experiments with new auction sites

[GuntherHess]

As I have said I would like to list some stuff at an online auction that is not ebay in response to thier horrible new restrictions.
I figured I would do an experiment and try to list one of my previous auctions at a couple sites.
I have determined that ePier and WeBidz seem to be good candidates.
Hopefully my experiments may help others thinking about alternatives to ebay.
My test auction is for one of my 2008 Medicine CDROMs.
I have the auction body text and images written in html.

I first tried ePier. I registered with them as a user. The regitration was simple maybe a bit too simple , there was no type of verification of my identity other than me responding with a link sent to my email.
I then tried to list an item. They offer a very good category selection for antique bottles, as good or even better than ebay.
It seemed that I could enter all the listing info and the HTML script in ok. I finished the listing entry and hit upload and it started to upload the listing but apparently thier server locked up. The listing did not get loaded and all the listing data was cleared[] I also noticed that while looking at auctions there thier server seemed to fail on random searches. I would say they still have stability issues on the site.

I next tried WeBidz. I also registered here in a similar way.
WeBidz has a pretty crappy selection of catagories for antique bottles. Pretty much everything is just heaped into one big mess.
When I got ready to enter a seller listing it informed me I had to be verified. This is done via either paypal or google checkout and costs you $5. I'm not sure how you can be verified without one of these services. I think these are pretty good verifications of user ID but they need some additional methods. I feel doing the verification means they are at least somewhat concerned with security.
Once verified I could add a listing. The first problem I encountered is they dont allow html in thier listing text. They need to fix that. I had to limit my listing to a text ad. I was able to upload an image pretty easy (either with me or them hosting it).
I finished the listing and it uploaded ok.
Here is the listing
http://www.webidz.com/auction_details.php?auction_id=1786987
One thing i like is how they allow the auctions to be easily sorted by each column of the listings.

 

[digger mcdirt]

I also tried those sites neither seemed to have traffic for old bottles. I bought a couple but after a month of no sales I moved on. I am now trying EBID and IOFFER both seem to have the same problem low interest in Bottles. I have run several $15 up bottles and many more $10 down bottles with the same results. Yes there are the Lurkers who are looking to steal something but as far as honest traffic it simply is not on those sites right now. I have about another 10 days of EBID then I will cast it into the no sales file with EPIER and WEBIDZ. I may go back to the Antique mall and Flea Market with mine. Ebay rules are running off tons of Collectors and Dealers but right now they are all (me included ) like a Army in full retreat just going here and there with no set destination or point of reorganization. Hopefully your experiment with those sites will prove to be better than mine. I hope before Oct when Efees new rules kick in full force we will find something that is a temporary haven for bottle buyers and sellers. It's really Sad what Ebay is doing to itself. Maybe when their Stock drops to a certain point they will wake up and smell the Coffee. But by then it will probaly be too late to right the ship.

 

[GuntherHess]

Definately true that ebay wants to get away from the yard sale and flea market theme (even if thats where they really began). They want to cater to the power seller people making a living at it (see serfdom [])http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serfdom

Think of these new online auction sites as the American West in pioneer times. Someone has to go first an blaze a trail. I realize taking my auctions somewhere else isnt going to do any significant harm to ebay but i also realize when i am no longer welcome and that has been made clear by thier attitudes. It may end up that I just have to sell on my own web site only.

 

[georgeoj]

WHAT ABOUT RIGHT HERE?
I have been posting here for a while now and like the site very much. There could be a small fee on each transaction ( say 1% ) and that should pay all costs including some salaries. With all of the knowledgable people who post here, it should be easy to police for fakes and crooks. If we all keep on searching for a site to replace fleabay we will never find it. If each of us puts the effort into establishing a serious market here, it can be done and it can be what we all want. A safe and friendly site where fakes and crooks are not welcome.
George

 

[georgeoj]

Once the auction section has been set up, it will be fairly easy to spread the word. Most bottle clubs would aid in spreading the word for a legitimate collectors auction site. Initially sellers could be protected from losses by setting reserves until the site becomes well known (without a charge for setting a reserve). Keep in mind that we do not have to have hundreds of millions of customers, just those who are interested in bottles, jars, etc. that we collect. It will work if we do it. Remember that fleabay started from the sale of a Pez collection? You have to have a place to go before you can go there. People would flock to the site and it would be a major hit within six months.
George

 

[jdogrulz]

I have been working on a Auction site for about 4 months now. Still working out the bugs and sparsing up the code. Will be done soon. It will be for Antiques specializing in Bottles. I understand what lobeycat is saying, it is always a challenge in getting customers to your site but I feel that georgeoj is right. If you get enough people insterested, then between word of mouth (or internet), good meta tags, good search placement...etc. we could all have a nice place to go. I am very willing to take requests on any part of the site. Wouldn't it be a change to have support that actually listens (or is really a human and not a Bot!!). Well anyway ideas opinions welcome.

Thanks

 

[GuntherHess]

I went back and tried to do a listing at ePier again. This time the server seems to be working.
Here is the listing...
http://www.epier.com/biddingform.asp?1817254

It seems to have taken all my html code OK.

One thing you have to be careful about is the defalt is to have your phone number show up on your listings. If like me you dont want that, go to your profile and un-check the box next to your phone number.

One thing that doesnt seem to be working is the edit listing function. I could not go back and edit a listing I entered. They have a link to do it but it doesnt currently seem to be implemented.

Now that I have tried both WeBidz and ePier I would say there are things I like and dislike about both. Right now I'm going to have to say ePier is the site best suited to selling bottles right now just because WeBidz has such a poor catagory structure for bottles. I will probably list some bottles there in the near future.

 

[jdogrulz]

Hey Matt, I assume since neither yourself nor anyone else replied to my above post that you dont think it would fly?[&o]

 

[GuntherHess]

I assume since neither yourself nor anyone else replied to my above post that you dont think it would fly?

I wouldnt make that conclusion, it may be very successful depending on what your goal is.
My focus of this thread was to evaluate some ebay alternatives.
I am working with what I currently have at my disposal. If you make a bottles only auction site that will not serve my purpose as I have other stuff to sell.
That isnt to say that I wouldnt also list bottles on a bottle specific auction site.

 

[jdogrulz]

I sent you a PM Matt.