6pm.com Hiccups Great Deals - Items Over $1,000 Sold @ $49.99!

Deals were runnning rampant on Friday at a popular online shopping website, 6pm.com, a subsidiary of Zappos. The site had mis-priced almost all items at $49.99. Products on 6pm.com most always sell for over $1,000.

"When we figured out the mistake was happening, we had to shut down the site for a bit until we got the pricing problem fixed," says Aaron Magness, director of brand marketing and business development for parent company Zappos Development.

"While we’re sure this was a great deal for customers, it was inadvertent, and we took a big loss (over $1.6 million) selling so many items so far under cost."

"However, it was our mistake. We will be honoring all purchases that took place on 6pm.com during our mess up," he says. "We apologize to anyone that was confused and/or frustrated during our little hiccup, and thank you all for being such great customers."

Magness states - "Let's just say this was not a boring weekend for us."

Endorsements - What About Them?

To clarify, here is the Merriam-Webster definition of endorsement:

2 a : to approve openly - endorse an idea -; especially : to express support or approval of publicly and definitely - endorse a mayoral candidate - b : to recommend (as a product or service) usually for financial compensation - shoes endorsed by a pro basketball player -

Whether or not you are paid, endorsements should be taken seriously and not handed out lightly. It should also be considered who's endorsement is displayed about us and/or our products.

Some sellers use endorsements as a means to help potential customers feel more confident about buying from them. Legitimate endorsements can be quite effective in building buyer confidence.

Endorsements can also tear down that confidence when they are later found to come from someone of a tarnished reputation, if they are later found to be fraudulently left and so on. Sellers need to realize the full importance of endorsements. The endorsement mess for Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps and the long list of athletes who have fallen from grace also happens with ecommerce sales.

Some people believe in leaving endorsements simply because a seller was helpful, even though they bought nothing from the seller - some leave endorsements for their friends, simply because they like them - some people leave endorsements for you if you leave them one - many people leave endorsements, yet they have never purchased from or conducted any kind of business with the endorsee and the list goes on. We believe that leaving an endorsement for these reasons is not only wrong but it also dilutes the value of any true endorsements the seller has recieved.

In our opinion, leaving an endorsement should not be taken lightly. If you buy something from a seller and you are thrilled with the product and the service, you might likely want to leave an endorsement. This would be a proper reason to do so. You should pick your words carefully and be specific as to why you are leaving the endorsement.

Many people do not realize that the FTC has laws, rules and guidelines in place that govern endorsements anywhere they are used to sell products. Here is what they have to say.

In Part:

Under the revised Guides, advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor.

The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that “material connections” (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed.

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

Click here to read the full text of the revised Endorsement & Testimonial Guidelines.

Facebook, MySpace & Other Social Networking Sites Share Personal Info With Advertisers

The Wall Street Journal reports, Facebook, MySpace and several other social-networking sites have been sending user information to advertisers that could be used to find consumers' names and other personal details, despite statements in their privacy policy that they don't share user information without consent.

What happens is that these sites send user names or ID numbers tied to the user's personal profiles when the user's click on ads. This infomation assists the advertisers in looking up the user's personal details which include a person's real name, age, hometown and occupation. Each site shares various data and what is shared depends on which site is used. This information sharing is typical across the web but the social networking sites provide privacy policies agains such behavior.

The Wall Street Journal states:

"Several large advertising companies identified by the Journal as receiving the data, including Google Inc.'s DoubleClick and Yahoo Inc.'s Right Media, said they were unaware of the data being sent to them from the social-networking sites, and said they haven't made use of it."

It is also reported that LiveJournal, Hi5, Xanga and Digg also sent advertising companies user names or ID numbers in the same manner. Even Twitter was found to pass web addresses and user names of profiles visited on Twitter.com when users clicked links in profiles.

Facebook took this procedure to a higher level. Sometimes they sent information on which user name or ID was clicking on the ad PLUS the user name or ID of the page being viewed. This information lets an advertiser know a bit about a user's interests.

A letter has been sent to the FTC by Ben Edelman, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School who studies Internet advertising. He is requesting an investigation of Facebook's practices.

Bonanzle Wins @ Seattle 2.0

Seattle 2.0 was created in 2007 with one goal in mind: To help tech entrepreneurs build great companies.


Seattle 2.0 is made up of entrepreneurs, investors, advisors, consultants and members of a healthy and ever-growing startup community around Seattle.

Each year they hold a conference and award several businesses that fit into the various categories Seattle 2.0 have designated. The conference and awards help connect investors and businesses. The 2010 event was the second of it's kind.

Bonanzle was nominated as the Best Bootstrapped Startup at the Seattle 2.0 Awards. Last night, they won the award for that category.

Congratulations Bonanzle!

Featured Seller - Princess Peony 05-18-10

Sparkklejar at Etsy, is a friend of ours. Her teen daughter is also a seller on Etsy. She sells under the name Princess Peony.

From Princess Peony's profile:

I sell paper reclaimed and repurposed creations, salvaged goodies, simple crafts, and destash items.

The money I earn from my etsy sales is applied to my color guard fees and dues. Thank You for supporting me!

I just learned how to make origami boxes and I hope you like them. I am just learning how to craft with paper and I think it's a fun and responsible way to make old damaged books have a happy ending.

Here are some great items offered by Princess Peony:


6 Cinderella Paper Heart Tags From Childrens Book Repurposed Pink Bows Ribbons
6 heart tags hand cut from an old Cinderella story book by disney.

Pink ribbon ties and small bows

Large size hearts approx. 4" by 4 1/2" at longest areas

I traced the inner book page heart by using a cookie cutter, and free cut a border around it. Border is acid free craft paper.


7 Repurposed Origami Favor Boxes With Lids Vintage Chilrens Atlas Book
I do not destroy or cut up good books

This vintage childrens picture atlas was out dated and missing pages.

Free from bad smells and made in a smoke free home

Repurposed into 7 origami boxes made from the pages

3 1/4" by 3 1/4" by approx 1 5/8" deep

Shipped usps priority with recycled foam blocks to prevent crushing during transit~please recycle.
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Stop in and visit Princess Peony to see what she has created lately. While you are there, grab some great buys!

Be sure to also stop in and visit Sparkklejar for some great shabby chic products. Tell her Dakota sent you!

A Huge Stamp Project!

We are totally excited about a stamp collection that was given to us for absolutely nothing. We were given a large box, 2 shoeboxes, 4 or 5 plastic bags with tubs, boxes, and other containers of stamps and several stamp collecting supplies.

