment, on eBay. (yes, I thought the same thing too) Being a former professional photographer myself, I've been tracking the story about his very creative art project - shooting the couch all over San Francisco. I wish I had this much free time.

Certified Provider Doba Makes Inc. 500

I'm thrilled to see one of our very own Certified Providers, Doba, recognized by Inc. magazine as the 23rd fastest-growing private company in the United States. Read more about it. Inc also raned them #2 in top software companies. Congrats to the whole Doba gang!

CP Workshop: Sell More with Great Customer Support 9/11

Getting Real Value from Customer Support—Real eBay Seller Case Studies
This workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 11th from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific time.

In this workshop, Steve Yeich, CEO of Certified Solution Provider HostedSupport, will present case studies of eBay sellers who have increased sales by implementing a customer support system. Learn from the real-world examples that will show how others have succeeded and increased sales.