YANS(Yet Another New Store) eBay or not eBay?

[redrumloa]

Yup I'm going to put another store online for C= 8bit goodies and probably eventually Amiga stuff too. The scope of this shop won't be as involved as Anachronism Industries, but should have some cool gear.

Here's the debate in my head. Do I bite the bullet with eBay's insane fees, which I in turn pass on to the customer, or do I build a stand alone shop? From experience eBay brings traffic, period. However eBay fees are now insane, really insane. I could build an OSCommerce site and advertise it, but traffic may never come. PayPal is also expensive, but not as expensive as most low volume merchant accounts.

Sigh.. I am probably going to at least start with a eBay store. Any suggestions otherwise? Amiga.org banners help if I have a stand alone shop, but only so much. Google AdWords is a ripoff. Thoughts?

[persia]

The collectors are all on Ebay, you'll get the highest price there.

[Krusher]

persia wrote:
The collectors are all on Ebay, you'll get the highest price there.

That's also it's problem. Lot of people wanting to buy classic stuff but lack the deep pockets, I hate bidding on things. And also fraud issues.

Build a dedicated site, advertise on related websites and there you go. Too bad you are not located in Holland; then you've had the advantage of the iDEAL module in oscommerce, which is a transparant payment module for online banking.

Ah well, I wish you best of luck  :-)

[sprocket]

a.) Google AdWords isn't a rip off but it's probably not going to do much for a niche shop that sells Amiga/C= stuff.  ..and it takes too long to refine your ad campaigns for something like this.

b.)  I agree with Persia that collectors and those who are really looking for something and having trouble finding it are on ebay.  

c.)  Yes, Paypal's 3ish% is as bad/maybe better than other low volume solutions.

d.) standalone shop is only going to work if you can figure out how to build enough of a social networking site/information site that you draw so many people you become visible from space.  Otherwise go where the people are already.

just my two cents but I've learned not to fight the undertoe and to use the tide.

[Krusher]

sprocket wrote:
...

d.) ... Otherwise go where the people are already.

Like I said, ads on sites like this, or deal with them for a percentage of your earnings for a subdomain. Could be a win-win situation as sales could attract more people to the main domain.

Oh and while I'm thinking of this, let other people use it to sell their stuff trough a trusted name and website for a small fee  :-D

[redrumloa]

Krusher wrote:
That's also it's problem. Lot of people wanting to buy classic stuff but lack the deep pockets, I hate bidding on things. And also fraud issues.

That is true to a point, luckily my eBay account as close to perfect as could be expected for a 10 year eBay seller. I also am planing on using an eBay Store, which is fixed price items. I'll still have some auctions, to drive traffic to the eBay store.

The negative of an eBay store is I will have to automatically tack on an extra ~15% to cover eBay/PayPal fees.

eBay knows they have many of us by the balls  :-x

[sprocket]

the killer ebay strategy is to use auctions of select items to drive traffic to your ebay store where you can highlight your own domain!

Then the ebay auctions and store expense becomes just part of your ad budget.

..but you have to be doing volume to manage that.

[Plaz]

I hear sellers are starting to look at other online options like Online Auctions as an ebay alternatives.

Plaz

[redrumloa]

Sneak Preview!

 :-D

[sprocket]

that was quick!!!

I just looked at your profile and store like 90 minutes ago and there wasn't any inventory.

..now to auction a juicy Picasso IV graphics card or something to drive traffic to your store...

..then to set up your outside domain with all the really good stuff!

and make it a dating site, and a video posting site, and a tee shirt store!

[mendark]

If you are considering a stand-alone store, try OsCommerce. Amigakit is runnig on it.
All you need is a decent hosting package and a catching domain name prefering to hold the words C64/8bit/retro which makes it easier to target (and have cheaper bids on AdWords).

WIth a little SEO (search engine optimization) your store can be found without even using AdWords.

Contact me if you need any help or advise for setting up the shop or wanna rank in the search engines.

[gklinger]

Why not do both? Maintain a web store and list key items on eBay (those most likely to appeal to collectors) and pepper your listings with the URL of your web store. Include the URL in all email you send to people who contact you via eBay, in all feedbacks you give and make sure to include a business card with your URL in every package you ship. Use eBay to drive traffic to your store without ceding control.

[sprocket]

I think ebay restricts you from including links in your auctions/fixed price listings to sites that don't specifically have to do with support information for the item you are auctioning/selling.  They don't want you listing one auction and then redirecting everyone to your web site.

If my memory is right they do let you post your own web site link in your ebay store area and in any newsletter publications you send to those who've subscribed to your ebay store newsletter.

..they sort of direct you into using listings to drive to ebay store to get to your own domain.

[redrumloa]

mendark wrote:
If you are considering a stand-alone store, try OsCommerce. Amigakit is runnig on it.
All you need is a decent hosting package and a catching domain name prefering to hold the words C64/8bit/retro which makes it easier to target (and have cheaper bids on AdWords).

WIth a little SEO (search engine optimization) your store can be found without even using AdWords.

Contact me if you need any help or advise for setting up the shop or wanna rank in the search engines.

That's a heck of a nice offer! :-) I may take you up on that offer eventually.

[sprocket]

...there's also something to be said for blogging on vintage computers in junction with using the various hotlink sites like StumbleUpon, Digg, etc.

People do really use those referral hotlinks when searching for things in niche areas...and because it's a link to your site it raises your profile with search engine spiders.