We do not know a thing about stamps or the collecting of them but it appears that we are going to have to learn!

In these containers are stamps dating back to 1902 (at least that we've found upon a couple of brief inspections). Some are unused, some are used - there are some US and some foreign but there is a huge variety. Some are neatly stored in albums and some are in various containers waiting to be sorted. A few still need to be seperated from the envelopes so we will have to learn the proper procedure of doing that.

We have been snooping all over the internet to find whatever information is available to help identify each stamp. We aren't sure what the best way to proceed is but looking up and researching each one of the thousands of stamps we were given is an intimidating task. There were a few stamp collecting books included that may be helpful but we think we are going to need more extensive sources.

Also included are some full display pages. One includes the 25th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy's death. We are amazed at the variety of designs that we do not remember ever seeing, even though they were issued during our lifetime. The older stamps are quite interesting and ornate. It's easy to see why stamp collecting is such a fun hobby.

There are even some First Day Covers from various years. Some are well kept while some have bent corners on the outer envelopes. We haven't opened them to check on the condition of the inner envelopes yet. All of the stamps on these are equally as interesting as the individual stamps in this collection.

When we first brought these stamps home, we went to one of the seller forums we frequent and asked for information on idenification and values. We had no idea where to start. We did get a lot of useful information to help us begin this project but it didn't take long for someome to come along and try to discourage us. We were told by one person that stamps can be valuable enough to pay off a car but then another person said that the value of stamps became diluted during the time that baby boomers were doing the collecting. He even said that if any of the stamps we were given were not used, they would have more value as postage than as a possible future sale.

The person talking about the diluted stamp market was talking mostly about the foreign stamps. In the large box, we have a book with many foreign stamps from all over the world. We are not going to let that information discourage us. We are going to look into these stamps to find out for ourselves. If nothing else, it looks to be an educational journey ahead - learning the history behind the stamps.

** If any of our readers has any helpful information or advice on how to handle this collection and the proper way to do things, we would greatly appreciate it if you would contact us. **

We are excited about the adventure ahead!

34th ACE© It Mid-Year Educational Conference

Crown Plaza Hotel
Warwick RI
August 14 - 17, 2010

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) will hold its 34th Annual Mid-Year Conference this summer. This conference is geared towards professional appraisers.

The theme of the conference is: "Antique Jewelry--Facts vs. Myths".

Schedule:

Saturday, August 13, 2010

Twelve Months of Change: The Ups & Downs of the Jewelry Market
Simon Teakle

JSI - Jewelry Search Investigators! Demystifying the Dating of a Jewel Suzanne Martinez, GG & Tim Spauwen, FGA

The Value of Time: The Language and Fundamentals of Evaluating
Wristwatches and Pocketwatches Edward S. Faber

When Art Met Metal: Evaluating mid-20th Century Studio Jewelry
from Margaret de Patta to Earl Pardon, 1940-1980 Patricia Kiley Faber, GG

Dating & Authenticating Through Gems Rui Galopim de Carvalho, FGA

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Egypt: Then and Now Yvonne Markowitz

Arts & Crafts vs. Art Nouveau: Similarities & Differences Elyse Zorn Karlin

All You Want to Know About British Hallmarks and More Danusia Niklewicz, GG & Bill Whetstone

A View from the Backside Peter Shemonsky, GG

Advanced Hallmarks - (and you thought you knew it all!) Danusia Niklewicz, GG & Bill Whetstone

Period Fashions & The Appropriate Baubles Mona Miller, GG

Monday, August 16, 2010

Etruscan Revival 101 Robert C. Aretz, GG

Pimped Out Pocket Watches Gary Lester, GG

Another Feather on the Cap: “Regal Head Ornaments” Kathrin N. Schoenke, GG

Good Marriages, Bad Marriages ... What’s an Appraiser to Do? Gloria Lieberman

Tuesday August 17, 2010

A Better Understanding of Precious Metal Content Dave Atlas, GG

Link & Link: an Overview of Chain from Antiquity to the Modern Age Ann Cahoon

Something Old, Something New Chris Ploof

Unveiling the Mystery of Enamel Richard McMullen

Click here to view the conference brochure.

Click here for the registration form.

GIA & Law Officers to Fight International Jewelry Crime

Special agents and detectives from international law enforcement agencies gathered at the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) Carlsbad campus recently for a two-week crash course in gemology that was specifically requested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Law officers from Brazil, Colombia, Belgium, India, Thailand, the UK and the UAE joined detectives from the New York and Los Angeles police departments and FBI specials agents from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C. to get a first-hand look at how gemological information can help them solve crimes.

The group was exposed to a broad range of gemstone topics, including how to use gemological tools (loupes, tweezers, microscopes); the Four C's of diamonds and what to look for in clarity, cut and color; synthetics, imitations and color treatments; the diamond industry and the Kimberley Process; field identification of colored stones; and how to read GIA grading reports.

Learning about the science and tools of gemstones is a priceless opportunity, according to Patrick Peys, of the Belgium Federal Police, an experienced gem detective and lead investigator of the 2003 Antwerp Diamond Center heist of nearly half a billion dollars in diamonds, cash and other valuables.

“There is a big difference between being an operational police officer and having knowledge about the product you’re investigating,” Peys said. “That kind of basic information might give you an advantage you otherwise would not have.”

Working with law enforcement officials is a very important aspect of GIA’s mission to protect the public trust, said Donna Baker, president and CEO of GIA. “It is imperative that we continue to work with these detectives and special agents on the front lines of fast-moving gem crimes.”

“The thieves communicate and coordinate across international boundaries – we need to do the same if we want to stop them. Giving law enforcement officials access to our resources and gemological information will help them close the net on those who steal from and take advantage of the public. This is a mission we are proud to share with law officers around the world.”

Law enforcement agencies and GIA have a long history of working together to solve gem-related crimes, said Tom Moses, senior vice president of GIA Laboratory and Research. “Our grading reports and inscriptions are the most effective ways to protect gemstones and information on thousands of them are stored in GIA’s database for future reference,” he said.

The database, started in the 1980s, has proved to be extremely useful for investigators, according to Daniel McCaffrey of the FBI’s New York field office. “It’s so significant to have this relationship with GIA and to have a starting point,” he said. “Literally hundreds and hundreds of stones have been recovered because of it.”

