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.

Paul Smith - Typewriter Artist

This is such a wonderful story, I had to share. I had never heard of Paul Smith. A friend shared this information with me in an email.

 

 

 

Just a Typewriter

He lived at Rose Haven Nursing
Home ( Roseburg , OR ) for years.

Paul Smith, the man with extraordinary talent, was born
on September 21, 1921, with severe cerebral palsy.

Not only had Paul beaten the odds of a life with spastic
cerebral palsy, a disability that impeded his speech and
mobility but also taught himself to become a master artist
as well as a terrific chess player even after being devoid
of a formal education as a child.

"When typing, Paul used his left hand to steady his right one.
Since he couldn't press two keys at the same time,
he almost always locked the shift key down and
made his pictures using the symbols at the top
of the number keys.

In other words, his pictures were based on these
characters ..... @ # $ % ^ & * ( )_ .
Across seven decades,
Paul created hundreds of pictures.

He often gave the originals away.
Sometimes, but not always, he kept
or received a copy for his own records.

As his mastery of the typewriter grew,
he developed techniques to create
shadings, colors, and textures that made his
work resemble pencil or charcoal drawings."

This great man passed away on June 25, 2007,
but left behind a collection of his amazing
artwork that will be an inspiration for many.

 

For more on Paul Smith, check out the Paul Smith Foundation website. This man did not know the meaning of "I can't". What an inspiration!



Miss Linda's Fancy Finds

Come see what Miss Linda has in her store!

 

Indiana Carnival Glass Three Piece Set

 

Vintage Footed Silver Plated Embossed Square Trinket Box

 

Vintage Porcelain Trinket box Japan Old Gold, purple flowers

 

 

Vintage Rare Baby Ben 61-Y Rhinestones Alarm Clock Gold Trim

 

I love the clock! You really have to see it close up to enjoy the beauty!

 

Check out her store on OnlineAuction.com!