posted on January 4, 2008 10:19:00 AM
Hi Everyone, long time lurker, occasional poster, I have not sold on ebay in about three years. I was using Auctionsubmit, a free listing software that was good enough for my twenty to thirty at a time listings. I am now wanting to start selling again and in the ensuing years since I stopped, sadly, the programer of Auctionsubmit was killed in a car accident so the program is no longer supported.
I am considering Turbo Lister as an alternative as it seems to have most of the features of my former program. Would you wonderful folks be willing to make a case for Vendio and Auctiva as a possible alternative. I don’t see why I need a lot of bells and whistles. I can host my pictures on my internet provider site, I have my own HTML templates for my own look. I just need a way to batch the listings and be able to save the ones that do not sell for future listings.
I am going to operate with two separate IDs and again sell collectibles such as postcards, coins, bottles, as before but I also want to open a store and try to sell some of my art. That is why I am using separate IDs because I do not want them mixed with each other. I find it quite confusing to go to someone’s store and find their art scattered in amongst the junk.
I will probably have a dozen or two collectibles running and hopefully I will be able to produce at least a couple of dozen paintings (small) each month.
Any help deciding what listing route to take would be much appreciated.
posted on January 4, 2008 10:45:08 AM
Hi Don! I remember you from way back when you emailed me to tell me not to be discouraged by the rough treatment I got on one of my early posts on EO. I have never forgotten your kindness
I use Vendio and it works ok - I have a lot invested here because of the number of images I have hosted and the time and trouble it would be to move them and revise all my listings.
It sounds like you have everything covered and just need a desk-top type application? I have heard good things about Auction Sage - very affordable and flexible. Maybe Linda (a former frequent poster here) will pop in and give you some information about it. They have user forums you could visit as a start.
Good luck!
Mary Ann
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posted on January 4, 2008 10:53:03 AM
I use Turbo Lister and it works fine for me. I do not list year round and it works great for reduced listing days, as I can get off many in a short time.
posted on January 4, 2008 11:22:20 AM
I'm happy with turbolister. It's especially useful because you can switch from one ID to another effortlessly. I like hosting my own photos, permitting changes and control if needed -- and I like the price. Don't believe I ever had an issue with the postage calculator either, domestic or foreign, UPS or USPS. You can also list on eBay UK, etc. right from your program as well.
Some people have issues with TL; I never did and I'm probably about the same size seller that you are envisioning. Always uploads when it's supposed to, but I am sometimes leery of "updating" so I only do it very rarely.
posted on January 4, 2008 02:33:16 PM
I still list through Vendio because of the many photos I use per auction item, the ease of listing itself (one simple page), and the control panel that's much easier to use when I want to get a big picture of how my 20 - 30 items are doing. Worth the small amount of extra cost, to me.
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posted on January 4, 2008 04:19:22 PM
why dont you open a store for your art work and then list the rest manually on Ebay auction?
20-30 is not much,many of us do this by hand,I have been doing this for years.
Like you I store my photos on my PC and upload them to AOL webspace if I dont like Ebay picture hosting.
IF I understand Vendio policy,it takes a cut if the item sells on Ebay?
You may also consider Rubylane,I believe they have one section for artist and they also have a feature which will let you drop your store item to Ebay .
*
Lets all stop whining !
posted on January 4, 2008 04:24:28 PM
Considering the fact that you don't even need an IMAGE HOST, you can get away with using feeBay's FREE goodies...
If ya open a STORE, you get theit BASIC PSM program for FREE, and it does everything I want...
I too launch DIRECTLY from feeBay, as I too use my own templates, and it's far easier to just adjust each time on a HTML practice board (I use RANCHO WEB's) and then just C&P...
If ya need to schedule, feeBay charges $0.10 each time -- I've used it a few times in the past, & it worked fine!
You DO seem to have all the bases covered, so, whatever you do, don't start PAYING for doodads; doo-hickies; nattering nabobs; that ya don't NEED!
If you want a FREE AUCTION GALLERY to include in your auction template, AUCTIVA has a fine one for $0.00 (FREE)/month!
...and he will send you a link to one of his listings for MONKEY PORN or, if you are of tender sensibilities, he will instead, send one of his listings for HERBAL VIAGRA and you can see how he incorporated the AUCTIVA GALLERY into his template...
posted on January 4, 2008 05:41:07 PM
Hi Mary Ann,
I remember that contact as well. You have survived and done well. I also think I sent you a personal email asking if you wanted to buy all my cards as I was getting out of selling them. I may try some again, but I was swapping money so we shall see how it goes. Ah for the good old days. I have never been a big postcard lister but I used to have a 55 -65 % sell through, back in the day. When I stopped three years ago, it was because it dropped to about 20%.
