Making videos to enhance your eBay listings

Remember this item from a couple of weeks ago about the bookseller who made a video for his book listing on eBay? The book sold for $379, and that's not even the best part. The video was so popular (more than 700 views) that the seller has expanded into producing videos for others.

What a great example of how good stuff happens to you when you work at being creative.

In case you missed it, the maker of the video, Brian Smith, added a comment to the previous blog post that includes tips for making your own videos:

Having briefly (and long ago) edited video at a small TV station, corporate voice work is what I do now. Books are a life-long passion. This video was just the bringing together of "talents" and resources. It's unlikely I'll compete too much with those who sell books for a living -- but it wouldn't be so bad to make videos for you pro sellers when the right titles come along.

Anyway, when making your own videos, the single best thing you can do is separate the shooting from the voicing and put the two together in editing.

Just write a script, shoot the video most anywhere while reading the script aloud, leaving a few seconds between shots. Then take the script into a bedroom or any well-damped room -- and with even a $30 mic and a little cable, you can get great results recording straight to your computer. There's a powerful and free-download audio editor called Audacity that will do all you need.

Even Windows Movie Maker can handle the editing. The first step is importing the audio and laying it down first. Then add the shots to match the narration.

Borders hires tech chief to battle Amazon

Borders is dropping its affiliation with Amazon.com and hired Susan Harwood to build its new bookselling site. Previously she had the same job (chief technology officer) at Books-A-Million.

For six years, Borders' site has been merely a branded version of Amazon, complete with third-party Marketplace items. Borders' new bookselling site is scheduled to open in early 2008.

Getting reimbursed for Amazon A-to-Z Guarantee claims

If you've been selling on Amazon for a while, you've probably received at least one dreaded A-to-Z Guarantee claim. This is the mechanism that enables Marketplace buyers to get their money back if they don't receive their merchandise, and the seller refuses to refund.

Sometimes, of course, the customer who files the A-to-Z claim has made a mistake. Often they've actually received their merchandise, and sometimes they receive it soon after filing the claim. Because of this, Amazon allows customers to withdraw their claim and have their card re-charged by responding to this language in the refund e-mail:

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Occasionally, we have found that the product eventually arrives after the claim is reimbursed. If you have received this order, please let us know by replying to this e-mail and placing an 'X' in the box below. If you are unable to place an 'X' in the box below, you are welcome to simply reply to this message and confirm that the merchandise has been delivered. Your confirmation of receipt will provide us with authorization to withdraw the claim and recharge you for this order.
*************************************

If only it were that simple. A reader, Lawrence, says it was a nightmare getting reimbursed by Amazon after a customer in Italy used this procedure to withdraw an A-to-Z claim for an expensive book. Lawrence had to write several angry e-mails before getting his money back. His story:

I sold a book to a nice Italian fellow and shipped it out the same day. Eleven weeks later, the customer reported to me he had not received the book. He filed a claim about 10 days later, and I refunded his money (about $40).

Last week the customer sent me an e-mail stating the book finally arrived, and he was very happy with it. He replied to Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee e-mail (and CC'd me) and put the "X" in the box to authorize recharging his credit card. Very honest fellow!!

Several days later I inquired with Amazon.com to ask when I should expect the money in my account. They stated that the customer, while acknowledging that he had received his book, had to authorize the recharging of his card by "calling" their 800 number customer service line. I replied with the copy of the e-mail he had sent me.

I got stonewalled for another week by the Amazon reps. I continuously sent messages to every avenue possible on the Web site and through email, specifically pointing out that the customer had already given permission when he first replied to them. Finally, a third or fourth rep finally wrote to me stating that I would receive my money.

Here's the subtle e-mail that finally dislodged the funds from Amazon:

GREETINGS:

I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE WRITING TO YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN. I POINT OUT THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY SET UP A PROCEDURE TO RECHARGE MR. [DELETED]'S CARD THROUGH THE E-MAIL PROCESS, OF WHICH THE CUSTOMER ALREADY INITIATED. I DID NOT INVENT YOUR "PROCEDURE". NOW YOU ARE TELLING ME HE HAS TO CALL AMAZON.COM PERSONALLY BEFORE YOU WILL CHARGE HIS CARD? THAT IS NOT WHAT I READ IN THE E-MAIL THAT HE SENT BACK TO YOU, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST OF HIM. BY MARKING THE "X'', HE AGREES TO ALLOW YOU TO CHARGE HIS CARD. NOW, AM I JUST PLAIN IGNORANT, OR ARE YOU INVENTING, ON THE FLY, A NEW REQUIREMENT? I DO NOT SEE WHY I NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY OF THIS.

THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS.

