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EcommerceBytes-Update, Number 83 - November 17, 2002 - ISSN 1528-6703
This & That: Online Auction Roundup
1) Looking for Bubblewrap to Pack Those Auction Items?
By Ina Steiner
Curtis L. wrote in with a source of free bubblewrap:
"I hate buying shipping supplies and don't mind dumpster diving. I have found that almost any furniture store throws out a lot of big pieces of bubble wrap each week (sofas and living room chairs must come wrapped in it). There is thick plastic on the outside and thin plastic on the inside, which can be removed fairly easy, or, if you are lazy it can be left on." Thanks for the tip, Curtis!
2) Looking for 'Real Life' Auctions?
By Ina Steiner
Here are some sites that list "real life" auctions, which can be possible sources of inventory:
http://www.policeauctions.com
http://www.antiquesauctionguide.com
http://www.internetauctionlist.com
3) Niche Auction Sites
By Ina Steiner
Mootropolis announced Auction3.com, a new free auction site (http://www.auction3.com). AuctionSaloon said it has revamped its auction site at (http://www.auctionsaloon.com). AuctionPie said it is developing a payment service for members of its online auction site (http://www.auctionpie.com) and is making available "exclusives" for the holidays. MetaExchange's slogan is that it is a "Stock Exchange for Stuff"; Collectible categories are subdivided into "pits," and each pit has a graph showing historic pricing. (http://www.metaexchange.com)
4) Auction Seller’s Resource Launches Affiliate Program
By Ina Steiner
One of our long-time advertisers, Auction Seller’s Resource, has announced an affiliate program for their publications. If you add a link to Auction Seller’s Resource to your web site, in your emails, or on your eBay About Me Page, and someone you refer purchases a book, you can earn 30% on the sale (as much as $24 per sale). All affiliate payments will be paid monthly via PayPal. To learn more about the affiliate program go to: http://www.auction-sellers-resource.com/affiliate/index.shtml
5) ePier Announces ePier Advanced Stores
By Ina Steiner
ePier announced the introduction of ePier Advanced Stores. As a Grand Opening special, ePier Stores cost $100 plus 2.5% of sales for the full year of the storefront. The advanced storefronts are fully customized, and ePier provides a toll-free 1-800 support line.
Some examples of ePier Advanced Stores:
http://www.epier.com/store/mstoby
http://www.epier.com/store/pattistreasures
http://www.epier.com/store/willor
6) New Antiques Show for Chicago
By Ina Steiner
Krause Publications will launch a new antiques show in Rosemont, Illinois, in June 2003. "The Windy City Antique Show" is slated for June 28-29, 2003, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and will be part of the Collectors' Expo-Chicago, a new four-show collectors' megafair. More than 35,000 collectors are expected to attend. (Note: eBay's second annual conference will be held June 26 - 28 in Orlando, Florida.)
7) Branding Tip: Grab those User IDs
By Ina Steiner
There is an interesting thread on the eBay forums about someone having to change their eBay Store name because someone registered the same name as an eBay User ID. If you open a Storefront, check to see if there is already a User ID with that name. If so, consider a new name; if not, register the User ID as well. If you are doing business with a certain name, grab the User IDs on multiple auction sites, not just the one you happen to use.
http://forums.ebay.com/dwc?128@104.ROlAhEBnhhV^2@.ef59f08^2@.ef59f08
8) Warning: eBay Hijackings
By Ina Steiner
I got a letter from a reader who sold something recently on eBay. She received an email from the buyer saying he was sending payment, then she got a PayPal payment from an address in the same state. The seller sent the item to the PayPal address. Several days later, the seller received another payment - this one in the mail. The person who paid through PayPal was the second highest bidder, who had tricked her into selling the item to him! She writes, "I thought you might want to warn your readers to check and make sure their shipments aren't getting hijacked!"
This is a reverse of when people pose as the seller and send a note to the high-bidder telling them where to send the money; so the buyer sends the money to the wrong person and never gets their goods (and the seller loses out too!)
The lesson is to always check eBay's End-of-Auction notification email, and only send to the address on that eBay email.
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