Not too long ago, we announced that Japanese eBay service provider 500RPM would be launching a locally-translated Terapeak tool for Japan-based sellers…

Today, we’re happy to announce that the site is already up and running!

The Japan team has done a great job getting the site together, and we encourage you to go check it out. There’s even a pretty cool welcome video halfway down, featuring AERS/Terapeak’s very own CEO, Fred Speckeen.

Congratulations, Terapeak Japan! Welcome aboard!

Over the past several months, Terapeak has been conducting studies that analyze the impact of market research on eBay sellers’ sales and success rate. We’re very grateful to all those who’ve participated, and with the results from our first group of sellers now compiled, we’re excited to present the outcomes!

A little background first: the group of sellers was selected randomly, and features sellers specializing in collectibles, home safety products, antiques and more. Eight performance indicators were tracked for three months for each seller. Statistics related to each indicator were compared on a pre- and post-Terapeak basis, and were then used to determine a percentage of growth or decline.

Some sellers showed improvement in nearly every business facet, while the improvement of others focused on specific statistics. And when averaged across the entire group, every indicator showed at least some improvement.

Here’s a breakdown of the group averages and best results:

As you can see, those are some pretty impressive numbers!

One of the most entertaining parts of the study was researching each seller’s highest priced times. Among the most curious results: a vintage men’s watch worth over $2000, model train accessories, Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, X-Men comics, jewelry, radio equipment, and collectible coins.

All of the participating sellers were a pleasure to interact with, and all were generous with praise for Terapeak’s research tools. Here are a few anecdotes they shared:

[Terapeak] has enabled us to identify a range of products that our competitors are selling that we previously weren’t! And, just as importantly, has helped us to decide which products our competitors have not been able to sell, and [which] we shouldn’t be stocking either! – economiccomics

That’s where Terapeak comes in handy for me. I call my husband (who is more than happy to stay at home while I foray to yard sales and auction previews), tell him to get on Terapeak and check out items while I’m still at a sale. In many cases, that’s been very helpful in determining what or what not to buy. – 6regentspark

I must say that [Terapeak] has changed how I do business and it has also allowed me to look into other markets that I might not have perhaps looked at before. - global-gadgets

We love the Terapeak service. – shiponsiteyng

I cannot say enough [about Terapeak]. Our customers now know that when we say we “Terapeak-ed it” that it’s good info. It makes our life so much easier when we can show people the true ebay value of their items. – quick2sellpgh

In typical end-of-month fashion, we’re here to remind you that the Terapeak newsletter goes out in the next week or so, and you won’t want to miss it. Sign up below to get your fix of Terapeak, eBay and ecommerce news!

Cheers!

Juuust a reminder that Terapeak’s monthly newsletter will be shipping out next Tuesday, so if you haven’t already you can sign up below. The newsletter generally features updates from in and around the Terapeak world, but also news of going-on around eBay and ecommerce in general.

We hope you check it out!

Every year, San Diego hosts an event called Comic-Con (”SDCC”), one of the world’s largest comic book conventions. This year, thousands of fans converged on the San Diego Convention Center between July 22nd and 26th to meet creators of their favourite comic books, games, movies and television series. Attendees were shown previews for popular TV series such as Dollhouse and Lost , as well as movie trailers like Iron Man 2 and Tron Legacy.

Perhaps most intriguing to eBay sellers is the litany of products available exclusively to SDCC attendees — many of which, according to Terapeak’s research tools, have seen high eBay demand since the event ended last week.

In the past seven days, more than 2,500 items using “SDCC 2009″ as keywords (not counting tickets and passes) have sold on eBay.com, accounting for over $130,000 in total sales. Some of the most popular products include Green Lantern: Blackest Night figure sets, He-man reissues, Twilight figures, Kidrobot vinyl toys, and Star Wars collectibles. And despite the high prices (many are already selling for over $200), the sell-through rate on these listings is an impressive 76%.

As always, Comic-Con will be back next summer, so if you’re an eBay seller focused on collectibles, perhaps it’s worth making the trip to sunny San Diego! (Really, is it ever not?)

We’re happy that the Wall Street Journal has once again used Terapeak’s eBay data to illustrate a story!

For the full report on luxury goods selling on eBay and beyond, click here!

Every year during the eBay Developer’s Conference (San Jose, June 16-18, if you’re interested in coming along) eBay awards the Star Developer award in a few categories:

• DSR Rockstar (improving customer service & buyer experience)
• Most Innovative
• Early Adopter
• Service to the Developer Community
• NEW: Rapid Evolution (boosting seller efficiency in a dynamic marketplace)

eBay relies on external nominations to select the award winners, so if you’re using an application for eBay that is based off of the eBay API platform and you love it, send in a nomination (shameless plug: Terapeak is eligible for nomination).

All you have to do is send a nomination to developer-relations@ebay.com before May 15, 2009. Include in your email your name and contact info, the nominees name and contact, the category of award (from the list of 5 above) and a brief explanation as to why you think the application is award-worthy! Toss “eBay DevCon Star Dev Award” in the subject line so your note gets to the right people.

If, by any chance, you’d want to nominate Terapeak, we’d be stoked, and promise not to cry, babble, forget the words, or recite a boring acceptance speech for hours upon hours.

For more information on the Developer Program at eBay, visit http://developer.ebay.com/

I’d like to thank the nomination committee… my family…

Sweet!

So do we!

If you’re hooked on Twitter, please add Terapeak to your feed to keep track of the latest activity in the Terapeak offices. We’ll try to add the latest news there, as it happens!

From all of us here at Terapeak, we hope you’ve had a happy holidays and productive selling season, as well as time to relax and recharge with loved ones. We’re back after a brief rest ourselves, and we’re feeling rejuvenated about what the new year holds.

Since it is a new year, naturally that means resolutions. And whether you’ve made any conscious ones or not, in a fluid, expansive market like eBay (and others across the web), there is always room to grow, focus, and become a better seller — and really, that’s a resolution you’re making every time you log on to Terapeak!

So, as the holidays fade and the season turns, now is a great time to tweak your business in ways you’ve always wanted. Is there a new market you’ve been wanting to break into? Is there a selling tactic you want to learn more about? What can you do to take your business to that next level? These are all questions we hope we can work with you to answer in 2009!

Happy new year!

The holidays are upon us, and Terapeak’s getting giddy!

Yep, call us suckers for the holiday season, but we can’t contain our excitement any longer. So, in honor of the giving season, we’re offering 12-day free trials to anyone who wants one. That means full access to Terapeak and all its charms: 90 days of closed listings, two years of category trends, seller reports, hot research — the whole shebang!

If you’re someone who’s recently found out about Terapeak, or if you’ve been considering signing up for a while — or, heck, if you know someone who sells on eBay and might be interested in Terapeak — now’s the time to find out what the fuss is about.

To take advantage of this offer, simply visit the Terapeak sign-up page before January 2nd, and research, research, research until you pass out face-down in the gravy bowl! (What? That’s just us? So we love our turkey dinners, so what!)

Please note: You will be required to include payment information with your free trial, but you will not be billed until your 12 days is up. If you don’t wish to continue your subscription, be sure to cancel before your trial reaches its 13th day.

Happy holidays!