• Click here to learn what customization features will help you stand out from the competition.
• Click here to learn how to drive more traffic to your Store.

This Fall we are also teaming up with Janelle Elms, eBay University Instructor, to host a series of workshops on how sellers can enhance their eBay Stores. Upcoming workshops include:

Oct 25 - eBay Stores Basic Marketing
Focus: On-eBay tactics for buyer acquisition and retention (e.g. Cross-promos, Listing Frame, Email Marketing, About Me page, MyWorld, etc.) and how to measure Store performance through Sales/Traffic Reports.

Nov 1 – eBay Stores Advanced Marketing
Focus: Off-eBay tactics (e.g. RSS feeds, blogging) and advanced on-eBay tactics (HTML in Promotion Boxes, etc.)

For more information, go to the Workshop Calendar

July 2006 Fee Adjustments
As previously announced in Bill Cobb’s letter, as of 23:59:59 PT on Monday, August 21, 2006 we are making fee changes and listing visibility changes to eBay.com in an effort to rebalance the overall eBay marketplace. For more detailed information on these changes, please see our fee changes overview and Frequently Asked Questions. We have also compiled a seller resources page to help you better understand the impact to your business.

Introducing the Quick Store Tune Up
Optimize your eBay Store quickly by implementing recommendations that have been successful for other eBay Stores sellers. Use the Quick Store Tune Up to refine your eBay Store in minutes! Login to Manage My Store and then click on the Quick Store Tune-Up link in the Related Links section on the left navigation bar to access this feature.

New Resource Center for eBay Stores Sellers
We have redesigned the eBay Stores Resource Center to provide improved tools for both potential and existing Stores sellers. Here’s just a sample of the helpful resources available to you:

• Access information on Stores products and tools that will help you build, manage, promote, and track your Store
• Download our checklist for maximizing your Store’s success
• Check out a visual showcase of product features on the Anatomy of a Store page
• Review eBay Stores tutorials and audio tours

If you’re an existing eBay Stores seller, be sure to visit the main toolkit page at www.ebay.com/storesoverview to get tips on how to build, manage, promote, and track your Store. If you don’t have an eBay Store, learn more about this powerful ecommerce solution by going to www.ebay.com/stores page.

Update on Store Inventory Listings in Search Results
As noted in the March 28th Announcement Board post, the expansion of Store Inventory listings in search results will revert back to the way search worked in early February.

As you probably recall, in early February we started to include all Store Inventory listings within the main eBay search results. The main goal was to improve buyers' shopping experience by showing more listings. But in the few weeks since we launched this feature, it's become clear that it has had some unintended consequences.

So that we can better understand the impact to the marketplace, we plan to make search the way it was in early February, with up to 30 Store Inventory listings appearing when there are 30 or fewer Auction-Style or Fixed Price listings in a buyer's search results. Buyers who wish to broaden their search results with all Store Inventory listings, will still be able to do so by selecting a box in the Search Options area on the search results page. We will then further test and refine other options for providing more exposure to Store Inventory listings.

To learn more about this change, please see additional details on our FAQ page.

Store Categories Expand to 300 Categories
We recently expanded the Stores category navigation to 300 custom categories with up to three levels of categories and sub-categories. As an eBay Store owner, you get to decide how to set up your categories. For example, you could use your 300 categories to create all top-level categories, or you could create two or three levels of categories (e.g. 30 top-level categories with 5 subcategories each). This category expansion will allow you to create an extensive category structure that is tailored to the items you sell. Access this feature in Manage My Store, take a quick tutorial, or read the FAQ.

Introducing the Listing Frame
Store sellers are now able to include most of their Store category navigation in their listing description. We've combined this new functionality with the Custom Listing Header that previously added only a special version of the eBay Store header at the top of item descriptions. The combined options for displaying your Store header and category navigation in item descriptions will now be called the Listing Frame. The Listing Frame will be a simple, effective way for sellers to help buyers discover the full range of items available. Access this feature in Manage My Store or read the FAQ.

Update to Store Inventory Listing Durations
Because very few Stores sellers decide to have their listings run for 60, 90, or 120 days, we have removed these durations. Any Store Inventory listings that you're already running with one of these durations will not be affected. You will just not be able to list new items, or re-list closed items, at one of these durations once the change is made. Sellers will continue to have the ability to list items for longer durations, including 30 days or Good 'Til Cancelled (the listing will automatically renew itself every 30 days until it is sold or until you end it).

RSS Technology Expanded to eBay Stores
RSS, which is essentially short for "Really Simple Syndication", is a technology that makes it easy to see updated headlines from websites or pages that internet users like. eBay Stores sellers are now able to set up a "feed" that will send out a regularly updated summary of the most recently-listed items in their Store to people who subscribe to it. Learn more.

Special Offers for Stores Sellers:
30% Off ProStores Subscription
Build your own customizable web store at your own web address, independent of the eBay marketplace. ProStores is designed for small businesses who want to sell online through their own customized web store. eBay Stores subscribers are entitled to a 30% discount off the monthly ProStores subscription fee and a 30-day free trial! Learn more about this special offer.