posted on May 18, 2001 07:14:49 PM new
free is often worth what you pay.
How long can they remain free like honesty,paypal ect they will stay freindly and free untill they are confident they have a base then they will charge impose rules ect
Personally I will stay with the top site as long as money is being made...when the money shifts I'll follow it
I don't have the time or inclanation to mess with less then the best.
I have it bookmarked I and may check back from time to time.
Based on the bids I saw today I don't expect the site to be there 6 months from now.
posted on May 18, 2001 08:38:39 PM new
By having such a rigid and unforgiving attitude, you give Ebay the power to hold you over a barrel whenever they want to.
Don't you get it? The fear of coming rules or fees loses it's power when there IS a viable alternative.
The same reason why Ebay will lose power is the same reason why epier will never get as much as Ebay currently has: ALTERNATIVES.
If there is a viable one, in this case epier, NEITHER Ebay nor epier will be able to hold your feet to the fire over ANYTHING.
CREATE another place to take your business. It's up to you and to your own benefit!
posted on May 18, 2001 08:59:24 PM new
HA! ya shoulda seen epier last summer (almost a year now) when they first opened the doors.
Collectibles catagory had like 34 items in it. Sports Cards about the same, Pottery and Glassware, maybe 10 items. The place was like a giant empty wharehouse with little piles of stuff scattered around here and there.
AH HA I thought, this is cool... a place I can call home, an empty canves I can paint on. A "work in progress"
So I joined, User number 58 I was. Listed some stuff and --- nothing. But I listed more stuf, (ebay no-sales mostly) and hung in there, and one day it happened - A BID!
Then came another bid, and another. The site was starting to fill up, some of the klunkyness and rough edges began to melt away. With every new silly rule ebay set in place new users signed up.
Every day perhaps a few hundred or more items get sold there, there are sellers and buyers with respectable feedback numbers (mine is 40 - should be more really, but whatcha gonna do?).
Now ebay, always ready to cave to the PC crowd starts cencoring German Militaria (Nazi)items. All the sudden --- We find a new catagory for these sellers in place at epier, and guess what? Bids --- Yup thats right, bids... Not millions of bids like ebay, but hundreds maybe...
I don't even sell militaria items of any kind, and I have more bids on epier just now than ebay... I think epier just may make it.
posted on May 18, 2001 09:08:48 PM new
Sounds like you all really hate it on ebay.
On the whole I like ebay and think it's a great site
I get my ego satisfactions elswhere
FOLKS I'M ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY
as long as the money is on ebay thats were i'll be if the buyers move on so will I
I think you all aren;t getting it I simply observed a total lack of bidding over there
as did others posting here
DO you honestly belive it's going to stay free forever?
if you ,dottie and others want to spend your time placing free ads that no one bids on have at it.
posted on May 18, 2001 09:28:22 PM new
Well, I make money on ebay too, and I like all the bidders, and sellers I have delt with there as well. I learned alot from ebay over the years.
Most of my best sales have been made on ebay. Heck, a few more feedbacks and I'll even get that purple color star - Whoo Hoo!
"free ads that no one bids on " interesting, so I suppose paid for ads that no one bids on can be somehow better? (I make note of the fact that the overall sell through rate on ebay has been on the decline of late)
I think my point was totally missed... at this very moment, I have 11 items listed on ebay, some in multiple catagories. Cost to me is maybe $4.20 before any FVFs. One of these (somewhat small dollar) items, just one has a bid...
I have I think 20 items on Epier, cost to me - $0.00. Three items at that site have bids. This represents a somewhat better item to bid ratio on epir than ebay, at least for the moment.
I'll keep listing on ebay, I like it there, but I'm not blind, and I'm not a puppy dog, and I'm not gonna put all the eggs in one basket.
Edited to fix yet another in a long line of mistakes...
[ edited by rustybore on May 18, 2001 09:30 PM ]
posted on May 18, 2001 09:40:09 PM new
ebay vs. epier
size comparison
101 1(2/19/01)
93 1(2/24/01)
84 1(3/08/01)
75 1(3/26/01)
61 1(5/17/01)
I'd say epier is growing!
JUST THINK IT STARTED AT
7,300 to 1(6/2000) jumped to
644 to 1(8/2000)
NOW IT'S 61 TO 1
THAT IS PRETTY GOOD
& IT'S STILL FREE,FREE LISTING,FREE SPEECH FREE TO LINK EMAIL ETC...Many sellers there would pay for the freedom..
