Auctiva Commerce Blog

Ever wonder what kinds of Auctiva Commerce stores are out there? Well, there are numerous types of stores selling all manner of goods and services. To highlight these stores I’m going to use this space to highlight one Auctiva Commerce store per week. To begin with I’ll select the stores more or less at random but if you’re particularly interested in getting your store featured send me an email and I’ll add you to the queue to be featured.

Happy Selling,

Chris

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Week 15:  July 28th, 2010

Looking for a hot Ferrari, Corvette, or maybe a Lamborghini but can’t afford the real deal?  Then head over to CarMiniatures.com where you can buy a scaled down version of that hot rod and include it in your collection.  Car Miniatures carries die-cast and miniature cars from all the major manufacturers such as Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Jada Toys and more.  They’ve been with Auctiva Commerce since February 2009, and have set up their store so you can browse by brand, auto manufacturer, or vehicle type.  They’ve even got a section dedicated to kids car miniatures so you can easily find that toy that little Johnny just has to have!!!  Check out Car Miniatures!!

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Week 14:  July 21st, 2010

Into belly dancing or know someone who is?  Then you have to check out Mean Kitty Wear – an Auctiva Commerce store that specializes in unique belly dancing garments.  The owners, Sherry Page and her business partner, Jani Prater have been belly dancing for over eight years and decided to open a store that complemented their interests.  They have been with Auctiva Commerce since November 2009 and enjoy Auctiva Commerce’s ease of use as it allows them to have their own online store without having to be super tech-savvy.  Check out Mean Kitty Wear!!

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Week 13:  July 14th, 2010

Got a four legged friend that needs a gift or a spiffy new outfit? Check out Doggie Duds by Deb!  Their store store stands for fun, trendy,comfortable, luxury pet products catered to the dog fashionista and discernable owners who want only the best.  Doggie Duds by Deb has been with Auctiva Commerce since the very beginning (January, 2009) and has built up her inventory to include over 320 unique items. They also sell paintings created by the  owner, Debra Babcock, and will even create custom paintings to serve your needs.  Check out Doggie Duds by Deb!

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Week 12:  July 7th, 2010

Into jewelry?  Then give Sterling Silver Jewelry Gallery a peek and see if they have something for you!  After successfully selling on eBay for three years the owner of Sterling Silver Jewelry Gallery, April Norrell, decided to open an online store with Auctiva Commerce.  She credits her online success to upfront FAQs and store policies as well as free shipping on every item.  Check out Sterling Silver Jewelry Gallery the next time you’re looking for that special something!!

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Week 11:  June 30th, 2010

Looking for a great comic?  Then look no further than Tic Toc Comics!! Selling on Auctiva Commerce since March 2009 Tic Toc Comics carries classic comic books, toys and a small assortment of music and movies.  They’ve got comics starting for as little as 50 cents as well as high-value classics such as The Flash. They carry comic books from all the major publishers plus hard to find items from independent publishers.  Next time you need a light read or are looking for a nice collectible item check out Tic Toc Comics!!

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Week 10:  June 23rd, 2010

If scrap-booking and related crafts are your game be sure to visit Lozs Loot the next time you need supplies.  Lozs Loot is an Australian based store and carries charms, rhinestones, ribbons and anything else a scrap booker could ever need.  Like many Auctiva Commerce stores Lozs Loot initially started selling on eBay and added an Auctiva Commerce store as her order volume increased.  Lozs Loot credits the nightly feeds to Google Merchant Center from Auctiva Commerce as a source of many of her buyers.  And, even though Lozs Loot is based in Australia, they welcome orders from buyers outside of the Land Down Under!!  Check out Lozs Loot !!

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Weeks 8/9:  June 16th, 2010

Sabai Technology – As noted on their About Us page Sabai Technology focuses on the development and sale of wireless network equipment based on dd-wrt operating systems. This gives the equipment the ability to be used as access points, wireless bridges, and wireless repeaters.  Sabai Technology’s stated goal is to help the average home or business user access the power of this network equipment.  With Auctiva Commerce since January, 2010 Sabai Technology currently has over 20 different wireless products for sale including technical help consultations from the owner, William Haynes.  Check out Sabai Technology the next time you need wireless technology or expertise!!!

