Reamond
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posted on October 2, 2002 01:47:11 PM new
I caught part of a headline on the tube that said AOL is going to start an auction venue to compete with eBay. Anyone seen any info on this ?
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uaru
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posted on October 2, 2002 02:11:26 PM new
Looks like fixed price stores to me. If it works as well as the rest of AOL then eBay has nothing to worry about.
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slabholder
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posted on October 2, 2002 02:12:30 PM new
story
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uaru
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posted on October 2, 2002 02:19:47 PM new
AOL Poised to Enter eBay's Turf
This was the part that caught my attention most in the news article.
People familiar with the matter say America Online won't compete against eBay in auctions -- something forbidden by their partnership agreement -- but instead will create an online marketplace where any individual or company will be able to post goods for sale for a fixed price -- an option that also is available to eBay sellers and is becoming increasingly popular on that service.
Auctions are fun, fixed prices aren't, attracting buyers is what it's all about. AOL is losing money, eBay is making money. Competition is good, but AOL moves to slow to keep up with eBay.
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tooltimes
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posted on October 2, 2002 02:29:02 PM new
Auctions are fun, fixed prices aren't, attracting buyers is what it's all about. AOL is losing money, eBay is making money. Competition is good, but AOL moves to slow to keep up with eBay.
Auctions are a dying breed and fixed price venues are the new wave. Even profitable ebay is converting to the fixed price venue setup as fast as it can.
Auctions are full of gamble and unmet expectations and with fixed price venues the buyers know what they'll get and get it sooner than most auction sellers can provide it and be fully protected against loss or fraud.
Many posters may not like to read these sentiments but that's the way I see the future of online commerce. 
[ edited by tooltimes on Oct 2, 2002 02:32 PM ]
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alldings
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posted on October 2, 2002 02:59:58 PM new
tooltime has a good point! Auctions were an interesting new toy that people are sick of playing with. Or they have been cheated by dishonest sellers or sellers who have no idea how to sell or run a business. Many of the these harmed buyers and their friends will never shop online for anything.
Also why should I buy a widget from Joe's eBay store when I can get one at Wally Mart for the same price. Plus and here is the BIG PLUS, if it craps out I take it back to Wally and they either fix it or give me a new one! Ebay isn't going to go way it will just shrink down to a niche where sellers & buyers can still do fairly well. Plus who knows amoung the deadbeats who bid up stuff for kicks, you might get an honest buyer or two.
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coralreef
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posted on October 2, 2002 03:18:31 PM new
Personally I feel that it depends on what you sell if fixed price or auction works better. I sell mostly vintage clothing and I know for a fact if I started some of my items at what they ended for there is no anyone would pay that price. So for me, to start it low and let the bidding begin I make much more than I would if I tried to sell it at a fixed price. Not to metion alot of times I am very surprised how high certain items do go and would probably lose money with a fixed price. On the other hand, I think buy it now/fixed prices on some items probably is a better way to go, but defintely not for me.
coral
edited for some horribe typos because this keyboard SUCKS
[ edited by coralreef on Oct 2, 2002 03:45 PM ]
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pelorus
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posted on October 2, 2002 03:33:03 PM new
Auctions are a dying breed??
My sales are better than ever, and people will always like the excitement of the auction format.
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capotasto
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posted on October 2, 2002 04:17:57 PM new
YOu can't sell unique (or semi-unique) collectibles and antiques in a fixed price format.
Well, you can.... but it would be stupid...
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JWPC
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posted on October 2, 2002 04:32:12 PM new
Well, when they come on line I'll give them a try - why not....we sell basically fixed prices even on antiques - I much prefer it to the waiting, and such of a week long auction.
Get going AOL, I'd love to see eBay get some competition....
Wonder if we will have to put up with AOL's weird formating???
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toolhound
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posted on October 2, 2002 04:54:19 PM new
I would probably give it a try. I had AOL for 2 years and one thing about it they will remind all their users every time they get online about it. They love to cover your screen with advertisements. I would love to see some competition for eBay.
capotasto wrote "You can't sell unique (or semi-unique) collectibles and antiques in a fixed price format.
Well, you can.... but it would be stupid"
I sold unique collectibles and antiques at fixed price for 20 years before eBay came along and did just fine. With the prices eBay is bringing for those unique collectibles and antiques now I am still doing it, because half the time the opening bid is the only bid.
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sanmar
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posted on October 2, 2002 05:26:21 PM new
Yes, toolhound, I too sold before eBay. But now I am retired & do this for pocket change so to speak. I enjoy the auction part & have done very well with china & collectibles. My living room looks like a freight terminal with all of the boxes packed & waiting for payment.
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aintrichyet
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posted on October 3, 2002 04:33:29 PM new
I can't wait! .... this will be awesome [assuming their fees are affordable] .... AND maybe AuctionWatch will need to start an AOL Sales Outlook chat thread!
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tooltimes
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posted on October 3, 2002 05:00:15 PM new
Some things have to use the auction format but the vast majority of the stuff that sells on ebay should be on the fixed price setup. That is why there are 100 million+ listings on Half and only 8 million on ebay.
The fun community that was ebay four years ago is now a Mideastern bazaar full of cutthroat sellers that try every trick in the book to cheat their customers and the marketplace owners. There are still some honest sellers but the bad sellers have driven away a lot of the naive buyers.
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thchaser200
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posted on October 4, 2002 06:51:24 AM new
AOL could complete with Ebay just on the base of people that use AOL.
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