posted on March 1, 2001 10:58:49 AM new
Gosh Shosh ... you're still here dear
Look's like it's field day folks!
Ok, let's see .... thinking of all my "friends" here .... thinking .... thinking .... will there be beer .... thinking ...
Aw crap.
- I don't sell anymore ...
- I can't afford to buy anymore ...
- I have been kicked off eBay ...
- I am about to get kicked off Yahooooo for pissing off sellers who are peddling illegal copies of tv episodes ...
My only auction joy now is talking to you'se guys on the AW forums. Best I don't burn that bridge too
posted on March 1, 2001 11:01:59 AM new
"Info" as to fees has now been posted on the site, together with FAQ (over a dozen!!)- which covers recouping the FVF re NPBs, etc. I presume that's why the PTB are not monitoring this board more closely. I didn't find anything about pic hosting, boards or some of the other questions raised in this thread though...although there is a pretty long and self serving paragraph about the value AW adds for us (most given in the message sent re: the fees).
posted on March 1, 2001 11:12:23 AM new
How many of you would continue with AW even if they yank the 1% and just charge per photo for hosting? Is it too late? Has AW permanently alienated us? How forgiving would we be if they suddenly GOT THE PICTURE? (sorry about the pun, couldn't help it ) Jackie
I take your point about members only being allowed to post...but, that would mean AW would have no BUYERS posting here...only sellers. Hard to believe they'd want that. The posters sure wouldn't.
posted on March 1, 2001 11:21:29 AM new
I might stay if they yank the 1%. However I still might not. I would have to do some serious thinking! I don't like the fact that they only gave us 2 weeks notice (30 days minimum is good business). If I sign up and say that I will pay .05 and no 1% FVF what will stop them from adding on the 1% later and then giving me a lousy 2 weeks to figure out how to stay in the game.
I sincerely like AW. I have learned so much by hanging out on the boards, BUT I simply can't afford more costs. There isn't any point to selling if the best I can hope to do is barely break even.
I hope they reconsider the 1% and then put in writing that they will NOT change things again without 30 day notice. Then I would probably stay.
AW, are you listening? You could be about to lose a whole lot of traffic!
Pets.com. etoys.com.... hmmmmm will we see aw on that list too? (hope not)
posted on March 1, 2001 11:21:34 AM new
Here, let me throw in yet another question, which I'm sure will be ignored like the others: For those of us who utilized the post-auction services, will we be locked out as soon as the new fees take effect? (Considering I won't be paying for them, due to the 1% fvf) Will I not be able to get to them after the fee taking place? Since there are only 13 days left and counting, this doesn't leave much time to move everything. Ok, here's another, will they charge the fvf for auctions that have ended after the fee schedule takes effect? Or at least try to charge, because God knows I'm sure as hell not giving them any credit card info. Just would like some clarification, please.
posted on March 1, 2001 11:28:42 AM new
Hello Meya. AW needs their Message Boards to draw in more users for their services. The Message Boards are their major asset and I don't think we'll ever have to pay to post here.
We understand sellers typically prefer a final value fee to a listing fee, so we made the listing fee very small.
That is only true of actual auction sites, not a site such as yours that only provides an adjunct service. Are you listening? Apparently the majority of folks posting here don't begrudge the fee, but have serious issues with you taking a greater "cut of the action".
In order to qualify for the refund, you will need to provide proof from the auction site you were listing to that you had a dead-beat bidder to get a refund to your account.
Exactly what kind of proof are we talking about? Email? A copy of my monthly billing statement? Sent electronically? By snail mail? By phone? Don't you think it would have just been easier to simply charge the one fee and forget the FVF? Sure would result in a whole lot less hassle, on both sides.
posted on March 1, 2001 11:42:00 AM new
athena1365: More great questions that I feel will be ignored. Yeah, we want to hand over our money to those who could care less about our concerns. They could have really used this as a time to shine, but instead they chose the low road and ignored us all. They stirred the pot and then walked away.
posted on March 1, 2001 11:59:56 AM newThey stirred the pot and then walked away.
Maybe they're trying to come up with a reasonable response to the concerns voiced here before posting, in order to avoid the kind of situation that occurred with PayPal last year. You know- where the PayPal rep gave out conflicting information on what seemed like an hourly basis, in an effort to address user concerns as they were expressed.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:07:09 PM new
mrpotatoheadd
What it seems to me, if you're correct in thinking that they're trying to conceive a reasonable response, shows just how poorly thought out their actions were in the first place. I think a lot more of us would have respected them more for coming on and saying, we don't have all the answers, this is a work in progress, etc. No, they just threw up a faq, threw it all on our laps, and when the going got tough, they walked. I would like to think that if I'm giving money to a company that they would have had a notion of most of the questions posed, but they haven't. Now, it may be too late, I think they may have a sense of that as well.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:09:08 PM new
Anyone get the feeling that there wasn't a lot of real thought behind this fvf business?
Two words of advice to AW: FOCUS GROUP.
Getting a little group of users together to discuss this change beforehand might have saved you a lot of trial and error -- and prepared you for the questions being asked now.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:14:54 PM new
athena1365 ... "Don't you think it would have just been easier to simply charge the one fee and forget the FVF? Sure would result in a whole lot less hassle, on both sides."
