posted on June 11, 2001 09:01:38 PM
Hello jereth. They are definitely pushing BillPoint but I think any credit card will be acceptable. BTW, it doesn't matter if you weren't asked to participate because you can do it anyway. Other folks have been creating their store uninvited. Just follow the directions in my previous post. They are only charging FVF until September 1.
I agree that the BIN feature will soon be toast in the auction listings.
Twinsoft, eBay is going to have a search engine just for STORE items. A store owner's individual auctions will appear on their storefront page via a link and there's also a link to their feedback. It would be an absolute DISASTER for the auction format if eBay included the store items in the main search engine.
The eBay store format is disappointing at best. It does look like an auction listing page. I'm sure they will eventually add a link to half.com on the store page and that will most likely be tied into the main STORE SEARCH engine. Basically, it looks like there will be two search engines, one for auctions (without BIN) and one for fixed price.
posted on June 11, 2001 09:01:58 PM
Earlier today I found the link Blanche just gave.
I found a storefront and saw just BIN items and wondered why. But I decided to try and set up a storefront myself (wanted to make sure I was able to get the "name" I wanted).
Well, frustration set in because the button that seemed to be for "getting information on storefronts" was a deadend...it wanted a name and password and said I wasn't authorized for that server. But pretty soon I clicked on another button and WAS able to start a storefront.
The confirmation of my new storefront said my current auctions would take about 2 hrs to show up in the storefront. I was also given directions to a link to list items in the storefront. That link was to a "sell your item page" that has a new twist...you either click on "auction listing" or "storefront listing". Except, right now the "stroefront" button isn't working.
My conclusion (to which you may agree or disagree) is this...
The announcement board said the rollout to the community will be 6/18/01, seven days from now. I think that we were not meant to sign up now but being the resourceful "children" we are, we found the secret door. We can sign up now but the listing storefront link won't be activated until next Monday. So at this time all that is showing up are our auction items.
This is just rolling out. In order to see how it will look and work we need to wait until it is ALL activated and we can list non-auction items.
What we are seeing now is only part of the picture...lets wait until the whole thing is unveiled before we critique it
[ edited by amy on Jun 11, 2001 09:03 PM ]
[ edited by amy on Jun 11, 2001 09:04 PM ]
posted on June 11, 2001 09:21:40 PM
Hi amy. I LOVE to be a "resourceful" child and do things I'm not supposed to do. LOL You know I just had to play around with those links until I found a way to get in. Backdoors are just soooo much more interesting.
There's no reason not to get a head start and at least register your storefront because it doesn't cost anything right now unless something is sold. I also have a feeling that the listing link will be working before the official rollout. But the really BEST reason to do it now is because
we're not supposed to and because WE CAN.
posted on June 11, 2001 09:22:14 PM
Steve...mind if I put my 2 cents in?
The announcement on this noted that there would be a "directory" unveiled in a few weeks...that will have the ability to search the storefronts,
It would be an absolute DISASTER ... if eBay included the store items in the main search engine.Would you mind clarifying that a bit? A disaster for whom and how?
For auctions...especially for those auctions that sell items that are not rare.
to use an example...take an item that shows up on ebay with regularity. Lets say it normally sells for $10. But the storefronts that are selling it are listing it for $5. If the buyer were able to find the storefront item in the core site search (auction search) then that $5 would become the price ceiling on that widget.
This is still a possible scenario the way they are setting up the storefronts now but I think it would be a slam-dunk reality if the storefronts can be searched along with the auction items.
Who does it hurt? Those sellers who are selling common retail items would hurt the most, the rest of us a little less. But in the end it would hurt all of us who want to use an auction format...as I think it would end up killing the auction format.
I think ebay is trying to make sure they don't kill one of their "children" (auctions) as they give birth to another child (fixed price)...I just hope they have the balance right!
posted on June 11, 2001 09:36:15 PM
Hi, Amy. I agree with your assessment. But two search engines within the eBay site? I do think a general search would kill auctions, I said that earlier. (I just wanted to hear you say it. )
It's kind of like building a big store, and then erecting a big fence right down the middle of the store.
I'm not sure I "get" this storefront idea, but it looks like it could be cheaper for some sellers. What I don't understand is how buyers will find it. Search is one way, but many items aren't as searchable. For example, the rarer the item, the less chance someone will be looking for it by name. In that case, putting it in the general auction listings would be better. For ordinary retail items, they can go in the storefronts.
I guess what I'm saying is that I don't see eBay "excluding" storefronts in the way you forsee it. For now, since storefronts are cheaper, I expect sellers will use their auction listings mainly to drive bidders to their stores. I imagine we're going to see a whole lot more "loss leaders."
posted on June 11, 2001 09:36:24 PM
LOL Blanche!! Even at the ripe old age of 53 I enjoy doing something I'm not supposed to! And finding that secret door WAS fun.
