elecdata1
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posted on November 19, 2001 08:56:54 PM new
Over the months I've been fence sitting, wondering what auction site I would like to settle down with. I've looked at quite a number of sites and came away with a bad taste in my mouth and decided to look again at a site I registered at when it began a few months ago. I've been listing there off and on, and watching the excitement build and so I decided to through my hat in the ring and go at it full force.
I've had a thread here where I invited over 100 mangers, owners, and support folks from that many auction sites, talked with users, and read the threads of quite a few folks about the good and bad of the various sites.
I have to tell you there aren't many general auction sites that I would be willing to part with my time with, except one: sellyouritem.com.
For those that know me, I was a very big supporter of GoldsAuction when It was up and running, had quite the time in defending it, had fun jousting with trolls, and bumped heads with the PTB here at AW along with the moderators. But in the end GoldsAuction went down the tubes and so did my passion for auctioning on line.
I've been watching SellYourItem for quite sometime, visited the boards there, and I have friends there that are doing quite well. I'm impressed with what I see.
The numbers appear to be increasing, and with some good bargains. Although I'm primarily a seller, upon occasion I do buy. I've looked at the various cat's and I am impressed. Although It's no ebay, it has a nice selection With what appears some seasoned sellers from Ebay and a number of other sites that have migrated there.
I believe that SYI will be here to stay, but only time will tell and that is the place I plan on hanging my hat.
So my question to anyone interested is : What small general auction site are you interested in and have you looked at SellYourItem.com as an alternative?
Bill (elecdata1 here and everywhere else)
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tooltimes
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posted on November 19, 2001 10:21:04 PM new
SYI does look like a very nice site and its numbers are rising and it is running ads. I wish Carnaby would spring for some ads too.
I think you've made a very wise decision. Good luck on all of your endeavors there at SYI and do keep us informed of your sales there.
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aliceroad
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posted on November 20, 2001 07:56:55 AM new
As for me, I am trying out Bargain and Haggle. It is not an auction, but I like the format and the ease of selling. I will look at yours later. Am trying a few items on yahoo also. good luck and thanks for the info.
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wallypog
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posted on November 20, 2001 08:28:38 AM new
I have on my computer an HTML document that I use for the 'home' page of my browser.
On that page are links to the websites I visit the most often. I have them broken down into categories, like auctions, message boards, e-mail, etc.
I update the page rather frequently with new links and take out old ones in which I'm no longer interested.
SYI is a link that has been on my home page for several months now and I plan to list more items there this week or next.
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http://www.wallypogsbog.com
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stavecards
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posted on November 20, 2001 03:48:17 PM new
Looking at the SYI site today, the fee schedule says that a listing fee is being charged. I was sure that SYI did not currently charge a listing fee. Can someone update me on the site's current status on listing fees?
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toollady
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posted on November 20, 2001 05:20:49 PM new
stavecards,
If you scroll down on the fee schedule page, it says basic listing fees are waived.
Support has said listing fees will not be charged through at least December 31st and will give us at least 30 days notice before charging listing fees.
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stavecards
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posted on November 20, 2001 05:39:36 PM new
Thanks for the info. Just overlooked that statement.
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quickdraw29
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posted on December 1, 2001 09:33:31 AM new
I judge a sites potential by the quantity of bids. Sellyouritem had zero bids across several categories I checked. The selection of items were also lacking.
These smaller sites I've noticed tend to find a niche, that is also the only way they can survive. Why would a buyer buy on Sellyouritem, and not ebay?
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elecdata1
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posted on December 3, 2001 03:41:28 AM new
Chuckling, QuickDraw29 perhaps you should look at some of the other cat's? There are bids for sure. Now why would I want to bid at ebay on an item at ebay when I can find a good bargin on the same type of item at SellYourItem.com?
Interesting quandry you have with judging a site by the amount of bids, I guess everyone should only go to the big stores and leave the smaller ones in the dust? What's more interesting is that the small stores is what keeps the economy running in the brick and mortar world. Remember that the country economy was founded on the basis of building dreams and everything started out small?
Wanna know what I do like to do? I like going to the smaller stores simply because I can find some interesting items and deals, especially in the smaller towns. I like and many other folks obviously like doing that as well.
The confusing and self promotional way that ebay forces folks to doing things, leaves a very bad taste in my mouth and quite a few other folks as well.
But then again that is just me, I like the simple way of doing things, much less hassle.
Bill (elecdata1 here and everywhere else)
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robertsmithson
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posted on December 3, 2001 05:39:09 AM new
Those replies were probably made from a seller's perspective rather than a buyers. Your smaller stores should not be avoided by buyers because of low sales analogy instead becomes a sellers should not set up in malls or shopping centres with low traffic analogy.
It's all a matter of perspective.
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quickdraw29
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posted on December 3, 2001 08:25:29 AM new
If you have a small store it would help to have a lot of product on hand rather than bare shelves. Small stores usually specialize, and from there if customers demand more, it can expand.
While a bargain or two can be found on sellyouritem, with the skimpy selection how can a buyer find what they're looking for in the first place?
I don't mind buying from a small store as long as they have what I want at the price I want.
