AuctionBytes-Update Number 36 - April 22, 2001 - 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 information about 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) 2001 Digital Camera Review - Mid-Priced Cameras
3) Online Sales Trends: When's the Best Time to Sell Online?
4) How To Establish A Clientele: Part 2 - How You Can Do It
5) Beware Designer Items!
6) COLLECTOR'S CORNER
7) This & That
8) Newsflash
9) Lettter to the Editor
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1) FROM THE EDITOR

David was in heaven these past few weeks. Three manufacturers sent him digital cameras for review. Maggie-the-Auction-Hound and I were never sure when David would pop up and starting taking pictures of us. David thoroughly tested the three cameras to see which one was best for taking pictures of auction items, and his review appears in this issue.

We have a news ticker tape on the home page of the Web site. If you have a minute, please go to http://www.auctionbytes.com and let us know if it shows up okay on your computer. (It's right under "Today's AuctionBytes NewsFlash" at the top of the page.) If the ticker doesn't show up on your screen, please send David an email at dsteiner@auctionbytes.com, and tell him what browser you are using.

We had pretty good weather for our yard sale last weekend. We cleared out a lot of the stuff that was cluttering our basement. Just in time. David went to a Real Life Auction and came home with tons of fun stuff - some to keep and some to sell on auction sites, of course.

Thanks for reading, and please tell your friends about us!

Ina Steiner, Editor
email: ina@auctionbytes.com

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2) 2001 Digital Camera Review - Mid-Priced Cameras
By David Steiner

As any good online auction seller would attest, an item description and title may draw in the bidders, but it's the picture that closes the deal.

A prospective buyer is anxious to see the details of the item that they want to buy, from a nicely composed beauty shot to close-ups of markings, patterns and even flaws. Any information that you can impart using your auction image brings you that much closer to making a successful sale.

If you sell a variety of items online, you'll require a digital camera that's flexible enough to take clear, wide shots of larger items, yet still produce detailed pictures of small products. In addition to taking sharp pictures, a good digital camera should be able to reproduce colors correctly (nothing more annoying that receiving something beige when you were expecting something gray), have decent battery life and transfer images easily to the computer.

Last year, we reviewed two entry-level digital cameras (under $500 list-price) and came up with some recommendations. < http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/8/7/6/5/5.html#cam era>. This year, we moved the bar up a bit, and evaluated three mid-priced models ($500-$900): Kodak DC 4800, Sony Cyber-shot F505V, and Nikon Coolpix 950

The evaluation kept auction sellers in mind. The cameras were equipped with at least a 2 megapixel CCD, a minimum 3x optical zoom, macro settings for close-ups, a white balance feature for adjusting color temperature and a built-in flash.

The tests included taking shots in a controlled-light environment* of smaller objects including jewelry, printed material and glass. Test shots also included larger objects in a mixed light environment (outside light and tungsten) using the onboard flash. The tests brought very satisfactory overall results for all the cameras tested, yet each had stronger points that distinguished it from the others.

These are not your basic point-and-shoot cameras - this is evident from the outset. There are deep menus in each of these models that allow you to tweak shutter speed, white balance, ISO settings-and you should become familiar with them before doing serious shooting. The Kodak, in particular has a default mode that could initially make the camera seem weak. Once the proper adjustments were made, however, we were very pleased with the results.

Kodak DC 4800
The Kodak DC 4800 (street price: $465-$599) performed well in all tests. The 3x optical zoom lens (6x digital zoom) is a little noisy in the motor, but utilizes nearly all of the 3.3 megapixel capacity of this camera. The wide shots had nice color saturation and gave my objects a very rich appearance. Both wide and macro shots were the brightest in the group, and shots of printed material came out exceptionally sharp. I was not able to get quite as close to objects with this camera as I was with the Nikon or Sony, but Kodak made up for it on the other end, where I was able to take the widest shots in this group.

The USB connection made transferring images to my PC lightning fast. Kodak also sells a CompactFlash reader that can stay connected to your computer - you simply pull the Flash Card out of the camera and insert it into the reader. The DC 4800 comes standard with a 16 megabyte CompactFlash card that will hold from 1 image (2160x1440) to 47 (1080x720) images. It would have been nice to have a 640x480 resolution mode. Instead, any resizing will have to be done in your software. The onboard flash is serviceable, and for serious shutterbugs, this was the only camera that had a hot shoe connection on board for an external flash. The battery, as with all of these models was fair, and takes 4 hours to charge. A spare battery with a quick-charge unit would be highly recommended.

