AuctionBytes-Update Number 50 - October 14, 2001 - ISSN 1528-6703

Tell a friend about AuctionBytes-Update, a free newsletter for online auction buyers and sellers. Forward this entire newsletter or go to: <http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/Recommend/recomm end.html>

***************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
1) From the Editor
2) Search Alert Service for Wanted Items
3) Shopping Online: AuctionBytes Price Index
4) Counters - Who's Counting Anyway?
5) This & That
6) Collector's Corner
7) Top 10 Searches - Antiques & Collectibles
8) NewsFlash Highlights
***************************************

1) FROM THE EDITOR

David and I drove to the Berkshires on Friday. While there, we visited the Williams College Museum of Art where they had an exhibit, "Celebrating 75 Years -- CHAIN REACTION: Rube Goldberg and Contemporary Art." Rube Goldberg created the cartoon character Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts, an inventor of contraptions that did simple tasks in hilariously roundabout ways <http://www.rube-goldberg.com>. It made me look at the procedures I've set up for buying and selling on online auctions to see if I can simplify them!

The trip to the Berkshires was a reminder that things are not the same. State police troopers were guarding the bridges on the Massachusetts turnpike. And the anthrax scare is the latest skirmish in the war on our nerves. But we can take heart in the lessons of history.

My mother was a nurse in London during World War II. If you have ever seen movies or read books about the war, you know that bombs were dropping from the skies for years during the war. Many buildings were destroyed in London. People had to change their routines to be safer, but they carried on. People like my mom continued to work, play, love, dance - all the things that they did before the war.

In the United States, we find ourselves in a somewhat similar situation. We may think twice before flying in an airplane due to the September 11th attacks. We now find ourselves looking carefully at letters before opening them due to the current anthrax scare.

One thing the auction community should do in the new world in which we find ourselves is to be less contentious with strangers. The stresses of today can bring people to a new level of kookiness or maliciousness. Don't let problems escalate. As long as we communicate coolly and calmly with our trading partners, and as long as we deliver what we promise, there should be little reason for concern.

Remember, anthrax is not contagious, is not easy to obtain, and is not usually fatal. If you receive a suspicious letter or package, ABC News has some guidelines on what to do. < http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/suspiciousmail_gui de011012.html>. Take a look at what makes up a suspicious letter or package so YOU don't scare the recipient when YOU send them a letter or package! Always put your return address on ALL correspondence from now on, whether it is for work, auctions or personal. Firstgov.gov has lots of information - <http://www.firstgov.gov> and click on "Protect Yourself and Your Country."

In the week following the 9-11 attacks, auction activity came to a screeching halt. It bounced back. TIAS, an antiques & Collectibles online mall, reported that while sales were down 1/3 after the attacks, their online sales are currently the highest they have seen since Christmas of last year.

There will be further scares in our ongoing war with terrorism, but things will bounce back. History teaches us that.

And my mom? She turns 76 next month. And she is still dancing.

Ina Steiner, Editor
email: ina@auctionbytes.com

=======================================
Need a simple shipping solution for larger auction items? ABF
Freight System, Inc.(r), one of the largest less-than-truckload
carriers in North America, specializes in transporting freight too
big to be shipped by a parcel carrier. We accept freight in a
variety of shapes and sizes, properly packaged for commercial
transportation. Free online quotes and tracking. Offering flexible
shipping solutions throughout North America since 1923. For a
discounted online auction shipping quote click here.
http://www.abfs.com/tools/ltlquotes/nspquotes/default.asp?rf=ab4
===============================Advertisement=======

***************************************
***************************************
2) Search Alert Service for Wanted Items
by Ina Steiner

Last December, I wrote about services that would alert you when new auctions came up that might interest you. That article is already obsolete! Two of the services - iTrack.com and Bidders Edge - have shut down, and the third service, offered by eBay, has changed its name from "Personal Shopper" and is now called "Favorite Searches."

Search alert services notify you via email when a new auction is posted for something you are interested in purchasing. It automates the process of looking for items, so if you collect something specific, you'll be sure not to miss any that go up for sale.

iTrack.com had offered a great service that covered many auction sites with one search. It has disappeared from the Internet without a trace.