Before hearing this story from Lawrence, I hadn't known that buyers could easily have their card re-charged for the purchase amount. That seems to be a good reason to send all customers who claim non-receipt to A-to-Z first, instead of refunding directly. Unless, of course, Amazon has inserted some hidden requirement into this process, such as the customer having to "call" an 800 number. (Lawrence also suspects that a language barrier with the Amazon reps might have contributed to the confusion.)

Academic says used textbooks are cause of high prices

With college students headed back to class, there's more grumbling than ever about high prices for textbooks.

Some colleges are building online trading systems for students to swap textbooks. That could cut into our business, since many students buy an extra book or two while they're buying textbooks.

And here's another "solution" that threatens to cut us out of the loop: Site licenses for textbooks:

Just as software companies typically “site license” to colleges, so should textbook publishers. Here’s how it would work: A teacher would pick a textbook, and the college would pay a negotiated fee to the publisher based on the number of students enrolled in the class. If there were 50 students in the class, for example, the fee might be $15 per student, or $750 for the semester.

It's an interesting idea, but I wonder if the professor is suffering from ivory tower syndrome. Publishers already have students locked into buying textbooks for $120 a pop. What incentive do they have to rent the textbooks for $15?

Amazon tightens policy on seller nicknames

Amazon announced this new policy for seller nicknames to be enforced starting September 5:

Nicknames are meant to provide internal branding for your account on Amazon.com. However, a number of accounts are currently using nicknames for external branding. Using an email address or website URL address (or any variation of either) in your seller nickname is against our community rules. Effective immediately, we are monitoring for these violations.

If you are violating this policy, please change your nickname by September 5. Accounts that do not comply by this deadline will risk suspension.

Thank you for your help in continuing to improve Amazon.com for buyers and making it the preferred marketplace for sellers.

What community rules are being violated?

• Do not divert transactions or buyers. Any attempt to circumvent the established Amazon.com sales process or to divert Amazon Marketplace participants to another Web site or sales process is prohibited. For example, sellers are prohibited from including e-mail addresses or any other reference to an external website in listing comments.

• Advertisements. Listings that are intended wholly or mainly as "portals" to commercial or private Web sites for the purposes of advertising, or that offer contact information for non-Amazon.com transactions, are prohibited. Links to outside Web sites intended to sell items--particularly those with non-Amazon.com ordering tools or information--are prohibited. Promotional logos to credit outside services are prohibited.

These community rules are located on this Help page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=537780

How do I know if I am in violation?

You are in violation if you use any of the following in your nickname or listings.

• Domains. Examples: “com”, “ca”, “net”, …
• URL/email symbols. Examples: “www”, “@”, …
• Names for URL/email symbols. Examples: “dotcom”, “dtcom”, “atdotnet”, ...
  

Who is impacted?

• All sellers, large and small, will be included in this cleanup and will be treated equally.

What should I do if I need to change my seller nickname?

• If you need to change your nickname, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible so you will have a greater chance of claiming your preferred nickname.
• Change your seller nickname prior to September 5 to avoid risk of suspension.
• Steps for changing your nickname:
1. Go to your Seller Account page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/management/your-account.html/
2. Click “Edit your seller settings.”
3. Next to your nickname, click the “Edit” button.
4. Enter your new nickname, and click the “Submit” button.
5. In most cases, changes will appear live on the website within 24 hours.

Amazon unveils new aStore features

Amazon sent this message to members of its Associates program:

The Amazon Associates team is excited to announce a great new set of aStore features! Since the launch of aStore last summer we have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm you all have for the tool. Thanks for your feedback and suggestions so far, and please keep it coming since we are basing our new releases on your feedback!

New aStore Features

With the release of our latest features we have increased your ability to customize your aStore while keeping it easy to use. Some of our newer features include:

• Access to every Amazon.com category and subcategory for automatically populating your product categories – If Amazon.com has created a group for it, such as Biographies of Frank Sinatra, you can create a category page to automatically pull in those products and organize these categories however you like.
• Unlimited category/subcategory nesting – Create as many levels of product categories and subcategories as you like, and populate the products in each category by Amazon best-sellers, hand-picking them, or importing a Listmania list.
• Build your own category navigation – Advanced users can take integration with their existing websites a step farther by hiding the aStore category navigation and building their own directly within the core site navigation.
• CSS control – Advanced users can also now directly edit the stylesheets for their stores, and share those with others.
• aStore Widgets – Advertise your store to your site visitors using these new banner links, and increase your aStore traffic.

aStore Examples

Since you are either a current user of aStore or our records show you have created one in the past, we also wanted to provide two examples of successful aStores. Both of them have done an excellent job of integrating the aStore with their primary website by selecting and categorizing products related to its content and using the Color and Design tools to match the look and feel. As you build new and modify existing aStores, these examples may be useful to reference.

