In the second of our two-part status report on eBay Express (EE), we give eBay a chance to respond to some of the sentiments raised in Part 1, and bring AuctionBytes readers up-to-date on eBay's current and near-term plans for EE. Lara Bridges, director, eBay Express, responded to our questions on behalf of eBay.

Many sellers we've spoken with as well as those posting to the eBay Express Board say so far they're disappointed in their EE sales. How successful would you say eBay Express' launch has been? Has it met, not met, or exceeded your expectations?

eBay Express is performing in line with our expectations so far. The primary focus of eBay Express is providing a new shopping experience on eBay that helps buyers find items in the eBay marketplace they might otherwise have shopped for elsewhere. Nine of out ten of shoppers who have made a purchase on eBay Express said that the experience met or exceeded their expectations. And our initial research shows that buyers who shop on both eBay.com and eBay Express, they are spending more time on the site, and nearly 25% more money with eBay, than those who have yet to try eBay Express.

Can you provide any numbers showing how well eBay Express is doing (number of listings, GMV, etc.)?

There are currently more than 20 million listings on the site. We do not disclose GMV numbers for eBay Express.

Some of the sellers we've spoken with aren't sure how to tell if any of their sales are from eBay Express. What tools does eBay offer to enable sellers to determine whether a sale came from eBay Express?

Sellers can track their eBay Express sales through My eBay. To do so, follow these steps:

• Click on the "All Selling" link then,
• Click on "Customize Display" for "Items I've Sold"
• Move the "Listed On" value from the "Available Columns" box to the "Columns to Display" box. You can do the same for "Items I'm Selling" to see which of your listings are displayed on eBay Express as well as on the eBay core site.

Is eBay considering raising the eligibility bar for eBay Express sellers?

Not at this time. The current standards we have in place are working quite well.

The TV advertisements (Get it New, Get it Now) suggest EE is the place to go for new items, yet collectibles are available for sale on the site. Why is that? Will it remain that way?

We've learned from market research we've done over the years that there are actually a significant number of collectors who would like a more streamlined, no auctions, shopping experience. So we made the decision to include many of the collectible categories in eBay Express in order to allow these buyers to benefit from the new shopping experience that eBay Express offers. However, we will continue to predominantly emphasize new inventory, since that is what the majority of buyers who come to eBay Express are looking for.

Is eBay now moving away somewhat from trying to attract brand-new eBay users to EE to instead trying to get core users to use EE? Which target market is EE really emphasizing now?

eBay Express has always focused on both types of users. eBay Express is a new finding and buying experience for online shoppers, particularly for existing top-eBay buyers. These folks have told us that, while they use eBay regularly, they sometimes want a more convenience-oriented shopping experience. In addition, we believe that a convenience-oriented experience can also attract a new group of online shoppers who don't currently use eBay.

What will eBay be doing to promote eBay Express during the holiday season (and beyond)?

The focus of eBay Express marketing for 2006 Q4 is around our core eBay buyers. Our core eBay buyers love eBay, and what eBay Express has shown so far is that our existing buyers will buy even more from eBay sellers if they have an opportunity to shop in a different format, presented in a different shopping experience. Our marketing in Q4-2006 is around our core loyal consumers to get them to purchase on eBay Express, when the buying occasion fits their need. We are unable comment on our 2007 plans at this time.

Do you have any suggestions as to what sellers can do to maximize their eBay Express sales?

The great news is that sellers don't have to do anything different to be successful on eBay Express than on eBay.com; to follow are some best practices:

• Use a great title to describe your item (just don't keyword spam).
• List your item in the most appropriate category.
• Use item specifics to fully describe your item.
• Provide a clear, comprehensive description.
• Specify reasonable shipping costs.
• And consider free shipping if it makes sense. Buyers love it, particularly during the holiday season.

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Brad and Debra Schepp have written about cutting-edge technologies for more than 20 years. Their most recent book is the just-published eBay PowerSeller Million Dollar Ideas: Innovative Strategies to Make Your eBay Sales Soar, published by McGraw-Hill and available through retailers such as Amazon. Visit their website at http://www.bradanddeb.com.