Ivy Cutler, records coordinator for the GIA Laboratory in New York notifies law enforcement officials when GIA identifies stolen gemstones and acts as a liaison during investigations. She was recently honored by the Jewelers Security Alliance for her efforts to recover stolen gems and educate law enforcement agencies about gemology.

“Gems are one of the most concentrated forms of wealth, and diamonds travel very quickly,” Cutler said. “It’s amazing how frequently the stolen diamonds flow back to GIA. The crime community is small, the crooks are very smart and a lot of the trade is unaware of what they are handling.”

The investigators added that meeting their counterparts from other countries was one of the best outcomes of the two-week seminar.

“I’m very involved in diamond investigations and as far as I know, GIA is the only organization that is really doing something to bring law enforcement officers together to educate them and get that network working,” Peys said. “For me, that’s very visionary.”

Bonanzle Up 2010 – Exploding Forward

Bonanzle Up 2010 – Exploding Forward
This is the Main National Event with the Bonanzle Team, including Founder/CEO Bill Harding.

Live!

August 7th, 2010 at the Four Points Sheraton in Kansas City, MO.

Arranged is a one day line of fantastic speakers, including none other than the baby’s daddy himeself, Bill Harding and Mr. John “ColderICE” Lawson.

You do not want to miss this event. So register now!

Registration fee is $25.00 on a pre-sale basis. After July 7th, the price goes up to $35.00. You will need to purchase a registration for each person attending. Each registration purchased, means one name badge and one seat at event. The full name and Bonanzle ID you submit with purchase will be on the name badge you receive at the event.

A secured room rate of $70.00 per night at the Four Points Sheraton for our attendees is available. They have extended the rate from 3 days before till 3 days after the event! There is a live link on registration page to secure your special room rate.

Dress is Business/Business Casual

Preliminary Schedule of Events:

Friday August 6th

Tanner's Bar (inside Sheraton) 7-12pm - Meet and Greet

Saturday August 7th

8:00 - 8:30 Registration and Coffee

8:30 - 12:00 Presentations

12:00 - 1:15 Lunch

1:15 - 5:00 Presentations

7-12 Bonanzle Night Life After Hours -- Location to Be Announced

Registration:
http://www.bonanzleboardroom.com/bonanzle-up-2010/

Questions?
info@bonanzleboardroom.com

Gold prices could hit $1,500

New York -- Gold prices, which touched a new high of $1,249 an ounce Thursday, are expected to head northwards on a "medium-term basis," reaching $1,338 to $1,550 levels, according to reports from Kitco and ScotiaMocatta, the global bullion banking division of the Bank of Nova Scotia.

Analysts say that even at current levels, investors in gold have already made a profit of approximately 7.92 percent, and that investor desire for physical gold will remain strong and will support higher prices.

In India, higher gold prices might prompt a pull back in consumer jewelry demand, analysts says, but with the Hindu holy day Akshaya Tritiya right around the corner, market reports also indicate that consumers have already begun purchasing large amounts of gold. Though the holy day is not until May 16, customers have been making their bookings in order to take advantage of the current price advantage. At press time, gold was trading at just under $1,240 per ounce.

According to tradition, starting a new activity or buying valuables, including gold jewelry, on the day of Akshaya Tritiya is thought to bring individuals luck and success.

Gold prices since January have primarily remained in the $1,000 and $1,100 range, but broke the $1,200 mark in early May and continue to climb.

Source

In case you haven't noticed,
silver is trading at a pretty high price also.

Featured Seller - Vianvi: Vintage Jewelry Showcase On Ruby Lane 03-11-10

If you are into really awesome vintage jewelry, you most certainly should check out Vianvi: Vintage Jewelry Showcase on Ruby Lane. Their items are not only absolutely beautiful, many are very unique. They carry estate diamond & gemstone jewelry, rings and vintage designer costume jewelry. They offer their items exclusively on Ruby Lane. Vianvi has been a RL member since January 2008.

Vianvi is a must see store if you appreciate fantastic jewelry pieces!

Click the titles below, they connect directly to the listing.

London Blue 3.33 ct Topaz & .88 ct VS Diamond Ring in 14k- Just Appraised at $3200 USD!


Rare 5-strand Angel Skin Coral & 14k Gold Bead Necklace



1.43ct Cushion-Cut Natural Fancy Yellow Diamond Engagement Ring



Art Deco 14k Designer Bangle with Genuine Rubies, Sapphires & Cultured Pearls - Appraised at $2850 CAD!



Rare Italian-Made Exquisite Natural JADEITE
and 4ct Diamond Necklace


About Vianvi: Vintage Jewelry Showcase

(Info gathered from Vianvi's Ruby Lane profile.)

We specialize in diamond and gemstone vintage and antique jewelry: rings, necklaces, bracelets etc fashioned from 10k, 14k, 18k and higher. You'll find sapphires, rubies, emeralds in our lovely pieces, along with more unusual stones like alexandrite, yellow canary diamonds, and pad sapphires. Besides fine jewelry from CARTIER and TIFFANY, we also carry a limited range of designer costume jewelry: Sherman, Schiaparelli, Caviness, Miriam Haskell, Weiss, D&E (Juliana) along with unsigned items.

All our gold items are tested via standard acid testing, even if stamped with a karat content, and all diamond jewelry is tested via our top-of-the-line PRESIDIUM Diamond & Gemstone Tester. Appraisals are available on many of our higher end pieces.

We are a mother (Viga) & daughter (Victoria) team i.e. Vi and Vi which makes us VIANVI. We opened our shop VINTAGE JEWELRY SHOWCASE, here on RUBY LANE, back in 2008. Since then we've serviced customers worldwide and some of their praise for our items and service is listed below for you to read so you can feel comfortable shopping with us. We are now looking forward serving them again, and gaining new customers worldwide at our newly opened shop at RUBY PLAZA. Please see the direct link to ViANvi: VINTAGE & CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIBLE JEWELRY above. You'll be able to purchase new or newer items there if that's what you want, along with other items we couldn't sell in our Ruby Lane shop. We hope you'll take the time to check us out there and bookmark both shops. And if you previously had some of our items on your wish list here at Ruby Lane and don't see them there now, check our RUBY PLAZA shop. Your Wish List item might be listed there now instead

Viga is the source of our designer vintage costume jewelry (Sherman, Schiaparelli, Hagler, Haskell, Weiss etc) but both she and Victoria are focused on fine jewelry ie. diamond and gemstone rings, necklaces, pendants, brooches & bracelets. Victoria specializes in diamond & gemstone rings and also sells loose diamonds and gemstones from her personal website, BUY GENUINE GEMSTONES . (Contact Victoria for further information on her gemstones for your jewelry projects).

