posted on July 9, 2002 05:18:54 AM new
Jamie
I have been offline and out of the loop for a while. I am glad to see you are still out there working away for an alternative to Egreed! Someone has to!! I am glad to see you are trying with AuctionPie and ClutterPie!
I saw Paypal was bought by eBay--next Yahoo will be offering their US and Canadian auctions for peanuts to them! And who will be left?? Just keep trying Jamie!!
posted on July 9, 2002 09:27:23 AM new
Wow! Great to see you posting Cathy!
Hope all is well and flying with you.
Yes, it was a dark day yesterday.
Not just because of Ebay sewing up its payment system but that Ebay will most likely have info and knowledge about small sites that support paypal and small companies.
We are being marginalized faster than you can say Worldcom!
I hope people start to realize this and support sites like auctionpie or SYI, Carnaby and any of the other small sites.
If we don't have alternatives we will be stuck with the 800lb Gorilla.
I hope you drop in and post on Clutterpie as you were always a bunch of fun and you may see a few old friends.
posted on July 9, 2002 12:53:19 PM new
Hi Jamie ...
Looks nice
I appreciate the fact that you need bucks to make this work, but I still cannot buy into the annual fee thing. In today's on line auction business climate, especially for the small-time, small item sellers that you are likely to attract, it would be very hard for for people like us to justify spending that kind of dough for something that may not work. Even harder for those hard working sports card sellers who make only a few pennies on each sale now. It would take them a LONG time on an unknown, unproven venue to recover this annual fee, let alone make a profit.
Bids, we have a special url that is only available to signed beta testers.
Thus the hompage doesn't show the site. If you want to see it we have a few snapshots on clutterpie.
Rob, I think you have the wrong info.
We are charging $24.95 per month to subscribe to AP. There are some discount packages that will be available to start.
Also, all the beta testers get a free month for helping out.
We also will have a referral program.
I know this is going to sound horrible but if sellers really want an alternative to ebay, whether it's auctionpie or not, they will have to help create it in one way or another.
Nobody is asking for a free ride. Sellers and companies will have to pull together or fall under Meg's heel. If we all want results we have to pay for them.
Free sites can't stay that way forever and have no resources to invest in bringing in bidders unless they take it out of their own pocket. That's fine but at some point they want to put that cash back. Then you have a bunch of upset people who are used getting a service for free facing having to pay for it.
We aren't terribly flashy but I think we know the direction that this market is going in and it isn't in the direction of small sellers. Ebay and others are driving the nails in our coffins.
If ebay can't corral you on ebay they now will know your business via Paypal.
posted on July 9, 2002 01:08:42 PM new
$24.95 per month is very scary! That works out to $300.00 a year (over $500.00 in Canadian bucks). I would have to sell a LOT of stuff just to break even.
Either that or start charging a "handling" fee for electricity, gas, mortgages and all the other sleazy stuff that some sellers add in to make a buck.
There is a very good possibility, based on fact and history, that I wouldn't sell a thing there, and an even greater possibility that the venue won't be around a year from now.
If it's eBay you're after, I wish you all the luck in the world ... but, I would hold off buying that Porsche for just a little longer
