AuctionBytes-Update Number 21 - September 10, 2000 - ISSN 1528-6703

AuctionBytes-Update is a free newsletter for online auction buyers and sellers. Read reviews of online-auction products and services, tips on being more efficient, and the latest on antiques and collectibles. AuctionBytes-Update is published by email twice a month. (Print it out for easier reading.)

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IN THIS ISSUE:
1) From the Editor
2) Shedding Light on the Basics of Good Lighting
3) Photo Archiving
4) Archival Materials for the Photo Collector
5) Lean and Mean Auction Design
6) Crime (and Sex) Pays: Disgusting and Bizarre Auction Items
7) PriceRadar's Found in the Attic: How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?
8) COLLECTOR'S CORNER: Olympics and Ask the Expert with Marlene Earle
9) SquareTrade Follow-Up
10) LETTERS FROM READERS
11) Newsflash
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1) FROM THE EDITOR

Feedback on auction sites is what keeps us honest! But I always hear people saying, why won't eBay allow me to easily locate a user's negative feedback so I don't have to go wading through pages and pages of feedback to find it. Well, have I got a tool for you! Go to http://www.vrane.com/ef.html and look the box "Review Negative and Neutral Feedbacks Received by an eBay user." Now you can see whether those two negatives out of 1,000 total feedback points make this seller worth staying away from or were just "sour grapes" on the part of buyers.

***
Here's a book that caught my eye. "Brimfield" is a romantic suspense tale set in the flea-market fields of Brimfield, New England's largest outdoor antiques fair. I will put it on my reading list and let you know how it is. Here's a link to Amazon.com if you want to check it out yourself. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0970047606/auctionbytescom

There's bound to be someone who'll write a romance that takes place on the online-auction circuit! If you have any stories, let me know.

***
"Ask the Expert with Marlene Earle" is a new feature! You can now find out more about your items. Marlene is an antiques expert who specializes in advertising memorabilia. She has an extensive collection and recently sold her antiques shop to focus on online auction selling (eBay ID: CCMOOR).

If you have an item you'd like to learn more about, ask Marlene! This is not an appraisal service. Marlene will identify your object and give you background information about it. We'll publish your question along with Marlene's answer in this newsletter.

To ask the expert, send an email to Marlene@AuctionBytes.com. Send a photo to help Marlene identify your item more accurately.

***
A picture is an important element to successful online auctions, and knowing how to light your item is a skill worth learning. David has been playing around with Javascript and has created an interactive online demonstration of how lighting affects objects. Hopefully, all of you will be able to see it and use it...browser compatibility is always a factor when using Javascript. The story also has a link on the home page.

David was feeling ambitious and also created a JavaScript auction calendar that lets you determine whether or not it's a good day to start your auction. The Online Auction Forecast ( http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/calendar/calendar.html ) has a link on the home page. If you have any other ideas for demonstrations, let David know. He's just ITCHING to write some more programs.

Photos play a key role in this issue of AuctionBytes. As well as David's story on good lighting when taking photos, we have a story on photo archiving by Edith Reynolds, and I've included some resources on proper photo storage. You may also want to go back and take a look at "A Picture's Worth a Thousand Bids" http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/Email_Archives/preview/pr eview.html#pic .

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Today's triva question comes from David: "What eBay user name is the easiest to type?" Look for the answer somewhere in today's issue.

Ina Steiner, Editor
email: ina@auctionbytes.com

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2) Shedding Light on the Basics of Good Lighting
by David Steiner

Note: You should read this story on our Web site at http://www.auctionbytes.com/Yellow_Pages/Pictips/pictips.html in order to view the interactive diagrams. (Some browsers will not be able to view the diagrams.)

One of the most important aspects of any successful online auction is the image that you attach to the item's description. Think about it. If you're shopping in a store, you can pick up your potential purchase, examine it, and get a pretty good idea what kind of shape it's in. With electronic shopping, you're at the mercy of the seller's ability to describe size, shape, and possible flaws. You want to present the best pictures for your auction that you possibly can, and a good image can go a long way toward dispelling any doubts a prospective buyer might have about your item!

