Ebay - No! Where Else Can I Sell Online?

"Cats in the Iris"

Once people find out I have been selling online for years they always ask me about Ebay. Upon hearing about the "new Ebay" they are generally turned off from trying to list and sell there. Then I tell them about other online sites - and to my amazement, they are completely oblivious to the fact that there ARE other online sites except Ebay, Amazon and Craigslist. Maybe its time to set the record straight here...and I'll attempt to do just that. I'll be honest and tell you what I know and perhaps you will begin to see the large world of online sites where you can list and sell your items.

Bonanzle.com: - you can set up a free store there. I like the fact they have a little chat box right in your store so that if you are there you can chat with others. Its free and easy to list your items and you pay a small commission for anything that sells. You need to do some socializing and networking to get traffic to your site. This is generally done by visiting other sites and leaving messages for the owners.

Online Auctions.com: - you pay by the month for a store. It was $8.95 the last time I tried it. For the monthly fee you can list and sell whatever you like and as many listings as you like. This was a great site for interacting with the community but I could not make many sales there. I'm sure it was the items I was offering but it seemed to me there simply was no traffic other than other sellers.

Etsy.com: - this is THE place for handmade items, vintage items and art and craft supplies. For 25 cents you can list an item for 4 months - your store is free and you pay a small commission on your sales. This is another site that depends on how well you can interact with the community and network.

Overstock.com: - this was the site I felt could have put a dent into Ebay in a big way. There are two parts to this site - one is retail and the other is auctions....yes!, auctions - they seem to want to keep that part a big secret. I have done pretty well with auctions on this site in the past. I sure wish they would advertise auctions and let people know they are there. They're missing out on a LOT of revenue. Prices for listing are a bit lower than Ebay and, of course, you can accept cash, checks and moneyorders or any variety of money movers such as Paypal.

eCrater.com: - far as I can see its free to list and free to sell! They give you a store and you can list as many items as you like. I have yet to make a sale on the site. Perhaps I'm just offering the wrong items.

eBid.net: - I hit a sale and paid them $49.95 to be able to list there free for life. I can have up to 5 different stores going. I have two right now - one for art and one for other things....neither has made a sale. They don't seem to have as much traffic as is needed to make good sales.

Boocoo.com: - chances are you haven't heard of them. They are brand new, still in beta I think and listing is free right now. This site is owned by a variety of newspapers across the country. Its easy to list there and they give you a free store. I believe there is a small fee if you sell an item.

These are just some of the online sales sites presently out there. There are many others (Atomic Mall, ePier, SpecialistAuctions, PlunderHere, Blujay, Ioffer to name a few) that I did not include here. Those above are sites I've actually listed on and still list on many of them. So, when you feel you're trapped by Ebay's high fees and draconian policies why not give one or more of these a try? On most of them you can't lose anything but your time.

A little watercolor painting today. 5 X 7" Cats in the Iris

Thoughts on Ebay, the Economy, Online Sales & Cupcakes & Wine

Cupcakes & Wine

Lately, I've been reflecting on the economy and on my sales and the sales of other artists. Since I'm retired, its pretty easy for me to think about the future. Financially, I'm not wealthy but I do have a modest income - enough to cover my needs. These days I think more about the people who are out of work and desperate then I do about myself. I keep hoping for a turnaround, but that doesn't seem to be happening yet. I keep wishing that the leader we put into office, with such great hope for change, would begin doing something for the citizens of this nation. It saddens me but there is nothing I can do except be grateful for what I have and hope the rest will prosper soon.

Online sales for small sellers of collectibles and artwork has fallen off to the point where it is almost useless to list items and hand over fees. The smaller sites need AUCTIONS there is no excitement in searching by keywords and blundering onto what you want and the same stuff sits month after month. Their present format is confusing and not successful...yes, I'm talking Etsy, Bonanzle, eCrater, etc. etc. They're gaining more sellers but those precious buyers are still mostly out of their reach. None of them advertise...that I can see. Overstock does advertise but for the life of me I cannot understand why they seem to hide the fact that they have auctions running too - if you don't believe me go to the site and LOOK. Sellers deserve more than this type of service. Sellers are willing to pay for service but most of the small sites operating today aren't prepared to give us that.

