Important Things To Consider In An eCommerce Venue

We have watched with great amusement, the various online venue forums as members celebrate and all of the rah-rah each time their member count goes up by 1000, as their listing count pushes them up the ladder at PSU and as they bet on what the listing or member count will be by a certain date. We keep wondering why these sites find these numbers so fabulous. Are these things really important for an online selling venue? Should we be impressed? What do these numbers really mean? Which eCommerce venue is better? Are these numbers important when choosing or continuing on an online venue? What is the truth behind these numbers?

Choices

Some people may decide they are further ahead to have their own stand alone site while others prefer to join an online marketplace of multiple sellers. What works for one merchant may not work for another. When it comes to choosing an online venue or deciding whether or not to continue with one, there are many things to consider.

Having your own stand alone eCommerce site is nice but you will have to know HTML coding and sometimes more advanced coding. You will need to know how to fix it when the site crashes or is hacked. Selling on your own site is rewarding because you decide what you are doing, rules and guidelines are not created by a marketplace owner.

You can become familiar with a multi-seller marketplace by reading their online forums and the help files the site offers. Take your time and snoop around. When we are shopping around for a venue to add, if a site looks like it could be viable and the terms of service are acceptable, we lurk in the forums for months before committing. You can learn a lot about a site and it's members just by reading. And remember, online, all you have is your reputation to help create buyer trust in you. If a site appears that it could seriously tarnish your reputation, you may want to continue your site search.

If you have decided to sell on one of the many marketplaces, you need to decide what your goal is. Are you going to sell as a hobby or are you going to sell to make a living? If selling online is going to be a hobby, or you have a niche item, you should locate a niche site that suits your items and selling style needs.
If you plan to make a living with your online selling, the best advice we can offer is to diversify.
Do not put all of your eggs in one basket.

In choosing a multi-seller platform, the following factors are important to consider:

What types of items are represented on the site you are considering and what are you planning to sell? Are they compatible? If not, you need to continue investigating.

Computer skills are a must and are required at various levels on multi-seller platforms. Do you have the skills to navigate the site?

What level of support is offered? Support can mean the success or the failure of an online seller. If the site is not attentive of it's members, then you may want to move on.

If there is a forum attached, what goes on there? Is the activity there acceptable and will it help generate sales or will it push potential buyers away?

What does it cost to sell on the site you are considering? There a many online venues that are free while there are just as many that have fees. Are the fees going to cause selling on the site to be unprofitable? Will the site generate enough buyer traffic to make it worth paying fees?

It takes time to take pictures (crop and manipulate them), to create listings and to promote the venues you are selling on. Do you have the time to invest in your new venue or venues? Does the site self promote or is that left up to the invidual sellers? What about Google Base feeds, who is responsible for creating and maintaining them?

What payment options are offered? Most online shoppers know how to use PayPal and Google Checkout but do not forget those shoppers who do not wish to give their personal details out - a site that allows checks and money orders will offer those shoppers the option they need to make a purchase. The more payment options available, the better chance you will have of making sales.

After checking out various sites, you need to determine if one site will be enough to meet your sales goals. If not, you may want to sell on several sites - most serious and successful merchants sell at many venues.

Does the site offer a means to help merchants with inventory control? If not, what programs or type of bookkeeping will you need to do it yourself and what is the cost of it?
You Found A Site, Now What?

When you have found a site, you should read all of the rules in the help section. Take time to know as much as you can about the site. If you still have questions, most sites have some kind of forum to ask questions and if all else fails, contact their customer service or support department.

There is no need to think that you have to list all of your products at one time or rush through creating your listings. Make your listings at your own pace, keeping them professional and offer plenty of details about your items. Make sure that you use good quality pictures like there is no description and write a description like there are no pictures. Multiple views are also helpful with 3-D products. Be sure to include your TOS and policies so a potential buyer knows what to expect from you.

Be sure to be attentive to your customers needs. Answer emails promptly and courteously. Package your items as if they are going to be used in a game of football. Ship the product purchased in the manner and timeframe as stated in your listing. Always use a form of online viewable tracking - what it is called depends on the carrier you use.

So What Is All Of The Hoopla About Member And Item Counts?

Well, the best we can figure out - that is all it is, just hoopla. While it does take a large membership and millions of items to be listed to create a sustainable multi-seller platform, those numbers really mean very little or nothing at all.
None of those numbers will ensure sales or a merchant's success.

Some of the largest venues according to membership and / or item counts have the least buyer traffic. There are sites with high counts, including great traffic, but they fail to convert that traffic into sales. Other venues have artificially inflated counts and even the visitor traffic and page views can be - and sometimes are manipulated so it shows on analytical sites as though more people are going to the site than what actually are, among other falsely inflated statistics.