Scanners versus Digital Cameras
If you're going to be primarily selling flat objects, such as comics or baseball cards, then maybe what you need isn't a camera, but a scanner. There are many inexpensive (under $100) flat-bed color scanners that can capture an image in 600 or 1200 dpi (dots per inch) mode.

If you're planning on selling antique furniture or computers or any other three dimensional item, then you'll need a digital camera. Check with your local computer retailer or http://www.cnet.com for reviews and prices of the latest peripherals.

Basket Case-Study
Assuming that you have a digital camera (or a camcorder hooked up to a digitizing card), your first step is to arrange your item in a manner that shows it off to its best advantage. These two pictures, http://www.auctionbytes.com/Yellow_Pages/Pictips/basket1a.jpg and http://www.auctionbytes.com/Yellow_Pages/Pictips/basketa.jpg, were both taken of the same porcelain basket using the same camera.

Basket1a.jpg was taken with available lighting, not clearly focused, with the basket taking up about 10% of the frame. You'd be amazed at how many poor images like this you can find on auction sites.

Basketa.jpg is a photo of the same basket, clearly focused, with a much brighter light source and a black background to make the object stand out. Note that when you have a 3 dimensional object like this one, you have to make up your mind which part you want to show in sharp focus.

Professional Method: 3-Point Lighting
In order for you to understand how to use light effectively, let me give you a little background on how the "pros" do it. When professional photographers shoot products, often they'll use a technique called "3-Point Lighting". You can see an example of 3-point lighting at
http://www.auctionbytes.com/images/lightgraph.JPG. (This is a Javascript demonstration; not everyone will be able to play with this demo due to browser compatibility issues.)

A Key Light is the main source of illumination. A Back Light helps emphasize the contour of the object, and also separates it from a dark background. A Fill Light helps to soften some of the shadows thrown by the key light and back light.

Tips for the Amateur
Unless photography is either your occupation or your hobby, you're not likely to have professional lights lying around the house. Make the most of what you have available. If you're shooting a larger object, try and direct a couple of lamps or lights toward the front of your item. A great, inexpensive way to light is to buy a couple of clamp-on lights with reflectors. These can be found in most hardware stores. Place them around your item in roughly the same positions shown in the diagram illustrating 3-Point lighting. If you have two lights, then put them in Key Light and Fill Light positions. You can use natural light from a window as well, but don't put the item in front of the window and shoot into the daylight. Too much backlight will make your item look dark and indistinct. The idea is to illuminate the front of the object as much as possible.

If you want to spread an even light across the front of your item, wrap aluminum foil around a piece of cardboard and reflect some of the light from the lamp so that the shadows are washed a bit. A piece of white foam-core or cardboard next to your item will also work wonders in filling out some of the shadows cast by your main light source.

Glass Presents a Challenge
Some objects are more difficult to photograph than others. Clear or colored glass objects fall into this category. One way to bring out the brilliance of colored glass is to place a light behind the object and direct it through the glass, out of the camera shot. Be sure to use a white or light background so that the color of the glass stands out.

These are just a few ideas and examples. Don't be afraid to experiment. There are no hard and fast rules to lighting. The point is to make your auction item look its best. One great method of getting tips is to search auctions and critique some of the pictures. Try to figure out how they've lit their items, or if they have at all. Does the seller's picture entice you to bid on the item? Chances are, you'll find that the items with the best pictures are bringing the best prices!

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3)Photo Archiving
by Edith Reynolds

The tradition of retail sales has been a sort of "now you see it, now you don't" endeavor-- once an item is sold, it's gone. Photo archiving changes all that. More and more collectors and ephemera sellers are opting for a long term approach, selling photographs in a way that allows the original pictures to be archived and selling reproduced images singly or in a collection that is easily downloaded by the customer.