Both of us are always attending estate sales, auctions, antique shows and other venues in search of beautiful jewelry. We're incorrigible shoppers and can't resist lovely pieces. We're always shopping with our customers in mind and try to find items you won't find elsewhere. So count on us to offer you the unique, the unusual. Join our growing list of happy customers who always tell us we carry the most beautiful, quality items at the most realistic prices.

Viga and Victoria are both regular contributors to the RUBY LANE BLOG.

Viga also writes 2 other blogs: Vianvi: VINTAGE & CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY and for those interested in Sherman jewellery, SHERMAN VINTAGE JEWELRY Blog located at Blogger. As well, she is the webmaster of 3 information sites that are focused on jewelry and collectibles. Just search GOOGLE for DESIGNER VINTAGE JEWELRY, BUY GENUINE GEMSTONES INFO and ViAnVi: Diamond & Gemstone Jewelry and Other Collectibles

One of the best parts about buying from us is that one of us, if not both, is always around to answer emails or questions about our beautiful jewelry.

We are based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada but have been selling to customers worldwide for months now via auctions, our personal websites and out of our home. We have developed a loyal customer base because of the quality of our jewelry, our customer service, our ability to respond quickly to all inquiries and as one customer has said, our "willingness to go the extra mile" for customer satisfaction.

On our high-end items, we are willing to offer LAY-A-WAY Just contact us and ask! And though we hate to do this, any PAY PAL PAYMENTS subject to small additional fee.

If possible, we prefer and encourage our Canadian customers to use INTERAC in preference to PayPal. Please enquire if you are unfamiliar with online INTERAC.

We invite any visitors from our local area in Hamilton/Niagara to view our jewelry in person at your convenience. For those out of our immediate vicinity, we are only an email or phone call away .... but please consider time zones!
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Be sure to check in with Vianvi soon and often!

JCK Las Vegas June 4-7, 2010

JCK Las Vegas is committed to providing the best, most comprehensive experience for buyers and exhibitors --- setting the jewelry industry standard for quality and choice in a secure, trusted environment. It's the best place to build and sustain relationships with all of the major suppliers as well as source the largest selection of jewelry, gems, timepieces and product line launches.

Show Information

Dates, Times and Location:

JCK Las Vegas Exhibits:
Friday, June 4 – Monday, June 7, 2010

Friday, June 4 9:30am - 6:00pm
Saturday, June 5 9:30am - 6:00pm
Sunday, June 6 9:30am - 6:00pm
Monday, June 7 9:30am - 4:00pm

Sands Expo & Convention Center / The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino - Las Vegas, NV


AGTA Exhibits:
Thursday, June 3 – Monday, June 7, 2010

Thursday, June 3 10:00am - 6:00pm
Friday, June 4 9:30am - 6:00pm
Saturday, June 5 9:30am - 6:00pm
Sunday, June 6 9:30am - 6:00pm
Monday, June 7 9:30am - 4:00pm

The AGTA GemFair™ Cultured Pearl & Jewelry Pavilion is located in The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino Grand Ballroom adjacent to the Sand's Convention Center.

Click here for new buyer qualifications.

Click here for more information and to register online.

Click here if you are interested in exhibiting.

Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show 2010

Show Times
June 3 - June 5, 2010: 11 AM to 7 PM
June 6, 2010: 11 AM to 4 PM

Ticket Prices
$15 for all four days

Opens 1 Day before the JCK Show!

**Trade Only**
Valid ID and Business Card Required for Entry

Located at:
MGM Grand Pavilion
MGM Grand Las Vegas
3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Click Here To Purchase Tickets Online.

Internet Retailer Names 2010 Top 10 Retailers

Internet Retailer has named the top 10 internet retailers for 2010 in their annual Top 500 Guide of the most successful internet retailers.

Number one is Amazon which reported $24.51 billion in sales in 2009, up almost 28% from the $19.17 billion sales in 2008.

Here are the Top 10 and their 2009 sales totals. Also included is the percentage of change over the previous year:

• 1. Amazon (AMZN): $24.51 billion, up almost 28%


• 2. Staples Inc (SPLS): $9.8 billion, up 27.3 percent


• 3. Dell Inc (DELL): $4.53 billion, down 6.2 percent


• 4. Apple Inc (AAPL): $4.25 billion, up 16.7 percent


• 5. Office Depot (ODP): $4.1 billion, down 14.6 percent


• 6. Wal-Mart.com (WMT): $3.5 billion, up 19.8 percent


• 7. OfficeMax (OMX): $2.78 billion, down 10 percent


• 8. Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD): $2.77 billion, up 3 percent


• 9. CDW Corp. (CDW): $2.47 billion, down 5 percent


• 10. Best Buy (BBY): $2.45 billion, up 20 percent

According to Internet Retailer, the Top 10 accounted for more than 45% of all U.S. online sales in 2009.

The Top 10 accomplished this by:

• Strong name recognition and brand awareness;


• Focusing their efforts on their most loyal customers last year;


• Offering large quantities of merchandise;


• Offering lots of discount deals and


• Providing a superior online shopping experience.

Amazon remains on the top due to their excellent customer service.

Customer Service - An Opportunity To Stand Out & Gain Repeat Business

An internet buyer enters a shop within a multi-seller venue. They see an item that catches their eye but they are unsure of the size offered so the buyer sends an email to the seller asking about the size.

It's not too long until this buyer gets a response from the seller. The buyer opens the email to read
In Part:

"The sizes are in the listing. Would you like me to put them in the titles?"

Of course the buyer is shocked at this response and wonders just what kind of seller would talk to them like that.

The buyer then writes back:

"I’m sorry that I asked about the sizes. You see I’m fairly new to the computer and at my age learning something new isn’t so easy. I didn’t realize that all I would’ve needed to do was to click on the picture of the product to see the details. It took one of my kids to point this out to me. You really must think I’m stupid but really I’m sorry."
---

In this case, the buyer was an elderly person with little computer experience and has never shopped online before. Of course the seller did not know this before they responded to the email. By keeping responses professional, this buyer would not have felt the need to explain the reason for their question.

After the email of explanation from the buyer, the seller changed their tune and acted much more civil than in their first response.

