Poll: Who is to blame for sellers leaving Wagglepop en masse?

stardust · 07-21-2006, 04:50 AM,

197/11/6861

***regic*** · 07-21-2006, 05:01 AM,

I checked the eBay forums and Wagglepop has spammed the boards 121 days in the past 2 days.

stardust · 07-21-2006, 05:13 AM,

Should prove good entertainment.... 8)

***regic*** · 07-21-2006, 05:34 AM,

The owner must not be bothered by eBay's fee hike. He hasn't closed his eBay store yet. ;D

stardust · 07-21-2006, 06:13 AM,

My guess is he may be out-to-lunch somewhere.... He should be ready to launch a big media/campaign strike NOW if he wants to have any chance at all to succeed. Even tho he's no bigger than a spitwad, it's a HUGE opening for him! ... AGAIN!

We'll see... : Smile

vitalfinds · 07-21-2006, 06:29 AM,

200 Stores :o

vitalfinds · (This post was last modified: 07-21-2006, 06:46 AM by vitalfinds.)

Also, even though I was a highly doubtful and critical "troll" in the WP1 days, at this juncture, I think that there's more there that meets the eye.

Although it's probably basically just Ray right now with limited skills and infrastructure, it really wouldn't suprise me all that much if he was suddenly approached by an entity that was better prepared to take it forward and/or provide investment capital.

The fact that his little tiny auction has drawn in so many stable quality sellers is something that very few (if any) other small auction site has achieved. Amazon and Overstock might be exceptions to that, but you just aren't seeing people flocking to Bidzig, TheAuctionMan or some of those other small sites like they are with Wagglepop.

I've sometimes poo-pooed the concept that ebay was built by a "community," but I think that I might not have "gotten it." If WP is able to draw a large number of the homeless disenfranchased sellers, then all bets are on imho, that something is going to happen with WP to where it actually might succeed -- maybe even eventually getting into one of the top 25 spots of auction-type alternatives.

stardust · 07-21-2006, 07:35 AM,

It would have to be picked up and run with immediately by folks with HUGE b*lls. And they would have to be smart enough to outwit the ebay corporate sabotagers/hitmen. And you know ebay's ready to do battle with a click of the mouse. Is Ray ready? Remember the DDOS attacks? Remember the threats against the family? It will happen again, I assure you, even tho ebay doesn't really NEED any of the sellers that will be defecting. It would be very satisfying if some site could become *instantly* popular -- even out of public curiosity. Happened last year, didn't it? Even the national news stations were talking about it! I doubt if Ray is ready. It's probably caught him off-guard -- as usual... Wink

I'll certainly eat crow if I'm wrong.

Also, the number of stores is going to grow rapidly. But as soon as there are no sales, or the site quits working, they'll be gone. Rudy's BBQ sauce might taste good on crow....

***mandy*** · (This post was last modified: 07-21-2006, 11:53 AM by mandy.)

[quote author=vitalfinds link=topic=3775.msg18253#msg18253 date=1153463372]
200 StoresÂ Â :o
[/quote]

Analysis: eBid.net (US site launched 2/05)Â vs. Wagglepop.com

eBid stores 3,597 storesÂ (788 US stores, 2483 UK stores, 134 Canada stores, 177 Australia stores, 15 Ireland stores

Wagglepop 204 stores

eBid listings 790,987Â (US 168,268 UK 192,355 Canada 160,803 Australia 152,908 Ireland 116,653

Wagglepop listings 6,947

(traffic rankings: smaller numbers are better: Yahoo is 1 eBay 9)
eBid.net Alexa traffic ranking: 21,318
Wagglepop.com Alexa traffic ranking: 248,255
(for reference: TulipTools 63,791)

management analysis:
eBid: owner is stable, honest, never bulls.hits
Wagglepop: unstable, liar, bullsh.itter

advertising:
ebid: has ad budget, heavy spending on Google AdWords, and affiliate program, doesn't forum spam
Wagglepop: no ad budget, advertised by forum spamming only

software:
eBid: inhouse development
Wagglepop: boxed cheap script

Name the site that qualifies as a real alternative for sellers based on the above facts and which one does not Smile

vitalfinds · 07-21-2006, 12:50 PM,

Mandy, I don't think that most ebay store sellers would feel comfortable on what seems to be a foreign site. I'm not sure of who has even heard of the site (in the US anyway).

I can't argue with your actual facts, but sometimes the numbers don't show everything to come. A "warm fuzzy" is hard to prove with numbers, and right now, people are getting that warm fuzzy at wp. I agree with what you're saying about Ray, but if you put his personality next to ... let's say Meg's "honest personality," then it seems like the liar, BS "qualities" can pay off. I just hope that if he does any BS'ing, that it would be limited to people who could help to advance the site, because this selling community has had enough of that already. I think that "Karen" is doing a great job, and knows how to talk to sellers on an adult level (as opposed to a pink) and seems to be totally honest and straightforward. So anyway, the odds are against wp for sure, but I'm getting more and more interesting in watching what happens at this oppertune juncture for wp. I realize they won't be the next ebay, but as loong as a seller can set up shop and get some sales then it will be a win-win for all parties involved.