stormypetr
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posted on January 30, 2002 07:22:26 AM new
I am looking for a piece of software that will do it all. Create nice looking auctions with HTML, load them when I want and the day I want, and help me track them. What do you suggest? I don't really want something that I have to pay by the auction. I want something with a one time fee. I am not a power seller. I do about 20 auctions a week.
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anothertreasure
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posted on January 30, 2002 07:28:23 AM new
You've found it - IMHO
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BananaSpider
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posted on January 30, 2002 08:29:12 AM new
Shooting Star
http://www.foodogsoftware.com
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rgrem
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posted on January 30, 2002 09:13:01 AM new
I am in about the same category and with the same needs as you. Auctionwatch is the best, IF you take advantage of most of its functions.
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peiklk
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posted on January 30, 2002 09:39:39 AM new
I third this. I've used AuctionWatch for all my auctions and use it from launch to feedback. A great tool and worth the minor fees they charge.
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tomwiii
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posted on January 30, 2002 09:42:12 AM new
What the RULE now?
Are we allow to rave about others?
Or will this thread just become an AW-kiss fest?
processing...processing...processing...
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bidsbids
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posted on January 30, 2002 10:03:02 AM new
Anything goes at AW now with moderators all working at fast food joints.
Here's a test ....
Auction Watch services suck!
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ihula
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posted on January 30, 2002 10:50:21 AM new
I also am looking for a new system when my contract runs out with AW in April. while I like them, I'm in the between stage price wise (about 100-150 auctions a week) and AW seems too pricy. I like how Auction Helpers auctions look on ebay. It has an auction Lynxx where a person can look right at your auction page and see what else you're selling. They are a monthly fee, though. Anyone here use them and like (or dislike) them? My only fear is that it may take awhile to load the auction listing on ebay for those with a dial up modem and I'm afraid they'll give up.
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lovepotions
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posted on January 30, 2002 10:53:44 AM new
I use auctionworks
I love it.
I can't really go on about how much easier it has made my life without violating AW terms but if you like you can email me at
[email protected]
http://www.lovepotions.com
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ewora
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posted on January 30, 2002 11:51:27 AM new
ditto
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richierich
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posted on January 30, 2002 12:36:55 PM new
I too am shopping. I need image hosting, and auction scheduling/launching. I currently use AW Auction Manager Pro and like it very much. My power plan expires in March and I figure my fees here will increase about $200 A MONTH! I can not give them that much more!
There was a service that I was reading about before the holidays. I thought I put it in my favorites so I could come back to it and it is not there now! (Guess I didn't do it)
I can not remember the name, I think it cost $189 a year and did everything I use here. No extra FVF or anything else.
Does anyone know who I might be talking about?
Please email me at [email protected] if you have a service to recommend.
Thanks,
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rgrem
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posted on January 30, 2002 12:50:31 PM new
AW, you ought to shut this thread down, it is insulting to the ones of us paying the bill for your boards.
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ihula
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posted on January 30, 2002 12:54:46 PM new
No offense, but no one is holding a gun to your head and making you pay for the AW board. We have a right to our own opinions. I love AW, but it's true, after my year is over I would be paying over $100.00 a month for their service. Don't you agree that it's a little rediculous for a part time seller?
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Dejapooh
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posted on January 30, 2002 12:56:55 PM new
To be honest, I need my auction service to be Online. I work on my auctions in two locations on two different systems (mac and windows). By using an online service, I can upload my pictures from one computer, and start the auctions from another. After looking at all of the Online services, I have found that AW is by far the best for the price.
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rgrem
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:09:04 PM new
$100 a month wouldn't seem too bad to support 8-9 grand a month gross. Yes you have every right to voice your thoughts. There are some posts, however, that don't belong. And none of this belongs on the Ebay board. I need AW and don't like to see its reputation damaged. I have much more of a right to say that than several of these posts have to say anything.
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ihula
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:15:20 PM new
I know I don't make even a fraction of that amount (not even enough to be a powerseller) - that's why I can't figure out AW fees. Perhaps I'm just not reading "the fine print" close enough. But the last time I figured it out that's what it would cost me to continue. For a lot of people this is the only message board they read, and they don't know where else to get help on issues. It's not a bash against AW, most people really like AW (myself included). You want to see AW bashing you should go in their part of the message board - especially on outage days 
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springmoon
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:17:40 PM new
has any one used BizHosting's auction manager? Is it any good? Does it have scheduling?
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computerboy
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:19:21 PM new
This software will solve your problem:
channeladvisor.com
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harmonygrove
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:20:08 PM new
We too are bidding AW a fond farewell come March. We just plain refuse to pay 3X our current Power Plan $200 deal.
Its been fun but we are moving on.
Its a shame cause AW really is a great service.
Toodles...
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springmoon
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:23:24 PM new
ChannelAdvisor is okay if you sell one of a kind items. If you have to be creating and scheduling a lot of different ads all the time, AW is much easier to work with. However, there are other features with CA which is worth looking at.
