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myfavorites4u · 10-04-2006, 12:05 AM,

No offense taken. My husband and I have been self employed for over 25 years in the insurance inspection business. We work over 50 hours each doing that. But, with expenses going up and pay per inspection going down that isn't paying the bills any longer.

So I was just looking for a way to describe going back out and joining the work force where you have someone else breathing down your neck 40 hours a week. That is what will/would be hard to adapt to again. I'm too old to put up with all that work force bull again.

But, if those who do know more than I do about the world of Ebay should think it is a dead venue for most of us then I don't want to try to revive it when that time could be spent better elsewhere.

I've been around Ebay since 1998...and I don't have any inside information. I was even a PS for 3 years. I have watched it go steadily downhill over the last 2 to 3 years. The downward spiral for me started in October 2004.

This year has had to many up and downs here in Ebayland I just gave up listing at all for a while. Now, I'm just weighing my options. And searching out other opinions while I'm doing it.

stardust · 10-04-2006, 12:20 AM,

Thentavius said:

Quote:I'm a professional freelance writer and editor...

No wonder I like reading your postings so much. I've always known they were very well written -- even for spontaneous things! Smile

bargainbloodhound · 10-04-2006, 12:27 AM,

[quote author=myfavorites4u link=topic=219.msg26373#msg26373 date=1159918457]

Yes, I'm working on my own website and going to be listing on a couple of other venues. But, they all seem rather dead. Especially for collectible type items.
[/quote]

Website: very good move. Thumbsup

...as far as the other venues though...

*begin small auction site rant. everyone cover your ears*

At least one of your choices in other venues sucks--HiBidder. Sad

The CS and boards might be friendly but that won't attract buyers. The site is using a cheap $200 auction script that will become unbearably slow if they ever hit 50-70K listings...and then there's the obvious small problems of no ad budget, no infrastructure, very few buyers, and nobody beyond the forums the site has been promoted on has ever heard of them.

Wagglepop has the same negatives going for it (and very few positives despite the board hype)

The sites that have gotten hyped on the boards over the years as a general rule suck and get less traffic than even this crappy message board (like HiBidder and many days even WP) and beyond the pool of seller message board users nobody has/or will hear about them. HB &WP between them have under 9000 members (compared to ePier with 101K or Bidville with 900K members). Few members and no ad budget translate into sellers selling to sellers and very few sales.

Bidville=deadville (the same goes for ePier). Yahoo's sell-through rate has dropped considerably since they dropped fees last year, but it still has more buyers than HB...but you won't be able to pay your bills (or even come close) from selling on Yahoo alone.

*end of small auction site rant*

Sites with actual buyers: Amazon, uBid, and Overstock. uBid is not an option for postcards. Amazon Marketplace has lots of buyers but it is also not an option for postcards. Amazon Auctions is an option but it is dead except for a brief spurt in November/December. Overstock is a weak maybe for postcards...new is generally what sells best on O, but even for collectibles it has more buyers than the "board spam" small sites that have been pushed on the Stores board. The subscription plans are very reasonable, but the sell through for collectibles is much much lower than eBay.

Based on what you sell, your website is your best bet, but it'll take awhile to build up sales there. If you need help installing a cart on your site and getting it running just ask and many people here can help you (for free).

myfavorites4u Wrote:when that time could be spent better elsewhere

Precisely the reason I avoid the small auction sites that are hyped on boards. I can't wait 1-2 years for buyers to maybe show up at a HB or WP. I need to pay my bills this month.

Thentavius Wrote:but I hate the phrase "real job."

Ditto.

Thentavius Wrote:Don't give up. Just adapt. thumbsup You can DO it.

Listen to The Anti-Virus. :twistedevil: You can do it. Smile

thentavius · 10-04-2006, 12:35 AM,

Why, thank you, Stardust!!! :oops: Color

cranky--I know what it's like to be at the bottom, doing any kind of job to make ends meet. Moving forward, however slowly, was at least moving forward--even if things had to be cast aside for a while. You have all my best wishes that you can once again be completely self-employed and financially free. If you have a website, please do share the address with me via PM.

myfavorites--I'm glad you didn't take offense.