** The most important numbers in online sales are the number of sales made and total dollar amount generated from those sales within a certain timeframe (usually quarterly).
Finding those two numbers on most sites is either very difficult or impossible to find. It's too bad that more sites do not openly share these numbers as they are really the only numbers for merchants to gauge the viability of a site and they are the only numbers that are truly worthy of celebration (they are the only true measure of online selling success). That is why it is important to thoroughly investigate a site and listen to what other merchants say about a site (several merchants, not just a few). Remember to lurk any prospective site's forums, there is a wealth of information waiting there for you.

Bonanzle Turns Up The Heat Vying For Christmas Shoppers

            
With only four months remaining until Christmas, Bonanzle merchants are turning up the heat in their booths vying for holiday shoppers. Stocking their shelves to the brim with top of the line products, Bonanzle merchants are striving to offer something for everyone, including "everything but the ordinary". Antiques, vintage items, handmade / custom items, unusual attic finds and even some new products are in the line up.

While in the comfort of your own home, 24/7, experience the Bonanzle difference. Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and browse the wonderful selection of products offered. If you have a question, you can email, Quick Text or live chat with the merchant right in their booth. Bonanzle merchants are a very social bunch so you may also make new friends while doing your Christmas shopping.

Many Bonanzle merchants offer coupons for a percentage off of their everyday low prices to help shoppers stretch their shopping dollars. See an item that you like but would like to get a better deal? Check the listing header for the OBO button (Or Best Offer). Click the OBO button and follow the instructions to send the merchant an offer. Once the merchant gets your offer, they can accept or counter-offer. Many Bonanzle merchants are willing to accept any resonable offer - so go for it! You'll be surprised at the savings!

We took a quick peek around Bonanzle and we found some very interesting Christmas decorations, cards and the like. If you need holiday decor or paper products, you can find them on Bonanzle. Here is a small sample of what we found (the pictures are clickable):




Bill Harding founded Bonanzle which is based in Kirkland, Washington. Previously, Bill was lead developer for five years at Kirkland-based gaming firm Amaze Entertainment. Bonanzle's creation began in January 2007 when Bill decided to create a site where people could sell a lot of items quickly, and give buyers combined offers and better deals while keeping the site as simple as possible.

After a year and a half of development, Bonanzle (Bonanza.com was taken) released a beta site version in June 2008. Bonanzle went public in September 2008. At that time, the site had between 10,000 to 20,000 unique visitors. Bonanzle has experienced explosive growth with the only marketing of the site being word of mouth.

Bill created Bonanzle to be very socially interactive to create an environment where people could talk about what they are buying and selling. Being built around hard-to-find collectibles, the social aspect allows people to share and learn about their special items. Buyers can ask questions or just visit with a merchant through email, Quick Text or live booth chat.

Bonanzle makes a commission of three to five percent on each sold item. They also offer premium subscriptions that allow sellers better placement for their goods on the site. There are no listing fees, no fees to have a booth, no fees to place pictures in a listing or any other fee that sellers have become accustomed to on other sites. Lower selling fees means lower prices for buyers!

Listing on the site is easy. Bonanzle has a cropping tool built in so that sellers can zoom in or out on their product pictures to fit the listing. Below is a video of how to list products but there has been an upgrade since the video. Sellers now add traits to their items while creating the listing.


Sellers can offer several payment options including PayPal, Google Checkout, Checks, Money Orders, RME and etc..

On July 22, 2009, Bonanzle introduced their affiliate and syndicated seller program. From Bonanzle's Blog:

Here are some more Q&A details about the Syndicated Seller and Bonanzle Affiliates program.

What's the difference between a "Syndicated Seller" and a "Bonanzle Affiliate?" A "Syndicated Seller" is a Bonanzle seller who has signed up to offer referral fees when their items sell to a buyer who was referred via a Bonanzle Affiliate. A "Bonanzle Affiliate" is a web site or blog that has signed up to receive commissions when they refer paying buyers to Bonanzle items. You can sign up as a Syndicated Seller here or as a Bonanzle Affiliate here.

Can a Syndicated Seller also be a Bonanzle Affiliate? Technically, yes, but do you really want to pay commission fees to yourself? The only circumstances under which you, as a seller, would benefit from being a Bonanzle Affiliate is if you have a web site and you plan to refer your visitors to the items of other Bonanzle sellers. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can sign up at our Affiliates site.

Does the Bonanzle Affiliates Program affect anything about my shopping experience on Bonanzle? No. Whether you are a Syndicated Seller or not has no bearing on search results or any aspect of the experience people will have when they're shopping at your Bonanzle store. The only difference is that our affiliates will send more buyers directly to your items.

When I sign up as a Syndicated Seller, how many more sales will I make? At first, probably not very many, because it will take time for us to build our network of Affiliate Partners. But in the long run, depending on what you offer as a referral fee, the sky's the limit for how this might affect your buyer traffic.

I Have More Questions. What Do I Do? Try reading our Syndicated Seller FAQ.
-----
A Few Bonanzle Statistics:

At this time there are 89,832 users on Bonanzle.
There is a total of 2,229,046 items listed on Bonanzle.
Most Bonanzle buyers come to the site via Google search.

