Guest post on Tamebay: Life after eBay

As you may well already know, Tamebay is the blog to keep an eye on for all eBay related news. I'm a guest poster this month with an article about moving on from eBay.

eBay - time for a break

I have been trading on eBay as Foil Play for almost five years now and eBay has been a great help in building my business. However, it can also be a very time consuming sales channel, particularly with the large number of policy changes implemented over the last couple of years.

There are only so many hours in the day and I have reached the stage where I want to concentrate on developing and growing the Foil Play website.

I've decided therefore to take a complete break from eBay, at least for a while, when my remaining listings end later this month. In the meantime, I will of course continue to despatch all eBay orders as promptly as usual.

A big thank you to all my eBay customers over the past five years, it would be great to see you in future at Foil Play!

Craft on eBay - less choice in future

eBay bans 'buy it now' items under 99p

As part of the latest round of fee changes, eBay UK has stated that it will no longer be possible for sellers to list 'buy it now' items priced under 99p after 24 September 2008. Existing listings on the site for goods under 99p will continue until they expire or sell out.

More detail is available in this Tamebay article about the change.

The change means that Foil Play (and of course many other eBay craft and bead sellers) will no longer be able to sell a wide range of items individually on eBay, including most step-by-step decoupage sheets, backing papers, peel off sticker sheets and Dufex picture prints.

I think this is a real shame - there is a thriving market for craft on ebay, and this policy is a huge blow, both for sellers and buyers. Unfortunately, unless eBay sees sense and has a change of heart, the ability of buyers to pick and purchase the individual craft items of their choice on eBay is about to be very restricted!

The future for Foil Play

I will be scaling down Foil Play's presence on eBay from the end of September onwards, and concentrating on my website, which already offers a much more extensive choice than my eBay shop, along with free P&P on purchases over £5.00.

I will also be expanding my Amazon shop. P&P on purchases from Foil Play via Amazon is a flat rate of £1.00 per order, or free if you spend over £25.

Hello!

I'm fairly new to the world of blogging - whilst I have had an ebay blog for a few months, I thought it was time to venture a little wider!

The main aim of this blog is to provide regular updates and news about what's happening on the Foil Play web site, my online craft store.

Foil Play has been in business for three and a half years now, it started as a part time venture whilst I was working full time as a civil servant in London. I left the 'day job' two years ago to work full time on the business, I certainly don't miss the daily commute!

Foil Play started out on ebay and has since grown to include a website and a store on Amazon too. I stock many items to help you to create beautiful craft projects, including rub on foils, high quality ultra fine glitters, Tonertex Write ‘n’ Rub and Sakura Quickie glue pens, a huge choice of 3D and step by step decoupage, peel off stickers for all occasions, brass charms, rubber stamps and lots of scrumptious stickers and other gorgeous embellishments.

I know that crafters like to get their goodies as soon as possible, so fast despatch is my priority!