Auction Blog

This week I continue my cook’s tour of eBay and all things scam related. I visited a site that I’ve actually followed for quite awhile, one that is driven by a crusty old bird named “Doc”…one of those eBay stories of a once contented seller, done wrong, who now makes it his sworn duty to expose the width and breadth of scams on the site. And to that end, ol’ Doc has done quite a job. While he concentrates on the eBay Motors side of the business, he nevertheless manages to document an incredibly wide range of bad goings-on with extensive screen captures and data.

On my last show, I pointed out that Paypal’s new security device worked well. What it underscores is that in all of the concern for phishing on eBay, it still remains the responsibility of every user to protect themselves as best they can…and one of the easiest, yet most overlooked means of defense is a good, secure password. Listen in as I describe how to make your password virtually unhackable.

HitTail’s blog points out what I’ve been saying about the cost of traffic on-line. You are paying for it, you will pay for it…even if you’re not readily aware of doing so.

A good post on TheStreet.com regarding eBay and Skype.

Haven’t heard much about drop-off stores lately, have we? There’s as site that is run by drop-off store survivors that does a very good job of educating anyone who will listen as to the economic pitfalls of drop store franchising.

Michael Rappa details the basics of doing business on-line with his post on Business Models on the Web.

A good site to begin any business on-line is one where you can search for expiring domains that may just fit perfectly for what you have in mind…the right domain with some history under its belt might just give your business a jump start.

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Links from this week’s show:

Power Press Web Site Marketing Strategy - Write press releases that will drive traffic and buyers to your website or auction. Normally $37.97, you can receive $10 Off ($27.97) by entering “lonelyboy” (omit the ” “) in the Promo Code box.

e-Junkie - The best digital download manager available. Enter code: “SELL101″ for a one month’s free service.

GoDaddy Discount - Get $96 in Free Extras with your domain name from GoDaddy.com. Each domain includes free hosting with a Web site builder, a free Blog, Complete Email and much more. Enter code “pod54″ and get 10% off your order.

eBay Motors Sucks - Don’t let the name put you off…Doc has assembled quite a bit of information and documented it well with screen captures, many of which eBay has deleted.

Auction Count Mayhem - Doc’s page on the wild swings in auction counts that he and others maintain are examples of a wide spread attack on the site.

Doc’s Example of an eBay Phishing Kit - Another example of exactly how attacks are conducted and how easily available the tools are to do so.

HashaPass - Hashapass automatically generates strong passwords from a master password and a parameter.

Google Gadget Password Generator - Similar to HashaPass.

HitTail Article on the Cost of Free Traffic on the Web - Well written article.

Am I The Only One eBay Drop-off Store Franchise Information - A great site to visit before to make the leap.

eXpiresoft - Another’s expiring domain may just be your head-start.

Crowd Clout - TrendWatching piece on the power of crowds when it comes to purchasing.

Open Source Code for eBay Listings - By creating eBay listings related to the content using a simple ASP function call you can set up variables and call eBayDisplayItems function to create unique eBay listing choosing the correct keywords and searching category.

Free Directory List - In bound links.

Tags: eBay_scams, phishing, passwords, hacking,

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Evidence of Things Not Seen; What eBay Denies in Plain Sight - Hack-Proof Passwords - Web Business Models - Expiring Domains - Crowd Clout

Earlier in the year, a hacker who goes by the name of Vladuz ( supposedly a Romanian), posted screen shots of what was purported to be an internal screen shot of eBay’s internal computer systems. More recently, he has managed to hack his way into eBay’s boards posing as a customer service manager, a “pink”, proceeding to taunt eBay management.
Additionally, he has listed an extension available for Firefox that automatically fills-in Captcha information.

Has there indeed been a profound breach of eBay’s system and could this explain why hijacked accounts appear to have more in common than simply the results of identity theft. Listen in as I explore a problem that eBay can’t seem to shake.
What if anything can you do to prevent your account being stolen on eBay or PayPal? Two weeks ago, I mentioned that PayPal had released a key chain fob that offers what may be, the best bet for keeping ahead of Vladuz and his ilk. Listen in as I explain why I applied for mine and why you should too.
eBay has finally relented and is now allowing you to market your own listing and store items through their affiliate program…easily the best news out of San Jose in quite awhile. Listen in as I explain why and how you can start taking advantage of this immediately.

Do you know what to do if you suspect your account has been hijacked? There are steps and contact information you need to know and fortunately, an eBay member from Australia has detailed it all in an easy step-by-step format.

One of my listeners who happens to be a buyer with a major bricks and mortar retail chain, wrote me this past week chiming in on my discussion of using shipping and handling as a profit center.

Stuck in neutral when it comes to brainstorming a new product or idea to sell on-line? There’s a great article that details 10 unusual ideas that hit it big without spending a lot of cash.

