November 2008
Table of Contents
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When you list an item for the first time on our Amazon Marketplace platform, you will be required to register to receive funds through our Marketplace Payments service. You will also need to provide your checking account for fund transfers. For instructions, see Entering Your Checking Account Information. After a purchase is made, Amazon processes the payment from the buyer and deposits it in your Payments account. Buyer refunds, seller fees, and other transactions are balanced against payments received from sales. The funds in your Payments account will automatically be disbursed every 14 days into your checking account. You may also request more frequent disbursements, up to once every 24 hours. For more information, see Transferring Funds to Your Checking Account. If you're a new seller, there is an initial 14-day holding period before funds will be released from your Payments account. This holding period is a very important security requirement and you will not be able to disburse funds to your checking account during this time. Once you have received your first automatic disbursement, you will be eligible to disburse funds yourself. To sign up for Payments, you must have a U.S. checking account and a credit card with a U.S. billing address. There are no exceptions to this policy. |
Shipping Expectations
Sellers are expected to have the product shipped within 2 business
days of the purchase date. See the order timeline for more in-depth
information. Here are the expectations for when the customer should
receive the product:
- Domestic Standard - Buyer should have the product in hand within 4 - 14 business days from the date it was shipped (up to 21 days in some cases).
- Domestic Expedited - Buyer should have the product in hand within 2 - 6 business days from the date it was shipped.
- International shipments - Buyer should have the product in hand within 2 - 6 business days from the date it was shipped.
Tip: Most of Doba's suppliers meet these shipping expectations, except shipping internationally. However, I strongly suggest you familiarize yourself with the Doba supplier's shipping times and procedures before listing their products on Amazon.com to make sure the above expectations are met.
Fees
Listing FeesYou don't have to pay a dime until your product sales. Once it sales, Amazon collects the final sale price and shipping costs from your customer, deducts a commission of the sale price, transaction fee ($0.99) and variable closing fee. Click here to view the current fees, pricing, and commission rates.
In an economy that is hard and restless, through time and experience Amazon has successfully created a secure, comfortable marketplace providing an opportunity for retailers to and consumers to conduct business together. Staying true to their name and reputation, Amazon continues to be the motor that pushes the online market bus up the treturous mountain. Hop on the Amazon bus and ride it to success.
About the Author:
Jake Sabey is an eBay Certified Consultant and an Education Specialist
for Doba. Jake's educational strategies and methodologies help online
retailers meet and exceed their business-related goals. Prior to working
for Doba, Jake was a team leader, supervisor, and trainer for Toys R
Us, Sinclair Oil, SBC, and AT&T.
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Marketplace Spotlight: Are You "Green" on Green -
Part II
By Jeff Knight, Vice President of Marketplace - Doba
Last month, the marketplace spotlight was a reprint of article on the vocabulary behind socio-economic and environmentally conscious movements. This month, we will take a look at some specific product areas that the retailer can concentrate on and resell techniques for presenting these products' value.
The key to the whole discussion is understanding 'sustainability'. The UN Brundtland Commission in 1987 defined sustainable development as "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The idea is a promotion of a wise use of economic and natural resources while respecting both the current and future needs of both people and living things. Sustainability is not about one product or one action. The idea of sustainability is the business case for a process that looks at sustainability trends and issues and to select to act on those that contribute the most value. Notice that sustainability isn’t entirely focused on consumer goods themselves but also products that contribute to the well being of people. In other words, ergonomic furniture or a new office chair that promotes posture are sustainable products along side cleaning products that are fruit and vegetable based.
The immediate opposition many retailers face is that 'going green' is not a economically feasible option. First, there is a misperception that all environmentally friendly products cost more. While there is a definite supply and demand component to the availability (and thus the cost) of products – the statement that greener products are always more expensive is simply not true. Almost all remanufactured products are more cost effective and carry many of the same benefits of their count parts. For example, remanufactured toner and ink cartridges are a fraction of the cost and when combined with a service/replacement contract – the consumer come out way ahead. In addition, many sustainable products are much cheaper over the life of a product. Products that are energy efficient and florescent lights are two examples of products where the user saves money over the life of the product.
I mentioned a few products areas in passing above but here are a few categories that target consumers looking for sustainable items.
