posted on October 19, 2007 01:57:48 PM new
Too little too late for me...
I found out that my own website costs much less to operate, takes much less effort to run, and doesn't have the same troublesome buyers as the ones I get on eBay.
Not to mention... it's a basic matter of trust. I just don't have any trust in eBay anymore. They could remove listing fees altogether tomorrow... get you to rely on their site, and then change it back to double the current listing fees in a year. How can you establish a long-term business plan when your main service provider has such dominant control over your bottom line?
They may want me and my money back... but I certainly don't want them any more....
posted on October 19, 2007 02:57:24 PM new
The SHORT-SIGHTED business "plan" from feeBay has always amazed me...
For the past 4 years, that plan could be summarized as: "PI$$ OFF THE SELLERS"
BUT, there came a breaking point, when many just gave up on feeBay as being just too EXPENSIVE...
I'll never understand why feeBay RUINED the STORES???? Do ya remember that short 4 month period when store items showed in SEARCH? YIKES! I was selling scales like hotcakes! 5-8 per DAY! But then ole MEG-O-MATIC killeed that wonder & raised fees and the rest is history...
Too little too late for eBay to reverse things...
For that matter, how longer will sites like VD survive? Once ya realize that ALL ya really need is an IMAGE HOST (and those are CHEAPO now adays), WHY would ANYBODY pay such moola? Who can afford to PI$$ MOOLA out the window like this? Geez! Even AUCTIVA gives away for FREE a NICE gallery...
posted on October 20, 2007 04:43:09 AM new
The good news:
"it will reduce fees at least 33% through the beginning of November and make other price tweaks....If successful, the fee changes could become permanent"
posted on October 20, 2007 07:07:47 AM new
tomwii,
Vendio makes it easy to add 20 listings in an afternoon with multiple photos, schedule the auction for another time, and track the post-auction events (payment, packing, email to buyer with tracking number). For that, they charge us around $70 per month.
If you think $70/month is a...bargain, then you obviously have moola to burn, compared to po ole Ralphie & me
A little research + a slight increase in ELBOW GREASE could REDUCE that to $10 - $20/month....
With OUTRAGEOUS feeBay fees combined with OUTRAGEOUS PayPal fees, I'd be flummoxed (nay, dare Ralphie say: "FLABBERGASTED) if many sellers aren't doing everything they can now to economize & eliminate unnecessary expenses...
posted on October 20, 2007 08:38:48 AM new
I agree Tom, saving where you can is most important. Auctiva gives all that Vendio gives and its FREE, I use them once in a while but I gave up Vendio a few years ago because I feel they charge too much for what can be had for either 9.98 or FREE.
But guess it all depends on a persons income, if they bring in good money then paying higher fees for some services dose not make a difference.
toni
[ edited by tonimar1 on Oct 20, 2007 08:39 AM ]
posted on October 20, 2007 09:40:05 AM new
I doubt if one hosting/listing service will fit all sellers. Downtime when our pics can't be seen or times when we can't list could cost me a bundle. Generally (with a well-known exception), Vendio has been reliable. It's not easy changing hosting services, especially if you have lots of old pictures you still use. An FTP file transfer between hosts isn't always supported. That being said, the major concern I have with Vendio is that Sales Manager Merchandising Edition isn't keeping up with new eBay features. Not being able to list item specifics will cost me, too.
posted on October 20, 2007 09:48:56 AM new
I still use Vendio for post-sale management but stopped using them for listing some-time last year when I had to economize. When they started charging for picture hosting is when listing with Vendio no longer fit in my budget plan.
I found a place where, for about $8.00 a month, I was able to just drag and drop all of my photos to upload. They have listing templates. They store your inventory. You can even launch from there. However...I do miss scheduled listings.
posted on October 20, 2007 12:09:29 PM new
tomwii,
I'm actually out of the business, but since elbow grease costs $7-11 per hour around here, plus benefits, $70 per month is fine.
In addition to the elbow grease required, there are too many opportunities to forget to mark a payment, forget to send an email with the tracking number, etc.
posted on October 20, 2007 03:54:58 PM new
I like to use Vendio on my inventory where I have several of the same item. Then All I have to do is punch the button to launch it. At Christmas that is a real time saver.
**********************************
Come to www.bestfreecellularphones for the best deals in cell phones from any carrier. Get your phone FREE or even cash back. Come check us out!
posted on October 22, 2007 02:39:19 PM new
My September 2007 Sales vs. 2006 sales, overall - I saw a 44% increase in gross sales over that period. My ebay totals though in 2007 were 49.6% of what I did in 2006.
I may list a little more than what I have, but I would have to see store prices (listing fees and FVF) go down considerably before I would really come back to ebay full force.
I haven't left ebay completely, but a few years ago ebay was easily 90%+ of my business, and as of last month, it was 12%. I know I am not alone...Cutting costs is a good start, but I don't know if ebay is going to be as dominant as they were a few years ago. Just too many bonehead decisions that made a lot of sellers consider other options.
posted on October 23, 2007 04:14:24 AM new
I really like Vendio and have used them for years. I can add as many photos as I like (I usually use at least 6 and sometimes as many as 12) since I sell one-of-a-kind things, figurines, glass, linens ect, without paying the additional 10 cents a photo. Before you jump on me, I know that if I learned HTML I could do that but I really like Vendio and don't want to learn the new eBay sell your item stuff. I do like the 33% reduction and hope it will 'stick', they have got to do something to keep sellers, even us small sellers.
posted on October 23, 2007 10:08:49 AM new
Here's one for you all.
Has anyone been receiving their re-list listing fee credits?
I have checked my last few sales, which were all re-lists and no credits. My guess is eBay secretly has dropped listing fee prices in favor of no relist credits.
"childrens do learn"