bidsbids
|
posted on February 25, 2002 08:33:57 AM new
non auctions .....
The heftiest selling fee is Amazon's $1 + 15% FVF.
Half.com uses a simple 15% FVF
Yahoo Warehouse a simple 10% FVF
( no listing fees)
auctions ....
eBay comes in at 5.25% FVF for items up to $25
ePier comes in at 2.5% FVF for items up to $25
brand new Auction Cow comes in at 2$ ( all levels )
Yahoo comes in at 2% FVF for items up to $25
Carnaby has no FVFs yet? ( status is on their anouncement page )
SellYourItem fees? I can't tell if 5% FVF fee is active or not?
Bidville no FVF
FVFs at the small sites is an interesting subject. BV needs advertizing and should be able to add at least a 2% FVF to get some ad revenue if ePier and unknown AuctionCow can pull it off. Why not do it? They've already broken the no hidden fees pledge so that can't be a factor anymore.
Any thoughts on the subject?
|
Comptalk
|
posted on February 26, 2002 09:03:52 AM new
You also forgot to mention some of the auction venues.
Auctionweiser doesn't charge a listing fee, only a FVF.
Lycos Auctions doesn't charge a listing fee, only a FVF.
I guess you can run down the list of other auction sites too. But these two should be added into the mix.
|
bidsbids
|
posted on February 26, 2002 03:25:38 PM new
The odd one is auctioncow.com that has FVFs from the getgo. Many users were saying they were more comfortable with a site that had plans to make money and that usually means a FVF at the minimum. I think auctioncow has said they will use all of those FVF fees to advertise.
|
wallypog
|
posted on February 26, 2002 08:33:44 PM new
[quote]The odd one is auctioncow.com that has FVFs from the getgo.[/quote]
Bidsbids, in my not-so humble opinion, this is a good thing!  Because personally I'd rather pay the FVF from the start so, as you say, it can go directly into promotions. SYI either had one from the start, too, or implemented one shortly after opening and so far it's working well for them.
BTW, in my auction directory pages at my website I've tried to include fees for the various sites listed. There are several who charge FVFs.
-----------------------------------
http://www.wallypogsbog.com
|
bidsbids
|
posted on February 26, 2002 09:28:22 PM new
Odd can mean good too. Odd can mean different or as the dictionary says ...
Deviating from what is ordinary, usual, or expected; strange or peculiar: an odd name; odd behavior.
I like the gutsy move and the confidence they display. That is tempered though because I felt the same way about Carnaby and Gegy and we all know their stories by now.
Hope Springs Eternal
|
wallypog
|
posted on February 26, 2002 10:18:55 PM new
Yes, Bidsbids, I know what you mean. I'm cautiously optimistic.
With nearly every new site I've tried I was thinking maybe this could be the one. I have hopes for AC because so far (knock on wood) I'm seeing a fresh approach which isn't unlike my own ideas of what a site should be. However, if I give my heart to any site it'll be because they've earned it.
-----------------------------------
http://www.wallypogsbog.com
|
blairwitch
|
posted on February 27, 2002 07:42:57 AM new
bidsbids bidville would need at least a 5% across the board FVF. There are so many dollar or less listings that 2% would not be enough. The sellers at bidville are begging for advertising, but yet dont want to hear about fees.
|
bidsbids
|
posted on February 27, 2002 10:29:42 AM new
I think that if any FVF at BV were started that most of the regular buyers/sellers would conduct many sales off-site to avoid the fees. A few newbies and many non-message center posters would pay but there would probably be a lot of fee avoidance.
That brings up the topic of fee avoidance at auction sites. Many sites help battle the problem by masking the email address of the seller from buyers. Some like Yahoo make the process of even asking the seller a question go through them and then both question and answer are available on the actual auction. eBay loses the most by far and has done it's best to eliminate the unsuccessful closed auctions from it's searches so buyers could not go shopping at them with off-site offers.
|
YourDesigns
|
posted on February 27, 2002 10:16:35 PM new
I think you guys are right. AC was very smart for implementing FVF immediately as they have clearly stated they plan on marketing and advertising. Only way to do that is to earn money through fees (unless they are Microsoft).
