posted on March 5, 2001 09:16:26 PM new
Let me see if I have this strait. You have capped the FVF at $4.95 so that means if my item sells for more than $495.00 I will be getting a break? I HAVE NEVER SOLD AN ITEM FOR MORE THAN $207. >>
The compromise they made is good for dealers, businesses etc. . . They aren't looking out to keep or help the little guy with the new price cap on big ticker items. How many little guys have a lot of big ticket items. They know there are only a few of us that use the service here that will benefit from the change. Any business and AW is a business not a mom and pop shop wants to keep the people with the bigger pockets. My pockets aren't that big yet. Someday though, Donald Trump move over!
posted on March 5, 2001 09:32:36 PM newThe compromise they made is good for dealers, businesses etc. .
I disagree. Although I do sell items in the $500+ range[from time to time], I'd bet most of the true dealers & various other businesses that use AW do not. They deal in quantity, not high ticket items. In other words, they'll be paying just as much in FVF's as they were going to be paying, BEFORE this latest announcement.
posted on March 5, 2001 09:59:06 PM new
just thinkin' Isn't March 15th the day that Julius C. met his waterloo? Ides of March and all of that....hmmmmmmm some timing this increase......*back to my room*
posted on March 5, 2001 10:11:12 PM new
Well, it is progress that they have re-evaluated their thinking on this and reduced the FVF max, although it won't help many people. However, they are still far out of touch with their customers, and it may be already too late to keep some from leaving.
posted on March 5, 2001 10:40:49 PM new
I laughed at many of your posts here. Its refreshing to see honest opinions encouraged here and then see a positive (sort of) result; lowered FVF cap. However, the $4.95 doesnt help a newbie like me who mostly deals in beanies or items under $20.00. I had a friend suggest your services but I admit I was surprised to see you new fees going into effect. Since a requirement here is your ad banners at all my auctions, isnt that advertising, which would cost YOU folks $$ to purchase from an agency? So I provide free advertising for you in exchange for your services. No problem. Even the nickel insertion fee is acceptable. But now a portion of my rapidly dwindling profit goes to ebay for insertion, options, FVF, Paypal, ship supplies, and now AW? Hmmmm, maybe I should quit online selling and just buy AW stock, LOL! I have been listing my own auctions and as much as I really like AW, I dont see where you are entitled to my profit.
Hope to see your pending FVF tossed out entirely soon. ) Thanks for reading!
posted on March 5, 2001 10:54:03 PM new
Who gives a rat's A? You still want to charge $200 a year for image hosting, and how come that fee hasn't been lowered in closer relation to the $4.95 cap? This leaves a real bad taste in my mouth.
posted on March 5, 2001 10:54:43 PM new
Does AW have a right to make a profit? YES
Does AW have a right to charge a FVF? YES
Do I have a right to charge AW for Advertising? YES
Here are my terms: I will accept the FVF IF
AW pays me $0.75 per listing for advertising.
Oh, and yes that fee will apply to relisted items.
Where do these idea's come from? Who was in the focus groups?
FVF = NO MORE LISTING FROM AW FOR ME
AW wake up and smell the coffee! If you drive away everyone what will AW be making then?
FVF 1% of $0.00 = $0.00
Just my 2 cents.....no wait...will AW
take that away from me too??
posted on March 5, 2001 10:54:45 PM new
About 3 years ago, I sold my house through a real estate company for $100,000. Their commission was 6 percent. This amounted to $6,000. I was glad to pay it because THEY did such a good job selling my house.
They came to the house and took measurements, took several pictures, placed a yard sign out front, and wrote the sales aggrement.
They listed the house in the Multi-List book for this county, took phone calls, dealt with potential buyers and ran ads.
They held open houses for the public, and brought people over individually to show them the house, and spent hours working on the sale of this house.
They attended the closing metting at the bank, explained procedures, and made sure everything went as planned.
So you see, many people reading this post will agree that sometimes paying amounts that equal as high as 6 percent is reasonable if the somebody does the work. However, in this case, AW hasn't done any work in the listings of these auctions.
Therefore, THEY, AUCTION WATCH, in the minds of many, do not deserve any commission!
