Greetings / Editor's Note

As the mercury rises during these summer months, online retailers such as you should be cranking up the heat with your own marketing and sales efforts. This issue of the eNewsletter can give you the added motivation and insight to do just that.

To encourage you to get in gear and sell something, we announce an extension to the deadline for the June Product Sample Spectacular. We then show you how to drive more sales by sprucing up your product listings with HTML (a new four-part series).

This issue of the eNewsletter is also packed with a host of announcements, including our recent success at breaking through to the one million mark (over one million products to select from for the first time ever), three new Doba services, four new Webinars, and 14 new suppliers. And in our July Member's Q&A, you learn how to deal with returned merchandise.

Although everyone you know may be on summer vacation, this is no time to lie around in your hammock waiting for sales to pick up. Get in gear and crank up the heat on your summer sales!

Table of Contents

• June Product Sample Spectacular update
• Featured article: "Sprucing up your product listings with HTML"
• One million items and counting!
• Three great new Doba Services
• Education News: Four new webinars in July
• July's Member Q&A: Managing product returns
• Supplier News: 14 new suppliers added to the Doba Product Catalog

Contest Update: Deadline to qualify for June Product Sample Spectacular extended!

Our latest contest—the June Product Sample Spectacular—stirred so much interest that two more suppliers recently asked if they could get in on the action by adding their product samples to the winners' pool. As a result, the deadline for placing orders and qualifying for the Product Sample Spectacular has been extended through July 15.

Here's how it works: From now through the 15th of July, when you place an order with any of Doba's new suppliers (list here), you will be entered to win $500.00 in cash and one of several product samples from our new suppliers. The more orders you place between now and the 15th of July, and the more suppliers you order from, the better your chance of winning.

For more information: Complete details are available here. Place an order with one of our new suppliers today—doing so could earn you an extra $500!

Partner Highlight:

Terapeak Use Terapeak to prepare for holiday sales opportunities throughout the year. Terapeak's in-depth analyses of eBay sales data provides you with the knowledge you need in order to identify the best time to list, find hot products, understand your competition, and create effective listings. Doba members get a 14-day risk free trial.

Featured Article: Sprucing Up Your Product Listings with HTML

Whether you sell products through your own webstore or list them on eBay or other auction-style sites, you want your listings to be at least as attractive as the products you're selling. Yet, far too many online merchants resign themselves to using plain text listings. Some of these listings look like a brick wall— a solid block of text that nobody would even think about diving into.

By knowing a little HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the coding system used to format Web pages, you can gussy up those listings. You can break up the blocks of text with headings and lists, insert graphics, add a touch of color, insert links to pages where shoppers can obtain more information, and much more.

This four-part series introduces you to HTML, shows you how to edit raw HTML in a text editor like Windows Notepad, and reveals the power of two eBay listing tools—Description Editor and Listing Designer:

• Part 1: Understanding HTML
• Part 2: Composing HTML Listings
• Part 3: Using eBay's Description Editor
• Part 4: Using eBay's Listing Designer

Feel free to go right to Part 1 and work through the entire four-part series or skip directly to the part that interests you most.

Partner Highlight

ProStores, an eBay company, enables your small to medium-sized business to sell products and services online through a completely customizable virtual storefront at your own Internet domain, accelerating the growth and profitability of your business and extending your brand online. Use Doba's Push to Marketplace tool to push Doba products directly to your ProStores webstore. Doba members qualify for a free one month trial!

One million items and counting: Doba Product Catalog hits the 1,000,000 item mark!

Recently, we ramped up our efforts to offer you—our retailer members—an increased selection of products from a host of reliable new suppliers. On Tuesday, June 26, we officially hit the one million mark. For the first time in the history of the company, Doba's suppliers collectively offer a product line of over one million products:

• 170 suppliers
• 3,200 distinct brands
• 1,000,000 products in the Doba Product Catalog

This is great news for those of you who are well aware by now that online retail success hinges on your ability to deliver a robust collection of unique, high-demand products to shoppers. With a wider selection of products from which to choose, you will now find it much easier to develop a niche-marketing strategy that works to boost sales and profits.

Although Doba's suppliers offer such a wide selection of products, as always, we encourage you to specialize in a particular area and narrow your market focus. Trying to sell everything to everyone is generally a poor marketing strategy. By becoming an expert in a particular niche market, you can intensify your marketing efforts and build a high-profile retail business that draws shoppers to your product line.

At Doba, we are proud to have finally hit the one million mark, but that doesn't mean we are going to stop. We will continue to add the best drop ship suppliers to our ranks along with more high-quality products and services. Stay tuned... we'll keep you posted.

Partner Highlight:

One of the fastest ways to build your eBay business is by opening an eBay Store. eBay Stores have a flat $0.05 to $0.10 listing fee, and you can get started today!.

Three new Doba services now available

With Doba, you can set up shop and start selling products in the course of an afternoon. Turning a profit, however, is likely to take more time and effort. To reach your business-related goals, you need to locate products with high sales and profit potential, tap into the experience of experts who have already done it, and you need access easy-to-understand resource that can answer all your Doba-related questions.

