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Auctionbytes-Update, Number 200 - October 07, 2007 - ISSN 1528-6703
This & That: Online Auction Roundup
1) Free eMail Newsletters for Collectors
By Ina Steiner
Reminder: AuctionBytes-Update does not endorse the products and services featured in the "This & That" column, which often features new Web sites. (Anyone can set up a Web site.) Fraud has become widespread in the online auction world, and you should think twice before giving private information or User IDs and passwords to any third party.
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Barbara Crews, the About.com Guide to Collectibles, has a list of 12 free email newsletters for collectors.
http://collectibles.about.com/od/emailnews/tp/freeemailnewsletters.htm
2) Buyers Premiums for Auction Purchases Are Rising
By Ina Steiner
Ralph and Terry Kovel and Judith Katz-Schwartz both report in their newsletters that Christies and Sotheby's have raised their buyers premium, and they are speaking out against it. As the Kovels write, "Because each time Christies and Sotheby's raises the buyer's premium the other smaller, regional auction houses follow. Some already charge up to 18%. It will cost us all money even if we don't go to auctions. The dealers buy there and they have to pass the cost on."
http://www.kovels.com
http://www.msjudith.net
3) LiveAuctioneers Founders Expand into Publishing
By Ina Steiner
LiveAuctioneers.com founders Julian Ellison and John Ralston have joined forces with Catherine Saunders-Watson and Jim Bunte to launch publishing company QM4G Media. The company has launched a "hip new digital publication called Style Century Magazine, which showcases interior and exterior environments through art, design elements and decorative objects from all eras." The company launched the digital publication Toy Collector Magazine earlier this year. What's particularly interesting is that Style Century Magazine utilizes LiveAuctioneers.com's millions of fully illustrated lots and auction data in its publication.
http://www.stylecenturymagazine.com
4) QXL UK Running Free Listings
By Ina Steiner
QXL UK is running a two-week free-listing promotion on QXL.co.uk.
http://www.qxl.co.uk//contents/uk/auction/freelisting/freelisting.htm
5) TrustPlus Launches Online Reputation Service
By Ina Steiner
A new service that provides online users with a way to advertise their "reputation." Downside - you must download software to your computer, and it's not transaction-based. Upside - works across sites like eBay and Facebook (but visitors need the software to view your reputation). See more in this AuctionBytes Newsflash article.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y07/m09/i18/s02
6) Recalls and Product Safety News
By Ina Steiner
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) publishes information about recalled products (http://www.cpsc.gov). eBay has a policy against listing items that have been identified by the CPSC as hazardous to consumers.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/recalled.html
7) eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit
By Ina Steiner
The eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit takes place in Washington DC on October 14 - 17, 2007. This show that started with a focus on web analytics (analyzing website traffic) now says it has an "expanded agenda that focuses on optimizing all areas of online marketing." Translation: it's targeted for those responsible for measuring the performance of their website and marketing efforts.
http://emetrics.org/2007/washingtondc
8) Check Your Sources
By Ina Steiner
A nice reminder on how to help check the reliability of information on the Internet. From Mindy McAdams, journalist, journalism educator and Web developer.
http://www.sentex.net/%7Emmcadams/verify
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