'Net Features : craigslist

eBay Changes Fees, Angers Sellers

Mike Phillips — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:44:00 GMT

EBay has once again made a change to seller fees. On the one hand, they dropped insertion fees. On the other hand, they seem to have raised final valuation fees. And many sellers are upset - not only at increased fees but the manner in which eBay has framed these fees.

Insertion fees will be dropped entirely for light sellers who list items in an auction format starting under $1. According to eBay, items listed under $1 work best in the eBay format, and stimulate billing. However, should you put a reserve on these items, a $.10 listing fee will be enacted, as well as a fee to set the reserve. Final Value Fees are now listed at 9%, regardless of the selling price but never more than $50. In general, eBay's fee changes seem to favor the light seller.

For power sellers, eBay is pushing Stores subscriptions, offering insertion fees as little as $.03 and Final Value Fees "... for the most part the same as today." Insertion fees drop according to the Store you sign up for - fees are higher for the Basic Store (with a subscription fee of $15.95 per month), and lowest for an Anchor Store (with a subscription fee of $299.95 per month). Final Value fees are on a sliding scale - both in accordance to the final purchase price and the category in which the item(s) is listed. EBay is also promoting Stores by encouraging users to sign up now, and avoid paying additional monthly fees until April, 2010.

A look around the eBay seller forums reveal some angry power sellers. They say that eBay is presenting these changes as a drop in listing fees but, in reality, the bottom line is growing for eBay and shrinknig for sellers. This is not uncommon - eBay sellers revolt every time a fee increase is enacted. But what seems to be really upsetting sellers is the language eBay is using - that is, they feel eBay is attempting to hide the truth about increasing fees. You can get an idea of power sellers' reactions in this eBay forum, which includes an interesting user-generated chart detailing the fee changes according to final selling price of an item. The official fee chart from eBay can be found here.

The heart of the matter is this: eBay is a business, not an altruistic service. Like any business, they need to make money. For now, it appears that eBay's latest business model is to lean on power sellers by pushing them toward opening eBay Stores - with their recurring fees - and increasing the minority of sellers' Final Value Fees. These power sellers are now in a Catch-22. Their bottom might be shrinking, but there are no serious alternatives - other online auction sites have a fraction of eBay's traffic and consumer mindshare, and an alternative like Craigslist is much more labor intensive. Until consumers make a switch, sellers are stuck.

EBay's official fee change statement.

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The Decade's Most Influential Internet Moments

Mike Phillips — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:00 GMT

The Webby Awards, handed out by New York's International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, have announced their list of the top 10 Internet moments of the decade. With just a quick scan, the list is impressive and underscores the incredible impact the Internet has had on most every aspect of our lives. For our purposes, let's take a look at how these innovations have changed the business world, and what they might lead to in the future.

In addition, don't miss Website Magazine's January issue - available only to professional-level members - where we examine the coming trends for Web business in 2010.

Craigslist online classified site expands outside San Francisco (2000)
Craigslist is one of the most heavily-trafficked sites on the Internet. It's also a prime example of how a website doesn't have to be beautiful to be highly effective. While design is important, craigslist shows us that functionality rules supreme. The site has also become a major online revenue generator for many businesses. Craigslist also drastically shortened the space between buyers and sellers while, at the same time, forces good old fashioned person-to-person sales.

The launch of Google AdWords (2000)
Perhaps nothing changed the online economy more than Google AdWords. What started as a search curiosity suddenly became an economic boon to Google, and thousands of online businesses. In fact, many business owe their entire existence to AdWords. Look for Google to keep innovating and never underestimate their power to make lightning-fast changes to the online business world.

The launch of online encyclopedia Wikipedia (2001)
Wikipedia was arguably the first major online success built by volunteers. It also showed that even the best intentions can be sullied - Wikipedia quickly came under fire for being a pool of innacuracies and marketing ploys. However, Wikipedia is solid proof that, given the oppportunity, users will take the time to contribute just because they can.

The shutdown of file-sharing site Napster (2001)
Napster taught us that the Internet might be untamed, but it is not without law. Napster also showed how quickly business plans can be changed and implemented online and that no online business is ever down and out, unless the business owner decides so.

Google's initial public offering (2004)
Perhaps one of the most fascinating companies in the history of business, Google is here to stay. With a $180 billion market capitilization, the loyalty of millions, and a dedication to and track record of producing stellar products and services which support its advertising initiatives, Google is the standard by which all exceptional businesses will be measured for decades to come.

The online video revolution led by YouTube (2006)
YouTube is amazing. For the first time, John and Jane Doe could be seen and heard by millions with the click of a mouse. YouTube has revolutionized our public eye. For online businesses, YouTube is an opportunity to add life to just about any product, and gives the chance for exposure that used to costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter launches (2006)
The social media and networking revolution officially took hold in 2006. While the creases continue to be ironed out, social media is not a trend - it's become a major part of the online economy for those who work it properly. in fact, an entirely new workforce has been built around it. Businesses are realizing the power of social sites and should be getting involved, starting with a solid strategy. Social media has given businesses the ability to reach farther, faster. It's also forced businesses to be responsible for the quality of what they produce - the people have been empowered like never before, and they are using it to demand accountability.

Apple's iPhone debuts (2007)
The iPhone was a tremendous leap forward in mobile technology that has yet to be surpassed. Users have never had more power in the palm of their hands. It's also structuring a new industry, from apps to mobile banking and beyond. "Mobile" has finally arrived - and it all started with the iPhone.

