eBay Certified Provider Fair Increases Awareness of Tools and Services for eBay Sellers

eBay held its fifth Certified Provider Fair at the eBay Customer Support center in Salt Lake City, UT, on Thursday, February 26th. The purpose of this event is to expose Customer Support employees at eBay to the software and services available to the eBay Community from external eBay partners qualified to be an eBay Certified Provider.

Over 300 eBay employees attended and viewed product demos, discussed each solution and relayed ideas and feedback on what their eBay sellers needs are. Customer Support teams in attendance included our Top Seller Account Managers, Seller Strategies, Motors, PowerSeller Stores support, Listing Tools and our Top Customer Care teams. These teams are on the phone every day helping eBay sellers. Saving time and increasing profits is the goal of every seller, and helping to pair the right solution with the right seller to accomplish that goal is vital.

eBay Customer Support teams were impressed at the range of software and services available to help eBay sellers become more efficient and effective from our Certified Providers. Certified Providers provide:

• business and strategy consulting
• shipping
• customer relationship management
• accounting and business management
• market research
• listing solutions
• and more!

Feedback from the eBay teams has been extremely positive. “Without the Certified Provider Fair I would not have the awareness and knowledge of their solutions. I am able to recommend Certified Providers to my Store sellers and see the improvements in their sales,” said Randi Williams, PowerSeller Stores Support.

Brain Servatius, Motors P&A Top Seller Account Manager discussed what he saw as a “two-way benefit” of the Certified Provider Fair. “I not only learn how their solution will best fit my sellers’ needs, but we also share ideas on how they can innovate, add new features to their product for our sellers.”

eBay Certified Providers enjoy the opportunity to meet with the key influencers, our Customer Support teams. “It was great to see eBay representatives excited to see what we do and understand how we help eBay sellers,” said Todd Sherman, from Mercent.

Jerad Schempp, Hosted Support said, “It was a fantastic event! The opportunity to fully show how our application enables eBay sellers to reduce communication time and costs to the eBay employees speaking directly to those sellers in need is invaluable.”

Nine Certified Providers were on site to showcase their solutions and services, including:

• As Was
• Auctiva
• Hosted Support
• Mercent
• SageFire
• Seller Machine
• ShipRush
• Terapeak
• Vendio

To learn more about the tools and services from eBay Certified Providers, check out the Certified Provider website.

Double Entry Bookkeeping (10/15)

Workshop: A Guide to Double Entry Bookkeeping
Host: SageFire
Date: Wednesday, October 15th
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: Please join Phyllis Wischer, eBay Education Specialist and Business Success Coach for SageFire, Inc., Certified Solution Provider and creator of KeepMore.net, for a comprehensive explanation of double entry bookkeeping, how the equation “Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity” works in double entry bookkeeping and reasons why a simpler method (single entry bookkeeping) might work just as well as the more comprehensive double entry bookkeeping for your eBay business.

CP Workshop: eBay Business Advantages (9/17)

Workshop: How to Treat your eBay Business as a 'Business'
Host: keepmore/sagefire
Date: Wednesday 09/17
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: Please join Phyllis Wischer, eBay Education Specialist and Business Success Coach for SageFire, Inc., Certified Solution Provider and creator of KeepMore.net, as she explains the importance of treating your eBay activity as a business and what it might cost you if you don’t. Using portions of KeepMore.net’s most popular workshop, “Accounting Do's & Don'ts for the eBay User “ and factual information from a recent IRS audit, you will better understand why it is important to “treat your eBay business like a business” and what it may cost you if you don’t!

RocketPlace - Conference for eBay Sellers of All Levels

Concerned about eBay's changes, holiday season selling, your profitability, or competing in the current eBay marketplace? RocketPlace has the answers. It's a fun and informative conference that pays for itself. It is the safest bet in Vegas!