Facing the prospect of going back into the workforce circus really sucks. You do what you need to do to get through this. It's never too late to start planning. Try a website. Try other venues. If some of your things are still selling on eBay, then by all means, take advantage of it--but don't rely on eBay to be there tomorrow (if you know what I mean). Use eBay for what you can. They've already used you.

In the past, I've watched each new fee raise or imposed change (remember when people didn't really want stores at all? When we were afraid it would distract from the auction format?) cause a mini exodus. I've also seen most of the people slowly return, when they realized eBay hadn't died because of the newest rollout (or clogup). The process of revolt, mini revolution, and complacency has been going on since the beginning.

This time, though, it feels different to me. With all of the pressure for Web 2.0, eBay is changing. They're modualizing (if that's even a word), to keep up with the sites that are trying to develop new contents structure for a new wave of web display. This time I think the changes are more resounding and the response is more continuous--like the tide that rips way out to fuel the coming tsunami. Instead of a quick revolt, then business as usual--this one is rolling slower and bigger.

thentavius · 10-04-2006, 12:35 AM,

Quote:Listen to The Anti-Virus.

Dammit, Sally.

Tongue

FiberGuy · 10-04-2006, 01:10 AM,

Holy crap...

Why is it when I take a day+ off from posting I miss all the good stuff? Booty

BBH - your comments regarding other venues IE-postcards is spot-on, not to mention the fact that Yahoo's sell-through has gone to pot after ending their listing fees... IMO, a bad move.

The ONLY place IMO to successfully sell postcards is one's OWN site... no listing fees and no FVF's. (Our postcard selection is pretty weak... 'tis an area I hope to work on early next year.)

stardust · 10-04-2006, 01:14 AM,

[quote author=thentavius link=topic=219.msg26393#msg26393 date=1159922159]

Quote:Listen to The Anti-Virus.

Dammit, Sally.

Tongue

[/quote]

No, you didn't get that right. It's the Hantavirus.... : Smile

myfavorites4u · 10-04-2006, 01:18 AM,

I really hate to hear you have the same impression of the smaller sites as I was getting. Everytime I go to HB I get the feeling I'm just wasting my time.

I have reserved my Ebay ID on all of them (in case one should spring up as a viable venue) but I can't see myself wasting much time there.

For now, I've chosen Presto Store. Everything is in place and all I have to do is finish up the category setup and move my listings over there. Price is right and no FVF with unlimited listings. I should have thousands by this time next year.

My real hope for any site of my own is mainly a place to point existing customers or to send those who might ask if I have other similar items.

Besides the postcards, I have record albums, 45s, 8 tracks, craft books, cook books, buttons, old magazines, non sports cards and assorted other items.

I'm debating on using my LindasPostcardsAndMore domain or my other one which is TreasuresFromYesterday.

Any thoughts?

I was just too chicken to try and make it on my own. I do have webspace with the domain myfavorites4u (which someone else on Ebay now uses for an Ebay ID) on Ipower but the whole shopping cart thing and the SEO was just more than I could handle.

myfavorites4u · 10-04-2006, 01:21 AM,

I'm sorry...I just realized I hijacked this thread :-[

I thought I was on my other one.

bargainbloodhound · 10-04-2006, 01:33 AM,

Quote:I'm debating on using my LindasPostcardsAndMore domain or my other one which is TreasuresFromYesterday.

#2 if you plan on selling more than postcards.

Quote:record albums, 45s, 8 tracks,

Try www.gemm.com . No listing fees (but an FVF), easy spreadsheet bulk loader, free websites and free domain names. Fewer buyers than Amazon but higher average selling prices. We've been selling there for 5 years under a couple of IDs.