I found another service from AuctionGator <http://www.auctiongator.com>, which only searches eBay auctions. Sign in (you must register first) and click on "Search Agents." Click on the "New" button and set your criteria.

eBay has its own search alert service called "Favorite Searches." You can sign into your "My eBay" (it's at the top of every eBay screen) and go to the "Favorites" tab.

eBay's Favorite Searches allows you to set up alerts for up to 15 items. You can choose to have eBay mail the results to you, in which case you will receive messages ONLY when there are new items found. The alert will stay active for 90 days, at which point you have the option to reactivate your search with email notification.

eBay's Favorite Searches also allows you to monitor favorite sellers and favorite categories. For more information, you can read eBay's help guide at:
< http://pages.ebay.com/help/buyerguide/favorite_searches.html>

If you have comments or know of any other search alert services, please post a message on the Discussion Forums at: < http://161.58.152.123/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=7&30>

=======================================
Collectify has released their new software. It's powerful, it's
easy to use and it's been designed for collectors just like you.
It's called "MyStuff" and it was developed to help you catalog,
organize and enhance the way you enjoy your collection.
Collectify is offering to let you try their new software free
for 30 days. To take them up on their offer, go to:
http://tias.com/cj.html
and download a free copy or order a trial CD by mail.
================================Advertisement=======

***************************************
***************************************
3) Shopping Online: AuctionBytes Price Index
by Ina and David Steiner

With eBay's increasing emphasis in attracting manufacturers and distributors to its site, with less emphasis on collectibles, we decided to see whether eBay is, in fact, the "practical" choice to buy "practicals" on the Internet. AuctionBytes will be periodically publishing our own "API", or AuctionBytes Price Index, that will compare the average selling price of items on eBay with other Internet retailers.

We believe that pricing is only one factor to consider when shopping, but it is an important one! Before we initiated this study, we believed pricing would be the number one reason for shopping on eBay, since auction items may be used; may not come with warranties; and since buyers must wait until the end of the auction to know if they have won the item. However, we found that many people offer new items on eBay, and often the prices of practicals are in the same range on eBay as those on retail sites. The lessons we learned: yes, you can find bargains on auction sites and retail sites, but it pays to shop around!

Here are several items, chosen at random, which were compared on 6/14/01 and again on 10/11/01. We compared identical items so the comparison would be fair. The eBay prices are for completed auctions.

Item: Sandisk 128meg CompactFlash Card
Avg Price on eBay 6/14/01: $109.88
Lowest-priced Retail Site 6/14/01: $102.95 on Buy.com
Avg Price on eBay 10/11/01:$69.91 (no mention of $20 rebate in auctions)*
Lowest-priced Retail Site 10/11/01: $58.99 (including $20 rebate) Computers4sure.com

Item: Linksys 4-Port Cable Router:
Avg Price on eBay 6/14/01: $105.46
Lowest-priced Retail Site 6/14/01: $99.95 Computers4Sure
Avg Price on eBay 10/11/01:$90.99
Lowest-priced Retail Site 10/11/01: $79.00 Comp-U-Plus Direct

Item: SonicBlue Rio Volt MPS/CD Player
Avg Price on eBay 6/14/01: $143.28
Lowest-priced Retail Site 6/14/01: $139.98 eCost.com
Avg Price on eBay 10/11/01: $119
Lowest-priced Retail Site 10/11/01: $128 Comp-U-Plus Direct

Item: Samsung SyncMaster 770 TFT Monitor
Avg Price on eBay 6/14/01: $705.75
Lowest-priced Retail Site 6/14/01: $866.88 1st eWeb inc.
Avg Price on eBay 10/11/01: $635.75
Lowest-priced Retail Site 10/11/01: $733 Compu America

Item: INFINITY 4652CF Speakers
Avg Price on eBay 6/14/01: $61.99
Lowest-priced Retail Site 6/14/01: $54.95 mmxpress.com
Avg Price on eBay 10/11/01: $55.00
Lowest-priced Retail Site 10/11/01: $54.95 mmxpress.com

In addition to pricing, there are other factors to consider when shopping online.

REBATES:
Manufacturers often offer rebates on electronic items that MAY or MAY NOT be included with an item that is purchased on eBay. Often, as in the case of the SanDisk CompactFlash card, the seller retains the original receipt and submits the rebate.

TIMING:
Consumers should check delivery schedules and shipping methods. With online auctions, unless the auction has a "Buy It Now" feature enabled, the buyer must wait for an auction to end, with no guarantee that they will win the auction.

WARRANTIES:
Consumers should compare warranties. When buying from an auction seller, there must be an ORIGINAL sales receipt to ensure the integrity of the warranty.

RETURNS:
Consumers should check the seller's return policy.

SECURITY:
Consumers should research the seller and make sure that their credit card and personal information will be kept private and secure, whether it a retailer or an auction seller.

