posted on March 3, 2001 03:16:25 PM new
I agree with you Kevin and AW can charge whatever they wish for their services. They are a business and not a charity!
However it seems that in today's climate all of these .coms feel that the best way to go is the heavy handed way and that the sheep will baa about it for awhile and just keep going on.
I think even yahoo is starting to see their listings rise.
posted on March 3, 2001 03:17:57 PM newBy your last post does this mean that you want me to leave?? Was my query not related to the thread?
________________________
No canvid13, I was just trying to lighten up a bit.
posted on March 3, 2001 03:26:25 PM new
Yahoo listings are continuing to slide. Sportscards one of their largest listings.
540,000 (1-9-01) 28,500+ (2-20-01) 23,400 (3-2-01). Yahoo has sent email to their former users asking them for "suggestions". This was done so that they can make the announcement "In response to suggestions from our users, we have decided to adjust our fees". Sounds better than "We lost 95% of our listings because the listing fees were too high, so we decided to adjust our fees".
posted on March 3, 2001 03:56:36 PM new
You can't reasonably compare Yahoo and Auctionwatch. It is like comparing apples with peaches it just doesn't work. AW is one of the most comparable places ON LINE if you need to SCHEDULE auctions price wise. There are a lot of people out there that can't or won't learn what they need to learn to do it. I train a lot of the older sellers to sell on Ebay. I bring them here to AW to set up the auctions it is the easiest for them. These people have been in the business 30-50 years. They don't mind these fees. Compared to co-ops etc. they are cheap. The ones I trained will be staying with AW I talked to most of them this week. These are the kind of people that auctionwatch will make the money off of and the befuddeled middle class homemakers that don't have a clue and truely believe they can't learn ftp or html and those sorts etc. . .
They won't being going out of business.
I myself will schedule here when I need to schedule ahead of time to have it go off on a certain day which actually won't be much. If I am going out (what the H*&^& is that I have know idea) or an a vacation (even less of an idea) otherwise because I found a great free offline program that keeps it simple I will do my work off line and upload them all at one time. It just makes good business sense not to pay for something I don't need to.
I am unhappy that I had a few serious and honest question that AW never even attempted to answer and that they gave only 2 weeks notice. That show a lack of respect for their users here, the 2 week notice thing. Let me repeart because they haven't seemed to hear it a REAL lack of respect and concern. When goto (auctionrover) did that I said on this board at least AW is professional enough that when they do switch to a pay system they will give a 30 day notice. I was wrong. For that reason I will train the people I train in the future elsewhere. Many won't forget that they didn't give a fair notice and then did not on any professional manner address the issues.
However, all said and done there will be less people using the services here but the people that will be using it will be paying. A few paying people compared to a lot of free people on board let me see they what would I want . . .
Less people less reasources used. They never paid most turned of the banners and very few ever paid attention to the adds etc. . . The other end few people but paying people . . .
If they would have been smart they would have given 30 notice and trashed the 1 % fee. I was going to just keep going here and pay the 5 cents what motivated me to do it otherwise was the lack of notice and that darn 1%. I work hard for my profit. I am renting space here. I am not going to give them profit but I would have paid rent and will on those few occasions when I need to prerschedule.
If anyone gets to this point yell yippppe I am almost done <grin>
posted on March 3, 2001 03:59:54 PM new
From past experience, everyone should make sure that they have their pictures elsewhere besides AW, i.e. another website, your own hard-drive... Over a year ago, I had some 75 auctions listed/running when the site that hosted my pictures decided that Ebay pics were taking up to much band width and people were not deleting files.. I'm not sure how they did it, but their logos showed up on all current auctions running instead of my pictures. No notice was given, they just said they were allowed to do it because that's what the agreement said. Who know's what AW will decide about pictures! You don't sign up to their wonderful new payment plans, well maybe their logo will look better in your ad than your picture. It can be a nightmare as it was a year ago for me. Good luck to all. I guess I'm a rat jumping ship!
posted on March 3, 2001 05:38:20 PM new
I'm so glad to have been of help to others regarding my experiences with other sources of free image hosting. That's one of the benefits I guess of having my email address in my user profile so others can simply click on "BJGrolle", get my email address, and they'll get mega info. that I wouldn't be allowed to post on this board.
Of course, I keep the same UserID on eBay, so a search of my current auctions, those listed today of course, would also reveal that same info.
While I used to use AW's launching services, I got tired of the endless problems and went back to listing directly on site. My auctions do well without scheduling regardless of what time or day they post. I use software-based post-sale management that cost me less than $20, a one-time fee. And it works every time, no serious glitches.
So, while I'll admit that AW has a great concept of trying to meet the needs of its users from start to finish throughout the auction process, to try and charge for something that isn't reliably meeting the needs of the users is way off base.
posted on March 3, 2001 06:01:07 PM new
Well everybody, I'm leaving. I'd rather go somewhere that allows me to talk freely without the fear of getting "locked" or being routed somewhere else. I am with those who say either leave or stay. So I'm packing up my things and I'm outta here! I'd like to thank everyone for the good times and all the help that you have given me! You are a great group of people and I wish you all the luck in your endeavors. Please feel free to send email to [email protected] if you'd like to chat! Thanks again!