We have all been burned so many times,but i beleive in these people.ps IT'S FREE TO TRY IT right? oh yes many people don't know they do have in house BULK LISTING, & IMAGE HOSTING ALSO..free
good luck
posted on May 18, 2001 10:42:54 PM new
I think epier is something we all should look into. OK, how about finding some things that are not allowed on eBay or perhaps something that has not sold? Maybe just run a duplicate auction if you have two of an item.
No, Rome was not built in a day. But it certainly was built, one stone at a time. So was eBay. If anyone could help built an alternative to eBay, it would be the incredible people that post here. You know this industry - you know your product. Are you willing to take a bit of a hit now to have a choice in the future?
I have not checked out epier yet, but I will before the night is out. AND I will sign up, too. NOW - where did I put that hearing aid that I bought at a garage sale that eBay closed the auction at $65?
Hurry now - while your eBay names are still available on epier!!
posted on May 18, 2001 10:49:01 PM new
Anybody know what a SHAKEDOWN is?
It's when someone has you in a difficult spot and takes full advantage for their own gain.
Sound familiar?
I have always thought Ebay was better than sliced bread. I couldn't say enough good things about Ebay---to whomever would listen. HOWEVER, I have started to feel the pinch and paranoia that many others have been feeling for a while. As Ebay continues to do what's right for THEM and not necessarily the little guy (who built them, I might add) it is time to seriously try and create a viable alternative.
Among the many different fees that have popped up and increased, this attempt by Ebay to restrict communication between users by insisting ALL e-mail goes through them really openned my eyes. The sad part is, they never really tell you what they're up to, they just pay you lip service.
Additionally, I sincerely believe that they will (persih the thought) eventually make it so that you can ONLY use their payment service, ONLY use their pic service, and God ONLY knows what else---ALL for a fee. I can ONLY imagine what Meg has in mind to please the boys on Wall Stret.
Epier is the best thing I've seen come along in a while, and if it falls by the wayside, the ONLY people to blame, will be the very people who complain about Ebay's stranglehold, but did little or nothing to help epier flourish.
posted on May 18, 2001 10:50:22 PM new
I looked at ePier. There wasn't a single bid in the entire category where I sell. No, not one bid. So what if it's free?
By the way, I've had it with "free." If the site was raking in bids, would it still be free? There's no way I'm going to waste my time building up another "auction community" so they can show me the door somewhere down the line.
I'll pay to list at a site that does business. I wish ePier luck, but until they draw in some bidders, forgetaboutit.
posted on May 18, 2001 11:00:59 PM new
Ladyfargo, it's politically correct to throw eggs at eBay. And I have plenty of complaints, believe me. But this "no email" policy is no great shakes. After all, that was Yahoo's policy long ago, back when everyone was calling them the new eBay alternative. And since Yahoo was free, no one questioned their privacy policy.
Sellers who use eBay merely to build up customer lists, who draw eBay customers off the site (and away from your listings), and who flaunt the rules that we all respect, do indeed hurt everyone. Not just eBay. eBay is trying to plug the gaps where they are losing money. I'd much rather they go after the cheaters than, say, raise fees across the board.
Yes, there should be an alternative to eBay. Competition is a good thing. But this "next great eBay alternative" is a song that never, ever seems to end.
posted on May 18, 2001 11:04:06 PM new
Ladyfargo, I'll say it again. Out of 300 items in the category where I sell, not one (again, NOT ONE) had a bid. The items are there, the bidders are not.
It would be a waste of time for me to list there. Yes, so what if it's free. If you want to support a site, go to www.auctionpie.com.
posted on May 18, 2001 11:26:03 PM new
Okay, I am a buyer also. I went to other sites several times and didn't find the items I wanted. If it is a good item the seller will put it on ebay every time as that is where they will get the money. So I usually only look on ebay.
posted on May 18, 2001 11:32:06 PM new
shaani ...... Exactly. The one thing ALL of these FREE sites have in common is they're usually a dumping ground for worthless crap, and/or retail items with retail [or higher] prices.
What buyer in their right mind would waste their time searching sites like that?
posted on May 18, 2001 11:43:22 PM new
I noticed that most of the items were things that wouldn't sell that well on ebay--kind of like the leftovers.
If a seller has a good item why would they put it on one of those sites and settle for a single bid when they could put it on ebay and have a bidding war?
posted on May 19, 2001 01:09:16 AM new
As a bidder I am not part of the problem. As I said, I have gone to other sites and I haven't been able to find the items I want.