I don't think it's about hassle, but rather about money. Unless there is a glitch in the AW response system (they are being VERY quiet), I also think it's pretty clear that they really don't care about the hassles, either for them or for the sellers - at least not enough to talk about them.
It will be a logistical nightmare for them, but if it works they'll make enough money to hire a whole crew of bean counters to look after the paperwork.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:22:05 PM new
I will never pay a FVF for picture hosting. I never used anything at AW except the picture hosting and auction launching,none of the fancy stuff for after the auction. Now that they don't even have an email service this place will be useless to me.
A flat fee based on the number of pictures hosted would have been fine with me, after all that is what I use but to expect me to pay them a part of what I make on something just to use a bit of their storage space is absurd.
It's been fun ,AW ,for these last two years but this is another seller/buyer that will be moving on.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:35:02 PM new
Legitimate question for AW Staff/Management:
By far the vast majority of National ISP's and National Web Hosting Companies offer
24X7X365 Toll Free Telephone Technical Support. The average monthly recurring revenue
for these companies is $19.95 per customer.
It seems the average AW Seller will be spending at least $19.95 a month under your new fee structure.
Will AW also offer 24X7X365 Toll-Free or Toll Telephone Technical Support?
If so will you offer it in-house or will you outsource it to a company like Stream International
(used by the former CompuServe, Netscape, HP, Compaq, Apple and scads of other tech companies)?
Or will you maintain a 48-72 hour turnaround time on e-mail only technical support?
I believe a truthful answer may help Sellers decide if the value AW provides is worthwhile for them.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:46:24 PM new
Seems to me AW could do better by offering a broader RANGE of services and different price points.
I never have and never will us AMPro, or those awful after-sale tools (they're useless for me -- don't do what I need).
All I use are image hosting, Auction Manager, inventory and auction launching.
I don't need a whole package of services... just a few. I might stick around if those few services were offered in a scaled-down package at a reasonable rate with no fvf.
I don't do big package tours when I travel, either. I like to pick & choose where I go, what I do & where I stay. Same principle with auction services.
How about it AW, why not offer a broader range of options with varying price points?
posted on March 1, 2001 12:49:12 PM new
Greetings,
Despite opinions to the contrary we are here, and are listening. We value each of your opinions, and are aware that some of you take exception to the current fee structure plan.
Those of you with specific questions should post them as unique posts in the auctionwatch services area in order to receive a more timely reply- this EO thread is not the place for them, it would become much too large.
Unique threads about AW fees in the EO will continue to be locked, outside of this one.
Again, thank you for your replies, we appreciate the input.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:55:40 PM new
I can just as easily upload directly at eBay, using FrontPage and PhotoPoint. Although you are convenient, your convenience is not worth 1% of my gross sales. I would have gladly paid a small fee per auction, because that would make sense. Since that is not an option, I will no longer be using your services.
posted on March 1, 2001 12:57:11 PM new
To VARGAS - great idea! AW are you reading these? AW - you've got some great talent out here, why aren't you tapping in? We'd work with you, but not FOR you! Jackie
posted on March 1, 2001 01:15:23 PM new
Thank you to glamazon and all who have posted alternatives here!
I just changed to a small ISP last week, after I got sick of Verio and the lack of service they provided after gobbling up our local ISP. I had to
change with only a weeks notice, found a small company with a great record in the area...but they do not have free webspace, and charge 50.00 a month for a website! Wonderful. I hadn't thought to ask, because I didn't need it at that time.
posted on March 1, 2001 01:48:34 PM new
Just a thought...is harvesting of Winning Bid Amounts against Ebays policies to figure out what the 1% will be? Maybe someone with some knowledge about EBAY policies would be able to answer!
[ edited by hamburgler on Mar 1, 2001 01:54 PM ]
posted on March 1, 2001 01:53:55 PM new
I wonder if AW thinks they can not be replaced???
I have been listing with them since the beginning, but MARCH 14 I will be going elsewhere.....I won't give up anymore of my profit for "fees".
There are far too many fees now.....I've been looking at other auction sites besides ebay too....bidville sure has a lot of sellers....hopefully buyers will be following...
posted on March 1, 2001 02:41:16 PM new
I just found this out today, I want to say thank you for your service this past couple of years, and hope all of my listings brought you some lookers to you advertising supported site! I will miss using AW but a final value fee, just can't do it,, the listing fee is sad enough to live with, it has been fun, and you did provide a good service, but with added ebay fees and credit service fees etc, I have to cut someplace,, I will miss you AW, and again my thanks,,, good luck to you!
posted on March 1, 2001 03:31:41 PM new
So Long Good Bye. A Listing Fee of 5 Cents is easy enough to take but the 1% is a NO NO.
I've always enjoyed the Auction Watch Service and never complained about the down time or other problems. They always seem to try and take care of it as fast as possible. I'm listing New Auctions tonight but it will be at a differant site. No .05 cent, No 1% and also found software for less than $20 to do all the extras. A one time fee. Would have loved to see Auction Watch come up with a flat yearly price for their services instead of cashing in on a percentage of our selling. Notice I didn't say profit of our selling. I see no differance in Their work and Time if a Item brings $5.00 or $5000.00.
Oh Well if Auction Watch Change's Their mind about the 1% let me know, Maybe I'll change Mine. Its Been Nice
Jerry Smith
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