How Do You Think You're Going To Sell That Item?

So you haven't heard from me lately. I know. I could give you the usual, "I've been busy..." excuse,  but truly, I just haven't had much to say. That changed last night, however, when I decided to browse a category at OLA. Oh my goodness! Folks, how do you think you're going to sell that item? I was a serious buyer last night, and so disappointed to find more than a few auctions that lacked vital information that every seller should include in order to close a sale.

Now before anyone gets offended, let me say that not all the auctions I viewed were a disgrace. OLA has many experienced, professional sellers, and to those that care enough to be one of those, I salute you. The others? I certainly will not name names. We should discuss, though, the years of posts and mounds of information that has been shared in the chat room at OLA regarding best practices for listing, for photographing, for shipping, for Search Engine Optimization, etc. Apparently some sellers have not listened. Or learned. Or tried. (Are they the ones complaining that sales are non-existent?)

Yes, sales are slow. Hopefully we'll see an uptake with the Holidays approaching. But even in my full-time job, which includes managing an antique store, we feel that antique purchasing has slowed considerably over, say, the past 10 years. Everything being cyclic, we all pray for that cycle to come back to our type of goods. Practicing proper selling techniques online, all the time, can help keep a seller prepared for a sale at any time. (Like me, window shopping last night!)


So there I was in the Antiques category. Two hundred fifty-six auctions. I couldn't wait to dive in and shop! Let me tell you, I looked at each auction. First of all, can I ask you a question? What age is appropriate to be using the terms Antique, Vintage and Retro? (Please answer in the comments!) It's a personal pet peeve, feeling like I am being misled by sellers who mislabel products with those popular words.
I've always tried to abide by the following:

• Antique is 100+ years old.
• Vintage is 20 - 100 years old
• Retro is up to 20 years old, but not "last year's model". 

Next, let's talk about descriptions and titles. Seriously, I saw an auction that the seller did not even tell what they were selling. The items were photographed beautifully, but nowhere in the title or the description did it say what those items were. Another auction had a fantastic item, but it was difficult to determine size based upon the photo, and this seller did not give any measurements.

Really? Common sense should prevail here. If I cannot hold it in my hands, and talk to you about it, you ought to write to me as if selling this item is your first priority, your singular objective. Not just a few words of how great it is! I need details... as many as you have. It's that simple.

Kudos on the photographs, sellers! I mean it. Either cameras have gotten so ridiculously good, or people have finally realized that quality pictures are worth the effort.

Now about the Shipping Policy area...
I really don't care if you have to walk 10 miles, uphill, barefoot, in the snow, to get to your Post Office, and stand in line for an hour in order to purchase postage for my item. All I need to know is: What's it gonna cost me? And be fair, please. We all know postage is outrageous, but if I think you're scamming me in that arena, I will breeze past your auction towards the guy who sells with exact shipping costs.

Please go to the chat room and find the help sections and tutorials on ways to improve your listings. So many sellers have shared knowledge and experience. Surely there is something there that will assist you in creating attractive listings, filled with relevant content.

In the past I've written plenty of blog posts about how I love OLA, (I do!), and how to get the most out of selling at a place where you control every aspect of your business. This time I am blogging from a buyer's point of view and I just can hardly believe that after all this time, and all the coaching, and all the struggling, there are still sellers out there that resist change... that don't want to evolve into sellers who can operate outside the walls of eBay. (Yes, I said it!) Well, listen up. I am not gonna buy from you. And it's doubtful if anyone else will, either.

Cancer No More - Help the Cause

 

 

On September 1, 2014, we at OnlineAuction.com, lost a dear friend and member, Jennie Vibbard Wescott. Her user name was DraggonTagger and she was a dragon, successfully battling cancer 8 times! She lost the 9th battle but she won the war! Cancer no longer has a hold on her! She is FREE! But we will sure miss her!

 

Jen was our Welcome Dragon at OLA! She always went out of her way to help other members, making friends along the way, not just acquaintances but real friends. She opened her heart and her doors to others in need. And her positive attitude was always in the forefront! Even while battling cancer herself, she was reaching out to others to help them along their journey.