Despite the blizzards, spring is indeed a-comin’..and I’ve found a great direct source for all manner of cedar outdoor furniture that will drop-ship for you.

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Links from this week’s show:

Power Press Web Site Marketing Strategy - Write press releases that will drive traffic and buyers to your website or auction. Normally $37.97, you can receive $10 Off ($27.97) by entering “lonelyboy” (omit the ” “) in the Promo Code box.

e-Junkie - The best digital download manager available. Enter code: “SELL101″ for a one month’s free service.

GoDaddy Discount - Get $96 in Free Extras with your domain name from GoDaddy.com. Each domain includes free hosting with a Web site builder, a free Blog, Complete Email and much more. Enter code “pod54″ and get 10% off your order.

The Red Tape Chronicle’s Report on the eBay Hacker, Vladuz - The good news is, eBay’s vaunted Trust and Safety Department has teamed with the equally respected internet sleuths of the Romanian establishment to track this culprit.

Vladuz’s Firefox Captcha Extension - Do Not Use…after all, like the man says, its merely “a proof of concept”.

PayPal’s Portable Security Key - Get it. Use It.

Information on eBay’s Affiliate Program - Make a little cash sending buyers your way.

How To Report Hijacked Accounts - Thanks to a user in Australia, the right information when you need it. Bookmark this page.

The Best Adirondack Chair - Manufacturer and drop-shipper of cedar outdoor furniture.

Tags: ebay, vladuz, hack, Firefox, captcha, PayPal_Security_Key,

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In a New York Times article, eBay’s President of Marketplaces John Donahoe reveals that after two years at the helm, its about time the staff begins to communicate with one another via Skype and by getting the engineers and the businesspeople to make nice. He also allows that:

“Selling newer products on eBay ‘didn’t make any sense,’ he said. ‘It watered the experience down’.”

Which taken at face value, would appear to be a repudiation of Express:

“Last year, he rolled out eBay Express, a site for buying new products more efficiently..”

There’s more, much more to the article;reading it is a bit like riding a roller coaster, facing backwards.

Endlessly debated on auction boards is whether or not shipping should or should not be a profit center….listen in as I fuel the fire.

Hittail is an absolutely essential site and service for anyone who has their own website or store; one that allows you to easily see just exactly which terms buyers use to find you.

Brainchild of Seth Godin, Squidoo is a blog wherein blogs publicize themselves…and it can also work as a blog that is simply a blog unto itself. Listen in as I explain the blog equivalent of St. Augustine’s chat with the angel.

Mailum, a simple yet powerful way to create and manage newsletters for your customers.

BlueRectangle will buy your left-over books and pick-up the postage as well. Whether throwing in the towel on book selling on-line or simply off loading a forgettable read; you couldn’t ask for an easier solution.

Refund Please will track those thirty day lower price/money back claims on Amazon and notify you via e-mail when the price has dropped and you are due a refund.

Darmik describes itself as:

…a flexible and powerful content creation and ecommerce enablement platform.

And from then on it really gets hazy. Listen in as I describe how any site, including yours, should state its case clearly and make what it offers easily and quickly accessible.

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a real Powerseller?
I’ve got two words for you: plastic containers.

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Links from this week’s show:

NYT’s Article on eBay’s John Donahoe - Read this interview as eBay’s Jolly Giant explains why new is bad, why Skype is fit for internal consumption and why some day, the engineers and the businesspeople will lie down together.

Hittail - Easy, free, essential tool for any web site.

Power Press Web Site Marketing Strategy - Write press releases that will drive traffic and buyers to your website or auction. Normally $37.97, you can receive $10 Off ($27.97) by entering “lonelyboy” (omit the ” “) in the Promo Code box.

e-Junkie - The best digital download manager available. Enter code: “SELL101″ for a one month’s free service.

GoDaddy Discount - Get $96 in Free Extras with your domain name from GoDaddy.com. Each domain includes free hosting with a Web site builder, a free Blog, Complete Email and much more. Enter code “pod54″ and get 10% off your order.

Squidoo - Seth Godin brainchild for “making sense” of blogs & search and blogging and searching.

Mailum - Easy e-mail newsletters for the rest of us.

BlueRectangle - Sell your books, get cash, free shipping.

Refund Please - The Original on-line price drop tool.

Darmik - A lesson in how not to describe what it is that you are selling.

CPS | Container and Packaging Supply - Sexy little bottles, nifty little tubs…and maybe an idea or two.

Tags: ebay, John_Donahoe, Hittail, Mailum, Refund_Please, Squidoo, Seth_Godin

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The Wall Street Journal reports that eBay and MySpace are in discussions regarding a possible partnership. The idea is to let MySpace users buy and sell items from each other using eBay’s online-commerce technology and its PayPal payment system.

Meanwhile, CitiGroup meets with eBay officials and comes away with a targeted list of goals that eBay will focus on in ‘07…is it any surprise that “enhancing revenues per listing” will be a key goal?

