bunnicula
|
posted on January 3, 2004 08:50:11 PM new
OK, I've been doing auctions since I started on eBay in 1999. I've been seeing ads on eBay about a free trial for an eBay store, though, and wonder if it's worth it to have one.
Can anyone here give me pros and cons? Do they get the exposure that regular auctions do? Etc. etc. etc.
|
dadofstickboy
|
posted on January 3, 2004 08:55:20 PM new
I killed mine for the New Year.
Started it when Vendio started to support it.
Months went by with hardly any lookers.
Guess it matters what you sell!
I was also going to kill the Vendio store,but low and behold on Xmas eve got my first sale since I had it running.
So I didn't kill it.
|
neglus
|
posted on January 3, 2004 09:06:41 PM new
I've had a store since last spring. I sell enough from it to pay the fees and make a little bit besides..the best thing about the store IMHO is the visibility. Ebay's new cross sales feature works pretty well too.
|
auctionACE
|
posted on January 3, 2004 09:41:59 PM new
I killed mine too. Almost nobody knows the ebay stores even exist. Another major ebay failure.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
|
stonecold613
|
posted on January 3, 2004 10:54:28 PM new
Had it. Dropped it. The biggest problem with them is if you are doing an ebay search for an item, the search does not include stores. You have to promote your stores just to get someone to look at them. And you will find that most people will not take the time to page through endless pages of items to find what they may be looking for. They want to do the search and find the item(s) through normal searches.
And auctiondoofus, blah blah blah blah.
|
capyoda
|
posted on January 4, 2004 05:15:48 AM new
a yahoo store will probably fair better.
rates are higher though..
I hardly look at those stores anymore too when i shop for stuff.
|
meowmix71
|
posted on January 4, 2004 06:35:06 AM new
Tried one twice. Just closed the second one down a few days ago. No sales, hardly any lookers. Definately not worth it for me. My Vendio storefront does very good so I am sticking with that. At least the sales are enough to justify the expense and a little exra with my Vendio.
|
shodgin
|
posted on January 4, 2004 07:27:07 AM new
I have one, I seem to get quite a few hits... doesn't seem like alot of sales though. I justify it by figuring it's one more way for exposure. And the cross promotion does work well! I use View Tracker (a pretty cool tool I might add!) and I had alot of "direct link" hits, meaning they're clicking straight through to my item... and bidding on it or at least saving it to watch...
One thing that drives me crazy, is I can't tell from the Vendio Inventory page, which items in "Qty at Auction" are from my eBay store, and which are "Live Auctions!
Just my 2 cents worth!
Steve
ICU2 Collectibles
|
bunnicula
|
posted on January 4, 2004 08:42:19 AM new
Thanks, all. Sounds like an eBay store isn't worth it.
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
|
rampaged
|
posted on January 4, 2004 09:23:16 AM new
Well I guess I'll have to take some heat for this post, but so be it.
I have an eBay store and have had it for a long time now. Over half my sales come from my eBay store so it's money well spent.
The secret is you have to make your store work by adding links to regular auctions to drive customers to your store. Also important is adding links to all email communications you have with your customers to encourage them to visit your store.
I am continually enhancing my store and regular auctions to drive customers to my store. It's not something you can start and forger about it. You have to constantly review, revamp and think of new ways to encourage your customers.
It's a lot of work, but well worth it.
Bridge is a game that separates the men from the boys. It also separates husbands and wives.
"George Burns"
1896 - 1996
|
shodgin
|
posted on January 4, 2004 09:36:20 AM new
No heat from here!
Good points...
I would just add that making very specific categories help too. Then the customer doesn't have to "wade" through pages of things they're not looking for...
ICU2 Collectibles
|
fluffythewondercat
|
posted on January 4, 2004 10:29:42 AM new
Good discussion.
As a buyer, all the stores look alike to me. I get the impression that the stuff is warehoused there once, then never looked at again. The eBay Stores interface is partly to blame for this, I think.
As a seller, I have lots of stray doodads that aren't, strictly speaking, intact pieces of jewelry. It's flea-marketable stuff, though high-end because it's all sterling silver. I was thinking of starting an "odd bits" kind of store for these items...a place where jewelry hobbyist makers and crafters could look for unique things to incorporate into their work.
So I'm interested in what Stores folks have to say.
--
"What does the 'O' stand for?"
"Nothing."
|
fluffythewondercat
|
posted on January 4, 2004 10:53:14 AM new
OK, the images are big, so I won't post them directly, but here are some links to the kind of merch I'm thinking of selling in an eBay Store:
http://www.fluffythewondercat.com/j/scrap1.jpg
http://www.fluffythewondercat.com/j/scrap2.jpg
http://www.fluffythewondercat.com/j/scrap3.jpg
Comments?
--
"What does the 'O' stand for?"
