eBay Podcast Special: Back at multichannelday
We’re back with a special episode of our eBay podcast — once again on the occasion of our appearance at the multichannelday trade fair organized by Michael Atug at RheinEnergieSTADION Cologne.
After the great success last year, we’ve again provided massage chairs for visitors this time, where they can escape the bustle of the fair for a little while. Meanwhile, they listen to our introduction to the eBay podcast — including audio samples from various episodes and a guided meditation voiced by Lisa.
And for everyone who isn’t at multichannelday and found us through this episode: definitely stick around and let our e-commerce and eBay experts help you level up your business, episode by episode.
Enjoy listening!
**Important links**
- eBay Community
- eBay for Business on Facebook
- More info on the eBay podcast “Alles top. Gerne wieder!” and our podcast hosts
**Mentioned podcast episodes**
- eBay rising star: From 4 months to sales pro
- Selling trading cards: eBay seller S.L.A.P. shows how it’s done!
- Perfect inventory management with tips from JTL
- From preparation to networking: The little event 101
** Chapter markers **
- 00:00:00 to 00:02:21: Introduction to the eBay podcast
- 00:02:21 to 00:04:36: Audio sample: “eBay rising star: From 4 months to sales pro”
- 00:04:36 to 00:06:58: Audio sample: “Selling trading cards: eBay seller S.L.A.P. shows how it’s done!”
- 00:06:58 to 00:09:20: Audio sample: “Perfect inventory management with tips from JTL”
- 00:09:20 to 00:12:04: Audio sample: “From preparation to networking: The little event 101”
- 00:12:04 to 00:13:51: Closing meditation with Lisa
- 00:13:51 to 00:14:59: Outro
Lisa : Welcome to “Alles top. Gerne wieder!” — the eBay podcast about commerce and e-commerce. Today we have a very special episode for you, one that you can listen to not only on the audio platform of your choice, but also on site at MultichannelDay in RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. That’s where we are today!
Vincent : And if you’re listening to this episode, you’re either sitting right now in one of our massage chairs in the stadium trying to escape the hustle and bustle for a few minutes — or you want, from wherever you’re listening to us, to get away from your everyday routine for a little moment and learn a bit more about our podcast.
Lisa : In this special episode, you’ll find out what to expect from our podcast, which topics we cover, and why it’s worth tuning in regularly. And to wrap things up, there’s something special: a short guided meditation — perfect for taking a quick breather during the event or even in the middle of your day-to-day life. So: lean back and relax!
Vincent : Our podcast is for everyone who’s active in e-commerce — whether you’re just starting out or a pro. We talk about strategies, tools, trends, and above all about real life in online selling. We regularly invite guests: sellers, industry experts, or our colleagues from eBay Germany.
Lisa : We want to give you ideas and impulses that you can put into practice right away — whether it’s about accounting, shipping, customer service, or your shop presence. And yes, even complex topics are explained by our guests in a way that makes them easy to use in your day-to-day business.
Vincent : But who exactly are “we”? We’re your hosts. I’m Vincent Rek and at eBay I take care of legal matters on the marketplace — in other words, everything sellers need to know so things run safely and smoothly.
Lisa : I’m Lisa Haak and at eBay I’m responsible for everything related to community and communication with our business sellers — so everything from campaigns to content.
Vincent : And normally Isabell is with us too, she actually sounds like this
Isabell : I’m Isabell and, among other things, I’m responsible for improving the selling experience on our marketplace for business sellers.
Lisa : And to give you an even better impression of the podcast, we’ve brought along our listening recommendations from recent months. Isabell’s recommendation is “eBay rising star: From 4 months to sales pro.” In that episode, she talked with Cem about the eBay rising star program — he’s our business advisor. There you’ll learn what participants can expect and how they can become real pros in the shortest possible time.
Vincent : You just said participation is free. What can participants expect from you?
Cem : They get a huge package of benefits from us, namely three months of free selling fees and therefore massive savings they can then invest elsewhere. Whether they put that money in their own pockets or into the business or pass it on to customers to offer even more attractive prices. And then they also get a free Top Shop for four months, a four-month business consultation from someone like me, and four months of free access to our Premium Concierge customer service. The best customer service we can offer here at eBay in Germany.
Vincent : Then let’s talk about the process. How does the program start and what happens during those four months?