As for Ebay, the old CEO, campaigning for California governor, is still bragging about the thousands of little people she helped start a business on Ebay while her hand-groomed successor, the new CEO, tears it apart and puts most of those sellers out of business. No use mentioning any more about them. Its water under the bridge now and not worth the space in this post.

I, along with thousands of other sellers are waiting...we're waiting for the next "Ebay" - the next large community of sellers and buyers. I don't see one on the horizon and if one doesn't show up soon then the whole business of online sales will go to the big, rich, retail companies who only wish to expand their presence to the internet. It will be same brand new chinese junk you now find in any mall or large store and the excitement that was once Ebay and online sales of the eclectic, the rare, the vintage...will perish!

Not the best mood for a Sunday morning but I felt I had to tell it as it appears to me and then we, perhaps, can collectively hope for a turnaround...in the economy and the online sales.

Something different today, an abstract, called "Cupcakes & Wine"

Ebay....Boooo! Happy Halloween!

The weather is turning cooler. In the northern part of the country temps are falling and there has already been snow on the northeast section. It is all signaling the holidays are at hand. This is the part of the year when stores get out of the red and earn their profits....well, usually. This year there is a decided misery over the country. I am retired and with my social security and small pension I am somewhat isolated from what is going on in the U.S. today. Here, in California we have almost 12 percent unemployment and there are worse states such as Michigan.

Now would be a perfect time for families looking to earn a few extra bucks to put some of their gently used items on Ebay and an equally perfect time for buyers who are strapped for money to purchase the things they need. Normally, this would be a great outlet and would help families pay a few bills each month. Sadly, such is no longer the case. More and More small sellers are reporting a lack of traffic and a lack of views to their items. More and more they are reporting they can't even find their items in search! To add to that misery Ebay came out with the TRS program (top rated sellers). They are rightfully considering a seller's performance record - BUT - they've still set the bar high enough that a lot of more casual small sellers, also with excellent reputations, slip thru the cracks! Ebay, has and always will be a place that coddles sellers who sell the most and ignores sellers who are just as good but sell less.

With all that in mind most small sellers need to simply take a deep breath and move on! Now is the time to list on a lot of other sites - most of which take a small fee or no listing fee at all. Many offer free shops! Etsy.com - 20 cents to list any item for 4 months. Bonanzle.com - free shop, free listing. eCrater.com - free shop, free to list. 1000markets.com - free shop, free to list. SpecialAuctions.com - free shop, free to list! I can go on and on. There is also Auctionbyte's EveryplaceISell.com - a directory of sellers and the sites they can be found on. Its a free service so take advantage of it!

The one thing sellers neglect to do when they move to other sites is they neglect to let their past buyers know where they are! This amounts to moving and not leaving a forwarding address. They'll move to a new site, list, sit back and when they don't get sales they will crawl back to Ebay. Always remember small sellers built Ebay in the first place. Ebay is losing buyers because of lack of these same small sellers. Ebay buyers do not want the brand new items they can find in Walmart - they want the rare, the vintage, the unique items they can only find on Ebay! Let these buyers know where you are! Comb thru your records of past purchases and contact these people. Let them know where you can be found and offer them incentives like free shipping or a percent off their purchases. Remember YOU built ebay and you can rebuild! Now is the time. The holiday season is breathing down our necks. It is my personal opinion that Ebay has set itself up for failure in the fourth quarter - don't go down with the ship!

Okay, ole Grannygoodpaint is getting down from her soapbox. I've posted some Halloween "treats" up above for those of you listening to the things that go "bump" in the night...

GOOGLE - Give a Girl a Break!

Seems like years I've been writing about Ebay, Etsy, Online Auctions, Bonanzle, Overstock, etc. etc. I have yet to see one of my blog posts picked up by Google and sent to me in a Google alert. Yes, I have the alerts up and running and get tons of articles on the subjects....some dumber than dirt but never see mine. Google whatcha got against ole Grannygoodpaint? If I outright Google Grannygoodpaint I get plenty - yet I never make those alerts. Google are you ashamed of ole Granny?

Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, Etsy!!!!! Jump Onboard!

"The Gazebo in the Park"
5 X 7" Watercolor

Today I want to toot my horn for Etsy.com (pronounced like Betsy without the B). Any seller of handmade or vintage goods can open a free shop on Etsy. Then they can list as much as they want for only 20 cents a listing and each listing is good for 4 months! Not free but almost free! Etsians are helpful and their community forums are a must read - as is their blog The Storque. The economy doesn't seem to be bothering Etsy any since they report an almost doubling of sales year over year for this June and July!

I am trying my darndest to do without Ebay. Haven't listed there in weeks now and I'm concentrated on Etsy and next will concentrate on building up my Bonanzle booth.

Sellers...take the plunge! If you sell mostly handmade goods then try Etsy for everything else there is Bonanzle or eCrater. I recommend them all. Also...very important if you do decide to spread your wares around DON'T FORGET to tell your customers where they can find you ;-)

My painting for today is a watercolor just listed. Hopefully it will brighten your day.

Support American Artists!

"Sunburst Daisies"
5 X 11" Watercolor

I know the economy is bad but yesterday I was shopping in Walmart and saw a bin of large prints with several people picking thru them. One fellow pulled one out and smiled at it...as though he found the prize in a box of Cracker Jack! I looked over and noted the price....not much less than some small original works one can find on artists' internet websites or on sites such as Ebay, Bonanzle and Etsy. I wonder what makes a person bypass real art in favor of a sheet of paper some machine stamped out? I look at original paintings and am sometimes in awe at the skill and imagination of the artist. I respect the person behind an original piece of art and the work he/she put into it. There is NOTHING like original art. No mass produced print - no matter the name compares to a piece of art where you can look deeply and see the brush strokes that artist placed on the canvas.

So, I'm asking any who might stop by to read this to check out the sites I've mentioned here and look at some original art. If you buy a piece I'm pretty sure you won't be sorry. Look beyond just the topic or color of the piece - look deeply to see the part of the artist's life and heart that he or she put into it.....just for you!

My painting today is a sunny watercolor.

Grannygoodpaint Changes Her Palette

The author of this blog is an artist and has been one all her life. Let's talk art today and some of what it takes to sell your work. I used to make a darned good business simply putting my artwork up on Ebay but those days seem to have passed. Now I'm spread out all over the place and learning to market my work wherever and whenever I can. Younger artists will want to do art shows and hang their work in coffee shops and restaurants, etc. That's great! Some will open websites - even better! BUT be prepared for the work involved in getting traffic to your site. You don't just build a website and sit and wait for the crowds to come. It just doesn't happen that way.

Also, there are sites where you can get exposure and some are free. Bonanzle is one that will give you a free shop and free listing fees and you only pay when you sell. Etsy is another popular site...charging only 20 cents to expose your work for 4 months! Then there are others you probably never considered....Artist Rising where you can place your work and if a customer wishes a print you will be given a small percentage of the sale. I recently sold a large painting off Artist Rising because it caught a customer's eye and she wanted the original. Made the sale, with NO fees involved, directly to the buyer. Imagekind is much the same as Artist Rising. Don't forget your own neighborhood - everyone here knows I paint and many come around for that special gift they can't find in stores. There are a number of these sites where you can place your work for possible sale of prints. Its something to consider.

If you have a tip or a site or an outlet where you are making some sales...by all means please share it with us.

Some work that is up on Ebay right now:

I can also be found on Bonanzle, Etsy, Overstock and my own website

Ebay's Future....What I Believe

"Daffodil Bunny"
5 X 7" Watercolor

Everyone seems to have an opinion about Ebay and the direction it will take. Here's mine for what its worth:

I believe Ebay is looking toward a business model that will eventually exclude small sellers and even power sellers. They no longer want the responsibility for customer service and the fraud problems that are beginning to come back and bite them thru the court system. I believe they're desperate to populate the site with huge sellers who can take care of their own customer service and fraud and these will no longer be Ebay's responsibility. Ebay just wants to sit back and scoop in the revenue so they're willing to put in their famous Ebay name to entice these big sellers....the name us small sellers built for them. First they tried the retail route...that didn't work. Now they are looking toward liquidation sellers of end lots and discontinued items in bulk. Once they hit on a solid business model they will open the back door and put us all out by the dumpster without one look back! This is why they are secretive, their plans are not solid and so they keep secretive until that time.