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Week 7:  June 2nd, 2010

BakeryBits – Looking for artisan bread baking supplies?  Then you have found your match at  Bakery Bits – For the Artisan Baker – a comprehensive artisan bread supply shop based in the UK that started when storeowner Patrick Thornberry’s “obsessive interest in bread making moved into sourdough,” he says.  Bakery Bits began its life on eBay and then added Auctiva Commerce as a stand-alone shop in July, 2009.  Since opening a shop on Auctiva Commerce, Thornberry’s business has taken off and BakeryBits has buyers from around the world. Visitors will find items to bake “tasty bread the artisan way,” and can get baking advice along the way on The Bakery Bits blog.  Next time you need artisan bread bkng supplies look no further than Bakery Bits – your taste buds will thank you for it!!

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Week 6:  May 26th, 2010

PHCustoms – Looking for American made accessories for your motorcycle?  Look no further than PHCustoms – they have a wide assortment of saddlebags, handlebar bags, emblems and other accessories for nearly all makes of motorcycles.  In business with Auctiva Commerce since February 2009, PHCustoms is one of Auctiva Commerce’s more active sellers and has provided instrumental feedback on Auctiva Commerce.  Check ‘em out the next time you need a gift or that special something for your ride!!

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Week 5: May 19th, 2010

Buy the Book is like a candy store for bibliophiles, says store-owner Cassandra Vert.  “The books are displayed attractively. It’s fun and easy to browse, and there are fun extra features to add to the experience,” she notes. “It’s not meant to look polished and corporate. I could have hired someone to do that on the Auctiva Commerce template, but I wanted it to look friendlier and more accessible.”  Buy the Book has been with Auctiva Commerce since February 2009 and boasts an inventory of about 15,000 books, although not all of them have made it into her Auctiva Commerce Store, she admits. So if shoppers don’t find what they’re looking for in her store, she suggests they contact her. “I may have it in the back,” she says.  Visit Buy the Book the next time you’re looking for a great read!!

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Week 4: May 12th, 2010

Dragonfly Outlet – Specializing in the best eco-friendly and fair trade products for your home and family, Dragonfly Outlet has many great toys and household items that you can feel good about buying.   Dragonfly Outlet has been in business with Auctiva Commerce since February 2009 and currently has over 190 items for sale.  Check out Dragonfly Outlet the next time you need a birthday present or housewarming gift for that special someone.  The recipient and the Earth will thank you!

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Week 3:  May 5th, 2010

Easy-Netshop.co.uk – Buyers looking for retro, hard-to-find CD-ROM games and DVDs should browse Easy Netshop, which offers everything from CD-ROM arcade and puzzle games, to auction, horror and musicals from as early the 1920s.  It’s “an online store packed with retro fun and games,” says store owner Martin Fletcher.  Fletcher began selling on eBay as a hobby six years ago to make some extra cash to escape the U.K. winters and live in “sunny Spain” six months out of the year, he says. Later, he opened his own online store, but closed it after getting no sales. Then a year ago he learned about Auctiva Commerce and opened Easy-Netshop.co.uk.  “I had my first sale after about eight weeks [on Auctiva Commerce], and now they come on a daily basis,” he says. “I will never forget that first sale and the excitement it created. I still get a kick when the e-mails come through telling me I’ve sold.”  Fletcher’s been so happy with his store that he recently added a second site, Inventive-Ideas.com, to sell gadgets.  Visit Easy-Netshop.co.uk to see what they have to offer!!

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Week 2: April 28th, 2010

Style Notes Ltd. – In business with Auctiva Commerce since March 2009, Style Notes Ltd. is a custom dress maker, creating beautiful evening dresses, party dresses, prom dresses and more. They are located in the United Kingdom but will ship worldwide to serve their customers. Their site includes measurement tools and sizing charts to help ensure that your products are properly sized, and they will even send you a sample so you can confirm the look and feel before ordering. Check out Style Notes Ltd. for your next dress purchase!!!

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Week 1: April 23rd, 2010

Pro Jersey World – In business on eBay and other online venues for years Pro Jersey World decided to open their own eCommerce website and we are thrilled that they chose to use Auctiva Commerce to host their online store. Pro Jersey World sells jerseys from all major sports including the NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, and has jerseys for the 2010 World Cup. They also sell New Era caps and UGG boots. Check out Pro Jersey World for your next sports jersey purchase!!

All -

I am pleased to announce that Auctiva Commerce has been updated to include the following features of fixes:

– Fix to USPS shipping to correctly handle packages that are less than one ounce in weight.
– Fix to USPS shipping to correctly set dimensional maximums for Flat Rate box shipping options.
– Fix to display the correct Order Number on the Ship Order page.
– Fix to display the correct currency symbol on the Payments page.
– Fix to display the correct currency symbol on the Order History page.

