EBay Cross Promotion Connections and Selling Questions

[MissyMiaDesigns]

Has anyone used EBay's cross promotion connections to help promote sales? Does anyone know how it works?

Do you think EBay is the most effective way to sell? Or is Babylon Mall and V-C Mall more effective? I went to the Babylon Mall site and it appears to be linked to the search engines. Has anyone made sure their store information appeared in the various search engines? Is this information that can be added without charge? What percent of gross income is a reasonable amount to spend?

Has anyone had problems with PayPal? I don't think PayPal's fees are unreasonable considering what merchants typically pay for accepting credit cards. However, I don't think PayPal does much to protect sellers. I have an ongoing nightmare because someone out there either has my name or is using my name and my PayPal account was linked to that person's account. PayPal locked my account. The dollar amount is small -- about $137.00 -- and my attorney advises me to pay the amount and then try to unravel the mystery. I read about identity theft and how it's a fast growing crime and I get nervous. It scares me to think someone out there could have my personal information and be using it without my knowledge or consent. I sold a doll on EBay and there was a problem so (as a token of goodwill) I refunded the bid amount through my husband's PayPal account. The woman wrote and told me she had dealings with a similarly named party. She asked if I was the same person. Well, of course not but I was floored. It actually gave me a clue to unraveling my own mystery but it gave me cause for thought. Is it that easy to steal an identity? We use wireless Internet in our house. Could someone use my email address or my husband's? I do know there is another person with the same name as my husband in California as we periodically get calls and email for that person. What kind of protections do sellers need to take to prevent this from happening? I won't accept PayPal because of this nightmare except for international buyers (it's too much hassle for an international buyer to pay any other way except PayPal due to international banking laws and currency differences). If you were me, what would you do?

Thank you in advance!
Mia
MissyMiaDesigns

 

[Patentleathershoes]

Hi Mia

For more info on crosspromoting within your own listings:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/cp-overview.html

Here is how to manage cross promotion connections with other sellers
http://pages.ebay.com/help/myebay/manage-my-account.html#cross

Absolutely no one can answer the question on what venue is best to sell at. One person may make a goldmine at the same venue someone becomes a pauper at. If you have mastered taking clear photos, devising accurate, yet enticing descriptions, and know how to market yourself, you will have success at whatever venue you choose. There are many out there. Ebay, Overstock auctions, Ruby Lane, Tia's, Fashiondig, your very own website and many more. No matter where you go there will be pros and cons to each one. It is up to you to decide whether an auction or store format works best for you based on your time and your style. The only advice I would say is definitive would be to consider carefully and plan ahead for a smooth transition.

As far as what percentage of income is reasonable to spend, it again, depends on your comfort level and sometimes also depends on if selling vintage is a hobby that you are happy with making any profit whatsoever, or if you are running it like a business (regardless if you have one listing or 1,000 a month).

As far as paypal, there are other online payment services, but paypal is one of the most widely recognized.

If you ever clicked on a link in a false/spoof paypal email and logged in, you have been phished and someone could have taken your account info. My best advice would be to change your password frequently if this could be the case. Also to never click on a link given to you instructing you to log in or to relay account information. No one can steal your identity or information only just because you use the internet.

It is very rare for someone to email you and be wanting to contact someone with your same name in another state. The only way would be if your husband's email address was [email protected] and is in a directory or he has posted to newsgroups, etc and someone searched the name.

And as far as asking whether you are the same person they knew in the past...I wouldn't be so surprised. We meet people all the time that think they must know a relative of my husband's because there are quite a few people with our same last name in a certain part of the country. And my husband's first name is not exotic/rare in any way.

Chris

 

[MissyMiaDesigns]

I read the EBay information on cross-promotion connections with other sellers and already use the cross-promotion within my listings before posting. That was not my question. I would like to know if other sellers find these tools useful.

As for PayPal, I am not happy with the inability to reach a live person just as I am not happy with the inconsistent replies I'm receiving. PayPal told me I needed to provide a death certificate. How do I get a death certificate for a stranger whose name I don't know? I pointed that out to PayPal and was told I needed to provide a power of attorney. Again, that's impossible to obtain when you don't know the person's name. I run a consulting business that deals with complicated health care legal issues. I know my way around a law library and court forms. My husband is also a consultant, dealing with national and international restaurant development. I didn't expect PayPal to insult my intelligence with their replies. As for phishing, we both know verify email and most certainly never provide personal information when asked (like the fake PayPal and EBay emails circulating). We change our passwords frequently. There has not been any unauthorized credit card activity. PayPal linked me to an account and all PayPal will tell me is the balance due. That doesn't help me figure out how to resolve this.

I've never heard of FashionDig so I'll have to check that out. I have an Overstock account and bought a lovely Prada bag from that site.

As for amount spent on marketing, I would like to know what others do. Obviously, any business I do online is to my comfort level. I'm trying to get an idea of what other people think and do. That will help me decide future marketing.

Thank you so much for your reply.

 

[dibs2002]

Hello,

I would be careful with wireless networking - to be sure to change the admin password. That is how most wireless networks get hacked - because the password is never changed.

Deb