quickdraw29
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posted on April 3, 2002 11:25:13 AM
Here's what a Yahoo monkey sent me: "Please note that this action has been recorded by Yahoo! and that subsequent violations could result in suspension of your rights to use Yahoo! Auctions."
My first "violation" and I'm immediately suspended, and without warning!
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ddeva
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posted on April 13, 2002 10:39:09 AM
Why isn't Yahoo! working with third party Auction Services to avoid that separate picture upload step?
I was listing their frequently and doing quite well before AW. But when I switched to AW, I did not have time to do a separate picture upload to Yahoo! -- and my sales dropped.
Fixing this problem would be a key factor to increasing the number of auctions I list at Yahoo!
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dodobird
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posted on April 14, 2002 08:56:25 AM
yahoo has the same items listed over and over again,but lesbian kissing lesbian and all this happens in a bathtub filled with bubbles??
do you think there is room for a DODO BIRD,i like bubble bath!!
and i promise i wont tell
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outoftheblue
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posted on April 14, 2002 12:34:01 PM
[ edited by outoftheblue on Apr 15, 2002 10:50 PM ]
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bidsbids
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posted on April 14, 2002 03:30:00 PM
You might be right. Auction Diner and its Irani legal team must be the worst auction on the internet. BV may get more sales than Carnaby too.
I disagree with the Yahoo assessment. If a seller can't spend $5 on 100 items for 10 days and sell some stuff then their items must be too common or their prices are too high. I have a lot of repeat buyers on Yahoo that are starved for items to buy. One lady bought 14 items the other day ( sounds like a tax refund to me ). I get a much better price for semi-common items on Yahoo than I do on Yahoo simply because the items oftentimes are not even on Yahoo due to the small number of listed items.
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zzyzx000
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posted on April 15, 2002 05:08:56 PM
As for Yahoo you are all correct. They are still run by Morons, even though the baton has changed hands several times. There must be a MORON HANDBOOK they pass on to the next generation.
As for the repeat customers you get on Yahoo, you could get them no matter where you list. Why pay Yahoo anything when they don't bring customers to you?
Your own web site would work just as well, but why not do what I do: Use Bidville as your own peraonal storefront. Give them $5 to register, then list only free "auctions." Set your minimum to the same as the buy price. Have 30 day auctions with 20 automatic relists. That's almost 2 years without changing anything. You'll need to host your pix elsewhere and there are still free places for that. No features, no bold Titles or cute icons. I almost never get any new customers but occasionally one takes the bait, maybe once a month and I've made hundreds of easy sales to my own customers who can search my listings or browse through them with ease.
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outoftheblue
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posted on April 15, 2002 06:07:22 PM
zzyzx000
You are right about that. Your store front can be anywhere if you have a pre-existing customer base or a good advertising plan.
I did pretty well off of my own web site before Ebay.
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bidsbids
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posted on April 15, 2002 10:47:18 PM
Your own web site would work just as well, but why not do what I do: Use Bidville as your own peraonal storefront. Give them $5 to register, then list only free "auctions." Set your minimum to the same as the buy price. Have 30 day auctions with 20 automatic relists. That's almost 2 years without changing anything. You'll need to host your pix elsewhere and there are still free places for that. No features, no bold Titles or cute icons. I almost never get any new customers but occasionally one takes the bait, maybe once a month and I've made hundreds of easy sales to my own customers who can search my listings or browse through them with ease.
00000000000000000000000
Oh my gosh, I've been advocating that very same thing for months on the "Other Online Auctions" board here at AW. The cheapest store on the internet. I use to sell at BV but actually got ripped off by 2 buyers there. If I were to ever go the BV storefront for $5/year route I'd use sites like E & Y to draw customers to the store. Never, ever mention Bidville or any other online auction in an auction description at eBay or you'll get it canceled but the "you've won my auction" letters are fair game for the link to all of your items.
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quickdraw29
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posted on April 18, 2002 08:29:46 AM
Yahoo Auctions announced layoffs in the U.S. and Canada. Auction counts have stagnated, probably a lot worse if not for the free listings. They say they're just eliminating duplicate positions, but it's not enough to stop the bleeding. Time for the resignation of the CEO. This guys a joke.
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zzyzx000
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posted on April 18, 2002 08:48:09 AM
Can you really lay off a BOT?
I thought they just auctioned them off on eBay.
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quickdraw29
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posted on April 18, 2002 08:53:21 AM
They could sell the monkey's in customer service, to the zoo.
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sulyn1950
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posted on April 18, 2002 12:37:42 PM
I have been on Yahoo for a couple of years. I left for awhile and went over to eBay, but came back just before they started charging fees. Right after they started charging fees, I actually did really well and was very optimistic about my future, but then everything began to change. First the big corporate sellers started showing up and received special treatment with a PREMIUM AND FEATURED SELLER links on the category home page directly to their auctions and they just kept showing up. I left again and stayed away until about 3 months ago. Since I have been back, I just can't get anything going.