FRAUD:
Consumers should research the seller and, in the case of auctions, will want to check the "feedback" ratings of the seller.

MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES
Consumers usually pay sales tax if they are purchasing the item from a seller in their own state. This can add an additional cost to an item. Consumers should also carefully research shipping & handling charges and insurance fees and understand the total cost before making the purchase.

FEATURES:
Make sure you are comparing the EXACT same item and features. For example, one seller may sell a PDA with 4MB of RAM, while another may sell one with 8MB of RAM.

Finally, Altavista Shopping is an online shopping service to help you "shop around" <http://shopping.altavista.com/home >. It searches Web retailers AND eBay auctions!

***************************************
***************************************
4) Counters - Who's Counting Anyway?
by Reyne Haines

It is estimated there are 60 million Internet users with thousands more logging on daily. In April, eBay alone had 1.5 billion visitors. If you own a retail storefront, chances are you don't see that many people walk through your door in a year.

So how do you determine how many are actually finding your auctions? With counter programs!

Counter programs are similar to those turnstiles you go through at the subway or when entering a stadium for a football game. It keeps a count of how many people enter a location on a given day.

The most visible page counter is free, compliments of Honesty (a division of Andale). Honesty's counters can either report the number of times an auction is viewed OR the number of visitors. Meaning, if the same person views your item several times in a day, it will only count that as one visitor instead of several. This gives you a more accurate idea of how many individual users are interested in your item.

If you don't want visitors to know how many times your auction has been viewed, try a hidden counter.

So how much do counters cost? You'll love this part - they are FREE! If you know HTML coding, you can create your own! If not, your ISP or Honesty can provide one for you.

Honesty creates counters automatically in a matter of moments. You simply complete a small form online, and the counter is automatically generated. Note: if you had an Honesty account but haven't used it in a while, you will have to update your profile, but it doesn't take long. Go to <http://www.andale.com/corp/products/track.jsp> and sign in.

As this holiday season approaches more users will be surfing the Internet searching for great merchandise. Will you be watching? We're counting on it!
---
Reyne Haines founded auction site Just Glass <http://www.justglass.com > and is owner of Haines Galleries <http://www.tias.com/RHA>. She is author of The Auction Book, Guide to Online Auctions Vol I and II, both of which sold out. Reyne is also a regular appraiser for the Antiques Roadshow television program on PBS.

***************************************
***************************************
5) THIS & THAT

BREAKING NEWS:
PayPal: No More Credit Card Payments for Personal Accounts

"To reduce the costs associated with credit card processing, the ability to receive credit card funded payments will become a feature reserved for Premier and Business accounts. Personal Accounts that receive credit card funded payments after 11/06/2001 may accept the payment by upgrading to a Premier or Business account, or they will have to deny the payment. Personal accounts will continue to be able to receive non-credit card funded payments for free. Once upgraded, Premier and Business Accounts may receive unlimited credit card funded payments."
http://www.paypal.com

****
Sell.com Opens for Business

Sell.com, a site for "negotiated commerce," started up this month. The site allows sellers to list products that buyers can browse and then make offers. "Our system allows buyers and sellers to communicate one-on-one, and eliminates many of the headaches inherent in the online auction world," says Darren Dittrich, President and CEO of sell.com.

Listings are free and are good for 90 days. There are three ways to list: negotiable, fixed-price or no-price listings. The Final Value Fee is 3%, with a minimum fee of 50 cents and a maximum fee of $100.

There are two other "negotiated commerce" sites on the Web: BargainAndHaggle and LoudFrog. LoudFrog is completely free. BargainAndHaggle has been around for a while. Its Final Value Fees are explained here <http://www.bargainandhaggle.com/help/pricing.asp>.

http://www.sell.com
http://www.loudfrog.com
http://www.bargainandhaggle.com

Comments or questions about these sites? Post a message on the Discussion Forums!
<http://161.58.152.123/forum/phpBB/index.php>

****
Postage Stamp Mega Event - October 18th

The Postage Stamp Mega Event will take place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City on October 18-21, 2001. The 34-cent James Madison stamp will be dedicated at a first day of issue ceremony to help kick off the show. James Madison was the fourth president of the United States and is remembered as the "father of the U.S. Constitution." This commemorative stamp marks the 250th anniversary of his birth.

The American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA), the American Philatelic Society (APS) and the Postal Service are sponsoring the show. For more information on stamp shows, visit the ASDA Web site at <http://www.asdaonline.com > or the APS Web site at < http://www.stamps.org>.