To all sellers: imperative to use Ebay to suit yourself while you build on other venues (I am presently active on Etsy, Bonanzle and Overstock) and perhaps even on your own site. The worst thing a seller can do now is sit on Ebay and complain about sales and wait for things to pick up....its time to be very very proactive! We will probably never again see the wild selling venue that was once Ebay...but neither will Ebay. They will become just a huge, mediochre site and that will eventually fade away or be scooped up by another company, especially so if they keep the present inadequate management.

Not happy thoughts to be sure but I've always been a hard realist and this is what I'm seeing.

grannygoodpaint

With Easter on the way - I thought my painting for today should be Daffodil Bunny.

A Seller Asked About Ebay....

...what our sales were and our views. He was about to leave because he could not get views or sales. Here was my reply:

I found a newsletter in MyEbay that said I was doing great…and listed the piddling amount of money I made on Ebay I guess in the past 12 months. It was a pitiful amount when put next to the large amounts I made in years gone by. They wanted me to write a bit about my “success” - I was sorely tempted….my cursor hovered over that link for quite awhile while I plotted and planned just how I would “tell them about my success”….then I deleted the newsletter. It meant little to me anymore - Ebay means little to me anymore. I list a few items here…ever hopeful that management might come to its senses but the bulk of my items are on my own website and other free to list or small listing fee websites (Etsy, Bonanzle, Overstock) and they are all selling. Nothing spectacular but constant sales and good views as opposed to no sales and few views here. Its sad to think of how far Ebay has fallen and how much they still think of themselves! If they can’t get over their useless attitude of superiority they can only fail. Most of us are moving on…

Ebay? Bonanzle? Why Not Both???

"The Unicorn and the Butterfly"
2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inch miniature

Its funny because when John Donahoe announced Ebay's decline in the 4th quarter last year, he blamed it on our faltering economy. Well, yes...perhaps some of it was to blame but certainly not ALL of it. Yesterday both Amazon and even Overstock reported gains in online sales in the 4th quarter of last year. Amazon going so far as to say "our best holiday season ever". What does all that mean and what has it to do with Bonanzle? Well...you might say the writing is on the wall. Small sellers can't make use of Amazon...Ebay is less than worthless to us these days and I never was able to sell much on Overstock. Small sellers definitely need a place to go and I kind of like the homey feeling of Bonanzle. Yes, it needs traffic and yes it needs more buyers. SO! I suggest all you small sellers get off your duff and get proactive...which means go thru your list of buyers in the past years and invite them to your shop at Bonanzle. Give them an incentive...free shipping...free gifts...something to get them there. Its up to us to build our place in online sales and I think Bonanzle is one of those places that shows a great deal of promise AND management is people-oriented too (isn't that a novel idea?).

BONANZLE
Free Shop, Free Listings, Small Fee Only When You Sell!

We can do it, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it!!!!! In this year of change we MUST do it!!

My painting for today is a miniature that's in my own collection. I loved it so much I simply kept it. "The Unicorn and The Butterfly"

Ebay - Going Doooooowwwwnnnnn!

Sunny Garden Path

I digress from Bonanzle to give my 2 cents on Ebay's 4th Quarter 2008 report.

Well, Ebay's 4th quarter 2008 report is out. It is dismal indeed in spite of John Donahoe's spin. This is exactly what veteran sellers have been expecting since Mr. Donahoe began his "disruptive innovation" a year ago. I predict by the end of the first quarter this year there will be NO denying Ebay has taken the wrong path - Mr. Donahoe will NOT be able to spin the decline of Ebay's business or blame 100 percent of it on the economy.