Visitor Statistics From Site Analytics:



Comparing Bonanzle, OLA and eBid


Comparing Bonanzle, Atomic Mall and CQout

eBay Buyers Can Pay With Credit Card & No PayPal Account

PayPal sent emails to some sellers stating:

Your buyers can pay you with a credit card on eBay - without creating a PayPal account.
Learn More

While this is not a new program, PayPal is making it easier for buyers to understand how to use their credit cards without creating a PayPal account.

eBay User Agreement Changes - Buyer Protection

We received an email from eBay in the wee hours of the morning about the User Agreement changes.

It should be noted that in the case of payment reversals, PayPal will be able to draw accounts into the negative as a means to get their money back from the seller's future sales.

Here is a copy of the email:

Changes to the eBay User Agreement

Dear eBay Community Member,

I'm writing to let you know that the we've posted an updated eBay User Agreement to help us implement some policy changes. This agreement is effective immediately for new members registering on or after today, and on September 22, 2009, for current members.

The biggest change to the agreement covers our updated, expanded and renamed eBay Buyer Protection. eBay Buyer Protection offers coverage for more buyers and allows eBay to deduct amounts due to buyers under the program from seller PayPal accounts. If sellers don't have sufficient funds in their PayPal accounts, sellers will be asked to provide an alternate payment method. We've moved the bulk of the program details to the eBay Buyer Protection Policy, referenced in the User Agreement. For more information, you can review the Seller Release details announced July 27, 2009.

As with earlier updates to the User Agreement, we've made other minor changes to reflect eBay's current product and service offerings and industry legal standards. For example, we've made a few changes to the way we describe use of our catalog content.

You don't need to take any further action to accept the new User Agreement. If you don't wish to accept the new User Agreement, please refer to this Help page for instructions on how to close your account. We hope you find that these changes make eBay more useful for you.

Thanks for being a part of the eBay community!

Sincerely,

Scott Shipman
Senior Counsel
eBay Inc.

Amazon's "Charge When Ship" - Alienates Sellers

Many Amazon sellers on the Amazon Sellers Forums and on other forums are upset about the new "Charge When Ship" program which has gone into effect.

Some feel like the new program is Amazon's way to bully the larger sellers into signing up for Shipped by Amazon, thus causing sellers to pay more fees. They also feel that it doubles sellers time involved in processing a sale due to buyer questions about tracking numbers not registering any information with the delivery service as soon as the buyer gets the number from the seller.

These higher volume sellers have declared that they will no longer sell on Amazon because of "Charge When Ship".

At this time, it seems that relatively few lower volume sellers are complaining about "Charge When Ship".

What does this mean to buyers? Several sellers have stated that due to the shrinking product availablity and lack of competition caused by sellers leaving the site, they are raising prices on their products.

About Charge When Ship (from Amazon's site)

Charge When Ship is an easy way to process orders and keep buyers informed about shipments, providing the best customer experience possible. Here's how it works:

When you ship an order, you confirm the shipment and provide shipping information.

We display the shipping information in the buyer's Amazon account, and we also send the buyer an e-mail notification with all of the shipping information.

As long as you confirm that the order was properly shipped, you will be paid in accordance with the Marketplace Participation Agreement. We charge the buyer after you confirm shipment (rather than when the buyer places the order), and then we credit your Marketplace Payments account. Of course, just as now, there may be circumstances where payment may later need to be refunded, for example when the buyer does not receive the order, or it is not as described.

Click here to watch a recorded Charge When Ship webinar.

Layaway, What Buyers & Sellers Should Know

Layaway: Another Way to Buy
If you don’t want to pay with plastic and you don’t have the necessary cash on hand, you may want to ask a merchant about a layaway plan. Layaway purchase plans are designed for people who want to buy products and services without using credit or paying the full price immediately.

When you buy an item on credit, you take the merchandise home with you. When you use layaway, you typically put down a deposit — usually a percentage of the purchase price — and pay over time; the retailer holds the merchandise for you in reserve. You take the merchandise only when you have paid for the item in full.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says it's important to ask questions about how particular layaway plans work. Doing a little research on the front end can help you avoid problems later.

Online Layaway
Layaway purchase plans are not limited to brick-and-mortar retail outlets; some online merchants use them, as well. Some layaway sites operate like a combination shopping search engine and online shopping mart: The companies have hundreds of merchants and online retailers selling name brand items. First, you select a product. Then, you pay: some sites require electronic debiting from your checking account; others require that you pay by check or money order through postal mail. Still others allow you to pay with credit or debit cards, or use online payment services. Once you've paid the balance, the online layaway service pays the merchant, and the merchant sends you the product.

Some sites offer layaway plans for non-retail items like travel, tickets to sporting events — even surgery. For example, if you're planning a vacation to the Bahamas in six months, or scheduling a certain medical procedure like plastic surgery in nine months, there are websites to handle your payment plan.