Here at Doba, we are committed to providing you with access to the resources and tools you need to grow your online business. With that in mind, we are pleased to share that we recently launched the following services, each of which is specifically designed to help you be the best online retailer you can possibly be:

• Research — Terapeak data is now available to all Doba members for FREE: You'll notice the next time you log into your Doba account that there is a new feature included on each and every product page. Access to Terapeak Marketplace Research is now included as part of your existing Doba account. Simply click the "Product Research" link on any Doba product description page to access Terapeak's database of completed eBay listings. Using data that Terapeak gathers from closed eBay listings, you can develop winning eBay sales strategies, determine the best time of the day and week to sell, and price auction-style or Buy It Now items for success. Terapeak's powerful research tools take into account two years worth of eBay trending data, reveal up and coming hot items, suggest the best keywords to use in your listings, and more. For more information, click the "Product Research" link on any Doba product description page, or visit Doba's Terapeak page by clicking here.
• Education — One-on-One Education is now available: Wouldn't it be nice if you could tap into the strength and expertise of someone who knows more about online retailing than you do? Well, with Doba's new One-on-One Education Plan, now you can! Imagine working alongside an experienced online retailer who rolls up their sleeves to help you achieve your online retail-related goals. From setting up a seller's account or store on eBay and choosing a product niche, to understanding your tax- and legal-related obligations and how to drive traffic to webstore, Doba now has Education Specialists and one-on-one educators who can help you with all of this and more. For more information or to set up a 15-minute free consultation, contact Tyler Heaps, Doba Education Specialist, by calling (801) 765-6687 or emailing education@doba.com.
• Service and Support — The Doba User Manual is now available for downloading: A few months ago, we told you about the Doba User Manual—the first complete blueprint of what Doba is and how to use it to your best advantage. From navigating doba.com and adding items to your Watch List, to creating custom data exports and avoiding backorders and managing customer returns, the Doba User Manual covers it all and can get you up to speed in a hurry. To download your own copy or view the Manual online, visit the Support Center and click on the Browse Manual link in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

Education News — July Webinars

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 Time: 10:00 AM PST / 1:00 PM EST
Writing product descriptions that sell
Writing titillating product descriptions not only enables you to sell more product, but it allows you to charge more. It gets shoppers excited, makes them feel as though you really know what you're talking about. It even makes the products seem that much better.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Time: 10:00 AM PST / 1:00 PM EST
Harnessing the power of eBay's marketing machine
Are you getting the most of your eBay listing fees? Many eBay Sellers can't look past the listing fees to see what eBay really offers them, and they lose out as a result. eBay's real value is that it drives customers directly to eBay Sellers. If you're focused on making one-time sales, the listing fees can seem too high, but if you can use that first purchase to snag a lifelong customer, you get a lot more out of that listing fee, and this Webinar shows you how to do it.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 Time: 10:00 AM PST / 1:00 PM EST
What's the difference? Standing out in a crowded marketplace
Does selling the same products as other people discourage you? Brick and mortar stores do it every day, with success—you can too. What makes shoppers buy from one store over another? These questions will be answered in this lively Webinar.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007 Time: 10:00 AM PST / 1:00 PM EST
Tweaking Your Way to Success: 7 Steps to Scalability
You can do almost everything right in the retail business and still come in second or third place, because almost is often not quite enough. In this Webinar, we reveal several minor adjustments you can make to the way you do business and the way you market your products that can take you and your business to the next level. We'll point you to key areas where some small adjustments translate into positive results.

Member Q&A: What do I do if my customer wants to return a Doba product they purchased from me? What are Doba's return and refund policies?

Occasionally, a customer may need to return an item for any of several reasons—maybe the customer received a product that was damaged or defective or received the wrong product. In most cases, you can have an order returned to the supplier and receive a full or partial refund or a replacement by filing for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA).

To obtain an RMA, click the "Seller Summary" link at the top of Doba's website and then browse to the "All orders" page. On that page, click the order for which you want the RMA. This brings up the Order Status page. On the Order Status page, scroll down to "Order Status by Supplier" and click the "request an rma" link.

The supplier receives your request, reviews your RMA to approve it or reject it, and if approved, you receive an email with an RMA number and instructions on where to ship the returned merchandise. If the supplier rejects your RMA, call Doba Customer Support at 1-877-321-DOBA to discuss your options.

Different suppliers have different return policies. Be sure to check a supplier's return policy before you begin selling or accepting returns from your customers, and make sure the return policy is clearly stated in your product listing or in a prominent location in your webstore. Chapter 9 of the Doba User Manual, "Viewing Supplier Policies," explains where to find supplier policies in detail.

Note: Remember, Doba is not a supplier, so returns sent to Doba will not be credited. If you ever need any assistance or have any questions at all regarding the return of merchandise, we're here to help. Give us a call during business hours at 1-877-321-3622. You can also chat with us live via our Support page.

