The land-grab for eBay drop-off stores continues. These stores allow consumers to drop off items to be sold on eBay on a consignment basis. Here are this week's developments.

• QuikDrop International said Fred H Johnson III and Kipling Smith have been granted the area development rights to open 17 QuikDrop eBay drop-off stores in Florida, from the north Tampa border to Daytona Beach. Johnson is the previous Senior Vice President of Investments at Gruntal & Company, and Smith is a former multi-unit operator of SUBWAY Restaurants. There are seven QuikDrop locations open in five states. The company says franchise contracts are in place to open an additional 205 stores in the United States and 75 stores internationally. http://www.quikdrop.com
  
  - QuikDrop International also said it is conducting a half-day seminar in Dallas on April 24, 2004, for those interested in learning about opening up a QuikDrop store. http://www.quikdropfranchise.com
  
  - AuctionASAP, with a drop-off location in Plainview, New York, says plans are underway to establish other locations nationwide. http://www.auctionasap.com
  
  - NuMarkets has appointed two members to its Board of Directors, Jim Amos and Grady Vanderhoofven, joining Russell Grove and Randal Whorton. James H. Amos, Jr., former CEO of Mail Boxes Etc., is chairman emeritus of Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE), and past chairman of the International Franchise Association (IFA). He is also Managing Partner of Eagle Alliance Partners. In 2001, Amos was instrumental in orchestrating the sale of MBE to United Parcel Services, who subsequently renamed the system, The UPS Store. Grady Vanderhoofven is the Executive Vice President of Southern Appalachian Management Company, LLC, the General Partner of the Southern Appalachian Fund. The Southern Appalachian Fund is a venture capital fund focused on the southern Appalachian region of the United States. NuMarkets, headquartered in Tennessee, will sell locations via a franchise UFOC system. http://www.numarkets.com