Layaway Tips

Get the merchant's layaway policy in writing. Look for details on:

• the terms of the layaway plan: how much time you have to pay for the merchandise or service; when your payments are due; the minimum payment required; and possible charges for using the plan, like a service fee. Find out if there is a fee or a penalty for missed or late payments:
  Will your contract be cancelled? Will the merchandise be returned to inventory?


• the refund policy: If you decide you don’t want the merchandise after you’ve made some or all the payments, can you get a refund? Retailers’ policies may differ: some give you all your money back; others may charge a non-refundable service fee; still others may offer a merchant credit for the amount you paid.

Check out the business. Contact your state Attorney General's Office (www.naag.org), local consumer protection agency (www.consumeraction.gov), and your local Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org). They can tell you if consumers have filed complaints against the retailer or online service.

Keep good records of the payments you make on layaway merchandise. They may come in handy if you have a problem with the seller.

What Laws Protect You?
Layaway plans are not specifically governed by federal law, but unfair or deceptive sales practices are illegal under the FTC Act. Check with your state attorney general (www.naag.org), local consumer protection agency (www.consumeraction.gov), and your local Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) to find out if state or local laws cover layaway purchases.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Offering Layaway - For Merchants

Laws That Affect Layaways
There is no federal law that specifically governs layaway transac­tions. However, you should be aware of two federal laws—the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Truth in Lending Act— that could affect your layaway plan. In addition, you should be aware that layaway practices could be affected by state or local laws.

Federal Laws
The Federal Trade Commission Act prohibits unfair or decep­tive acts or practices in or affecting commerce. Failure to disclose important terms of your layaway plan under certain circumstances may violate the Act. The information contained in this booklet should enable you to avoid such potential violations.

Your layaway plan may be covered by the Truth in Lending Act if you require your customers to agree in writing to make all payments until an item is paid in full. If you do not bind your customer in writing to complete the layaway purchase, then the Truth in Lending Act does not apply. For further information about the requirements of the Truth in Lending Act, contact the Federal Trade Commission.

State and Local Laws
Some state and local laws specifically apply to layaway pur­chases. When this guide was prepared, such laws existed in California, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, the District of Columbia, and New York City. These laws vary widely in what they require. In addition, most states have general consumer protection laws that may apply to layaways.

Disclosing Layaway Terms
There are good business reasons to give your layaway customers written disclosures:

• they help assure that customers understand their payment obligations;


• they give notice to customers of your layaway policies;


• they help ensure that all customers receive the same information; and


• they help prevent misunderstandings and disputes.

Important Matters to Disclose

There are some particularly important aspects of layaway plans to consider disclosing. These include: cancellation and refund policies; payment plans; service or layaway charges; and the location, availability, and identification of layaway merchandise.

Cancellation and Refund Policies
It is always a good business practice to inform customers about your cancellation and refund policies because the absence of cancellation and refund information can be a great source of customer dissatisfaction. By disclosing these policies in writing, you may significantly reduce customer complaints and the possibility of dissatisfied customers taking their business elsewhere.

Retailers use a number of different refund policies for layaway transactions. Some give full or partial cash refunds if layaways are not completed. Others give credit toward future purchases. State law may dictate what refund policy you must follow.

When you describe your cancellation and refund policy, use clear, simple, and direct language. For example, if you give full refunds, you might say:

We will refund all money you have paid.

If you do not give full refunds, clearly state how much, if anything, you will charge for the incomplete layaway transaction. However, you should check the laws in your state. Some states limit the amount retailers may charge. If you give only partial refunds, you might say:

We will refund all money you have paid, less a cancellation charge of $______.

If you do not give cash refunds, but give credit toward a future purchase, you might say:

We will credit all money you have paid toward a future purchase.

By disclosing refund information, your customers will know what to expect if they do not complete the layaway purchase.

Payment Plans
If you require a specific amount of money to be paid at set intervals (for example, every two weeks), or require payments to be completed within a set period of time (for example, within 60 days of the start of the layaway), it will help your layaway customers to know your exact requirements. This disclosure might include:

• 
  the required payment amounts;


• 
  the dates when payments are due; and


• 
  the date when the final payment must be made, if applicable.

While the dollar amount, the number, and sometimes the frequency of payments may vary with the cost of the purchase, you may want to develop a standard payment disclosure format. For example, your layaway sales receipt might say

Your payments of at least $______ are due on the day of each month, for months, beginning . Final payment is due by ______.

Vague descriptions of payment terms will not help your customers understand your policy. Three such vague but commonly used phrases are given below, along with reasons why they are inadequate:

Vague - Payments are due every 15 days.

Inadequate because:  This does not tell your customers when their payments start, when the next payments are due, nor when the final payment must be made.

Vague - Payments must be made in three equal installments.

Inadequate because: This does not tell your customers the beginning or ending dates of their layaway plan, nor give the exact dollar amount they must pay each time.

Vague - Final Payment is due in three months.

Inadequate because: This does not tell your customers the required payment amounts, the dates when payments are due, nor the date when final payment must be made.