There are some caveats with this camera. As I mentioned, when I first started taking pictures, the factory default settings were in place, and images seemed pixilated and grainy. After a colleague and I manually adjusted shutter and ISO settings, images became much sharper. So be forewarned: If you purchase the DC 4800, be prepared to learn the menus and how to change settings. All that being said, images stood up very well next to the more expensive models. If you have a sound knowledge of photography, or are willing to learn, this is an excellent choice, especially for the price!

Sony Cyber-shot F505V
The first thing that you notice when you pick up the Cyber-shot F505V (street price: $695-$950) is that it feels great in your hands. Aside from the nice ergonomics, there are also many impressive built-in features. The Carl Zeiss-designed lens has superb optics and gives the user great flexibility in framing a shot. This silent 5x optical zoom (10x digital) performed the best in this group and allowed me to go from wide shot to close-up without ever having to move my tripod. This is also the only camera in the group that has a true manual focus setting, allowing the user to adjust the focus ring for razor sharpness. The macro shots were also nice and clear, and I was able to get right on top of the item I was shooting to take close-ups. I was never entirely happy with the color representation of my close-up images, however, despite trying every white balance setting in the book, but the wide-shot pictures had robust colors and were very pleasing.

The 8 megabyte Memory Stick can store a range of 4-(2240x1680) images to 118-(640x480) images. The biggest drawback to this camera was the lack of optical viewfinder that forces the user to keep the LCD screen on constantly, causing the battery to drain quickly. If you are taking shots of items outside, the LCD screen can also be difficult to view. The onboard flash is very strong, and has three settings to meet your lighting needs. The USB connection was extremely fast, although Sony could also have been a bit more generous with the 33" long USB cable.

If price is not a problem, then this camera would have to merit serious consideration. The overall picture quality was excellent, and Sony Cyber-shot F505V had a great camera "feel" to it.

Nikon Coolpix 950
It may not be entirely fair to match up the older Nikon 950 (street price: $575-$810) with two, more recent competitors. I requested the Nikon Coolpix 990 from the manufacturer, but Nikon sent the 950 model for evaluation. The Nikon 950 has been a very serviceable camera for web-designers for years, and it still holds up well.

The camera comes with a 2.1 megapixel CCD and a 3x optical zoom lens that creates very sharp images. The 950 performed especially well in Macro mode where the detail was exceptional. The color did not seem as saturated or pleasing as the Sony or the Kodak, and even with constant adjustments, looked a bit "greener" than the other two units. The ergonomics of the 950 may seem a bit strange at first (the body is hinged in the middle) but actually fits comfortably in the hand. This camera does have a manual zoom feature as well, although I find spinning the command wheel a bit quirky. I was much more impressed with the focus ring on the Sony F505V.

The 4 AA Alkaline batteries that power the 950 will expire quickly. I would highly recommend buying a couple of sets of rechargeable NiMH batteries with this camera. The biggest frustration with the camera is its serial connection to the computer. If this camera is your choice, I would strongly suggest purchasing a USB Picture Card reader to speed up the image transfers. While still a nice camera, your money would be better spent on a newer model.

Conclusions:
It wouldn't be a mistake to purchase any of these cameras. Each unit had its strengths and weaknesses, but overall, would make a fine choice for any online auction seller looking to take a "step up" with their digital camera. The Kodak DC 4800 delivered very good images across the board, and also the brightest pictures in the group. Given the street price, it's hard not to pick this as the "Best Bang for the Buck".

The Sony is a beautiful camera, but the cost may be a bit prohibitive, especially if the primary use will be taking auction pictures.

The Nikon Coolpix 950, while still a workhorse, is a little long in the technology tooth, and has been surpassed by its competitors. It would have been interesting to see what the newer 990 model could do.

To see an "At-a-Glance" chart of specs, and to compare sample images from each camera, go to <http://www.auctionbytes.com/camreview01/camreview01.html>. I'll be adding more models to the chart as I review them.

* All close-up shots were lit with a 240watt spotlight covered with diffusion material and a white bounce card

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3) Online Sales Trends: When's the Best Time to Sell Online?
By Edith Reynolds

Has spring sprung?
Has grass riz?
I wonder how my eBay sales is..?