Over 11 years ago the Ebay phenomenon was born and took flight. During these years the company grew to massive proportions. It seemed everything they touched turned to gold and the sellers who flocked to them brought them even more riches then Pierre and Meg could fathom. On the other hand, Ebay became a haven for the elderly, the disabled, the stay at home moms and the out of work dads who needed income. Both sides were very very happy. Then Ebay's success became "expected" and Ebay became more and more arrogant. "If you want to sell here you'll do this and that and pay this and that...ad nauseum". Then they became SO big they felt they were invincible and they had John Donahoe step in to take the company apart and rebuild it into a cheap and cheesey Amazon clone so they could get even bigger and more wealthy. No...don't invest the sweat equity - Ebay is so big they don't have to do that...they can simply have "diamond sellers" do all the work and then Ebay can sit back on its throne and scoop in all the money! give the diamond sellers free or low listing fees and raise fees on the small sellers...heck they have to either take it or leave it! Unfortunately, it reached a point where a LOT of those small sellers had to leave it...they simply couldn't make profits. Well, John, Pierre, Meg...what do you think of your big invincible company now? You never believed in the sellers who built Ebay - you called them "noise" and beat them into complying with your outrageous draconian policies - pay your outrageous fees! Gave buyers the power to scam and cheat your sellers. What do you think of your company NOW! This is just the start of Ebay's long and painful death!

Even I think this post is depressing even though I believe it to be true. Let's have something happy for today's painting. How about a watercolor - "Sunny Garden Path"

Let's Bonanzle! More on Bonanzle - Its a New Star in the Sky!!

2 1/4 X 1 1/2"
Cardinal in the Garden

Okay - still nosing around Bonanzle to see what there is to see. I'm racking up other seller's by tagging and favoring their booths. This gets a little back and forth action going. I'm a firm believer that it is the sellers buying from each other who sustain a new site until new traffic starts coming in. That is what is happening on Bonanzle right now. They are growing with amazing speed...oh yes...still very small potatoes when measured against Ebay BUT they are becoming the new haven for small sellers. Those very sellers who MADE Ebay what it is.

Back to tagging. In my previous article I forgot to mention that the TAG line is right after the description in each listing. Also, I discovered that if you forgot to log in you won't see the TAG line or the Favorite on anything. So sign up and login before you do anything else. Since booths are free there is absolutely no excuse...except laziness...to get you off your duff and opening a booth. They even go so far as to give you a booth logo if you can't make one for yourself. They also now automatically upload all of your listings to Google Base on a regular schedule. You only need to follow the simple instructions to start it rolling.

Now, another really neat feature on Bonanzle is that each booth owner has direct contact with whoever goes into his booth. Its called Real Time Chat and there is a rather large slot near the top of the booth where buyer and seller can converse in real time....or leave a message. Its all so handy and so unique! These are some of the things that make Bonanzle stand out.

Another is their customer service. Kind of reminds me of Ebay in the old days when you could actually write them and get an answer back from a bonafide human being! I recently had a hard time finding out how I could contact another seller thru his ID. Looked all over and couldn't find it. So, I wrote customer service. Had an answer back in a couple of hours AND they thanked me for bringing it to their attention and will soon make finding ID's easier! Nothing like the interest a small company has and you just can't beat their drive and ambition. I hope they keep at least some of it as they grow because they really are growing.

So....get there...take a look and join in!!

My booth again - ahem - the ad here:

Misspatricia's Booth

My painting for today is a tiny miniature. 2 1/4 X 1 1/2"

Feeling My Way Around Bonanzle And Feeling Good!

"Cherry Cake"
2 1/2 X 3 1/2" original acrylic painting

I have a very good feeling about Bonanzle. Its taken me awhile to tear myself away from Ebay and really move on to new things. Sitting there in Ebay was kind of like lingering over the body long after the person died and hoping they're really not dead. Morbid, but I don't feel I'm alone in this. Many small sellers are sitting and hoping that their Ebay will return from the dead.

Actually, I set up my free Bonanzle shop months ago, stocked it and it mostly just sat there.

