posted on March 1, 2001 04:08:18 PM new
Let me see here ....
Every ISP I have ever signed up with (over 15) offer free web space. My At Home service gives me free webs space. My DSL service at the store gives me free web space. The two dialup accounts we use as backup, both give us free web space. When we used to use AOL, they gave us free webspace.
Even if you couldn't get free webspace to host your pictures, wouldn't getting your own website be a much better investment than lining someone elses pockets??? Look at the top of the page. There is a banner for $9.95 hosting. Build a website. Build your own gallery. (AW will be charging for the store fronts very soon also so don't spend too much time setting up your free store front) Add "legal" links in all of your auctions. You can not sell directly to inquiries that you receive through Ebay, but you can direct them to your website.
So you need templates. If you have a web browser (such as IE or Netscape) you already have a basic HTML editor, and both companies offer free templates that you can download. Buy a book, check some of the tutorial websites. The basic HTML required to make your auctions like nice are very easy to learn. It is your business. Invest a little time learning how to do it yourself.
Uploading auctions can be done for free using Mr. Lister. You can not schedule them, but you can do what I do. Create the auctions when time permits, then sign on to Mr. Lister at night when you want them to start and click on one button. I use Mr. Lister for every single auction I run and have never had one of them get screwed up. (or had unwanted banners stuck in my auctions)
OK, so the end of auction process is too much for you. IE Outlook Express allows you to create email templates as well as "signature" lines that can be inserted into the emails with a single click. You know you are going to look at your auctions to see how you did, so you might as well send the emails while you are looking. Learn to cut and paste using the Ctrl C and Ctrl V keys and you will find that it is very easy to kick out 50 emails in less than 30 minutes.
Or...
You can give up more of the profit you work so hard to make.
posted on March 1, 2001 05:26:08 PM new
Without knowing the facts, I would like to speculate on AW's business model. I wonder if they, like many internet companies, were hoping that their banner advertising along with referal money for providing customers to alliances would provide enough cash flow. They would have a large targeted audience for advertisers. As is the case with most internet advertising, this probably hasn't worked out so well. Most free internet service providers relying on advertising are folding or charging. Or they may have always intended on getting a large crowd hooked to their service than start charging fees.
Anyway, with the suddeness and amount of the fees- I would bet they are needing cash. The investors are probably getting anxious. Otherwise, I would think they would ease into it more-which goes over much better with the users.
posted on March 1, 2001 05:44:52 PM new
I too have used auctionwatch for quite awhile now, unfortunately there are too many options out there which will cost far less, listing programs, management programs and web sites which can be had for $ 6.00 per month. <p>If auctionwatch had set a monthly fee (no per item and no FVF) would have considered staying. As soon as I finish listing the auctions for the images I have already uploaded will be starting my own website for image hosting. <p>I liked auctionwatch for the convenience and was willing to pay $20.00 per month for the convenience this just doesn't fit into my plans.
posted on March 1, 2001 06:11:59 PM new
I do appreciate the AW services and have used it with very seldom hitches. This is a quote from the letter you have posted:
"We understand sellers typically prefer a final value fee to a listing fee, so we made the listing fee very small."
In reading all the threads - It appears "just the opposite of typical". No-one wants the final auction value fee. I hope you would re-vise your plans (before March 14th)on this and re-consider dropping the 1%, even if you have to increase the listing fee. That I could live with. I have not yet decided what I will do but am strongly leaning to leaving Auction Watch. It will cost me at least another $50.00 a month, that I just cannot afford.
posted on March 1, 2001 06:39:39 PM new
Mr. Jim, use the timer at www.vrane.com to trigger your Mr. Lister auctions at preset times up to two weeks in advance. You'll recover your evenings and enjoy life more. It worked for me.
As an aside, there are excellent HTML sites for designing an auction ad: my favorite is at
http://www.dirthurts.com/html/
Tips for HTML, etc at:
http://208.44.243.181/bobal/indexb/bobstips2.html
I'm sure there are many more.
As an aside, the best way to prove our/ your point is to simply stop BEING here at AW. Stop posting, stop reading, go elsewhere.
FYI We don't use the AW service, but if we did we'd be gone in a heartbeat now. We simply don't have ANOTHER 5c + 1% to squeeze out of our business.
posted on March 1, 2001 06:39:41 PM new
I have read through almost all of the posts concerning this topic. About 99 percent of the people responding have indicated that they WIIL NOT pay a FVF for action services. This is our property, our inventory and does NOT belong to AW. Before or after the sale.
This decision regarding fees was poorly planned in timing also. If it were in the fall, when sales are starting to rise, maybe the outcome would have not been so drastic. However, AW has made the choice to start a fee structure near Spring when sales are starting to drop. Additionally, less than one month after ebay's fee increase.
Also, in another thread in AW, I asked the question about the people who don't have a credit card, which is required to particapate and pay for the fees. AW has advised they are requiring a credit card, but will pass this concern to approproate officials at AW. This should further show that no foward thinking has gone into making this decision about fees.
