Do eBay Stores Need a 'Makeover'?

[Ina]

In the 8/24 issue of AuctionBytes-Update, I write about eBay Stores. Feel free to post your comments about the article here!

Do you have an eBay Store? Does it work? What are its pros and cons? How do people find your Store?
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Ina Steiner, AuctionBytes.com

[Ina]

Here's the link to the article:

http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y203/m08/abu0101/s02

[bidofthis.com]

I think the next evolution of eBay stores will be when they merge Half.com into eBay.

I have little doubt eBay will coax Half.com sellers into purchasing an eBay store.

[litlux]

I have had an ebay store for almost the entire two years since they were introduced. I get back my monthly fee in sales, but in the general scheme of things, they just are not very significant.

I think the problem is that ebay gives the stores their benign neglect. The stores were bland, boring and derivative from the first day they were introduced, inducing yawns and nodding off in potential buyers.

The only change I can recall their have introduced in two very long years is to enable the seller to decide which items are listed first, the most recent, the cheapest, the costliest etc.

And yes, you can sort of merchandise store items when you make a sale in the auction format, but that is only the barest beginning of marketing possibilities.

Two years and still no shopping cart. If a buyer wants to make multiple purchases they have to go through the ridiculous multipage rigamarole for each individual item purchased. eBay has not thought about buyer convenience at all.

Two years and store items are still not included in the general search engine. (The $9.95 a month should cover at least 50 items to be included in their primary search engine, more on a sliding scale.)

Two years and still nothing more than maybe 50 words to set the tone of your store, no way to merchandise within the store front itself, no ability to make the store look like anything special.

eBay is no doubt seeing the witholding of staff and expertise to the stores as a way of keeping overhead down.

I contend that eBay is missing an awful lot of potential sales by relegating its stores to an afterthought. Most of the sellers I know are now creating their own stores to do the job that eBay stores could have done.

eBay has almost missed the boat on this one. The loss of potential revenues should have the stockholders upset, but like eBay staff, they really can't see the forest for the trees.

Larry

[kjp55]

[sun818]

[kjp55]

[sun818]

Did you design this? http://abbie.auctionbytes.com/ - If not, can I see some of your work?

I don't think its fair to cricitize the people that designed the page and logo without knowing the context of the deal. I think mrswarren knew exactly what she was getting into. If you look at his feedback, prices are listed there.

[kjp55]

Yes, the site is pretty basic and runs via a tweaked script. But it does the job and doesn't cost $650.

...and. actually (in all fairness), I'm not criticizing the design. Only the price. I would simply like to know how they, or anyone else for that matter, can justify $650 for such a basic web page. Hey, if that's the going price, then I'm the sucker.

[Ina]

I don't think anyone should feel bad. Each case is different.

I think $650 is a lot to pay for designing an eBay Store. But remember, you can use the logo and design work on your business cards, letter head, Web site, Tshirts, posters, signs, etc. So $650 for a LOGO is good! I think it depends on how you use it.
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Ina Steiner, AuctionBytes.com

[MarieVigie]

Hi everyone,
what an interest topic!
I'm a web designer.
The price of logo or any project depends on the designer.

kjp55: I'm sorry baby, you do code, you're not a web designer that's why you can do it for free, nobody would pay for your designs because you don't design! you put things together, you BUILD a webiste which it's a different thing!
I have this same argument with my husband, he's a software programmer, he finally realize he CAN'T design. He think that because he can do the code, he can make it nice and expressive. Well, some guys can do it, but not everyone. Code and design don't go together... it's really hard to find a person who do both things with success. Unfortunatelly, most companies they don't know this.
Web designers are creatives, while programmers are builders, architects, engineers.
If yuo're so good doing the code, we should work together, not gainst each other
I agree that for a page on ebay, for a simple logo $650 it's excessive. It's not worth it! I don't care if it's the BEST designer around, the logo must be the best around... but for what? for Ebay standards you don't need a super nice logo... the messge from ebay to the members it's CHEAP STUFF.. so the people who go to ebay to buy things are the cheapest of all! they don't care about your logo, they want to save money!

I personally think my designs are FINE, not the best ones but they are REALLY GOOD... I've made FULL templates with logo included for as much as $20. Ebay sellers they will not pay more than that because it's not worth it! Obviusly I've done just a few and I didn't offer it anymore because it was too much work for just a few bucks. But I had a great time and a learning experience.

So whoever needs a logo, a GREAT logo or a nice makeover for websites or Ebay... I would do it for $250.

About Ebay Stores, I was thinking on having one because I have so different items for sale. But I'm still not sure. As LArry said, Ebay is not focussing on buyer's needs and access to all the items. They must have a reason. Or it's just the're dumb? don't think a billionaire company like Ebay is dumb.. I can't believe that. I think they know exactly why they do things and why they do not do things.


I will be glad to have any replies. Nice to meet you all.
THANKS
MarieVigie

[Ina]

MarieVigie, do you have a Web site with a portfolio of your logos/designs, would love to see it! And Welcome!
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Ina Steiner, AuctionBytes.com

[sun818]

I would like to see as well.

[MarieVigie]

Hi, thanks for your welcome

To see my portfolio and how I work with my clients, please visit http://www.shoplogos.com

If you have kids, please also visit my online family business http://www.chichashands.com Handmade Clothing for Children

I will be glad to work on makeovers for you!My prices are much better than the ones we were talking about, at least make much more sense with the market today.

THANKS!
MarieVigie

[MythologieProductions]

Having an ebay store is a great idea however as the article says the complete lack of customization is a glaring problem.

The ideal solution is to build out a complete solution as seen here: http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/ in which you market not your ebay store.. but your entire brand. This solution is the best of both worlds as.

1 - You have your inventory stored in a database that sells your inventory in two ways at the same time, online shopping cart and in ebay auctions.

2 - Complete and total freedom to develop your own look. Customers never see ebay unless they want to.

3 - Complete Shopping Cart (no ebay fees!!)

4 - ebay is a marketing expense and no longer a huge cost of doing business. The money you spend in ebay fees is an investment to drive traffic to your site and not "flushed down the tolilet each month"

5 - custom auction templates

I have been building these solutions for years and can put packages together for any price range.

Feel free to email me at chris@mythologieproductions.com or post questions here and I will be happy to answer them proptly.

All the best;

Christopher Johnson
Creative Director
Mythologie Productions