RocketPlace is a great conference for new eBay sellers and seasoned PowerSellers. RocketPlace has one track for beginners looking for the road map to an eBay business success. A second track is for PowerSellers looking for tips on how to grow with all of eBay's recent changes as well as how to use the latest techniques, strategies, and tools to improve their eBay businesses. More information is available on http://www.rocketplace.com/

RocketPlace confirmed speaker line-up for the September 10-12, 2008 event at The Rio All-Suites Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada are:

* Todd Lutwak, Senior Director of Seller Development at eBay, who will be giving the Advanced track keynote as well as a session for the Beginner track.

* Marsha Collier, best-selling author of eBay For Dummies and many other For Dummies books, will be giving the Beginner track Keynote.

* Jane Judd, Senior Manager of the Customer Service Loyalty Team at Zappos.com will deliver the closing keynote for the Advanced Track.

* Jay Berkowitz, CEO of Ten Golden Rules, is a seasoned marketing professional with over twenty years of business experience. He has managed marketing departments for Fortune 500 brands: McDonald's and Coca-Cola, and has developed traditional and direct marketing programs for AT&T, Sprint and eDiets.com. Jay was the highest-rated speaker at our Spring 2008 RocketPlace conference, and we welcome him back!

* John Lawson of 3rd Power Outlet, David Yaskulka from Blueberry Consulting, Tim Woda from buySAFE, Cindy Litchfield from Cloud Dome, Bodin Suttles from Endicia, Amy Kendall from HammerTap, Jason Guzman from JunctionQuest, Michael Lambert from Merchant Advantage, Brian Gibbs from Refund Retriever, Edward Sayers of RPM Business Group, Phyllis Wischer of SageFire, Adam Morris from Sell Center, Michael Levit from Vendio, Lisa Suttora from WhatDoISell.com, and a variety of the experts at As Was including CEO Debbie Levitt.

The full schedule of sessions can be found at http://www.rocketplace.com/agenda.shtml.

About As Was

As Was is a full-service consulting firm specializing in branding, design, sales and marketing strategies, operations management, and training for eBay and online sellers. As Was has been making the world’s marketplace your marketplace since it was founded in April 1995, and has been an eBay Certified Service Provider since August 2004. For more information, please visit http://www.aswas.com/ or call 520.204.1935.

CP Workshop: How to use eBay's Accounting Assistant for QuickBooks®

Workshop: eBay's All New Accounting Assistant - Getting Started

Host: KeepMore/SageFire
Date: Wednesday 8/20
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time

Description: Please join Phyllis Wischer, eBay Education Specialist and Business Success Coach for SageFire, Inc., Certified Solution Provider and creator of KeepMore.net, as she helps you get started with the all new 100% web based eBay Accounting Assistant. She will start with the initial setup and customization and include examples of how to export eBay and PayPal sales data into QuickBooks® or SageFire®. She will also have contact information for Accounting Assistant Support as you work through getting started with the new eBay Accounting Assistant.

CP Workshop: New Accounting Assistant 7/16

Topic: eBay’s Accounting Assistant – New Version - 100% Web Based

Host: keepmore/sagefire
Date: Wednesday 07/16
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time
Location: Workshop Board

Description: Please join Phyllis Wischer, eBay Education Specialist and Business Success Coach for SageFire, Inc., Certified Solution Provider and creator of KeepMore.net, as she introduces what’s new in eBay’s Accounting Assistant tool. It is the simplest way to download all your eBay and PayPal transactions and fees into your accounting application. Accounting Assistant helps you manage your accounts more efficiently, export eBay and PayPal sales data into QuickBooks® or SageFire®, saves you valuable time, and helps to reduce data entry errors. One hour of your time today can save you hundreds of hours throughout the rest of the year.

CP Workshop: 5/21 Business Best Practices 5/21

A Good Foundation – The Basis for any eBay Business
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 21st from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Host: SageFire

Please join Phyllis Wischer, Business Success Coach for SageFire, Inc., Certified Solution Provider and creator of KeepMore.net, as she outlines what steps you might want to take before starting your own eBay business; or, moving you eBay hobby to an eBay business. These steps will help you build the basis of a good foundation for your eBay business. If you have already started your business, you may want to participate in the workshop to determine if you still have steps to take to be sure you have followed sound business practices in building your business.