I am honored to receive answers for some of the “old guard”. This is just the info I was hoping for, keep the suggestions coming.
posted on January 4, 2008 05:57:54 PM
Tom.
I have been using my own picture hosting on AOL these days,as I can stitch several pictures together,they are bigger and better than Ebay pictures,it may be free for first pic,but we have to pay 15 cents for each additional pic.
So I am saving money and having better pictures.
*
Lets all stop whining !
posted on January 5, 2008 09:25:35 PM
I must disagree with hwahwa, I too am listing about 20-30 items a week. Since all of eBay's so called improvements, listing directly to eBay has become nearly impossible. For the first time ever, I broke down and started using a listing service late last fall.
I picked Auctiva mainly for the simple reason that they are free. After using them for nearly 3 months now, I can say that I am pretty happy with it. It's real test came when the reduced listing day came right after Christmas. I scheduled over 400 items to post during the day and they all went in without a hitch.
Before all of eBay's improvements, I used to list about 250-275 and I spent literally all day listing. With Auctiva, I spend about 15 minutes scheduling and it does the rest.
Ok, now that I have promoted them, here is the one thing I don't like about Auctiva. Uploading auctions to Auctiva does take some time. The pages on Auctiva load very slowly making uploading go slowly. But once uploaded, submitting does go smoothly and quickly. So I figure that trade off was tolerable, plus it's free.
posted on January 6, 2008 05:15:57 AM
ST0NEC0LD613,
If I understand correctly, you are comparing manual listing on Ebay to using Auctiva? Or is it Turbo Lister VS Auctive?
A couple of quotes from other posters on this thread:
"I use Turbo Lister and it works fine for me"
" I'm happy with turbolister. It's especially useful because you can switch from one ID to another effortlessly."
In other words, you don't mention Turbo Lister so I am assuming you were listing manually?
posted on January 6, 2008 08:02:15 AM
I think the posters talking about listing through eBay are using the Sell Your Item, whichever version they're on now.
If you only have a change of one image, and two lines of copy, and everything else stays exactly the same -- like Fluff's -- the least effort way is indeed listing straight through eBay with "sell similar". Anything more complex than that, you're better off with a "listing service."
I tried auctiva once, just didn't like the clutter, and again, I want to stay in control of my images, their names etc. If you'd consider auctiva, but use your own ftp and hosting, as well as your own templates, I don't see the advantage. When I look at listings with auctiva, I really don't like supersizing which takes me to a different screen either. Of course, perhaps my images are too large to start with, since I don't supersize.
Nothing is ever free, really; I tend to stay away from those. In eBay's case, you know as long as the site works, turbolister most likely will also.
I also, by the way, like the bulk editing feature of turbolister. I just changed my ISP and it was a one minute deal to change my PayPal email on listings, both active (without bids) and inventory/scheduled.
So if you want two IDs, one with store, ability to batch, and save listings (you can also move from one user to another if you want by backing up using your other ID and restoring into that directory), I think turbo requires the least amount of learning curve, and provides what you want.
posted on January 6, 2008 08:49:56 AM
How can AUCTIVA be free?
Ebay ' sell an item ' page or multi pages is cumbersome,I guess they want us to use all those silly options and run up the listing fees?
*
Lets all stop whining !
posted on January 6, 2008 10:12:48 AM
After much experimentation (what Ralphie calls fahting around), I've settled upon the following:
1) For IMAGE HOSTING and COUNTERS:
I park at INK-FROG -- very reliable (can't remember the last time they were down) and CHEAPO at: $9.99 / month, which also includes lots of other goodies I don't use...
2) I store my TEMPLATES in a neat little FREE filing cabinet from DEAD-ZOOM called: ZOOM PLATES -- one can get it free here: http://www.deadzoom.com/zplates
3) I incorporate into my templates, the FREE GALLERY from AUCTIVA -- it is very customisable and they do give you the HTML code, which I think looks more professional than having the GALLERY added to each listing automatically...And, of course, best of all: IT'S FREE! As opposed to the $6.99/mo I was paying "somewhere else" for basically the same THING!
4) I "adjust" the HTML for each listing with my favorite HTML PRACTICE BOARD -- FREE from Rancho-Web here:
http://practiceboard.com/
5) I launch DIRECT from feeBay...
6) For PSM, I use the FREE feeBay program that comes with my BASIC STORE SUBSCRIPTION...They have made it more customisable, and, it is definitely worth the PRICE of: $0.00
So, we spend $9.99 / month for EVERYTHING and are very happy with all...