Cem : First you sign up with us via the landing page and provide all your contact details, and then the team is divided up. Who gets which sellers? We then contact them and arrange an initial conversation or first appointment, and in that conversation we talk, get to know each other, and then discuss how the whole collaboration will work. And then there’s a little glimpse into the crystal ball. We’ll work together for four months. We’ll discuss everything in those topics. Whether it’s topics like optimizing listings, offering discounts, placing ads and advertising on eBay, selling internationally, etc., and basically all the important topics for beginners. Those will all be covered in these four months. And that’s more or less how the collaboration and registration works.
Lisa : Vincent, what’s your recommendation?
Vincent : Mine is definitely “Selling trading cards: eBay seller S.L.A.P. shows how it’s done!” Aki, founder of the eBay shop “slap.auction,” and our colleague Tobias explain what grading means, how cards are evaluated, and why that’s important for making them tradable internationally.
Aki : Yes, we’re an intermediary for grading and Beckett Grading, which means customers can book a grading on auction, but it’s actually carried out by PSA. So we collect the cards in batches and send them to the USA. They’re graded there and then they come back and we assign them back to the original customer. What does grading mean? The next question is probably authentication of a card, i.e. the authenticity is guaranteed by the trader, who says the card is genuine and ensures that the condition of the card is named. What does that mean? Well, I have the card in my hand and it can be used, it can be new, it may have a misprint or something similar. Then this grading agency says, in this case Pisa, that the card has a condition from 1 to 10. This condition is then entered into a database. A grading number is added there and the card is sealed in a plastic case and left in that condition forever. That certifies a) the authenticity and b) the condition, and everything is sealed and UV-protected. Now I have a good that can be traded internationally. Because Tobias Körner agrees with Akki that a PSA nine is a PSA nine. And Hans Müller also agrees that this is a PSA nine, and so does, I don’t know, Jeremy Miller from the USA. Yes, that’s a PSA nine, I agree. And that’s how I can make things tradable, exchangeable, and whatever else the guy wants to do with it. That’s the advantage of free.
Vincent : Lisa, what’s your favorite episode?
Lisa : Ah, good question! For me it’s the episode “Perfect inventory management with tips from JTL,” because logistics is often an underestimated challenge for many sellers. And besides, recording it was incredibly fun. Together with Felix from JTL and our colleague Doreen, we look at how to set up warehouse processes efficiently, avoid typical mistakes, or what good inventory management has to do with e-commerce success.
Felix : Yes, there are actually many things you can do right or wrong. My absolute favorite area is supply chain management. I’m absolutely convinced that if stock in the warehouse isn’t monitored consistently at every stage, if we don’t know what’s happening to our inventory, to our items in the warehouse, then warehouse logistics simply can’t run efficiently or with any real purpose. That means you should always know — usually you have an ERP system or some kind of inventory background tracking what’s happening with the stock. So that’s very important. In supply chain management people also like to talk about information transparency. So employees who work with certain systems should logically also have access to important information in all the necessary areas, and that makes life much easier. On the other hand, we have the downsides, a classic downside. In my opinion, one is that, especially in smaller companies or in small-parts storage, we try to mix multiple SKUs in bins, for example to save space. I can say that bluntly: I think that’s absolute nonsense, because it frustrates employees. Pick times suffer because of it. Items get picked incorrectly, and you have to search much longer. So it’s better to invest more in storage space than to save money in the wrong place. Then there are inefficient picking routes. People actually think about this when starting a warehouse, but in reality that often isn’t the case. A lot of time is lost picking in the warehouse because of wrong walking routes and items being in the wrong place. Depending on how you operate the warehouse, especially if you have chaotic storage, it’s simply important to know how I can optimize picking times and walking routes. And of course we don’t want our warehouse staff to be frustrated because their times are bad.
Vincent : And since we’re here at MultichannelDay right now, another episode fits perfectly: “From preparation to networking: The little event 101.” This episode is for anyone who wants to get the most out of events and trade fairs. Michael Atug, whom we also have to thank for today’s event, and our colleague Daniela give great practical tips here. For example, they explain how to prepare properly, who you should talk to, and — of course very importantly — how to actually put what you’ve learned into practice later on.
