Wagglepop 2: Deja Vu as Auction Site That Left Sellers Stranded Reopens

[racedream]

chaquita, me too!! I'm re-reading parts of the OTWA thread and it makes me bug-eyed everytime. I sure wish more poppers would read this and have their eyes opened.

[Platzki]

I read that OTWA thread and I get so pissed off that I want to post and I can't!!  I forget that the thread is old and closed!! 

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[youroverheadbin]

PCG,



That popper you mentioned (signature Jan) is one of the founders and officers of the WP Circle of Stores.  I take this as a nugget of hope that the message is reaching the "core" poppers. 

[youroverheadbin]

PCG,

[quote author=PC_Gamer link=topic=3775.msg32729#msg32729 date=1164060715]
Looks like another popper was thinking the same thing as we were.  I have pasted her post below from the help WP advertising thread

"Well, I agree with you, Bob. Working together is the key in making this a successful selling site.
The advertising issue will not go away. It is one of the most important areas, in a business.
I still don't understand the logic in waiting until the "shelves are stocked". There are around 700 stores here. In September, there were over 900. The shelves were not fully stocked then as they are not, now.
Mid 2007, was given as the time when more things would be implemented. If advertising is one of them, will there be the desired number of listings that seem to be needed before WP begins advertising "outside"?
I really like Wagglepop and sincerely want it to become a bona fide competitor in online selling. The Sellers are doing everything imaginable to help draw Buyers here. But we can only go so far.
The Buyers, who are finding their way here, are seeing the number of items listed, now, just as Buyers would see the same, if the site had advertising. What is the difference?
If there is a worry that Buyers will not return if advertising is done prematurely, then what about the few who have found us, now?
Wouldn't advertising draw more Sellers, also? More Sellers - more stock?
If the cost is an issue, then can't there be some exceptions made by WP as far as Sellers using the WP Logo?
I know this is a subject that has been addressed before but we need to work together to find a solution, now.
I am willing to do whatever is agreed upon.
Thank you to everyone who has been working so hard to make WP the best!
Jan "

Can't wait to see what they have to say about this.......


[/quote]

That popper you quoted is one of the founders and officers of the Circle of Stores.  I take this as a sign of hope that the message is reaching the "core" poppers. 

Drats. I'm in newbie mode figuring out how all these options work. This should have been the post - sorry.  ??? :-\

[thentavius]

The ironic (and sad) thing about the OTWA thread is that it's obvious people were responsive and positive in the beginning. The first 4 pages are almost entirely supportive. Those that aren't completely supportive are just curious, not negative.

The people at OTWA would welcome and embrace an alternative to eBay. Many wished him well. When he went apesh!t over not following the board registration etitquette, he lost all credibility over there.

He still doesn't see why everyone got pissed at him...

I wish all of you could read the original ground zero at FAS (the board where WP1 started). There was amazing stuff on that board, including his original postings about his career at the university, where he was supposedly head of an IT department that didn't know who he was; and all of the contradictions people caught him in.

Luckily, the OTWA thread preserves some of the material from FAS through people's quotations. Otherwise it would all be lost to revisionist history.

[chiquita]

Thentavius,
I would imagine given the fact you were there from the beginning of WP1 and watched it all unfold, that WP2 must really feel like deja vu.
The similarities are eerie, and what absolutely amazes me is that this guy has been able to do it all over again. He must be one heck of a con.  :blinkie:

[racedream]

It looks like feathers are getting ruffled over in Pop Land. Mommy Karen has stepped in and posted her ususal blah blah blah. And of course I had to add my comments  >

But so far, the cheerleaders are curiously absent.

[youroverheadbin]

thentavius,

I've been trekking through the OTWA thread but at the point I've reached, I'm not really learning anything new. Just having my suspicions confirmed. Didn't anybody copy/paste the threads from the FAS board? I know...hindsight can be so...enlightening or regrettable.

Happy dance, Happy dance!!  OOPS wrong thread... 

[youroverheadbin]

Race dream should not be so modest.

Here's the history of the thread he is talking about. You could say the dissenters have hi-jacked it.

http://www.wagglepop.com/community/viewt...2798#52798

  21 Nov 2006 00:16     


Well, I don't sell here anymore because I didn't agree with their timelines on advertising (and other issues but that's another post). However, I still care about the people here and feel that they deserve a fair shake. They have put their blood, sweat and tears into WP. I just think that as time goes by and the closer they get to "mid-2007" the shelves will have less items rather than more simply because the sellers got impatient and tired of paying a monthly fee for lesser sales and then they leave and find another venue.