I belive that Auction Watch will loose a lagre percentage of it's customer base by charging the FVF. Since I don't have a credit card, and don't feel that AW owns any of my inventory, I will be moving on also.
AUCTION WATCH, YOU NEED TO RETHINK YOUR POSITION BEFORE YOU LOOSE YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSEST, YOUR CUSTOMERS, THE USERS OF YOUR SEREVICE
[ edited by yeager on Mar 1, 2001 06:42 PM ]
posted on March 1, 2001 06:45:50 PM new
1%!! I use the AW pic hosting and uploading - period. I have appreciated them and enjoyed them. I'd pay .05 for the convenience of those features (and my laziness). The boards are worthwhile...but the info is provided by posters, not AW...and supposedly will continue to be free. But it is my item, my time, my hassles with NBP, FB, postal damage, etc., and I won't pay 1% for the convenience factor and be an advertising vehicle as well. AW doesn't do any of the work for me or increase the selling price of my item or draw bidders or stand in line at the p.o. for me! I think AW is missing the boat - I'm sure lots of people check out the site after seeing people's AW auctions...which would bring additional .05s to the site. The fewer AW auctions...the less worthwhile the universal search, the fewer .05s for AW. I've used other methods in the past... and will again. I post 10 or so auctions a week and they don't sell for the big bucks. They don't seem to want us little guys - and we can take a hint. Adios to all but the boards!
posted on March 1, 2001 06:57:28 PM new
MrJim,
In reference to:
"So you need templates. If you have a web browser (such as IE or Netscape) you already have a basic HTML editor, and both companies offer free templates that you can download."
I use Netscape at the moment, but will be switching to IE shortly. Where can I find this HTML editor? Thanks.
posted on March 1, 2001 07:02:29 PM new
I also had to laugh when I read this line in the FAQ: "We understand sellers typically prefer a final value fee to a listing fee, so we made the listing fee very small." How exactly did they come to that "understanding"? Market research? Obviously not message board research.
posted on March 1, 2001 07:19:06 PM new
There are many easy auction ad creators & HTML programs, one such auction tool is virtual ad pro. It automatically generates HTML, has multiple templates, is very easy to use, and very inexpensive to purchase. There are lots of free and low cost auction templates available, feel free to email me if you would like a site list.
posted on March 1, 2001 08:09:27 PM new
If some of you haven't yet visited the A.M. message boards, it's a real hoot. I read a post where the answer to a question about customer support was, in a nutshell, how there will be less of us so it will be easier to take care of the remaining customers. LMAO!! No, they couldn't have said, we will always try to provide you with quality customer service blah, blah, blah. No, the sooner we all leave the better!! I would be curious to know what the employees at AW must be thinking, if it were me I'd be worried about having my job a few weeks, months from now. Who is going to be left to pay them? I sure won't be, will you? hmmmm. . .
posted on March 1, 2001 08:22:23 PM new
I think Vargas is right, Yahoo sellers were in favor of a FVF over a listing fee. However, I think AW has made a grave mistake in assuming that the same reasoning would apply to their services. It's like comparing apples to rocks. A whole different thing, really.
First of all, I think that the majority of people using AW's auction management services, are using them to post auctions at Ebay, where there is traffic enough to justify paying EBAY both an insertion fee and a final value fee. Contrast that with Yahoo, where a seller now has to pay a listing fee and would have to keep paying it with each re-listing. Yes, Yahoo sellers are largely in support of paying a final value fee when (and if) their item finally sells. But as you probably know, Yahoo has lost a lot of sellers.
ANYWAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT A WHOLE DIFFERENT SITUATION HERE. The issue with Yahoo's listing fees is really whether the item will sell at all. I don't think that's such a crucial issue to ebay sellers, who form the majority of the users of AW auction management services. So even if the majority of YAHOO sellers say that they would prefer a final value fee in the context of selling items on the YAHOO auction site, it is ridiculous to think that a majority of EBAY sellers, who are already paying listing and FVFs to EBAY, will be willing to further part with another listing fee and another final value fee for the sake of the convenience of using AW.
I was less than a week into setting up shop to use AW's auction management stuff, but I don't know that I will be able to continue. Fees aside, my credit card is maxed and I don't see how I will be able to pay fees to AW (plus interest to my credit card company on top of that). If I had an option to pay by money order I might be debating whether to stay or go at this point. Since I don't have that option there really is nothing to debate.
posted on March 1, 2001 08:25:25 PM new
Thanks a lot AW, "We're free we're free, we love you users, blah blah blah, NOW PAY UP YOU IDIOTS" THAT'S the message I get from you!!! THAT is NO way to run a business and guarantee my TRUST!
Nice attitude too by deleting all the negative comments towards you!!!!!
posted on March 1, 2001 08:25:47 PM new
With regards to HTML templates, you might want to check out the category you typically sell in and see what other sellers are doing. You might not need to do anything fancy (or anything at all, for that matter).
In the category I sell in, auctions using elaborate layouts don't get any higher bids than plain auctions with good pictures. I sold on eBay for 2 years before I wrote my first listing using HTML, and there was no apparent difference in the total number of bids or the ending price. The only reason I did it was as an experiment, but (for me, anyway) it doesn't appear to be necessary in order to sell successfully.
