why isnt my ipod charing when i plug it in?

Since these little Shuffles don't have displays, it can be hard to tell what's happening when you plug it in. But you should see an amber light next to the "off" switch to indicate that it's charging. The light turns green when it's fully charged. Do you see any lights there at all? Also, does the device show up in iTunes when you plug it in?

A few suggestions:

Maybe the Shuffle's not being left plugged in long enough to recharge. Try leaving the Shuffle plugged in overnight.

It could be the cable or cradle. Do you see any kinds or fraying in the cable or damage to the plug? Can you test the Shuffle with a different cable?

Or maybe it's the USB port on the computer -- do other devices work when plugged into that port? Can you try a different port? The manual for the Shuffle ( http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iPod... ) also notes that the port must be a "high-power USB port." If you have the wall plug, I'd recommend trying that as well.