posted on June 3, 2010 03:46:02 PM
Just wondering if anyone has tried this auction site, Bonanzle?....and if it's worth the time to put items on for sale. Appreciate any input. Thanks
posted on June 3, 2010 05:10:34 PM
I feel for those who sell by auction. You need many pairs of eyes on your items, for success. eBay is losing auction traffic, while other sites are just not up to the task.
I would not count on auction traffic to return to eBay.
Here is an interesting article from AuctionBytes -
"Management Destroyed eBay's Value Proposition"
"It is really difficult to understand how eBay's management has been allowed by the founder and board to destroy eBay's value proposition, and consequently the value of the brand. "
posted on June 3, 2010 11:27:31 PM
I have listed a few things on Bonanzle in the past couple of weeks.
Very easy to set up a 'Booth' and easy to list.
I have not worked on it and have not really read the Forums. I have all of my items at Fixed Price with their Equivalent of 'Best Offer'.
Nothing really happening yet for me but the site has a good feel to it and friendly people. There are many ways to promote your Booth, none of which I have tried yet. I want to wait until I have at least 50 items listed. Maybe some time next week!
I have no problem with putting some of my eggs in that particular basket for NO listing fee. I shall see how it all plays out.
posted on June 4, 2010 10:18:51 AM
No Listing fee!
Soon everyone and his brother/sister will be listing there!
Take a look at ETSY,low listing fee and all the Ebay junks which cant be sold are listed there !
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on June 4, 2010 09:14:07 PM
I took a look at Bonanzle.
There are some interesting items like German piano babies,Jacoulet woodblock prints and a set of silverware for 12.
But,you would think if you are asking over 2k for a print (his print goes for 1k),do some diligence,write better description like condition,impression and color and the date ,artist seal ,carver and publisher.
If you cant read Japanese,take it to a dealer and ask him to help you.
And for God's sake,take more than one pictures !
Same goes with service for 12,asking 6700 dollars and no detail pic,just one pic and you cannot see the pattern?
I can go on and on,ebay leftovers?too cheap to pay listing fee?too lazy to measure the statue?
camera goes on strike??
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on June 5, 2010 05:13:13 AM
I have not tried Bonanzle but I do like Etsy. I do not list eBay 'rejects' there at all. I list different type of things than I list on eBay and I take just as many pictures. I have bought more on Etsy than I have on eBay lately! It is up and coming and is not for new things so isn't flooded with thousands of the exact same thing.
I do agree with you about lazy listers however there are thousands of listings on EBay and other sites that have poor photos, total lack of description or sizes.
Las week I contacted a Seller with high feedback on EBay to ask what SIZE a pair of Sandals were. That is basic info when listing a pair of shoes.
This happens no matter where the listing is and should not be a general condemnation of one site.
posted on June 6, 2010 05:20:26 AM
I am not condemning a site,I am merely pointing out what I saw on Bonanzle.
Now you can defend Bonanzle by pointing out Ebay aint no better roses,thats fine too.
We both live in free countries,saying ABC is bad,but XYZ is no better,is perfectly legit,no KGB,no gestapo will be banging on our door at midnight.
When I was a kid,I was number 3 of the class if you count from bottom up.
My mother saw the report card , broke down and cried,but I said to her,look,there were 2 worse than me.
It did not help,she cried anyway!
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on June 6, 2010 01:09:05 PM
"Don't want to burst any bubbles but Bonanzle is a waste of time if you actually want to sell anything."
That's too bad. I like the feel of Bonanzle, nice bright site, unfortunately, the stamp category lacks product.
I am really impressed with Etsy, nice clean, open feeling, with great images. My other favorite site is Ruby Lane.
I am not sure how the sales are at any of the sites. However, they sure look nice.
If I didn't have knee-deep inventory, and my own web store, I certainly would consider one of the three, over ebay.
Most certainly would save on the tension, and unhappiness many experience with selling on ebay. If you aren't selling much product at ebay, and expenses are a concern, just do not sell there.
In times like these, cash is king. Spend it wisely. Why pay to list a non-selling item, or sell at almost cost, when you can list for free, and a lower FVF, at other sites?
posted on June 6, 2010 04:31:06 PM
I just checked eCrater. My main category - Christmas Seals is a wasteland. Poor pictures, pricing, and descriptions.
cherishedclutter, you should try eCrater. No cost - just your time. What counts is a professional listing, with proper keywords. Google will do the rest.
posted on June 6, 2010 05:59:59 PMWhy pay to list a non-selling item, or sell at almost cost, when you can list for free, and a lower FVF, at other sites?
Because your time isn't free.
Lost opportunity cost is real and tangible. If you list on Bonanzle, not only will you lose the time it takes you to import your items there, but once there you will be forced to promote your own items or you will never see any sales. You still might not, even paying for PPC advertising and submitting a feed to Google Product Search.
It also takes time to deal with the tire-kickers on Bonanzle, who in my time seemed to be hanging around in hopes *I* would buy something from *them*.
Look, selling at auction on any third-party site is one of the most poorly-compensated jobs anyone will ever have. I think that if many of the remaining eBay sellers were honest with themselves about their expenses and the cost of their time, they'd realize they'd be better off asking, "Would you like a pastry with your coffee?"
posted on June 6, 2010 06:07:22 PM
Fluff...I didn't see your post as I was writing mine and I remarked on time.
Luckily this is a 'retirement hobby' for us, albeit a time consuming hobby. You are absolutely right, if we were doing this to make a living then I would by now have my own Website with a little on eBay to lead the way.
When I was working for real...I had two websites and paid someone to input my info and look after the technical things which left me free to do the work I needed to do to keep the money coming in.
In a very short time I found that over 80% of my business was coming from my websites!
That was back in 1996-2001 when most of my competitors were still saying 'What is a Website"?
posted on June 6, 2010 08:18:20 PM
I bought something on Bonanzle yesterday.
The problem I see is that Bonanzle is FREE,so there is this mentality of marking it high and leave it there till someone comes along and pay 'your' price!
Of course most often 'your' price is too high !
One wholesaler who sells silver jewelry to high end jewelry shop explained to me-you just dont mix low end and high end merchandise ,people just wont pay you the high price !
When someone listed a set of silverware for 6700 dollars and just showed one picture,on a site like Bonanzle,you asked yourself if he does not care,why should I fork over that kind of money to him,he probably did not pay much for it!
Ebay has the same problem too,I see retailers listing high end 24k gold jewelry along with scraps ,goldplated and vermeil jewelry,if I have 12k,I would go to a real store and sit down and take a good look at what they have,in some stores,they would serve you champagne,cigar,cognac or a cup of gourmet coffee with a piece of pastry!
As for Rubylane I think the stuff is overpriced and not that great,many storeowners drop their stuff to Ebay to meet rent !
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on June 6, 2010 08:19:34 PM
BTW,
why do you call Bonanzle an auction site?
It is fixed price with make an offer feature but no auction.
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