Some retailers have a policy of canceling the layaway if the customer does not make a payment by a certain date or does not complete the transaction within a specified period. If you have such a policy, consider informing your customers in writing to avoid misunderstandings.

Some other retailers will let a layaway completion date go by, particularly if the payments are almost complete. As a reminder, such retailers send notices to their customers giving them a new date when all payments must be completed. If you have such a policy, you may want to use a notice that says:

We have extended the due date for your final payment on your layaway purchase to _____________. If we have not received your payment by this date, we will consider the purchase cancelled.

Service or Layaway Charges
If you add a service or layaway charge to the purchase price, your customers will probably want to know this before they begin the layaway. Your sign or layaway sales receipt might say:

There will be a layaway charge of $_______.

If any other charges, like shipping, are imposed, informing your customers with a similar statement is helpful.

Location of Layaway Merchandise
Customers who buy merchandise on layaway may expect that the item will actually be "laid away''—physically separated from stock available for sale. Many retailers remove layaway articles from the sales floor; others keep large items, such as furniture or major appliances, on the sales floor but mark them "sold." If you do not separate the layaway purchase from merchandise to be sold, telling your customers about your practice may avoid future complaints. You might post that information or include it on the layaway sales receipt. For example, a sign might say:

Large layaway purchases will remain on the sales floor but will he marked "sold."

Availability of Merchandise
If the merchandise must be ordered, your customers will probably want to know when and under what circumstances it will be ordered. A notice explaining your policy might say:

Merchandise must be ordered. If you are buying merchandise on layaway, we will order your layaway item when you have paid half of the purchase price.

Identification of Merchandise
Because several months may elapse between the time a layaway purchase is started and the time the merchandise is picked-up, your customers may not always remember all the details about the merchandise they purchased.

To help avoid potential confusion about the particular merchandise selected, you may want to identify the layaway item on the layaway sales slip. Clearly describing the item s identifying characteristics, such as color, size, stock number, model number and trade name or manufacturer, may prevent misunderstandings when the customer makes the final payment and is ready to claim the layaway merchandise. For example, you might identify a dress purchased on layaways as:

One red dress, size 10, Dresswell Company, Style #130 A.

Common Ways To Disclose Terms
Businesses communicate their layaway terms in different ways. Some post their layaway terms on a sign in their stores. Others have their layaway disclosures on layaway sales receipts and provide customers with a copy when a purchase is made. Some retailers use both sales receipts and signs.

To avoid misunderstandings. always try to say who will do what on your sales receipt. This will let your customers know specifically what they must do to fulfill their part of the layaway transaction. Clear examples, short sentences, and easy-to-read type will help to convey your message.

If you post your layaway terms on a sign in your store, the sign (or signs) should be placed in an appropriate and conspicuous location (or locations), and the message should be clear and large enough to be read from a distance.

Checklist and Sample Layaway Sales Receipt
To help you evaluate your current layaway procedures, this booklet provides a layaway checklist and a sample layaway sales receipt. The checklist covers layaway information that your customers may want or need. The sample layaway sales receipt suggests ways you can adapt your current sales receipt to provide more complete information to your layaway customers.

Layaway Checklist
Does your layaway sales receipt include everything you want your customers to know about your layaway plan? For example, does it give:

• 
  A description of the merchandise to be purchased?


• 
  The total price of the purchase, including any service, layaway, or other charge?


• 
  The minimum amount of each payment?


• 
  Dates when payments are due?


• 
  The date when the final payment must be made?


• 
  Your cancellation and refund policy?


• 
  Information about how refund or credit amounts are determined?


• 
  Notice to the customer about whether the selected item will be separated from other merchandise?


• 
  The time when the item will be ordered, if it is not already in stock?

Layaway Sales Receipt
Under Federal law, you do not have to use any particular form to provide information about your layaway plan, unless the Truth in Lending Act applies. State or local laws, however, may have such a requirement.

The following section indicates how you can disclose important layaway information in a clear and understandable way. You may wish to use this form to revise or draft your own receipt.

Sample Layaway Sales Receipt

Click the sample receipt graphic to enlarge.
For More Information
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair practices in the marketplace and to provide information to businesses to help them comply with the law. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Source: FTC Website

Etsy Releases Their Site Statistics For July 2009

Etsy releases their site stats which show impressive increases in all areas.

Congratulations Etsy!


Here is the site statistics report for July, 2009.

The stats:

* $13.6 million of goods were sold; roughly 6% higher than June's $12.8 million.

* That represents 824,138 items sold for the month, 5% higher than June’s 787,692.

* 1,345,289 new items were listed in the month, 2% higher than June’s 1,315,547.

* 171,000 new members joined the Etsy community in the month, up 14,000, or 9% from June.

* 513,698,360 page views were recorded on the site this month, a 6.1% increase from June.

Etsy is the online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. Etsy connects consumers with independent creators and designers to find the very best in handmade goods, while providing these artists with the technology and information they need to start and grow their own businesses.