*********************************************When dealing with customers online, sellers never know who they are dealing with. It could be a youngster who is quite computer savvy, a middle aged person who knows their way around the internet fairly well or in this case, it could also be an elderly person who is learning their way around.

One thing is for sure when dealing with any customer online, the way a seller responds to an email can leave a lasting impression. Sometimes, that impression will cost the seller possible customers and sales.

Answering emails and other interactions sellers have with thier customers should never leave the buyer feeling stupid as they did in the above circumstance. The customer service a seller provides should always be courteous and professional.

Building a successful business online is hard work. You should put forth the same effort you would if you were running a brick and mortar business. To stand out from your competition and to keep buyers coming back emphasizing customer service will give you the edge. Keeping your customers happy will lead to loyal visitors of your site. Here are some things you can do to provide your customers with the best online shopping experience possible.

Tips for all online venues including multi-seller:

• Sell products that you know well. Selling products you know a lot about makes it easy to answer questions and to list the product with all pertinent information. Help your customers make educated purchases by providing as much information about each item as possible. Provide the best images of the product as possible. Picutres of various angles of the item are helpful to your customers. Include size, colors, weight and any features the item comes with to allow customers to know exactly what they will be getting when they buy something from your site.


• Provide great products at the best possible price. Some sellers believe in adding a free gift to orders. Our belief is that if you sell great products at the best possible price, your product will stand alone quite well. Added gifts may be a nice gesture but your customer may not even care for the item. Some sellers believe in constant sales promotions and coupons. We believe that if your prices are set at the best price possible, you will not need to do either. In fact, if you are not already overcharging your buyer before having a sale or offering a coupon, you would lose money. Another fact is, if you raise your prices before offering a sales promotion or coupon, you are operating against the FTC rules and guidelines. Giving every buyer the best possible price will create many repeat customers.


• Always provide what you promise and in the timeframe stated. If you promise customers something, whether it is a particular product, free shipping, fast delivery, a replacement item or whatever, make sure you do exactly that. Besides being against the FTC rules and guidelines, it also shows poor customer service if you do not do as you stated.


• Make communication easy. List your email, fax, phone numbers and any other contact information in places where shoppers will easily see them. If a "Contact" page is available to you, place your information there also.


• Establish credibility anyway you can. Many people, especially those new to buying things online, find it difficult to trust an online business. You should do everything you can to inform customers about you and your business. Provide addresses, photos, and honest customer testimonials, if available, to help build the trust of your customer base.


• Develop an informative email template. Templates can help ensure sure that all of your customers are getting essential information and the same level of service. Create basic templates that will allow you to add in individual responses to each customer as you need to. Personalize them to suit each customer and the item purchased such as, including their name, item title or other ways to further connect with the customer.


• Respond to emails and calls as soon as possible. Do not leave customers hanging or wondering what is going on. Answer inquiries as soon as possible. Create a fast and reliable system to respond to emails. Unless you have a part of your business dedicated solely to customer service, you’re going to have to figure out how to handle the emails that you get to provide your customers timely responses to their questions and orders. Create set times to check your email. Answer easier questions first rather than those that might require you to do some research, so that no one is ever left waiting too long for a response.


• Maintain a courteous, professional and caring attitude. Always be professional when dealing with your customers, but not so much that it seems that you don't care about the customer. Make sure your customers know that you genuinely care about their problems and concerns and that you want to provide them with fantastic service.


• Write emails carefully and thoughtfully. Emails make it very difficult to feel the tone and meaning behind even the simplest of statements. It can be challenging to diffuse a situation or resolve a problem with a customer. When writing emails, it’s best to stick with a polite, courteous tone. Doing so leaves little room for misinterpretation of what you are trying to say and exactly what you mean. Without seeing facial expressions, such as we do in person, it is tough to pick up on what is being said and /or the tone of the email.


• Learn how to listen well to customer needs. To find out what will satisfy your customers and make them happy, sometimes you just need to be quiet and really listen to what they are telling you. Pay attention to word choice, tone of voice and most importantly, how they feel about their experience. Use that information to make their shopping experience the best it can be.


• Always let you customers know that they are important. If you want to repeat business from your customers, communicate so that they know that they really matter to you and that their orders, no matter how large or small, are important to you. Listen to what they have to say. Be completely sincere in your appreciation of their business.


• Remember the importance of accommodating customer requests whenever possible. Try to accommodate special requests as much as you can. This can make a big difference in how buyers see you and your business.


• Always send confirmation emails. Whether automated or manual, when a customer places an order with you, always let them know that you’ve received their order and that you’re processing it. If you have an automated email sent upon receipt of an order, that should be sufficient. It is courteous to send an email when you ship the product. If you have all necessary information regarding times noted in your listings or your policies / terms of service, it is not necessary to send a notice of shipment but buyers seem to appreciate them. They like knowing the status of their purchase as much as possible. This may also help the customer to feel confident in purchasing from you.


• Keep customers updated. A big part of creating customer confidence is always letting customers know what is happening, even if there is some kind of problem that arises or if there is going to be a delay. Once again, if all of the shipping information, including timeframes is included in your terms of service, this does not need to be done by email unless there is a variance in the information provided and what is actually happening. Customers should never have to wonder about the status of their order, so send them emails, give them a call, and provide easy options if there is ever something out of ordinary happening with their order.


• Provide clear policies and terms of service. You can avoid many problems by clearly stating all of your policies, terms of service and anything else that could possibly be of concern to your customers. If a problem arises, the buyer will know what to expect from you. Doing so also protects both you and your customers.


• Ensure the security of all personal information. Many people fear that their personal information will not be secure when they place an order online. Ensuring that your site is secure can ease their fears. Let customers know about the security programs and etc. you have in place to protect their private information.


• Provide multiple payment options. Not all customers like the same payment services or options. You could lose sales because you only provide customers with one way to pay.


• AlWAYS thank your customers for their purchase in each email you send.


• Remember small touches say a lot. The little things are what customers will remember when buying from you, and they will set you apart from all of the other online retailers. For example, offer free gift wrap or send out handwritten thank you notes with each purchase.


• Try to exceed buyer expectations. Customers are pleasantly surprised when you exceede their expectations regarding customer service. It can be as simple as very fast shipping with packages arriving sooner than expected or going out of your way to produce a special order. Customers will remember the way they were treated and they will come back for more if you provide fantastic service.


• Follow up with your customers after the sale. Follow up with customers to see how they felt about their experience and make sure that problems have been resolved satisfactorily. This will open the door to communication and let your customer know that you truly care about them and appreciate their patronage.


