posted on January 29, 2001 05:32:56 AM new
I am in also...........let's try and remember all the faux pas that ebay has made and NOT duplicate them. User verification is one excellent idea and I have been in favor of it since day one on ebay & that seems a century ago.
posted on January 29, 2001 06:48:58 AM new
Hi all,
To clarify, here's the basic idea.
We launch a 30 day window to see how many motivated sellers would write a check for $100.00 initiation. This would be placed in a trust or escrow account. It would not be used until the co-op came into existence.
What this would do is see how many people are really serious about this. Sort of like seat licenses for ballparks.
A committe would be formed to try and hammer out a mission statement and constitution that would be taken to all of the folks who spent their $100.00 to ratify.
If we can get 500-1000 people to send in $100.00 in a 30 day window I think that would be a newsworthy show of support for this venture.
If the group actually came to enough conclusions to ratify the charter then we would go to step two which would be breaking into sub-committes to tackle the actual structure and developement of the site.
This would not be an exclusionary group. No special perks or rights. It's just a matter of having to start somewhere??
The initiation fees would also give us some start up monies to get things going when and if we got off the ground.
Please keep going to twinsoft's message board. We want everyone's ideas. This is an opportunity for every serious seller, large or small to participate.
Even if you only list 5 items a month this is something you want to look at.
And even if you don't pay the initiation fee you will still be able to list and particpate.
The main point is that all of us sellers, large and small are in the trenches dealing with each other and bidders. Combine that with a good tech team and not having to be profit motivated and this could be something incredible.
posted on January 29, 2001 07:10:27 AM new
Jamie,
That sounds like you have a great plan there for a very good start.
Count me in for the $100.00. I would be of no help to you in the planning....BUT....I sure would be a help in seeing to it that the plan and language is kept simple and understandable for people like me who want to keep it "SIMPLE".
Often times the brains of these sort of things get carried away with "techie" lingo leaving the rest of us just scratching our heads and saying "HUH?"
I'm really excited about this. And I'll tell ya its been far to long since I've felt this kind of excitement over doing any auctions.
I'm going to start right away stock piling and saving some of my better auctions for "our launch" day.
Between now and then I should be able to accumulate quit a stash.
This is a dream I KNOW we can ALL make come true!!
posted on January 29, 2001 07:40:03 AM newdonbene, I am only passing on a suggestion that I received from another poster. I also feel that it is too soon to start collecting fees. Judging from offers, the support will be there when we need it. However, as I said, Jamie's suggestion was the first I received that we should take this to the next level.
I am going to ask Jamie to head up organizing the Planning Committee. I think he can do a good job of it. Jamie split from eBay some time ago and currently maintains 2000 auctions at alternate auction sites. He has expressed an interest in the planning committee, so I suggest that he help organize it. He'll need to get input from members as to who should be involved (I don't think $100 should be a requirement), the size of the committee, details, network with the planners and get the ball rolling. After speaking to Jamie on the phone, I am convinced he can do this.
Again, it is essential that we get ToyRanch, Magazine_Guy, Rosalinda and many others on board, as they have access to huge resources. Some expert business experience is also a must.
If you have any reason why Jamie shouldn't organize the planning committee, please say so because I know he is willing to contribute the effort.
posted on January 29, 2001 07:49:06 AM new
It's important to remember that in addition to membership fees, co-op members will also need to contribute their time, both by attending monthly membership meetings and voting, and by serving on a rotating board of directors. Directors meet weekly and bring issues before the co-op.
Packer, you mentioned maintaining a suggestion list. I think that's a great idea. I created a "Suggestion Box" forum on the other board and I'd like to ask for your services as moderator. The job would require a few hours each week to look over the threads in the Suggestion Box forum and make sure the threads are working correctly. Suggestions are just flying in and we want to catch them all, and then maybe look at them at a later time when we can approach the details. So, how about it? Will you agree to moderate the Suggestions forum?
posted on January 29, 2001 07:55:17 AM new
Most sellers simply would not have the time to be on a board of directors and attend regular meetings. Unless of course they spend less time on message boards.
posted on January 29, 2001 07:59:43 AM new
1. YES!!!!
2. April 1st- 2 months is enough time to add a few auctions to cover this.
3. My choice would be over the summer-August- when things are slow and a "shakedown voyage" and it's problems could be dealt with before the Holiday Rush.
posted on January 29, 2001 08:07:06 AM new
Loosecannon, that's not true. Big-time sellers on eBay might be looking at a savings of thousands of dollars per month in eBay fees. In exchange, they need only spend an hour or two per month, and a couple of extra hours once a year, participating in the voting.
abacaxi: either kindly keep your nasty condemations to yourself, or else utilize the IGNORE FUNCTION if you happen to find me so odious.
Furthermore, this is supposed to be a POLL, a messagethread with Yes/no and dates.
I have NO interest in the formation of a supposed cooperative which is simply another venue for the big megalisters to unleash their millions of weekly items for sale.
I am SOLELY interested in a cooperative which is SOLELY interested in the establishment of a fun liddle venue SPECIFICALLY composed of individuals, microbusinesses, and hobby sellers.
posted on January 29, 2001 08:47:59 AM new
I think the general idea of some form of user co-op is valid.
