Danni of TheDanniApp.com Speaks...EVERY week!

So this is another of our group members, and an author here, Danni Ackerman. She does videoblog on Sunday evening on Spreecast... come join!

Using the Scotty Mailer & a Priority Flat Rate Envelope for Mugs

I've been extremely hesitant, in fact down right stunned that anyone would actually ship a mug in a flat rate envelope. BUT a lot of people are. I don't recommend it but Bev England and her "supervisor" Aran, just did a "drop test" with 2 mugs in the box that Bubblefast is selling for this purpose.

Here's the video and their conclusions:

Beth

Photography for eCommerce - a replay

This post is just to remind everyone of a wonderful podcast done last spring by Kat Simpson, thatkat.com and KarenLocker (I'll get her link and post it shortly) and Ron Davison - husband of the fabulous Charlene Anderson - Ron's a Photgrapher and a true teacher because he made the subject so easy to understand.

So here is the link to the site he set up for it:

Ron's Tutorial on eCommerce Photography

Here's the link to the chatboard for that episode

Show Chatboard Here's the a link replay of the show where you can download it to keep forever. Ecomm Connections Podcast on eCommerce Photography And HERE is the show:

Batten down the Hatches !

Well after all it IS Hurricane season and Sandy is on it`s way toward us here on the East Coast. Right now she`s passing over Bahama and the projected path the meteorologists have made for her puts us East Coasters in the path UGH !

So for the next few days I`m sure every Grocery store and gas station on the Coast will be busy

Be sure to stock up on plenty of Batteries for the radios and flashlights in case of power outages ( unless of course you are lucky enough to have a Generator ) which I DO NOT :<(

ICE for the coolers to store frozen foods in if power is out and refrigerator isn`t running

What I do is start ahead of time and make trays and trays of ice cubes and put them in bowls in the freezer.

And if I`m fortunate enough to KEEP my power I can always use the ice cubes for something else

Bottled Water 

Make sure you have plenty of canned foods and a Hand Held Can opener

Bagged snacks are not always nutritional BUT are at least sustenance if no other non cookable food is accessible

Blankets are a must if the house is chilly and the furnace isn`t working

Buckets of water for toilet flushing unless you have a Porta Potty to use

Also the buckets of water can be used to heat some for cooking if you have a Gas stove or worse case scenario heat it on a Propane Grill if you have one ( I had to do this in 1986 when Hurricane Gloria left me without power for 9 days ! )

And if you have Furry Pets PLEASE don`t let them go outside without being on a leash especially at night when they could wander off and get hurt or lost

Batten down the Hatches East Coasters !

Stay Safe and we`ll get through this we always do :>)

eBay Seller Protection Team Speaks!! We should listen!

This post is really a link to Scanpower Radio on Talkshoe which normally covers FBA selling on Amazon but which yesterday (10-22-2012) hosted a call with the eBay Seller Protection Team. They were present and answered questions and took calls - including me, moaning and whining about some situations. And I have to say, they were very positive and very reaffirming to me as a veteran seller and definitely made me feel like they, at least, are listening to our problems. Check it out.. You can listen to and participate in the regular Monday program at this link - SCANPower on Talkshoe Every Monday at 2 PM ET Want to learn FBA? This is a great place to start!

How Important is Social Media?

We all spend countless hours seeing email, newsletters, blog posts etc about Social Media and do you really know how important it is?

We also know if you sell anywhere or anything you need to use Social Media but how and where to you start?

One way to start is using blogs and that is why a special friend of mine started this blog and she sells at the Depression Glass Warehouse.

Beth is one smart woman and know how important social media is an has encouraged all of us to post and use the blog to help each other with sales.

I have learned a lot from my friend and sell at The Book Corner Cafe on eBay and I also have my own site Book Corner Cafe. Stop by and check out our site for more information.

I am hoping the rest of our group here will pop in and introduce themselves to you and their selling sites. We all encourage and support each other in both our personal and professional lives. We truly are an online family.

I Come to Bury Caesar, Not to Praise Him

I really have no clue what the title of my post has to do with anything except I was sitting here trying to think of something to write about and that is what came into my head.

I have had a love/hate affair with eBay over this past year. I became convinced I could sell there full-time. I admitted that it wasn't going as planned. I stopped listing completely on their website for about a week and a half...and now....well, now...I have returned, but I'm going at it part-time.

Instead, I am focusing most of my energy on writing. For those that don't know me, I do freelance writing and also some virtual assistant work. Recently, I acquired a few more clients, so at the moment I am figuring out how to make all the pieces work. I'm hoping to add a few more clients, but I have to get my routine figured out and need to get a website done...and...well...there is just a lot more to working as a writer than simply putting words on a computer screen and sending the work to your clients.

