posted on June 1, 2001 06:15:31 PM new
I'm a small seller on eBay ~ right now I'm running 10 auctions. Recently I received several phone calls from eBay's Safe Harbor concerning the "new rules at eBay" and what I must do to be in compliance. First it was my BidVille link they had a problem with....okay, that shouldn't have been there. But then, I got another call, this time to tell me I must remove my Epier photo hosting link.
I told "John" that I understand that eBay has new rules, but Epier has rules too. That link is advertising for Epier image hosting. John said the link takes a user to the Epier home page, but if it linked to their image hosting page, it would be acceptable to eBay. Now I have to edit all my auctions by playing with the HTML ~ very time consuming, to say the least ~ if it can be done at all.
I asked John if eBay had ferret software searching for violations. The answer was No, they don't use such software; my auctions were brought to their attention by another seller. And speaking of other sellers (in my case, a competitor, I'm sure), why do Mitsubishi and other corporate auctions have links to their home pages, where items can be purchased on site? Why do the Power Sellers have links in their auctions, as of this very evening, to their websites ~ shopping carts and all?
I feel eBay is implementing a policy of harassment to make it difficult if not impossible for the small seller to use eBay as an auction venue. If eBay is changing their business model, they should do so by being candid with their user base instead of masking it by selectively enforcing the new policy. We are definitely seeing the demise of the small seller on eBay.
posted on June 1, 2001 06:22:59 PM new
And what are YOU going to do about it...???
If you just lie there and let the "Mighty" eBay kick you till you cave in...Oh well...
Nope, I don't know what I am going to do when they come after me and my auctions...
But, I will sure do something...!!!
I just don't know what yet...
Any suggestions from anyone..??
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..."If you keep doing what you've been doing...
...you'll just keep getting what you've been getting"...
posted on June 1, 2001 06:48:43 PM new
I had three items end today at decent ending bid amounts at www.sellyouritem.com
It's not eBay... but I'm definitely experiencing a nice enough sell-thru rate to make it worth my time.
The listing page is MUCH easier than eBays, taking less than half the time AND you can prepare a winning notice in advance that will be sent to your winning bidder IF you decide to use that feature at the time of listing (feature is free) - this saves even more time and effort on the back end of the trade.
Basic listings are FREE right now (but when the item sells, you do pay a Final Value Fee, which is fine with me... I have no problem paying a fee for successful listings).
You can opt for the RELIST feature and that will relist your item up to 3 times FOR FREE.
LOTS of really nice SELLER friendly features... AND you can link to your website from your listing page if ya want. *smile*
Check it out... and if you decide to register at www.sellyouritem.com , be sure to tell'em that dottie sent ya! *wink*
I HAVE done something about it: I've moved 148 of my auctions to BidVille, and several others to Epier.
I just thought my experience with "John" might be interesting to other eBayers. Maybe there are still some out there whose eyes have not yet been opened.
posted on June 1, 2001 07:14:20 PM new
frodo: In addition, I specifically asked the PTB at eBay today during our Voices 1 conference call for some clarification on whether or not eMail addresses and/or website addresses can be used as User I.D.s and this is the information I received.
CURRENTLY (meaning TODAY and TOMORROW ect.) it is allowed.
BUT....
They are discussing it internally and it is very likely that in the not-too-distant future, eMail addresses and/or website urls will NOT be allowed as User I.D.s on eBay.
Also... they are considering whether or not to just eliminate the ability to take an eMail address or website url as an eBay User I.D. at the time of registration & eliminate users ability to change over to an eMail address or Website address as their user I.D.
OR
Actually including EXISTING Accounts that have an eMail address or website url as their User I.D. in the (possibly upcoming policy on User I.D.s?) - which would FORCE Users with ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES using their eMail address or website URL as their eBay User I.D., to take on "NICKNAME" User I.D.s if they wish to continue trading on eBay.
And there's more... (but I'll just leave it at that for now) *sigh*
www.sellyouritem.com is lookin' better all the time, right?
posted on June 1, 2001 07:39:05 PM new
frodoXII...
Great..!!! I will probably move to SYI after the eBay cops get me also...In fact, I may put some auctions up this weekend on SYI.com
Dottie:
Thanx for the heads up on SYI...
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posted on June 1, 2001 08:08:29 PM new
Thanks Y'all!! *smile*
Sadie, I don't know how long the free listing incentive is going to last at SellYourItem. You could probably ask someone on their live support board.
I did talk with someone from SYI the other day on the telephone and I got the impression that their preference would be to keep the fees on the successful end of the listing (Final Auction Value Fees) - at least for as long as possible... but I guess time will tell.
It seems to me that they are committed to doing whatever it takes toward making a go of it as a successful alternative OnLine AUCTION venue.
posted on June 1, 2001 08:21:28 PM new
heygrape: I found this on the SYI site in the site map under SellYourItem Auction Fees:
"The Final Auction Value Fee is determined using this scale:
5% of the amount of the highest bid(s) (at close of the auction) up to $25\ n
2.5% of the portion of the high bid from $25.01 up to $1,000
1.25% of the balance of the high bid over $1,000.01
There is a minimum $.05 Final Auction Value Fee. If your item sells and the Final Auction Value Fee calculation is less than $.05, you will be charged the $.05 minimum. "
Additionally, I did notice on that same page that there is a "fee schedule" that includes listing fees. SOooo regarding how long the free basic listing fee incentive will be available, it's probably best to ask that question on the SYI Live Support Q&A Board.
posted on June 1, 2001 10:45:27 PM new
Dottie thanks for the info I usually dont visit here anymore as it has gone way to PC
no one can ask a question - I would not have known about it if you had not mentioned it - seen where they locked a board for someone asking for help on a webtv problem
They need to rename the URL from current ( sorry I do not have any suggestions no longer fits
posted on June 2, 2001 02:31:56 AM new
If eBay bans email addresses as user names (at which time, I assume they'll ALSO ban email links in listings), they'll just get an enormous flood of outcries from small sellers....but if they ban URLs as user names, they'll kill any chance of getting many Big Businesses to sign on.
