bgrice2527
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posted on July 30, 2002 06:27:54 PM
Hello again wondering what is an acceptable % for final value fees. Goto our site at
http://www.buyselltrades.com
and follow the links to the fees page. Right now I believe considering that we don't charge for most enhancements and uploading of picture these are fair. Just want everyone input.
Thankyou very much
[ edited by bgrice2527 on Aug 7, 2002 04:54 AM ]
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pclady
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posted on July 31, 2002 01:23:56 PM
Hi there! Does it surprise you that no one will give an opinion?
I started this thread for fun to see just what would please people in light of all the grumbling about fees etc. No one has responded and perhaps that tells a story in itself.
http://www.auctionwatch.com/mesg/read.html?num=2&thread=474117
I did look at your fee structure. Seems a bit high on fvf's but I didn't do the math comparing your fees to those sites that charge listing feed plus smaller fvf's, featured fees, etc.
pclady
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bidsbids
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posted on July 31, 2002 02:31:59 PM
They ignore most of the threads I start in the eBay Outlook forum too.
I see nothing wrong with a FVF up to the same one charged by eBay. Very few sellers complain about a fee on sold items, it's the listing fee that hurts on unsold items. Half.com has no trouble getting a 15% FVF and Amazon gets even more.
What if a new auction site did have a very successful secret marketing plan and started getting bidders and bids on a grand scale? The could easily charge a 5% FVF and also make money on extras like featuring, bold, etc. The very successful venues can almost charge whatever the market will bear and eBay does exactly that.
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pclady
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posted on July 31, 2002 04:46:13 PM
bidsbids, are we really going to agree on something? I have a question. If you don't have listing fees, then how do you keep someone from listing 25,000 recipes for .10 each, or 25,000 trading cards for .25? Isn't that what seems to happen at the sites that have no listing fees and isn't that what so many complain about in these threads?
pclady
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bidsbids
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posted on July 31, 2002 07:21:19 PM
Are there sellers with 25,000 recipe auctions at BV, Carnaby, AuctionDiner, etc? ( of course, they hardly qualify as major successess ). A sign post auction there would be a waste with the small traffic those sites have.
If my hypothetical new auction site with the gloriously successful secret marketing plan were to come to pass they could spend a few hours each day throwing sellers out that attempted stuff like listing 1,000 recipe auctions. With credit card verification for sellers ( like Yahoo does ) it wouldn't be long before the violators would either get the idea or run out of credit card numbers to register with.
Thoughts?
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Romahawk
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posted on July 31, 2002 08:40:10 PM
First I think a final value fee of 5% is very reasonable for any site that has no listing fees. I've noticed many times when the subject comes up that a lot of folks think that only the larger sites should charge 5% or more and that the smaller sites should be satisfied with much smaller final value fees because they are not established. If your item sold it sold and the size of the site should have nothing to do with the final value fee.
Another subject that makes no sense to me is when folks make negative comments about a site because of a lot of sports card listings or recipes for that matter. On most sites these items are in their own catagory and if one doesn't care to visit those catagories so be it. I fail to see how a large sports card or recipe catagory keeps one from viewing the rest of the items on a site. At Romahawk there are 700 of the 800 items listed under sports cards, not exactly ideal but the sports card listings in no way keep you from looking at the other items. I would hope the ratio might change but if it doesn't collecting sports cards is just as much fun as any other.
I guess I'll kick the old soap box over in the corner and get out of here while the getting is good. 
*
http://www.romahawk.com
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caffeitalia
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posted on July 31, 2002 09:19:16 PM
FVF of 5% is very fair. I gladly pay that on an successful sale. I also agree with Yahoo with the 5 cent listing fee to keep out the junk sports cards and recipe auctions. I would favor dropping the listing fee if it was made manditory to start all auction listings at $2.00. Otherwise, keep the listing fee.
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Romahawk
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posted on July 31, 2002 10:08:37 PM
I thought some of you might be interested in seeing what some of the so called junk sports cards are really worth. These are real auction prices.