Meanwhile, I'm still plugging along with eBay. I can't quite make the break with them when I have so much stuff in this house that I need to get rid of, but I don't need to give them my full attention right now either. I guess at the moment --- I am not burying eBay, but I'm not really praising them either. And how's that for pulling the post and the title together?


When Sushiboofay is not driving herself crazy writing for her clients or listing on eBay - she also works on her own little blog called The Freelance Misfit. It's not a real active blog right now, but she hopes to change that soon. She could also really use some Followers there! :-)

Learning about FBA

I am a real Daredevil normally BUT I have always been a little afraid to try "new things" in the ecommerce world.

You see I think I have a slight learning disability because I have trouble comprehending what I read sometimes,  so trying to learn something new by reading directions can usually cause me a splitting headache and even at times a  " I quit" ATTITUDE

Well tonight was just the opposite :>)

I have been trying to learn about FBA ever since Bob Willey and Michele Fireangel Jones talked to me about it at EOL in Philadelphia which we all attended back in Sept.

I started sourcing for products right there in Philly and found several profitable items with the help of a couple more friends attending Beth Cherkowsky Danni Ackerman Kat Simpson and Carmie Docton

When EOL was over, I came back home and armed with my smartphone with the Amazon.com app I have shopped several times since then to acquire a "beginning inventory"

Then I dreaded the next step though. I had to "read" and "learn" what to do with my purchases

Well earlier this evening surrounded by boxes and labels and scissors and tape I started !

2 hours later and alot of "ughs"  I now have 2 large boxes ready to be shipped off tomorrow morning !

I sure hope it gets easier with each shipment :>)

But the best part of it all, I didn`t QUIT till it was done .
And the whole time my husband just smiled at me and said " You can do this Honey "

Hehhee :>) He thinks I can do ANYTHING once I set my mind to it

I guess maybe I can :>)

How Do You Start Your Morning?

One thing we all have in common is we wake up and start our day and after that we each choose to spend our day any way we want. Have you ever thought about your morning routine and how it affects the rest of your day?

We all have so many things going on in our lives every day and feel there are never enough hours in a day right?

I have always been a morning person and love mornings and the quiet. That has helped me plan my day along with a to do list.

Since each of us is different have you ever taken time to think how your morning shapes the rest of your day?

Know What to List on Ebay? Well here is some help!

Danni Ackerman, long time member of our yahoo group did this podcast (? Is that the right word? no clue so Podcast it is..) yesterday. GREAT information included!! Her website is http://www.thedanniapp.com and http://www.udderlygoodstuff.com is her selling site!

Fall Colors 2012

I know, from past experience and extensive reading, there's a connection between the economy and color (look Depression Glass was wildly popular during ____________ THE GREAT DEPRESSION!!

So when I saw this, I just had to share for the "fashion-minded" and not so fashionable among us...

Fall 2012 Fashion Colors


So it looks like the Fall Vegetable colors are it... Eggplant Purple, Pumpkin Orange,   don't say I didn't warn you!

eBay On Location - Philadelphia - NEWS ALERT!!

Reports out of Philadelphia seem dire... lots of brains are aching from all the information gathered at eBay on Location.  Held at the Marriott in downtown Philadelphia, it made it easier for attendees to find TOOO much food, drink and fun! And shopping!!

And for this "reporter" at least, a fantastic wealth of information, ideas, new methods, new sources and new friends...

Kathy Moretti, Carmie and Danni Ackerman

MY haul from the shopping trip to Goodwill

More to follow in the "real news" channel...right here, over the next few days..

Whitewater Rafting in Maine

2 weekends ago my husband Donald and I took 2 of our Grandkids North to Jackman ME for the first time.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackman,_Maine

We had always talked about "someday" going Whitewater Rafting .

Well someday finally happened :>)

We drove 6.5 hrs. to get there, but it was well worth it

Jackman is a VERY small town about 1 hr.North of Skowhegan  It`s filled with small country stores and surrounded by Mountains and LOTS of small town hospitality

We had made reservations at the Mountain View Resort which is a BEAUTIFUL Lodge http://www.innseason.com/isr/RD_R_Mountainview.aspx part of the inn season resort properties

We had a Gorgeous View of the mountains just behind the lodge and inside the Lodge was just as pretty

After a Peaceful nights sleep, bright and early Sunday morning we met up with the Bus from the Windfall Rafting Company http://windfallrafting.com/ which took us to the Kennebec River Dam where our rafting trip started.

