eBay and Etsy continue to make changes that impact the way online sellers do their jobs. In today’s issue, we tackle what sellers need to know about the recent Spring Seller Update from eBay.
We also take a look at the change Etsy made to its seller-advertising program, which – surprise, surprise – was controversial.
On the lighter side, today’s Collectors Corner takes a look at Mr. Peanut collectibles after the demise of the mascot and the introduction of his replacement, Baby Nut.
The spread of coronavirus COVID-19 is impacting many people at this point – Boston TV stations scrolled a list of school closures Friday morning, and many people are working from home, if they’re lucky enough to have that option.
Ecommerce may do better than physical retail during the outbreak, but it could disproportionately impact smaller sellers of discretionary goods as people seem to be stocking up on staples and hunkering down.
As we’ve been reporting, marketplaces are banning sellers from listing face masks, hand sanitizer, and other products after receiving criticism of price-gouging on their sites. Not everyone agrees about such policies, and readers are weighing in on the EcommerceBytes Blog.
eBay issued a notice on Thursday informing sellers it would offer them protection in the event of shipping disruptions as a result of COVID-19 and advised them to communicate with buyers if they anticipate any delays.
There are many advantages to working from home, and not having to commute is a big one. “Social distancing” is a lot easier! I’m grateful to people who serve the public, especially in grocery stores and pharmacies, not to mention healthcare workers, law enforcement, and first responders.
Hopefully you can stay focused on your family and work and not be too distracted by the news and social media. And remember, wash your hands!
Thanks for reading.
Yes, this is definitely an advantage at this time, working from home. Amazon is at a disadvantage, those warehouses can be a potential hot spot for spreading the disease.
I myself are wondering if shipping will have any delay’s due to the corona virus. I guess we will see. I wont hold my breath for ebay’s help if things get slowed down. I will likely watch very closely, and adjust my handling time accordingly to compensate. I am sure they have the best intentions but, most times they are not able to deliver on their promises.
Stay safe, and be careful.
I can say after getting up this morning at 4:30am, driving 1 hour to and a hour back from a empty flea market, it will start hurting the small seller. I get 70% of my inventory from yard sales and flea markets, they already close another one that was suppose to go on next weekend.