There is discussion about this taking place on a number of sites.
The OTWA Merchant Plaza is up and running.
http://www.dealsniper.com/plaza/
They might be invited to join the discussion.
An advertising Co-op would tie together all the activities of individual sellers (auctions on different venues, web site etc.)with or without the addition of a co-op auction venue.
posted on January 29, 2001 09:04:11 AM newI am SOLELY interested in a cooperative which is SOLELY interested in the establishment of a fun liddle venue SPECIFICALLY composed of individuals, microbusinesses, and hobby sellers.
Yes! Who wants to look at more of that boring list-a-million-a-minute stuff anyways? There's more than enough of that already. You need small, specialized sellers who can provide unique items. That's what makes ebay go 'round and what keeps the bidders over there.
posted on January 29, 2001 09:07:53 AM new reston ray: Last night it came to my attention that the OTWA had ALREADY done the formation of something cooperative, but the post said NO more.
posted on January 29, 2001 09:11:48 AM new
B'GUY - An advertising co-op would likely meet the restrictions of eBay and other venues so that a link could be included in auctions as well as added to emails, sig. lines and other contact with users. Members would be expected to promote it where ever possible. If it had an income source, such as quarterly dues, it could also do advertising.
A co-op auction venue, would by defination, be a competitor to other selling outlets and would have to take other approaches than link inclusion in auctions.
posted on January 29, 2001 09:19:33 AM new
Reston_ray: I wouldn't be surprised if eBay disallowed links to other web sites (personal or otherwise) in the not to distant future. They seem to be headed in that direction.
posted on January 29, 2001 09:31:23 AM new
Hi Ray,
Welcome to this discussion. You're most correct. A co-op auction house would in fact be competition to ebay and could even be a threat to it. And I'm sure any group(s) that are like minded can work together.
I'm sure they wouldn't support links to it anymore than they would to Amazon auctions or bidville?
BROOKLYNGUY: The idea is to have a well funded site that would judiciously market the site. Ebay makes a lot of money. I for one feel that we could be more sucessful especially since we won't have to worry about our stock price and shareholders.
posted on January 29, 2001 09:38:35 AM newRADH I'll certainly consider upon reading the legal briefs on this one...Sounds like fun though! Maybe once I see the plan!
Good to see you back. (I did miss your postings)!
[ edited by Empires on Jan 29, 2001 09:39 AM ]
posted on January 29, 2001 09:44:19 AM newreston ray: thank you again for providing the link to the OAUA page. Here is the URL in link form: http://www.dealsniper.com/plaza/
I am not a member of the OAUA, but I tend to agree with a few comments made by either Codasaurus or Neomax in the other messagethread -- that perhaps there is a better investment for our single $100s that would bring better returns.
i dunno!
However, I do know that I intend to wait and learn precisely what the brains and brauns of the OAUA have already done AND what, if any, is their long term plan & goals.
I find the website you directed me to VERY appealing, and intend to explore it on a decent computer sometime s@@n.
My own personal health coupled with offline responsibilities makes behooves me to cease & desist any further energy-expenditure, until I learn what direction the OAUA marketplace, or whatever it's called is truly going. (i.e., I do NOT have the time, the money, the health, the innate talents & abilities to be busying myself with re-inventing the wheel.....if, indeed, said wheel is ALREADY in a state of creation.)
I really like the sheer L@@KS of that webpage, and my kudos to the webpage designer for keeping it plain, attractive and SIMPLE.
AND, thank you again, Reston for entering this messagethread with the URL.
empires: hi there! as you slog through the case law, the ONE thing that would realllllllllllY interest me is IF there is ANY way to LIMIT MEMBERSHIP and LIMIT listings s-o-l-e-l-y to INDIVIDUALS: Hobby sellers, Microbusinesses, Sole proprietors.
I, of course, know NOTHING about issues of restraint of trade, or indeed, anything else of legalese.
posted on January 29, 2001 10:18:00 AM new
I hate to be a wet blanket but I would need more than a 'launch date' before I said yes to $100.
I'd like to see the terms, rules, laws, etc. I'd like to see the plan on marketing the site... word of mouth is a slow process and advertising is expensive. Without buyers you don't have much.
posted on January 29, 2001 10:25:39 AM new
Well, then..........my initial reaction still stands; it is now a different acronym. I plan to WAIT and see if OTWA or if OTWA/Honesty has ANY plans whatsoever, be they formal cooperative, or not, which serve to truly enhance the experience of I-N-D-I-V-D-U-A-L-S who use online auction venues, be they Hobby Sellers, Sole Proprietors, or Microbusinesses.
posted on January 29, 2001 10:55:10 AM new
This is a very interesting idea, I would be more than willing to help get this off the ground and contribute monetarily as well. Count me in and e mail the info as it come available.
[email protected]
posted on January 29, 2001 11:13:01 AM newRadh, I was shocked by Abacaxi's remark. But I'm pretty sure he was joking. If not, that was a very mean thing to say and totally out of place. What's going on, you guys?
posted on January 29, 2001 12:01:50 PM new
I agree with Abacaxi; radh has made his views known. Reading them over and over in inflammatory language/format, to me, does not C-O-N-T-R-I-B-U-T-E a lot to the discussion.