PS- You may see musicman1212 post on here again it's my fiancee's ID.
posted on March 3, 2001 07:14:06 PM new
AW had a good thing going for themselves and us. Now, it appears they are going to ruin it. The reality is that with Ebay increasing fees recently, Post Office increasing their rates and now AW charging to image host and launch auctions, a whole bunch of us sellers will have to look elsewhere. What bothers me more than the fees AW is going to impose is the way they did this..........NO REAL WARNING ! !
This is nothing more than a stab in the back to those loyal supporters of AW. No consideration is given. Auctions sales are down, costs are going up and AW wants to put their hands in the till....
There are other providers of FREE image hosting out there. So why on earth PAY for something you can get FREE ? ? ?
There is an old expression about a fool and his money....get the drift?
WAKE UP AW . . YOU MADE A BID, BAD BOO BOO ! ! ! !
posted on March 3, 2001 07:20:25 PM new
According to traceyg AW has nothing to worry about. She claims they are going to make money from the people she trains and from "befuddeled middleclass homemakers". Very interesting and insulting at the same time!
posted on March 3, 2001 07:21:50 PM newjoice I deleted your post last evening without explanation and I apologize. I was busy and forgot to leave you a note!
Your post on listing from your computer was promoting the use of a competitor's product. It was deleted for that reason.
Thank you very much joice for the explanation and apology. I was equally at fault. Since AW ceased it's email service, I had neglected to update a new email address. You could not have emailed me. I sincerely apologise to you for this.
I also wish to say, even with this new home scheduling from a home pc possibility, AW still offers a very good service [-FVF of course ]. When a picture is uploaded to AW, a new, smaller size thumbnail is produced and a link to the original pic is created. By making a new smaller thumbnail instead of simply keeping the original pic's width reduced, the auction page loads faster for bidders with slower internet connections.
You do not get this with the "competing products".
BTW
I opened a thread in the moderation corner to ask you a question about this. If you can spare a minute I would appreciate it.
If I sign up for the "Standard" service, does that mean that I can import auctions to my auction panel from ebay and use all of the post auction management features even if I never launch an auction from AW?
Thanks in advance.
posted on March 3, 2001 10:14:10 PM new
First it was the loss of my auctionwatch e-mail address--quite a pain if you ask me. Now fees. I enjoyed all the new benefits of 'post sale' but I'm not willing to add more fees to my auction. However, if Auction Watch decides to drop the 1% final value fee I hope they send out a notice to all of us 'former' Auction Watch users so we'll have an opportunity to return.
Farewell from a former Auction Watch user of several years.
posted on March 3, 2001 10:19:53 PM new
"AW had a good thing going for themselves and us."
mulberry912, you totally crack me up. Perhaps you could explain to me how AW had a good thing going by supporting thousands of sellers for absolutely no money in return?
Could you explain to me the basic principals of how a business stays in business by doing this?
JMHO
Bob
[ edited by bob on Mar 3, 2001 10:31 PM ]
posted on March 3, 2001 10:54:43 PM new
Which is the reply I expected, and it's wrong. Go take a peek at yahoo's last quarter results and their forward looking statements on ad revenue, it's in the sewer. Yahoo is the ultimate in ad sales, and if they're having issues you can bet AW is too.
The fact of the matter is that ad based revenue is rapidly declining on the web, and is most likely only subsidizing part of AW's operation.
As for the napster piece, you're wrong there too. Napster offers a billion dollars because it's backed by VC heavyweights that are willing to pay a billion for a market actually worth hundreds of billions more. It was part publicity stunt because they knew the offer wouldn't be accepted- they thought they'd score media brownie points.
posted on March 3, 2001 11:15:04 PM new
According to traceyg AW has nothing to worry about. She claims they are going to make money from the people she trains and from "befuddeled middleclass homemakers". Very interesting and insulting at the same time!>>
Better read a little more clearly. I don't train befuddle middleclass homemakers. I don't have the time or energy for that. I teach dealers mostly the older ones that have been in the business for 30-50 years how to place the goods on Ebay, Yahoo and the like. The real dealers aren't going to grip about paying the prices at AW. Compared to what they pay in co-ops etc... It is a very small price to pay. They look at time and AW in many ways does save time. To them a 200 down is nothing at all. Most of them carry that much and more in their spare change bank roll. The other part that will carry AW are the people that believe that can't learn how to do it themselves or just can't get it.
posted on March 3, 2001 11:19:49 PM new
One more thing before I go. I suggest you take your customer list with you as well as your last closed auction transactions. AuctionWatch doesn't offer a download, so the easiest way to take them with you is to copy and paste them into EXCEL. Once there, choose Format, Column, Auto Fit Selection. Then choose Format, Row, Auto Fit. Finally, to remove the weird colors that are copied into the files and to add grid lines, choose Format, Auto Format, List 3 (or any other one you like). Your files will now be available to you in whatever auction program you choose.