After a smooth raft ride down the river for a bit, we started hitting the rapids !  Class 2 , 3, and then the mighty 4 http://windfallrafting.com/

Grandpa and I had as much fun and excitement as the Grandkids did !  We definitely wished we had done this sooner but very glad we got to share this with the kids.

LAST CALL! Ebay on Location in Philly

Are you an eBay seller? Are you local to Philadelphia? (local meaning can you drive here in 6-9 hrs???)

Are you registered for eBay on Location in Philadelphia next week?
Well what are you waiting for?? Go here http://www.ebayonlocation.com and sign up. 

You can't be part of the fun if you're closed out and the slots are filling up.

Hurry up 'cause,  Sept 5th is the Opening Ceremony and Sept 6th is when all the "games"  happen, aka seminars, training, sprinting from one room to the next, the handshaking marathon and the "cramming stuff is overtaxed brains" test.  

No Gold medals for you if you stay home.  

Now seriously, I went to Orlando last year, I went to Chicago in 2008 and to New Orleans in 2004 (thank God they didn't pick New Orleans or the South for this year's event..and prayers for those of you swimming around in waterwings this week... )   and I can honestly say:

I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING THAT PAYS FOR THE EVENT.

I can't always tell what it is but in 2004 I learned to re-write my return policy and to make other policies more "buyer friendly" in 2008 I Learned about Item specifics. I'm still processing 2011 but I did learn a bunch of "push you up higher in search ideas".

So, will I see you there?? I'll be the short round person with white hair... this year I'm not limping as I've gone All Bionic All the time...next year's replacement parts are on order now but this  year I'm entered in the sprinting from class to class event. (my sprint is your slow mosey).  If you see me, introduce yourself!! (and hand me a business card, that's a whole OTHER event.)

Look Up and Be Amazed

Secure Packaging..the seller's BEST friend

Shipping Tip !!

Double boxing, while effective is expensive and annoying and hard to cost-justify on less expensive but still fragile items.  SO try my method (well actually DH devised this with input from me... and it WORKS!)

Peanuts will move..they will wiggle out from under heavy objects leave your fragile item sitting on the box bottom. Then when the box falls off the 200 ft high conveyor belt at the USPS or UPS etc. guess what hits the cement floor first??  YOUR FRAGILE item protected by? one or two layers of ?? CARDBOARD..NOT GOOD!

SO put your packing peanuts in one of those ubiqituous plastic shopping bags, tie it shut and put THAT on the bottom of the box... FILL it (the bag I mean) over full so they can't move in there...they are Packing peanuts, they don't need room to breath... Tie it shut.

NOW put your item right on top of the bag.  put cardboard pieces cut to size all around it...all sides..put loose fill in between the cardboard and the box wall... put another "bag" of peanuts on top of the item. fill the box to the top or over with loose fill ... bump it up and down gently to settle the fill and add more to get it back up to the top... NOW seal it.  

No double boxing required cause you  just created an "internal double wall" less bubblewrap wasted, no "meandering packing peanuts"  and less broken stuff.   (we've had 2-3 items broken in the last 5.5 years..)

Check Your "NEW" Seller Dashboard

So have you check your NEW seller dashboard yet?

     I was explaining the "back end" operations of an eBay store to a new seller yesterday and noticed as I did that the Seller Dashboard has changed..down in the middle where you get your performance information and your "upload" time on your tracking.  

If you haven't seen it yet..here's one to look over 

 

The best part is that center won where it says CREATE A REPORT so now I can see which exact listings eBay says I didn't ship and upload tracking on in a timely basis.  Go check out yours. (and if you figure out how to get the report? let me know. I created one and it said it would be ready soon? that was last night and so far no word on it.)

Stinky Boots

We love our dogs and they bring us pleasure it so many ways. One thing we differ on though is what smells good. We have a mostly black, some white, part australian shepherd named Boots. Boots is my special pal and about the only one I'll let outside our large yard fence because he never fails to come when I call to come in. He is a smart dog and seems to watch me almost constantly. BUT, one of Boot's chief joys in life is rolling in donkey poop! I went out to pick books to mail tomorrow and he went with me. I'm sitting at my computer and he is lying close beside me with a slightly wet shoulder. He is exuding peace and pleasure and pride in himself... that's not all he's exuding. The smell, wafting up to me, is a cross between donkey poop and wet dog. How can I scold him - he's so proud of himself. Carol -- Carol AT Abbyz Attic http://www.amazon.com/shops/strayspay