posted on February 28, 2001 09:43:06 PM new
It's very deceptive. Think about it, if you have a bunch of auctions up now, on the bottom you have a link to "Free listing tools at AW..."
posted on February 28, 2001 09:47:32 PM new
Oh well. I guess it's time to delete Am Pro off my puter. As with a lot of the messages here, I am a "hobby" seller and with all the fee increases and higher shipping charges, time to take a little more time with listing and just cut and paste. Time to learn HTML! I will no longer use AW to launch my auctions.
Not skyline8 on eBay.
posted on February 28, 2001 10:07:41 PM new
I will be no longer be using the AW services. 1% of an auction is more than I will play. I would have considered the 5 cents per picture as it is a service I have used, but NO WAY will I be giving up a percentage of my sales!
posted on February 28, 2001 10:13:18 PM newIt's very deceptive. Think about it, if you have a bunch of auctions up now, on the bottom you have a link to "Free listing tools at AW..."
Remember PayPal
-Trey
***********************************
"If your mind can concieve it, and you believe it, then you probably can achieve it."
posted on February 28, 2001 10:23:39 PM new
Good By AW.....It's been fun...E-Bay Raised their listing fee...The USPS raised their rates....When will it stop....Everyone wants a piece of my profit...Before long I won't have anything left...Good By
posted on February 28, 2001 10:26:50 PM new
I was just starting to be an AW seller, and had just set up another business in
town to use the AW site. However, the fee structure is not appropriate for the service AW is providing, and we may have to go to other resources. I was in contracting for
computer and internet services for more than 10 years with the Federal Government.
My opinion is based on that experience.
A fee structure that is based on a percentage of a "sale" should only be levied when the
value of the sale has direct relationship to the service provided. For example, if your
advertising draws customers to my sales, and you provide the site where the sale takes
place, then you should charge such a fee. But AW's services don't improve my sales
record, only my ability to list them.
Aw's other fees should also be related to the overhead required for operation of the
service. If it is generally not a labor intensive service, the fees should be small,
similar to those charged by an ISP for hosting services. Thus the fees should be annual
or monthly, and less than your competitors charge. Ebay will be charging $15.99 per month
for SAPro which is the competition. That is a consideration. Aw's 5 cent fee on top of a $200 annual subscription puts the annual cost for pro users at over $500. That is exhorbitant. Guess I will look elsewhere too.
posted on February 28, 2001 10:27:42 PM new
I have absolutely no problem with paying a .05 listing/hosting fee. However, as a very "small potatoes" seller, the 1% FVF is just too much. Like many, my sales are usually under $20 (& oftentimes under $10). Coupled with what I pay eBay, this 1% to AW would mean little or no profit to me.
And here I was set to start back selling after the vacation from listing I have been taking.
I like the templates & the convenience in listing but I do not use, nor wish to use, the post auction services as I have my own system that works nicely.
I sincerely hope that I will not have to start hosting my images elsewhere, as I think highly of AW. AW should indeed consider a third tier for users who have no desire to use the post-auction program which would involve charging the .05 hosting fee alone.
posted on February 28, 2001 10:31:14 PM new
I've started the process of eliminating my presence on AW with the deletion of 200+ items in my inventory. I will wait out the completion of my active auctions at which time I will request a cancellation of my AW account. The tools and services offered are worth the proposed nickel charge, the 1% FVF is proposterous as this is a launch site, not the auction site. There actually may be some legal issues in regards to this charge. I use this site out of 'convenience', which means spending a few extra minutes coding HTML from my templates.
posted on February 28, 2001 11:08:13 PM new
With all of the services on AW, why target just the image hosting? Why not have a low monthy fee for anyone using AW services like the news & info, universal search, storefronts, and not just the image hosting?
It takes money to run ALL of the AW services, but they will only charge for one?
I only use the image hosting services, but with the fee increases at ebay, paypal, and the post office, this is too much.
I too will not be staying with AW
It would also have been nice to get a 30 day notice.
posted on February 28, 2001 11:17:52 PM new
Now now Pocono, I think most of us would have had NO problem payng AW a 5-10 cent fee per listing, but a 1% FVF as well. Get real.
It's ridiculous, and IMO there will be very few SUCKERS that will pay it.
I've always appreciated the FREE service provided here, and have promoted AW to many many users. Not anymore.