I got my feelings hurt just a tad when it said I wasn't "authorized"! Enough that I was bound and determined to FIND a way. LOL!
Don't know if I will like storefronts or not but I decided I was going to get in early enough to get a name I wanted.
I figured if the directory was in alphabetical order I wanted a name that started with A...and I wanted a name that incorporated the word "book". With all the other book dealers out there I figured if I waited until next Monday like a "good girl should" I would end up out in the cold. It worked...I now have a simple name that denotes that I sell books and should be near the top of any alphabetical list (evil grin)
posted on June 11, 2001 09:58:53 PM
Steve...I'm not sure how this will work out. I can see good and bad.
The buyers will also be directed to storefronts from the seller's pages as you seem to realize.
I can see many different results of this new feature.
It could keep the big boys in a segragated area meaning they may not affect the core site sellers.
It could mean a price ceiling on common retail items and therefore force the sellers of that type of item into a storefront. This might be good for the core site as it would relieve the congestion on the core site. In other words, this might be the start of the "two site" model people like Barry have advocated.
I have a hard time envisioning many sellers of the antiques and collectibles side of ebay using the storefront as a fixed price venue...especially when there are still many, many times when an item of this type soars because of competative bidding. But I can see a seller of antiques and collectibles using it to "park" items before relisting at a later date. Or to sell those items that have a fairly stable price that doesn't vary much.
Plus, I can see the storefronts drawing a different breed of buyers...those who do not want to wait for an auction or who do not like being out bid.
posted on June 11, 2001 10:08:19 PM
We were not asked to take part in any pilot programs either and we do accept all 4 major credit cards.
I am certain eBay will work so vendors can create attractive looking storefronts and I am sure if they get acceptance by business sellers they will continue to evolve.
I am more in line with Twinsoft here.. For some reason he/She? and I seem to think alot alike on alot of subjects.
Its no secret P2P web site sales are on the wane. Most sellers who has been around for 5+ years will tell you this. At the sametime, we have noted the exact opposite at business to consumer points of sale. Sales 3-4 years ago at eBay were more than any other site we used. Now, 75% of the business to consumer sites we vend through outsell ebay. Alot of reasons for this, more competition, consumer confidence etc. on & on.
We have had LOADS of eBay'rs over the years ask us why eBay has no stores that they can just buy from.
Anyone thinking web shops are not lucrative simply doesnt know what they are doing. We set up our shop several years back, in its first day it paid for itself and its hosting for the year (about $800) and it generally will outsell our sales at eBay 2:1 in any given week, the B2C points of sale will do 4:1-8:1 any given week.
With 1,600 unique items in stock we wont list 1,600 auctions no way. The sell through simply isnt high enough at the site. With a storefront? You can bet we'll deploy all 1,600 unique items as we know what storefronts can do. Amazon botched theirs as part of the problem and they did not drive traffic at all. Still, our zShop will do about 25% of what ebay sells for us in a month at a cost of $40 .vs. the avg. $800-$1400 we pay eBay each month.
eBay has tremendous traffic and alot of folks just dont like to bid and wait a week. In fact MOST buyers on the net are impulse buyers. If they can have it NOW for a great price thats exactly what they want. Thats WHY Half.com became the #2 trafficed site on the net and whos number #1? eBay. Why? eBay listens to their core seller and core buyer segment.
As noted in the article someone pasted above, Hard Rock Cafe is a comin' and thats only the beginning. Places like Sears, JC Penny's, Book Publishers, Liquidators and then some will all find this HIGHLY attractive.
Amazon could not woo major business into zShops as they could not produce statistics to get business interested. eBay on the other hand tends to do ALOT more right then they ever do wrong and thats why they are atop the heap. Sure, changes affect some people adversely but thats what business is. Win/Win situations are rare in business and even more rare to sustain over any real length of time.
eBay has proven time and time again that they can make things happen for the overall positive, its why they are profitable where-as every other person to person point of sale either struggles and dies or flops around as a tax deduction like Yoohoo Auctions.
When Onsale had its Onsale Exchange (which became Yahoo auctions) it was the ONLY site that was person to person/Business to consumer we ever saw that actually worked to a point where eBay might have worried. In fact, I am sure they were worried.
Onsale again knew what they were doing except for one critcial mistake that being bad sellers. They were not prepared for bad sellers affecting their core Business to consumer sales, site loyalty. Someone gets ripped off coming to a B2C site they get BENT and WONT be back.
We'll sign instant on the dotted line for ebay storefronts. Its a move we have waited almost three years for eBay to make. Our sales will skyrocket and we can offer up over 1200 more items to eBay users instantly that we simply cant manage all of it via auctions.
Hopefully it will place eBay back as our #1 generator of revenues. We presently vend at every B2C auction worth a hoot as well as many storefronts where we drop ship vvia terms of consignment for the sites. If ebay can do us one better than by all means, lets get the show on the road and we wont worry about other shops and consignment, we'll move everything slated for storefronts via eBay.