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elecdata1
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posted on December 3, 2001 09:55:49 AM new
I'm curious QuickDraw29 is there any small auctionsite that you like in particular?
Bill (elecdata1 here and everywhere else)
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RB
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posted on December 3, 2001 11:08:12 AM new
Hi Bill ...
I have been doing the majority of my buying on a direct basis from Bidville sellers. Can't do that with eBay or Yahoo though due to their James Bond secrecy between members!
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quickdraw29
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posted on December 4, 2001 07:11:03 PM new
Is Yahoo considered a small site? LOL. Yahoo will reinstate itself as the #2 site because it is one of only a few revenue generators for them. Their SEARCH is bad; marketing is bad. They have extremely smart people working for them yet they can't fix two of the worst problems with their site.
I like Bidbay as the #3 site. I'm only talking so far of real ebay competitors. The site does get some bidding in categories I check. It looks like an ebay clone, yet they have some differenting features. It'll probably never amount to much, but it's a fair alternative.
Another site I really like was bought up by ebay a year ago...they didn't want the competition. I also started to like that other auction site that just went out of business. They were doing pretty good in bidding in several categories. My browser was not compatible with selling on that site so I never had chance. That's probably why they went out of business.
I don't really like any other site. Some of them look nice, and are getting a few more listings but still not much bidding.
There is only room for three top sites, and they need deeppockets to survive. That's why Yahoo and Bidbay will likely be in the top three.
Other sites will have to become a niche where they can survive very sucessfully, and I hope that's the course they take.
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elecdata1
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posted on December 5, 2001 06:25:54 AM new
Chuckling, I believe my question was "I'm curious QuickDraw29 is there any small auctionsite that you like in particular?"
You answered it with bb, however you didn't mention the number 2 site, Now I wonder what site that is? How will Yahoo take back the number 2 slot? Who's place will it take?
Interesting days ahead. Educated me!
Bill (elecdata1 here and everywhere else)
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quickdraw29
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posted on December 5, 2001 02:49:59 PM new
Some other B2C is #2 auction site. They sell mostly computers.
I just read Sellyour item has a 2% sell through rate. I can't even get out of bed to list on a site with that sell through. It's hardly worth it on with Yahoo's 10% (my result, not theirs).
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wallypog
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posted on December 5, 2001 07:16:54 PM new
Quickdraw, if I chose to list on an auction site by their over-all sell-thru rate I wouldn't be listing on any of the smaller sites. You have to just give them a try and see whether or not your stuff sells. Mine does sell on some sites and sits on others.
I've been to an awful lot of small sites where I would've bought things if I could've found them. Unfortunately too few sellers are willing to risk the time involved.
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http://www.wallypogsbog.com
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sun818
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posted on December 6, 2001 04:56:46 PM new
> Unfortunately too few sellers are willing to risk the time involved.
As a seller, I would take the risk if these smaller sites provided an automated listing interface. Yahoo's Seller Manager lets you import a CSV text file which makes it easy to list auctions. SellYourItem also has the right idea with their "Import Auction" function. I don't get any bids, but its free for now so it doesn't hurt to list.
I'm a strong believer that you enter data once and use it many times. I am not investing my time in a site that makes listing difficult for the seller.
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robnzak
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posted on December 6, 2001 06:55:47 PM new
Hi Sun818...you make a good point about import features & thought I'd let you know Carnaby has auction import capabilities too. You can move auctions from ebay, yahoo, epier and bidville. They also support UIEE book files.
Rob
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elecdata1
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posted on December 6, 2001 07:27:55 PM new
SellYourItem also has the ability to upload an excel file for bulk listing, as well a bulk listing manager onsite so that you can keep your listings there and launch them when you wish.
The neat thing about that is you can make templates of your auctions and keep them onsite.
You may also create an auctions in bulk using a plain text editor or windows notepad and upload; and you may export to syi I believe from a database or inventory program.
The importing of auctions from other sites such as yahoo, ebay, ebay motors, and carnaby. I think that in it's self makes the site seller friendly and pretty flexible in my view.
quickdraw29 ~~ I wonder what the sell through rate for ebay was when it was 7 months old?
Bill (elecdata1 here and everywhere else)
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sun818
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posted on December 6, 2001 10:20:25 PM new
Thanks robnzak. I listed 50 items in the computer section in about 30 minutes. The eBay import wasn't working, but Yahoo was... This Carnaby bulk load is VERY SLICK. Data entry once, use forever.
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wallypog
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posted on December 7, 2001 12:13:45 AM new
I'm glad to see someone's starting to fill in some of those computer categories at Carnaby! That's one of my favorite 'browse' spots on an auction site.
And ooh-la-la! Someone's listed a bunch of barebones systems and there's some good buys there!
Sun818, I know what you mean about making up a listing once. I have my own weird system of doing things (which could use a little more organization) but so far it works out pretty well. All I can say is thank goodness someone invented 'copy and paste'.
And yes, isn't Carnaby's lister a dream? Just don't have your computer die on you without your files backed up. I lost over 50 auctions that way. I think I can scrounge most of them back up from various auction sites where they were listed. Thank goodness some of the small sites don't delete your auctions until you delete them yourself.
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http://www.wallypogsbog.com
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