Okay, okay. I'm the first to admit I'm no e.e. cummings, but chalk the bad attempt up to cabin fever. I'm desperate for any sign of spring, and given our long-lasting snow and low temperatures in the northeast this year, the only sign I've had so far is an increase in sales--both online and over the counter.

That's positive news considering the downward trend of the economy. According to one recent CBS news report, the decline in the Dow hasn't corresponded to a dip in consumer spending, causing the reporter to ask, "Is the urge to spend in spring greater than the worry over recession?"

Traditionally - in the retail venue - the Christmas rush is followed by a lull with blips at Valentines Day and Presidents Day sales. That's quickly followed by a succession of Mothers Day, Fathers Day, graduations and weddings, when gift sales peak. Aside from some vacation spending, back to school purchases lead into Christmas and the cycle begins anew.

My own experience charting online sales mirrors this trend. I sell books, which follows a gift-giving pattern. In order to gain a greater insight, I turned to my fellow eBayers, asking them about their own experiences. Responses from the various chat boards proved insightful.

According to nancycom on the glass board, she fits the standard model. "While I do pretty well at Christmas, it's a busy time of year for EVERYONE. I actually have had my best sales before Thanksgiving, because I sell/sold a lot of vintage dishes, or after Christmas on collectible stuff. It depends on what I'm selling."

dwtoytruk at the advertising board concurs. "People are away from their computers more during the summer and out of money after Christmas."

Chippie63 at the eBay cafe had a different 'spin.' "I have no 'better' time--some weeks are good--some weeks are bad- no pattern for my stuff."

Stamps' iomoon found it easier to spell out bad times: "When school is not in session... generally speaking, May to August. Good times are (the) first week of spring and fall semesters. Even if students bid with no intention of buying (they don't last long on eBay or without negatives), they at least drive up the prices so buyers who would pay more, do pay more."

Myattic2u of advertising collectibles sorted it out this way. "While I can't speak for everyone, I don't think there is 'anytime' that is better than another to sell on eBay. My answer would be it's always a hit and miss situation. It just depends on the item and if there is more than one interested bidder out there when the item is up for auction."

If your sales are lagging, take stock of yourself and your sales approach. And when things ARE slow, take some time to FIND stock. Sit down on a rainy day and construct some "killer" ad templates that buyers can't resist. Scan, scan, scan until you drop...building up a stockpile beforehand, you'll be prepared to double or triple your offerings when the selling season picks up.

Even if you use the dips to clean and organize your workspace, you'll be ahead of the game.

One thing for sure, the American consumer and his or her dollar will part sooner or later. We love to shop, so buck up and forge ahead. Think of ways to tantalize buyers with a variety of merchandise aimed at the wintery time of year. Don't forget, even if the average consumer has gone into hibernation, dealer-to-dealer sales is one way to prepare for the pocketbook's spring's thaw.

---
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, http://www.taxter.com and http://www.usiana.com. eBay IDs: TAXTER , TAXTER2 , TAXTER3 , USIANA , BALEBOOKS.

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4) How To Establish A Clientele: Part 2 - How You Can Do It
By Michele Johnson

[NOTE: In the last issue, Michele Johnson wrote about the importance of establishing a clientele and how she did it. Here, she gives some advice on how YOU can establish your own following of loyal customers.]

Anyone can establish a clientele who will continuously shop with you. It requires getting new customers and then keeping them. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Post to mailing lists and include your signature line with a link to your Web page or auctions at the bottom of every email. People do click on those!

Set up your own Web site. This lets people know more about you, and it builds an environment of trust. It also shows people you are in business, and that you have other items to sell.

Join "auction announcement" lists related to the items you sell. When you list new auctions, post an announcement to these lists. There is a wealth of mailing lists at YahooGroups. Sign up and post to lists that allow announcements on the subject of what you are selling. (Make sure the list allows this.)

Start your own announcement and promo mailing list and invite people to join. Let your list know first when you put up new items. Give your own list members "perks." I have seen some people who give their winning bidders free shipping if the winner is a list member. Some people give discounts. It doesn't matter what you give, but THAT you give.

In every email to winning bidders, include an invitation to visit your Web site. If you don't have a site yet, give the winner the URL of your auction seller list or About Me page, just to let them know you have other things for sale. Don't assume they will know - tell them!

Put a packing slip in every package. On that packing slip, include another invitation to visit your site. Other things that can go in the package are business cards, bookmarks, flyers, postcards, coupons for future savings, etc. Let that customer know that you want them to return and shop with you again.

