Monday, May 21, 2007
Powerselling mother knows best
Danna Crawford is not your typical stay-at-home mom -- unless mothers who make their living entirely off eBay have become the norm since my childhood.
That's because Danna is an eBay Power Seller, trading assistant, and education specialist based in Ocala, Fla. She's also the proprietor of AskDanna.com and PowerSellingMom.com, and the author/editor of various e-books ranging from instructional eBay guides to Irish cookbooks.
With her fingers in a wide array of digital pies, Danna has been able to work from home since 1997, pay her bills, and make her kids her No. 1 priority -- all because she had an Internet connection and the determination to make the most of it.
We got on the horn with Danna to discuss her techniques and strategies for self-employment through the Web. She gave us great insight into the eBay universe; offered advice on maintaining a consistent Web identity across multiple sites; and alerted us to some cool services geared toward small business owners.
This podcast is for anyone who wants to sell goods online, but has no idea where to start, or who wants to kick personal e-commerce efforts up a notch. Listen, absorb, and pass along!
That's because Danna is an eBay Power Seller, trading assistant, and education specialist based in Ocala, Fla. She's also the proprietor of AskDanna.com and PowerSellingMom.com, and the author/editor of various e-books ranging from instructional eBay guides to Irish cookbooks.
With her fingers in a wide array of digital pies, Danna has been able to work from home since 1997, pay her bills, and make her kids her No. 1 priority -- all because she had an Internet connection and the determination to make the most of it.
We got on the horn with Danna to discuss her techniques and strategies for self-employment through the Web. She gave us great insight into the eBay universe; offered advice on maintaining a consistent Web identity across multiple sites; and alerted us to some cool services geared toward small business owners.
This podcast is for anyone who wants to sell goods online, but has no idea where to start, or who wants to kick personal e-commerce efforts up a notch. Listen, absorb, and pass along!
Labels: Danna Crawford, eBay, Podcast
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Artist architects new career online
What do you do when you suspect your avocation won’t pay the bills? Give it up? Choose a related career path? Or find a way to turn your talents into a viable job, and jump into a new venture with both feet?
Artist Jaye Coltharp chose the last option, and is now standing tall as a small business owner. She's the sole proprietor of Fashioned by Jaye, an arts and crafts store she opened in Springfield, Mo., this past September.
Seven years ago, however, Jaye was on her way to a career in architecture. It wasn't until she started selling her artwork on eBay that her true passion found financial stability, eventually enabling her to open a brick-and-mortar space.
Jaye's journey from trading wares on the Internet to buying a downtown shop is a great case study in using online tools to support offline business. Her presence on eBay and MySpace has gained her recognition, ensured a reliable customer base, and attracted artists eager to sell at her store.
And her visible storefront in Springfield fuels word of mouth from satisfied customers, encouraging local people to return. The upshot: Marketing is the one small business challenge Jaye doesn't have to worry about.
We caught up with this artist/businesswoman for a podcast to discuss her career path, successes, and lessons learned. So if you're thinking about pursuing your dream job, or want to reinvigorate your existing business, this is one interview you don't want to miss.
Artist Jaye Coltharp chose the last option, and is now standing tall as a small business owner. She's the sole proprietor of Fashioned by Jaye, an arts and crafts store she opened in Springfield, Mo., this past September.
Seven years ago, however, Jaye was on her way to a career in architecture. It wasn't until she started selling her artwork on eBay that her true passion found financial stability, eventually enabling her to open a brick-and-mortar space.
Jaye's journey from trading wares on the Internet to buying a downtown shop is a great case study in using online tools to support offline business. Her presence on eBay and MySpace has gained her recognition, ensured a reliable customer base, and attracted artists eager to sell at her store.
And her visible storefront in Springfield fuels word of mouth from satisfied customers, encouraging local people to return. The upshot: Marketing is the one small business challenge Jaye doesn't have to worry about.
We caught up with this artist/businesswoman for a podcast to discuss her career path, successes, and lessons learned. So if you're thinking about pursuing your dream job, or want to reinvigorate your existing business, this is one interview you don't want to miss.
Labels: eBay, Jaye Coltharp, Missouri, MySpace, Podcast
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Mayor of Lumberton on line 1
We're on a roll with podcast interviews this week. This time, we grabbed the ear (and mouth) of Patrick Delany, mayor of Lumberton, N.J.
Why Lumberton? I seem to remember a recent news story that put the white-collar town of 12,000 people on the e-commerce map: eBay named Lumberton its most active community of buyers and sellers in America, on a per capita basis.
You're probably thinking, "Wait ... Lumberton, N.J.??" That's right, folks. Over 46,000 eBay listings originated from Lumberton during three weeks in November, and over 3,000 residents are members. And most of those are small businesses and individuals operating out of their homes.
As online biz junkies, we had to get the mayor on the line, and ask him just what it is about Lumberton that makes it such a happenin' eBay community.
