The Bizy ProStores Seller

A little background on this one ... so Jodi shops my template shop. I sell downloadeable templates for eBay and ProStores. She purchases a $44 eBay template and then a $225 eBay store package. She pays with her credit card, downloads the files (ProStores has proof of the successful downloads) and then she files a chargeback as an "unathorized charge". 4 Days after her chargeback is rewarded, she again purchases an eBay template and eBay store template trying to use the original credit card she used the first (and chargedback on) but it was declined. So she tries 4 stolen credit cards before one finally succeeds. The owner of the stolen credit card of course filed a chargeback. All total between the two - I'm out $511 and Jodi has my copyright work (why she went through all of the trouble with stolen credit cards for eBay designs is beyond me).

I did make the chargeback company aware of the 2nd purchase before that purchase was chargedback, but since she used a stolen credit card for the 2nd purchase it's now become a criminal matter. I did talk to the owner of the stolen credit card, and Jodi also made purchases with the stolen credit card from 2 other web designers as well.

I fought the chargebacks, want to know why I lost? Because of the address verification required by Chase. My Gateway service would not help me, my merchant service would not help me. After all was said and done, my bank account was -$601 because they reversed the $511 after I had sent out my own bills and some of my bills are auto-paid and they were running their charges and couldn't get the funds by that time. I pay $25 for each NSF.

If this should ever happen to you - the first thing (and I learned this by doing all of the work) is to call your local state's attorney. In my particular state, I have to file my small claims in my state since that's where I'm licensed and registered. But, to file theft of services charges, I have to work with her law enforcement (all the way down there in Florida). At first, they were quite helpful in Florida, but now I can't get anyone down there to return my calls.

So ... that's my first chargeback in the almost 11 years I've been in business and in the 4 years I've been with this merchant company. My gateway made me make a bunch of changes to my security settings requiring billing and shipping addresses to match up. After that, my sales nearly stopped as most people didn't take the time to read my note about billing/shipping addresses having to match, and after their card was declined they just left the site. In one week, I lost $835 worth of sales because of it.

So, my solution to the problem is I called Paypal to see about using their merchant service. Low and behold, they have a digitial download policy where all I have to do is fax them the successful download receipt as proof of delivery and I am covered. Since I've switched to them - sales are coming through every day.

I am suing Jodi for my states' maximum and I will make sure charges are pressed against this criminal. Should this happen to you - make sure that you do take action both civilly (because it shows up as a judgment in the credit report) and legally that way it shows on their record. You HAVE to be proactive when you are defrauded. Write your representatives for better laws concerning eCommerce and the protection of merchants. There are still many areas (like mine) that really don't have a protocol in place for eCommerce fraud. Also - going to the FTC is very important! They have special units that deal with nothing but eCommerce fraud.

Anyway - I hope you learn from my experience, I know I learned a lot and am a lot more careful about my payment settings. And hey - I'm a firm believer in what goes around goes around so Jodi will get hers in the end.

Advertising, Marketing & SEO

Hammer Tap - Service that analyzes your business for the most profitable products, optimizes your listings and marketing tools for higher profit and lower expenses.

Next Bee ProStores Compatible Application - Marketing service that will guide you through setting up marketing campaigns focusing on gaining customer loyalty, referral rewards and more to keep the traffic coming to your ProStore.

Submit.net ProStores Compatible Application - Paid search manager for ProStores with SEO tools & More.

Blogging & Journaling

Create Your Blog Today TypePadProStores Compatible - Blogging software that provides a search widget that can search your ProStore directly from your TypePad blog, driving more traffic to your ProStores for more sales!

Squidoo - Easily set up a lens for your ProStores' products to spotlight items and sales. Use additional widgets for eBay, Cafe Press and other eCommerce applications, too!

Customer Support

Hosted Support ProStores Compatible Service - This service takes over your ProStores email support and handles your customer's emails and repetitive questions from buyers, freeing up a lot of your time so that you can concentrate on sales and business. Easy-to-use ezSupport system helps answer 80% of your customer email - automatically. I had he opportunity to meet with this company at eBay Live Vegas, and they are great!

