posted on February 15, 2001 11:34:56 AM new
Well RB we do agree on somethings.
I just won an auction on Yahoo myself today.
As a buyer, I visit all the sites, but if what I want isn't there well got to go where it is AND for a price worth paying. Too many sellers are Overpricing their items, why? The sites free.
Ain't Life Grand...
posted on February 15, 2001 12:23:49 PM new
jim and dim:
well, my post was a "strategic representation" of bidville...yes, they have 300,000+ items, but a LOT of them are low-cost, bulk-items (cheap fiction novels, trading cards - I admit it is another auction that has low-cost, bulk recipe cards, but no matter). As I jokingly posted earlier, we could easily "bulk up" bidville listings to a billion just by offering a billion pennies for $5 each! (and if I only sell 1% of them i'll be rich!)
The point is that bidville's 300K listings are inflated in terms of their impact to the overall online auction universe.
So far, bidville is a mere blip on the online auction radar screen. YOur assumption that AW should be monitoring the number of listings and use that blindly as the means to rank an online auction and somehow move it to the "front" is rather naive.
Until bidville proves they have staying power and impact, and that more than just a few people even know they exist (let alone bid), they deserve "third world" status.
posted on February 15, 2001 12:29:42 PM new
Then Usenet newsgroups have the distinct advantage of not giving preference to any auction site, or group of auction sites.
All newsgroups have equal standing. Merely discuss the proposal in the appropriate newsgroup-creation newsgroup (not to mention the name of it), issue the necessary control message, and its picked up on most of news servers around the world.
Of course, AuctionWatch owns their servers and has every right to create, delete, or whatever, with regard to the forums and the messages in those forums.
posted on February 15, 2001 12:47:24 PM new
"Then Usenet newsgroups have the distinct advantage of not giving preference to any auction site, or group of auction sites"
Well, you'd have to define "advantage" here, since that policy is an "advantage" to some, and a DISadvantage to others. It all depends on your values and interests.
"Of course, AuctionWatch owns their servers and has every right to create, delete, or whatever, with regard to the forums and the messages in those forums"
Exactly! AW is, one way or another, a business. Its trying to present the most interesting and useful information to the majority of consumers. Since the number of items listed is probably NOT a direct measure of that interest, there is no reason to expect them to move bidville to the front of the pack.
posted on February 15, 2001 12:59:02 PM new
I said >
Then Usenet newsgroups have the distinct advantage of not giving preference to any auction site, or group of auction sites
captainkirk replied >
Well, you'd have to define "advantage" here, since that policy is an "advantage" to some, and a DISadvantage to others. It all depends on your values and interests.
Usenet gives newsgroups neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. They are all equal.
Readers "subscribe" to the newsgroups they want to read and participate in. Those not subscribed to do not appear in the reader program.
I would venture to say that AuctionWatch carries a fraction of the traffic of any comparable Usenet newsgroup.
AuctionWatch does not provide equal footing, and, because they own their servers that is their right. But in providing a lesser footing to certain auction sites, I think you are seeing less traffic than would be the case were they given top page status.
posted on February 15, 2001 01:09:11 PM new
ah, but "equal" access is an advantage to the small, downtrodden auction sites that normally would get little attention. Of course, is that an "advantage" to me, who has no interest in same? Nope.
I think you need to be more precise before using phrases like "distinct advantage". You have to define from whose viewpoint you are looking. My "distinct advantage" isn't yours isn't....
posted on February 15, 2001 01:18:22 PM new
captainkirk >
ah, but "equal" access is an advantage to the small, downtrodden auction sites that normally would get little attention. Of course, is that an "advantage" to me, who has no interest in same? Nope.
And what is wrong with providing "equal access"? No usenet newsgroup is given preference over another another newsgroup; AuctionWatch gives preference to one forum over another forum.
So why should a reader get upset that a usenet news server is carrying a newsgroup in which they have no interest and do not subscribe? And why should a reader get upset that an AuctionWatch forum is provided for a lesser-trafficked forum in which they have no interest and do not visit?
posted on February 15, 2001 02:50:58 PM new
My only point is that the word "advantage" necessarily implies that there is a corresponding "disadvantage". There are people/groups/companies who benefit from equal access, and hence find this an "advantage", and those who get hurt, and thus find it to be a disadvantage.
It isn't a question of "right" or "wrong", as you seem to be saying, just that an "advantage" is only so from a certain viewpoint.
well, this philosophical discussion will have to end on my part, as the day is over.
Bidville is still a second class auction, until proven otherwise, and 300K cheapo listings with few bids don't make it otherwise.
posted on February 15, 2001 03:15:26 PM new
captainkirk >
Bidville is still a second class auction, until proven otherwise, and 300K cheapo listings with few bids don't make it otherwise.
Second class? Hardly. I would rank them higher than major for-a-fee auction sites in many points.
Second tier? Yes. At AuctionWatch you have to click into "other online auctions" and then join the disorganized threads.
