As we move closer to the peak holiday shopping season, it makessense to go over some basic tips for selling on the Buy.com marketplace. Customer expectations are much higher this time of year so now is the time to make sure you operations are in tip-top shape.

• Monitor your Seller Metrics - Be assured that the marketplace team here at Buy.com is monitoring your seller metrics, so it would be a great idea for you to keep on top of things as well. You can review your seller metrics under the View your Performance linkin your seller account. We measure 4 major metrics over a 90-day period to determine your selling status including promotional opportunities, premium status, etc. We will be reviewing each selling account before the peak selling season begins to insure that our top performing sellers get the most exposure on the site. High Cancellation and Refund rates and low Feedback and Fulfillment rates will reduce your exposure on the site and result in account closure.
• Cancellation Rates - Imagine finding that perfect gift for a family member only to find out the item is actually out of stock -- nobody likes that shopping experience. Inventory management is doubly important this time of year, especially when selling on multiple platforms. Please make sure to update your inventory regularly so that you maintain cancellation rates of 5% or lower. Also, make sure to update your entire inventory, even if the inventory has not changed, so that all of your product will be available to buy.com shoppers. Remember that product listings end after 30 days if they have not had a sale or been updated. We require that sellers maintain a cancellation rate of less than 5% of your orders over a 90-day period but during Q4 we will be looking at your 30-day numbers even more carefully. This 5% cancellation threhold allows for customer requested cancellations.
• Fulfillment Rates- Once a customer has made their purchase they expect to receive it in a timely fashion. While you have little control of transit time, we do expect you to process and ship orders within 2 business days. The only exceptions to this are in the Toys and Baby and Home and Garden categories; when indicated in the inventory feed. Orders not shipped within 2 business days are subject to cancellation. We require that you maintain an 85% fulfillment rate, which just means that 85% or more of your orders need to be shipped within 2 business days -- this standard should not be difficult to meet.
• Feedback Rating - As customers make their buying decisions they will be reviewing your feedback rating and reading reviews from previous customers. We require a feedback rating of 4.25 or better to be a Premium seller or have access to promotional opportunities, so make sure to manage your feedback effectively -- you may email your customers to request they rate the transaction. Customers have 60-days to change or update their rating and comments, so be proactive and resolve their concerns as quickly as possible.
• Refund Rates - We realize that errors happen and that customers return product occasionally but we want to make sure that refunds do not become excessive. Please maintain a refund rate of less than 5%

We are looking forward to a very successful holiday selling season, so make sure to manage your operation and listings effectively to maximize your sales here at Buy.com