There is one seller in my category who has 3 ID's called XXX#1, XXX#2 and XXX#3. They sell the same stuff under all 3 IDs and currently have more than 9,000 listings between the 3 ID's. They list multiples of the same item and even do dutch auctions for the same items multiple times! If you are browsing the category toggled on end time you will have up to 5 pages EVERY HOUR that contain only this seller's items. Do you know how boring that is for a bidder? Page after page after page of the same 'ole same 'ole...I have all but given up even looking at auctions about to close. It is a waste of time. I think the buyers agree too!
I used to never have trouble with buyers. I felt most fortunate. I had only had 3 NON payers in all my time selling. I also had a very decent sell-through of more than 75% up until about 5 months ago. Now I can't give my stuff away. I have only sold 2 items this month. Neither have been paid for. Last month I had 4 deadbeats and a whacko who bid on several of my auctions then asked me to cancel the bids because they didn't remember bidding on them! I'm still getting "the check is in the mail" from 2 of them. The other two just stopped responding all together.
One of the last 2 auctions I closed with winners, was bid on, won and paid for with PayPal before I was made aware that they were from the UK. I received notice from PayPal that a payment had been made and that the address was non-confirmed and that it was International! They had sent the exact amount listed in my auction for shipping within the US. A quick check with the USPS website showed they were $9.00 short on shipping. When I informed them of that fact, they wanted to cancel the bid. 
I have started moving stuff over to BidVille. I know I probably won't sell anything but it only cost me $5.00 a month as a Premier account holder and I got lots of "credit" to feature my items. I featured some and was surprised to see that I already have numerous views. No bids, but at least they are getting looked at. More than the ones I currently have on Yahoo! Now how sad is that????? 
I'm gonna miss my Yahoo, but I just can't subsidize my auctions any longer. I just have to call it quits.
Good luck to all of you who have found your Yahoo nitch and are holding your own or doing real well. I wish you the best and continued success.
Cheers!
Sulyn
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ROY222
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posted on April 18, 2002 02:27:26 PM
Yahoo, might as well sell their monkeys. If after a year and more, they cannot figure out that if you are not the #1 auction site you are not going to make it by going with listing fees. Yahoo should have learned this by watching Amazon.com destroy their auction site.
Sites that are not #1 need to go with a final value fee only just to keep sellers there and hopefully get some bidders to generate final value fees.
Stupid-Ass monkeys!!!
[ edited by ROY222 on Apr 18, 2002 02:28 PM ]
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jimtaxi
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posted on April 18, 2002 02:44:55 PM
Good luck at BV. For ever looker on BV I figure there are 10 on Yahoo and 250 on eBay. Try to draw traffic to your listings and use it as a store. Prentend BV isn't even there, that isn't very difficult to do.
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deichen
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posted on April 19, 2002 08:08:37 AM
Sulyn,
Good Luck. I have had some sales at bidville (I wish I had more). I do not agree with the 1 look on bidville - 250 on ebay. I have auctions on ebay right now with between 20 to 60 looks. A couple end today.
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blairwitch
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posted on April 19, 2002 09:19:51 AM
Yahoo will not do well until all new management is in place. I am surprised the stockholders havent thrown a fit by now.
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deichen
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posted on April 19, 2002 10:33:08 AM
Blairwitch says:
Yahoo will not do well until all new management is in place. I am surprised the stockholders havent thrown a fit by now.
Blairwitch,
What happened? You were always there to defend Yahoo. I am asking nicely, as it appears Yahoo has shot themselves in the foot once again.
edited to add quote.
[ edited by deichen on Apr 19, 2002 10:34 AM ]
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blairwitch
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posted on April 19, 2002 12:29:53 PM
[B]Blairwitch,
What happened? You were always there to defend Yahoo. I am asking nicely, as it appears Yahoo has shot themselves in the foot once again.[/B]
Actually I never defended yahoo. The listing fee was a good idea to rid the clutter from the site, but they should have used the current fee structure from the start. Also they should be ashamed for not advertising the auctions on the main page. They got so much junk cluttered on it. One day I hope they will get better management who will take the few steps to make yahoo better. If they would charge only a 5% fvf listings would shoot up in no time.
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deichen
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posted on April 19, 2002 12:42:49 PM
I have said all along that if they went to a FVF only, they would be back on track. Why don't they listen? They seem stuck in the same rut and won't listen to the very people who could make them be a great site.
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RB
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posted on April 20, 2002 08:46:28 AM
Yahoo will not do well until all new management is in place. I am surprised the stockholders havent thrown a fit by now.
What percentage of Yahoo's total income is actually generated by their auction venue? Do the stockholders even care about this idiot piece of the big Yahoo pie?
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deichen
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posted on April 20, 2002 09:33:18 AM
RB,
It may be an idiot piece of the pie, but why have it - if it doesn't matter? And if it does, then they need to straighten it out.
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RB
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posted on April 20, 2002 10:28:10 AM
deichen ... that's what I am getting at. Yahoo should dump their auction venue before it starts creating a negative effect on their other internet stuff. I have already changed my home page from Yahoo as a result of their advertising of bootleg videos for sale on their auction venue. If enough Yahoo users get fed up with this, the stockholders *will* take notice!