Everywhere you go, tell people what you do and where you do it. Give out Web site business cards that lead them to your site and to your auctions.

Customer service is a MUST. Do it and do it well. Offer a range of payment options. Make closing the transaction as easy on the customer as possible.

Always do what you say you will do. People will grow to trust you, which is essential in getting them to come back.

Deal with people if offers are reasonable. This shows people you are open and willing to do business with them.

Specialize in one area. Most of the time when people begin auctioning, they sell things from around the house. Sell things that are like each other at the same time. Sell the clothes first, then the books and videos, then the knick-knacks and decorative items. By then, you probably will have found a product you love to sell, and you can specialize in it.

Get your site listed on other sites - get them to provide links to you. This is a fabulous way to get noticed if you have a Web site.

And the best thing to do to establish new clientele and keep the old is to be kind to people! What you give out WILL come back. Invite those new customers in and ask them to become a part of your customer family. Continuously let them know you are there for them when they need your product. And then be there when they are ready.

---
Michele Johnson has proven to be very successful in establishing and keeping a happy clientele, as evidenced by her perfect feedback record on eBay and Epier under username petalsoflife. She also operates several Web sites: http://www.petalsoflife.com, http://www.womensday.com, and http://www.michelejanine.com.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>AUCTION FORECAST:

David's auction forecast calls for a mixed day for Sunday, April 22, 2001:
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.h tml >
Bookmark it!
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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5) Beware Designer Items!
By Ina Steiner

A reader wrote to me telling me that her auction was pulled from eBay, and wondered if I knew anything that might help her figure out why. What I discovered amazed me.

The auction in question was a Chanel necklace. Our reader, Marina, bought the necklace from an estate sale. She listed the necklace on eBay, which then pulled the auction citing VERO.

VERO is eBay's "Verified Rights Owner" program for protecting intellectual property. EBay allows any person or company who holds intellectual property rights (such as a copyright, trademark or patent) become a VeRO program member. EBay has a page explaining the VERO program at < http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/vero-program.html>.

Here's Chanel's explanation of its participation in eBay's VERO program from its AboutMe page <http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/chanelusa>:

"CHANEL has expended considerable resources to develop and maintain a reputation for providing the highest quality products and services to its customers. Through the auction of counterfeit merchandise, people attempt to trade off of CHANEL's well-earned reputation. These auctions not only cause monetary damage, but also damage CHANEL's reputation, as many of the purchasers of inferior counterfeit products will attribute the poor quality merchandise to Chanel. Having spent many years cultivating its strong reputation, CHANEL must take action to ensure that online auctions of counterfeit goods are ended, even by single-item sellers."

I wrote to Chanel, and its lawyer contacted Marina and sent her an email:
>>>>
This message is written to you on behalf of Chanel, Inc. ("Chanel"). Chanel believes that the necklace you offered for sale on eBay is an infringing copy of a genuine Chanel necklace. If you wish, you may send your necklace to us at the following address for verification of authenticity:

Keats McFarland & Wilson LLP
Attention: Ben Lifshitz
9720 Wilshire Blvd.,
Penthouse Suite,
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Chanel endeavors to authenticate suspect merchandise in a timely manner, however, the authentication process requires review of all collateral information about the item you possess and may take some time. In addition, Chanel's experts reviewed your item again and confirmed that it appears to be fake. Therefore, it is likely that the authentication of your item would yield the same result. However, if Chanel verifies that your necklace is genuine, you will be allowed to relist it for sale on eBay. Regardless of its authenticity, your necklace will be returned to you.
<<<<

What happens when you want to buy adesigner item at an estate sale or auction that you think may be a genuine article, but there is no receipt? Think twice. Even if you have a receipt, if a VERO participant believes your item to be a reproduction, and it asks eBay to pull the auction, eBay WILL pull the auction. Apparently eBay does not warn the seller or ask for proof of authenticity. A kind of "shoot now, ask questions later" policy.

So, if you were like me and thought VERO was only for illegal software and music recordings and the like, beware! Your designer necklace auction may be choked in midstream.

Here's a list of VERO participants:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/vero-aboutme.html

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6) COLLECTOR'S CORNER

Collector's Corner - Roseville Pottery
by Natalie Elliott Larson

A reader wrote in with a question about a piece of pottery. He owned a small hand-painted planter: "Roseville is the name and some other things are printed in raised lettering."

