posted on July 30, 2003 08:50:40 PM new
I have a major question for you eager beavers who have lots and lots of auctions ready to launch -- say, after Labor Day or such.
You must have MANY photos in Vendio, and they'd be all in one place, right? How do you manage to put up with all of those when you're continuing to list even more? Seems to me you'd have to scroll interminably to find the pictures for a given auction launch. Do you have some secret?
FYI--I usually keep pictures in Vendio until after I've heard from the buyer and I know there are no problems with a given auction item. Maybe there's another way to do that?
posted on July 30, 2003 09:23:53 PM new
I don't have hundreds of items to list after labor day, but i do list hundreds of items/week and the only way I have found to prevent the need to scroll through images when listing is to title them in descending alphabetical and numerical order..I upload the images I am working on (about 50/day) and then upload again the next day - the new images are on top of the previous days...I don't delete from Vendio but just let them expire.
An example are the titles I am working on today: 35hrd81stlouis followed by 35hrd80timbuktu, 35hrd79whatever etc etc...I used to just delcine numerically but by the time I reached 35 i realized I had to add the alphabet too or I would run out of numbers - If you set it up right from the start, you wouldn't need to have so many characters! I started working with 35zzz99podunkcity and a year later I am still in the 35's!
posted on July 30, 2003 09:42:21 PM newDo you list hundreds of auctions ahead of time?
Yes.
Seems to me you'd have to scroll interminably to find the pictures
You've hit on one of the big reasons why I don't use an auction management system. Scrolling through thumbnails or file names is a time killer. It sure was on Andale.
I currently have 169 mb of image files on my ISP's server. That's over 8,000 individual images. 90% of my auctions are relists from within the last 90 days, so most of the time I don't even need to look up an image file.
If you want to do volume (not everyone does), you've got to keep it simple.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
posted on July 30, 2003 10:03:07 PM new
I use AuctionWorks which allows me to create folders to keep both my inventory and my images organized. I ave something along the lines of 10 folders right now so the scrolling is minimal. Also as long as you know the name it takes no time at all. Definately less problematic than when I say using Vendio. The whole process is much faster with them plus I have my set up programed to auctomatically leave feedback when it is left for me.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really Common Sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on July 31, 2003 12:20:29 AM new
Thanks everyone. Gee, you all have given me some ideas. For now I'm going to stick with Vendio and soldier on as long as I can. I appreciate the idea of listing them numerically or alphabetically.
One of you hit the nail on the head--that it's not too hard if we can remember what we named the picture! I've discovered the hard way that I need to name it what I first started calling it (pitcher and bowl, history of Phila., etc.) and not try to get fancy and change names in midstream.
posted on July 31, 2003 04:44:26 AM new
I name my pictures when I upload them by month and day and description. For example Jul30shortdescription. Usually it is a 3 or 5 letter description.
posted on July 31, 2003 05:55:21 AM new
i do not list hundred of auctions ahead of time,as i dont believe in making ebay richer and me poorer!!!!!
-sig file -------They may have ginsu knife,but we have DING KING!!!!
posted on July 31, 2003 07:28:23 AM new
I have yet to find a program for offline listing that is Mac compatible. For that reason I have had to compare auctual spped of usage of the basic services offered by the different sites and Works is by far the fastest.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really Common Sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Jul 31, 2003 07:31 AM ]
posted on July 31, 2003 07:59:41 AM new
I'm not sure if Vendio's offline program is Mac compatible or not, but it is extrememly fast!
And, I actually pull the pics from my computer as I need them. That way they are all there in alpha or numerical order and come up next in line to add to the auction. Mine are easy because I sell postcards and I just give each one a distinct number which is also my inventory number for that card.
posted on July 31, 2003 08:50:08 AM new
I guess mine are easy too. I list a few hundred at a time and just name the picture alphabetically. LeslieSansone3packdvd, DeathvalleyDaysvhs, etc. Takes no time at all to find them, you just have to find the best system for whatever you sell. For example, I wouldn't start my picture names with videoxxxxx, because I would have way too many that start with that title.
posted on July 31, 2003 11:02:51 AM newi do not list hundred of auctions ahead of time,as i dont believe in making ebay richer and me poorer!!!!!
Then your time must not be worth anything.
See, that's the difference -- mine is valuable. There are two ways to make future listing work:
1) You have time available at a time of day that isn't good for eBay selling. I'm frequently up at 4 am for one reason or another. I get a lot of pre-lists done then.
2) You have multiples of an item. If I list three times in three different sessions, it costs me 2.5 minutes each for a total of 7.5 minutes. If I list three identical items to start consecutively, it costs me 2.5 minutes for the first and 1 minute for the other two. So I save three minutes by doing it this way.