One option is to sell reproductions of old photos where the copyright is no longer valid. (Sellers should state clearly if the photo is a reproduction.) Or, some dealers take a collection of similar photos and create a reference book like Stanley Burns' "Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography in America," a collection of Victorian era dags and tins with corpses as the subject. Almost any "like" images can fashion a collection--men in work clothes, women walking dogs, children playing, etc.

The biggest stumbling block to this kind of enterprise is copyright infringement. What does copyright mean?

To begin, copyright is defined as a legal protection (US law) for authors of original work and encompasses the protection of intellectual work from unauthorized copying, display, distribution, and false claims of ownership. It is important to note that a copyright protects "something" tangible and not simply an idea. For instance, you may copyright the photograph of an image that conveys a feeling but you may not copyright the feeling itself. The copyright symbol, a "c" is the identifying icon.

Photos maybe identified on the back as belonging to a photographer or contain a copyright symbol. If you see the name of a photographer but determine the photos are old enough that even a child prodigy artist would be dead, you're still not guaranteed the photos are free and clear. Copyrights may be transferred to heirs or publishers as long as the fees are paid. Sellers must be aware that lawyers and copyright holders will sue to protect their property.

Some sellers simplify things and license a copyrighted image in the first place in order to develop products. Companies like Getty Images Inc. (http://www.getty-images.com ) provide a gallery of images to license.

Sellers who display their images through an online auction ad or within a personal Web site usually add text or a watermark. This prevents unscrupulous buyers from simply downloading images without reimbursing sellers for the privilege.

So what do buyers do with purchased photographs? Some add an image to an object--pasting a scene onto, say, a wooden box before finishing it off in a decorative fashion. Others use vintage photo images on personalized stationary or invitations. (Imagine getting a dinner invitation with a romantic view of Venice for a special Italian supper or announcing your next party with images of the Eiffel Tower's construction.) Want a unique anniversary gift? Try decoupaging a wedding photo onto a handsome tray for the bride and groom.

Photo inventories can be a wonderful way to build a budding business one image at a time.

Edith Reynolds is a former newspaper and magazine writer. She and her husband Dan own an antiquarian bookstore, The John Bale Book Company in Waterbury, CT. For the past nine years, they have specialized in early Americana and rare bindings. They are members of the ABAA - Antiquarian Booksellers of America Association, ILAB - International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, IOBA - International Online Booksellers Association, and OAUA - Online Auction Users Association. Edith manages online sales. In addition to their bookstore, they sell on eBay and at book fairs. Visit Edith's Web sites, www.taxter.com and www.usiana.com. eBay IDs: TAXTER , TAXTER2 , TAXTER3 , USIANA , BALEBOOKS

Note from the editor: Two companies, Corbis and Getty, control close to 50% of the market for online stock photography, according to this article: http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000907S0008

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4) Archival Materials for the Photo Collector
by Ina Steiner

While time adds value to antiques and collectibles, it can also lead to deterioration. Damp basements, sunlight and improper storage materials can damage the value of your collection.

Photographs require special storage using acid-free materials. Here are some Web sites you can visit to learn more and find archival supplies to store your photo collections properly. Thanks to Ben Blackwell, photographer extraordinaire, for sharing some of these resources.

Northeast Document Conservation Center Care of Photographs pamphlet http://www.nedcc.org/phocar.htm

The Wheaton History Center Museum Shop's Price List for Archival Materials http://www.wheaton.lib.il.us/whc/arc-pric.htm

University Products http://www.archivalsuppliers.com/shop

Light Impressions http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/lightimpressions/index.icl

Kodak's Web site is a great resource for all things photographic. Here's a link to their technical data sheet, "Copying Old Photos." http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/products/techInfo/am100/am10 0.shtml

Finally, here's a very interesting article, "News Libraries: Preservation and Disaster Control" by Richard Geiger, Library Director San Francisco Chronicle. It has some interesting collection "disaster" stories. http://www.metalab.unc.edu/journalism/disaster.html

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5) Lean and Mean Auction Design
By Deb Cowden

No one likes waiting in line, even on the Internet. One of the quickest ways to lose a sale is to create an auction that takes an eternity to download. In a world that runs on nanoseconds, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, worth waiting two minutes for. Here are some tips for a lean and mean auction

1) Check the size of the JPG file containing your photos. You can make your photos load faster by making the size of the photo smaller or changing the resolution. (The photo editing software you got with your scanner or digital camera allows you to make these changes.)

