posted on May 20, 2001 01:20:15 AM new
Are there any good guesses around as to how
much eBay storefronts are going to cost? Are
they going to be more like Amazon (where 5000
items in a zShops account would cost $39.95/
month plus commission) or more like Yahoo (where 5000 items cost $700/month)?
posted on May 20, 2001 08:16:52 PM new
I think it depends on how Ebay is going to treat the stores. If they are going to have them seperate from the auction. Mantaining a no link policy in the auctions. They might do that to keep the auction count up. Then they would have to be competitive. Somewhere in the 100.00 to 200.00 area a month for about 500 items. If they are going to allow links then I imagine it would be real expensive. More than Yahoo. My guess it will be terrible software with a huge price and link will be allowed. I would not be suprised if it was 2500.00 set up or more and a high monthly charge. You will have to have a merchant account and all that. It will not be for the common people or small store owners. That is my guess.
posted on May 20, 2001 08:49:30 PM new
I think the if eBay decides to offer eBay storefronts with links to it from eBay auctions, while at the same time enforcing a no links policy on those who maintain their own websites, they very well may have some problems with the Federal Trade Commission.
I agree---if eBay allows sellers to link to their eBay storefronts in eBay Auction listings while, at the same time, DISallowing links to OTHER webstores in listings, the government will step in (or civil lawsuits will ensue)---and eBay's lawyers know it.
So eBay will allow links from eBay stores to their Auction listings, but not the other way around....and they'll promote the **heck** out of their Stores---and probably have links to Storefronts all over the Auction, banner ads for them, and tie them in to search results like they do Half.com items.
Where YaWho demands that you have a merchant CC account to have a Yahoo Store, I predict eBay will be smarter and allow THEIR Storefronts to take Billpoint payments. I asked Yahoo to allow PayDirect in lieu of merchant accounts for their Store payment systems, to no avail....so I didn't open a Yahoo Store (I don't sell enough at high enough profit to justify merchant CC fees).
But I think eBay's fees for Storefronts will be expensive---a large monthly fee or a large cut of sales---which will put pressure on the seller to raise his prices, at a time when it takes LOWER prices to compete with everyone else for consumer dollars.
posted on May 24, 2001 01:40:09 AM new
>>>if eBay allows sellers to link to their eBay storefronts in eBay Auction listings while, at the same time, DISallowing links to OTHER webstores in listings, the government will step in (or civil lawsuits will ensue)---and eBay's lawyers know it.<<<
Sorry but I have to disagree with this one.
Ebay still allows links to storefronts that only list items for sale on Ebay. I'm assuming that your Ebay storefront would also only list items for sale on Ebay, thus there is no double standard.
posted on May 25, 2001 12:56:56 AM new
outoftheblue,
eBay DOES NOT "still allows links to storefronts that only list items for sale on Ebay." ALL LINKS to webstores (as opposed to photo, counter, or payment services you use for your listing) are BANNED in eBay Auction listings. Links to your store with items for sale (whether those items are identical to your Auction listings or not) are only allowed on a "second-click" page---your 'About Me' page or your 'larger view of this photo' page.
What would be the purpose in HAVING an eBay storefront if it only contained merchandise which you have listed for sale on eBay Auction---especially with "Buy It Now" on the Auction in lieu of fixed pricing???????
I think the only way businesses will WANT eBay storefronts is if they are allowed to offer substantial amounts of NON-AUCTION inventory at fixed prices....and those sellers will want to use Auction listings to ADVERTISE their storefronts to buyers.
The only way to effectively advertise those eBay storefronts in Auction listings is through LINKS to them.
And if eBay allows 'eBay storefront' links in their Auction listings, but DOESN'T allow links to 'NON-eBay storefronts' in listings, they will have one set of Auction rules for their storefront sellers and another set of rules for everyone else.
posted on May 25, 2001 04:15:36 AM new
granee >
LINKS to webstores (as opposed to photo, counter, or payment services you use for your listing) are BANNED in eBay Auction listings.
That's what the latest AuctionWatch article says too.
After clicking around a few eBay categories one need only find a few "power sellers" to realize that they ALL have links to their websites, from which they ALL sell items.
Now it seems to me that a group might arise (just like over at Yahoo!Auctions) that will report these "violators" to eBay. eBay will then have to either junk their ill-concieved monopolistic practices or terminate the "offending" auctions.
This could be another BIG OPPORTUNITY for all these alternative auction sites to make some real gains over the next several months.
posted on May 25, 2001 10:52:21 PM new
I think the question is why would anyone want an ebay storefront at any price?
I'm sure they will offer an attractive starting price but, guess what happens once everyone has been hooked? (I.E. spent all their time building the store) You guessed it! They will raise their prices.
Same thing happened to me with freemerchant. They had a free website and shopping cart! I spent hours building my site, had it just right then BAM!!! They start charging.
I can see what's coming. The message board will be full of ebay storefront gripes.
posted on May 26, 2001 06:19:32 AM new
Before it is all said and done, eBays new "thingys" are going to be very expensive for providers such as AW and Paypal.