 

Jen, our DraggonTagger, will always be remembered . . . . for her down to earth humor, her honesty, and her strength and positive energy. Her user name has been reserved. Her store front will always be there on OnlineAuction.com in her memory. Chris and Val Fain, the owners, are making sure she is remembered.

 

Jen and I shared a passion for crochet. She made the cutest purses out of plastic bags called Plarn Purses! And she crocheted booties and hats galore! She did such beautiful work!

 

I have gathered (and keep gathering!) quite a selection of items that I thought of selling online but decided instead to open a new store, Cancer No More, and donating the major bulk of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society. Most items costs $2 to ship so the greater portion will be donated towards finding a cure. I do have some purses that I am finishing up and these are a little more but I will detail how much is being donated in the listings.

 

I also have dozens of Prayer Doilies that I made and the proceeds for these will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I started crocheting these when my husband was fighting AML. These also are $2 to ship and $10 will be donated to LLS.

 

 

Should you decide to buy, you will receive the item and a receipt showing the donation. So, please consider purchasing from my store and helping a great cause! Or, if you prefer, you can also donate directly to either the American Cancer Society or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by clicking on one of the items for sale. I've put direct links in so that people who want to help but do not want to purchase anything can do so.

 

Either way, we MUST find a cure for cancer! Every person has or will be touched by this dreadful disease . . . . . . . every penny collected will help. Cancer knows no boundaries, no age is immune to it, and rich or poor, it doesn't matter, cancer can and will strike! It must be stopped! That's where you come in.

 

Thank you . . . . in advance for your generosity and  for taking the time to read this post . . . . . please check out some of the items I have for sale and stop in to Cancer No More to see the others I have listed!

Crochet Lacy Camo Slouch Beanie Hat for American Cancer Society

 

 

Crocheted Dishcloth American Cancer Society

 

 

Crochet Youth Basket Weave Hat for American Cancer Society

 

Crochet Dishcloth Set of 3 for American Cancer Society

 

 

Crochet Youth Stocking Hat for American Cancer Society

 

 

Crochet Dishcloth Set of 3 for American Cancer Society

 

Crochet Dishcloth Set of 3 Holiday Color for American Cancer Society A

 

 

Crochet Cream Cable Slouch Hat for American Cancer Society

 

Crochet Toddler Hat for American Cancer Society      Crochet Prayer Doily for Charity LLS 31   Please share this post and Like my FaceBook page, Cancer No More, to help get the word out! Thank you so much for your help and support!   I do have another store on OnlineAuction.com, Korn Kountry Treasures, if  you wish to see my feedback overall.

Is trying to sell on OLA a waste of time?

This post is entitled such because it seems so many sellers are coming here and wondering that exact question. I myself debated on whether it was worth my time and energy to start selling here. I'm pretty new to OLA but this is my 2 cents worth...

1. This is not eBay! It will never be eBay! 
If you want high volume traffic with tons of buyers... this isn't it. In fact, there are no other sites that drive in buyer traffic even a fraction of the top 2 competing companies. If there were, we'd all be selling there instead. But why is that? Because those 2 companies are well established in SEO, are paying billions of dollars in paid advertisement and have huge deals with other corporate companies to sell on their sites. If Guess or Target sold on OLA, don't you think there would be a lot more traffic here? But that will never happen. OLA is not a corporate monster. It is a site devoted to small sellers like yourself.

2.You can't expect a small site like this to compete with the top dog when there is little/nothing to offer. Granted, there is a LOT of really cool stuff for sale here (totally not bashing sellers here at all ). But compared to the top online auction site, it's beans. This is where YOU come in. Think of selling on OLA as an investment. The more sellers there are, the more items for sale and the greater variety. More items and more variety equals more buyers!  The potential to grow is huge. But you have to get your feet wet. If no one is willing to try than it just doesn't happen. And only doing a trial run for a month or two is not enough. Read any post on correct SEO and you'll find it takes at least 6 months to start seeing positive results.