2) Do not waste bandwidth with GIFS that move. Save "cute" for your home page.

3) Avoid music - it slows down the loading process. (And is especially annoying to those who are taking an illicit peek at eBay from the office.)

4) If an item needs lots of photos to display it properly, provide links to the extra photos rather than loading them on the auction page.

5) Pick a solid color background or simply use white. Patterns take time to load. A busy pattern also makes your text extremely hard to read.

You can still create a nice Web presence without hogging bandwidth. One of the best ways is to create a uniform look for all of your auctions (or create one style for each type of auction). An added benefit is that you are not creating from the ground up each time you post an auction.

You might also create your own personal logo and insert in all your auctions. But keep it simple. You are secondary to the item you want to sell. You can also create your own page, like eBay's "Me" Page, and mention it in your auction. See AuctionBytes Issue #10 to learn more about "Me" Pages and how to create one http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/10/10.html

Remember - less is usually best.

Deb Cowden (hoodoowoman@msn.com) has discovered the best way to avoid housecleaning is to rent spaces at antique malls and run auctions on eBay. This allows her to have clutter that has a sense of purpose. By day she is a corporate accounting manager, by night she is a freelance writer, bowling ball sculptress and cunning shopper-gatherer. Her eBay ID is "debracadabra" and her goal in life (this minute) is to get the ladder out of her bedroom and return it to the rightful owner. The ladder came in to help paint the walls and has served as a wonderful nightstand ever since. She keeps an odd assortment of dogs and cats to share the blame for the clutter. Feel free to write to her -especially if you have an extra ladder!

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6) Crime (and Sex) Pays: Disgusting and Bizarre Auction Items
By Susanne Jones

Yikes! There I was, late at night, listening to Bill Maher and his Politically Incorrect panel when filmmaker provocateur John Waters proclaimed he had a painting by serial killer John Wayne Gacy hanging in his guest bedroom. Needless to say, friends aren't likely to overstay their welcome. And suddenly, before you could say execution day, the talk turned to the Internet, and the dark underbelly of eBay, where all sorts of Gacy memorabilia are sold each day.

It was, I decided, high time we took a trip through the monster auction site's various categories to see what pushed our tolerance buttons. Here is a survey of some of the most disgusting, demeaning, perplexing and generally bizarre things I could dig up. This is, mind you, entirely subjective, and you'll undoubtedly unearth your own list of scummy subjects.

Love to love ya baby.
This one would have been a real cinch if I'd logged into eBay's adults-only section. But I didn't have to. There are (nudge nudge, wink wink) goods for sale in almost every category. What caught my eye was the Fine Teen Mannequin. "She really is a looker," we are told in breathless prose by the vendor. This vintage Decter mannequin was shown in panty hose and sexy lingerie.

Easy targets.
Oh no, not still Bill and Monica. Oh yes, this thing isn't over yet. I found the Monica Lewinsky cigar T-shirt, as well as the sex dollars that we're told were at one time banned from eBay.

Dr. Frankenstein, I presume?
Who stays up late at night to bid on glass human eyeballs (with realistically rendered veins), men's prosthesis (complete with original sock and shoe), a vintage transfusion embalming kit, and 19th-century medical pamphlets about uterine displacements? We know med students, historians and antique buffs collect this stuff, including the hygienic enema (box only, thank goodness) from 1903, but we couldn't help wondering who else is turned on by the strange brew.