Daniela : I think people shouldn’t forget that a day at a trade fair or event always goes differently than you imagine. So, in principle, planning 15 minutes for networking is de facto not possible, because usually you need to build in more buffer time. That’s always a good tip too. Or plan some time for lunch on your own, because then you can use that time differently as needed.
Michael : That’s how I do it too. I really go in, scan everything once, and then say, okay, where do you want to go? And then I make myself a little schedule, but of course it never works out. But that’s important, because otherwise you get lost in it.
Daniela : Yes, and the follow-up work you mentioned briefly — I think that’s especially important, because, well, who doesn’t know this themselves? We go to an event full of enthusiasm. We want to take everything in, we want to see, hear, and learn everything so we can of course put it into action afterward. And then we come back to the company and then we’re back in the daily routine.
Michael : The table is full.
Daniela : Whoosh, everything forgotten. Or let’s put it this way: not everything forgotten, but rather no time anymore. I think that’s an important point, one that can definitely be expanded on. Maybe even with management support, so that the boss, so to speak, also provides the capacity for it, offers the opportunity to first share what’s been learned within the company and then develop strategies for how I can implement it accordingly. I can give an example: when I come to one of our events and questions are asked. One question follows the next. Suddenly you learn something that does take time to implement. Maybe you even go home and say, I’ve got a contact person now. Oh boy. Then it also needs to be factored in that I have the possibility to implement all of that, to call the contact person at IP, and that also takes a bit of time in our experience. But otherwise it doesn’t really make any sense.
Lisa : And before we send you back into the hustle and bustle of MultichannelDay or back into your everyday life — take a moment to breathe. Welcome to this little meditation, which takes you on a journey through Cologne. Make yourself comfortable, gently close your eyes, and breathe in deeply and out again. Imagine you’re standing at Cologne Central Station. You feel the liveliness of the city around you, the buzz of passersby, the rumble of the trains. Now you slowly walk outside to breathe in the fresh air of the city. You’re standing right in front of Cologne Cathedral, a truly majestic building. Now you keep walking, past the picturesque banks of the Rhine. The view of the Rhine is unforgettable — the gentle lapping of the water, the vastness of the river stretching to the horizon. On the banks you see the old town and Cologne’s modern buildings, blending harmoniously together. The path leads you onward, and slowly you can spot your destination in the distance: RheinEnergieStadion. The stadium where football history was made and home to 1. FC Köln. You’ve arrived at MultichannelDay. Breathe in deeply once more... and out. And now we’ll give you a moment to let the music sink in before we send you back into the hustle and bustle.
Vincent : You can now slowly open your eyes again. And at this point we say: thank you for spending this little break with us! And if you feel like it, browse through our other episodes on the audio platform of your choice or in the eBay Community at ebay.de/podcast. Maybe the exact topic that’s on your mind right now is in there. And if not: we’re looking forward to your feedback and topic requests, both there and on our eBay for Business social media pages.
Lisa : Or, if you’re at MultichannelDay right now: just talk to our colleagues at the eBay booth — we’re here all day, and who knows, maybe you’ll end up on our podcast someday too?
Vincent : And until next time on “Alles top. Gerne wieder!”.
Lisa : See you soon.
Vincent : And if you’re listening to this episode, you’re either sitting right now in one of our massage chairs in the stadium trying to escape the hustle and bustle for a few minutes — or you want, from wherever you’re listening to us, to get away from your everyday routine for a little moment and learn a bit more about our podcast.
Lisa : In this special episode, you’ll find out what to expect from our podcast, which topics we cover, and why it’s worth tuning in regularly. And to wrap things up, there’s something special: a short guided meditation — perfect for taking a quick breather during the event or even in the middle of your day-to-day life. So: lean back and relax!
Vincent : Our podcast is for everyone who’s active in e-commerce — whether you’re just starting out or a pro. We talk about strategies, tools, trends, and above all about real life in online selling. We regularly invite guests: sellers, industry experts, or our colleagues from eBay Germany.
Lisa : We want to give you ideas and impulses that you can put into practice right away — whether it’s about accounting, shipping, customer service, or your shop presence. And yes, even complex topics are explained by our guests in a way that makes them easy to use in your day-to-day business.
Vincent : But who exactly are “we”? We’re your hosts. I’m Vincent Rek and at eBay I take care of legal matters on the marketplace — in other words, everything sellers need to know so things run safely and smoothly.
