SquareTrade Seller Blog

New York Times highlights SquareTrade Value: Warranties about half as much

It's no secret - traditional warranties are generally overpriced. On the other hand, SquareTrade provides a refreshing choice for consumers - and news about this unique option continues to spread!

The New York Times draws attention to SquareTrade's value - extended warranties that give control to consumers with prices that are usually about half as much as traditional store warranties:

For instance, a four-year warranty on the Nikon D3000 camera at Best Buy is $150, or more than 27 percent of the $550 price. The warranty on a Hewlett-Packard N270 netbook is $130, or just short of a third of the computer’s $400 price. Such profit margins are high enough that companies having nothing to do with selling the original products have jumped into the market, offering warranties for about half as much. SquareTrade, which offers warranties for products bought in stores or online, will sell you a three-year warranty on that Nikon for $75. The netbook can be protected for $60.

  

CE Retailers Adapt to Economy with Cautious Optimism

The holiday season is almost in full swing! As we ramp up for the big Q4 sales push, many in the Consumer Electronics industry  - including Best Buy and Sony - remain cautiously optimistic about the current economy.

So, how can eBay Electronics Sellers stay ahead of the game?

In this continuing series, SquareTrade takes a look at how Electonics Etailers are adapting to the economy to make their companies stand out this Holiday Season.

Congrats to these lucky eBay sellers!

Our monthly giveaway continues! Congrats to the following eBay sellers who won these cool prizes, just for joining up with us to offer SquareTrade warranties to their customers.

metro-music - July

theremoteexpert - August

yupmywiferocks - September

Our July and August winners each won a Apple iPod Touch.

September's winner scored an Amazon Kindle!

AuctionBytes: Boost Consumer Confidence with SquareTrade

If you're a serious eBay seller, you may regularly peruse sites like AuctionBytes in search of the latest tips and resources for online auction buyers and sellers.

In case you missed the current issue of AuctionBytes, be sure to check it out for the usual roundup of industry news, including an interview with SquareTrade CEO Steve Abernethy:

As SquareTrade celebrates 10 years in business, AuctionBytes Editor Ina Steiner chats with cofounder and CEO Steve Abernethy to learn more about the company's rather unique service: warranties for purchases of new - and used - consumer electronics and appliances, online and offline. No longer in the business of online dispute resolution, SquareTrade continues to offer eBay sellers and online merchants services to help shoppers feel more confident.

The full interview can be found here: AuctionBytes: Giving Shoppers Confidence through SquareTrade Warranties.

Consumer Confidence is Key

Steiner's interview highlights many of the reasons offering SquareTrade warranties on your listings is an easy way to increase buyer confidence - particularly in the current economy.

But, what else can you do to increase your potential buyer's trust and conversion rate? You tell us: What has your experience taught you?

Prepare for Q4 and the year of the e-reader!

As consumers and retailers alike gear up for the holiday season, many are wondering what will be on this year's list of hottest items.

According to PCWorld's Brennon Slattery, we should "Prepare for the year of the e-reader."

This fall, even students at Princeton are putting the Amazon KindleDX to the test with a semester-long pilot.  Google reveals e-readers are building momentum as a trending topic.

So, what's all this noise about e-readers? More importantly, why should you care?

Earlier this week, the New York Times cited a report that projects e-reader sales will continue to skyrocket:

"By all accounts, e-readers are set to have a breakout year. Slightly more than one million of them were sold globally in 2008, according to the market research firm iSuppli. The firm predicts that 5.2 million will be sold this year, more than half of them in North America, driven by the popularity and promotion of the Kindle, which is available only through Amazon’s Web site."