I'm searching for another company and I have 9 days to do it!
posted on March 5, 2001 11:49:21 PM new
Let's see now. If the % of Final Value Fee idea actually works for services such as AW, PayPal, eBay, BillPoint, etc. and business flourishes, I wonder what that may lead to in years to come? Just what would be the FVF on a Happy Meal anyway? : )
I wish people could address AW in an adult, respectable manner. I know some of us do, but they're drowned out by the sorry cries of people that have little to do otherwise. (Just my opinion, and I'm entitled to it- my shrink says so. No offense intended.)
I think they'd be more inclined to participate if people behaved better towards them, that's all. Seems now they're out to drown out the interference and sort us out later.
This new FVF cap will only affect maybe 1/10th of 1 percent of the sellers on AW and will make little or no difference in what AW takes in.
It in escence is nothing but a "Lets pretend we are listening and make a worthless gesture" ploy. Nobody is buying it for a second. It is more of an insult than a compromise.
posted on March 6, 2001 06:20:20 AM new
Hey furkid--Was just thinking of the Ides of March--et tu Brute--that whole thing as it relates here. I really think AW has signed its death warrant.
Gotta get busy and list, list, list or I'll be right behind them--the selling season is slipping away.
And I won't be using any AW tools to do that listing either.
posted on March 6, 2001 06:31:40 AM new
Gee whiz, complain too much about fees, launch your recent auctions directly from Ebay, delete a bunch of auctions from AW Post Sale Tab,
End result, Post Sale tools are not working. Will this thread last more than a few minutes???
posted on March 6, 2001 06:36:14 AM new
auctionqueenie ... your request to dreamchaser to email you as you have a question looks very familiar to the request you made of me in another thread.
What are you planning on doing with all of our email addies once you get them?
posted on March 6, 2001 06:45:36 AM new
If this FVF cap is such a good idea, why hasn't even one AW user popped in to say "Thank you for reconsidering, I'm staying". I'd love to see how many sellers went running to sign up after this "announcement".
A day late and about $4 short to me.
I'm down to bare bones at AW ~ most pics deleted, all customer info gone, no inventory stored, closed auctions have been transferred.
too bad, so sad.
AW is suggesting a fee up front AND a fvf.
None of this effects ME, as I don't use any of the services other than to participate in the chat forums. But the dynamics of this AW/Community relationship are interesting to watch! *sigh*
Regarding this "offer" to the masses of a cap on FVF for big ticket sales. This will give AW wiggle room for "compromise". First they let everyone stew over an incredibly exaggerated announced new Fee Schedule. Then they come out with an olive branch... (such as the $4.50 cap) to enrage the community even more, yet make folks believe their complaints have any impact within the walls of Auction Watch.
... And FINALLY they get to become "big hearted" by eliminating the FVF idea altogether. (if they have any brains about them at all!!!)... leaving a modest fee schedule that will impact the bottom lines of everyone who continues to use AWs auction related services.
This will make everyone who has been complaining about the "proposed fee schedule" feel empowered and HAPPY to pay the fees that WILL actually be implemented.
Great lessons from eBay! LOL
Now, AW could try another eBay tactic to scatter the protesters.... INUNDATE the community with various other minor changes and policy updates to confuse the masses and create diversions so that no ONE issue stands out for organized scrutiny or boycott.
Of course this is all JMHO... but I've been around a while and I have witnessed MUCH in the realm of Cyber Communities. *smile*
posted on March 6, 2001 06:50:38 AM new
First, my response to AW. It's too late...the way in which this has been handled is more than bad enough for me to see I don't want to be involved in a financial way with AW. The lack of thought and total lack of respect for the members here doesn’t speak well of the management. While the moderators were left "holding the bag" here on the boards, management was no where to be found. Legitimate questions were either ignored, locked, or deleted. Now there's a good way to handle conflict...strong arm it or hide it and pretend it doesn't exist. No thanks...
To those who are considering signing up here...Remember, AW may try to appease you now. Maybe they will back-peddle on the FVF, or come up with more fee packages. So you'll be lulled into a sense of peace and tranquility, and then at some point down the road, the fees will go up, and the rules will change again. And there you will be, right where you are today. It will just put off the inevitable.
At first I thought I would pay 5 cents per picture, but I've changed my mind. I won't leave the boards, because they are a great source of information and help. But, I won't be using AW for my picture hosting needs.
