We're forming up some committees to fact find and help perfect a platform and mission statement to take to our prospective membership so that we can create an online auction co-op.
We need people who want to be in the Structural and Organizational committee, the Budget and Finance committee, the Membership Overview commitee, and the Legal Committee, and Technical committee.
If you wish to help make this idea a reality please send us an email or leave a post here on AW or our message board.
posted on February 13, 2001 11:42:58 AM
Hell yeah !
Thats a like real people in here.
Great that you all took an initiative. Count me in.
Now what happened to all those losers out here who would keep rambling, criticizing about the status quo... now lets get our hands dirty and get some work done...dubya !
posted on February 14, 2001 07:01:54 AM
"What exactly is a co-op committee and what is it for??"
The "committee" appears to be a group of sellers who are trying to set up their own auction site. The benefits are purported to be that their members will get a vote in how the site operates, and any profits will be equally divided among the members instead on a group of shareholders.
One of the problems with this idea is that the "pushers of the concept" don't seem to understand how much this will cost to start up and maintain. I don't know how many members these folks have secured, but even if it is 100 (I doubt it), each one would probably have to kick in 100K to operate the site for the 1st year. Don't get the impression that it's a bunch of bored rich kids though, but rather a bunch of sellers who are not happy with their sales using the current systems.
The other, and more obvious problem, is that there does not appear to be much involvement or interest by buyers. And, as we have seen in other come-and-went operations (e.g. Golds and probably BidVille within the next few months, both of which were/are top heavy with sellers and very few buyers), without the buyers it cannot succeed (unless, of course, the founding members all agree to buy from each other).
There are hundreds of posts all over AW pushing this idea. Have a read of these and come back and give us your thoughts ...
posted on February 14, 2001 09:53:32 AMI don't know how many members these folks have secured, but even if it is 100 (I doubt it), each one would probably have to kick in 100K to operate the site for the 1st year.
It would be quite possible to operate a site for FAR, FAR less than the 10 million per year that you suggested.
In fact, it is quite possible to buy auction site software for $100 or so and run it on a space on a shared server. You could run it for a year for less than $1,000 quite easily.
But the question is: What kind of site are you going to have?
My guess is that the co-op will be something much more like the $1,000 per year site than a multi-million dollar site like Yahoo Auctions. And you could spend far more than $10 million per year and still not be competitive with Ebay.
posted on February 14, 2001 12:37:46 PM
Well, before they cut off this thread, if you are serious and would like to be a part of this and find out how much our group does know about the costs, I urge you to come to our message board and repost or share your thoughts.
If you want a co-op you will all have to make it happen.
posted on February 17, 2001 07:08:22 PM
I'd sure like to see how this operates on $1000 a year. We need good advertising, min $4000 a month full page color ads, nothing less will do. Servers that won't be crashing every week, and pages can download fast. Engineers at $100k a year to keep this site operable. A good lawyer on retainer. That's just for starters. I'm not interested in a little unknown site. What's the point?
posted on February 18, 2001 06:59:17 AM
RB; Bidville gets more bids in an hour than Golds was getting in a week. After two weeks with Bidville my daily sales are close to 80% of what I was selling on Yahoo. You have no idea what you are talking about.
With all due respect to your efforts, it is beginning to sound like you MAY be running one of those URL's that pays you by the number of hits it gets
I, personnally, will not respond to your URL for this reason, and also due to the fact that other times I have done this, my mailbox has been loaded with SPAM about a week later.
Why not ask AW for some space here where you can state your case?
Ebay also started at a time when there was no competition so word of mouth was enough for them to grow.
I thought I already made some suggestions to make this work. Develop a niche,and advertise towards your target customer. Is that really the status quo? In order for someone to drive 200 miles to the countryside to see what the buzz is about, don't you think there needs to be something to create a buzz in the first place? Ebay was the only online auction site, that was their buzz! What's the co-ops buzz?
The co-op is being run by a loose band of hogepodge sellers {varying degrees of skills and experience}, yet the one's who are clueless have the same voting power as one who is very knowlegable.
I don't need you to prequalify me. I offer my sugestions openly, take them or leave them. I can say I have't seen one idea by anyone other than me of how this co-op can survive. This is the only info I gathered- 1)word of mouth advertising 2)one person, one vote 3)bylaws to decide what can be sold. Then you have the gull trying to prequalify me when no one else demonstrated how to market a co-op in a crowded market successfully. Good luck!
We're in the process of creating an info web page. I understand what you're getting at, but no, I don't recieve any money.
We simply set up a message board. If there's a better place to set up I'm all for it as I've noticed more spam myself.
I have asked AW for space but they've been doing the exact opposite and closed several threads!
Email me if you don't want to post on our board at [email protected].
AND
Hi Folks,
We've seen some great posts here and on other boards and recieved some wonderful emails.
We will be finishing the committee forming process by the end of this coming week so if anyone is interested please check in at he message board or email for info.
QD: Would you like to see a complete list of your co-op posts?
