posted on February 28, 2001 08:39:08 PM
I am going to start this off by saying two things. I don't expect anything in life to be free and I understand that putting together a website takes work. That being said....................
What in the heck is it with internet auction services thinking so much of themselves that they can drop outrageous fees and costs on people and THEN have the nerve to get angry when people reject them? First Yahoo implemented fees that were so assinine that it drove 90% of their business away. Then of course there is all mighty Ebay. They had a chance to welcome upset Yahooers back to their site. How did they do that? Of course by raising fees. Now two days ago, Beckett who hosts my store announces with THREE DAYS NOTICE that they are changing from 10% commision on sales to $100 a month PLUS 5% commision PLUS 2.5% credit card proccesing fee PLUS a 30 cent transaction charge! THREE DAYS NOTICE!!! Nice thing to do to people who have spent hours listing thousands of cards. Now I see this fine site dropping down with fees. Now I want to say I dont use their image services so this is from a complete outsider. The 5 cents is fine but if I was a seller and they want a piece of commision I think I would be on the first train (bad choice of words) out of here.
The problem with all these sites is they want to cater to the high profile dealers even if that means losing the smaller ones which in the long run, will make them more money. Of course the company line in all the above cases is "we have talked to our members and most are in favor of the fees" Funny when the time comes, none of those in favor people will admit to it!
Sigh, sorry folks. Scary I have to umpire in 3 days. lol I suppose I should calm down. I thank you for letting me rant. Brownies are being served as we speak
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
posted on February 28, 2001 09:28:59 PM
Lol yes, after reading the chocolate thread, I decided to bake some double fudge brownies today. lol all this chocolate and nobody to share it with. Maybe I will put some outside my door and see who knocks. lol Then again, in this crazy neighborhood, maybe not. hehe
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
posted on February 28, 2001 09:51:13 PM
lol hold on! I am standing here in a towel. Dont want you to lose your appetite so I will get dressed and answer the door lol!
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
posted on February 28, 2001 11:18:38 PM
Lol on that note, I say goodnight. Thanks all for getting a smile out of me this evening.
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
posted on February 28, 2001 11:28:26 PM
Don't go to sleep, I need brownies!!
Tell me you live in Utah!!
On a serious note, if you are interested in some alternatives to AW please email me. I would write here but they keep deleting my posts on this subject. Free speech sucks, not.
As soon as the fees go into effect I am outta here. I hate to abandon the message boards because there are some awesome people here, (hi therp!) especially on the "who stays up the latest thread," but I will be heading elsewhere.
posted on March 1, 2001 03:28:22 AM
I really think the fees are easier to absorb for the little guy who is just selling occasionally to get some cash for something that would otherwise be discarded or as a hobby. The big sellers really watch the pennies and a full percentage point for them is something to give serious thought to before doing. I consider myself medium sized - I sold just under $90k last year, and I am very hesitant to add a new expense. If I sell something for 2 or 3k then 1% really bothers me. I don't get free stuff to sell - most of the time I am selling things I bought wholesale and eBay prices are LOW. Somethings below what you can buy them for even from a wholesaler. Some things if you don'
t import or make them yourself forget it. Very thin margins.
posted on March 1, 2001 04:02:34 AM
Hi Gravid, I don't think the fees are going to be easier for the little guy than the big guy to absorb. I am verrrry little myself (I have 9 auctions running now). I average about 50 auctions a month. I deal with collectables and .. well, lets call it what it is, JUNK that is laying around my house. I do buy some stuff specifically to sell. I might make 1.00 or 50.00 on any given item. I also might lose or break even after all the fees are added in. I am not anywhere near being able to afford 200 to join the big boys club. But, on the plus side, since I am so small time, I will have less of a problem than the major players in adapting and listing directly with ebay and doing my own EOA's and what not.
That being said, let me just tell everyone here, I have enjoyed all of your posts and will miss the great wealth of knowledge and advice that was available here.
posted on March 1, 2001 09:07:04 AM
No I don't live in Utah though I used to get out west quite a bit. Lol send me a bus ticket and I will bring the brownies. I need a break. lol
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
posted on March 1, 2001 09:15:45 AM
Bring those brownies here, the houston astros have there training camp here. I don't like baseball all that much but I love chocolate.
posted on March 1, 2001 10:00:59 AM
Why do all these companies seem to think that the best time to start charging or increase their current fees would be when the economy is SLOWING DOWN!!! It's bad enough that we're making less money on sales...and now they have to milk us for every last nickel that we have.
Sorry, AW...it's been fun. However, I don't think you really had the auctioneer in mind when you designed your site...it's not user-friendly, and it has a ton of bugs.
And to think...you announce the decision to charge right when you're having the largest bout of bugs that I have seen during the short time I have been here. Nobody able to list auctions, and when they do, the auctions are blank, or missing pictures, or the Featured auction ends up being listed as SUPER Featured, charging the seller $100 instead of $20.
Bad move, AW. I was ok with the 5 cents...but remember that the 1% FVF, while it doesn't sound like much, is only adding to all the fees we have to pay to the auction sites.
posted on March 1, 2001 10:29:13 AM
I should be down that way within 2 weeks lol. Dont know yet where my schedule will take me though.
http://ballsandstrikescollectibles.beckett.com/
posted on March 1, 2001 10:39:12 AM
hi Mr.B!
chepi*, the chocoholic little league coach, here. I'm also a financial consultant but this isn't rocket science or business savvy...
IMHO, as long as the guys with the little ticket stuff hang on and use AW (whether they are quantity listers or not), this "plan" will not be cost effective for AW. It very well could be the beginning of the end. It's high maintenance to nickle and dime members for 1% of two bucks ~ not to mention the cost of putting together a customer service team and billing department. All while their advertising revenue drops due to the decrease in AW hits when so many of us walk..... hmmmm
who is making these foolish decisions.....
I think the could use some choco milk!
