posted on September 16, 2002 11:44:11 PM new
Does openeing up a AW store generate more sales or ebay store will be better? what is the pros and cons on a store front?
posted on September 17, 2002 04:55:24 AM new
I believe I am not in the norm, but I do about 2 or 3 sales a week out of my storefront (it's because I offer free shipping in a certain catagory if you order 4 or more, so people are trying to reach that 4). I guess the up side is that it is free, and I think the downside is that it is difficult to search in it. I have quite a few items in a specific ebay catagory, but AW puts them in the "other" catagory - even when it's obvious what catagory they should go into. You can manually put them in the catagory....but they still aren't showing up correctly. Anyway, I was actually thinking of opening up an ebay store, because I think if I do this well on an AW store I should do better with an ebay one where people can search easier. I would like to hear from people who use an ebay store.
posted on September 17, 2002 01:58:14 PM new
Well, I just read that AW will start charging for their store. Guess that made my decision easier! Some of the AW plans are even more expensive than the ebay store is! I'm planning to try an ebay store - I think I'll do better there anyway. PS - sold 14 items out of my AW store today alone.
posted on September 17, 2002 05:36:17 PM new
"Does opening up a AW store generate more sales or ebay store will be better? " Neither are worth the effort. Just list on ebay through AW and go to the bank (Though my AW dues are creeping up?) I would not even consider selling on ebay as a long time/ full time/ my only money/ effort. I have been here since Sept 1998 and am a minor power seller but I expect to quit late next spring, as each fall rebound is less than the last.
posted on September 17, 2002 07:36:16 PM new
It all depends on how you use it, -- my store typically generates sales from people who negotiate side deals with me, repeat customers or people who browse through as they're preparing to checkout.
It's very common for one of my customers to ask me about additional (but related) products that they hope I can sell to them and/or tell me about a future purchase they plan on making, negotiate a deal and purchase the item later on down the road. If you asked me a 2 months ago if it was worth it, I'd say no, but lately, with some of the new items I'm selling and a new approach -- the store has worked great for me.
Personally, I'm very excited about the new features E.g. Upsell and Category customization. I can't lie and say that I'm happy about the new charges -- BUT just based on how customers ask me if I have product X,Y or Z to go with their purpose and considering I can just provide pre-selected upsell items, I figure it will pay for itself. *Shrugs*
But again, using the stores is just a matter of devising the best way to utilize it and/or how to best fit it into your business model. I've figured out how to do that, so that's why it works for me -- depending on your business, it might work for you.
posted on September 18, 2002 10:52:34 AM new
It works for me- I include a big link in my auctions to my ebay about-me page and on that page I invite people to my AW storefront. I get a couple sales per auction. BUT if AW is going to start charging, I'm going to get a host for my domain name and do it myself. Host my own pictures, too.
A couple weeks back I had four deadbeat storefront buyers in one week- kind of odd, since I hardly ever have any... AW said "don't worry, we don't charge you for sales anyway" If they start charging for the storefront, they'd better work that particular issue out.
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
posted on September 18, 2002 09:17:00 PM new
In a roundabout way, I was using to host alternative venue auctions (not Yahoo! or eBay).
If the bidder won, I would go into inventory, set their winning bid, and process the auction as a storefront purchase.
But since eBay is the only venue that has proven profitable lately, I don't think that service is critical .
I'm very upset that AW sprung this on us right before the XMas season. I was planning to list many items in storefront, though I only sell about one item per month (non-auction). It was still handy for my bidders to see three venues in one place, and I was hoping this autumn sales would pick up.
I have a website too, so this may just be the last straw with storefront. No searching? No profit? No thanks.
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