Office Space $
Software $$
Servers $$$
Clerical & Support Staff $$$$
Customer service reps $$$$$
Legal Staff $$$$$$
Advertising $$$$$$$
Sellers
>>>>>>>>> Buyers <<<<<<<<<"
Ok Of this whole list the only part this list that an Auction Co-Op is about is the last two, A Co-Op is about People buyers and sellers The Co-Op is going to be a big Group of buyers and seller in unity.
The Co-Op is not about an Auction site or servers, its about Sellers and buyers who are looking to make the Future of online buying and selling Better and safer.
A large Co-op would have huge bargaining power at barganing tables and buying power, The Co-op it self could offer low cost insurance health and dental , a co-op would have the size for low cost whole sale purchases of packing and shipping materials Computer hardware and software and many other thing I Haven't mentioned here.its about The online auction buyers and sellers standing up with one big voice to make things better instead sittintg here and other places gripping and agreeing things are just getting worse.
If indeed the Co-op agrees that some time in it future that an Auction site is needed all members of a co-op would be paying member ship fees Of these fees a part of these fees maybe put in to a building fund forfuture Co-Op projects The more member a co-op Has the faster your building fund grows.
Maybe the Co-Op will find as A large group there is already exsiting sites willing to work and deal with a Co-Op to provide what Buyers and seller are looking for in auction site maybe the Co-op will turn out to be a network of auction sites Run by Co-op groups and some non co-op group under contract agreements.
When you think Auction sellers/Buyers Co-Op think People Not auction Site not servers or advertizeing think Unity a Union of seller and buyer looking to make online buyering and selling safer and more honest for all The Co-Op its self would be non-profit organization any auction sites it deals with would not be able to be an IPO but Privitely held companys .
What all are Looking at right Now is building an auction Co-Op Other types of Number crunching is need to find the costs for a Co-op auction site the Co-Op would have many future possibility.
If already existing auction sites did hopp on to the Auction Co-Op Idea there would be no cost of servers or electric or any thing Else and if the Co-Op and the auction sites shared in advertizeing if there was a Co-Op and 4 auction site you would have 4x the advertizeing dollars.
these are just some thoughts of things a Co-Op could bring about. the main thing to remeber is that a Co-Op is not an Auction site it is People Stop thinking Billion dollar IPO Idea and start thinking Unity of buyers and sellers .
posted on February 19, 2001 01:19:46 PM
"but how does it benefit buyers?"
It doesn't, and that in a nutshell is the basic flaw in this idea of starting a seller's co-op. Unless these sellers are ready, willing and able to BUY from EACH OTHER, it simply cannot work. Power sellers are not typically buyers.
Jamie ... asking a question like "Well QD, how do you suggest we make it happen?" is like asking "how do you get blood out of a stone".
posted on February 19, 2001 01:36:21 PM
Well the way sellers sell in auction effects buyers it would allow them a vote in how the Co-op is ran as well as sellers.
A safer online auction comunity is a buyers concern as well.
buyers also need things like insurance computer hardware and softwear discounts on thing could benifit buyers as well.
Buyer would not be required to become members to buy from co-op members but it would be an option.
as well many times the buyer them selfs think about becomeing sellers, they would havealready had there foot in the door of a Co-Op in its starting up and had there voice heard this would benifit this type of buyer,
its easyer to mould and shape the coop in it start up then it is to change later on.
here is two sucess stories you could read as a result of a co-op you decided.
In All Honest at frist the Co-Op is going to need to deal with People Issues there is nothing that makes a person more willing to belong to an organization Then when that Organization is Deal willing to Help and serve and deal with them personally Help not only there business but there family.
There is nothing that will get a person to recommend and organization then it willingness to Help the individuals.
Which is more likely to make you want to recommend and join this coop
Story 1:
Hey Joe you Wont beleve this great organization I found that helped me make my Online business better and helped to give me the freedom to give my full time attention to my sales and business and even double my sales.
Sales were great but I couldnt give up the full time job you know how it is the benifits health Dental 401k and all just to much for a small business man.
Well I joined this Online Auction sellers Co-op the Membership fee was well worth it they offered me affordable health and dental I was able to tranfer my 401K Me and my family are now protectedand covered I was able to give up the full time job and now my sales are starting to double with the full time effort I was even able to hire a helper to package and take my auction picture for me great time saver.ECT.
story 2
Hey Joe you wont believe this Auction sellers organization I join they have a great auction site ran by it members all get a vote in how it runs.
My sales on other sites are great as always the Co-op site is nice really high on energy people The fees are fair but the sales well they are promiseing that things will get better they say this is the hotest thing on the net today, I still am running my auction on ebay , yahoo, and amazon as well and holding down that full time job some day this little guy will be able to run this full time and care for his family.
But for now Ill pay membership in the co-op whic make another fees I have to pay and work with them hopeing things get better.Ect.
Which story is most likely to get joe come register and join this Co-Op group ........
The difference is story one the Co-OP is about people story two the CO-OP is about and auction sites....
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