CP Workshop: COGS and Inventory 4/16

Cost of Goods and Inventory – How These Affect Your eBay Business
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 16th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Host: SageFire

Please join Phyllis Wischer, Business Success Coach at SageFire, Inc., for a thorough discussion of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and Inventory, and how recording and tracking these affect your eBay business. She'll also answer common questions, such as "Are eBay fees, PayPal fees and shipping costs to the buyer considered COGS?"

CP Workshop: Make Tax Season a Breeze 3/19

Make Tax Season a Breeze
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 19th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Host: SageFire (KeepMore.net)

As an eBay Certified Consultant, Phyllis Wischer, business Success Coach from Certified Provider SageFire, speaks with sellers regularly about their bookkeeping practices. She's found that maintaining an organized business today pays off big in the future. Join Phyllis as she shares her best practices and 2008 tax tips that every eBay seller should consider this tax season and beyond.

CP Workshop: Pay Less $ to the IRS 2/20

Topic: Member Workshop: Pay less money to your tax advisor and the IRS for 2007! Part II
Host: keepmore (SageFire)
Date: Wednesday 02/20
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: During our November and December workshops, we discussed getting your eBay business records organized and complete for preparation of your 2007 business tax return. During our January’s workshop we discussed what income items you should get organized and ready for your personal tax return. Now it is time to discuss adjustments to income, taxes and credits, and other taxes for your personal income tax return. When we have finished this workshop, you should have your complete tax records organized. By following the simple procedures we have outlined you should be able to pay less money to your tax advisor to prepare your tax return; and, hopefully, be able to keep more of your hard earned dollars in your pocket. So please join Phyllis Wischer, Business Success Coach from Certified Provider KeepMore.net (SageFire), as she finishes the discussion of the importance of getting not only your eBay business records ready but getting all your tax records organized and ready for your tax preparer .

Save $ At Tax Time Workshop 1/16 (SageFire)

Member Workshop: Pay less money to your tax advisor and the IRS for 2007!
Host: SageFire (KeepMore)
Date: Wednesday 01/16
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time

Description: During our December workshop we discussed getting your business records ready for your tax preparer. During our next workshop, Phyllis Wischer, business Success Coach from Certified Provider KeepMore.net, will discuss the importance of getting not only your eBay business records ready but getting all your tax records organized and ready for your tax preparer. By following some simple procedures to get your records organized, you should be able to pay less money to your tax advisor to prepare your tax return; and, hopefully, be able to keep more of your hard earned dollars in your pocket.

12/19 CP Workshop: 2007 Tax Planning (SageFire)

Thinking about your 2007 income taxes? If not, you should be!
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, December 19th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Please join Phyllis Wischer, Lead Business Coach from the eBay Certified Provider KeepMore.net (aka SageFire), as she discusses the importance of thinking about your 2007 tax return today. She'll explain why it's necessary to start planning your 2007 tax return before December 31st, present creative tax deductions to consider, and help you keep what you've worked so hard to earn throughout 2007.

11/7 CP Workshop: Organize Your Records (SageFire)

10 Steps to Organizing Your Business Records Now!
This workshop will be held on Wednesday, November 7th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific time.

How would you like to be stress free during the upcoming Holidays and still be ready for the tax man! Please join Phyllis Wischer, Lead Business Coach from Certified Provider KeepMore.net (aka SageFire), as she outlines a process for you to follow to get your business records ready in preparation for your 2007 tax return. And hopefully, get them ready before the holidays so that you can spend more time generating income from your eBay sales during the holidays. Whether you have put off getting your 2007 information organized and ready for the tax man; or, if you want a process to follow to be sure you have thought of everything, this workshop is just for you!