I determined that he had a piece of Robinson-Ransbottom Pottery, or RRPCo. His piece was probably of recent manufacture (RRPCo is still making pottery) and worth very little. Although some pieces of RRPCo are gaining in value, most are still not highly desired by collectors.

Because RRPCo is in Roseville Ohio, and they mark their pieces "RRPCo - Roseville," many people have been tricked into thinking they own "THE ROSEVILLE." This is a common misperception, and can potentially be an expensive one.

Roseville is generally marked just "Roseville" with a shape number, something like "123-9" or with a plain, capital R. If you see RRPCo, it isn't "The Roseville" which everyone talks about. To research Roseville marks, you must go to the books, there is no single source online. The best information about the marks that were used by Roseville is in "The Collector's Encyclopedia of Roseville Pottery" by Sharon and Bob Huxford.

Editor's Note: We've found this to be a useful site:
http://www.ohioriverpottery.com/roseville_exchange/roseville.html

---
Natalie Elliott Larson writes about Roseville Pottery. She grew up in the antique business, but didn't start collecting Roseville until 1984, at which time she got seriously addicted. She is a 12-year consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics and a Senior Electric Engineer with Pacific Gas and Electric Company in Northern California. She and her long-suffering husband have both 4-legged and winged "children" on their 3 acres.

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Medieval Studies
By Ina Steiner

The Library Spot, a favorite site of mine, recently profiled a site it calls "a one-stop Web shop for all things Medieval." Here's the profile < http://www.libraryspot.com/rsom/0104orb.htm?news>, or go right to the page for the non-specialist <http://orb.rhodes.edu/media.html >. If you are crazy about King Arthur or Robin Hood, Celtic studies or the Crusades, this is a fun place to start your research.

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7) This & That

About Collectibles!
Barabara Crews is the About.com Guide for the collectibles section. Her Web site is a great resource for all kinds of collectibles, and I enjoy her newsletter, which you can subscribe to for free.
<http://collectibles.about.com/hobbies/collectibles>

********
Online Cooperative for Book-Sellers
TomFolio.org is a Web site for buying and selling used, rare and collectible books, ephemera, and periodicals. It is owned and operated by ABookCoOp, a cooperative jointly owned by independent member booksellers. Owner-membership is open to all independent booksellers who purchase member stock.

ABookCoOp began in 1999 as a small discussion group of independent booksellers. "We wanted to develop a bookselling site that would not be vulnerable to the kind of corporate interference that can dictate selling terms or reap undue profit from our efforts," the Web site reads.

It is a fixed-price site, not an auction site. There is a thread in the AuctionBytes chat forum about efforts to create a cooperative auction site. <http://www.auctionbytes.com/messagebbs/data/48.shtml>

Thanks to Michele R. for writing and telling me about TomFolio.com.
<http://www.tomfolio.com>

********
Sally Jessy Raphael: Collectibles for Dollars
Appraisers evaluate the worth of collectibles on the Sally Jessy Raphael show on Tuesday, April 24. Check your local listings for times and stations < http://www.tvguide.com>. The appraisers (Judith Katz-Schwartz, editor of the Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter, and John Bruno) will host a live chat Tuesday evening at the CollectingChannel.com Web site at 5PM EST <http://collectingchannel.com>.

********
Universal Feedback!
FeedbackSite.com allows sellers to show their feedback from up to eight auction sites right on their individual auction listing pages. The service includes the following auction sites: NoBidding.com, eBay, Yahoo, Amazon, Up4Sale, KnK Collectibles, OneWebPlace, and Collecting Nation. The service is free.
<http://www.feedbacksite.com>

********
New TV Show: The Incurable Collector
John Larroquette hosts a new show, The Incurable Collector, on Sundays at noon EST on the A&E cable station. Today, the show will feature the private glass collection of George and Dorothy Saxe. Also featured are: collectibles from "The Simpsons" television show; the eclectic collection of Leland Sklar - one of the world's top bass players; and Nora Hazelton's collection of 70,000 swizzle sticks. <http://www.aande.com>

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8) Newsflash Highlights - Selected Headlines
See Web Site for Full Details and Continuous Coverage
Go to <http://www.auctionbytes.com > and click on Newsflash.