You make up a template, save it to TEXT and to HTML, and when you need it, just open the Cute HTML Program, go to FILE>>>OPEN, find the template sample in the folder you created for it, OPEN it, and fill in the blanks.... and save it (giving it a new name, usually the name of the item you are listing).
********
Gosh Shosh!
posted on March 1, 2001 09:44:41 PM new
I just sent the following email message to AW as a formal complaint. Thought I'd share with all. You know, for some strange reason, I'm finding this very sad. I can't believe I'm taking this so personally!!! Anyway, here's my email in case anyone wants to see it:
I've just removed all my pending and my long list of finished auctions that I would have like to relist. I will wait until my current auctions finish in a few days and then I will take off all my photos. I do not agree with your new policy to charge a percentage of my proceeds from MY auctions. Unfortunately, although your service is very nice, it is not worth that price. Please note, I would be happy to pay for image hosting per photo, but you're just asking way too much to dip into my profits. I implore you to please reconsider your impending policy before I remove my images. That was a lot of work to put them on and to organize them! I guess I'll have to go somewhere else and start over (sigh)... Once I remove them, I won't be back. You know, this is kind of sad actually, I rather enjoyed Auction Watch and felt a community sprit here. Now it's just dissipated POOF and unnessarily so. I actually looked at the ads. I wonder; don't the advertizers care that you probably won't have a lot of people to target their products?
posted on March 1, 2001 10:14:44 PM new
SOMEONE's gotta pay for the 3 catered dinners a week!
With nearly four million unique visitors a month and over 500,000 registered sellers, AuctionWatch.com is widely recognized as the company of choice for businesses looking to efficiently distribute merchandise to auction and cost effectively acquire customers. In addition to its suite of powerful seller services, AuctionWatch.com offers buyers an industry-leading search capability, allowing them to conveniently locate merchandise across hundreds of auction sites and fixed-price venues. The company also publishes daily content on the auction industry, hosts the industry's premier online appraisal service, and has the most active independent message boards of its kind. Based in San Bruno, California, AuctionWatch.com is privately held and funded by Sequoia Capital, Technology Crossover Ventures, CMGI @Ventures, meVC Draper Fisher Jurvetson Fund I (NYSE:MVC), Angel Investors LP, Bulldog Capital, Argus Capital and private investors.
To help us with our explosive growth, we're looking for the brightest, hungriest, motivated, and most creative individuals. If you consider yourself to be the best of the best and want to surround yourself with only top notch talent, come be a part of a pre-IPO internet company with a bright future that not only wants to win but knows they'll win and will work hard to get there. Funded by the most prestigious VC's in the capital markets and considered an established start-up, AuctionWatch.com definitely still has that start-up feel. From the humor, to the pool table, to the monthly company outings, to our catered dinners 3 times a week, we want to reward the amazing people that drive our success. Keeping our status as # 1 in our space will be easy with the talent at AuctionWatch.com, and adding even more bright talent will push us to the top of the online world. AuctionWatch.com offers very competitive compensation, generous pre-IPO stock options, medical, dental, vision, 401K, and an aggressive employee referral program.
All positions are for our San Bruno, CA office. Please send all resume submissions to jobs
posted on March 1, 2001 10:50:30 PM new
This reminds me of like when you live with someone you think they know you. You have conversations, and just figure they are listening to you and understand what you're saying. I mean you're with them everyday sharing your joys, disappointments, and anger. You talk about your job what you like and hate about it.
Then one day they tell you things haven't worked out and changes need to be made. So you say fine I can compromise. But, then you find out the other person wants more then you are willing or can afford to give. And poof the relationship is over.
AW haven't you been listening? We're here with you everyday. You have seen our posts about sales being down, Yahoo charging fees, PayPal fees, increased eBay and Postal fees. It seems you don't know us at all or realize what we need and want. How can that be? We have told you everyday by talking about our concerns. Where have you been?
posted on March 1, 2001 11:54:21 PM new
It didn't say annoying in there though, tomwiii. I guess you'll continue to have massive amounts of free time, staying in here b*tching and moaning about how AW sucks, along with everyone else.
I don't get it- do any of you have any idea what it takes to run a web site and company? I worked at a big one, and I know. It aint easy. Look at the prices, and if they make sense to you then pony up. If they don't then find a different way to handle your auctions. But to complain and act like somebody owes you something is just plain stupid.
posted on March 2, 2001 12:20:10 AM new
All these fees (AW, eBay, PayPal, etc) is like Raven to Roadkill. Everybody keeps pecking away until there is nothing left but the stain on the road!
posted on March 2, 2001 12:24:45 AM new
Wouldn't you folks suspect that with feeZ going up, and new feeZ being levied by many service companies, sellers will pass them on to customers? Of course they will; therefore, sellers that keep feeZs down to a minimum will have a competitive advantage.
I'm on a special low FeeZ diet. Just something for your ponderage!
