Help with auction site

[phil44]

Mr. Bottles

Seems like a really neat project. In my opinion there is no shame in using the ebay format as a template for your endeavor. Of course you need to personalize it – make it different enough to have it be different from them.

After revolutionizing the collecting community it’s it safe to say ebay alienated us and took a large portion of the fun out of it. I organized a couple of really fantastic out of state digs through contacts I met on there etc. There is still communication but it’s discouraged now, which was one of the things I especially liked about it.

The bottle collecting community is close knit enough to make it successful. All segments of the Bottle Collecting Community will utilize it if its beneficial to us - works smoothly- fairly - and is profitable. I think you'll be surprised by all the people that will use it, even people from the big bottle auctions and magazines. I know I'll definitely give it a try.

If it catches on with us you may as well borrow most of the Collectible and some of the Antique section from Ebay because other groups of collectors in various other categories surley have similar needs.

I’m glad to see your toning it down some. The first thing I saw was very chaotic and reminded me of a Family Guy episode.

I suggest you tone it down even more. I really like the format of the new American Glass Gallery Website. I think it’s very tasteful and pleasant to read.

Good Luck Phil

 

[mrbottles]

Hi Phil,

The site will be a lot more graphically appealing once we decide how it is going to look. Even the image navigation and drop down menus are just place holders now. I am going into my office today to just work on the copy for the site all day. Each thing you do on the site sends and email like when you are outbid or when the auction closes. I have about thirty pages to write. I hope to get them done today. And the policy. It is all common sense to me but my experience is people rationalize lying and cheating so I am going to make rules and unlike other venues we are going to remove intentional violators. If people have a dispute they will have feedback to deal with it if someone sticks it to other collectors intentionally we won’t be able to fix the transaction but we will remove them for good and do whatever we can to help. This is not about any other site other than the auction sites take onerous commissions.

One of my goals for even my own Wisconsin site is build the community of collectors. That is the one that looks like an episode of family guy. For that site I wanted to make sure people who find bottles and hit a search engine know they hit the right place. So while the site is garish it does let people know visually they have found the right spot. You would not believe how many people who know nothing about bottles hit that site spend ten minutes and the ask questions every week. I and my administrators promote the hobby and share information freely. Wayne recommended a learning center type page with information. It is a great idea but I don’t know that I have the time to build it. I may just point them out to mrbottles. Maybe if the site gets moving I will hire employees just for it. My God can you image how happy a couple of bottle collectors would be for the opportunity to work in their passion full time?

Once we figure out the graphic navigation the site will be cleaned up and be visually definitive and clutter free. We still have some major functionality to add to the graphic user interface. There are two more graphic buttons that will be different than the row of bottles that is still not anywhere near good enough. Really the stuff you see is just holding space to get the concept down right now. Anyway one of the other major categories is general antiques. People can sell whatever antique they like. Just no new junk. No pills no wine none of the clutter resold from the dollar store or some market America resale shop and adult content. They have other venues where they can sell that junk.

We are going to have personal pages or stores where people can tell a little about themselves like why they sell what they sell what they collect and can have long term listings at flat rates. So if you are willing to sell your number one bottle but you have to get insane money for it so that you can replace it with something you like and still put money in your IRA and have some pocket money for the next show you can list it and keep it in you store. If no one bites you are out nothing. Antique people can get in and put stuff up and lose nothing. I am going to draw the line at fifty years unless it is definitely a bottle or stoneware related collectable but if someone wants to sell an antique rug they are welcome or an antique golf club or whatever. We will make it visually clear those people are welcome but the word will have to get out. When the site is able to securely take registrations I will start to ask other site owners to help promote it.

Thanks… I need more feedback and ideas!!!

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/default2.asp


Steven[/i]

 

[SNDMN59]

How about glass fire gernades ?


SNDMN59

 

[mrbottles]

I found an awesome one once sold it on eBay to a guy from england. Yes they will be in, great catch!

Steven

 

[SNDMN59]

What if a person has antique booths or antique shop, that really has a big selection of bottles and wants to advertise for people on vacation etc. maybe show their business cards ? So while traveling they can plan to stop at that area to browse ?

SNDMN59

 

[mrbottles]

That is a grey area I will have to think about. The intent is legit BUT this is not a free bulletin board site where access to traffic for ad posting. I will think it over but I don't think that will be allowed. I did see some great bottles in a shop on Sanabelle Island last year on vacation. Still that is stuff for another place. Like the website of the antique shop.

More feedback more questions more ideas... Please. Even the questions are helping to clarify the issues and the perspective of the policy rules I will be working on.

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/default2.asp

Steven

 

[SNDMN59]

I mean't if your a member , charge a certain fee to have your card adv.

 

[mrbottles]

Yes that might be an idea to explore... I have to think it over. Maybe it could go to a general business card page or something.

More ideas more feedbcak more thoughts... PLEASE.

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/default2.asp

Steven

 

[mrbottles]

Hey lobeycat,

Not for sale. I am more fearful places like that will try to bully us for hurting their bottom line if that ever does happen. There are plenty of things like Viagra and used cars they can keep selling and for all the unfriendly stuff those places do i am pretty sure they don't care much about us.

Load times will be snappy it. The site will be clutter free. The main site navigation is already settles as is one line across the top. There will be a few more image navigation pieces and it is done.

Thanks for the input.

More please!

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/

http://holding230w.inetwd.com/default2.asp


Steven

 

[GuntherHess]

Antique bottle sellers are an insignificant flea on the ebay dog[] Even though ebay made thier name with collectibles that's not where they smell the money now.
Your site has the possibility of bringing back some of the fun that was ebay in the old days before corporate greed ruined it. Its not hard , just listen to your customers.