Tip: If a customer simply wants to return a product due to buyer's remorse (i.e., there's nothing wrong with it), most suppliers will charge a restocking fee to take the product back. If you know you can sell the product again, and the customer hasn't opened it or used it in a way that makes it not new, you can have her ship the product directly to you rather than back to the supplier. Then, when you sell it again, you ship it out from your location instead of having Doba send it. In this way, you avoid making your customer pay restocking fees.

Supplier News: 14 new suppliers added to the Product Catalog

Starting an online business is relatively easy. Making it a success takes hard work and the right mix of products. To help you achieve your business-related goals, we recently added 14 new wholesale suppliers and manufacturers to the Doba Product Catalog (bringing the total number of Doba suppliers to 171), including:

• Supplier Amber offers hand selected fine antiques, accessories, and newly manufactured goods from India. All their pieces are handcrafted from solid woods including teak, mango, and sheesham. In addition to solid wood construction, the original time-worn patinas bring the color and flavor of another time and place into your home.
• Supplier Borax is a leading distributor of mobile devices in North America and the United Kingdom striving for competitive pricing and innovative services. They carry the latest mobile devices and OEM accessories from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola, Panasonic, Palm, Inno, and other popular brands. If you're looking to sell unlocked mobile phones—phones that works with any sim card and/or GSM (Global System for Mobile) service provider—check out Supplier Borax.
• Supplier Britney is a manufacturer and distributor of diamond, gemstone, and pearl jewelry that takes great pride in their line of rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces, brooches, and bracelets. Their gemstones are handpicked and custom designed to perfection.
• Supplier Carnation distributes silk flowers, plants, and artificial trees, specializing in quality silk palm trees, orchid arrangements, imitation cactus and many varieties of artificial plants. Their silk plants are made with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship to mimic nature without the hassle of having to properly care for real, live plants.
• Supplier Cypress is an artisan of handcrafted outdoor chairs, swings, and rockers made of cypress wood—one of the most durable woods on the planet. This highly skilled family takes great pride in their business and their products. They make each piece as if it were for their own home..
• Supplier Maroon provides high-quality fashionable lamps at a modest price point, and they've been doing it since 1968. They are the leading designer, manufacturer and importer of mid-priced table lamps, floor lamps and home accessories.
• Supplier Ochre provides beautifully handmade hammocks crafted by artisans whose experience and expertise has been handed down over several generations over the course of thousands of years. These colorful hammocks are made from a cotton based canvas that ensures comfort and durability. Panama Hammocks are the perfect compliment to any garden, terrace, porch, backyard, or interior room.
• Supplier Papaya discovers rare and handcrafted goods and acquires them to distribute on the open market. Items include gemstone sculptures, jewelry, paintings, miniatures, crystals, women's accessories, and crystal lamps. Through Papaya, you can access an incredibly diverse collection of decorative accessories are exquisite, exotic, and unique.
• Supplier Pomeranian is a global manufacturer and distributor of pet products and accessories. They have created a diverse mix of innovative products that combine both style and functionality and understand that pets are not just pets; to many pet owners, their pet is part of their family. All of Pomeranian's products are designed to fit the special needs of family pets. Supplier Pomeranian stresses product quality and has developed various quality control methods to ensure that your customers receive a safe and sound product.
• Supplier Salmon offers caviar buyers the highest graded, freshest possible caviar at affordable prices. Served alone or on top of a cracker or warm potato, caviar is a delicious and attractive accent. Red and Black Caviar can be spread on top of bagels with cream cheese or butter. Sushi lovers enjoy this gourmet treat on top of rice on seaweed rolls or on top of Salmon or Sashimi. Caviar is one of the most popular gourmet gifts during the holiday season, so help your customers stock up!
• Supplier Sinai is a leading full-line distributor of books, video and music products to libraries, retailers, and other resellers. Supplier Sinai has been in business for over 175 years and has developed long-term relationships with major suppliers, including book publishers, movie studios, and music labels, shipping more than 1 million unique ISBNs (SKUs) annually. Supplier Sinai maintains one of the largest combined in-stock book, video, and music inventories in the United States with approximately 385,000 titles in inventory and over 1.5 million titles available for order.
• Supplier Tan manufactures covers designed to fashionably protect your cellular phones, GPS systems, Digital Cameras, PDA, and iPods. All cases are made from leather and come in a variety of colors and designs, custom-fit for the most popular brand-name products.
• Supplier Tigerseye functions as a distributor for many foreign companies export quality products to the United States. Some items include pottery, hand-painted Christmas ornaments, jewelry, brass seals, Light from Africa candleholders, and skin care products.
• Supplier Vanilla is a manufacturer of high-quality crystal lamps, guest room lamps, project lights, and other related lighting products. Vanilla's 200 worker staff manages the whole process of design, manufacture, processing, gilding, final assembly, inspection, packing and sales, ensuring top-quality products.