Featured Seller 08-17-2009 Eclectic Dealer

Paula's parents were collectors of fine porcelains which included Dresden, Meissen and Spode, all first factory. Paula and her parents attended auctions at Sotheby’s ~ Parke Bernet, NYC whenever there was an auction, so antiquing is really in Paula's DNA. Paula attended GIA and became a Graduate Gemologist. After her schooling she owned a jewelry store in New York dealing in fine gems. Paula's personal collection leans toward oriental and her greatest finds are Strait’s porcelain pieces.

Paula sells online under the ID of EclecticDealer.

When buying items for sale, Paula buys with her heart and only items that she would want for herself. Paula tries to research the items to the best of her ability so when she presents them she can give an honest description. Paula's commitment to her buyers is a promise of honesty.

From the Bonanzle Network Spotlight: "It's also worth noting that Paula has been published in at least three books and quite a few newspapers including the business section of the Sunday New York Times. You can read that NYT article by clicking here.

Paula spends countless hours on the Bonanzle forums helping others.

You can locate Paula on Ning by clicking here.

You can follow Paula on Twitter by clicking here.

Online Business Professionalism - Separating Your Personal Life

Social networking sites are important to online sales. Some multi-seller marketplaces have integrated socializing directly into their venue. Everything said within these social arenas can be found by potential customers anywhere in the world simply by doing an internet search. Be it Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Plumbdrop, chat forums, blogs or wherever, the potential to grow your business and profits is enormous but it could also mean disaster. More times than not, online sellers fail to see the danger in their personal life information being online which could also be tarnishing their online business.

Every now and then, you should Google the online ID's you use and also your real name. Does each search return provide information you would like attached to your business? Personal notes or photos that show you in a bad light may be something you want to have removed. Your friends might find it really funny to see photos of you passed out drunk at a weekend party or clowing around with some friends on a social site and post a photo or write something not so flattering about it on a social site. If one of your friends networks with a potential customer (online or real life), the photo or writing may be shared and it could tarnish your reputation plus it does nothing to instill buyer confidence. Your private life is yours and should be separated from your business because not everyone will view talk or pictures of such matters in a positive way.

If you have worked hard to build a professional online business reputation but a potential buyer does a Google search and finds a photo or written commentary about your weekend escapades or you are ranting and raving in online forums, you may have frightened that customer away which means you have wasted your time building your reputation. For the most part, online buyers do their research before making a purchase. This is good for the buyer but a potential disaster for the seller who has not separated his personal life from his business.

Some people are passionate and have something to say about a controversial issue or topic that is unrelated to their business or they post less than flattering images on a social networking site for their friends and family to see. For this reason, it may be a wise idea to create a separate socializing ID so it won't be connected to your business.

Socializing and your business reputation is difficult to deal with when you are involved with online marketplaces that have an attached forum since socializing is one of the draws to the site. Be really careful in what you post on the forums. Don't just type what first comes to mind and hit the send button. If what you are writing will offend, hurt or upset someone, maybe you should write it in an email and send it to yourself to spare the feelings of others and your own business reputation.
The same thing goes for avatars associated with your business ID. Is your avatar controversial or offensive in any way? Does your avatar reflect you personally more than it does professionally? If so, then you should consider a more neutral avatar because you never know who your next potential customer may be or what their beliefs or moral standards are.

Setting Up A Google Base Account & Use Google Base For Free Advertising (Videos)

Here are a couple of Google Base instructional videos we ran across and thought we would share them with you. Enjoy!

Setting Up A Google Base Account



How To Use Google Base To Get Free Advertising

Bonanzle Forum Basics Video

Authentic Native American - Counterfeits Rampant Online

The Indian Arts and Crafts Board, an agency located in the U.S. Department of the Interior, was created by Congress to promote the economic development of American Indians and Alaska Natives through the expansion of the Indian arts and crafts market. A top priority of the IACB is the implementation and enforcement of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, a truth-in-advertising law that provides criminal and civil penalties for marketing products as "Indian-made" when such products are not made by Indians, as defined by the Act.

Click here to go to the IACB website.
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This is a huge task due to the market flooding with items coming in from China and other countries. These items are being marketed as Native American, Indian, Native American Style, Indian Style and etc...

When we (Dakota Exchange, an online seller) go to online selling venues and type Native American into the search bar, we are shocked at the number of fake items that come up. From baskets to sculptures to jewelry, most of the items that come up are counterfeit / fake. This not only makes it impossible for a buyer to know that what they are buying is authentic but it also makes the venue look like they cater to this behavior. The sad part is, we have yet to visit any online selling site that does not offer fake Native American items.

We have brought our concerns about Native American items listed on the various sites to the each sites administration and the response we get seems to be on the fence. Administrators agree with us when we talk to them about obvious violations yet they do nothing or very little to correct the situation.

We have taken our concerns about Native American items listed on various sites to member forums of venues and found out the fast way that doin so was a mistake. The responses were anything from:

"I am married to a Native American so I can call it Indian."