300K cheapo listings with few bids? Interesting, I've purchased four items that were not available on the major for-a-fee auction sites, and they were definitely not cheapo items. And click around the closed links in the categories, you'll be surprised to see there's quite a bit of bidding taking place in many of them.
posted on February 15, 2001 08:26:26 PM new
>>>>>"Bidville is still a second class auction, until proven otherwise, and 300K cheapo listings with few bids don't make it otherwise."<<<<<<<<
posted on February 16, 2001 12:02:29 AM new
I support bidding on bidville with other buyers, I have had some sucess knowing it was a new site. But then I've also had to move my closed auctions from YahWhoo? to bidville and haven't had a chance to look around. Will be browsing this weekend
[ edited by koofuku on Feb 16, 2001 12:03 AM ]
[ edited by koofuku on Feb 16, 2001 12:04 AM ]
[ edited by koofuku on Feb 16, 2001 12:05 AM ]
posted on February 16, 2001 01:01:06 AM new
considering some of the brain damaged stunts at ebay fairmarket and yahoo lately maybe they should merge under the name e fart market;
I say epier, bidville, gunbroker, auction arms, online auction and a few of the others
are giving the big guys something to sweat about,
I have no problem with giving them listings to try and help with a new auction.
they have their moola invested, I can afford to give some time to help out.
posted on February 16, 2001 06:18:34 AM new
I hereby announce "captain Kirk's online auction house".
Currently I have up for auction one million US pennies. Opening bid (and take it now price) is $1M EACH (plus $10 S&H). Payment via certified check only, please.
I am now the #2 auction in the whole wide world and DEMAND to be listed on the first screen here. And I'm the fastest growing, as well!!!
And since that is the reasoning of the people here (# of listings) I'm sure I will get your full support. Right?
dim: you purchased 4, count 'em, 4 items that weren't cheap? why, yes, now of course I fully withdraw my characterization that bidville is mostly populated with cheapo bulk items. Forget the 100,000 trading cards and 40,000 cheap novels. Your 4 items have completely convinced me. (snicker snicker).
jim: perhaps yahoo SHOULD be moved off the front screen, I haven't spent much time looking into the "new" yahoo. However, that does NOTHING to support your "logic" that bidville belongs there in its stead.
As long as you people keep insisting that "number of listings" is the ONLY, TRUE criteria for ranking an auction, you continue to miss the big picture.
But hey, keep agitating, who knows, you may convince AW. That's the beauty of the world, sometimes even the most illogical ideas win out for no apparent reason.
posted on February 16, 2001 06:43:07 AM new
Cap ... I hope your site doesn't bog down like poor old BidVille. I tried to place a bid today and while waiting and waiting and waiting, my browser timed out and gave me an error
If these guys ever get up into the real numbers, it could take all day to place a bid ...
Au contraire..I desperately HOPE my site bogs down from all kinds of suckers willing to send me a cool million in exchange for a penny. All I need is one stinking bid and I'm set!
Good thing AW didn't bother putting Golds "up front" (since Golds was last year's "up and coming wonder" since they'd now be frantically un-coding their web site to remove them.
If 6-12 months from now bidville has demonstrated true staying power and a sustainable business model, and has roused user interest sufficient to match amazon and the "old" yahoo, then I'm all for "promoting" them.
posted on February 16, 2001 08:39:23 AM new
RB >
I hope your site doesn't bog down like poor old BidVille. I tried to place a bid today and while waiting and waiting and waiting, my browser timed out and gave me an error.
Sounds like a browser problem, too short of a timeout setting. You should go to Start | Run, type in regedit.exe and increase the default setting.
posted on February 16, 2001 09:11:45 AM new
dimview ... nope, it's not a browser problem. I have my time out set to enable me to log on to some really busy sites. So far, in my many years of surfing, the only site that has caused me problems is the dreaded BidVille. I can even log onto eBay when everyone here complains about them being down
posted on February 16, 2001 09:21:20 AM new
RB >
dimview ... nope, it's not a browser problem. I have my time out set to enable me to log on to some really busy sites. So far, in my many years of surfing, the only site that has caused me problems is the dreaded BidVille. I can even log onto eBay when everyone here complains about them being down.
Hmmmmm. I'm having no problem at all navigating the site, and I'm there right now, but this message is posted there:
Notice...We are upgrading our image servers today. You may notice intermittent difficulty viewing some of your pictures and periods of slower service.
Perhaps you should consider sticking with the big boys, you know, eBay and Yahoo!Auctions, because of their higher-quality listings.
Of course, you could try a trace route to identify the connection problem to Bidville if you really want to browse through the receipe cards.
posted on February 16, 2001 05:35:36 PM new
dim:
I'm kinda surprised you are discouraging RB from surfing to bidville. After all, if he buys something there, that might double sales! < even bigger grin >
posted on February 17, 2001 11:08:23 AM new
This is one of the few place you can talk about bidville they keep getting shut down dont no why. Did bidville do something to Auction Watch? Bidville is still growing with their listings and bidding as for me my bidding so far is not good but the hits have picked up alot. Hope AW and bidville get things worked out I like both sites. I better get this in before this one gets shut down lol.
posted on February 17, 2001 11:17:29 AM new
There is discussion of the locking of the Bidville threads going on in the Moderators' Corner.
Basically, even though this is the only appropriate area on AW to discuss Bidville, they will not allow Bidville to dominate the Other Auctions area, regardless of what users actually want to discuss.
I think this is a bad decision for AW, and I suggest that if you disagree with this policy, voice your opinion in the following thread:
posted on February 17, 2001 11:53:33 AM new
I like the navigation system on Bidville, the Trackpal and the way the sight moves so quickly. GO GO Bidville!!!
since they'd now be frantically un-coding their web site to remove them.