– Update to add additional filtering options to the Tax Reports page.  With this update you can now filter the Tax Reports by Order Status and/or Payment Status in addition to the previously existing date range filtering.
– Update to allow Packing Slips and Pull Sheets to be printed regardless of shipping status.
– Update to remove link to HTML editor from the Email Templates pages.  The templates can still be edited but the HTML editor was removed as it was causing malformed HTML issues.
– Update to State/Province drop-downs to include a default value other than the first State/Province in the list.
– Update to allow for sorting and reordering of the Countries list.
– Update to add functionality to include support for adding the Tracking Number in the Order Shipped email.  Note that you need to update your Email Template(s) to take advantage of this new functionality.  Instructions on how to update your Email Template can be found Here.
– Update to remove the option to Delete countries from the merchant admin.  They are now made inactive vs. being deleted – this is so they can be easily recovered later if needed.

These fixes and updates have been deployed live and where applicable Help and or FAQ documentation has been updated on the Auctiva Commerce Help Site.
Thank you -

Chris

All -

Auctiva Commerce has been updated today to include the following features of fixes:

– Addition of validation to credit card based payments.  With this feature we will now display an error message on the screen if the buyer does not enter the correct information required to process their credit card; for example if the billing Zip Code is not populated.

– Update to use a drop-down system for the entry of the Billing address during Checkout.

*** IMPORTANT NOTE***  With this update, after selecting the country the buyer will then be provided a drop-down of the States/Provinces for that country, <b>IF</b> there are any States/Provinces defined for that country in your Auctiva Commerce store.  If there are no States/Provinces defined for the selected country the buyer will be able to type in the State/Province name.  By default Auctiva Commerce provides States/Provinces for the following countries:  Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  To edit the Countries and/or Provinces available in your store go to Store > Shipping > Countries in your Auctiva Commerce merchant admin.  Be sure to use the correct Country code, Province name and Province code when editing your countries or provinces. This site contains a list of Countries/Country codes and associated Provinces/Province codes and may be a good starting point if you are planning to edit your countries or provinces.  However, please note that this site has not been audited so please verify any updates to your countries or provinces with resources or sites specific to your region.

– Update to the default list of available provinces for the United Kingdom. To coincide with the update to the entry of the Billing address during Checkout noted above, we have updated our default list of United Kingdom provinces to be more comprehensive.

– Addition of an Address Book drop-down to the manual New Order creation flow.  Now, if you create an order in Auctiva Commerce for a customer (for example a phone-in order), if the customer has an account in Auctiva Commerce we will provide the customer’s stored shipping addresses in a drop-down so that you can easily create a complete order.

– Update to the Google Merchant Center feed page.  We have updated the Google Merchant Center feed page to be more user-friendly and streamlined.  With the update the most common Google Merchant Center feed operations should be simpler and easier to perform.  If you have already set up your Google Merchant Center feeds you do not have to update or change anything as we have imported your previous settings into the new page format.  Please note that the “Overwrite Existing Feed File” option is being retired with the new page format; now each time you generate the feed the existing feed file be overwritten.

– Addition of Dashboard webpart to display the status of your Google Merchant Center feed setup.  Since Google is such an important traffic driver we have added a dashboard webpart to let you know the status of your Google Merchant Center feed setup.  The webpart will tell you if your feed is set up and if you have enabled automated nightly submission of your feed.

These fixes and updates have been deployed live and where applicable Help and or FAQ documentation has been updated on the Auctiva Commerce Help Site.

Thank you -

Chris

All -

I am pleased to announce that we recently released a major upgrade to the Auctiva Commerce search function.  We are now utilizing a full text search which provides much more robust and efficient search capabilities.  Your buyers should now find it much easier to locate the items they are looking for in your store(s) – hopefully leading to greater sales for you!!  We are going to continue to work on refining the search function and will be adding further upgrades in the future.

Happy Selling,

Chris

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Google has recently introduced a new policy that will require you to verify ownership of your Auctiva Commerce website in order to continue to upload items to Google Merchant Center. For details about the new policy please view the Google Merchant Blog post. You have to complete the verification process by May 18th to avoid problems with your Google Merchant Center products.

