TulipTools Internet Business Owners and Online Sellers Community

I guess most people here are pretty established with their sites, but I don't want to post on the eBay boards anymore and I wanted to share good news  .

In spite of dire predictions from many on eBay (not personally, but in general), I'm very happy with how my site is coming along. Google overtook MSN on my counter stat "search engine wars". I started a very inexpensive Google adwords campaign and suddenly my google hits went way up across the board. Nothing from Yahoo yet.

I thinned out my eBay store inventory and moved it over to my site. I immediately sold two items that had been in my eBay store unsold for 2 years  . I will keep my eBay store for a while as long as it easily pays for itself. I'm running a few auctions (no new listings this week) on another id to see how the cost of auctions compares to the Google adwords for effectiveness. Initial reaction is the auction winners do not seem to be the type I want, but I have gotten some good sales from people clicking on the auctions or asking questions and following the trail to my site.  nail:

I'm getting some nice size orders and eBay is out at least $300 as a result of driving me off.

Shoppal customer service is very good (what a novelty) and I'm still happy I went that route while I learn all the other stuff I need to know about having an independent site. I am sure I will be interested in the zen cart thing for the future.

I owe a tremendous amount to the TT crusaders  so I want to say THANKS!! It was a really big thing to know if I got stuck there were knowledgeable people so willing to help.

I hope this post encourages others. Kim

:action033:

Happy to hear all the good news, Kim!

And, it's encouraging for me as well, wading into unknown territory(at least for the tech challenged)!

Quote:I'm getting some nice size orders and eBay is out at least $300 as a result of driving me off.

Congratulations 

Quote:Nothing from Yahoo yet.

Yahoo is slow sometimes. It might take awhile to get traffic from them. They are showing 84 pages indexed and 55 inbound links.

Quote:In spite of dire predictions from many on eBay

Rule #1 when starting an off ebay web store.  Avoid the eBay boards. 

Quote:Rule #1 when starting an off ebay web store.  Avoid the eBay boards.  laughing7

Except that CERTAIN parties infiltrated the eBay boards to make sure that people were aware that alternatives existed. The eBay boards are where I learned to escape when the time came from--BBH, the late Classic Shaving Ray, Frik n Frak, & Barbiedoll to name a few...  Kim

P.S. Just got another $80 order (-$6.40 for ebay--did pay with PP).

P.P.S. Belle-- just keep hanging around here. I'll be happy to contribute what meager knowledge I have to help--just ask.

Congratulations DecorativeDishes 

IT can be done and u r living proof.

PM me if you want. I'm looking to expand my product line.

Working together anything is possible.

And oh yea.. eBay SUX...

Congratulations Decorative Dish! Good for you.

Thanks. Another funny thing is at least twice I have posted questions on the Shoppal forums and have been told to contact support.

After being on eBay for so many years it never even occurred to me that my subscription fee INCLUDES SUPPORT! 

Support actually helped me with the question I was asking. Kim

Good show, Kim!

It looks like you've added more inventory since the last time I visited.  Give your customers a great selection at a reasonable price and they'll BUY!

I've just about had it with ebay's bargain-basement shoppers... wanting auctions ended early, wanting media mail shipments... BLAH!  The china (as in porcelain, not the forced-labor country) market has really declined on ebay... we used to save up all our best sets and have auctions in November in December... boy what a waste of time that was last year!  I couldn't believe the stuff that didn't sell!

Good to hear you're on the upward swing...

Cheers

Thanks Fiber. I appreciate the help. Auctions have not worked for me for quite awhile--it was fun while it lasted.

:mgoodnews: I was just contacted by a MAJOR women's magazine to use my items in an article and they will mention my site. Sent samples to New York for a photo shoot. It won't be out until December, but it is exciting.

Once again I wouldn't have the site without all of your encouragement. I don't think they would have picked up my eBay store for this  ... Kim