"Nothing."
|
wgm
|
posted on January 4, 2004 11:23:03 AM new
rampaged - I totally agree! I have had my eBay store for almost two months (doesn't seem that long!), and I have had success with it. It is a lot of work to maintain, but the sales are absolutely worth it 
__________________________________
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to the people who sleep under the very blanket of freedom I provide, and then question the manner in which I provide it. I'd rather you just said 'thank you' and went on your way." - A Few Good Men
|
neglus
|
posted on January 4, 2004 02:24:38 PM new
Fluff - make sure if you do add a store that you do it under a main id with lots of auctions running.
I think all who recommend EBay stores will concur that the only way one can attract lookers to a store is through self promotion in auctions and emails.
If you can carry enough items in one category in your store, you will get your name near the top of the "stores" list in every ebay search (in the left column - related stores)..
Maybe as ebay buyers get more accustomed to the store idea they will search stores as part of their regular searches. While it's great to make the stores category specific, a nice feature is that there is a separate individual store search feature built right in.
At any rate, I am certain that I get store business because of buyers' desires to combine shipping - that angle doesn't work with your business model but perhaps you can find another.
|
Neroter12
|
posted on January 4, 2004 02:28:23 PM new
I too, have been giving thoughts to a store. Feel like a lot of my stuff would get purchased if it could be seen long enough but I hate relisting and trying to catch the right buyer at t he right time.
I am going to ask a pretty dumb question for someone hanging round these boards but I havent figured it out so here goes.
Whats the different between an EBAY store and a Vendio Store? Is Vendio just web based?
|
fluffythewondercat
|
posted on January 4, 2004 05:26:28 PM new
Fluff - make sure if you do add a store that you do it under a main id with lots of auctions running.
That makes a lot of sense.
I don't think my one cent jewelry buyers are going to be all that interested in odd bits, though, and none of my other ids run hundreds of auctions a week.
Thanks for mentioning that. I'll have to give it some thought.
--
"What does the 'O' stand for?"
"Nothing."
|
classicrock000
|
posted on January 4, 2004 05:49:06 PM new
been on ebay for almost 6 years-as a buyer I never once looked at a store
|
rampaged
|
posted on January 4, 2004 06:46:25 PM new
Well I have nothing to hide so below is a link to my eBay store and what I sell on eBay.
I should add that 99% of what I sell is heavy cast iron products and most shipments are by UPS. I have a UPS Worldship account.
I only sell fixed, Buy-It-Now as I have an unending supply of products. I run 300 - 500 auctions at all times. I've been selling on eBay for over five years.
http://www.stores.ebay.com/barneyscastironreproductions
"Being critical and judgmental requires little effort, what
requires
effort
is tolerance and compassion. Far too many take the easy path of
criticism."
--- Author Unknown
|
katiyana
|
posted on January 6, 2004 12:39:12 PM new
I'm quite happy with my store results.
I did an analysis of November's invoice from eBay and found that for every $1 spent in fees for my store (listing, gallery, monthly maintenance, and FVF) - I generated $5.62 in sales....
For me, that's a pretty decent ROI.
|
zathras11
|
posted on January 6, 2004 01:17:10 PM new
Tried the eBay store twice, about a year
apart. Just quit for the 2nd time. The
first time around, I broke even or made
a little bit. This time around I lost
big time, and that includes the wonderful
improvements eBay has made to it (give
credit where it is due). The new feature
where they show 4 of your store items in
your regular auctions is nice, but it just
didn't help me any. And now they are going
to cut the store fees from $0.05 to $0.02 per
item. Maybe I'll try again later this year...
Nah! :^) Good luck!
---
"Cannot say. Saying, I would know. Do not
know, so cannot say". -- Zathras (Babylon 5)
|
wendywins
|
posted on January 6, 2004 11:26:10 PM new
I have had my Ebay store for about 8 mos now and do 99% of my sales through it. In fact, I only run auctions to advertise my store listings. I too have an unlimited supply of the same items so the upkeep is less than minimal. I take one photo, once and the item is listed forever on the "Good Til Cancelled" option.
I run through the "My Ebay" every now and then to update the quantities and now with the fee reductions, I'll be saving 50% at that.
The way I see it is that the Ebay store is the place where you set your price, unlike an auction. My selling price is always a minimum of 100% profit but up to 400% profit.
The auctions definitely play a large roll in my business as I include the line, "Please see my Ebay store for many more similar widgets". If people like what they see in the auction, they are compelled to visit the store. There is no chance of being outbid and the item is theirs instantly.
I think the stores setup only works for unique, niche items because of the competition from the auctions. Offer products and/or prices that no one else has and you'll set yourself up for success.
|
rakeshojha
|
posted on January 7, 2004 02:35:03 AM new
Hi,
I had run the FREE TRIAL VENDIO STORE but no success..
I also have my eBay Store running. Infact it is a Featured Store. For the past two-three months there have been very lean sales though. Don't know why.
I always make a point to include my other stores items, so that buyers looking at my auction may go to my store. But little success.
My eBay Store- http://www.stores.ebay.com/quiltsnbeyond
|
