posted on August 29, 2001 05:46:47 AM new
Many auction sites have been born with hope only to quickly die. Some like Yahoo and Amazon have struggled mightily, but are no real threat to ebay. Numerous little ones are barely visible, and I don't think there is much hope for them.
I wonder if you would share your viewpoint on what it will take to make a new auction site successful.
What will induce buyers to visit, to sign up and to bid?
What will convince sellers to spend time listing?
Should listings be free at first?
What sort of buyer/seller safeguards should be incorporated?
How do you promote an auction site and build traffic?
Where does the "right" traffic come from?
Should auction site management have on-line auction experience?
What strategies will help an auction effectively compete with ebay?
How much money will it take to do all this, and is there anyone ready to step up to the bat?
Edited to correct typos and syntax.
[ edited by litlux on Aug 29, 2001 05:56 AM ]
posted on August 29, 2001 06:48:34 AM new
Good questions! Not that I have any answers... just some observations and opinions.
First, eBay succeeded (so far) because the site works (not very well at first, as I remember) and they were the first to gain the public's attention in a positive way. I think that "positive public attention" is the key, because it started the momentum: good buys from a few sellers attracted new buyers, which attracted new sellers, which... well, you get the point.
Several auction sites have a goodly number of listings, and are generating some revenue for sellers-- but have not caught the public's attention. Seriously! I work for a large company, and when water-cooler discussions turn to garage sales and swapmeets, and I mention Carnaby or SellYourItem or BidVille, all I get are blank stares (o'course, that happens a lot, regardless). But mention eBay or Amazon or Yahoo! and everybody has a story to tell.
Sorry for the long-winded post. I think that the answer to your question is "Positive Public Attention".
But... how to get it? The fine folks on Madison Avenue have been working on that question for years!
[edited to corrected klutzaholic typing]
[ edited by kenzy on Aug 29, 2001 06:49 AM ]
posted on August 29, 2001 08:36:52 AM new
Now, if I had the answer to that one I'd be in a whole lot better position than I am right now, wouldn't I?
And I believe it's exactly right about eBay--they're practically a household word. I've heard of them being mentioned on TV shows, from what I understand they under-write the Antique Road Show. How many websites can you visit in a day without seeing an ad for eBay? Criminy, their affiliate pays $4 per registration! People don't scoff at that kind of money when it comes to affiliate programs so are might happy to plaster ads everywhere for the monster site.
Yes, these other sites need to get out in the public eye. You should see my post office guys when I mention one of these other sites--they look at me like I'm from outer space (and no, they don't normally look at me that way, LOL). I haven't been listing for a little while but during the last weeks that I was I was hauling in packages right and left to the post office. One of the fellows was wondering if I was back on eBay again. I told them Huh-uh, it was BidVille, Carnaby and Auctionweiser. Do you think they'd ever heard of any of those?
I would imagine that since eBay was first (or at least first to receive notoriety) it will always be out there in the forefront and in the minds of people. Now what all these other sites need to do is get out there and become almost as commonly known. Otherwise they're going to continue exactly where they are today.
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posted on August 29, 2001 09:36:17 PM new
I remember back in late 1997-- was with a group of people and heard my first radio ad regarding eBay. Everyone essentially said: "What a stupid idea, and what a silly name, it will never catch on!"
Same group of people spend at least an hour (each) per day, a-cruisin' listings for gotta-have items. I started to talk to them about Carnaby and SYI, and they essentially said: "What a stupid idea to compete with eBay, and what silly names, those will never catch on!".
I know, I know... need to hang out with a different group of people. But my point is that something happened between 1997 and now to change the public perception of eBay from a dot.com fad to a billion dollar company. Maybe Carnaby should get a movie plug, like eBay got in "What Women Want"?
posted on August 29, 2001 10:13:14 PM new
What I look for in a auction site.
.1 Picture Imaging.
.2 Good customer service.
.3 Fees are OK but a fair FVF will keep me. I feel that way if I make money the site makes money.
.4 About me page.
.5 Refuse bid option.
.6 Nice clean message board not on that gets 4 different Buzz's (or trouble makers). From the way it looks AW is finding out what BV has went through with the Buzz.
.7 Advertising.
.8 Blacklist.
.9 Easy to use and understand feedback program.
.10 counters.
This is only a short list of what I look for in a site Bidville, ebay, auctionsaloon, are the ones I like the best in the order I put them in. Have a nice buying/selling day.
