Ina Steiner
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Ina Steiner
@inas.bsky.social
60 followers 24 following 1.1K posts
Editor and reporter for EcommerceBytes
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eBay recognized the importance of health insurance for sellers 24 years ago. A new bill proposes portable benefits for gig-workers, from healthcare to retirement benefits - and even revenue sharing.
www.ecommercebytes.com/t8xh
January 25, 2026 at 5:24 AM
Walmart Marketplace opened a new musical-instruments shop to broaden selection and is currently limiting which sellers can list in the premium shop.
www.ecommercebytes.com/3x7t
January 25, 2026 at 4:24 AM
Amazon is reducing the time sellers will have to file SAFE-T claims from 60 days to 30 days, an unpopular move to a program already criticized by sellers as failing to offer adequate protection.
www.ecommercebytes.com/gf9h
January 24, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Using AI-powered tools to automatically generate titles and tags can get sellers into trouble as Etsy sellers learned the hard way.
www.ecommercebytes.com/lkh1
January 24, 2026 at 8:51 PM
eBay changed the arbitration clause in its User Agreement. Is it necessary for sellers to opt out of the UA again, a seller asks in the latest letter to the editor.
www.ecommercebytes.com/ehs4
January 24, 2026 at 2:47 PM
eBay and Amazon sellers strategized as USPS and FedEx warned of disruptions due to the impending weekend winter storm expected to impact two-thirds of the population.
www.ecommercebytes.com/382s
January 23, 2026 at 4:07 AM
eBay's new user agreement bans AI shopping agents (including Amazon's) and modifies the arbitration provision to which users must adhere.
www.ecommercebytes.com/nnon
January 22, 2026 at 1:15 AM
Amazon executive Dough Herrington shared a hack that many sellers may appreciate: setting up price-drop alerts through its AI-powered assistant Rufus.
www.ecommercebytes.com/nb55
January 21, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Amazon has had a grip on USPS last-mile since as far back as 2013. Now USPS is opening bidding to many businesses to optimize pricing and capacity.
www.ecommercebytes.com/am0v
January 20, 2026 at 8:19 PM
Before eBay moved to Managed Payments in 2019, sellers could use sales proceeds in their PayPal accounts to buy items on eBay - a win for sellers and for eBay. Here's a look at eBay's Spendable Funds feature launched as a substitute in 2022.
www.ecommercebytes.com/rsh2
January 20, 2026 at 2:10 AM
AI fatigue may be starting to settle in, but sellers should seriously consider whether to optimize for and advertise in gen-AI channels. Stacked deck or opportunity? - share your thoughts.
www.ecommercebytes.com/37h2
Should Sellers Optimize for and Advertise in AI?
The following editorial first appeared in the January 19, 2026, issue of the EcommerceBytes Newsflash email newsletter ...
www.ecommercebytes.com
January 19, 2026 at 2:57 PM
eBay executives wrote about AI trends to watch in 2026 in a blog post on Friday and identified 3 specific ways AI will impact ecommerce.
www.ecommercebytes.com/bspo
January 18, 2026 at 5:01 PM
A seller said eBay's auto parts return policy that went into effect in July cost him over $20,000 in additional fees. "Have you heard of any other concerns from your following?" he asked.
www.ecommercebytes.com/y4hx
January 18, 2026 at 4:48 AM
How far back does your eBay purchase history go? A buyer was looking for records of an eBay transaction from 2008 but got some bad news. Do you keep records of your online purchases for future reference?
www.ecommercebytes.com/rq5x
January 18, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Ruby Lane told sellers to expect shipping-price errors due to USPS API changes that start on January 26. Ruby Lane is working to activate a 3rd-party shipping service to be able to calculate correct shipping.
www.ecommercebytes.com/teyr
January 17, 2026 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by Ina Steiner
peard33.bsky.social
www.wired.com/story/openai...
Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT. Here’s How They’ll Work
OpenAI says ads will not influence ChatGPT’s responses, and that it won’t sell user data to advertisers.
www.wired.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Sellers should be aware that overseas military mail must comply with customs rules by March 16 or packages will be returned to sender.
www.ecommercebytes.com/cjts
January 16, 2026 at 4:57 AM
Walmart may have an edge when it comes to same-day delivery, and it's embracing agentic shopping. Amazon sellers, do you have a Walmart strategy? And should you?
www.ecommercebytes.com/jci1
January 16, 2026 at 4:42 AM
Sellers of expensive items, from books to furniture, are rethinking Amazon as a platform due to a new return policy for high-value items that will go into effect on February 8th.
www.ecommercebytes.com/xbxw
January 14, 2026 at 10:17 PM
eBay touted its commitment to sustainability in its inaugural Climate Transition Plan published on Wednesday containing a roadmap for 'sustainable commerce.' Parts of the plan outlined areas of direct interest to sellers.
www.ecommercebytes.com/kf5y
January 14, 2026 at 6:46 PM
Postal rates for 2026 go into effect on Monday but USPS is already planning to make changes in July, including one positive tidbit - increasing the maximum allowable length for all PM and GA cubic from 18 to 22 inches.
www.ecommercebytes.com/m888
January 14, 2026 at 3:43 AM
An eBay user is fed up with what he calls eBay's double standards when enforcing its policies, impacting both buyers and sellers. Today's letter to the editor.
www.ecommercebytes.com/4j33
January 14, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Some sellers sought to opt out after platforms including Shopify and Etsy announced integrations with agentic checkouts this week, meaning buyers can purchase items directly on AI channels rather than on sellers' storefronts.
www.ecommercebytes.com/qjwu
January 13, 2026 at 10:22 PM
eBay yanked its January Seller Update announcement from its website on Monday that included news of new grants for sellers as well as custom Promoted Stores landing pages.
www.ecommercebytes.com/f3wi
January 13, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Etsy and others are making listings available for sale directly on agentic checkouts from Microsoft Copilot and Google Search AI Mode which are playing catchup with ChatGPT. But will sellers pay for the AI shopping gold rush?
www.ecommercebytes.com/tj7y
January 12, 2026 at 1:58 AM