April 20, 2001
eBay Reports Healthy Quarterly Earnings - 80% Higher than Last Year
Half.com Adds Hundreds of Categories in Four New Areas

April 19, 2001
Neopost Becomes eBay's Exclusive e-Postage Provider
Take to Auction the Latest Site to Offer Online Storefronts

April 18, 2001
Fur Flies as PayPal Rumor Spreads
Gender Salary Gap at eBay?
Diebenkorn Fake Painting Followup: Guilty Pleas, Disbarment
Suspended eBay Member Keeps Selling after Purchasing Someone Else's eBay Account

April 17, 2001
Naughty Items Find Home on NaughtyBids.com
Luxury Items Find Home on FineLot.com

April 16, 2001
BidBay Pays You to User Its Image-Hosting Service
Zoovy Adds Inventory-Management Feature to Its Storefronts
New Version of eBay's Mr. Lister Software
EBay Announces FVF Credit and NPB Enhancements

April 13, 2001
Consumer Reports Rates 13 Online Auction Sites

April 12, 2001
Amazon to Power Borders Web Site

April 11, 2001
AuctionWatch Allows Fixed-Price Selling in Its Virtual Storefronts
eBay Allows Sellers to Bar Bidders

April 10, 2001
PayPal Policy May Cause Bouncy Checks
eBay Invests in ReturnBuy Inc.

April 9, 2001
BidBay Promotion: PT Cruiser Tour
eBay & Yahoo Make "Egregious Oversights" Regarding Privacy

April 6, 2001
New Source of Inventory: KB Toys

April 3, 2001
Vintage Marketplace Co-op Site Debuts

April 2, 2001
eBay Storefronts Rumored to Be Coming
BidBay to Impose Fees for Enhanced Auctions; Basic Listings Remain Free
PayPal Refuses Personal Checks

BE SURE AND VISIT OUR WEB SITE FOR COMPLETE DAILY AUCTION NEWS!
The "Newsflash" column 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.

AND NOW YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NEWSFLASH VIA EMAIL!
Send a blank email to: auctionflash-subscribe@topica.com

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9) Letter to the Editor
Dear Ina,
I have to tell you that I found that article in the last issue [How To Establish A Clientele: Part 1 - How I Did It] to be a marvelous piece of fiction.

I have and currently do list 90% of the same items on Epier that I do on Ebay. I offer the items at a lower starting bid on Epier, I include Epier's URL in all of my emails. I include a flyer with every item I send out. The result? I do have repeat buyers. On Ebay.

I offer a 10% discount with my flyer, it's never used. Never.

So, the article in my view either addresses a pretty out of the ordinary clientele, or I offer items for weirdos only or it's sheer fiction.

Let me tell you about my Epier sales. It's a good thing I don't need them for my beer money because the sales would not even cover that. I have maybe 2 sales a month on Epier.

I subscribe to the notion that Ebay needs some serious competition. I don't subscribe to the notion that Epier will ever be that auction house.
-Joe

[Editor's Note: I asked Michele if she had a response to Joe's letter. She wrote a response, which I edited for length. Here's what she said. - Ina]

Dear Ina,
My main response to the letter above is that this person is listing BOTH on Epier and Ebay. I *stopped* listing on Ebay. The people who wanted my jewelry anyway followed me. I can almost assure you if I had continued to list on Ebay while listing on Epier that those customers - mainly because it was easier for them - would have continued to shop with me on Ebay. But because I totally moved and they wanted my items, they decided to give Epier a try, they found it easy to register and they continue to bid as they see fit. I have also picked up a few new customers on Epier - I have not turned them into repeat buyers as of yet, but I hope they will come back when they are ready to purchase another piece of jewelry.

He mentions his items are "the same" which makes me wonder how "collectible" they are. My market is collectibles - for instance, if someone collects big ritzy rhinestone brooches and that is what I sell, and they are consistently happy with the brooches they buy from me, they will come back. Although he does say he has repeat buyers but they are on Ebay. So the repeat buyers *are* there for him.

People do not like change and they want things to be easy. As long as he is listing on Ebay, it's easier for those folks to shop with him there.

And to be honest, I find his tone of voice in his letter a little sharp - believe it or not, that does come across both in emails throughout the sale and also in the auction listings. People like to be treated nicely, and they also like to get a "this is a nice person who is going to bend over backwards to make me happy" kind of feeling.

-Michele Johnson

***
Thanks Joe & Michele for writing such thoughtful messages. Everyone has different experiences selling online.

Do you think you can establish a clientele? Post a message on the forum: <http://www.auctionbytes.com/bin/messagebbs/view.pl>

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AuctionBytes-Update ISSN 1528-6703
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