I have been setting up and selling here for just over a month. The only con I have found as of yet is buyer traffic. However, as I said before, this will improve as more sellers join and the site grows. In fact, according to Sky's post on the OLA blog dated 8/26/2014 "in the past week our traffic in key segments has doubled (in one week), and signups are rapidly approaching record highs". OLA has grown so much in the past few months that it actually had to get new servers to handle the traffic! That is awesome news!!!

Also, much depends upon you to advertise yourself. Social media and correctly done SEO play a vital part in this. If you're not willing to put forth time and effort into doing that, then you will never succeed in selling here, nor on any other small ecommerce platform, not even on your own website. Only the top dog will do it for you and it comes with a hefty price.

So why not try selling here? Seriously? What do you have to lose? $8 a month. You're likely paying more than that for a single space any day at a flea market, antique booth, craft show, etc. 

Here's why I am here:

• It's CHEAP! Seriously... $8... do you really have to think about it? 
• It's super easy to list an item 
• It's super easy to edit a listing 
• It's super easy to cancel a listing 
• No one tells you how to sell or the price you have to sell it for 
• No seller premium 
• No buyer premium 
• No listing fees 
• No final value fees 
• No hidden fees 
• No fees on shipping costs 
• Doesn't require you to offer "Free" shipping 
• No "defects", no DSR's, no unrealistic 'seller standards' 
• Very few limitations on what you are allowed to sell 
• Encourages buyer and seller communication 
• OLA does not interfere or intercede in buyer/seller issues 
• Accept any type of payment you want 
• You are allowed to advertise off site sales 
• No one else is advertising on your listing 
• No corporate competitor ads and sponsored links on your listings 
• Your return policy- YOUR WAY 
• Or you don't have to offer a return policy at all 
• Super friendly and helpful forums 
• When you call customer service you get a person 
• That's right... you can actually call customer service 
• Many different types of listings (classic auction, fixed price, absolute, etc) 
• Schedule listings at no additional charge 
• You can leave buyers negative feedback 
• You can edit your feedback 
• You can block buyers 
• You can still sell on your other site(s). Just remove your listing from one site when it sells on the other. 

The list goes on but you're probably tired of reading this excessively long post if you haven't stopped already

Honestly give it at least 6 months to a year before you decide if this investment paid out. At the very least, it's an excellent learning experience.

Thank you for reading my post!  Please leave a comment and be sure to check out my new store here!

Shaelily

onlineauction.com

What Selling Venue are You Using?

A lot has been said lately about the hiatus of sellers moving from the biggest online selling venue; both from choice and from being squeezed out. Where to go?

 



Well, I for one, chose OnlineAuction.com as my home. No, I am not a paid employee, nor have I ever been a paid employee. I came over because when I sold at that "big" place, I was not allowed to relist my listings because I dared to explain the "Top Seller Program" and tell my customers that if they ignored the smaller sellers with good feedback, they might miss some great bargains. I was not trashing the site, I was sticking up for the small sellers even though by that time I had also become a Top Seller. But most customers did not realize that it not only was based on DSR ratings but also VOLUME. So, I thought it only fair to explain this. When I was told WHY I could not relist (I had to remove any mention of the word Top Seller), I figured out my costs, remembered I had signed up with OnlineAuction.com but had never used it and over I went!!! Hook, line and sinker!

I started on a month to month basis, $8 per month . . . . . nope, that has NOT gone up!! I soon realized that I would be far better off by having a store and jumped at the offer of  $96 for the first year and the same thereafter. I could better control keeping my customers in my store, looking at my listings.

I didn't pay much attention to the chats . . . . . unfortunately; so I wasted a lot of time figuring it out when I could have gotten so much help from other members!! But I soon learned and now I try to help other newbies coming on board, passing on what I was given . . . . . a hand of friendship, help and camaraderie!!

