The title of this blog post is a common lament I often see posted about eBay. Ever since eBay removed the seller's ability to leave bad feedback for a troublesome customer, sellers have constantly been whining about it being one-sided. However, there is a completely logical reason for this. And even if there wasn't – there are bigger things to be concerned about!
Today I received yet another cut and paste email asking to exchange links. I wouldn't doubt that most webmasters receive at least a few of these each week. While trading links with similar websites is a great way to build traffic, there are a few faux-pas that are important to avoid while building links to your website. Perhaps the best way to explain these marketing blunders is by dissecting an e-mail I received today:
There are many great ways to make money without having to work a traditional job. The internet has changed the way we live, work, and do business on a global scale, and with these changes come opportunity. But even with the full knowledge of how to find these opportunities and make money with them, the honest truth is that most people will never end up leaving their day job to be their own boss. Here are three of the biggest obstacles that stop people from becoming entrepreneurs:
In today's economy, job security has quickly become a thing of the past. Even those with secure jobs are finding their wages are not increasing with inflation, and that the cost of health insurance premiums is being shifted toward them as employees. With the cost of living constantly on the rise, it's easy to feel the financial pinch. Starting a business in your spare time can be a great way to supplement, and possibly even replace your job income. You don't have to invest a huge sum of money, and you don't have to quit your job to start your own part-time business. Even someone without any business experience can start bringing in a few extra bucks with these simple methods. Here's how to get started!
The other day I received an email from one of my competitors offering their customers a chance to win a prize with every order they place. At first it may sound like a perfectly reasonable promotion to run, but upon closer inspection it's actually illegal!
An increasingly popular thing to do on Facebook is joining groups that are phrases you agree with. Whatever your cause, there is a matching group on Facebook. Many want to end the war in the Middle East, and others want to boycott Arizona because of their new immigration reform. Then there is a smaller cause: a group that was started by an angry server in a restaurant. "If you can't afford to tip 20%, don't go out to eat!"
A sucker is definitely born every minute, and that's what keeps companies from pulling a fast one on us! Here are three marketing gimmicks that the world would be much better off without:
In a rough economy like today's, a strong customer retention strategy is important for any e-commerce business to thrive. It is far more costly to obtain a new customer through advertising than to market to an existing customer. Yet so many companies make simple mistakes that cost them several customers each day. Before you spend a dime on advertising, keep in mind these three popular ways of scaring your customers away:
I've been using American Express for many years now. Their rewards program is one of the best – you can redeem your rewards points for many items, including Dell certificates. I have used these certificates to save a lot of money on purchasing new computers and accessories over the years. I recently redeemed my points for a $100 gift certificate to use on a Radeon X1550 video card. Unfortunately, after spending two entire days trying to get the card to work, I didn't have much luck.
After joining eBay ten years ago (to this exact day, strangely enough) I finally earned my green star today. Over 5,000 positive feedback!
I'm hoping to earn a shooting star sometime sooner than a decade from now…