But that's not all we talked about. I learned a of couple personal things about Mayor Delany, too. But if you want to hear it all, you gotta listen to the interview. Curtains, please!
Why Lumberton? I seem to remember a recent news story that put the white-collar town of 12,000 people on the e-commerce map: eBay named Lumberton its most active community of buyers and sellers in America, on a per capita basis.
You're probably thinking, "Wait ... Lumberton, N.J.??" That's right, folks. Over 46,000 eBay listings originated from Lumberton during three weeks in November, and over 3,000 residents are members. And most of those are small businesses and individuals operating out of their homes.
As online biz junkies, we had to get the mayor on the line, and ask him just what it is about Lumberton that makes it such a happenin' eBay community.
But that's not all we talked about. I learned a of couple personal things about Mayor Delany, too. But if you want to hear it all, you gotta listen to the interview. Curtains, please!
Labels: eBay, Lumberton, Patrick Delany, Podcast
Thursday, March 29, 2007
eBay rising, take two
I had to chime in on this topic, too. These insertion fees confirm what I've long suspected: eBay is losing its common touch.
In eBay's early days, founder Pierre Omidyar wanted to let the masses sell through his innovative service, so he kept prices low and gave everyone the chance to make money.
But with company growth comes new strategies. And it appears eBay is now calculating it doesn't need everyone's business after all. Otherwise, why put higher-end listings at risk by charging so much to post them?
It just doesn't make sense. Jacking up prices will drive out high-end products, and retain only the low-cost ones. And then our lauded eBay will become a garage-sale FleaBay -- with sellers paying the price.
In eBay's early days, founder Pierre Omidyar wanted to let the masses sell through his innovative service, so he kept prices low and gave everyone the chance to make money.
But with company growth comes new strategies. And it appears eBay is now calculating it doesn't need everyone's business after all. Otherwise, why put higher-end listings at risk by charging so much to post them?
It just doesn't make sense. Jacking up prices will drive out high-end products, and retain only the low-cost ones. And then our lauded eBay will become a garage-sale FleaBay -- with sellers paying the price.
Labels: eBay, Pierre Omidyar
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
eBay rising
As promised, we're keeping our eye on eBay for you.
I was reading this thought-provoking post by eBay 'top seller' Corey Kossack about the structure of eBay insertion fees, and how they increase with higher-priced goods.
It got me thinking about the online reseller's ultimate viability. Corey makes an excellent point about the diminishing profit margin for items that require reenlistment in order to sell.
Once more sellers realize the dent this puts in their wallets, eBay will look much less attractive, especially for big ticket items. My prediction: eBay stores will price themselves out of the market if they're not careful.
So I ask all you eBay sellers out there, what do you think? Comment away, or, take our Zoomerang survey for a spin to share your thoughts.
I was reading this thought-provoking post by eBay 'top seller' Corey Kossack about the structure of eBay insertion fees, and how they increase with higher-priced goods.
It got me thinking about the online reseller's ultimate viability. Corey makes an excellent point about the diminishing profit margin for items that require reenlistment in order to sell.
Once more sellers realize the dent this puts in their wallets, eBay will look much less attractive, especially for big ticket items. My prediction: eBay stores will price themselves out of the market if they're not careful.
So I ask all you eBay sellers out there, what do you think? Comment away, or, take our Zoomerang survey for a spin to share your thoughts.
Labels: Corey Kossack, eBay, StartUpNation, Survey
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Eye on eBay
We’re interested in how businesses are using eBay. We want to know what challenges businesses face, how businesses feel about eBay services and features, and what successes (if any) the average Joe and Josephine are having.
What better way to find out than a survey? We've posted one on Zoomerang, and invite you to take a few minutes to complete it, if you're an eBay seller.
The responses are completely anonymous. We're not capturing any e-mail or personal information. That said, if you want a copy of the survey results before we publish them here, you'll be given an opportunity to opt-in to our mailing list.
We're also planning to pen a series of posts that take direct aim at the issues the respondents identify through the survey.
If you're an eBay seller, or you have an eBay Store, give the survey a whirl, and tell us what's on your mind.
And if you know anybody else who's selling on eBay, by all means, pass the survey along. We want to hear from, and help them, too.
What better way to find out than a survey? We've posted one on Zoomerang, and invite you to take a few minutes to complete it, if you're an eBay seller.
The responses are completely anonymous. We're not capturing any e-mail or personal information. That said, if you want a copy of the survey results before we publish them here, you'll be given an opportunity to opt-in to our mailing list.
We're also planning to pen a series of posts that take direct aim at the issues the respondents identify through the survey.
If you're an eBay seller, or you have an eBay Store, give the survey a whirl, and tell us what's on your mind.
And if you know anybody else who's selling on eBay, by all means, pass the survey along. We want to hear from, and help them, too.