• Try to always end sales on a high note. When a customer emails or calls you with a problem or concern, make sure the call does not end on a negative note. Try to keep communication positive by stating the things that you are doing to solve their issues instead of ending your call or email with an apology. Assure you customer that they can look forward to a good resolution.


• Always be completely honest with your customers. Never lie to your customers. Even if you feel like you are protecting your reputation, honesty really is the best policy. If you have made a mistake, be honest and upfront about the problem. Customers will appreciate the gesture and may realize that your business is trustworthy.


• Treat problems as an opportunity for your customer service skills to shine. Changing your attitude about customer compaints can be an opportunity to provide customer service at it's best. Working through issues can provide you the chance to prove to your customers what a great business you are running.


• Allow customers a choice of solutions. Sometimes you and your customer have different ideas as to what solution is best for the issues at hand. Give your customers options that may resolve the problem positively for them so they know you really care about serving their needs and resolving the issue amicably. If you ask what the customer feels is the best way to make them happy, may be the easiest way to reolve an issue.


• Never argue with your customers. Customers may not always be right, but as far as your business is concerned, they can make or break you. Do whatever it takes to fix whatever it is the customer is dissatisfied about.


• Apologizing can be the best resolve. Everyone makes a mitake from time to time. Take responsibility for any errors made by your company, even if they weren’t directly your fault. Sometimes the best way to fix a problem is simply to aplolgize. You should always apologize to customers for any errors on the part of your company. Customers appreciate a sincere apology.


• Do not try too hard and overcompensate. It is a good idea to give unhappy customers a little something extra to make sure they are satisfied but do not try too hard and overcompensate. Always remember to look professional in your dealings.


• Trust your customers, most are very honest. Most people are reluctant to complain. Trust your customers when they say they have a problem. They usually are telling the truth and are not just out to take something from you for nothing. By trusting your customers, they will likely become a loyal shopper when you help them to solve their issues.


• Don’t try to upsell to unhappy customers. Some business guides will tell you that you should use every opportunity to upsell customers. When a customer has had a negative experience with a purchase, they might be a little irritated if the same company tried to sell them something else while fixing the initial problem. Forget upselling and work on keeping your customers happy.


• Do not script customer service phone calls. If you offer phone support, do not use a script. Customers will become annoyed and it makes it difficult for them to get answers for their specific problem. Have some standard operating procedures on hand for common problems, but do not script entire conversations.


• Know when a customer needs to be sent to your competition. There are times when your business simply is not the best solution for some customers. While sending them to your competitor might cost you a sale, it can save you from having a dissatisfied customer.


• Focus on turning shoppers into customers, not sales. The long term strategy for your business should be more about building customer relationships than making individual sales. It is more difficult and takes a lot more time to attract new customers than it does to make repeat customers out of existing ones. Happy customers will be your best source of business.

Providing great customer service should be an essential part of your business.
Tips for your own website:

• Use a good, reliable hosting service. Your web host can influence customer service. Your host shoud keep your site reliable and fast loading. Be sure to go with a host that can easily handle the traffic coming to your site.


• Make your site easy to buy on. One reason people shop on the Internet is because it is easier and more convenient than driving to a regular store and waiting in line. To keep customers shopping on your site, you need to make it as easy as possible. Create your site so that buying is done with as few clicks as possible. Do not force customers to fill out needless forms just to place an order. Make your site buyer friendly so they don't give up and move on to another site.


• Assure ease of use for all customers. Before you launch your ecommerce site, make sure that it is set up to be as easy to use as possible. Allow the least computer savvy person you know to try your site and ask them to provide feedback.


• Provide a FAQ's section. There are usually some common questions that your customers will ask. Rather than making your customers ask these questions individually, create a page only for FAQ's so your customers can find the answers fast.


• Set up a live chat for customers to contact you. Chat on your site can provide easily accessible customer service. Chat allows customers to ask questions and to get information about their purchases without having to take the time to call or write and then wait for an answer.


• Prominently display a help button or link on your site. If a customer needs help, they shouldn't have to hunt all over your site to find a way to get help. Place the help button or link on every page of your site so your customers can get help at any step of their ordering process.


• Use the best shopping cart software available. Your shopping cart is the way you get paid, so get the best cart you possible can. Purchase a cart that will be easy and reliable for customers to use. It should also have a great support team to help you if a problem should arise.


• Track all orders carefully. Before you launch your ecommerce site, you should have a reliable way of tracking your orders from your storeroom all of the way to your customer. Most customers will eagerly await their arrival so they will want a way to learn when the item may arrive.


• Find the right people and assure that they are well trained. If you hire staff to provide customer service, be sure your employees will enjoy working with your customers and making their experience as good as possible. Your staff needs to be thoroughly trained and knowledgeable about your business and what you are selling. Your customer service representatives may be the only direct interaction customers have with your company. You staff should provide a positive experience for your customers.


• Create a rating system. Poviding a way for customers to rate their purchases and write reviews for other potential customers can be helpful to you and future customers. Hearing that other customers liked a product is often enough assurance for an undecided buyer to add the item to their shopping cart. Even negative feedback can help you if you use it to improve your products and / or service.


Go the extra mile for your customers. Make your business stand apart from all of the rest. Be willing to go farther to make a customer happy and perhaps create repeat business.

Black Hills Gold & The Vaudeville Musician

The above image is clickable for better viewing.
Heather, a travel blog reader, recently sent us an interesting email. She had been sorting through a collection of antique sheet music and other belongings that had been in her family for years.

Among them was an old poster dating back to the 1930’s or early 40’s. The poster was from the Black Hills Jewelry Shop, owned by E.O. Lampinen, and formerly located at 48 Sherman Street in Deadwood.

After a little digging and some help from the folks at the Deadwood Historic Preservation Center, we found out that the poster has quite the past. It belonged to a man named Frank Ernest, who as far as we can tell, was a traveling vaudeville musician.

Ernest, it seems, performed all over the country, including the once famous Gayety Theatre in Detroit. At some point during Ernest’s travels he made his way into the Black Hills and bought his wife, Sarah Ernest, some Black Hills Gold jewelry from E.O. Lampinen’s store.

Now Lampinen, you see, was one of the early pioneers of Black Hills Gold manufacturing and owned the store, but also the Black Hills Gold Manufacturing Company. As you can see on the poster above, most prices of Black Hills Gold jewelry at that time were in the $3 – $5 range.