My main reason for using AW was to host my pics [my ISP website sux] But due to a VERY generous AW poster, I'll now be hosting my pics on her server.
Hell, I even got off my keester & learned how to use FTP tonight.
posted on February 28, 2001 11:21:10 PM new
I would pay the .05 for each listing no problem.
I would pay 1% on items sold through a Storefront IF it really was a Storefront with a shopping cart where people could buy directly. Perhaps if you are heading in that direction with the SF idea, you could stick with .05 for auctions and save the 1% for direct sales.
Just my 2 cents!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have wept in the night, for the shortness of sight
That to somebody's need made me blind;
But I have never yet, felt a tinge of regret
For being a little to kind. Anon
posted on February 28, 2001 11:42:36 PM new
after reading these posts for an hour or so I to agree that after the 14th I will host my pictures somewhere else. I am getting very tired of everyone and their brother putting their hand out for my money. I would be willing to pay the .05 per auction but no more. what really makes me wonder though is the amount of people that say the 1% is outragous. I wonder how many people realize that if they sell something for $10.00 the 1% is only a dime. I am not standing up for the charges at all, I just wonder if people realize what 1% is.
posted on February 28, 2001 11:51:00 PM new
I don't like FeeZ. I'm also proud to admit that I have no use for AW services, that is, except for reading the boards.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:37:11 AM new
As a smaller priced item seller, i will be forced to find another auction service due to yet more fee collecting from another source (auctionwatch), your service has been nice but not earth shattering, theres still many bugs going on, not to mention processes that could be thought out better.
But do to more "percentages" type of thinking it has become unfeasable for me to continue using your service.
posted on March 1, 2001 01:34:04 AM new
I am just sick over this announcement. I just can't take any more fees like this on my low-dollar auctions!
I just use AW to conveniently schedule my auctions spread out through the evening for better exposure. My 1,000 auctions per month at $.05 = $50. And then you want 1% or $200/year too??? let's see: $50 + $16.66 = $66.66 per month just to launch my auctions?
THAT'S INSANE...
You guys almost lost me during the crazy service outages not too long ago. You will surely be losing me with these unreasonable fees. What an insane business move on your part! You had the chance to be the top auction manager service by far with the goto people making thier users mad recently.
The new fees are not acceptable. There are alternatives to me that will be a lot less and do the same thing for me. I don't use your crappy templates anyway and I host my pics on my own webspace. The post-auction system is still too clunky and unreliable to use. AW was the best site for convenient launching. The combination of Mr. Lister and vrane's easy lister will do the same thing for me for free. I won't be able to do 10 days in advance anymore because of the limits of the amount of Mr. Lister batches you can have at one time. I'll do them one day at a time to save $66+ per month though.
Hmmm... $15.99 flat rate for Ebay's new service... $19.99 flat rate for goto... What in the world makes you think your users would be willing to pay so much more fow AW?
Why not a flat $14.99/mo. rate for high-volume sellers. That I would pay. 5 cents + 1% is absolutely insane for us already over-feed to death, struggling auction sellers.
PLEASE regain your sanity and rethink this before the new fees start! You're going to be at least twice as high as the other services. Almost 4 times as much in my case. Flat rate monthly payment option is the way to go...
I don't mind paying. You guys need to make money. I understand. I'm simply not going to pay 4 times as much as the other services. I need to make money too though. Paying $66 per month for AW when I could get the same features that I use elsewhere for $15.99 would be foolish. Do the math here people and come up with a better pricing plan!
posted on March 1, 2001 01:44:49 AM new
.05 + 1% Somebody is looking for a free ride on eBay's back. Sorry this makes about as much sense as Yahoo's fees and they lost 90% or more of their listings. I'll pass.
posted on March 1, 2001 02:09:13 AM new
Well, i just read through all of the posts, and agree that they have no right to a percentage. i loved this site, it really sped things up for me and i guess i thought auctionwatch (like napster) would always be around to use, but that isnt always the case. i agree with a previous poster, i give AW about 6 months before it goes the way of that crappy edisney site and etoys.
posted on March 1, 2001 02:09:45 AM new
Let's see...