Misspatricia's Booth

Finally I'm getting around to getting serious about this site and so I learned to tag and favor other booths and I've invited several of my past customers to check out my new Bonanzle shop.

Now, tagging means going to various shops and if you see something you really like you can "tag" it as to its beauty, coolness, price, etc. I discovered that many people don't know what tagging is or how to do it. You'll find "Tag" and a line of subjects you can choose such as "bizarre" "beautiful" "cool" etc. Just click on one or more of those and you've tagged that item. I understand that tagging an item brings it up higher in search.

Also you can Favorite a booth. To "fav" a booth just look on the right side of the person's booth and you'll see "Favorite" just click on it. You'll get updated on the booths you favorited. Every time they list or have a "Bonanza" you will see it listed.

I'll be adding more as I learn. All you small sellers, who haven't opened a shop on Bonanzle, get there and open your shop. The shop is free, listing is free and you pay only a small fee on what you sell. I think Bonanzle will be a serious contender for small seller's business. Please go and take a look and I think you'll agree.

My painting for today is an ACEO called "Cherry Cake".

Happy New Year - Especially to Small Online Sellers!

"Lavender Sea"

Its a brand new year with a brand new president coming in exactly 19 more days. Frankly, I'm excited. Oh...I don't think things will change overnight, but I see a light at the end of a long tunnel. We'll have to fight to get there but at least there is hope in getting this country on the right path once again.

Wish I could see that for online sales, but it will be a rocky year until this economy recovers. I can add it will be even rockier if Ebay continues on its mindless course of destroying the site we all once loved. Amazon is hoping for that but small sellers are hoping Ebay comes to its senses.

Its within our power to help our battered economy....continue to buy...continue to buy and keep the economy moving! If you're in a position to continue purchases as usual...do it! Nothing will help our damaged economy more then to keep pumping new blood into it.

For small sellers - why not make a new year resolution to finally get your own website up and running. Continue selling on those sites with free listings, BUT also use them as advertising for your website. Work on gathering link exchanges with other websites of the same interest as yours. Learn to upload your items to Google Base (I see Bonanzle already does that). Get PROACTIVE - which means "move the tush". You are the focus point in your own online selling success....so get moving!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL MAY 2009 BE A HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS YEAR FOR US ALL!

My painting for today is called "Lavender Sea".

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Those Bonanzle Bells!!!

"The Snowball Fight"

Sellers, both large and small have been complaining loudly over all the changes at Ebay...changes I feel will be softened considerably as Ebay nosedives in the next quarter. The Christmas rush will then be over and people across the country will all begin to feel the effects of our serious recession. Ebay will stand out for the greedy business it has become. BUT now there is a new bright star appearing on the horizon. A place where the seasoned sellers of Ebay can come and pick up a free shop and list freely to their heart's content. With no listing or shop fees they can afford to give bargain prices and even are free to negotiate prices with their potential buyers. Its about the closest thing to having your very own website. Sellers...come...take advantage of this bright new star. The site is vibrant and alive with sellers. Write your past customers and tell them where you'll be and they'll eventually come. This is a hot place to be.

Me? I have a shop there - and no other affiliation. I just feel this is going to be the up and coming site next year. The place where we can buy and sell with no stress....the FUN place Ebay used to be! Come see...

check out my shop and then sign up and open one of your own!

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/misspatricia

A fun miniature painting for today - "The Snowball Fight" Painting is just 1 X 1 inch.

SELL on Bonanzle...BUY on Bonanzle - Let's Build it!

"Cookies for My Santa"

Those oldtime Ebay small sellers know exactly what that title means. We did it before and we can do it again!

Bonanzle offers a free shop, free listings unlimited...and only a small final value fee when you sell something. You can't be fairer than that! Drop the Ebay habit! Ebay has done nothing but kick sellers in the gut since January of this year. Its time to leave a hapless site and enter a new and vibrant site that has NO draconian policies. Where you and your customer are free to negotiate on price without interference from the site. Scope it out...you'll be pleased.