Lisa : I’m Lisa Haak and at eBay I’m responsible for everything related to community and communication with our business sellers — so everything from campaigns to content.
Vincent : And normally Isabell is with us too, she actually sounds like this
Isabell : I’m Isabell and, among other things, I’m responsible for improving the selling experience on our marketplace for business sellers.
Lisa : And to give you an even better impression of the podcast, we’ve brought along our listening recommendations from recent months. Isabell’s recommendation is “eBay rising star: From 4 months to sales pro.” In that episode, she talked with Cem about the eBay rising star program — he’s our business advisor. There you’ll learn what participants can expect and how they can become real pros in the shortest possible time.
Vincent : You just said participation is free. What can participants expect from you?
Cem : They get a huge package of benefits from us, namely three months of free selling fees and therefore massive savings they can then invest elsewhere. Whether they put that money in their own pockets or into the business or pass it on to customers to offer even more attractive prices. And then they also get a free Top Shop for four months, a four-month business consultation from someone like me, and four months of free access to our Premium Concierge customer service. The best customer service we can offer here at eBay in Germany.
Vincent : Then let’s talk about the process. How does the program start and what happens during those four months?
Cem : First you sign up with us via the landing page and provide all your contact details, and then the team is divided up. Who gets which sellers? We then contact them and arrange an initial conversation or first appointment, and in that conversation we talk, get to know each other, and then discuss how the whole collaboration will work. And then there’s a little glimpse into the crystal ball. We’ll work together for four months. We’ll discuss everything in those topics. Whether it’s topics like optimizing listings, offering discounts, placing ads and advertising on eBay, selling internationally, etc., and basically all the important topics for beginners. Those will all be covered in these four months. And that’s more or less how the collaboration and registration works.
Lisa : Vincent, what’s your recommendation?
Vincent : Mine is definitely “Selling trading cards: eBay seller S.L.A.P. shows how it’s done!” Aki, founder of the eBay shop “slap.auction,” and our colleague Tobias explain what grading means, how cards are evaluated, and why that’s important for making them tradable internationally.
Aki : Yes, we’re an intermediary for grading and Beckett Grading, which means customers can book a grading on auction, but it’s actually carried out by PSA. So we collect the cards in batches and send them to the USA. They’re graded there and then they come back and we assign them back to the original customer. What does grading mean? The next question is probably authentication of a card, i.e. the authenticity is guaranteed by the trader, who says the card is genuine and ensures that the condition of the card is named. What does that mean? Well, I have the card in my hand and it can be used, it can be new, it may have a misprint or something similar. Then this grading agency says, in this case Pisa, that the card has a condition from 1 to 10. This condition is then entered into a database. A grading number is added there and the card is sealed in a plastic case and left in that condition forever. That certifies a) the authenticity and b) the condition, and everything is sealed and UV-protected. Now I have a good that can be traded internationally. Because Tobias Körner agrees with Akki that a PSA nine is a PSA nine. And Hans Müller also agrees that this is a PSA nine, and so does, I don’t know, Jeremy Miller from the USA. Yes, that’s a PSA nine, I agree. And that’s how I can make things tradable, exchangeable, and whatever else the guy wants to do with it. That’s the advantage of free.
Vincent : Lisa, what’s your favorite episode?
Lisa : Ah, good question! For me it’s the episode “Perfect inventory management with tips from JTL,” because logistics is often an underestimated challenge for many sellers. And besides, recording it was incredibly fun. Together with Felix from JTL and our colleague Doreen, we look at how to set up warehouse processes efficiently, avoid typical mistakes, or what good inventory management has to do with e-commerce success.