As of today, all my pictures have been deleted from AW servers. It was fun while it lasted.
Edited to add a question to AW...
Will the nasty flashing banner ads go bye bye when the members begin paying for your services?
posted on March 6, 2001 06:52:59 AM new
As an objective watcher of these discussions, what I find really interesting here is that many people are now saying things like: "Now if you would just be realistic and realize that if you charge a flat fee of 5 cents - even 8 cents per listing, and forget the FVF percentage altogether, bet you most of us would stick around....."
This is a change of attitude from the first few hundred messages where everyone was leaving due to the nickel charge.
The herd gradually shifted gears and started saying things like: "OK AW, you bad for your poor business practice (no warning, no response to questions, etc), but we'll pay the nickel and stay as long as you delete the FVF".
Now, the herd seems to be saying things like: "OK AW, we still like you and gee, you have to make money too, so we're willing to pay 8 cents or a dime to use the service, but no FVF."
Looks like the AW psychology advisors were right ... expect another announcement soon.
And just remember, you might just get what you asked for
furkidmom ... "Beware the Ides of March"
Hmmmm ... good thought
posted on March 6, 2001 07:10:09 AM new
jadejim and RB> Another quote comes to mind and it might fit somewhere here. "The evil men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with their bones." BTW How do you turn your email on in here? I can't find the switch, because my hardhat keeps falling over my eyes. *tanks*
posted on March 6, 2001 07:20:38 AM new
Just to let Auction Watch know I have purchased alternative software to manage my auctions for $39.99. Plus thanks to Anomomous Coward I have utilzed his method to schedule auctions. I'm very happy to once again be in control of my auctions.
The only way I would ever consider Auction Watch again would be if they got rid of the precentage and stuck with the fair 5 cents per listing.
posted on March 6, 2001 09:23:58 AM new
If you want part of my profit I guess that means we'll be partners. Since I paid for the computer, the ISP, found the items to sell and everything else so far, it's your turn to contribute to the partnership.
We need a new Sony Mavica to take better pictures for OUR auctions. Please send a check right away.
posted on March 6, 2001 10:46:31 AM new
auctionqueenie ... I am not really an AW "member". I don't use any of their services other than the Message Centre. Thanks to an eBay error that they are still having trouble admitting to, I can't buy or sell there anymore. Apart from the odd buy at Yahooooo and a few dozen listings at BidVille, I'm not really an auctioner either.
posted on March 6, 2001 11:28:13 AM new
Hmmm .. Maybe AW believes in the 'trickle down' school of thought. Give the 'big ticket folks' a break and the peons will benefit because .. err .. well .. hmmmm .. somehow or other .. I guess ...????
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Five cents is fine! FVF? Forgedaboutit!
posted on March 6, 2001 03:56:27 PM new
I agree with Meya's comment about the moderators. They were left holding the bag. They were left to try to control the angry mob of posters. I think they were told to squash anybody who went outside the CG's on any thread. Their bosses probally monitered their job performane very closely since the fee anouncement. I sure it was not fun being a moderator in this forun in the last few days.
Many people felt they were being heavy handed, but I don't think it's their normal practice. They are employees, just like anybody else. We all have bosses, some are nice and some are b*st*rds. I worked for several years in a job enviroment where the heavy hand ruled every day. What a nightmare!
In the past, the moderators have been fair.
P.S. I still will not pay fees for this service!
[ edited by yeager on Mar 6, 2001 04:01 PM ]
posted on March 6, 2001 06:11:35 PM new
I would like to know why AW thinks they should get a FVF of my auctions. The final value has nothing to do with this site. I think the listing fee at 5 cents is enough. We are being nickled and dimed to death. Will someone, anyone, from AW tells us why they decided on a FVF. I think we as sellers deserve to know that answer. AW puts all the extra services on, which I don't use or need then they expect me to pay for them. I only store pictures, list and launch from here and that is it. I am using the store front but when I find out how to delete it I am going to. If I knew how to store my pictures on a web site I would do that. It looks like the high ticket sellers will get the break and now tell me is that fair? 8 more days and maybe we can get some answers.
Good Luck to all.
) Thanks for reading!