An Australian economist suggests that selling water on eBay might be a way to bring market forces into play to help control water supply during Australia’s record drought….Marx,Keynes,Samuelson and now Megisian Economics.

According to HitWise, Google Base’s market share of visits has declined by some 18% from last July. Google Checkout’s market share was up over 350%, due to heavy promotion but still has not made any significant inroads into PayPal.

A free web based tool where you can check your web page (or eBay store) for keyword competitiveness vs. the top 10 sites for that keyword or phrase on the internet.

A French site,Zlio, launches its US counterpart where you can choose from a catalogue of thousands of products and arrange your own shop, collecting affiliate fees from the service.

A well designed site that lets you create your own online magazines, fanzines, brochures, catalogs, portfolios and more. Using the formatpixel online editor you can design page based projects, layout text, upload your own images, add interactivity and customize their appearance.

PayPal actually has an on-line forum…shiver me chargebacks!…I never knew! Perhaps a better way to deal with those convoluted PayPal problems.

One of my favorite tools is CCleaner (Crap Cleaner) a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused and temporary files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster, more efficiently and giving you more hard disk space. The best part is that it’s fast! (normally taking less that a second to run) and Free.

I examine a missed opportunity for a lovable chocolate Lab (Maggie, pictured above) whose owners touted her lottery picking skills via an eBay auction. Too bad they didn’t take a page from my Power Press Press Release Book and really take advantage of the publicity Maggie so richly deserves.

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Links From this week’s show:

Power Press Web Site Marketing Strategy - Write press releases that will drive traffic and buyers to your website or auction. Normally $37.97, you can receive $10 Off ($27.97) by entering “lonelyboy” (omit the ” “) in the Promo Code box.

e-Junkie - The best digital download manager available. Enter code: “SELL101″ for a one month’s free service.

GoDaddy Discount - Get $96 in Free Extras with your domain name from GoDaddy.com. Each domain includes free hosting with a Web site builder, a free Blog, Complete Email and much more. Enter code “pod54″ and get 10% off your order.

eBay/MySpace Talk Partnership - A million here, a million there…pretty soon we’re talking a real crowd.

CitiGroup Report on eBay’s ‘07 Goals - Revenue Enhancement.

Australian Economist Says Sell Water on eBay - The Perfect Storm?

Google Base and Google Checkout Traffic Analysis - Don’t you just hate it when a monopolist can’t get its act together?

WeBuildPages Keyword Analysis Tool - A free web based tool where you can check your web page (or eBay store) for keyword competitiveness vs. the top 10 sites for that keyword or phrase on the internet.

ZLio - Site where you can easily and quickly set-up an internet store and share in the resulting affiliate commissions from hundreds of internet sites (e.g. Amazon).

formatpixel - Create your own online brochure or featuring your products/descriptions to augment your auction listings.

Official PayPal Forum - Ask questions and share advice with other PayPal Merchants, experts and developers.

CCleaner - Excellent free download for keeping your computer nice and clean.

Maggie’s Personal Lottery Service - A very cute idea that could have used a lot more imagination.

Tags: ebay, myspace, google_base, google_checkout, zlio, formatpixel, paypal,

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Credit:
eBay and MySpace Exchange Numbers - Water Futures on eBay? - Hitwise Reports on Google Base and Checkout - Free Web Stores on ZLio - Internet Brochures - Maggie the Lottery Dog

Whenever I hear the term “disruptive innovation” I cringe. Notwithstanding the fact that many would say I cringe too easily, it nevertheless strikes me as term that arose ex post facto to describe a significant change rather than as a creative mandate.
Examples of generally accepted disrupters runs the gamut from the musket ( particularly disruptive if you are on the receiving end) to automobiles, PCs, the web, etc.. eBay can certainly be seen in this disruptive light in that it has profoundly changed the marketplace.

All well and good. But in almost every case I can think of, the disruption or the impact of any particular innovation wasn’t predictable, certainly by the standards of the time in which happened; it is rather only in retrospect that any innovation can be seen as truly revolutionary.

In other words, you just don’t memo all desks and proclaim that by week’s end, we’ll have a genuine, thigh-slapping disruptive innovation to announce….that is, of course, unless you trod among the khaki-klad of eBay’s recently proclaimed “Disruptive Innovation Team”

The Disruptive Innovation team was created with a specific purpose in mind: explore new concepts and create new tools to allow our 222 million buyers, sellers and developers to make better use of the eBay platform.

“…to boldly go where no man has gone before” just cries out to be inserted in right after “explore new concepts and create new tools” doesn’t it?

All in all a very butch attitude that will, I am sure, result in disruptive, tectonic-shifts in the march of civilization.

I feel much the same as you, I’m sure, huddled as we are in our primordial darkness waiting…hoping….praying that the resulting musket from our “team” doesn’t backfire.

Tags: eBay

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