Felix : Yes, there are actually many things you can do right or wrong. My absolute favorite area is supply chain management. I’m absolutely convinced that if stock in the warehouse isn’t monitored consistently at every stage, if we don’t know what’s happening to our inventory, to our items in the warehouse, then warehouse logistics simply can’t run efficiently or with any real purpose. That means you should always know — usually you have an ERP system or some kind of inventory background tracking what’s happening with the stock. So that’s very important. In supply chain management people also like to talk about information transparency. So employees who work with certain systems should logically also have access to important information in all the necessary areas, and that makes life much easier. On the other hand, we have the downsides, a classic downside. In my opinion, one is that, especially in smaller companies or in small-parts storage, we try to mix multiple SKUs in bins, for example to save space. I can say that bluntly: I think that’s absolute nonsense, because it frustrates employees. Pick times suffer because of it. Items get picked incorrectly, and you have to search much longer. So it’s better to invest more in storage space than to save money in the wrong place. Then there are inefficient picking routes. People actually think about this when starting a warehouse, but in reality that often isn’t the case. A lot of time is lost picking in the warehouse because of wrong walking routes and items being in the wrong place. Depending on how you operate the warehouse, especially if you have chaotic storage, it’s simply important to know how I can optimize picking times and walking routes. And of course we don’t want our warehouse staff to be frustrated because their times are bad.
Vincent : And since we’re here at MultichannelDay right now, another episode fits perfectly: “From preparation to networking: The little event 101.” This episode is for anyone who wants to get the most out of events and trade fairs. Michael Atug, whom we also have to thank for today’s event, and our colleague Daniela give great practical tips here. For example, they explain how to prepare properly, who you should talk to, and — of course very importantly — how to actually put what you’ve learned into practice later on.
Daniela : I think people shouldn’t forget that a day at a trade fair or event always goes differently than you imagine. So, in principle, planning 15 minutes for networking is de facto not possible, because usually you need to build in more buffer time. That’s always a good tip too. Or plan some time for lunch on your own, because then you can use that time differently as needed.
Michael : That’s how I do it too. I really go in, scan everything once, and then say, okay, where do you want to go? And then I make myself a little schedule, but of course it never works out. But that’s important, because otherwise you get lost in it.
Daniela : Yes, and the follow-up work you mentioned briefly — I think that’s especially important, because, well, who doesn’t know this themselves? We go to an event full of enthusiasm. We want to take everything in, we want to see, hear, and learn everything so we can of course put it into action afterward. And then we come back to the company and then we’re back in the daily routine.
Michael : The table is full.
Daniela : Whoosh, everything forgotten. Or let’s put it this way: not everything forgotten, but rather no time anymore. I think that’s an important point, one that can definitely be expanded on. Maybe even with management support, so that the boss, so to speak, also provides the capacity for it, offers the opportunity to first share what’s been learned within the company and then develop strategies for how I can implement it accordingly. I can give an example: when I come to one of our events and questions are asked. One question follows the next. Suddenly you learn something that does take time to implement. Maybe you even go home and say, I’ve got a contact person now. Oh boy. Then it also needs to be factored in that I have the possibility to implement all of that, to call the contact person at IP, and that also takes a bit of time in our experience. But otherwise it doesn’t really make any sense.
Lisa : And before we send you back into the hustle and bustle of MultichannelDay or back into your everyday life — take a moment to breathe. Welcome to this little meditation, which takes you on a journey through Cologne. Make yourself comfortable, gently close your eyes, and breathe in deeply and out again. Imagine you’re standing at Cologne Central Station. You feel the liveliness of the city around you, the buzz of passersby, the rumble of the trains. Now you slowly walk outside to breathe in the fresh air of the city. You’re standing right in front of Cologne Cathedral, a truly majestic building. Now you keep walking, past the picturesque banks of the Rhine. The view of the Rhine is unforgettable — the gentle lapping of the water, the vastness of the river stretching to the horizon. On the banks you see the old town and Cologne’s modern buildings, blending harmoniously together. The path leads you onward, and slowly you can spot your destination in the distance: RheinEnergieStadion. The stadium where football history was made and home to 1. FC Köln. You’ve arrived at MultichannelDay. Breathe in deeply once more... and out. And now we’ll give you a moment to let the music sink in before we send you back into the hustle and bustle.
Vincent : You can now slowly open your eyes again. And at this point we say: thank you for spending this little break with us! And if you feel like it, browse through our other episodes on the audio platform of your choice or in the eBay Community at ebay.de/podcast. Maybe the exact topic that’s on your mind right now is in there. And if not: we’re looking forward to your feedback and topic requests, both there and on our eBay for Business social media pages.
Lisa : Or, if you’re at MultichannelDay right now: just talk to our colleagues at the eBay booth — we’re here all day, and who knows, maybe you’ll end up on our podcast someday too?
Vincent : And until next time on “Alles top. Gerne wieder!”.
Lisa : See you soon.
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