Online Returns: 1 in 4 Big Brand Retailers Charge For Returns

Posted on October 13, 2022 by - E-commerce

man returning online purchase

The days of free online returns may be numbered according to a recent report published by the post-purchase and customer experience company ParcelLab. The report suggests that 25% of the UK’s biggest online retail brands are now charging customers for returns. This figure represents a 14% increase from the previous year. According to the report, retailers not offering free returns charge an average of £3.53 per return and take approximately nine days to refund the purchase. Is It Becoming More Difficult to Return Online Purchases? It’s important to remember returns aren’t going away anytime soon (ever). Distance selling regulations in the UK demand the right to return goods for any reason. What is changing is the way retailers manage their… Read more »

Could Air Freight By Amazon Solve Logistic Problems This Christmas?

Posted on October 12, 2022 by - Amazon

When it is critical that products land on time, air freight offers a more convenient and expedited route to market than shipping by sea. But isn’t air freight prohibitively expensive? Amazon Global Logistics wants to change this perception. With the holidays fast approaching, the last thing a retailer needs is a delay in stock arriving at its warehouse. When sourcing and shipping goods from manufacturers in Asia to fulfilment centres in the UK, EU, and the US, there are so many unforeseen issues that can prevent items from arriving in time it can be difficult to plan your seasonal sales activities accurately. When the unforeseen happens and shipments are delayed, retailers either risk losing out to competitors already holding stock… Read more »

Amazon Air Freight

Podcast: The Secret Diary of a Side Hustle: How I Find Great Products to Sell on eBay and Amazon

Posted on October 11, 2022 by - Frooition

Microphone

Like many other eBay and Amazon sellers, Vanessa McDowell’s online business can best be described as a side hustle. But what make’s Vanessa’s story so fascinating is her adoption of sophisticated sales tools. She’s also unafraid of the kind of hustle small and large sellers need to commit to stay relevant and sell more online. In this episode, Vanessa explains how she built her side hustle business around her existing family and work commitments and how she researches markets to reduce the risk when buying stock. She also shares her experience sourcing stock from China and how FBA changed her life as a seller.

Still In Love With eBay (Without The Aid of Rose-Tinted Glasses)

Posted on October 6, 2022 by - eBay

It’s been just over a year since I returned to the world of online marketplaces as the head of marketing for Frooition, an eCommerce design and optimisation agency with its roots firmly bedded in the eBay ecosystem. My first day “back in the office” was spent at the eBay Open event in Manchester. After more than a decade away, I was keen to see how the marketplace space had evolved and wasn’t disappointed. I met and was re-introduced throughout the event to some of eBay’s most inspirational sellers. I was reminded that there is often a tremendous entrepreneurial story behind the most successful eBay businesses. In many cases, eBay provided an accessible and sustainable route to creating an income that… Read more »

Man wearing heart shaped glasses

eBay Partners With FedEx to Simplify Shipping for Sneaker Sellers

Posted on September 30, 2022 by - eBay

eBay has announced a partnership with FedEx to simplify the process of selling authenticated sneakers on its US marketplace. Starting in October, eBay will enable sneaker sellers using the sneaker authentication service to print a FedEx shipping label to ship their sneakers to authentication centres free of charge. When sneaker sellers use this free service, they will also benefit from loss and damage protections if anything goes wrong during the first leg of shipping to the authenticator. Free FedEx Shipping Labels Free labels can be printed at your home or workplace using eBay Labels from your desktop or the eBay app. If you don’t have access to a printer, eBay Labels can automatically email you a QR code which can… Read more »

Could Amazon Ship to Seller Storage (STS) Solve Your Global Sourcing Problems?

Posted on September 29, 2022 by - Amazon

When margins are tight, retailers need to look for operational efficiencies in their businesses to drive profits. The ability to source products in bulk from overseas markets is an obvious opportunity to cut unit costs. However, the upfront investment in stock, logistical costs, and lengthy timescales can make sourcing products in large volumes seem unattainable to many sellers. For many smaller businesses, global sourcing can be a complete leap of faith, resulting in many lost nights of sleep until their goods are safe and sound in their warehouse and available for sale. With large sums of cash tied up in products that may be months away from retail, trust is a major issue. So what if we told you there… Read more »

eBay UK Seller Update – September 2022

Posted on September 28, 2022 by - Frooition

eBay UK’s September 2022 Seller Update delivers new features and tools designed to help sellers run their businesses, solidify their brands, and build connections with buyers to encourage repeat purchases. The online marketplace has also updated its guidance for sellers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding compliance with safety, health, and environmental regulations now that the UK has left the European Union. Adding Video to Your Storefront and Listings eBay sellers can now create a more engaging experience for their buyers by adding video to their eBay storefront and eBay listings. eBay has highlighted how sellers should use video across two different areas: Storefront: eBay suggests that it is often the story behind a business that makes the sale.… Read more »

Prime Early Access Sale: Amazon to Give Black Friday a Run For Its Money

Posted on September 27, 2022 (Updated September 29, 2022) by - Amazon

If you are an online retailer and think you’ve still got time to start thinking about the Holidays, think again. Amazon has completely torn up the traditional holiday marketing calendar and left online retailers scrambling to catch up. Amazon is planning to take advantage of the news that consumers plan to shop earlier than ever this holiday season by pre-empting the busy Black Friday sales period with a second Amazon Prime event. The online retailer and marketplace has announced it’s Amazon Prime Early Access Sale will run from October 11-12, 2022, some six weeks before the traditional Black Friday sales event. What Will Be On Offer? During the sale, Amazon will promote a list of the Top 100 of the… Read more »

Online Booksellers: France To Introduce Minimum Book Delivery Fee

Posted on September 23, 2022 by - Amazon

The French government is set to introduce a new law imposing a €3 minimum delivery fee on online book sales. The law, which covers books costing less than €35, is designed to protect independent online booksellers from competition from large online sellers, including Amazon and Fnac. Existing laws prevent online booksellers from offering free shipping on books. However, until now, retailers like Amazon have largely circumnavigated this law by offering 1-cent delivery. Meanwhile, independent booksellers in France typically charge upwards of €7 for book delivery. Online shoppers cannot avoid the €3 minimum charge by bundling books with other products or participating in customer loyalty programmes. However, online booksellers will still be able to offer 1-cent delivery on orders more than… Read more »

How Online Marketplaces Are Dominating The eCommerce Landscape

Posted on September 22, 2022 by - Amazon, eBay

As you would expect in any high-tech industry, the eCommerce landscape is a rapidly evolving space. Unfortunately, the speed of change often means that the “next big thing” can be with us one minute and then gone the next. This can make it difficult for online retailers to prioritise where they should invest their efforts. So, if you struggle to understand where items like cryptocurrency payments or an investment in the metaverse sit on your list of priorities, you’re not alone. But what would you say if we told you that the next big thing in eCommerce was something you are already very familiar with? The Future of eCommerce Looks A Lot Like eBay and Amazon With many retailers viewing… Read more »