posted on February 14, 2001 12:10:35 PM newCan Yahoo! be revived?
Yahoo! Auctions Introduces Offline Seller's Management Tool; Free Desktop Solution Allows Sellers to Create and Manage Auctions More Quickly and Efficiently
Or is this the wrong medications?
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2001 8:03:00 AM EST
SANTA CLARA, Calif, Feb 14, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Yahoo! Auctions (http://auctions.yahoo.com), one of the largest, globally-branded Internet auction services, today announced the release of Yahoo!(R) Seller's Manager. This new, free desktop solution allows Yahoo! Auctions' sellers to easily prepare multiple auction listings offline, then once connected to the Internet, submit hundreds of auctions with just one click. In addition, Seller's Manager allows sellers to easily manage and track progress of each auction.
"Through Yahoo! Seller's Manager, the ability to list and track multiple items is easier than ever before," said Brian Fitzgerald, senior producer, Yahoo! Auctions. "The creation of an offline tool is a natural evolution of our efforts to make Yahoo! Auctions even more essential to our sellers' everyday lives and provide a quality auctions experience."
Designed to simplify the auction submission and management process, Yahoo! Seller's Manager delivers the following:
-- Offline Listing Creation - Saves time for sellers, including
bulk loaders and small businesses, on uploads by creating and
submitting hundreds of listings, without waiting for Web pages
to load, minimizing connect time.
-- Template Construction - Allows sellers to quickly create
personalized templates with information such as sales
policies, auction lengths and item descriptions and apply it
to multiple, similar auctions, ultimately saving time.
-- Tracking - Enables sellers to record personal notes on each
auction and monitor the status of their auctions through easy
integration with My Auctions, Yahoo! Auctions' online
management feature.
As one of the largest globally-branded online auction service, Yahoo!(R)Auctions (http://auctions.yahoo.com) operates in 16 countries and 11 languages, giving consumers access to the unique and antique through its ever-expanding world of collectibles. Launched in September of 1998, Yahoo! Auctions offers many items to choose from in categories including entertainment, autos and sports memorabilia, as well as extraordinary items found through unique charity, featured and merchant auctions. With the support of Yahoo!'s global community of users and comprehensive tools, Yahoo! Auctions' consumers can bid and sell as part of Yahoo!'s unparalleled audience of 180 million consumers worldwide.
posted on February 14, 2001 12:49:31 PM new
Yahoo has blown their chances. It'll take a couple of years for them to recoup what they have thrown away, if they do at all.
posted on February 14, 2001 01:04:38 PM new
Yahoo is now behind even BidVille, which just started. Yahoo's auction management has truly pushed the envelope on the word "DUH"
posted on February 14, 2001 05:03:35 PM new
Perhaps I am being facetious but...What's to Manage?
Is this a proprietary tool for Yahoo only? If it can be used for all other auction sites, why no mention of the price (would never assume it would be free).
All this 'stuff' being put out in the press by Yahoo makes me want to stay away...a lot!
posted on February 14, 2001 05:23:07 PM new
I don't see this on the My Auctions>Options page anymore. I swear it was there last month with a "new" tag. I clicked to see what it was, it said it was $9.99 a month so I looked no further. I see the article says it's free now. Of course, if it only works with Yahoo, who needs it? LOL
posted on February 15, 2001 08:51:23 AM new
Even if it works with other sites why would you support Yahoo and use it? Besides if it works as well as email, messenger, etc you might as well forget it. I believe there are already several items out there just like it.
posted on February 15, 2001 06:49:12 PM new
yahoo has no interest in revival. Every change made since last summer has been to reduce the vitality of the auction site.
posted on February 15, 2001 08:09:38 PM new
I have written to Yahoo numerous, numerous times offering to gladly relist my 325+ auctions if they would charge 1% to 2% fvf in lieu of listing fees or even charge a nominal .10 listing fee with a small fvf. I've never got a persoanl reply, just form letters. I don't mind paying if I am sucessful selling an item, but with the odd items I have, I can't afford to pay $1400+ per month to list them and only sell 15 to 30 items per month as the 1 1/4 years of selling there has averaged. So far have found NO viable sales alternative. Ebay is too expensive,($2400 per month to list.) Amazon is very poor, Bidville holds promise, but page views are still poor, Yahoo Classifieds is poor, and the handful of other free auction sights are of no use other than waste time. If Bidville would advertise and get the word out, more buyers and sellers might move there. If not, hope Yahoo changes it's tune regarding listing fees. They seem hell bent of keeping auctions #'s low. I think a lot of sellers would return if Yahoo offered the two options of a listing fee with no fvf OR charging no listing fees and a small fvf.
Take Care,
Fookisan
posted on February 16, 2001 07:02:46 AM new
Well till Yahoo has some management that actually understands the auction business, and comprehends that Yahoo doesn't operate the way eBay does, I don't think there is much hope.
As listings have fallen, the Yahoo management attitude has gotten worse and worse - which doesn't help Yahoo either retain the few sellers they have remaining, or to recapture those sellers who have left.