"If the category is 'Native Indian' that is a cover all. Anything related to the Native Indian inclusive of a Zippo Lighter with something that looks like a Native Indian on could belong in that category."

"There are lots of mass produced Native American items on eBay so it must be ok."

"The category does not specify that it is only for certified Native American items."

And so on....

It seems that those that are selling fakes or those without understanding of the law think they can make up the rules as they go. It is either that or they have a total disregard for the law.


The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990

The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000.

Under the Act, an Indian is defined as a member of any federally or State recognized Indian Tribe, or an individual certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian Tribe.

The law covers all Indian and Indian-style traditional and contemporary arts and crafts produced after 1935. The Act broadly applies to the marketing of arts and crafts by any person in the United States. Some traditional items frequently copied by non-Indians include Indian-style jewelry, pottery, baskets, carved stone fetishes, woven rugs, kachina dolls, and clothing.

All products must be marketed truthfully regarding the Indian heritage and tribal affiliation of the producers, so as not to mislead the consumer. It is illegal to market an art or craft item using the name of a tribe if a member, or certified Indian artisan, of that tribe did not actually create the art or craft item.

For example, products sold using a sign claiming "Indian Jewelry" would be a violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act if the jewelry was produced by someone other than a member, or certified Indian artisan, of an Indian tribe. Products advertised as "Hopi Jewelry" would be in violation of the Act if they were produced by someone who is not a member, or certified Indian artisan, of the Hopi tribe.

Sec. 309.1 How do the regulations in this part carry out the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990?

These regulations define the nature and Indian origin of products protected by the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (18 U.S.C. 1159, 25 U.S.C. 305 et seq.) from false representations, and specify how the Indian Arts and Crafts Board will interpret certain conduct for enforcement purposes. The Act makes it unlawful to offer or display for sale or sell any good in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian, or Indian tribe, or Indian arts and crafts organization resident within the United States.



Authentic Sioux Dance Shield
Sec. 309.2 What are the key definitions for purposes of the Act?

(a) Indian as applied to an individual means a person who is a member of an Indian tribe or for purposes of this part is certified by an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan (in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 309.4).

(b) Indian artisan means an individual who is certified by an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan.

(c) Indian arts and crafts organization means any legally established arts and crafts marketing organization composed or members of Indian tribes.

(d) Indian products.

(1) In general. Indian product means any art or craft product made by an Indian.
(2) Illustrations. The term "Indian product" includes, but is not limited to:

(i) Art works that are in a traditional or non-traditional Indian style or medium;
(ii) Crafts that are in a traditional or non-traditional Indian style or medium;
(iii) Handcrafts, i.e. objects created with the help of only such devices as allow the manual skill of the maker to condition the shape and design of each individual product.

(3) Exclusion for products made before 1935. The provisions of this part shall not apply to any art or craft products made before 1935.

(e) Indian tribe means--
(1) Any Indian tribe, band, nation, Alaska Native village, or any organized group or community which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians; or
(2) Any Indian group that has been formally recognized as an Indian tribe by a State legislature or by a State commission or similar organization legislatively vested with State tribal recognition authority.

(f) Product of a particular Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization means that the origin of a product is identified as a named Indian tribe or named Indian arts and crafts organization.

Sec. 309.3 How will statements about Indian origin of art or craft products be interpreted?

(a) In general. The unqualified use of the term "Indian" or of the term "Native American" or the unqualified use of the name of an Indian tribe, in connection with an art or craft product, is interpreted to mean for purposes of this part that--

(1) The maker is a member of an Indian tribe, is certified by an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan, or is a member of the particular Indian tribe named; and
(2) The art or craft product is an Indian product.

(b) Products of Indians of foreign tribes.

(1) In general. The unqualified use of the term "Indian" or of the term "Native American" or the unqualified use of the name of a foreign tribe, in connection with an art or craft product, regardless or where it is produced and regardless of any country-of-origin marking on the product, is interpreted to mean for purposes of this part that--
(i) The maker is a member of an Indian tribe, is certified by an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan, or is a member of the particular Indian tribe named;
(ii) The tribe is resident in the United States; and
(iii) The art or craft product is an Indian product.

(2) Exception where country of origin is disclosed. Paragraph (b) of this section does not apply to any art or craft for which the name of the foreign country of tribal ancestry is clearly disclosed in conjunction with marketing of the product.

(c) Example. X is a lineal descendant of a member of Indian Tribe A. However, X is not a member of Indian Tribe A, nor is X certified by Indian Tribe A as a non-member Indian artisan. X may not be described in connection with the marketing of an art or craft product made by X as an Indian, a Native American, a member of an Indian tribe, a member of Tribe A, or as a non-member Indian artisan of an Indian tribe. However, the true statement may be used that X is of Indian descent, Native American descent, or Tribe A descent.



Authentic Sioux Quill Set
Sec. 309.4 How can an individual be certified as an Indian artisan?

