Obviously, you've had many more years of experience than I've had with online auctions, at least that's what I'm inferring when you say "Through the years...". I've only been doing online auctions just under a year and a half. So maybe this little site outage for almost 5 days didn't get you as rattled as it did me and some others. However, I don't think that makes me or anyone else who didn't take this in stride a loser.
I paid my money just last month for 1 year of service. I get 5 weeks, then they're down for several days. I know nothing of their reputation, since I only started using them very recently. And I don't know how long they've been up today, but still no announcement on the site that I see about the outage and certainly no emails. That may change, who knows. But I would think that letting customers know what's going on, especially when they're now paying customers, would be common sense, if not common courtesy.
posted on July 16, 2001 03:40:13 PM new
BJ - I've been using Photopoint for about two years and I loved their service but I have to agree with you, there is absolutely no excuse for them to have been down for days with no explanation. There's still no explanation about what happened which really bothers me. I'm finished with Photopoint. I signed up with Baypal and I'm sticking with them.
I never said that those who did not take it in stride were losers. You're putting words there that are not there. I don't think anybody took it in stride. I certainly didn't. But it has happened to me with many sites, including ebay. And they don't always tell you why. Yes, it would be nice if they do, and they probably will. But silence is sure a whole lot better than the BS some sites hand out while charging 10 to 50 times more than PP.
I have 27+ years experience with auctions. Not all that long with online auctions. I do know that the net is fickle from a tech point of view.
If you were reading the boards you surely had to see the posts that were ready to sue over $9.95...$19.95????
I can't find a decent site for that price anymore with all the tools, etc.
All the chargebacks for $9.95? That's what I was talking about.
Now, the only thing that puzzles me is how in the world you came up with the idea I meant you???? Don't even know ya, and I was probably just as upset as you. I used to have 3 sites going so I would have backup. But they were all free back then. Can't afford to do that anymore.
Can't be in this business and be thin skinned, unless you want to feel upset all the time...have to learn to not take things personal either when someone isn't directing anything toward you.
When I read posts I never think they mean me unless it is in direct response to me. Could care less...if they need to vent, I can handle it. A site being down upsets me. I'm not gonna sue over it, tho, and run neg posts and rumors all over the net. THAT'S who I meant.
I don't usually respond and explain myself...no need to and I hate to clutter the boards. But I am a very happy person at the moment..entitled to be, just as others are entitled not to be.
posted on July 16, 2001 05:43:36 PM new
reston_ray, we use pair.com to host 2 of our web sites. We've been with them about 3 years. They are unbelievably reliable. Hardly any down-time at all.
posted on July 16, 2001 05:59:44 PM new
I had a link to a site that hosts pictures for a small monthly fee of like $2.50 a month. They are still in business after considerable time, I will try to find it and post it for some people.
posted on July 16, 2001 06:35:46 PM newI think they can afford to lose the losers
This is the statement that got me a little riled up.
All the chargebacks for $9.95? That's what I was talking about.
So you admit that you were talking about the people doing chargebacks. And since I was one of the posters who admitted that I did a chargeback yesterday, and probably one of the earlier ones to mention it here, that's why I believe that I was included in the loser category. Although the taking it in stride bit weren't your words, they were mine.
I do read the boards here and generally have found that it's not polite to refer to people you disagree with as losers or in any other derogatory way. Someone usually gets their back up about it. This time it just happened to be me.
posted on July 16, 2001 07:06:53 PM new
I use baypal for $5.00 a month with 75mgs of space and it works for me...Could not be happier and my pics are crisp and clear!
posted on July 16, 2001 08:45:06 PM new
I just checked out baypal...looks pretty good, and $5/month is reasonable. Anyone using them...experiences? positives/negatives?
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
posted on July 16, 2001 11:10:17 PM new
sorry, BJ....I see your point. I never even read your post before I posted...in fact, never even read it until now. Mine coming right after that..well, I understand now why you got riled. A lot of us were following about 9 or 10 boards and 2 news sources during the PP outage. This was one of the nicer, quieter boards. But many on the other boards were screaming they were going to sue, they were spreading unfounded rumors and a lot that had used PP for a long time free were doing chargebacks on $9.95, $19.95, etc., without taking into account that, no matter what happened, they had already gotten their money's worth.
If I had just signed up 5 weeks ago, was unfamiliar with the site and that happened, I would have done a chargeback also. Like I said, never read your post...just came in and posted.
koto 1 ~ I heard a lot of good things about baypal. I'm registered there myself but haven't used them as yet. A lot have signed up and really like the site....haven't heard any negative comments.