****
Hotmail Problems

We received this letter from Topica, the service that administrates our daily newsletter, AuctionBytes NewsFlash. If you signed up for our newsletter with a Hotmail email account and have not been receiving it, this might be why!

>>>>>>
We've received reports that some Hotmail users are not receiving mail from some Topica lists. We've traced most of these cases to the new way Hotmail filters "Junk Mail".

You may have noticed that when Hotmail revamped it's Web interface several months ago, they also tried to simplify Junk mail filtering by allowing users to select from predefined filtering levels (Off, Low, Medium, High, Exclusive). By default, accounts are set on "High" filtering, which routes directly to the "Junk Mail" folder any mail not addressed specifically to a subscriber's email address.

Realizing that legitimate mailing list mail was getting filtered into the Junk folder, Hotmail provided an easy way for users to ensure their email newsletters and discussions end up in their Inboxes, but many users are not aware of how to do it. To help Hotmail subscribers who may be experiencing problems receiving mail from your list, try this:

Have the subscriber:
* Log into their Hotmail account
* At the "Options" page, select "Mail Handling."
("Options" can be found at the top of your account page, next to the "Address Book" tab.)

* In the appropriate fields, type in the name of the mailing list you you want to receive in your Inbox.

Example:
If you want to receive your subscription to What's New in your Inbox instead of your Junk mail folder, you would need to enter the email address of the What's New mailing list, or new1@topica.com. Hotmail users can also contact Hotmail support for questions or issues related to this feature.
<<<<<<

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@
Recommend AuctionBytes-Update to a friend! Forward this complete issue to
them, or go to
http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/Recommend/recomme nd.html
and fill out the short form. A sample issue will automatically be sent to
your friend with a note from us (and you can add a note too).
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@

***************************************
***************************************
6) COLLECTOR'S CORNER
Produce Stickers--Collectibles of Tomorrow?
by Michele Alice

For years, my mother has carefully removed produce labels from fruits and vegetables and preserved them in sticker albums. An amusing hobby, I thought; nothing more. But now I'm not so sure.

As collectibles, PLU (price look-up) seals have a lot of potential. Many are more than just codes: they are colorful pieces of advertising art. Like postage stamps, they are easy to ship and require little storage space. And, most importantly, though their variety is great and constantly changing, the supply of each design dwindles rapidly as almost all end up in the trash or compost pile along with the banana peels and melon rinds to which they adhere.

Also sometimes referred to as product look-up labels, these ephemera were created to avoid confusion at the grocery check-out. Cashiers no longer have to be able to differentiate between varieties of the same produce. (The last time I was at Stop & Shop, I counted over a dozen kinds of apples alone!) All they need do now is place the items on the scale, key in or scan the codes, and the computers do the rest.

Though suppliers have been advertising their wares one way or another for some time, it wasn't until 1988 that the Produce Electronic Identification Board (PEIB) "streamlined" the coding being used. For a history and description of the code system, try the Produce Marketing Association Web site at <http://www.pma.com/ii/peib.cfm#1>.

As I delved into the subject, I was surprised to learn that there are a large number of enthusiasts engaged in collecting the little stickers. In fact, the field is so vast, that, like philatelists, PLU collectors have begun to specialize. Banana labels are extremely popular with collectors around the globe, and there are a number of Web sites showcasing their collections. I was really impressed with Tony's Bananas <~http://home.att.net/~aleigh123> where you can click on "Care" and find great tips on flattening, removing stains, storing, etc.!

If you don't want to concentrate on bananas, but on the field in general, then I recommend < http://khfoster.home.texas.net/index.htm>. This is the home page for Please Stop Snickering, a bi-monthly newsletter for the produce-label collector. I thought the site quite informative and appreciated the extensive list of links.

As of this date, I could find just one lot of PLU stickers on eBay: a group of 35 banana labels with a current bid of $4.01. The field, however, is in its infancy, and all those stickers everyone threw away 10 years ago just might command some serious attention if a growing number of collectors decide they want them.

But you know what's really great about speculating in PLU stickers right now? They're FREE! Well, almost - they WILL cost you the price of the fruit.
---
Michele Alice is AuctionBytes-Update Contributing Editor. Michele is a freelance writer in the Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts. She collects books, science fiction memorabilia and more! Email her at makalice@adelphia.net eBay ID:Malice9

=======================================
RESOURCES FOR PROFESSIONAL AUCTION SELLERS
The Auction Seller's Resource publishes books and newsletters for
professional auction sellers. Subscribe to The Auction Seller's News
FREE and take advantage of the many free seller's resources at:
http://www.auction-sellers-resource.com/newsletters/index.html
Read about our new Wholesale Directory for Auction Sellers at:
http://www.auction-sellers-resource.com/products/wholesale.html
================================Advertisement=======

***************************************
***************************************
7) Top 10 Searches - Antiques & Collectibles

TIAS.com is the largest fixed-price source of antiques and collectibles on the Internet. Since 1997, it has been publishing a "Hot List" of popular items gathered from statistics on antiques and collectibles.