As Twinsoft noted, if eBay does it right it will signal a wane in the auctions but a HUGE upshoot in sales and deals and thus eBay revenues.
From the numbers I am seeing we can actually lower prices and if we do a higher volume of sales we can buy more product faster from our suppliers and thus get even better deals from them to pass along to eBay buyers. Its the first time at eBay we may be able to create high sell through rates which means we can get far far more aggressive in pricing to end buyers and create buying frenzy in the site.
posted on June 11, 2001 10:13:20 PM
This is a link to an eBay test store which shows payment can be made using a number of different credit cards as well as Billpoint, money order, etc. so you don't have to use BillPoint exclusively.
http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?StorePolicies&id=21673095
posted on June 11, 2001 10:45:56 PM
whynot,
You need to re-read your post. In one breath you say you won't list 1600 items on ebay, but you will in an ebay storefront because of what...?
Man am I confused.
Then you go on about..
"eBay has proven time and time again that they can make things happen for the overall positive, its why they are profitable where-as every other person to person point of sale either struggles and dies or flops around as a tax deduction like Yoohoo Auctions. "
But you wouldn't put 1600 auctions on because of low sell through.
posted on June 11, 2001 11:12:10 PMAmy, I guess you can tell I never signed up for BillPoint. LOL
This store is owned by the ONLY registered eBay user referenced in the Yahoo article and he lists a number of credit cards but there's no actual mention of BillPoint. I sure hope they aren't going to force everyone to use that payment method with a credit card purchase.
http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?StorePolicies&id=2541634
I'm the one who said the requirements for a storefront were 20 feedbacks or ID verification and the seller had to take credit card payments. Someone tried to sign up for a store and DIDN'T have 20 feedbacks and that list of requirements popped up on the page. I haven't been able to confirm it anywhere else but I think the info is accurate.
posted on June 11, 2001 11:22:03 PM
It just dawned on me that if you have to be an eBay registered user and have at least 20 feedback comments, why can't I find those guys in the Yahoo article under their mentioned usernames? Also, do they mean 20 feedback no matter how bad it is or do they mean a net of 20 positives?
posted on June 11, 2001 11:40:30 PM
Thank you, whynot. I'm a "he" and my name is Steven. I enjoy your posts too and you obviously have a lot of experience, especially regarding banking rules. I wish you would post more often. Regards.
posted on June 12, 2001 12:52:45 AM
Blanche...I just tried with a new id I started a few weeks ago...it only has one feedback (I only listed one item so far but hey..I had 100% sell through )
There is a pop-up that says you have to have 20 feedback OR be ID verified...and then suggests you get verified so you can open your storefront.
posted on June 12, 2001 06:40:36 AMts no secret P2P web site sales are on the wane. Most sellers who has been around for 5+ years will tell you this
He won't bother joining AW to post this, but a GOLD power seller I know who moves $25-40 K worth of antique & collectible merchandise per MONTH, would strongly disagree with you. He was selling online when most of the eBay employees were still in high school.
What he will tell you is that with eBay's constant changes & SNAFUS/bugs that come along with these new features, it takes almost twice as much work today, as it did 3 years ago to make the same amount of sales.
posted on June 12, 2001 08:40:12 AM
Hi amy. I'm on my way out for the day but wanted to give you a heads-up about the store. I heard through the grapevine that someone had their unauthorized store shut down. I have no idea if this is true but I would suggest NOT adding any items to your store until the official rollout. I know there is a way to add items now because others have been doing it but this may cause eBay some problems with their testing phase. I don't think you have to worry about them closing your store if you don't have anything in it yet. You can get everything ready now, your terms, policies, etc. and then enter the info into your store on June 18. I just wanted to warn you so you wouldn't lose your special store name.
Every store that I've seen so far has BillPoint as one of the payment methods so it's possible that BillPoint will be a requirement but it's also possible that those folks using the store feature just happen to already take BillPoint payments. I don't really know the answer to that one.
Also, there is no bulk lister yet so each item has to be entered manually and they will have to be removed or relisted every 30 days. I'm sure eBay will add a bulk listing tool eventually but for now it's going to be quite a bit of work for those folks that are used to using automation. I hate automation so this isn't going to bother me but I've never been a large volume seller.
Blanche
[ edited by bhearsch on Jun 12, 2001 08:41 AM ]
posted on June 12, 2001 09:18:51 AM
when ebay launched great collectibles or whatever manned by butterfield??remember that launch,it was decided that consumers would rather bid on high class antiques than shopping at storefront,great collections items are included in ebay search!
so why cant ebay include store items in the auction search engine?
when you search on amzn for book,it shows both marketplace and zshop.
but ebay istalking about storefront hub,may we assume that shoppers will access stores thru that hub and on that hub,there will be a store only search engine??
if ebay makes elaborate improvements to the stores,it wont be 9.95,i can assure that!