To comply with the new procedures you first need to verify site ownership with Google Webmaster Tools, and then claim your site in the Google Merchant Center. To verify site ownership you need to generate a verification code at the Google Webmaster Tools site, and then apply it to your Auctiva Commerce store. The verification code is a long string of random characters and numbers. Once you have the verification code, login to your Auctiva Commerce merchant admin and navigate to Marketing > Search Engine Optimization (SEO) > Meta Data & Google Integration. Paste the verification code in the Site Verification text-box and click Save Verification. Make sure you only paste in the verification code itself without the surrounding quotes or other text. If you have previously verified your Auctiva Commerce site ownership with Google Webmaster Tools you do not have to re-verify.

After you have verified ownership of your Auctiva Commerce store via the above procedure you need to login to the Google Merchant Center and claim your site. To do so sign in to your Google Merchant Center account and click the “Claim this URL” link on your General Settings page.

Thank you -

Chris

All -

I am pleased to announce that Auctiva Commerce has been updated to include the following features of fixes:

– Correction to Email List feature to prevent creation of an empty record when adding a user to an email list.
– Correction to not include handling fees (if enabled) in the shipping total on the Checkout page.
– Correction to not display a system ID on the buyer’s view of the order details page.
– Correction to correctly notify the merchant when a buyer adds a note to an order.
– Correction to use the correct country code for Russia in shipping calculations and within the Auctiva Commerce merchant admin site.
– Correction to customization panels to correctly save links that have been customized.
– Correction to remove trailing spaces from image URLs that are included in the tab delimited product import file.
– Correction to the Vendor Notification email template to correctly send the email to any applied CC or BCC addresses.
– Correction to allow for refunds when the base currency of the store is not set to United States Dollar (USD).

– Update to send detailed discount information to PayPal so that it appears on PayPal as well as Auctiva Commerce.
– Update to Product Popularity and Sales Over Time graphs on dashboard to improve efficiency and page load.
– Update to allow special characters to be included in the Name field when performing a bulk upload.  ADD LINK to Help doc.
– Update to merchant admin user messaging to make more consistent across pages.

These fixes and updates have been deployed live and where applicable Help and or FAQ documentation has been updated on the Auctiva Commerce Help Site.

Thank you -

Chris

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Similar to Google, PayPal also has a series of acceptance logos that you can incorporate into your site to let your customers know you accept PayPal. They can be found Here. Note that these are all securely hosted at PayPal, so they can be used in the header or footer w/o causing security exceptions in Checkout.

Thx,
Chris

Google Checkout Users -

Want an easy way to let your buyers know you accept Google Checkout?  You can easily create a securely hosted Google Checkout Acceptance logo within your Google Checkout account and include it on your Auctiva Commerce store.  Google provides a Google Checkout Acceptance logo code snippet specific to your Google Checkout account in the Tools > Acceptance logo section of your Google Checkout account.  Just copy the code provided by Google and place it on whichever portion of your Auctiva Commerce site you desire – the footer, for example.

Note that if you want to center it you need to move the Google script code within the DIV they provide and add a bit of CSS – I used the following setup to include and center the logo on my test store and it worked like a charm with the Wood Deco theme.

<div style=”margin: 0pt auto; width: 200px;” id=”googleCheckoutLogo”>&nbsp;<script src=’https://checkout.google.com/buttons/logos?merchant_id=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&loc=en_US&f=png’ ></script></div>

If people click on this logo they will be directed to a Google Checkout page about your store; this page will include any Google Checkout buyer reviews of your store from previous transactions.

Thx,
Chris

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By now probably everyone knows the importance of utilizing Google Merchant Center feeds to promote your store’s goods and services, but did you know you can integrate your Google Merchant Center account, your Google AdWords account, and your Google Checkout account to display Google Checkout badges next to your items in Google Product Search and Google AdWords?  This is a powerful promotional tool which increases conversion rates in both Google Product Search and Google AdWords.  This is a highly recommended practice for all online sellers that offer Google Checkout.

Google has provided an Instructional Article and a Demonstration Video which explain how to set up your Google accounts to display the Google Checkout badges.   Note that it will take a few days for the badges to appear after completing all of these steps.  For sellers that accept Google Checkout I highly recommend that you set up your accounts to display the Google Checkout badges – it should help you to create sales and increase your click through rate on any Google AdWords ads you may have running.

Happy selling -

Chris

FYI -

There will be an approximate 1 hour outage for Auctiva Commerce on February 18th starting at 11:00 PM PST. During this time, users that attempt to access your store will be directed to a webpage informing them of the outage.

What we are doing: This outage is necessary to perform database cleanups and updates in order to improve performance for Auctiva Commerce.

Services affected: All Auctiva Commerce merchant admin and public storefront sites.

Thx,
Chris