I think it's awfully shortsighted to look at it as just paying eBay more to do the same thing. Because I pre-list some every day, I have 55 auctions ready to go on, say, Saturday. If something happens (have to take the cat to the vet, car breaks down stranding me or I decide to go to the beach for the day) those auctions will still launch without me being here. That's guaranteed revenue when you have 100% sellthrough like I do. Will I pay 10 cents extra to have cash coming in on an item? Sure, absolutely, you bet. I have a ton of inventory sitting around here at the moment that doesn't generate any cash for me until it is auctioned off.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
posted on July 31, 2003 11:23:28 AM new
I think it depends entirely what you are selling.
I typed in "Diamond Bracelet" out of curiosity to see what jewelry sales are like, and some stuff that looks like utter crap just gets bid on like mad. Bad pictures, questionable quality etc. Yet some sellers have bids on all their items. I mean, I can go to costco and do better...and I can bring a loupe!
(What cracks me up, is that the feedback on some of this stuff...diamonds fell out in transit, etc...will people ever learn?...sigh.)
If I type in Swarovski beads, I don't see that same sell through rate as mentioned above.
J
All the monkeys aren't in the zoo,
Every day you meet quite a few,
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are,
You could be swingin' on a star
posted on July 31, 2003 11:37:06 AM new
My husband and I have separate ISPs (he just won't upgrade, end of story) so we have twice the webspace for picture hosting. When I see how much it costs to pay for picture hosting, I can't imagine doing it any other way. In fact, it might even be cheaper for some people to pay the 20 bucks a month for an additional ISP just for that reason.
I can't do the alpha numeric thing for pictures..my brain just doesn't work that way. I have to name each picture something I remember. Of course, I sell all unique items, not multiple listings of the same thing. Husband on the other hand, names his pictures by really obscure number and letter codes, which drives me bananas when trying to clean up the webspace..most of the time HE doesn't even remember what "at4356.jpg" means!
posted on July 31, 2003 11:46:09 AM newMy husband and I have separate ISPs (he just won't upgrade, end of story) so we have twice the webspace for picture hosting. When I see how much it costs to pay for picture hosting, I can't imagine doing it any other way. In fact, it might even be cheaper for some people to pay the 20 bucks a month for an additional ISP just for that reason.
Huh? Boomspeed is only $6 per month for 100 megs. Many other image hosting providers are about the same price.
-------------- sig file -----------Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional. .
posted on July 31, 2003 11:47:41 AM new
I don't sell either diamond bracelets or Swarovski beads. Both are usually crap.
A "diamond bracelet" is one that has a diamond in it, somewhere. Doesn't have to be a diamond visible to the naked eye, even. Could be and often is a diamond chip.
Swarovski, well, don't get me started.
As I have said here before, I sell precious metal jewelry. Actual precious metal, not plated or bonded. That's why I get lots of bids.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
posted on July 31, 2003 11:53:40 AM new
I use Vendio for image hosting because for $30/month i get unlimited hosting, ability to schedule launches ( and not have to worry about fitting any part of my work day around times that are GOOD for eBay), very good post-sale management, an auction gallery (VD calls it a "store" ), THIS SELLERS FORUM (wow! such a deal!) and good technical support.
I do name each item and only prefix my images with alphanumeric (image name is at the end) - i guess this is easier working with scans because i just change the last digit and the name for each new item. I don't worry about going back and finding the image again after listing - I find the auction and right click to find the image id# and use that and I never delete images until they Vendio does.
I am with Fluffy - you can't look at listing as giving your money away to eBay! You have to buy a lottery ticket to win the lottery and you have to list to make $ in eBay. Sales generate sales and either you are in it or you aren't and I don't have anywhere NEAR a 100% sell through rate!
posted on July 31, 2003 11:56:43 AM new
My ISP provides me, for $24.95/month:
250 mb file storage ("image hosting"
Virtual domain hosting
Web page with cgis, includes
Direct access by telnet, ftp, ssh
Full-featured Unix shell account for development
51 mailboxes
...and a lot more stuff I never use, like an SQL database.
Plus, if I call over there because there's a problem, I'm connected directly with a geek in the machine room who knows what's going on because he's working on it.
I am not a bathtub full of brightly-colored machine tools on Vendio.
posted on July 31, 2003 12:30:53 PM new
FWC,
I wasn't trying to out you, I just randomly chose those two searches.
BTW, I am glad to hear it, I like a seller who doesn't shite in the little guy.
My collection of jewelry ended abruptly when my dad left saudi...I still miss the souks! wah!
;D
J
All the monkeys aren't in the zoo,
Every day you meet quite a few,
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are,
You could be swingin' on a star
