posted on February 6, 2001 11:31:49 AM new
To those that are wondering about the free forever if you sign up by 03/10/01 deal on BIDVILLE. I would recommend that on their help page you check out the weekly newsletter dated 01/16/01. It answers a lot of these questions.
Auxpal/Bidville had stated that they intend to be free of fees forever. (a bold statement, I know)
This announcement was as made in response to skepticisim expressed abouit that claim. Not to mention, a big build up in members amy have also ben a motivating factor at a time when there were a lot of people wondering what site they should try.
I do not work for Bidville, I do list there.I am very much in favor of trying to grow this site, as I thinkit does help to have a good large free site where everyone, buyers and sellers can feel comfy.
If you really wonder how they are going to make money, I would respectfully suggest that you email them and ask. It couldn't hurt?
definitely needed to put more typos in
[ edited by jimhhow on Feb 6, 2001 05:44 PM ]
posted on February 6, 2001 12:27:32 PM newIn other words, if your not selling High Ticket items with minimal cost, your wasting your time at eBay. Unless you like earning 10 cents an hour for your time.
That depends on your perspective. If you're trying to make a living, yes, that may be so. But if, like me, you have an outside main source of income, and just enjoy the process of buying something for 1 price and selling it for a higher price at a profit, then no, you're not wasting your time. Especially when that process brings in several hundred a month in "fun" money.
But like I said, sites like BidVille are needed as an alternative to watching your profits needlessly eroded.
posted on February 6, 2001 12:43:35 PM new
jimhhow ... taking your advice, I just sent the following emailto BidVille:
There is a lot of discussion happening at AuctionWatch about BidVille. Many of us believe that the sudden surge in listings at your site is a direct result of Yahoo's recent announcement to start charging a listing fee. Many of us are also very cognizant of the fact that very few items on BidVille are receiving bids, which of course will eventually translate into fewer hits on your site.
A comment has been made that BidVille has made a promise to NEVER charge listing fees. We have heard this before!
I am curious to know, if you do not intend to charge fees, and your number of site hits will probably drop when sellers realize that they are not getting bids (which will affect your ability to secure sponsors), how do you intend to fund this operation?
I was trying to emphasize the 10 cents an hour portion of that statement. A person would really have to be doing it for a hobby to waste 100's hours a month, especially if someone has children, to make that, or if Chat Rooms are more important than a persons family.
I sell to have fun. It's not my main source of income. I make a car payment with the profits. Lucky I have almost no cost basis in what I sell.
posted on February 6, 2001 01:30:53 PM new
CDROM:
One thing I don't quite understand is the Banner at BidVille directing you to go to eBay ???
Why advertise eBay at BidVille?
Because Ebay is paying for an ad on BidVille! Yahoo used to have Ebay banners as well! The money they get from the banners helps them to stay free!
I have over 1000 auctions on BidVille, and 90% of them have "Take it" prices on them at the opening bid, so it would NOT show up as bids, would it??? It is something to consider. I have sold about 8 items on there so far in a couple of weeks and have watched them grow! Hey, the bidders aren't staying with Yahoo and as a bidder (sometimes) I always hated Ebay because I would always get outbid! One bid is fine for me on my auctions ~ I am happy with that! At least, I do not have to start the item off at $1.00 to generate activity (sound familiar ~ Ebay)!!!!
posted on February 6, 2001 02:04:30 PM new
What I like about bidville is the 30 day auctions with relists. I also use the buy it now feature, and is sure beats all those fees. If bidville was to start charging fees in the future, I think it would be FVF only, and thats fine with me. I just dont like paying fees before I sell an item.
posted on February 6, 2001 02:14:19 PM new
I would be more than willing to pay a FVF at any new site; in fact, I would have a lot more confidence in a site that did charge FVF, because they'd have some actual income! I wish they'd just charge FVF right from the start.
These sites that advertise NO FEES EVER are signing their own death warrants.
I was trying to emphasize the 10 cents an hour portion of that statement. A person would really have to be doing it for a hobby to waste 100's hours a month, especially if someone has children, to make that, or if Chat Rooms are more important than a persons family.
CDROM,
You lost me with the above statement. Especially the part about the Chat Rooms. I don't recall saying anything regarding Chat Rooms, so what is that in reference to?
Do you not believe that it's possible to make hundreds of dollars per month in sales with profits of a few hundred per month, spend far less than the amount of time you're referring to (100's of hours per month), all while selling mainly low-ticket items, and still have plenty of time for family?
If you work smart, it can be done. Especially in a computer-oriented family like mine.
posted on February 6, 2001 05:02:19 PM new
Oh, I forgot to mention that since I got cable, my sales have nearly doubled. Again, refuting the idea that one must spend hundreds of hours and neglect family to do well, regardless of the site you're using.
When one child has been sent off to school and the other is still asleep in bed, then one can post on these message boards, scan pictures, write descriptions, or whatever the auction chore of the moment might be, all without sacrificing family time. And when one is hit up with a bonus, as I was this morning when my son decided he wanted to play on his computer after he woke up, well, then I get some extra time in!
posted on February 6, 2001 06:28:03 PM new
BidVille has banners. The one I noticed was for eBay. Just figuring eBay doesn't want us to forget they are out there. Reminder that they are the one and only auction site? I really wish one of these other sites would do some serious damage to eBay. I just despise monopolies of any sort.
posted on February 6, 2001 09:40:51 PM new
"I asked that same question a while back, and none of the BidVille fans could provide an answer. I think somebody did point out though that BidVille already has a fee schedule page set up ... just waiting to plunk in the numbers. When that happens, I suspect the "Revolution" will cool down substantially a la Yahoooooooo"
RB, You can't be this clueless. Even if Bidville started charging new sellers fees after March 10, (very unlikely) there will be no substantial "cool down a la Yahooooo" because current sellers will still be able to list for free.
posted on February 7, 2001 04:57:22 AM new
"RB, You can't be this clueless."