1. $25,000: 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan
2. $15,101: 22 game-used A's jerseys including Reggie, Bando, McGwire and Giambi
3. $9,400: Unopened 1986-87 Fleer Basketball wax
4. $7,000: 1952 Topps Baseball wax pack, 6th Series (Mantle)
5. $7,995: 1951 Bowman Willie Mays
6. $7,701: Unopened 1986-87 Fleer Basketball wax box
7. $5,600: Babe Ruth signed 1947 ball
8. $5,755.55: 1954 Bowman Ted Williams
9. $5,000: 2001 SP Legendary Cuts Mickey Mantle
10. $4,500: 1964 Topps Hank Aaron Stand-up
Kind of looks like it's true when they say one mans junk is another mans treasure.
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http://www.romahawk.com
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bidsbids
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posted on July 31, 2002 10:44:50 PM
Are those cards at your auction site?
There are tens of thousands of cards listed at BV for only 1 cent and tens of thousands of cards listed at 2 cents. If the cards were on a seperate area and titled 'items under 25 cents' it would not be so bad. Also if the items had their own search engine it would be better.
When an auction site starts allowing all of these super low priced common cards they are turning into a charity. A 5% FVF on a one cent card is a joke. I think a 5 cent minimum FVF or 5% FVF ( whichever is greater ) would move the charity cases on down the road to the next site that allows that nonsense.
I think the main reason of a recipe auction is to either act as a sign post to a web site or as a cheapo feedback builder. How about letting feedback only to be left on items with a final amount of $1 or more? That would take away the 'buy some feedback for a very low price' auctions.
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Romahawk
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posted on July 31, 2002 11:14:35 PM
Geeesh Bids I wish they were on Romahawk. They are actual bids from Ebay, Yahoo and several top sports card sites that were listed in the Krause Supper Seller newsletter. I probaly should have posted the URL to the Krause Super Seller article or at least given them credit for the figures, wasn't thinking when I copied them.
Allowing those low priced cards might be an act of charity on the part of an auction site but then again some of those sportscard sellers also list other items so I guess one hand might be washing the other.
I have to agree that there is not really any monetary value to a site in collecting a FVF on a nickle sports card or any other item in that price range for that matter. Then again when you list that card for a dollar or less who knows what the final bid will be?
*
http://www.romahawk.com
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pclady
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posted on July 31, 2002 11:15:33 PM
Romahawk, I agree with you on the 5% fvf but it would really depend on the listing fees, if any. If I'm selling my stuff, I don't care where it sells, and I'm happy to pay for the privilege of having a buyer.
I did bring up the trading card auctions because we have all seen auction sites become inundated with every day cards, not the ones you have listed. The listing numbers become skewed. A person looking to sell their Hull Pottery collection may not do so if it looks like the site is primarily cards and recipes. The perception of many is that the card and recipe listings are encouraged to bolster the listing numbers. True or not, perception plays a large role in whether a seller decides to stay at a site or move on. Same for a buyer. If a buyer is browsing and comes across an over abundance of every day issue cards and/or recipes, and that is not their area of interest, they will leave. At least I know that I would leave and it wouldn't be likely that I'd return. You on the other hand would shove the cards aside and list your pottery. With alot of luck there will be more people like you at those sites. 
pclady
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caffeitalia
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posted on August 1, 2002 08:51:15 PM
Ok, so you found the rare cards that there isn't thousands of the same listed. Now for the junk.
Bidville auction numbers:
Rico Brogna # 5277802 5 cents
Rico Brogna # 3721193 5 cents
Rico Brogna # 3909999 5 cents
Brett Merriman # 1917829 5 cents
Brett Merriman # 5024866 5 cents
Brett Merriman # 4744812 oh wow. It's up to 10 cents
Here we go. Back to reality again.
Kenny Lofton # 5244136 3 cents
Blas Minor # 1687384 5 cents
Braves Team Card # 5595906 A whopping 5 cents.
Plus hundreds of thousands more.
Pretty much looks like junk to me.