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quickdraw29
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posted on April 20, 2002 10:37:33 AM
If Yahoo played their cards right, auctions could amount to 50% of the total pie. Clearly that is not going to happen. Stockholders should be looking at the growth prospects of the auctions, hopefully they realize Yahoo is failing at that.
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deichen
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posted on April 20, 2002 10:53:58 AM
I think the auction end of Yahoo could be great for Yahoo if they were to do it correctly, and all they seem to do is mess it up more. I personally do not think any of Yahoo is worth much as long as the customer service is as bad as it is and the fact that they kick people off, without even a warning.
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blairwitch
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posted on April 20, 2002 11:11:49 AM
"What percentage of Yahoo's total income is actually generated by their auction venue? Do the stockholders even care about this idiot piece of the big Yahoo pie?"
I estimated that yahoo makes between 1.5 million to 2.5 million dollars yearly. That figure may not be much to stockholders, but under the right management that figure could multiply and really add up. When yahoo stockholders read about eBays sales figures I bet their mouth waters as it should. Mark my word someday things will change at yahoo. Something already is going on for them to lower fees, and have the FLD's. I think they are testing the waters for a flat FVF. All they need to do is hire a few reps, advertise on the main page, and waive all listings fees. How hard can it be?
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bidsbids
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posted on April 20, 2002 12:54:41 PM
Everyone harps on eBay having no major competitors yet they want the only company can have a chance to do that to quit? ( other than Microsoft or PayPal ever entering the auction field )
Yahoo needs to try a little more tinkering to get it better. There is no way they can not charge some form of listing fee without having thousands of worthless auctions clogging up the searches. Signpost auctions, five cent trading cards, recipes, buy feedback for a few cents, etc. would all return. Yahoo has no humans in customer service and can not afford to police the auctions.
Maybe cutting the present listing fees in half and doubling the current FVF's would help. Rewarding sellers with 'listing bucks' for their Yahoo Feedback might help. They should try something else before folding up their tents is my advice to them.
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quickdraw29
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posted on April 20, 2002 01:03:58 PM
How hard can it be is exactly right, but they have yet to do anything logical to bring in the buyers.
They are laying off category managers which means auctions get the back seat. It is the worse move a company can do is intergrate resources like that. It's never worked in history. You can count Yahoo permantely out of the picture.
Can they go back to free listings? Of course they can't. Free listings don't generate revenue, and the piddly fvf is nothing to a giant company. Major networks cancel shows if they bring in only 5 million viewers!
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quickdraw29
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posted on April 20, 2002 01:30:19 PM
Of course many of us don't care if Yahoo hangs around, how can anyone build a business around a dying site? If Yahoo wakes up to all their mistakes, which is the main objective for sellers, then maybe the sellers can build their business around the site.
Naturally, I don't care because I've been booted off Yahoo. I was in the process of increasing listings on Yahoo when I suddeenly got the axe. I was up to 30% of of total listings on Yahoo, and was about to go 50% when I was cut off at the knees without warning, without a care from Yahoo's customer mis-service. Is this the site you want as an alternative to ebay? This is worse than ebay!! Believe me, ebay gives you a warning, they usually give you a chance to show your side before being axed. I'll say it again, Yahoo is worse than ebay! Not a good alternative!
The market will generate an alternative. It will take something clever to pull users away form ebay. I have it in my head what that requires and I'm sure I could pull it off with tons of money, so I know an alternative could exist. Yahoo though is hardly a clever alternative. It is for sellers, not for buyers.
So right now our best bet for an alternative is going with a niche site if you have what sells on the niche site.
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blairwitch
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posted on April 20, 2002 01:45:33 PM
Bidsbids you are correct we dont need another bidville. Yahoo in japan kicks ebays butt, but for some reason they dont want to in the USA. Before any good can happen they need some customer service reps, and advertising on the main yahoo page. Its sad because yahoo has the brand name, but no brains!
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InternetEdge
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posted on April 20, 2002 06:00:03 PM
I think with the news that Yahoo has laid off all of their category managers it is now apparent that they no longer have any interest in their auction division at all. I was mystified a few weeks ago when they summarily cancelled my account despite the fact that I was selling a perfectly legal item that was mis-identified by some community watch moron. Despite a perfect feedback record and over 100 listings on Yahoo they didn't even bother to contact me other than to say my account was cancelled. I have a right under federal law to file a counter-notice to offset the mis-identification complaint, but unlike Ebay, Yahoo ignores the law. The end result being that they lose a very active seller that they can ill afford to lose with their already poor variety of offerings. Ebay meanwhile keeps me fully informed and happy and when some idiot mis-identifies an auction item, allows me to answer any such ridiculous charges and continue to go about my business. By chasing away legitimate sellers Yahoo was their own worst enemy. With the way they have treated me I no longer give a damn what happens to them. They fully deserve whatever they get and that will undoubtedly be oblivion in terms of the online auction market. They are run by a bunch of fools.
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