On the back of the poster is a hand-written note indicating that Frank Ernest, the musician, spent a whopping $6 at Lampinen’s Deadwood store!

The details of Frank Ernest and his wife trail off after his purchase in Deadwood, but the story of E.O. Lampinen’s Black Hills Jewelry Shop continues. Years later, in 1944, Lampinen sold his business to an area entrepreneur named Ivan Landstrom. The sale included all tools, molds and equipment from the store and the manufacturing company.

Ivan Landstrom moved the business to Rapid City and created the now world-famous Landstrom’s Original Black Hills Gold Creations company. Fast forward about 50 years; in 1995 Landstrom’s acquired the F.L. Thorpe jewelry company, also of Deadwood.

Thorpe was one of the other original Black Hills Gold manufacturers and he and Lampinen were actually one-time business partners. The acquisition of the Thorpe company effectively made Landstrom’s the sole owner of all of the original Black Hills Gold designs.

Landstrom’s still operates in Rapid City and is open year-round for tours of the facility. Tours are given daily at 10:00 a.m and 1:00 p.m. If you go, be sure to ask about Lampinen, Thorpe and the others who helped make Black Hills Gold the unmistakable design that it is today.

********************************************
This wonderful article and graphic is reprinted with permission by the author, Joe Rainboth. Joe writes articles in the Black Hills Travel Blog. Our heartfelt thanks to Joe for graciously allowing us to share this wonderful article.

Joe is a resident of Spearfish, S.D. He grew up in the tall-corn state of Iowa, where he developed an early interest in all things outdoors. After high school he moved to Vermillion, S.D., where he earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising. During his college years, two things caught his attention: the beauty of western South Dakota’s Black Hills and a girl from those Black Hills. After graduating from college, Joe traveled across the country as a recruiter for the University of South Dakota. He saw the sights from Pittsburgh to Las Vegas and everywhere in between, but it was the Black Hills (and the girl) that kept drawing him back. He and wife moved back to the Black Hills in 2008. He's an avid hiker, mountain biker and road cyclist whose future plans include trying to fit a pair of kayaks into the spare bedroom.

Internet Retailer Conference And Exhibition 2010 - June 8 to 11

Hear the Nation's Top Retail Experts

The speaker roster for the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition 2010 represents the largest group of expert speakers ever assembled in online retailing. The 175 speakers at IRCE 2010 represent all industry segments that conduct e-retailing operations. Such diversity of speakers is one of the hallmarks of IRCE, and it explains why its conference agenda appeals to all players in e-retailing. Simply put, the IRCE agenda covers e-retailing from a wide variety of perspectives and shows bias toward none.

This year's Internet Retailer Conference keynote speaker is Imran Jooma, Senior Vice President and General Manager, E-Commerce, Sears Holdings Corp., who will discuss Sears' extensive e-commerce strategy, which includes not only web sites but also mobile commerce and a far-reaching social media effort. He will tell attendees how that approach prepares Sears for today's always-connected but careful spending consumer—and how that strategy will enable Sears to take market share in the new retailing world.

Featured Speaker Dennis McEniry will talk about how Estee Lauder took its premium worldwide beauty brand to 300 web sites in 29 countries with $100 million in annual sales and grew it to become Estee lauder's fastest growing sales channel and a major contributor of bottom-line profits.

Featured Speaker Geoffrey Robertson will discuss how the century-old auto-parts retailer Whitney Automotive became an Internet business as a way to shore up its fading prospects. Featured Speaker Tony Ellison will talk about how he leveraged the advantages of being a small online-only retailer to grow sales in the recession while his bigger office supply competitors were shrinking.

Largest Display of E-Commerce Technology

Propelled by such significant and steady growth of conference attendees, IRCE has always been the favorite show for e-commerce vendors, who know they will be exhibiting their solutions in a high-traffic exhibit hall. As a result, IRCE's exhibit hall has always boasted the largest display of e-commerce technology in the world with more booths than all other U.S. e-retailing events combined. IRCE 2010 will be no exception. Its 170,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall will house the exhibits of 375 e-commerce solution providers who collectively account for three-quarters of the e-commerce technology market, making the information available in the Exhibit Hall as compelling as that provided in the conference sessions.
Click Here For More information And To Register Online.

Decline In Loyalty For Many Consumer Goods Brands

comScore ARS Reports Decline in Loyalty for Many Consumer Goods Brands During Recession

Clear Evidence that “Trading Down” is Driven by Consumers’ Need for Cost Savings

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the March 2010 results of a study on brand loyalty among consumer goods products, showing a significant decline in consumers’ allegiance to their favorite brands during the past two years. The results of the study were presented by comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni at the Festival of Media conference in Valencia, Spain on Tuesday, April 20, 2010.

“A decline in loyalty to consumer goods brands is typically one of the byproducts of a recession as consumers give greater consideration to price,” said Mr. Fulgoni. “Research we’ve conducted at comScore ARS has quantified the impact of the ‘trading down’ effect within a number of different product categories, highlighting consumers’ increasing willingness to switch brands in the face of pocketbook constraints.”

Brand Loyalty Diminishes Across All Product Categories and Segments in Study

The study evaluated the change in brand loyalty within a number of consumer goods categories, including health & beauty aids, OTC medications, apparel, food, household products and housewares. As the economic downturn has continued, the percentage of shoppers who typically buy the brands they want most has steadily declined across the categories examined. In March 2010, less than 50 percent of shoppers reported purchasing the brand they want most.

In some categories, particularly CPG household products and housewares, consumers were already more likely to buy a brand they didn’t “want most” at the start of the recession. Some categories (e.g., paper towels, facial tissue) have not seen increased trading down from a brand perspective, possibly because such categories have led the way in tiering, allowing consumers to stick with their preferred brand at a more attractive price point. As the economic downturn has persisted, this trading down behavior appears to be spreading to categories that were previously immune (e.g. HBA, OTC). The increases in trading down in these categories have largely occurred in the last year. Higher ticket items have seen large increases in trading down possibly due to larger absolute savings on a single purchase.


As part of the study, U.S. consumers were also asked about the type of brand they did buy when not their preferred one, with a focus on the importance of promotional discounts and lower price in causing the shift.


For most categories, the drop in likelihood to shop for the brand wanted most is not restricted to buying other brands on sale. Rather, a sizeable percentage of the change in shopping approach is being driven by a decision to convert to less expensive brands to save money.