Bed and Bath: Items include bedding made of organic cotton, natural wools, and recycled natural and man made fibers. Many sustainable products are being manufactured out of materials that are either recycle-able and/or materials with shorten life spans.
Consumer Electronics: As mentioned above, energy efficient powered goods are always a good choice. Over the life of a large appliance, TV, or other consumer electronics device the cost of energy can be very high. In addition, other choices include rechargeable devices and devices that use alternative power such as solar powered calculators.
Refurbished and remanufactured goods are always a good alternative. Typically, remanufactured goods are more thoroughly tested and cheaper then new goods. In addition, as manufacturers have seen the growth and demand for remanufactured goods grow; they have become more willing to include support and warranty options that were limited in the past.
Office and general lifestyle: There is a virtual plethora of ideas in the office category. Paper and pens manufactured from post-consumer recycled goods, products that promote healthy workplace (chairs, ergonomic keyboards, lighting, etc), remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, non-toxic materials (glues, inks, cleaners), and reusable items such as media drives, recycled batteries, and re-writeable media are just a few examples.
About the Author:
As the Vice President of Marketplace, Jeff Knight is responsible for
all aspects of the merchandising strategy, supplier acquisition, and
vertical category management and fulfillment operations of Doba's marketplace.
Prior to Doba, Jeff was Director of Merchandising for Overstock.com
where he developed the growth and management of the Computer and Home
Office category. Jeff's background includes merchandising and technology
leadership roles at DealDeal.com and BCI International. He earned Bachelor
and Masters of Arts degrees in Communication from the University of
Wyoming.
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Member Q&A: Populating and Updating Store Categories from the Push
to Marketplace Tool
By Kay Russon - Doba
Just like last month, this month’s Q&A will talk about the Push to Marketplace tool. Specifically, I will address the subject of populating and updating categories for eBay Stores and ProStores inside the Push to Marketplace tool.
eBay Stores and ProStores users can use default categories provided by both platforms, as well as create custom product categories to list products under on their respected stores. Knowing how to populate and update the categories from inside the Push to Marketplace Tool will save you time, list products for sale, and allow you to customize your store all from one location.
"So, how do you get the various categories from your store into the Push to Marketplace Tool?"
- Click on "Catalog", then "Push to Marketplace"
- Click on "Marketplace Settings" (top right corner of page)
- Select the desired marketplace you wish to populate/update categories for. (eBay Stores or ProStores)
- Click on "Edit Account"
The below image is an example of what it will look like when populating store categories for an eBay Store. (It will look very similar for ProStore users)
Note: Your screen should reflect your personal information according to what marketplace you chose on the "Marketplace Settings" page.
Clicking the "Populate" link (circled above in red) will pull all categories from your eBay store and place them in the categories list box as pictured above. After populating your store categories, make sure you click "Save and Return" so the categories list will update with the changes made, and you can select from the new categories during your push request.
Tip: Anytime you add, change, or remove a category in your store, you should repopulate the categories in the Push to Marketplace Tool to keep the two in sync.
We Want to Hear from You! Want to see your question featured in the eNewsletter Member Q&A? Well we want to hear from you! Please email education@doba.com if you have any non-account related questions or topics you would like us to write about. If you have questions concerning your Doba account, such as billing, product or order questions, please search our knowledgebase site content or contact our Customer Support.
About the Author:
Kay “Papa” Russon is an eBay Certified Consultant,
Customer Service Team Lead, and technical liaison for Doba. His knowledge,
experience, and expertise assist retailers daily in running a successful
online business. Before Doba, Kay was a team leader, supervisor, trainer
and manager for World Support, Digital Equipment Corp., Digital Remote,
SBC, AT&T, Macromedia, Sun Microsystems, and Motorola and served
in the Army National Guard.
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Supplier Information: New Suppliers Added to the Doba 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 new wholesale suppliers and manufacturer to the Doba Catalog:
Dom - Manufacturer of radio accessories with a variety of radio connectors and microphone types.
Salvador - Manufacturer of very high quality and unique plush toys that exceed the requirements and expectations of our customers with world class products at superior values.
Ester - Supplier of innovative products that improve the status quo and help you enjoy the ocean.
Bacall - Supplier of the BODY-ALINE, the world's first back and posture exercise machine. Used just minutes a day, 3-4 times a week, it strengthens your back & aligns your spine in one easy motion to eliminate back & neck problems.