Top 10 Searches - TIAS.com, September 2001
1. Cookie Jars
2. Carnival Glass
3. McCoy
4. Milk Glass
5. Avon
6. China
7. Noritake
8. Teapots
9. Furniture
10. Depression Glass

Top 10 Searches - AntiqueArts.com, September 2001
1. Flow Blue
2. Furniture
3. Vermont
4. Tables
5. Chairs
6. Beds
7. Desks
8. Majolica
9. Duncan Phyfe
10. Lamps
AntiqueArts specializes in "high end" antiques and fine art.

Top 10 Searches - Kovels.com, September 2001
1. China
2. China Dinnerware
3. Dolls
4. Books
5. Furniture Accessories
6. Furniture
7. Depression Glass
8. Bottles
9. Lamps
10. Cookie Jars
Kovels' is the most popular online price guide for antique and collectibles on the Web, with almost 200,000 registered users.

TIAS TRIVIA - Engagement Rings:
Some media have reported a surge in marriages and engagements since Sept. 11th, which may account for the #1 search term entered to find the TIAS Web site in the month of September: Engagement Rings!

Hot List data compiled by TIAS.com Inc (C) 2001
<http://www.tias.com>

***************************************
***************************************
8) NEWSFLASH HIGHLIGHTS

These are just some of the headlines from our daily Newsflash feature - if you aren't reading Newsflash, you are only getting part of the story!

Virgin Drinks to Amazon
eBay Gets Literary
Carnaby Opens Stores
Thumb Through Books "Virtually" on Amazon
Morgan Stanley Analyst Meeker Off the Hook
Half.com Lays Off Employees as eBay Takes Over Its Administrative Tasks
uBid.com Says C2C Auctions up 36% from Month Ago
The Petition You Receive Is Probably an Email Hoax
Microsoft Closes Windows on eBay
Yahoo Slam Dunks Charity Auction of New York Knicks Basketball Tickets

< http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/newsflash/newsflash. html>

RECEIVE NEWSFLASH VIA EMAIL!
Send a blank email to: auctionflash-subscribe@topica.com 

***************************************
***************************************
AUCTIONBYTES.COM SPONSORS

Craters & Freighters
http://www.cratersandfreighters.com/cgi-bin/gocf.cgi?ref=4MGSJ

Vision-0ne
http://www.123wholesaleresources.com

Bags Unlimited
http://www.bagsunlimited.com

ABFS
http://www.abfs.com/tools/ltlquotes/nspquotes/default.asp?rf=ab4

Andale
http://www.andale.com/partners/partners_auctionbytes.jsp

******************************************************* ***********************
Please use the AuctionBytes Yellow Pages when you are shopping for supplies and services for online auctions and collectibles!
<http://www.online-auction-directory.com>
******************************************************* ***********************

AuctionBytes-Update ISSN 1528-6703
AUCTIONBYTES.COM CONTACT INFORMATION
Editorial: ina@auctionbytes.com
Advertising: advert@auctionbytes.com or 508-655-5697
Letters, Comments, Suggestions: feedback@auctionbytes.com
Want to Write for AuctionBytes-Update? Go to http://www.auctionbytes.com and click on "write for us" to view author guidelines. If you are interested, send email to ina@auctionbytes.com.

Ina Steiner, Editor, Publisher and Co-founder: ina@auctionbytes.com
David Steiner, Webmaster, Technical Editor, President and Co-founder:
dsteiner@auctionbytes.com
Michele Alice, Contributing Editor
AuctionBytes.com
c/o Steiner Associates
PO Box 668
Natick, MA 01760
508-655-5697
-----------------
Thank you for subscribing to AuctionBytes-Update. AuctionBytes-Update email newsletter may be freely distributed in its entirety, so please pass it on. (Individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or distributed without written permission of the publisher.)

The Fine Print:
No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Steiner Associates makes diligent efforts to obtain accurate and timely information. However, Steiner Associates disclaims any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in AuctionBytes-Update, whether or not such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.
Scratch scratch.