Never say Di.
That's right, our lovely Princess Diana lives on in the hearts of eBayers around the world, who can choose from an official letter from the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., a "rare item" handed out only to those who signed the Book of Condolence following her death in Paris. You can also buy a couple of naked vinyl Dianas, originally issued by the Franklin Mint, but now stripped of their clothes and their dignity.

Holy horror.
Just this month, an eBay seller from Florida took home $89 for this little gem. "Charles Manson signed bible page of Leviticus. Obtained from Manson directly. I guarantee this authentic for life." Just for the record, there were only two bidders.

Cell sells.
A high bid of $202.50 took an "ORIGINAL, BRILLIANT COLOR ARTWORK FROM THE DEATH ROW CELL OF NONE OTHER THAN THE "KILLER CLOWN" HIMSELF, EXECUTED SERIAL KILLER of 33, JOHN WAYNE GACY! A great acquisition, we're told, for any self-respecting John Gacy or true-crime collection.

CAN YOU STOMACH THIS???? I DOUBT IT!!
So screams the ad for a CD-Rom oozing with more than 2,500 photos. We are promised crime scenes from real murders, accidents and suicides from around the world! The eBay seller says: "You may see some photos that will make you sick," noting the disk was "personally put together by myself and is not a manufactured CD."

Enough said.

Susanne Jones is a Canadian writer and editor who has spent the past 20 years as a newspaper journalist and a passionate collector of antique toys. She and her husband Brian, a painter, have amassed nearly 3,000 toys, some acquired on eBay. These days, they are avidly hunting down rustic knick-knacks and garden paraphernalia for their latest obsession...an 1880s house in a small town in a four-season resort area, far from the ultra-competitive race of Toronto. You may email Susanne (eBay ID: nikitababy) at susannej@netcom.ca.

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7) PriceRadar's Found in the Attic: How Much Is that Doggie in the Window?
by David Steiner

The "Dog Days" of August have come and gone, but dogs themselves are never out of season. We decided to take a look at how collectible different breeds of dogs were over the past 30 days. If your dog isn't listed here, don't take it personally, it may just have been a slow month for your pooch!

All searches were done with PriceRadar's Price Guide Tool.
Go to http://www.priceradar.com/default.asp?refID=101 and try your own searches!

Terriers
Number of Items Sold: 4
Number of Items Unsold: 27
Sellthrough Rate: 12.9%
Highest Priced Item: $19.99
Lowest Priced Item: $12.95
Average Price: $16.61

Chow Chows
Number of Items: Sold 5
Number of Items: Unsold 23
Sellthrough Rate: 17.86%
Highest Priced Item: $16.95
Lowest Priced Item: $9
Average Price: $13.58

Dalmations
Number of Items: Sold 1
Number of Items: Unsold 18
Sellthrough Rate: 5.26%
Highest Priced: Item $5.95
Lowest Priced: Item $5.95
Average Price: $5.95

Collies
Number of Items Sold: 3
Number of Items Unsold: 20
Sellthrough Rate: 13.04%
Highest Priced Item: $10.99
Lowest Priced Item: $3.95
Average Price: $7.31

Bassett Hound
Number of Items Sold: 1
Number of Items Unsold: 22
Sellthrough Rate: 4.35%
Highest Priced Item: $5.95
Lowest Priced Item: $5.95
Average Price: $5.95

Spaniels
Number of Items Sold: 1
Number of Items Unsold: 28
Sellthrough Rate: 3.45%
Highest Priced Item: $13.50
Lowest Priced Item: $13.50
Average Price: $13
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
AUCTION FORECAST:

David's auction forecast calls for a mixed day for Sunday, September 10, 2000:
5-day auction: Fair
7-day auction: Good
10-day auction: Bad

Click here for an extended auction forecast:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/calendar/calendar.html

Brought to you by AuctionBytes.com.
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8) COLLECTOR'S CORNER

Collector's Corner: Olympics
By Ina Steiner

Opening ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics will be broadcast on Friday, September 15th. As the September issue of Yahoo! Internet Life magazine reminded me, there are lots of Web sites covering the Olympics. With lots of Web resources and a schedule of events, the magazine's special pullout guide is quite useful. The guide lists some Olympics Collector sites, including "The Olympic Collectors Commission (http://www.collectors.olympic.org) and Olympic Pin Collecting (~ http://home.earthlink.net/~zola/pin.html).