One thing I do know...things will change no matter where you sign up. And there will be outages from time to time. And, as sites grow, they have to raise fees to keep afloat.
My three personal favorites were: honesty (no longer exists), auctionwatch (no longer WebTv friendly) and photopoint. All were free at one time and I used all three at once...had plenty of backup that way. Can't do that anymore...things keep changing out of necessity with the online auction scene and they will continue to do so.
So get what you can, while you can. But don't expect no outages, no raise in fees, etc.
aramatha
I love this blue bouncey guy..haven't done him for awhile...hope
I remebered how....
posted on July 17, 2001 05:14:50 AM new
And I'm sorry, too, aramatha, for being so touchy. I didn't mean it.
You're right in a lot of what you say. There will be outages, sites going out of business and the like. Someone with more experience with PhotoPoint, like yourself, will naturally be more patient in waiting for a resolution to the problem. (Haven't checked, but I hope it's still working for you today. )
They're going to hate me for saying this I know. But I was this close (picture my thumb and index finger about a quarter of an inch apart) to going back to AW. I'd used AW for image hosting and then auction launching for awhile and found the image hosting part especially to be quite reliable. I jumped ship when they started charging because I could use Mr. Lister for free and Honesty for the images. Then Honesty started charging, so I went to PhotoPoint. When PhotoPoint announced their charges, I thought, well I don't like it but it's quite reasonable.
Then I stumbled across PhotoIsland, discovered that the first 50 MG is free, which is more than sufficient for my needs. It's quite similar to PhotoPoint, so it's not exactly like having to learn a whole new system.
But, yes, it's tiring, aggravating, and a downright time-waster having to change image hosts every few months. I believe that the chances of something happening to PhotoIsland might be pretty good, either having to pay to use them at all, or going out of business. Who knows? I'll take the free ride right now while I can.
But the truth of the matter is that it would be much more cost effective for the dollar level of sales I make to go with AW's plan of 5 cents to launch and 1% FVF than pay 10 cents per image. (And for anyone who thinks that's steep, many image hosting sites charge 50 cents and your images are deleted in 30 days!) The only real thing that would bother me is that I currently use AT, which I paid for last year (a one-time fee, no ongoing charges yet) long before they came out with auction launching software this year, and users like myself who already had the software got the launching update for free. The thought of having to pay ongoing fees to AW to launch auctions when I can currently do so for free through AT, bothers me. But, if the choices are:
1. Launch for free through AT, but pay $20.00 and up per month to host images
2. Pay less than $20 per month between the nickel to launch through AW and the FVF based on my avg. sell-through rate
I think my choice would be #2.
But, regardless, I'd still stick with AT for PSM. Can't beat it IMO!
posted on July 17, 2001 12:00:57 PM new
I'm so glad you, understand, BJ. Had I read your post I would never had stated things as I did. It did appear that I was answering yours, whereas I was just "running off" at the fingers (mouth).
I wasn't exactly patient re PP, tho, if you could have seen me. I was at the boards almost 24/7. It was even harder cause I had a beloved pet (have a whole album in there of my cats) who passed away Dec.29. I was very upset. I just wouldn't give up hope. It made no sense to me that lesser companies PP owned were still up and running.
One thing that did help me is I was "this close" (to use your phrase) to chucking the WebTv and getting a puter. Then I read the posts all over, looking for actual news of PP, and realized that everybody is having a hard time today. It is so sad as very, very few do ebay, etc. just as a "hobby". I certainly would not go through all this just for a "hobby". It's so hard for all of us the past year or more. Sad, it used to be so easy. And sales are not nearly as good as they used to be, either. We have all these extra fees now. I cannot afford them. I don't think many can. And so many new companies. And so many going down.
PP is up and seems in good shape, but one never knows what will happen with any site these days. I swear sometimes I am working for 5 cents an hour. If it weren't for my age and health, I think I would get a job at McDonald's
I think I'd make more in less time and I don't think they are about to go down anytime soon
Thanks for the post. It helped me further realize I wouldn't solve anything by chucking the WEbTv..just spending more money and that is getting crucial for all of us. Sure wish I could find a backup with a lister, tho. Just can't afford it anymore and, even if I could, I have had the rug pulled out from under me too many times now...so many have. We all need a big break somehow.
Sniping works up a thirst"