This episode was packed full of ecommerce tidbits!  While Bryan is off traveling this week, Uncle Joe Adamson joined me at the mic as Co-host.  First up was Russell Walraven of Kabbage.com to share news of another platform added to their program to provide working capital to online sellers to grow their business.  He also shared testimonials and talked more about how Social Klimbing can improve your Kabbage score.  Next up was Danni Ackerman, UdderlyGoodStuff on eBay, who was thrilled to announce that Griff is coming to visit her Las Vegas eBay Sellers Group next month! Danni also gave us an update on her Amazon FBA sourcing adventures and selling successes.  We discussed eBay’s FVF discount offered to sellers who’s listings meet specific criteria in December, see more details HERE.  BarryMark joined in the conversation to talk Amazon and his beta testing of eBay’s Sales Maximizer which helps sellers to create sales, coupons, and upsell opportunites to buyers as announced on RRB Radio by Andrew Shearer, Director of eBay;s Product Development last week.  And finally, Chris Green of FBA Power joined us to discuss the recent Amazon FBA Fee Increase just announced and how to adapt your business plan for that change effective February 2012.  Thanks so much to Uncle Joe for co-hosting this episode, it’s always a pleasure!  ENJOY the replay!

presented by Michael Levit of Vendio, VP of marketing and Business Development at Vendio

This is THE presentation I regret missing. Since I didn’t want my arm broken, LOL, I attended Peggy Duncan’s presentation and enjoyed that very much! But I really wish there had been a way to see BOTH! So, here is what I’ve been able to collect from around the internet.

Michael & Vendio very generously uploaded the entire presentation on slideshare:

Vendio: How to Cost Effectively Sell on eBay, Amazon, Your Store and more…

View more OpenOffice presentations from Vendio.

Plus, there were all these tweets – so it’s ALMOST as good as being there

• mattledford: #ecom09 : #Vendio Michael Levit EVP Sales & Marketing, Good News: ecommerce=growth market!
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 M. Levit from Vendio – eBay not looking so good
• mattledford: @vendio #ecom09 : Wow neg growth rate transaction volume of #ebay looks lk falling off a cliff rlly only negative a couple percent, very …
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 M. Levit from Vendio – Where should you invest your time. Many verticals popping up. Not enough? Requires work
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 M. Levit from Vendio – compete.com / alexsa – How do you know where to invest your time
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 M. Levit from Vendio – Invest time in a store. eBay and Amazon still the best return for time spent
• mattledford: #ecom09 : @Vendio Levit: Got investment? work on building out your store!!
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – M. Levit from Vendio – Consumers using online search – need to focus on search
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – Focus your efforts – focus on a few. Have analytics, automation, fewer things – more return
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – Start at purchase – Research – do you REALLY know how it will sell?
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – Inventory management – recipe for disaster if not managed – Overselling means you have to choose who gets your product
• mattledford: #ecom09 : @Vendio Levit: sum sellers R finding ebay unprofitable. If U arnt a low cost leader, U may need 2 expand/move… & Create yr o ..
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – M. Levit from Vendio – employ analytics and reporting to choose your channels
• mattledford: #ecom09 : @Vendio Levit: standing room only. room b very popular 2day!
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – M. Levit form Vendio – rank, prioritize and automate day-to-day tasks. Where do you spend your time
• Vendio_Crystal: #ecom09 – M. Levit – Amazon 1/3 focused on third party sellers – Amazon fighting for search and mind share
• See – ALMOST as good as being there
  

SushiBooFay

click on Her Logo Fish to visit her eBay Store!

This day’s victim, LOL, is Cat and she has some great info and stories for you!

1 – Please tell me about yourself and why you are an eCommerce entrepeneur?

The truth? It started out as a way to get rid of a bunch of stuff we had in storage after we sold our convenience stores. Then I started thinking of it as a way to supplement my Pet Sitting income. Now – I find I enjoy the challenge of selling online. I like finding stuff that I THINK will do well – and then seeing if it does. I’ve always loved antiques and this is a great way to incorporate my love of things old with owning my own business.

2 – how did you pick your business name and what you sell?

LOL….the name Sushiboofay comes from a woman I use to work with. She had a real southern drawl — and one day a bunch of us from work went out to eat at a Chinese place and they had a buffet. Someone commented that they had a sushi buffet and in this voice that sounds like melted butter she says…. “Suushii Boo Fay….sounds like a ‘lady of the evening’”…..Years later I still remembered that and how we all loved the name and had a great laugh over it….so when I started thinking about store names….that’s the one I went with!

As for selling – I sell a little of everything. Right now I’m getting into selling records and vintage clothes. I also have some Gone With The Wind plates that belonged to me, but we just don’t have room for – so I’ve been listing them. Next month – it will probably be something else. I love to keep updating!

3 – what online venues are you currently selling on and are there others you plan to expand to in the next year?

I primarily sell on EBay, but I’ve been fascinated by Bonanzle so list there too. I’m also on Amazon and iOffer. I use Sushiboofay on all of the sites right now so people can remember it and easily find me on whatever venue I may be on.

I will probably be on GEMM next. I’ve heard some good things about them and sounds like a great place to list record albums!

4 – What are your goals for your business in the next year?

I really want to push my online business to the next level. I have down as official goal for this year that I would like to make EBay Power Seller by July 1st — got a long way to go, but I love a good challenge!

Cat's Bonanzle Booth

(click on the Bonanzle logo to visit Cat’s Bonanzle booth)

5 – Tell me a favorite story about your eCommerce career.

I don’t really have a story about my career, but I do have a favorite customer. I sold a vintage cookie jar to a woman in Canada. I didn’t have “worldwide” marked, but she bid and won anyway (pretty big amount). She had ONE feedback. I just knew this was going to end badly — but then she wrote that she wanted to give it as a gift to her mother because they had one when she was growing up and it would bring back a lot of memories. I had to rethink the shipping — took about a week to get all my ducks lines up — I still wondered if it was going to turn out well or not….but I took a chance and sent it.

She was just thrilled went it arrived. Gave me some of the best feedback I had ever gotten. THAT made me feel good about taking a chance on someone….knowing there are still some decent people out there and I made one of them happy!

Cat is also a writer and has some of most FUN signature lines on our group. Here is the current one! click on the image to visit her blog.

Cat's Blog