-
[ edited by springmoon on Jan 30, 2002 01:25 PM ]
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harmonygrove
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:24:00 PM new
By the way, we are heading in the same direction as computerboy.
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rgrem
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:29:14 PM new
ihula, I get your point.
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richierich
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posted on January 30, 2002 01:30:23 PM new
I really like using AW. I have never used any other service. When they went to charging for the service, I did not complain about it. I was happy to pay $200 a year and 5 cents an auction.
But come March it is a different story! When the new fees take over - and I am not gaining anything else but I will be paying around $200 more a month. I ran my figures my the AW customer service people back when the fee change was announce and my calculations are correct. I do not gross 8-9K a month!
I love what I do! Without AW I would not have grown to where I am today. BUT if I continue with AW my profits will be way down and I simply can not afford that. Besides it is not good business to pay twice as much for the same thing you can get for less.
I am not insulting AW! It is the FACT that they are pricing them self out of business and cutting back on services. (Like no more message board search.) I LOVE AW! This is the only board I read.
This is ebay related business and that is what I use AW for. To launch my ebay auctions!
Have a great day!
[ edited by richierich on Jan 30, 2002 01:35 PM ]
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ahc3
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posted on January 30, 2002 02:15:15 PM new
This is a thread that would have been shut down FAST in the old days! Guess nobody really is minding the store..
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anothertreasure
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posted on January 30, 2002 02:17:47 PM new
Ah well, Dad was right
Some people will #*!@ even if you hang them with a new rope
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peiklk
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posted on January 30, 2002 02:21:13 PM new
Where are the new rates posted?
I wouldn't bother with the annual stuff. I pay $.10/.05 per auction and then a measly 1% of the final value. If sales are down, I pay less -- sales are up, I pay more. But it's still proportionate and I can handle that cost with no problem.
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meffle
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posted on January 30, 2002 04:06:47 PM new
We're minding the store. Actually, this information is very helpful in understanding your choices.
We want to provide the best service at the best value, which is only possible by listening. As much as I don't like seeing the names of other services on our site, we're confident that more sellers appreciate our services than others mentioned. As we continue to improve and expand our services, we hope everyone continues to test our new services and how they may be right for your selling needs.
And for those Annual Power Plan subscribers with yearly subscriptions ending soon, we expect to send an e-mail to you within the next week describing the various pricing plan options available to you along with some guidance for new plan selection. As you read that e-mail, you may sense some of the ways we incorporate feedback into our services and pricing plans. And if we're missing something, please let us know. We have a long list of development tasks, and we use your feedback in large part to prioritize them.
Thanks, and I wish you all great fortune in your online selling.
Best,
Mike.
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springmoon
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posted on January 30, 2002 05:39:32 PM new
meffle, I have been looking at other auction management software which fits my needs, AW is perfect!
Now, about the pricing -- that's the killer for most part-time and sellers who don't rake in a lot of revenues from their sales.
Implement a new pricing scheme and take out that listing & FVF -- eBay & Yahoo are already milking us. Do a flat monthly rate -- basically we're just subscribing to your software.
Have different rate structures:
Monthly Rates:
$19.95 (Pay additional above X listings)
$39.95 (pay additional about X listings)
$49.95 (pay additional above X listings)
...
Yearly Rates: (fill in the blank)
You can do image hosting the same way.
Try this, including a few ads and you will see your user-base skyrocket!
I know AW pays eBay to use their API, but there are different ways to skin a cat (sorry cat lovers)...and still come out ahead.
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meffle
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posted on January 30, 2002 06:00:50 PM new
Thanks for the suggestion. We have historically preferred variable pricing structures that work for everyone. Folks with a small to moderate number of auctions would generally pay a lot less on our Standard Plan than on a fixed monthly fee plan (with most taking the philosophy of 'peiklk' above). For example, using Auction Manager, AM Pro or Online Inventory, a seller can list $100 auctions and sell half (around the auction sites' averages) at an average price point of $20 for a few bucks less than your $19.95. As price point and sell-through, etc. increase, we have also provided premium and power plans to make AW more affordable for these types of sellers. We can't make a perfect fit for everyone, since that's impossible given the vast differences in the way people sell, but we try.
You are correct that we have many variable costs like the API (in fact most of our costs associated with supporting auctions are variable for us), which is why we generally have preferred variable fee structures.
That said, we do offer unlimited image hosting with any of our premium selling plans. Since these start at $12.95, we essentially offer unlimited image hosting for $12.95 flat rate/month. (This service can be found under the image hosting tab above).
I'm always evaluating new plans, so let me look at your suggestion. Thanks for the feedback as always.
By the way, I'm monitoring this thread, but please don't be offended if I don't personally respond to each suggestion/question. They are all being captured in any event.
Best,
Mike.
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peiklk
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posted on January 30, 2002 09:20:27 PM new
FYI, if AW ever went to a monthly fee ONLY, I'd have to leave them. And I don't want to leave them.
Paying as I go works best for me -- if I ever made this full time I might look at one of the other options, but the regular pricing plan is quite affordable and reasonable.
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