The use of the Internet in the US presidential campaign (2008)
Barack Obama won the 2008 election in large part due to his campaign's mastery of the Internet. "Yes We Can" rang true - the public's voice was never stronger. Politics changed forever in 2008 and it also proved that grass-roots movements had a most powerful ally in the Internet. One of the lessons we can learn from the 2008 race is that success online is not free - Obama spent more than $7.5 million advertising on Google. And millions more on multiple other online channels.

The use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests (2009)
The Iranian protests are just one example of how Twitter can spread a message to millions of people in a matter of seconds. Where Facebook relies on friends, Twitter relies on loosely connected associations. But while loose, these connections have the ability to influence millions. Twitter also shows us how quickly businesses need to understand new technologies - before they are used against us.

HEYCRAIG: Customized Alerts for Craigslist

Mike Phillips — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Craigslist is not only a huge marketplace to sell products and services, but it can also be a handy research tool. In steps HEYCRAIG, a customizable search tool for postings on craigslist.

HEYCRAIG is simple and effective. There are three fields to complete - the item you are looking for, an e-mail address where you want to receive updates and the city in which you are searching. Once you click "yoink" results will appear for your search and you will receive an e-mail asking for confirmation for e-mail updates. From there, the system is automated and you will receive periodic e-mails when new items are listed that match your search.

HEYCRAIG can be a very nice tool to help take the "temperature" of particular items or services for sale online. If you plan on selling through craigslist, give it a try before posting your item for sale to make sure you're hitting the right market price.

Quick tip: Keep the confirmation e-mail. It has a link to your custom search page where you can delete the search once finished with it.

Roll Your Own Craigslist

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:34:00 GMT

Craigslist dominates the online classified space, but that doesn’t rule out opportunities for other websites. Many industries are underserved by the classified market so consider solving the problem by creating a classified site for your industry. Here are a few resources to get you started.

Noah’s Classifieds is arguably the leading classified software available. Available in seven languages, it is an ideal solution for those who want to charge for ads or even subscription fees. An SEO benefit is the ability to write systemwide titles, keywords and descriptions and even the ability to write the same for categories and individual ads. A host of administrative and user features makes Noah’s a respectable choice for aspiring classified site creators. Those interested in testing the waters can download a free limited version, but the paid enterprise versions ($149.95 and 189.95 for a one or two site license, respectively) is well worth the investment.

ikiClassifieds is a customizable PHP classifieds software that closely resembles craigslist. It is highly configurable and touts the ease of adding custom banners, YouTube videos, Google Maps, or AdSense. ikiClassifieds is PayPal-ready, so users can pay for listings. A multi-city version is available upon request. ikiClassifieds is priced at $290.

Geodesic Solutions has several classified software applications, ranging in price from $199 for the basic version to $799 for an enterprise solution. The software offers a deep feature list including many options for buyers and sellers, security features and site customization abilities. The fee-based features help to distinguish the offers. Site operators can choose to add fees for prioritized listings, bolded listings, added photo fees and category.

craigslist Booms in Recession

MaureenA — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Demand for classified sites has increased dramatically, according to a report released by Hitwise. Its report showed visits to classified sites increased by 84 percent in one year. Numbers increased the most between December 2008 and February 2009. To highlight the demand for craigslist visits, Hitwise divided the data into two categories: craigslist sites and all other classified sites. The category for all other classifieds was mostly flat throughout the year while craigslist's numbers increased rapidly. The report notes that craigslist visits increased 90 percent, while visits to all other classifieds grew 22 percent.

Heather Hopkins, senior online analyst, Hitwise, reports that craigslist users are typically from higher income households, but the data from this report suggest that lower income households are now turning to the site for resources.

Are you part of the increased traffic that helped craigslist boom 90 percent?

__________

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Notes From a Condo Meeting - Marketing with Craigslist

Mike Phillips — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:05:00 GMT

My fellow condo owners and I had our annual association meeting last night. And besides the usual fare of "pick up after your dog" and "we're raising dues again," something stood out this year. Not once, but several times Angie's List, Craigslist and LinkedIn were mentioned when we discussed improvements to the building, finding reliable workers and connecting with other neighborhood folks.

I think sometimes it's easy to brush off these online hubs because we figure that only the savvy Web users are interested in and using them. But several of the people that own condos in my building are very, very non-tech savvy. And they were all about using these online services. So it serves as another reminder - especially to those with brick and mortar businesses - to spread yourself out and get involved in these communities and directories. Craigslist is one of the most trafficked sites on the Web, so the potential is tremendous - not just for sales but for driving traffic to your site. Here are some tips to using the directory to your advantage:

Use photos: A craigslist listing notes "pic" next to those with photos. People respond to images and it makes your ad stand out.
Repeat your listing: Depending on the amount of postings, your ad can get pushed down the list quickly. So it helps to repost it occassionally ... but not too much.
Don't spam: In recent years, craigslit has become better about removing spam and users are quick to report violations. Be careful that you don't repeat your ads too often.
Use the appropriate category: Don't shotgun your listing across all categories. That's craigslist spam and the listings will be reported.
Optimize your listing: Just like SEO, include keywords in your listing. Craigslist listings and categories show up in the search engines. I searched Panasonic Toughbook Chicago and a craigslist post was the third result.