Mr. Fulgoni added: “Despite these shifting consumer dynamics, research has repeatedly shown that premium brands which invest in marketing and promotion activities aimed at maintaining buying at ‘preferred’ levels are able to minimize short-term erosion of share to less expensive brands and position themselves for a bounce-back when the economy improves.”

Update: Stolen Mail Report

We just contacted KELO, a local news station about a report they did this evening about our mail that disappeared in 2007. The reporter will be sharing our story sometime tomorrow.

The reason for the follow up is because the news station was led to believe that the mail theft victims got their stuff back when not everyone did. All we got was empty packages.

** Here is the link to our original story:

http://thereevesreport.blogspot.com/2010/05/where-do-missing-packages-go-mail-theft.html

** Here's the news report:

Stolen Mail Found Years After Being Sent

By Ben Dunsmoor
Published: May 5, 2010, 5:54 PM

SIOUX FALLS, SD - Thousands of people who sent a letter or package that never made it to its destination are now getting them back.

Last June, Michael Dallas Andersen of Garretson was sent to prison for stealing that mail. Andersen pleaded guilty to one count of stealing and opening mail last year. He admitted to taking the mail between 2006 and 2008. But it wasn't until after the case was closed that authorities found the more than 30,000 pieces of mail Andersen had stolen.

Packages are being returned to sender by the postal service, not because they had the wrong address but because they just found the mail that is nearly four years old.

"What we've been trying to do is find a way to get this mail back to its rightful owners," Pete Nowacki of the U.S. Postal Service said.

Officials with the Postal Service say Michael Andersen worked as a private contractor who would haul the mail from the Sioux Falls processing center to the airport. For two years, Andersen took thousands of parcels and stocked them away in an abandoned storage garage. Authorities didn't find the garage until this past February, eight months after Andersen was sentenced for the crime.

"There were materials that were being sent to somebody that had been separated from the package. So we've been doing what we can to sort of do a little bit of detective work trying to match this up and trying to make sure it gets back with the correct package," Nowacki said.

After finding the mail in February, federal investigators sifted through it, and now it is starting to be mailed back.

"The type of service we normally provide wasn't provided here and there's nothing we can do to make up for that, but what we can do is everything we can in our power to try and help people get some sort of closure, some sort of peace of mind that they know at least they've gotten their piece back. They know it's not out there missing somewhere," Nowacki said.

Andersen was sentenced last June to one year in prison and ordered to pay $2,600 in restitution.

KELO & this story

Latest UPDATE:

Today, KELO ran the update that included our packages that were caught in the mail theft that took place here, in Sioux Falls.

** Here's the report and a video:

Stolen Mail Returned To Woman

Posts By Ben Dunsmoor
Published: May 6, 2010, 6:12 PM


SIOUX FALLS, SD - A Sioux Falls woman is upset over her stolen mail that hasn't been returned. The mail in question was stolen between August 2006 and August 2008.

A couple of torn up envelopes is all Brenda Reeves has to show for the jewelry she sold on e-Bay two-and-a-half years ago.

"There I sat thinking, 'Gosh, I wonder what was in there,'" Reeves said.

The two small envelopes had fashion jewelry; as for this large package, she's still trying to figure that out.

"December of 2007. That's almost two and a half years ago. That's a long time," Reeves said.

The confusion started when the packages showed up on her doorstep this week. She wasn't expecting anything, but when she opened up the parcels and found ripped up envelopes and a letter from the U.S. Postal Service saying her mail was stolen two years ago, she was speechless.

"Wasn't too sure what to think and then I opened them and then I was horrified," Reeves said.

She wasn't just horrified that her mail was stolen, but that this case had gone on for more than three years and she didn't know anything about it until this week.

"Somebody got away with our merchandise and we had unhappy customers evidently because they didn't get their merchandise and I'm questioning why were we never contacted," Reeves said.

Michael Andersen was sentenced to one year in prison last year and ordered to pay $2,600 in restitution. But by looking at her torn up envelopes, Reeves thinks Andersen stole, stored and never delivered a lot more mail than that.

"If you've got 30,000 pieces of mail missing and I have three right here that had nothing in it, how many others didn't have anything in it?" Reeves said.

The Postal Service didn't find the garage where Andersen kept the mail until February of this year, eight months after Andersen was sentenced.

Officials say they're doing their best to match up items that were found in the garage with the empty packages that were also in the garage. But with 30,000 pieces of mail, it's a big job to take on.

KELO & this story



The comment about the number of packages and how many may be missing their contents was made in regards to the restitution that was set in the legal case in this story. It just seems like an awfully low amount considering how much merchandise this person likely made off with. How many others got nothing but empty envelopes or boxes back? How much should the restitution have really been set at?

Also, if the missing items are sitting in some bin somewhere in the USPS system, what are they going to do with it? They never contacted us to see what might have belonged in the packages. It doesn't seem like USPS did all that they could to match up the contents to the empty packages.

We will be contacting USPS about this situation to see what else may be done.

eBay Pulls Auction For Madonna's Personal Journals

eBay pulled a multi-million dollar auction for Madonna's personal journals and other Madonna related items at 10am Monday morning. TMZ reports that "a rep for the singer was able to convince eBay that "they" were the rightful owners."

The seller, a man who bought the collection at a blind auction for $150 at a Chatsworth, California storage facility, is rightfully upset.

The storage unit belonged to Melissa Crowe. Crowe was Madonna’s personal assistant from 1987 to 1996. In the storage unit was Madonna’s personal daily journals, from 1988 to 1992, an address book containing famous names, personal pictures of Madonna and her family, among other things. The items in the unit went up for auction when the storage fees went unpaid.

The collector who bought the Madonna items and then placed them on eBay listed them with a starting bid of $2.5 million for the whole lot.

In the description of the items on eBay, the seller stated:

"Today at a moving company, I bought some boxes that were owned by Melissa Crowe. She was Madonna Ciccone's (singer known as 'Madonna') assistant from the years 1987-1996 ... 17 binders/book on everything Madonna and Melissa did! I have not looked through each page, but there is a little of everything in them."

Crowe had gone on blogs making negative comments about the auction and telling people not to buy the items.

PopEater reports that Madonna's publicist, Liz Rosenberg, told them - "These are not Madonna's diaries."

Madonna’s personal daily journals, from 1988 to 1992.



A peek inside of one item.



Madonna’s address book



1959 - Baby Madonna and her family.