posted on July 11, 2001 08:59:43 PM
I currently use Andale and have been happy with their ads and service...I run between 100-150 auctions at all times and am a Power Seller. With their new fees, and the confusion on their site and directions, I am thinking of switching to Auctionwatch. I need a web based service that can send out EOA emails and leave feedback etc. automatically. Comments on what web based service you use...please!
posted on July 11, 2001 09:02:31 PM
I am VERY happy with AuctionWatch. Been using for several months.
It does automatically send WBN (Winning Bid Notifications) if you so choose. You can do one click send of feedback (and predefine feedback text). It does not do it automatically -- something I wouldn't think would be wise for any program to do. But it DOES make it very easy.
posted on July 11, 2001 11:44:58 PM
I love www.(can't say).com!
AW has the base and the resources and the folks to such an extent that they SHOULD be the best...
HOWEVER...until they adopt the API interface or the something that Mark has been hinting at for months, launching is still dependent on the "SELL YOUR ITEM" page; and thus either slow, slower, slowest ("processing")!
I would love to come back someday...but I ain't going thru that anymore! Each eBay auction I now launch takes 1 SECOND to launch -- EACH & EVERY TIME, NO MATTER THE DAY OR TIME!
BTW: this ain't promotional! This ain't anti-AW! I love AW! I owe a lot to AW! I'm just flabbergasted that the launch procedure is STILL so uneven.
Also be careful with the yearly plans! Some offer partial refunds if ya pull out...AND SOME DON'T
posted on July 12, 2001 12:42:42 AM
ANALE SURE LAID AN EGG. I SPENT 15HRS TODAY TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK JUST GOT FRUSTRATED.
IT WAS A PLEASURE TO USE BEFORE THEY CHANGED IT.
I AN LOOKING FOR A NEW AUCTION ASSISTANT
IS ANYBODY USING AUCTION WORKS.
WHAT I LIKED OBOUT ANDALE IS THEIR IMAGE VAULT I COULD PUT UP TO 8 PIXTURES IN A LISTING
GEORGE
posted on July 12, 2001 05:55:59 AM
good thread...
we had used a service, but stopped.
we've learned html, use the notepad and seller's page...store images on isp,
Everything listed under $9.99, no gallery, etc...pure vanilla -
Slashed our expenses - built a better looking -non-cookie- cutter ad.
Sales have been great (antiques & collectible)- do it full time...
Now we also list on other sites as well - which most services don't handle -
fees only go up and not down - eBay i believe will limit any outside operations entering their site -
posted on July 12, 2001 06:20:53 AM
Be sure to do your homework...There are a bunch of excellent services out there that are reliable and have very good customer service (read-this isn't one of them!).
______________________________
posted on July 12, 2001 06:22:51 AM
I have tried and/or used almost every web-based and PC based auction management and listing option out there. Many of them have strong points. Some I didn't like.
I am presently using channelfusion. Launching auctions is instant due to their API. Image hosting is unlimited. The price is reasonable. Good support. I like the discussion board. They support ebay, amazon, and yahoo, plus ebay stores and one or two other sites.
I also have auctionTrakker on my computer. They have a great piece if software but I am very tired of constantly updating software. AT did recently add support for ebay stores.
I have used AuctionWorks in the past and found it to be an excellent site. HOwever, I believe you could only list on ebay when I tried them. Not sure about their support of ebay stores right now.
I have also used AuctionWatch. Excellent desktop software integrated with the online tracking etc. I personally don't like the slowness of launching and the percentage fees.
When I first began running auctions on ebay (in 1998), I did everything the oldfashioned way. Used the listing pages on ebay, uploaded my images to my own webhosting account, tracked the auctions myself etc. It is doable but I found my time could be better spent selling and processing sales than doing all that tedious stuff by hand.
Donny B. Seagraves
Junebug Books
www.junebugbooks.com
I do have to find another service as Andale isn't working for me... very labor intensive. The one you are using is it A------W--k-? I don't want to jump into another service and have to pull out. Also, while this is a slow time i can get he kinks out and be up and running by Labor Day.. Any help would be greatly appreciated
email: [email protected]
posted on July 12, 2001 07:47:34 AM
I believe tomwii and I use the same service, ChannelFusion.com They use the API and offer a yearly program, with a one time payment and no sales percentage or launching fees. I love their service and recommend them highly.
posted on July 12, 2001 09:23:21 AM
There are only two that are worth the time. This one here, (AW) and Channelfusion. Try both. My advice is, if you're going to do a low volume, maybe a few auctions a month, go with AW. If you're going to be a heavy user, sign up with Channelfusion's yearly contract. The CRM at Channelfusion is (for me anyway) far easier to use and manage especially when I have dozens of auctions all ending the same day
Plus, Channelfusion has Steve, and AW doesn't.
I actually use both now, because AW has some advantages that Channelfusion doesn't. Plus, Channelfusion only lets me sell under one ID at a time, and I'm currently using two (one for business sales, and one to clear out the stuff from my closet, attic, basement, ect... ) AW works perfectly for that secondary ID.
Also, I like AW's storefront better. Channelfusion's storefront is off to a good start, and maybe will catch up to AW if AW keeps standing still, but that's a while off yet.
Finally, AW's message boards are so far ahead of Channelfusion's that it's laughable.
posted on July 12, 2001 12:13:32 PM
Channel Fusion was originally AuctionRover. GoTo bought them, and called it AuctionManager for a while. Then changed it to ChannelFusion a while back. They are part of GoTo.
posted on July 12, 2001 05:39:00 PM
I'm fairly small, and paying the annual fee to Channelfusion was not a biggie. It worked out to $15/month I think. I might have gone with AW but did not want to pay a percentage of my auction sales in additional fees.
My main problem with CF is getting photos to load. I hope that when we get our DSL line up, things will work better. As it is, it's slow and usually I can't get 3 to load at one time, let alone 4. Often it hangs up with just 2. But again, it could be my computer, I don't know.
posted on July 12, 2001 05:48:05 PMkeziak, are you by any chance referring to uploading of pics from your computer to the site? Just as a point of interest, I was having some weird computer problems that ended up going away when I uninstalled my Norton's SystemWorks & Firewall and re-installed them. Apparently there were some corrupted files or something and now I don't have those problems. But, back on the subject, one of the probs I was having was uploading pics. I could only do one or two at a time (on a good day!) without getting thrown off line and having to start over. I was having to disable my Firewall while I uploaded pics...Hope this might help you.
)!