I list around 1000 auctions a year and last year, perhaps $70,000.00 gross sales. If I did a similar amount in the next year I'd be paying you around $750.00 for .05 cents and then 1%? That's more than twice as much as my ISP costs per year.
posted on March 1, 2001 02:26:26 AM new
Sorry to see you go AW but if charging fees is the only way you can keep this site up and running Im afraid I'll be starting a discussion group on Yahoo Clubs. Its true that businesses have to make money. Its also true that if you dont offer goods or services that people are willing to pay for, you are not a business. Try offering something unique while you still have traffic. Otherwise you will soon be forgotten.
posted on March 1, 2001 02:35:15 AM new
"AW - Why not EARN those FV fees? The timing is right. The world needs a viable alternative to Ebay. You are so close already. Why charge the FV fee without delivering the venue?"
Less than 5% of sellers use AW or their services let alone buyers. AW is basically free message boards. A dime a dozen.
posted on March 1, 2001 02:42:24 AM new
Well, if 80% of sellers leave AW, that's 80% less work AW has to do......(cut their work force), let's say with 20% of the sellers willing to pay......Mark and family can still get a raise, buy a townhouse, new sportscar, yacht, .......and take many more vacations.......I wish I could
posted on March 1, 2001 03:01:37 AM new
Add my name to the list of sellers who will be GONE from AW once the fees kick in.
Honestly, most people have been saying it's the 1% of final value fee that they are mad about. Personally, for me it's the nickel per listing.
The items I sell start at $5.00, with a high profit margin... but the caveat is... not all of my listings will get a bid... so I count on a volume of listings to get enough sales to make it worth my while. That extra nickel a piece to list something that might not sell... that's what kills me.
I'd gladly give your service 1% of my sales, with $5.00 items, that's only a nickel anyway. But I'd rather give you a nickel from a sale than a nickel from a no-sale. And I am not into giving you two nickels, no way, sorry.
Know whuttamean ?
posted on March 1, 2001 03:14:41 AM new
The time has come to say goodnight,
My how time does fly.
We've had a laugh, perhaps a tear,
and now we hear goodbye.
I really hate to say goodnight,
for times like these are few.
I wish you love and happiness,
In everthing you do.
The time has come to say goodnight,
I hope I've made a friend.
And so we'll say "May God bless you,"
Until we meet again.
~~ Red Skelton ~~
He said it best! It has been fun AW, while it lasted. Please deactivate my account. Aloha,
Ernest
posted on March 1, 2001 03:28:55 AM new
Fun while it lasted. Don't mind the .05 but like most others can not tolerate th 1% fvf. I only used it for the ability to schedule autions in advance. I can learn to live without that. Change it to just the $.05 insertion fee and I might be back.
posted on March 1, 2001 03:41:10 AM new
I just have to get my 2 pennys in while I still have them.
I have always loved AW and the tools-even with the problems lately. I am a small time seller that make little profit from my auctions and do agree that a fee is reasonable for the image hosting and AM pro use and post management tools that I am still learning how to use.. Love it hate it still can't decide...
The fees are ok too BUT I agree with most everyone that the 1%fvf is out of line, then again who am I to decide.
I could tuck my tail and run too but there is no such thing in this world as free!
you want to do auctions either do it the easy way and pay, pay, pay & pay--(that is ebay, paypal, usps, and AW and many other cost) AND lets not forget to check with your servers to see if they allow storage of images for other sites to access::::::I think a lot of them if you check don't condone this...SO, before I cut off my nose to spite AW I guess I will pay yet another fee...
I am making ebay paypal bidpay and now AW richer while I get poorer and that is sad as I barely have 2 nickles to rub together as it is.
Hey, anyone out there think the energy hike has caused a trend? Do we have the choice to leave our electrical and gas providers?
NOT REALLY, so lets not burn down the house till everything is final!
{eek}
Besides, I forgot what a credit card was for except to pay fees on the internet. And That makes me wonder if the credit card companies are getting kick-backs from these services OR are they paying the credit card companies the usual fees to do credit card billings.
So Mark if you are reading this- give the ppl without credit cards a break---take checks you won't have to pay that 3% card usage.
AHHHH no-one thought of that did they..
Now lets see if you charge me 1% and you get maybe $10.00 off me for that, does my credit card then charge you the ???3% on that $10.00 charge. Alas I think the kickbacks are abounding.
Just a thought. Maybe you get a cut rate HUH?
OK, now that I have ranted and vented and everyone is tired of reading this really long thread, I'll be sticking around for a while anyway.
Charge by the word? then this cost me.
