I haven't used an auction management program in a long time, because I shifted most of my business to my retail websites.
We're doing a little business reorganization over here, and we're hoping to do more auctions again, like we did several years ago. In the past we used SAP, AuctionWatch, and just good old fashioned manual listing. We've also tried Spare Dollar (I didn't like how completely integrated everything was with SpareDollar. When we decided to stop using it, we had to re-do every single store item to replace the old SD frame and such).
I have been trying AuctionSage this week, but realized that when you use their auction scheduler / start time change thing, it charges you money via eBay. :-(
SO--knowing that most of you have a better handle on the management systems out there, I'd like to hear a few opinions if you have time. I am mostly used to manual listing in bulk (I can fire them off pretty quickly, but not quickly enough to do the auction load I had in 1998 or 2000).
It would be great if the management software has:
--the ability to schedule auctions at different times without incurring a fee
--integration with eBay and other auction sites
How is Marketworks? Is it worth using? Is it easy to "unMarketworks" your items if you ever decide to end your account with them?
You still on dial up or did you get moved? I was on dialup until a couple of weeks ago. MW is a nightmare on dialup. It's sometimes pretty slow on satellite. Yes, I do love the satellite. They just upgraded equip. so my $700 bought me the latest and greatest. Last night the TV reception was glitching a bit but my internet connection wasn't. Anyway, now that I have more speed I'm redesigning my website so I can sell through it instead of MW. MW has had a lot of down time and glitches lately. Yes, they are better at telling you than ebay but it doesn't help when stuff doesn't work.
I do like the launchbots that let you automate launching repetitive auctions. If you need inventory control that seems to work pretty well.
For me, I think a stand alone website with some kind of auction mgt program will work better. I do inventory mgt in my accounting pkg and do my reports, analysis etc that way too. I just converted my books over to Quickbooks which really has a pretty good setup and integrates with things like FedEx, merchant acct, lots of different banking, ebay, pp and all sorts of stuff can be downloaded into it. Shopping cart handles some of the notification, order mgt stuff. I've got to finish setting the cart up and then I think I can use it as my ebay checkout too.
Sharon
Quote:How is Marketworks? Is it worth using? Is it easy to "unMarketworks" your items if you ever decide to end your account with them?
I had no problem with them until late May when the service started to go downhill, but I'd still choose them over the alternatives because the alternatives aren't any better (unless you can spend $500+ monthly for CA Merchant or Infopia). The features are much better than anything else in the price range.
Since late May they've had a string of glitches and down time, but they're supposed to be switching from Windows servers(why do people use these?) to Unix soon which will greatly improve the reliability.
Besides the glitches, my main problem over the past few years has been with Yahoo launches. Yahoo is taking its auctions seriously again and will be releasing its launch API within the next 2 weeks which will eliminate the problems with Yahoo launches (Yahoo Auctions never had a launch API for 3rd parties before now) .
I really like Marketworks even in spite of it's problems. It does really offer a lot. In fact, just now I launched 197 auctions to Overstock and 30 to ebay in about a minute.
[quote author=vitalfinds link=topic=877.msg3361#msg3361 date=1129688004]
I really like Marketworks even in spite of it's problems. It does really offer a lot. In fact, just now I launched 197 auctions to Overstock and 30 to ebay in about a minute.
[/quote]
well if That Vital Guy likes it, it must be OK. :twistedevil:
MarketWorks has sucked since May, but everything else sucks more (if you also plan to list on Yahoo and Overstock).
[quote author=vitalfinds link=topic=877.msg3361#msg3361 date=1129688004]
I really like Marketworks even in spite of it's problems. It does really offer a lot. In fact, just now I launched 197 auctions to Overstock and 30 to ebay in about a minute.
[/quote]
hah, I just did 376 to Overstock
[quote author=bargainbloodhound link=topic=877.msg3362#msg3362 date=1129688270]
MarketWorks has sucked since May, but everything else sucks more (if you also plan to list on Yahoo and Overstock).
[/quote]
For some reason, this makes perfect sense to me. Thanks a bunch everyone.
And no--I have no idea why anyone on earth would use a Windows server!
Once again... as a buyer, I DETEST Marketworks. There are 97 pages to go through to check out.
When I buy, I want to pay right away. It takes Marketworks a while to "catch up."
Anita--that's also something to consider. It sure is tough to make a decision...
I am still leaning toward trying them out to see what it's like, but I do remember that in the past when I made my first purchase with a MW seller, I was a bit confused as I went through the process--but it wasn't impossible. I also remember that I ended up adding more stuff from the seller's MW to my cart, since it was rather impulse-buy oriented (good for the seller).
While checking out the sign-up form, I found a "referred by" box. Will somebody get something cool if I say they referred me? If so, let me know that you want to be my referrer and I'll add you. If more than one people post their name, I'll do an eeny-meeny-miney-mo. LOL.