2% is very reasonable, but I don't know if it's enough. I like their "We make no promises" approach.
|
bidsbids
|
posted on February 28, 2002 05:37:43 AM new
Let me add that Carnaby has a 5% FVF
There should be no problem for sellers coughing up a 5% FVF and I can not understand why some very successful sellers like Hap go into a rage at the thought of paying a FVF on their items? I wish he would explain his thinking on that subject.
|
goldenpony
|
posted on March 3, 2002 10:11:54 AM new
My thoughts are...you might want to edit your original post to read "Auctions Cow" 2% not 2$
I think fvf's are the only way the smaller sites can make money and when they state them from the get go I think it shows they have an idea of what's needed to make money. Lising fees are not justified on any small site due to the lack of sales. Even a small 5 cent fee adds up quickly when selling lower dollar items or even high dollar items that you have to keep listing over and over.
If I'm going to pay listing fees, I'll stick with eBay where I know I have my best chance of selling an item....jmo
|
jimhhow
|
posted on March 3, 2002 11:34:51 AM new
bidsbids, if I wanted listing, or FvF's, I would go back to Yahoo. What seems really silly to me, is why would sellers NOT list there if they are willing to pay a per auction fee? It doesn't make any sense to go to the smaller sites and pay any kind of fee per auction. I prefer the membership method.
|
stavecards
|
posted on March 3, 2002 01:48:19 PM new
Jim,
I believe there is a slow exodus of good sellers back to Yahoo because the site is being promoted and advertised, which might not happen if it was still free. They are finding that they would rather pay a small listing fee and 2% of a decent sell-through than pay 0% of very little.
I know that is true in my case. I pay $75-$100 in fees monthly to Yahoo resulting in sales that almost always are at least ten times that amount. I pay $15 monthly to Bidville for Premier Plus membership and I am almost sure that I have not sold in total an amount that equals one month of my Yahoo sales. While I don't expect equal sales, I do expect a decent return on my monthly investment which I am not receiving.
|
bidsbids
|
posted on March 3, 2002 03:37:49 PM new
How can the third tier sites ever hope to make any real money? The $5 a year fee is next to nothing and very few pay the $10 a month thing. If that's all they ever haveto look forward to earning then they might as well close the sites now. The banner ads are nothing. The pop up ads are nothing. Where's the income?
Yahoo's listing fees can add up if you list thousands of items that you only earn a $1 or less on each item. That is why the sellers stay on BV and other sites. The FVF is very small and anyone that actually sells something at auction usually have no problem with that nominal fee.
|
deichen
|
posted on March 3, 2002 04:26:11 PM new
I will gladly pay a FVF anywhere! I just hate the listing fees! I also hope that the FVF's take into account the deadbeats and try to simplify the process of getting the fees back. Ebay has a very good system on this and Yahoo's suc**. I hate filing it out on Yahoo then waiting 10 days for the next process. I would happily pay FVF at bidville if they would advertise. If you do not want to pay FVF's then maybe you aren't making enough per item to make this worth the effort. JMO
|
jimhhow
|
posted on March 3, 2002 04:50:46 PM new
Maybe, Deichen. And then again maybe I don't want to have to put up with the extra crap of filing for NPB claims, etc. then it seems that Yahoo wants to do it through their Wallet or something. I am concerned about sites also trying to control money flow, as per Paypal. There are a lot of issues involved. However, for those that want these fees, the sites are there.
|
bidsbids
|
posted on March 3, 2002 07:22:33 PM new
I've found it the opposite. Yahoo is super easy to get your fees back and eBay is nearly impossible.
Hap, the sites have to have credit cards on file to get their fees. What would happen if BV folded tomorrow? Where would you go? Just curious. With you great items and loyal following you'll do well wherever you go.
|
