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Is_There_Life_After_eBay
| Is There Life After eBay?
Almost all sellers recognize that eBay is where the traffic is.
And in auctioning, where the traffic is, the money is also.
So why bother with any place but eBay? Because eBay is also the
place of highest fees and not always the best place for your
items.
Not all of your products may be best suited for listing on eBay.
The ROI is just not attractive for items with a small margin.
Then too, eBay limits your ability to attract potential buyers
to your web site so that you can up-sell or cross-sell. Their
restrictions and myriad rules narrow your opportunities and may
even cause you to be unwittingly suspended from that site!
If not eBay, then where? There are many other avenues or venues
for auctioning, selling, generating leads, gaining exposure, and
converting inventory to cash. Let's talk about other auction
venues first.
There are literally hundreds of auction sites, sales sites, and
classified ad sites, many of which are free to list on. Some few
are even free when you sell. Of course, most of the upgrade
features are extra and are to be paid for by you.
Let's start with those other auction sites. These are generally
allotted into layers or tiers based on number of items listed,
number of members and/or traffic density.
There are only a few second tier sites. These are considered
second tier since they have size, name recognition and some
appreciable traffic - thus better sell through rates.
The first one that should come to mind is Yahoo Auctions.
Listings are only 5 cents and there are occasional Free Listing
Days (FLD). A small core of loyal members prefer it to eBay,
citing lower fees and good sell through rates.
Next is Amazon Auctions. Listing is still free, but the final
value fee (FVF) is steep, particularly for those lower cost or
low margin items. Again, a small core of loyal members find it a
good place for upscale books and items where the FVF doesn't cut
quite so deeply into the profit. Below this level are the third
tier, general sites. These sites come and go although a handful
have been around for several years without making the big time.
Each has a loyal group of followers or boosters. Most are free
to list with a small or medium FVF.
Some of the current third tier sites are: ePier, SellYourItem,
TopNotchAuctions, AuctionSaloon, Bidroo, PriceFire, and Bidway.
Due to lower traffic, most sellers set their opening bids at an
amount that is acceptable if each item gets only one bid. Most
sites have options for free relisting of unsold items for a set
number of times.
Lastly, there are niche sites for specialty items appealing to a
specific group of buyers or collectors. Each site has a personal
touch with a good core of loyal followers. Many of these sites
are also free to list with a nominal FVF.
Niche sites include those catering to folks wanting pagan items,
toys, Snoopy/Peanuts collectables, guns, cookbooks, beads, and
books. Some sites are ePaganAuctions, AuctionWitch, Nuts,
JustBeads, and PixieToys. Again, the upgrade features are paid
and free relisting is a desirable option.
The majority of these second and third tier sites allow links to
your web site, your own banners and general promotion of your
company. Each site is different, so read the house rules before
you list.
Listing at these other sites can accomplish several objectives:
free parking of items that don't do well enough on eBay to
warrant the listing fees, better prices in a niche market when
the right buyer comes along, and greater seller name marketing
of your web site or company.
Lastly consider the old admonition - don't put all your eggs in
one basket.....
About the author:
M A Dorman is a verteran of the on line auctioning and sales
venues, specializing in Books, Martial Arts Gear, Collectibles,
and Business & Industrial goods.
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