Reservations Online ProStores Compatible Application - This service allows you to sell time-based or reservation-based services as products, such as time-based beauty services, design services, professional services, etc. Integrates easily with ProStores and will allow 24/7 booking while keeping your calendar to track time and availability.

Ring Central ProStores Compatible Service - Get an affordable toll-free number for your customers and increase your sales. Some of the features included with your toll-free number include custom greetings, voice mail, multiple extensions, fax send and receive, auto-attendant and more.

Email & Contact Management

Constant Contact ProStores Compatible Application - Email Marketing and Online Surveys by Constant Contact make it easy to connect with your customers. Try it FREE for 60-Days.

IMN | Sales In A Click ProStores Compatible Application - Email marketing, contact management and newsletters

Inventory Feeds

Go Data Feed Data ProStores Compatible Application - Inventory and product feeds to over 50 sites and marketplaces. Drive more qualified, targeted traffic to your website with automated feeds, 30-Day Risk-Free Trial includes 2 free feed setups, analytics and free support.

Merchant Advantage - Allows you to mange all of your inventory/product feeds and then automate feeding to product channels and marketplaces all in one place. Merchant Advantage is integrated with over 200 consumer channels and marketplaces. ProStores’ merchants get 25% off regular pricing. Mention Promo: PSTORES

Smart Feed ProStores Compatible Application - Product feed management that automates the system of pulling your ProStores inventory, creating the feed file and sending it out to multiple shopping sites and marketplaces based on your schedule.

Misc. Services & Tools

Avalara - Specialty service that will integrate your sales tax functions with their service, eliminating the need to calculate, collect and remit sales taxes manually. Saves time and money. Fast, easy, accurate and affordable!

Dynamic Currency Converter ProStores Compatible Application - Allows your ProStores to display prices in multiple currencies increasing your international sales and buyer confidence - easy to integrate into your ProStores website.

Power Reviews Express ProStores Compatible Application - Adds the ability for your customers to leave product reviews for the products in your ProStores website, giving them more information and more incentive to buy. Easy to integrate into your ProStores website.

<ssml:edit> ProStores Compatible Application - Tool that allows you to edit your ProStores website's SSML - especially helpful with templates that cannot be edited using the Basic or Advanced editors.

Order/Shipping Management

MTTI Brick n' Click POS ProStores Compatible Application - Complete end-to-end management system, integrating al your sales channels into one database to manage sales, web sales, eBay and your ProStores from one place.

Shipwire ProStores Compatible Application - Order fulfillment service that stores your inventory, packs and ships to your customers for you.

Stone Edge Technologies, Inc. - Complete management solution that will manage your orders, inventory, coordinate your shipping, manage customers and provide reports for all. Easily integrated with your ProStores website.

Product Sourcing

Doba eBay Certified Service Provider - Full product source drop shipping. Select your products, list your products, place the order once the product sells and Doba takes it from there. I've actually used this service with one of my own eBay businesses and they are excellent - customer service is great, too. They are also integrated directly with eBay and Doba is the only eBay Certified Drop Ship Solution. Sign up for the NEW 14 Day Free Trial!

Inventory Source ProStores Compatible Application - Full service product sourcing and drop ship solution. Choose from 300,000 products and automate the inventory updates directly with your ProStores instead of listing your products manually, automating everything start to finish.

Templates

Pixelmill.com ProStores Certified Designer - Provides a variety of downloadable web template packages including ProStores themes by a variety of ProStores Certified Designers.

ProStores Templates & Service Shop - ProStores designs & service packages provided by ProStores Certified Designers. Packages range from code snippets to theme designs to service packages.

Shop 3 Son's Studio ProStores Certified Designer - Ready-to-download and install ProStores Theme packages, complete with images and logo photoshop files for each design. Most designs also have matching eBay designs. 20% one featured design each week!

Upselling

Baynote ProStores Compatible Application - Product recommendation service that provides product recommendations based on dynamic upselling automatically for similar products, most popular products and accessories.

Related Products Slideshow by <ssml:editor> ProStores Compatible Application - Dynamic product recommendations tool that allows you to create a related products slideshow - easy to integrate.

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