I am not about to waste my money buying a bunch of useless crap just so I can help build up another site. And I doubt that many other bidders will do that either.
Seriously, how many sellers are going to put their good stuff on another site and settle for less money? Without the good items the buyers won't follow.
It will take a long time for another site to even come close to ebay no matter how hard it tries. The only way it will happen is if ebay boots off all the sellers of antiques and collectibles.
Leave it to you to make an absurd staement such as;
"I am not about to waste my money buying a bunch of useless crap just so I can help build up another site. And I doubt that many other bidders will do that either.
I never implied such an assinine statement, but of course you thought I did!
posted on May 19, 2001 01:23:16 AM newThat means you can leave it here until it sells. That's what it means.
I don't know about other sellers but my objective is to sell an item...FAST. To turn my money rapidly. Why in heaven's name would I want to let inventory sit around on the shelf gathering dust. The longer my money is tied up in inventory that is sitting around waiting for a buyer the less money
I have to buy more inventory that WILL sell.
HOW do you think these sites get off the ground anyway? Do you think it's with impatient sellers who expect immediate success?
Personally, I don't give a rat's a** how these sites get off the ground. I'm not an investor or owner so its not up to me to worry about how they get off the ground. When they make me a partner with a guarantee of a substantial return on my investment THEN I will worry about getting them off the ground.
All I can say is, when bidders finally DO show up, there BETTER be some items to bid on. This is up to the SELLERS first, the bidders second.
NO...the only person/s it is up to is the owners and investors of the site. I have absolutely NO obligation to build any site.
By the way...how do the owners/investors of epier make any money if their site is free? Are they building a site out of the goodness of their hearts...is it some type of philantropy? It takes money to run an auction site...and the bigger it gets the more money it takes..so, are they going to continue to shell out more than they take in?
Do not piss and moan about Ebay not having any real competition. YOU are all part of the problem, clearly NOT the solution.
From my point of view, there IS NO PROBLEM! Ebay works and works well. Sales are not down, the bidders are still buying. I see no need for competition to ebay. I have yet to Piss & Moan about ebay not having competition
I sell at ebay because it HAS THE BUYERS. It has the variety. IT WORKS!!!
Ebay doesn't hold me over a barrel or hold my feet to the fire. I sell at ebay of my own free will because it is the BEST WAY TO MAKE MONEY I have found!
What I don't understand is this...if some of you are so unhappy with ebay why do you stay?
I have to agree with Reddeer..Golds, Amazon, Yahoo, epier YAWN!
When they gat their act together and have a site that works as well for selling my merchandise as ebay does then I will be there...but until then, I'll let all you charitable people donate your merchandise (ie..money!) to epier in order to build it.
posted on May 19, 2001 01:32:10 AM new
>"Anyone who echoes what the above few posts are saying:
Do not piss and moan about Ebay not having any real competition. YOU are all part of the problem, clearly NOT the solution."<
Ladyfargo, I was one of the above posts. But I can always count on you for an insult, can't I? I did see the high school comment that you so nicely edited.
>"Common sense isn't quite your forte, is it?"<
I did not think that you implied an assinine statement and I was making a point that bidders will not be wasting money to buy crap just to build a site. I am also a seller.
Thanks to Amy for an intelligent response. She is a true seller that echoes the feelings of many.
Edited for typo.
[ edited by shaani on May 19, 2001 01:33 AM ]
I would like to request that you take a moment to review the Community Guidelines- Specifically, the issues regarding conduct towards other posters in the message center.
Please respect other posters. Phrases such as common sense isn't quite your forte..., is unacceptable and shows a blatant lack of respect.
If you choose to continue in this manner, your posting privileges will be suspended.
"By the way...how do the owners/investors of epier make any money if their site is free? Are they building a site out of the goodness of their hearts...is it some type of philantropy? It takes money to run an auction site...and the bigger it gets the more money it takes..so, are they going to continue to shell out more than they take in?"
Uh, the listings and some features are free. They make money from FVF's.
shaani:
"I did not think that you implied an assinine statement and I was making a point that bidders will not be wasting money to buy crap just to build a site. I am also a seller."
Again, you for some reason believe that someone is implying buyers should buy off of epier JUST to biuld the site. NONSENSE. It is up to the sellers. If buyers like something, duh, they'll buy it. But the SELLERS HAVE TO LIST!!
Anyone not concerned about a decent competitor for Ebay deserves future shakedowns.
