Stores shipping prices now editable even after sales

June 13, 2008

eBay.com have made a great change for Store owners: shipping details can now be edited on SIF listings which have already made sales.

Previously, neither shipping price nor shipping services could be edited on a multiple item SIF listing if an item had already been sold. If shipping prices changed or the seller switched shipping provider, the listing had to be ended and relisted. But not any longer: sellers can change shipping details relative to future purchases, though obviously the offered price and carrier will remain the same for purchases made prior to the change.

This should make Stores’ owners’ lives so much easier; lets hope it rolls out to other eBay sites very soon.

Written by Sue Bailey · Filed Under Site Changes, eBay.com | 1 Comment 

Trial an eBay Store for free (again)

May 2, 2008

This post was written in May 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

eBay.com have just announced that from now until the end of July, first time Stores subscribers will enjoy the first 30 days free of charge. This promotion was first run in March and was deemed such a success that it’s being repeated. The offer is valid for Basic or Premium Stores.

Is it worth opening an eBay Store?

Yes. Even if we see the end of Store Inventory Format (and we haven’t yet), there are lots of good reasons to open an eBay Store:

  • Your listings are all in one place, easily linkable and searchable.
  • Stronger branding within your listings.
  • Marketing tools like email marketing and markdown manager.
  • Free telephone support.

So give the trial a go; you have nothing to lose.

Written by Sue Bailey · Filed Under CLD, Featured | Comments Off 

Is this the beginning of the return of eBay Stores?

March 13, 2008

This post was written in March 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.
An eBay Store
Creative Commons License photo credit: gruntzooki

Yesterday, eBay.com made an announcement that Stores’ listings appearing at the end of search results will be enhanced a little: Gallery pictures will now be shown, and up to 50 listings will be shown (instead of the current 30). It’s only a small change, though I think that the Gallery change in particular will do a lot to make these items more attractive. But I wonder if this indicates changing hearts towards SIF listings in general?

It’s now almost two years since eBay banished stores’ listings from search results, increased SIF listings prices and promised a “back to basics” return to emphasis on core listings. Since then stores’ and shops’ listings have been the poor relations of eBay auctions and BINs, hidden away and left to sellers themselves to push.

But despite eBay’s emphasis on core listings, many sellers, myself included, find SIF to be an essential part of our mix of listings. If this is the beginning of a thaw in eBay’s attitude towards SIF, it will be very welcome.

Written by Sue Bailey · Filed Under Featured | 7 Comments