The Typepad Bookstore: http://books.typepad.com/store/
HDTV and Home Theater Guys: http://htguys.com/shop.php

Log in to Associates Central today to take advantage of these and other new features! We would love your feedback on your experience with them and other things you would like to see added to aStore in the future. Keep in mind that you can build up to 100 aStores with the same Associates account!

Thanks for participating in the Amazon Associates program,
The Amazon Associates Team

How to use online video to sell a book

Several weeks ago eBay began allowing the use of video within auction listings. I didn't pay much attention until I saw this listing.

Here's the video. The link is about midway down the page.

Now that's a great way to sell a book online. I was curious, though -- the video is so professionally done, I thought it had to be made by a company that specializes in online videos. But I couldn't find anything to identify the company that produced it.

My friend Jane e-mailed the eBay seller to ask about this. It turns out he did the video himself using a cheap camera and his own microphone. Online bookselling is his hobby, and his "real" job is doing voice-overs.

Pretty cool.

There's no way you could justify the hassle of making a video for every run-of-the-mill book. But for a collectible like this, I think it's well worth it.

Bookseller solves mystery of Postal Service black hole

This story was so funny I had to steal it. It was posted by hardybooksellers here on the Amazon sellers discussion board:

Today at the post office I brought in four books to mail. As I gave the clerk my money, he knocked the books on the floor that he had stamped and placed on the shelf next to his station.

When he picked them up there were only three. At first I didn't say anything but when he gave me my change I got worried because he never picked up the 4th book. I figured it was still on the floor and he was going to step on it so I said; "by the way one of the books is still on the floor." He said, "nope, I picked them all up."

I said "wait a minute, I mailed four books there are only three books on the shelf." He said, "No you only mailed three books." By now am am wondering if I am cracking up, fortunately I had the receipt in my hand so I showed him that indeed four books were posted.

He said, "Well, I'm sure it will turn up!" By then I am leaning (all 5 feet 2 inches of me) over the counter trying to see where my book went. I was not in my happy place! A supervisor came over to see what was going on and lo and behold, there was my book, IN THE TRASH CAN - next to his work station!

So what could have been one of lifes great mysteries was solved before it even happened. I hope that they move the trash can and trash the postal worker!

This is a true story, I could never make up something this crazy!!!!!!!

Q&A: Should I boycott a cherry-picked book sale?

QUESTION: One of my favorite library sales is now posting a notice that they have an arrangement to sell books online through a private vendor. Have you experienced this before?

Are these sales still worth going to, or will all the resellable inventory already be cherry picked?

ANSWER: I haven't personally run into this situation where a library is selling some of its books online, at least not that I know of. But I've certainly suspected it. And I've been hearing it's becoming more common across the country.

You can bet that most of the good stuff will have been cherry picked from a sale like this. The vendor is probably snagging everything worth most than $10 or $20 and listing it online, while people who attend the sale are left with the duds.

This can murder your profitability. Often I find that one or two of the books I get from a sale bring in half the revenue for that batch of books, sometimes more. Your chance of finding one of those rare gems after a big dealer has gone through the stock aren't good.

Definitely look for an alternative sale if you can find one. And if it's a Friends of the Library group that that's sponsoring this particular sale, you might want to let them know you won't be attending since they've already sold most of the goodies. And that you would have bought a lot of books.

Sometimes the culprit is a local dealer who gets a special deal with the FOL. And sometimes it's a company that specializes in handling used sales for libraries. Check out these two ads on the FOL home page:


I guess if the FOL can outsource some of this labor and generate more cash at the same time, it's a tempting solution for them. Any other thoughts? How commonplace are cherry-picked sales these days?

Here's how to cut your inventory costs to the bone

Just think how much more profitable your online bookselling business could be if you didn't have to pay for your inventory. A man in Denver had this same idea, but the way he went about it wasn't very nice.

Thomas Pilaar, 33, was suspected of using different names to obtain seven library cards from the Denver Public Library, then checking out 300 items per card and selling at least some of the items, according to reports."It appears his intent was to sell 2,100 (items) from the Denver Library collection," Denver Public Library spokeswoman M. Celeste Jackson told said. She estimated the losses at about $35,000.

Amazon developing 'Flexible' payment service

Amazon is testing something it calls Amazon Flexible Payments Service to compete with PayPal, Google Checkout, and similar services. At Web sites where FPS is installed, customers will be able to use their Amazon login and password to make payments.

Here's more from Amazon's technology chief, and the developers' forum.

Amazon will supply free books to customer reviewers

Starting August 15, you'll have a new way to get free reads:

http://www.weberbooks.com/2007/08/amazon-will-supply-free-advance-copies.html

NYT: A Writer Finds the Rare Lives of Two Rare-Book Dealers Worth Singing About

Here's something well worth reading from the New York Times.

“Bookends” tells the true story of Madeleine B. Stern and Leona Rostenberg, rare-book dealers in New York who for more than half a century were institutions among the bibliophiles of the city and beyond.


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