I joined a site that lets me sell the way I choose. There is one fee a year, $96.00, so costs are easy to budget. And that is FOREVER folks! As long as you are a member, that will never change! I can relist as many times as I wish with no extra charge. I can decorate my store the way I wish! I can put what I want in my listings! Beyond a few simple rules, I sell what I want!! OnlineAuction.com does NOT keep any of my profits when I sell something or when I relist something.

I, alone, am responsible for my listings, my shipping, and my communications. If something goes wrong I fix it. Me. Not OnlineAuction.com, ME. I have had very few problems on OnlineAuction.com other than a few non-payers. No problem. If they don't pay, I relist (no extra charge). It takes a few minutes and BOOM - it's done!! No headaches. If they do eventually pay, I can CHANGE the feedback I left . . . . . yes, not only can I leave honest feedback for my buyers, I can also CHANGE the feedback!!

And I CONTROL my returns . . . . . I alone choose whether to accept returns. Normally, I do not but I work on a case to case basis.

OnlineAuction.com has some restrictions, yes.

"Restricted Items List

Items listed below are not allowed to be offered in any manner using OnlineAuction.com, as compiled in accordance with law, combined with the valued input of our Users. Some items on this list may not be illegal to sell or own, but are currently adverse or unfitting to the interests and needs shared by the majority of our corresponding Users. We do our very best to fairly and properly serve all of our Users."

 

This would include Government Controlled Substances, Prescription Medicines / Items, Pornographic or Offensive Material, Illegal to Own Animals or Illegal to Own Animal Parts, and there is a Firearm Category Userguide. For further information, click HERE.

No venue is as big as eBay . . . . YET! But we are going to give them a run for their money! We are doing upgrades as we speak, constantly working on making the site better. We pay our fee and then we sell as we wish. We have that freedom without ever having to worry about any other fees. We have a live customer service department,

So, check out the testimonials from sellers on OnlineAuction.com. There are more and I know that each one will tell you that OnlineAuction.com is home. LetsPlayTagSales and GusFireFly were both named Sellers of the year for 2013 and have really taken it to the bank! 

"OnlineAuction.com was started in 1998 with Chris Fain’s dream and has grown to tens of thousands of members today. It is one of the few true auction sites site still active that offers true bidding, meaning that if a bid is placed within the last few seconds the auction continues until bidding stops. Just like auction house bidding!
Standing the test of time ...through its dedicated members, onlineauction.com will soon be a household name! The members are what make the auction site fun and profitable. Find helpful information throughout the chat forum posted by the members and if there is a question, someone promptly helps you. The camaraderie cannot be found on any other auction site. Members help each other and when one succeeds, the whole site succeeds.

 You are welcome to join the growing OLA.com family as a seller and a buyer. It is a membership only site so no worries about hidden fees for sellers and buyers join for free.

 We would love to have you in our family! Won’t you join us?" DustyCorners

"Are you tired of high seller fees and the final value fees and the ridiculously restrictive seller rules? Buyers and sellers, please check out OnlineAuction.com. Be your own boss and list thousands of items for only $8.00 a month seller fee and no final value fees. Buyers will find some super deals there. I sell at OnlineAuction.com under the name of maggiemaybecrafty. Come on over and see me and my friends." MaggieMayBeCrafty

"I have been successfully selling my homemade soap here at OLA since February 2008, and have loved it every day. I absolutely love it here at OLA, especially the community members who frequent the chat! It's awesome to be able to share ideas and experiences with everyone!"   MetzyMom

"I sell on eBay and OnlineAuction.com. eBay still gets the most action, but OLA is coming on strong and offers TOTAL FLEXIBILITY, which is a real plus for webmasters. From OLA listings, we can link to our own websites, embed other links, graphics and widgets, and include any creative terms we can think up, without interference. "CountryNaturals

"The staff and members at OLA are truly special. I have been extremely satisfied with the service and the affordable price to sell. Plus, the camaraderie I found here at OnlineAuction.com is a huge bonus!"  CurioCache                

"I do sell at OnlineAuction.com and in the last month have had 84 sales. I would never sell or buy anywhere but OnLineAuction.com aka OLA.com. I love OLA and think it ROCKS."  ChateyCathey 