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Collector's Corner: Ask the Expert with Marlene Earle

Dear Ask the Expert,

I was hoping you might be able to help me out. A couple of years ago I acquired a vendo coke machine (free was a very good price!), and it was in sad shape. The power cord was chewed up and in pieces, the lock had had a chisel taken to it and the surrounding metal was bent, actually lots of little dents all over!

Well, what with one thing and another it sat in my shop for awhile and I have now begun trying to restore it. I cleaned it up, replaced the power cord and lock, changed the oil, etc. Then the big moment came, I plugged it in and it started working! Thought I might have to replace the refrigerant but in about 2 minutes it was putting out cold air! So cold in fact I had to turn up the thermostat to keep it from freezing the cans of pop! (It was designed to take 6.5 oz. bottles and up.)

Now my questions:
1. Can you help me identify it? The data plate is missing so all I have is the Vendo stamped into the metal. The last time it was serviced by a tech was in the 50's.
2. Once identified, where can I get parts? I.E. decals, seals (good now, but for how long?)
3. Is it possible to update the "money" hardware?

Thanks for your time.

James H.

***
Hi James,

Your machine is a square top machine, which was "born" in the 60's and originally took dimes and quarters. The 1950's machines were round top/corner. Even though your machine may have been manufactured in the very late 50's, it is still considered by collectors today to be a 60's machine.

I believe your machine (without knowing the measurements) is a VENDO 63, which were manufactured in the early 60's until the mid 70's.

The smaller size of your machine is gaining popularity today. There are larger versions, but in Coke machines the bigger they are, the less valuable they are. Your machine, the V-63, used to be called the "poor man's" 1950's VENDO 81or 56. (This was because the V-63 is similar in size but it just doesn't have that 50's look with its square top/corners.) But this is not true any more, with the prices of the 50's Coke machines always going up. The highly collectible 50's models V81 and V56 are selling restored at prices of $4,000 and up.

Most machine model numbers merely reflect how many bottles the machine vends, and has nothing to do with when it was manufactured. EXAMPLE: a Vendo 81 has 9 shelves that hold 9 bottles each, Total 81 BOTTLES. Vendo 39 has a drum that holds 39 bottles. (Very simple isn't it?)

The decal/sticker on the side has the Coke WAVE/stripe Logo, and that itself is from the 70's. That doesn't mean yours is a 70's machine, because that decal could have been added at a later date. Also, in looking at the photo, the Coke logo is missing from the top right. This came in two versions for this machine. The owner could have a solid metal plate with the 'Coke' logo painted on a steel panel, or he could order a light up version that was simply inserted into the area and would be lit day or night.

The service record you have says it serviced in the 50's. It could have an older replaced compressor and that would explain the service tag. Where is the tag and what does it looks like?

You will be able to get everything like the correct older side and front decals, Coca Cola, Things go better with Coke, that belongs on the sides and parts for your machine. Possibly even a manual. Don't forget to get the most popular decal The Hand holding bottle decal (my favorite)

Yes, you can get the coin mech. updated also. Only if it's electrical.

I recommend you to send for a catalog from, FUNTRONICS Inc. Steve Ebner owner, P.O. Box 448, Middleton, MD 21769 Tel# (301) 371-5246

I have a special soft spot for the Vendo 63 machine. That particular machine was the very first machine I ever owned. Someone way back in the 70's gave one to us, also! (Boy did that start a chain of events.) I would love to see a picture of yours when it is finished. If you would like I can also send you a few pics too. ( http://www.auctionbytes.com/images/cokegrp.jpg )

Marlene

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Answer to today's trivia question, "What eBay user name is the easiest to type?": "Default." Simply leave the text box blank on eBay's Search By Seller page and hit the return key on your keyboard! "Default" has 0 feedback points.