[ edited by caffeitalia on Aug 1, 2002 08:52 PM ]
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bidsbids
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posted on August 1, 2002 10:31:03 PM
There are literally thousands upon thousands of cards priced at 1 or 2 cents at BV. I bet Mr. Orlando had no idea that there would be so many and that maybe a third of all items listed on his site would be listed at less than a buck.
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Romahawk
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posted on August 2, 2002 10:49:29 AM
I think we got way off the subject of fair auction charges and got ourselves buried in a discussion that can have no winner. Junk items are an individual perception, again the old saying of one mans junk is an other mans treasure comes to mind.
Some folks prefer fine china and formal dinners, others prefer to fire up the grill out on the patio and eat from paper plates. Some folks can afford the rare and unusual sport card while others have to settle for the nickle and dime variety. Most people you find collect one thing or another and those collections by necessity are dictated by a persons income. If you can afford the finer things in life that's great, if you can't that's ok too. There are certainly enough auction sites out there to provide everyone with a place to advertise their wares.
If you have high priced or rare items you will not be listing them on Bidville, Romahawk, TNA, BidRoo, or any of the other small sites so why should nickle sports cards or 10,000 recipies bother or be a concern.
Now I still think that a fair set of fees for an auction site would be free basic listings, optional enhancement fees and a 5% FVF. After a site has seen substantial growth then they might possibly want to consider a small set listing fee as well to offset as well as control the listing off very low value items.
*
http://www.romahawk.com
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bidsbids
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posted on August 2, 2002 11:32:14 AM
A 5% FVF is more than fair.
If a site has 80% sportscards it is similar to a store or mall that has 80% sportscards or a single category item. It may be difficult to draw a variety of different shoppers to that store or mall with that narrow a selection of goods.
Diversity is a must in online shopping venues. I say diverse RomaHawk! ( spoken like a TV evangelist ) You must diverse to survive ( unless you go the niche route ) ( also replace the word diverse with the word repent ).
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Romahawk
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posted on August 2, 2002 03:23:18 PM
Bids you just put my wife into a panic, she came running into my little combination Ham Shack and Computer room with this wide eyed what's wrong look on her face. I was reading your post and I just couldn't hold it down to a chuckle.
" I say diverse RomaHawk! ( spoken like a TV evangelist )"
Not poking fun at you or anything but it just struck me as so darn funny for some reason. You made my day, thanks..
*
http://www.romahawk.com
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bgrice2527
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posted on August 2, 2002 07:35:52 PM
Thanks for everyone's reply. Please visit my site at http://www.buyselltrades.com and give me some feedback I would appreciate it. Thanks
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pclady
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posted on August 3, 2002 02:55:52 PM
bgrice2527,
It's always saddening when someone asks for feedback and people take time to give feedback and you come back with Please visit my site at ..... and give me some feedback I would appreciate it.
You thanked us for our replies. Did you not see our replies as feedback or was it not the feedback you wanted?
I wish you the very best with your site.
pclady
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YourDesigns
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posted on August 3, 2002 07:56:09 PM
I would charge each new seller $99.95 to list and implement a 50% FVF.
Do this, and your site will be as popular as all the other smaller auction sites.
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bgrice2527
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posted on August 7, 2002 04:49:17 AM
That is a little steep don't you think? I appreicate the feedback. Please goto http://www.buyselltrades.com to see our site.
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bgrice2527
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posted on August 11, 2002 08:35:18 AM
I changed the final value fees based on your discussion thankyou from buyselltrades.com
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bgrice2527
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posted on August 13, 2002 05:05:53 AM
What are people willing to pay? And how is this achieved? I feel that if your site isn't bringing targeted traffic and getting to buyers to the scene then it is useless to charge. Am I correct in this assumption?
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robertsmithson
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posted on August 13, 2002 08:03:09 AM
Most sites charge nothing to list and about 2% selling fee or FVF. They sometimes make additional revenue of listing extras such as featuring.
The alternative is a subscription or voluntary membership plan like that used in the Bidville revenue model.
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