Right now WP has the most stores it's going to have by Karen's own predictions. NOW is the time to do SOMETHING... ANYthing... not in 6-7 months.

You guys can slam me if you want but I mean nothing malicious, just my thoughts.  

Next:

I concur!!!

Market logistics can and do play a big part in the statistics they generate. Slow periods, rich periods and everything in between. But please examine why, with the crest of online Christmas shopping drawing closer and closer, are sales stats declining here in particular? Sellers have bent over backward, dedicated hours and hours of their lives revamping their stores, listing at a feverish speed and personally advertising themselves through various venues. But all their sincere and dedicated efforts are not bearing fruit. The stats are not rewarding them for their selfless efforts. From a clinical business perspective, what is wrong with this picture? IMHO, no outside advertising, no news interviews sharing your vision, no permission for sellers to use supplied promotional material. No... well no support from WP on the www. Not all advertising involves spending money - ask any one of your dedicated sellers nested right here on WP.

Two months ago today the store count was 939. Presently it is 701. Some new ones have arrived in the meantime, making the number that have left actually higher. Ask yourself, why would established stores close at such a critical time of year - a sellers gravy period? 20% of the total stores in 8 weeks? Indeed, I recognize that some closures were due to the culling of the non-committed by WP staff but I'm now questioning - why did so many of those in good standing voluntarily take down their shingle? What is wrong with this picture? What is being evidenced as broken?

Disclaimer for Customer Service: This post is courteous and constructive as per the board participation rules. Courteous in that no offensive language was used, no personal slurs given nor personal names exposed. It is constructive - containing constructive criticism (to encourage positive dialogue in response), which last I heard is considered a persons right to express and welcomed by the owner(s) of a company. It contains accurate information as gleaned from the WP site. So if this post gets pulled, I challenge the reason why.

KaRay's damage control response:

wagglepopCC1  21 Nov 2006 00:49     


Hello Members,

There are some general misconceptions in this thread, and I thought it would be helpful to clarify a couple of points.

We never said, or meant to give the impression that there would be no marketing until mid-2007, just that the most visible and substantial marketing would be in mid-2007, to support the major feature introductions and migrations.

Both the marketing campaign and feature/functionality integrations have a lead time of about six months, give or take a month or two.

For both, this includes discovery, planning, design and or wireframing, testing, deployment, and support.

Aside from the timeframe being a part of the natural process overall, it also allows us as a company the extra time to gather the substantial funds necessary for this extremely large and expensive commitment.

This is a true six figure commitment on the part of ownership/management.

Between now and mid-2007 when the major "thrust" will occur, we'll be doing some already scheduled marketing on a smaller level, and adding a few features as already designed or required through operational experience.

As noted above, there is no practical way to accelerate these plans from a logistical standpoint.

In reality, this mid-2007 introduction timeframe represents an acceleration of plans loosely scheduled or projected as necessary on or about the July 2009, based on projected activity.

So what we have here is a two-year acceleration of schedule, and we certainly would hope that all membership recognizes that for what it is:

Our commitment and dedication and desire to make Wagglepop everything it can be, as quickly as it can be.

Thanks for your support

Karen - WP Customer Care

And RD himself in response:

This was posted by Karen Yesterday:

There are numerous scheduled releases which have been delayed due primarily to the increase site activity:

Among them include:

Seller "Central"
We The People Program
Resources Center
WP Merchandising Center

In some instances, we have transferred the funds available for those projects over to design/engineering to pay for features and functionality upgrades.

We expect overall that we'll be able to make the implementations above only slightly behind the general schedule, however
Karen - WP Customer Care


Store Owners/Sellers are listing large numbers of items and doing their own advertising.
Sales are down, store numbers are down, but because of increased site activity the above has been delayed?

Gag a maggot!! Is there a smilie for that? 

Edited for perfection - because I'm a goofus.

[racedream]

I wasn't being modest, just didn't have time at that moment to post it all.  I was trying to get some food cooked.....seems like my daughter has this nasty habit of wanting to eat 
I was just trying to keep everyone current. I know some people here don't have access to Pop Land.