If big companies like Overstock.com, HardRock(Cafe).com, PlanetHollywood.com, and CountryLiving(Magazine).com
CAN'T have links to their websites in their listings, and
CAN'T have their logos or promotional statements for their websites in their listings, and
CAN'T use the listings as advertisements for their websites,
they'll say goodbye to eBay before they even really get started.
Remember, auction sales are time & labor intensive, which makes them **expensive** for businesses to do---and the sales results need to be of a sufficient level to justify the effort....something that's become much more difficult to do with sluggish sales, increased competition and depressed auction prices for *almost all* new goods.
Go look at their auctions. Almost all the Big Businesses listing on eBay are in violation of the new "no links" rules to their websites, not to mention their *gigantic* business logos and promotional splurbs on listing pages AND the occasional POP-UP ADS that are appearing. And now eBay wants to add "website URLs for user names" to its list of the "Banned and Dam*ed"????!!!!!!
It definitely fits Meg's mindset, but I think it will drive away more than JUST the small sellers she wants to get rid of.
posted on June 2, 2001 02:50:26 AM new
Just checked out Sell Your Item. They have more categories than actual listings.:>Dottie's three sales notwithstanding it looks like minimal eyeballs have found the site. Will check back in 2 months.
(and others that may feel the same way as seyms) -
Please don't just wait and check back later... these sites are not going to grow and become known all by themselves - nor do any of them have enough $$ at this time to advertise much - it is all going to be up to us through just joining, listing quality items at REASONABLE starting bids, and telling our buyers that these places exist and we list on them. (Maybe offering discounts to them for their auction wins on these alternative sites?)
Also, it won't make much sense for these smaller sites to advertise until there is enough good sellers and products on the site to make it worth while. Otherwise the buyers will come, take a look around, and maybe never come back! Let's remember that eBay didn't start any real advertising campaign until just last year! We've got to make this happen by listing on the alternative sites, and not just with over-priced crap either.
Don't forget - word of mouth was pretty much how ebay got started and began to flourish. If everyone took a "wait and see", nothing would happen and eBay will remain and grow as a monopoly.
Everyone please take some of your inventory and list at these alternative sites and get the word out to the buyers to come check it out, and keep coming back as the site grows.
posted on June 2, 2001 07:45:25 AM new
I've played around with Epier and like the fact that they are currently free. So, I have duplicates listed there to see what happens. So far nothing.
I finally checked out sellyouritem. I like their features and the fact that at the moment it doesn't cost anything to list, only a fee if it sells. I also like the import auction and import feedback features. I just listed my frst item on that site and within 30 minutes already received one bid. So the buyers are definately here.
Dottie,
Thanks. Since you are the one that finally got me to check it out you just received another 5.00 credit as I used you as my reffering friend.
You're going to have to curb your enthusiasm for SellYourItem, since the moderator says:
We appreciate your enthusiasm for sellyouritem.com, but your posts are becoming promotional in nature. Please avoid promotional wording in your posts.
Of course we all know that AuctionWatch has a vested interest in eBay because of their AuctionManager and AuctionManagerPro products. They only support eBay ... well, they also support Amazon and Yahoo but those sites are in death throes right now ... and if AuctionWatch users migrate over to any of those "other online auctions" its going to cost AuctionWatch
posted on June 2, 2001 09:02:50 AM new
AW may have a vested interest in eBay for the time being, but before the dust settles, eBay will have screwed AW too.
Watch and see if eBay enforces these linking and user name rules on the big corporations.
posted on June 2, 2001 09:10:31 AM new
dimview: FEAR NOT for me! *smile*
You'll be relieved to know that I did have a brief eMail exchange with a nice AW moderator yesterday and I'm perfectly aware of what KIND of enthusiastic posts AW would prefers members to avoid.
Nobody told me that we couldn't mention www.sellyouritem.com or www.ebay.com or www.bidville.com etc. in here, obviously folks are discussing alternative venues to use in ADDITION to eBay. AW just wants to keep the phrases that sound more like "advertising" for ANY of these sites OUT of the posts.
That's certainly understandable...
I agree with others in here though that AW is NOT the "Auction Watch - Auction Discussion Forum" that it started out to be... and if they continue to pull in the reins on everyones ability to acutally DISCUSS various Auction Sites... folks will just head over to the OTHER Auction Discussion Forums for gathering their information.
Makes no difference to me WHERE folks are chatting about auctions... I try to do my part to stay informed and share whatever information I have with my buying and selling peers whenever possible... and this AW forum is NOT (by far) the only place I post! *smile*
Dottie's three sales notwithstanding it looks like minimal eyeballs have found the site. Will check back in 2 months.