Good luck and see you soon with a new auction server.
Sincerely,
MJ
PS: Sorry if this was discussed earlier--didn't have time to read all 500 posts in this thread.
posted on March 4, 2001 03:23:26 AM new
Anonymous Coward,
Could you please send me a copy of your link- i already emailed you - just wanted to make it public that i think AW is WRONG for the SHORT NOTICE AND 1% FEE - and then no credit on relists- come on-
posted on March 4, 2001 05:33:39 AM newtraceyg I think you should read more clearly. I didn't say that you train "beffudeled middle class homemakers". I merely quoted you as saying that they were part of the group that AW would make their money from. If you reread your post you will see that.
In my opinion most people who have the initiative to sell on line to begin with have the ability to figure out how to get their listings and images on line without the aid of AW and their new fees.
AW sells advertising space..Clear and simple. (LOOK AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE) The more people that use AW to launch their auctions, the more $$$ AW can charge for their valuable advertising space. It is just like your local TV network stations. The Station your friends and neighbors watch the most get a higher premium for their valuable advertising space. The TV Station on the bottom of the heap (fewer viewers)sells advertising for bargin (if you can call it that) prices just to make the payroll. By the way, BOB, you have been watching TV for almost 50 without being charged, unless you pay for cable, and they survive ! ! Should AW loose 40% of their core supporters their advertising clients will jump ship as well and move on to greener pastures. That will cause even more increases in fees to those that decided to stick it out.
Basically we are talking supply and demand. AW currently is the largest auction support web site that brings in hundreds of thousands of potential buyers to their advertisers market daily. When those potential buyers are gone, well, the writing is clearly on the wall.
Just to let you know, I have a Masters Degree from M.I.T. in marketing and spent 40 years in advertising. I know how the game works. AW obviously does not have the expertise to understand consumer based support trends. Their fees are not really out of line at $.05 per listing. The 1% does not meet the criteria of good logic. Charging 1% of your profits from an auction that AW does not even host is a stretch to say the least.
The bottom line is this. AW will loose a large portion of their consumer support thus cutting the buying power drastically. Advertisers will begin to relocate and AW will loose revenues from them. Now where will they get the $$$$ to cover their payroll? From loyal, diehard supporters who stayed with the sinking ship.
posted on March 4, 2001 08:57:09 AM new
I would probably pay the $.05 for the listing but the 1% FVF is too much. Unlike ebay, it sounds like you pay the FVF even if you get a deadbeat bidder.
I listed several things last night on Honesty, which is what I used to use before Auctionwatch. Honesty is free is you have fewer than 70 images stored. Since I am a small timer, it is perfect. What I did like about AW is the ability to schedule listing. Honesty now offers this feature for a $.15 fee. This may be the way to go.
posted on March 4, 2001 09:01:07 AM new
Well, it was fun while it lasted. Like many others, I can accept a listing fee. But NOT a percent of my final sale. I do auctions for a little extra money. Most of my sales are under $10, and by the time everyone gets his cut,(ebay, the Post Office, AW) it may cost me money to sell! What's wrong with this picture? But what really makes me furious it that AW sells my email address. Now I get to pay to have all the junk email? I don't think so. Using AW was nice, but not necessary. I am sure there are other free options out there. After Mar 14, I to am gone. Bye Bye!!
posted on March 4, 2001 09:36:54 AM new
Another update on the piecemeal responses from AW....
Re: NPB and refunds for FVF, as posted by MelissaAW in the Services forum:
"What you will need to do is send an email to eBay about your deadbeat bidder(s), eBay will then issue you a refund email. You then need to send the refund email from eBay to AuctionWatch customer service, and we'll refund you at that point."
and again, for clarification:
"All we need you to do is when you encounter a deadbeat bidder from an ebay auction, you need to contact eBay for the refund. They will send you an email confirming your refund from eBay. Once you have received that "confirmation" email from eBay, you will then need to forward that email on to AuctionWatch customer support in order for us to issue you a refund from AuctionWatch as well."
Now, people on that other thread are discussing what the "email" is... as it seems that Ebay doesn't send out a confirmation of refund for FVF...
I don't sell, I'm just reporting back. So, doesn't anyone else know what AW means?
posted on March 4, 2001 10:07:32 AM new
Mulberry912,
Your posts have continued in a disruptive manner. You are now formally warned. I am bypassing the informal warning due to the request you received via email.
]. When a picture is uploaded to AW, a new, smaller size thumbnail is produced and a link to the original pic is created. By making a new smaller thumbnail instead of simply keeping the original pic's width reduced, the auction page loads faster for bidders with slower internet connections.