"I have been buying and selling on OLA (Online Auction dot com) for many years. The BEST thing about this site: THE PEOPLE. OLA has some of the kindest, most caring and helpful people I have ever met. Beginning with Chris & Valerie Fain to our beloved Frank Rockwell and dear Metzy Mom. Buyers and sellers alike, this is the one site you can depend on for superb and personal customer service. ...We all aim to please our buyers, and knock ourselves out to provide high quality items at low prices, super fast shipping, and lots of assistance to anyone who asks...about anything. OLA has been my home site for years, and I never plan to leave. You can buy or sell just about anything here with the assurance that you are doing business with honest, trusting folks. Thanks for being there for me, OLA. I love you all."  Classic_Chloe

LetsPlayTagSales

 

GusFireFly

 

So, if you are in a quandary, not knowing where to park your listings, check us out! We will be glad to have you and for $96.00 for the ENTIRE year, you can do a LOT of parking!!

 

Thank you . . . . KornKountryTreasures

Sawyer Creek Vintage

 

Check out one of our newer stores on OnlineAuction.com! Sawyer Creek Vintage has been listing some of the prettiest pieces! Maintained by FoxValleyCollector, they have just begun selling here. Just look at some of these beautiful pieces!

 

 

Vintage Hull Woodland Pottery Set Vase, 2 cornucopias 1950s gloss finish

 

Vintage RARE Fenton Olde Virginia Glass Custard Vaseline Ruffled Compote Bowl

 

 

Vintage 1960's Esso Gasoline Tiger Glasses Tumblers (8) & Esso Tiger Pitcher

I can't quite make up my mind what I like best but got to admit, I fell in love with the Hull pieces! I've never seen such gorgeous colors! The Fenton has the Vaseline glass that glows in the dark (what a nice surprise) and the Esso set is just plain fun!

 

So, come on over to OnlineAuction.com and check out what's going on!

OLA Store of the Month for June!

 

Every month, OnlineAuction.com chooses a store to be store of the month!

 

Momo's Marketplace was chosen Store of the Month for June! Way to go!!

 

CallMeMomo is her user name and she has some fantastic buys!

 

Cloisonne Disc Post Earrings

 

Beautiful Rhinestone Post Back Earrings with Six Large Rhinestones

 

 

 Two Wooden Candlesticks with Heart Bases and Candles Included

 

 

Latch Hook Rug Hook

 

Prices are VERY reasonable! She will combine shipping and she only charges ACTUAL postage!! So, come check out what is listed!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memorial Day

IN FLANDERS FIELDS POEM
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place: and in the sky The larks still bravely singing fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead: Short days ago, We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved: and now we lie In Flanders fields! Take up our quarrel with the foe To you, from failing hands, we throw The torch: be yours to hold it high If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.   This poem was written in 1915 by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae while he was on the battlefront. You can read the full story.   This poem meant so much to me when I was growing up. Does anyone else remember drawing the Flanders Fields with poppies and rows upon rows of grave markers? It was significant in my small world and I've never forgotten those poppies. Even today, I love getting the poppies from the veterans!   I don't know if there are such significant poems or songs in todays world. I don't know if the kids in school really understand what Memorial Day is all about . . . . so . . . . . for those that don't know, Memorial Day was originally called Declaration Day and it was intended to be a day of remembrance for those that died in the service of their country, the United States of America.   On May 5, 1868 General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, proclaimed “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.” May 30th was designated because it was not the day of any battle.   Today, it is celebrated in every state, most on the last Monday in the month of May according to the passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971.   Traditionally the flag is raised briskly to the top of the staff then lowered slowly to half-staff where it remains until noon. The flag is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.   The traditions of Memorial Day have been forgotten over the years, and our children and their children think that this is just another holiday. Let's keep reminding them of what Memorial Day really stands for . . . . . it is not in honor for the living; it is in honor of more than a million men and women who gave their all for their country.   May we always remember.