Value Added Resource Week In Review 8-6-23

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

eBay News

eBay is actively hiring for new Global GM Sneakers & Streetwear, a role currently held by Garry Thaniel.

Is eBay hoping new leadership can reinvigorate this flagship focus vertical that has struggled since reintroducing selling fees and charging buyers shipping to try to monetize the program?

eBay Looks For New Leadership For Sneakers & Streetwear

eBay on the hunt for new Global GM Sneakers & Streetwear to reinvigorate category as vertical focus strategy evolves.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Registration is now live for eBay Open 2023 virtual seller conference. Check out highlights from the agenda and start your planning now!

eBay Open 2023 Registration & Agenda Now Live!

Registration for eBay Open 2023 is live - check out highlights from the agenda & start your planning now!

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Get a first look at eBay's new Ad Rate Forecasting tool, announced as "coming soon" in the eBay Summer 2023 Seller Update.

eBay Rolls Out Promoted Listings Ad Rate Forecasting Tool

Get a first look at eBay’s new Promoted Listings Ad Rate Forecasting tool!

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

It was another "magical" week of technical issues on the platform with eBay search once again completely broken with searches showing zero results for popular keywords where there should be hundreds of thousands of items for sale.

eBay’s Magical Meltdown Breaks Search, Returns Zero Items For Sale

eBay search broken again, returning 0 items for sale - is this CEO Jamie Iannone’s magical tech-led reimagination at work?

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Some sellers were also alarmed by a glitch that caused USPS labels purchased directly from eBay to be flagged as counterfeit postage.

Sellers Alarmed By eBay Counterfeit USPS Label Glitch

Sellers alarmed after USPS shipping labels purchased directly from eBay flagged as counterfeit postage.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

And a Promoted Listings Express bug is preventing some sellers from being able to advertise their auction listings.

eBay Promoted Listings Express Bug Prevents Advertising Auctions

Some eBay sellers report bug in Promoted Listings Express for auctions is preventing them from advertising listings.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Updates

Authentication workers who voted to form a union at eBay-owned trading card marketplace TCGPlayer held a press conference this week calling out the company's anti-union activities and refusal to come to the bargaining table.

TCGUnion-CWA also filed two new complaints the the National Labor Relations Board naming both eBay and TCGPlayer in allegations of Refusal to Bargain/Bad Faith Bargaining, Refusal to Furnish Information, Repudiation/Modification of Contract and Coercive Statements (Threats, Promises of Benefits, etc.).

eBay TCGPlayer Union Slams Company’s Anti-Union Activity

TCGUnion-CWA plans press conference & petition action to call out eBay TCGPlayer’s anti-union activity & refusal to bargain.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

While eBay has still declined to publicly provide any information or answer any direct questions about recent sudden drops in Promoted impressions, a high volume seller in the UK says the eBay ads team confirmed there was in fact a test being conducted that lowered impressions.

Did eBay Promoted Listings Test Tank Impressions July 18?

eBay sellers scrambling for answers to sharp drop in Promoted Listings impressions - could item page testing be to blame?

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Other Ecommerce News

Etsy bowed to public pressure on Payment Reserves, promising to make changes to the policy after scathing media reports in the UK and US.

Was it a good faith effort to "keep commerce human" or just a last ditch attempt to head off scrutiny ahead of Q2 2023 earnings report?

Etsy Bows To Pressure On Payment Reserves Ahead Of Earnings

Etsy makes last ditch effort to head off Payment Reserve scrutiny ahead of Q2 2023 earnings call.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Active buyers reached a new high but sales remained flat for Etsy in Q2 2023, with weak Q3 guidance raising concern about softening demand.

Etsy Hits Active Buyer Record, Sales Remain Flat in Q2 2023

Etsy active buyers reach record high, sales remain flat in Q2 2023 as weak guidance for Q3 raises concern of softening demand.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Etsy also continues to test new ways to direct buyers to competing listings with experiment that turns seller provided titles into links back to search similar items.

Etsy Test Links Titles Back To Search For Similar Competing Items

Etsy continues testing ways to direct buyers to similar competing items, turns titles into clickable links back to search.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

Walmart is stepping up the competition against eBay Refurbished by introducing Walmart Restored Premium promising 1 year warranty and 90%+ battery life for refurbished items from qualifying sellers.

Walmart Restored Premium Takes On eBay Refurbished

Walmart steps up competition against eBay Refurbished with Walmart Restored Premium promising 1 year warranty & easy returns.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

And finally, BigCommerce is playing catch up with rival Shopify, announcing new AI-powered ecommerce tools coming later this year through partnership with Google Cloud.

BigCommerce & Google Cloud Partner On AI-Powered Ecommerce Tools

BigCommerce is playing catch up with rival Shopify, announcing new Google Cloud AI-powered ecommerce tools.

Liz Morton ~ FounderValue Added Resource

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