Value Added Resource Week In Review 12-18-22

Welcome to the Value Added Resource ecommerce news week in review!

eBay News

In an interestingly timed Fortune op-ed, eBay CEO Jamie Iannone says he regrets supporting the American Rescue Plan and lobbies for increasing the 1099-K reporting threshold.

Is eBay really championing small business or are they simply concerned about increasing compliance costs and losing sellers?

eBay CEO Jamie Iannone Regrets Support For American Rescue Plan

eBay CEO Jamie Iannone lobbies to increase 1099-K threshold, citing impact on small sellers in Forbes op-ed.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

eBay emailed Motors Parts and Accessories sellers with a sneak peek at a new program that will provide eBay-paid return labels for fitment issues starting January 17, 2023.

eBay Brings Free Returns For Car Part Fitment To US

eBay will cover return shipping cost of some Parts & Accessories returns starting January 17, 2023.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

The eBay For Business podcast this week was all about Google Shopping optimization and best practices. I wonder if that means an official launch of eBay Offsite Ads beta Cost Per Click program might be "coming soon"?

eBay Google Shopping Optimization Best Practices

The eBay for Business Podcast tackled Google Shopping best practices this week - here’s what they had to say!

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

eBay is running a Holiday Hustle sweepstakes contest, but curiously it's exclusive to Facebook.

eBay Runs Holiday Hustle Sweepstakes On Facebook

eBay is running a holiday sweepstakes contest for sellers, but curiously it’s exclusive to Facebook.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

Speaking of the holidays, scalpers snatched up limited edition Philadelphia Eagles charity album A Philly Special Christmas and are reselling it on eBay for 5x the price or more.

Bah, humbug to the scalpers and to eBay for enabling them! 👎

eBay Scalpers - The Grinch That Stole A Philly Special Christmas?

Philadelphia Eagles fans disappointed scalpers snatch up Christmas album, resell on eBay for 5x price or more.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

Updates:

After sellers questioned if eBay's free year of Quickbooks offer was a bait and switch, eBay community staff says there was a "technical issue" and sellers should contact support to receive the "proper link" for the offer.

Are eBay & QuickBooks Pulling Bait & Switch On Free Year Offer?

eBay sent sellers an offer for 1 year of QuickBooks Online free, but some question if it’s a bait and switch scheme.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

A seller that has been violating eBay's presale policies and the FTC 30 Day Rule is still at it almost a year after we helped one defrauded buyer receive a "courtesy refund."

eBay still refuses to take action, making them complicit in the ongoing fraud.

Is It Time For The FTC To Get Tough On eBay Presales?

eBay often turns a blind eye to sellers who violate presale policies & FTC 30 day mailing rule - is it time for tougher regulatory enforcement?

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

Etsy News

A New Hampshire man has been charged with smuggling sensitive equipment that may be used for weapons systems to Russia, allegedly using an Etsy business run by his wife as a front to legitimize the high shipping volume to and out of their home.

It's not clear if the shop was used directly in the scheme or just provided cover, but either way, Etsy could have avoided the embarrassment of having their brand splashed across the headlines by simply enforcing their own policies about reselling and gift baskets. 🤦‍♀

Etsy Store Used For Front In Alleged Russian Smuggling

New Hampshire man charged with smuggling sensitive equipment to Russia allegedly used Etsy store as front.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

CEO Josh Silverman is pushing lawmakers to increase federal support for caretakers and pass the INFORM act to fight fraud.

Etsy CEO Lobbies For Caretaker Support, INFORM Act

Etsy CEO Josh Silverman pushes lawmakers to increase caregiver support & pass the INFORM act to fight fraud.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

Etsy-owned musical instrument marketplace Reverb is holding auditions for a new rockstar Chief Financial Officer as CFO & Head of Strategy Kevin Drost announces he'll be leaving at the end of the year.

Etsy-Owned Music Marketplace Reverb Loses CFO Kevin Drost

Reverb Chief Financial Officer & Head of Strategy Kevin Drost announces he’ll leave company at end of the year.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

Etsy took a look back as 2022 winds to a close, but sellers were disappointed they were unable to access their own personal year in review reports without using the Etsy app.

Etsy Insights 2022 Seller Year in Review

Etsy is taking a lookback at 2022, but sellers say they can’t access their individual year in review reports.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

Other Ecommerce News

Amazon is updating return shipping corrections policy for seller fulfilled orders in what could prove to be a bad buyer's dream for sticking it to sellers on returns.

Amazon Sellers Stuck With Return Shipping Correction Charges

Amazon seller-fulfilled return shipping correction policy update - sellers concerned about risk of bad actors.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

And finally, the Postal Regulatory Commission has released their Report on Rate Increases for Market Dominant Products, largely dismissing lawmaker concerns about authority for rate hikes and saying the system is "working as intended."

USPS Regulators Dismiss Concerns About Rate Increases

PRC Report on USPS rate increases dismisses concerns about price hikes, says system working as intended.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton ~ Founder

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