OTOH: if I were launching 100's of auctions per week, I don't know wtf I'd do -- probably go back to CA?
posted on January 6, 2008 10:42:18 AM
Stone: You're dead wrong. Turbolister is and always was free. Would have been easy to check before posting erroneously, wouldn't it?
posted on January 6, 2008 10:55:13 AMbirgittaw:
Ralphie awards you his:
"Spank-A-Misbehaving-Used-Car-Salesman" Award for the month, with much slobbery BT congrats!
posted on January 6, 2008 11:16:19 AM
I post directly through Ebay, do a copy and paste for repetitive jargon through my handy dandy "note pad" and have never had a problem. I am not giving any more of my money to any venue. Too many sticky fingers as it is!!
posted on January 6, 2008 11:47:33 AM
19 listings so far today directly to Ebay, 5 scheduled for later. That used to be the only reason I used Vendio, scheduling. When I was insomniacy I could list at 2AM and schedule it for a more favorable time. Now that's free and easy from Ebay.
posted on January 6, 2008 11:50:09 AMIf you only have a change of one image, and two lines of copy, and everything else stays exactly the same -- like Fluff's -- the least effort way is indeed listing straight through eBay with "sell similar". Anything more complex than that, you're better off with a "listing service."
I'm not sure why you think that.
Some of my auctions have multiple pictures and quite a lot of text. Since I do everything in HTML -- including inline pictures -- adding four pictures only takes a few seconds longer than adding one.
posted on January 6, 2008 12:07:35 PM
Fluff: Why did I think that? Perhaps because I only looked at your jewelry, which have one or two images, and a couple of lines of new copy. And I would do it exactly like you do. Two minutes direct to eBay, launch when done. Zip zap!
Haven't listed directly from eBay in years. I got too frustrated (back then) when it would freeze up, or eat descriptions (no, I don't do them in Word which I could, but prefer not to juggle too many things). No doubt that has changed with a saving capability.
Sometimes, it's whatever you get used to and feel comfortable with. I do listings early in the morning, launch in the evening. Because I travel, I have to be careful with ending times from a shipping standpoint, not communicating, so I "save" listings in inventory in TL, and launch when it's convenient. Perhaps not the most cost effective or efficient, but it works for me.
posted on January 6, 2008 12:09:02 PM
Will wonders never cease?
Will DB COOPER ever be found?
Will Ralphie ever reveal his BEST KEPT SECRET he's been holding all his life, believing he holds the secret to: "Who shot JR?"
Have to ADMIT -- me & the Fluffster launch the same way (gulp)...
Spend around 1 minute of copy+pasting with pre-made templates, and it only takes 2-3 minutes (at MOST) to launch DIRECT from feeBay...
My experience is that VD and IF and all the others just make an EASY PROCESS much more COMPLICATED than it really is -- I think they depend on their survival by banking on the concept that many folks are SCAIRD STIFF of HTML...
But, there's really NO resaon to be so: IF ME & RALPHIE CAN LEARN BASIC HTML, THAN ANY OLE DOG OR (Ugh, tis like pulling out my fingernails) CAT CAN TOO
posted on January 6, 2008 12:18:43 PM
What I meant was "What level of complexity is introduced with more text and more pictures such that you need to use a listing service?"
Hope that was clearer.
For people who do antiques and collectibles, items which are almost always one-offs (let's face it, I'm never going to find that exact Roseville Sunflower vase again), I would have thought listing directly would work just fine.
posted on January 6, 2008 12:19:44 PM
I list directly and don't even use HTML, just easy old copy and paste from a very easy Note Book program. Vendio is not getting 1% of anything from me!!(or whatever the going rate is now)
Ebay now has easy ways to find categories, that used to be a mess and if you listed in Collectibles, like I frequently do, the list of categories was soooo long that I could go get a couple of coffee and come back before it had downloaded. Now, it is instant and it remembers frequently used categories. Much improved!!
posted on January 6, 2008 12:35:48 PM
You know, I'm probably wrong about complexity in listing, can I take that back please? See, I'm guilty of not checking before posting too ...
Again, things most likely changed from when I listed directly (long ago when there were oodles of multiple screens). I don't think you need a listing service at all, but for the reasons the OP cited initially (multiple users, multiple formats, saved inventory batching and re-launching) I think TL would work for him.
posted on January 6, 2008 03:50:13 PM
Ebay list an item can be complex,say I want to list a real ivory item,wham,Ebay said cant sell it overseas,so back to editing,I have to specify domestic shipping then in worldwide shipping,specify USA as the only country I will ship to,this is how I pass the mustard ,not violating Ebay policy of selling ivory to overseas bidders.
If I want to list an item of erotic nature with a man and woman doing you know what,wham,the listing is removed for miscategoration and I have to relist under everything else-mature audience and most bidders do not go there to look.
So I have to find a way to get bidders to click on a link to see the forbidden items.
If I want to list in Canada Ebay,wham,I have to get permission first to list.
Nazi items,metal pipes,endangered species,etc etc,and this new My Ebay format sucks canal water,it can be stressful for me,may be you guys are saints.
"childrens do learn"