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Advertise in AuctionBytes-Update newsletter! For ad rates, visit http://www.auctionbytes.com/Advertising/advertising.html
or email david@auctionbytes.com
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9) SquareTrade Follow-Up
By Ina Steiner

In the last issue, I reviewed SquareTrade's online dispute resolution service ( http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/19/20/20.html#squaretrade ). I would like to clarify the pricing structure. SquareTrade's online dispute resolution service is FREE to anyone on any online auction site that has a problem. It does not matter if the seller has a SquareTrade seal or not.

The SquareTrade seal means the seller has committed to following through with the dispute resolution process. If the seller does not have a seal, SquareTrade cannot guarantee that the seller will use the process.

SquareTrade continues to offer sellers a free limited-time offer at http://www.squaretrade.com/learnmore/learnmore_buyselbenon.jsp.

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10) LETTERS FROM READERS

Dear AuctionBytes,

You continue to pound at the basics. Keep it up. There are a million newbies like myself who dream of selling or purchasing just a few and later more items. We can only learn how to be more involved by standing at home plate knowing where first base is and how to get there.

Assume nothing in your basic published guides for such a simple thing as "How to find a free webpage and upload a picture."

docgipe (userid-Ebay)

***
Hi Ina,

I really love your newsletter. I've been a subscriber since March and we've even added a link to your site on our web page.

I'm also the president of Foo Dog Software. We produce intelligent auction management software for eBay called Shooting Star. We recently released a new version and we were also awarded 5 cows from Tucows. Our home page is: http://FooDogSoftware.com

Regards,
Kevin Olayan
Foo Dog Software, Inc.

***

Thanks, docgipe and Kevin, and thanks to all readers who've taken the time to write to us. We want to hear what you have to say. Please send me an email and tell us what you'd like to see covered in AuctionBytes-Update. And if you like AuctionBytes, please tell your friends about us!
Ina Steiner (ina@auctionbytes.com)

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11) Newsflash

"Newsflash" is a feature on the AuctionBytes.com Web site that brings you daily online auction news. Go to http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/newsflash/newsflash.html for the latest online auction news and announcements. Here are the latest headlines:

September 9, 2000
eBay & State Attorneys General (AGs) Help Fraud Victims
eBay Users Confused over New PayPal Logos

September 8, 2000
Yahoo Auctions to Require Credit Card Verification
Front-End Loaders, Cranes and Forklifts to Carry New Auction Site

September 7, 2000
"Barbie" Weeps over Toxic Content
"A Penny for Your Thoughts" - with Inflation
Forbes Reports on eBay User Dissatisfaction

September 6, 2000
Creative Auction Contest
Yahoo Limits Auctions to 1,000/Month
eBay Offers Seminar in Seattle

September 1, 2000
Move Over PayPal, Now You Can Pay CASH for Internet Purchases
Brimfield, Massachusetts, September 6-10, 2000

August 31, 2000
eBay Advertising Strategy
PayPal Plans International Expansion
e-Quote Gives Instant Shipping Quotes for Bulky Items

August 30,2000
Front Page Story on USA Today: "Online auctions top list of Internet fraud"
eBay-Outage
Eppraisals and Collector Online in Partnership
GoldsAuction.com Announces Enhanced Features, Expanded Customer Support

August 29, 2000
BidXS.com Auction "Search Engine" Announces Redesign
Coming Soon: eBay "Rules & Safety" Feature
GoTo Auctions Announces Auction System for Companies

August 28, 2000
Collecting Little Golden Books" 4th Edition Available

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AuctionBytes-Update ISSN 1528-6703
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