posted on February 12, 2001 09:22:18 AM
Any other FreeMerchant users out there that are steaming mad about the no longer "free" Freemerchant? Anyone been able to find any other free sites with shopping carts? I do not make enough in sales to justify paying the fees they are charging, yet making enough not to want to let the site go......Misery loves company, do I have any out there?
posted on February 12, 2001 09:28:57 AM
I have been looking for a free alternative. Many of the sites with free shopping carts give you the code to create one, but I really liked the ease of setting it up through FreeMerchant. I am seriously considering setting up a storefront through Auctionworks. The set-up is free, but they charge a 2% commission when something sells. You can use PayPal and others as payment options--you are not required to have a merchant account. I already use their free image hosting services, and have found them to be reliable and easy to use.
I would be interested in comparing other options if anyone else has found anything better, though...
posted on February 12, 2001 11:32:10 AM
Yes, yes, I am a fellow FMer and am sick, really sick as I have invested countless hours into making my website. I am far too small of an operation to have to pay for a shopping cart. I cannot believe they gave us less than a week to let us in on this new change. Since I have invested so much into FM, I'm going to have to resort to having the customers contact me again.
I've looked closer with my Bigstep account, but to have a shopping cart enabled, I have to sign up with their merchant account, which puts me in the same dilemma of having to pay for a shopping cart. Also, I can't figure out anything either (I'm too accustomed to FM).
I've looked at Auctionworks too, but isn't their operations similar to AW's storefront, with the exception of having a working shopping cart?
posted on February 12, 2001 11:33:07 AM
debbielennon: Do you have to launch your auctions through them to get your storefront linked up to your ebay auctions??
posted on February 12, 2001 12:21:04 PM
AuctionWatch's storefronts look more like galleries of your current auctions--and you have to list through AW from what I understand.
Auctionworks is an actual storefront with items for sale and you don't have to list through them. You do have to host the images in your storefront there. Some of their services are fee-based, so watch what you sign up for. I just use the free image hosting and I am contemplating the storefront. I don't know that you can link it up to your auctions, except by providing a regular link from your auctions.
It would be great if AW came up with a storefront that allowed purchases (hint, hint).
I link to my website from my auctions, and had a link to my FreeMerchant Storefront where people could buy things outright. The website mostly explains my policies and my items, and also allows people to place custom orders. I don't link straight from my auctions to the storefront.
Not sure what you meant by "linked up to your eBay auctions" but you can track how many items are in inventory & IF you list with them it will remove one out of your available quantity from the storefront. Listing through them is fee-based, though.
As long as you follow eBay's rules about linking to websites, you could link to the storefront manually. Haven't read up on all the particulars yet--still exploring options & I was not planning on listing through them anyway...
[ edited by debbielennon on Feb 12, 2001 12:29 PM ]
posted on February 12, 2001 03:57:14 PM
We use an Auctionworks Storefront. It is free to set up and use. You will pay 2% of final value IF and WHEN and item sells. So you don't have any cost until you have the customers money. You can put links in your eBay ads to your Storefront if you like. It is a losing game to continue to base your online existence on Free. Look at the newspaper for today's list of Internet companies who went down the drain because they foolishly thought they could have a viable business giving it away. Personally, I am leery of any type of "free lunch" program. I don't know what FreeMerchants charges but your best bet may be to stay there, if it is reasonable. Otherwise, consider Auctionworks pay as you have success plan. The worse thing to do is to waste time chasing free because it and all your effort eventually disappears!
Good luck,
Dave
GarageSale2U.com
eBay Feedback 1,300