(a) In order for an individual to be certified by an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan for purposes of this part--

(1) The individual must be of Indian lineage of one or more members of such Indian tribe; and
(2) The certification must be documented in writing by the governing body of an Indian tribe or by a certifying body delegated this function by the governing body of the Indian tribe.

(b) As provided in section 107 of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, Public Law 101-644, a tribe may not impose a fee for certifying an Indian artisan.

Sec. 309.5 What penalties apply?

A person who offers or displays for sale or sells a good, with or without a Government trademark, in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States:

(a) Is subject to the criminal penalties specified in section 1159, title 18, United States Code; and

(b) Is subject to the civil penalties specified in section 305e, title 25, United States Code.

Sec. 309.6 How are complaints filed?

Complaints about protected products alleged to be offered or displayed for sale or sold in a manner that falsely suggests they are Indian products should be made in writing and addressed to the Director, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Room 4004-MIB, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240.

Dated: October 15, 1996.
Bonnie R. Cohen,
Assistant Secretary--Policy, Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 96-26876 Filed 10-18-96; 8:45 am]





Authentic Sioux Baby Moccasins
Indian Arts Act of 1935
(From the Department of the Interior)

[Public-No. 355-74th Congress]
[S. 2203]
SEC. 5. Any person who shall counterfeit or colorably imitate any Government trade mark used or devised by the Board as provided in section 2 of this Act, or shall, except as authorized by the Board, affix any such Government trade mark, or shall knowingly, willfully, and corruptly affix any reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable imitation thereof upon any products, Indian or otherwise, or to any labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, or receptacles intended to be used upon or in connection with the sale of such products, or any person who shall knowingly make any false statements for the purpose of obtaining the use of any such Government trade mark, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be enjoined from further carrying on the act or acts complained of and shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000, or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.

SEC. 6. Any person who shall willfully offer for sale any goods, with or without any Government trade mark, as Indian products or Indian products of a particular Indian tribe or group, resident within the United States or the Territory of Alaska, when such person knows such goods are not Indian products or are not Indian products of the particular Indian tribe or group, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.

It shall be the duty of each district attorney, to whom the Board shall report in writing any violation of the provisions of this section which has occurred within his jurisdiction, to cause appropriate proceedings to be commenced and prosecuted in the proper courts of the United States for the enforcement of the penalties herein provided.

Approved, August 27, 1935.

Changing With the Times

As part of legislation to protect intellectual property, Congress went back and revised the Indian Arts Act of 1935, giving it more bite in terms of protection, prosecution and fines. That is when they passed the current law.

Copyright protects original “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works,” which include two-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art. The following is a list of example of such works: [extracted from actual list]

Artwork applied to clothing or to other useful articles
Drawings, paintings, murals
Fabric, floor, and wallcovering designs
Jewelry designs
Needlework
Original prints such as engravings, etchings, serigraphs, silk screen prints, woodblock prints
Sculpture, such as carvings, ceramics, figurines, maquettes, molds, relief sculptures
Weaving designs, lace designs, tapestries





Authentic Sioux Turtle Shell Purse
Properly Title The Items You Are Selling!

The bottom line is, if what you are selling as Native American or Indian was not made by a Native American artisan, do no title it as such. The law is very clear on this.

List your product as what it is, NOT what it is not!

Dakota Exchange Offers Authentic Native American Items

Dakota Exchange guarantees that the Native American jewelry we sell is genuine. We enjoy promoting the beautiful Native American crafts and culture.

Authenticating Native American crafts should be easy when buying from a reputable dealer. Your first authenticity tip should be the price of the item. Due to the materials used, intricate details and time involved in creating a piece, the cost of authentic Native American jewelry is likely to be somewhat to very expensive.

Those selling authentic items will be able to tell you who the creating artist is. Many times, they will be able to tell you a bit about the artist and their background. The minimum background that you should find acceptable is the artist name and tribe they are enrolled with. (Sometimes, a dealer will even supply the tribal number of the crafting artist.) The basic background information will allow you the ability to contact the tribal headquarters to further authenticate the item you have purchased or are interested in purchasing.


You may be able to authenticate the item further through artist markings. Many artists use a trademark of sorts. You can attempt to identify the artist by their hallmarks, initials or signatures, generally found on the back of the piece. Investigate to see how the item compares to other crafts by the artist.

If a dealer does not tell you about the artist up front, ask questions! Do not assume that all items claimed to be Native American, are Native American. As in many other specialty items and collectibles, there are many counterfeits and copies out there. Use caution when a dealer can not give you minimal information about the artist and the tribe they are enrolled with. If you purchase an art or craft product represented to you as Indian-made, and you learn that it is not, first contact the dealer to request a refund. If the dealer does not respond to your request, you can also contact your local Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, and the local District Attorney's office, as you would with any consumer fraud complaint. Second, contact the Indian Arts and Crafts Board with your written complaint regarding violations of the Act.