I can so
"Even if Bidville started charging new sellers fees after March 10, (very unlikely) there will be no substantial "cool down a la Yahooooo" because current sellers will still be able to list for free."
The current sellers, realizing that they are not successful, will leave.
Tell you what ... rather than argue this anymore, let's see where these guys are in 6 months. OK? I haven't been wrong before in my predictions, but there's always a first time.
posted on February 7, 2001 07:33:44 AM new
I e-mailed customer service inquiring about the Banner Links - received e-mail response: BidVille displays banners for other sites - for every 2 BidVille displays - BidVilles is shown once on a very large network of websites. So this allows BidVille to have incoming funds AND also advertises for BidVille!!! Whoopppeeee!!! They gave me a web address "to learn more about it" - but I don't think I can post it here (?)...Also asked AGAIN about being on Search Engines - they said they are only 2 months old and getting on Search Engines take 4-6 months - so hopefully REAL soon!
posted on February 8, 2001 12:43:50 PM new
Well, I've tried ePier and Bidville. I've had far more hits on Bidville than on ePier but I like both sites for various reasons. I haven't had any sales yet, but then in my catagory (equestrian equipment/horseback riding/etc) I'm not too concerned as the season is just getting started. But OTOH, I wasn't getting sales at Yahoo either - even during the height of the riding season - so I'm not out anything by testing these new sites. I will ride them out (pardon the pun) and hope that one or both live up to their potential.
posted on February 8, 2001 03:46:28 PM new
jimhhow ... "If you really wonder how they are going to make money, I would espectfully suggest that you email them and ask. It couldn't hurt?"
Still haven't got an answer ... not even the courtesy of a reply. This is probably something that their 'customer service" can't answer, but some kind of reply would have shown me that they do respond.
I also emailed them a couple of days ago asking how I could have my personal info removed from their database - a question that 'customer service' could and should be able to answer. I got the exact same response ... nada, nothing, zilch.
Even eBay responds, albeit with a form ... at least you know your email got through to them.
So much for their wonderful and quick customer service eh
posted on February 8, 2001 04:57:31 PM new
"So much for their wonderful and quick customer service eh"
I have emailed them several times & always had a response withing an hour or so. Can't imagine what your problem could be.......anyone??
posted on February 9, 2001 08:12:49 AM new
These new sites generally do have great customer service, right until the day they go bankrupt.
Initial funding provides a server and a customer service rep, both of whom are bored to death initially. Its easy to answer emails when the place is empty. It actually probably makes the boredom less!
I wonder what would happen if thousands of ebay sellers (and presumably their buyers) showed up, en masse here. Wonder how well the server and CSR would do then? No problem, just buy more servers and hire more CSRs. Hmmm..where does the money come from then??? Fees. And then so much for all the sellers who have sent their "low margin, we dont care how long it takes to sell as long as the site is free" items. And then the great flow of "junk" moves on to the next free site, which instantly has "lots of items for sale" (not that many people want these items, but at least they make for impressive claims).
But hey, just like "free after rebate" promotions, by all means take advantage of these start ups while you can. Someone has to spend venture capital!
posted on February 9, 2001 08:46:36 AM new
In order to compete against someone like ebay, a startup has to have something going for it. Typically, these can be:
1. Deeeeep pockets, to essentially buy market share with no/low fees, hoping to make it up later. This may have been the Yahoo plan.
2. A quick way to jumpstart your entry, such as Amazon (pulling in that large customer base).
3. Something distinctive that really attracts customers ("look at this!" ). This is perhaps the foundation of the attempt to form a co-op auction site, where being part-owner is something that very much appeals to many entrepreneurs, such as often sell at auctions.
Otherwise, if you just attempt a start up, you'll end up in the slag-heap of bankruptcies.
How does bidville fit into this? Do they have a deep-pocket sponsor? I don't see that #2 applies to them. Maybe #3 does, although I didn't notice it.
Otherwise, you end up with yet another under-funded "me too" business, doomed to failure. Not that Gold's comes to mind...
Note: my prediction is that the first real competition for ebay will come from a combination of these, perhaps using ever-evolving computer technology to make a new spin on auctions - how about if, say, Microsoft funded a 3D video real-time auction site and built the necessary software into their windows 2000 operating system? Now that might be cool enough and funded/supported enough to be successful (this is just an example by the way...).
posted on February 9, 2001 10:08:41 AM new
What is that old saying? Opinions are like ^*&$%$#, everyone has one. I don't know how long Bidville will last or stay this user friendly, I also don't have an expert opinion as to what could be done to start an Auction site like everyone seems to want. I just refuse to be negative about any of them until negative things start to happen. When they do, and if they can't be resolved, then I will devise a different plan. I depend on my piddly auctions for extra $$ as I am disabled & it doesn't pay well. But, where there's a will, there's a way and I will find it sooner or later. In the mean time, I will just bumble along like I am, having fun all the way! @¿@
posted on February 9, 2001 10:11:35 AM new
Well, I can tell you this. I put up a $500 starting bid lot of cards and featured it and within 24 hours had bids! The lot sat through a cycle featured on Yahell and only had about 20 pageviews. GO BIDVILLE!
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