The main message I want to give today is SELL on Bonanzle...BUY on Bonanzle and invite ALL your past customers to join you.

The gate is wide open and you only need to stroll thru. Give your buyers incentives...check out Bonanzle's Bonanza days when you can run your own sales. Let's get moving and get this ball rolling good...like in the old days of Ebay!

My Bonanzle shop:

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/misspatricia

Check it out and then sign up and give Bonanzle a spin!

My painting for today is in the holiday spirit. "Cookies for My Santa"

Forget Ebay...Let's All Bonanzle!!!

"Polar Bear Christmas Tree

That's right. Instead of the constant complaints its nice to visit a website where sellers are free to deal and negotiate with you. Break the old habits and get with a new one...BONANZLE! I thought it would be just another amateurish start up site when I visited there a couple of months ago. Since then I've opened a free shop and I'm making sales...oh, not Ebay type sales of years gone by...but then making sales depends on you, the buyer and whether or not you can suffer a slight learning curve and come on over to a wonderful website. Bonanzle is much like Ebay was in its early days. No auctions - you just up and buy whatever you want...and watch for specials and BONANZA days when certain sellers will have bargains galore for the day. Its interesting, its exciting. The site itself is colorful and neat and just about glitch-free. You won't see ads cluttering up the works or any of the other nonsense you're saddled with lately. You can purchase, pay and you can leave a feedback if you want too - nobody will twist your arm or make you grade a seller with "kindergarten stars". Give BONANZLE a whirl - go in and register and then shop or browse and don't forget to negotiate with your seller. Hey, start with my Bonanzle booth:

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/misspatricia

My painting for this post is a little ACEO called Polar Bear Christmas Tree.

Are You Still Selling Online?....At Ebay?...Etsy?

PB&J

If so, I have one big word for you DIVERSIFY! Not only in what you sell but where you sell. The old days of small sellers depending on ebay are over. Mr. Donahoe has made that so clear it rings like a bell - and he never even had to say it. Right now my most active listings are on Bonanzle, Etsy and my own website. To help me along I've gone thru all my past receipts (something you ALL should be doing) and came up with a nice email list of past customers. Then I made them a nice form email with links to my website and other places they can find me. Make it as easy for them as possible. Don't spam...one email only to let them know where they can find you. Offer incentives...free shipping or discounts, etc. These are YOUR customers and you have a right to contact them. Just don't make a pest of yourself. since I did this early in November things are percolating along. Maybe I will contact them again in the Spring and announce Easter, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day deals. What I'm trying to say is get out of the rut. Don't be afraid to market yourself to your past customers. They are looking for bargains too and they are finding less and less of them on Ebay since so many of us small sellers left there. DIVERSIFY!

I'm inviting you all to virtual lunch with today's painting: PB&J

Online Sales Are Down For Most

ACEO: Halloween Feast

This is a difficult period for many people. Lots of folks are watching their401K's decline, stocks are in the basement. Some say its a good time to pick up some bargains in stocks...maybe so but for those of us retired or nearing retirement that would be a big no-no. All we can do is try to keep what we have and keep it safe. I was lucky to roll my 401K over a year ago into an IRA. At least its safe even if it isn't making primo money for me.

In the same vein, internet sales are down. The few items I have on Ebay are stagnant with few hits and rolling off without bids. In Ebay's ongoing insanity, they saw fit to lower my standing in their search from "raised" to "standard" thereby kicking a seller when he's down even a seller who has never had a negative and has all 5.0 DSR's. They said I didn't have enough feedback in the past 30 days and failed to take into consideration the 30 items that I paid them to list that rolled off without bids. Its time folks...its more than time to put your Ebay money elsewhere. Even if you use it to advertise a website of your own. Nothing will change in Ebay's corner until their management changes and its like the old saying "it has to get much worse before it gets better."

This is a time when buyers will be looking for bargains. They'll search the web this holiday season because they simply won't have the money they had last year. Its a great time to get traffic to your other venues! I've written about Etsy, Bonanzle, Wigix and others. The problem with these sites lies with US...we go there, we list and we sit and wait for people to find us. We are spoiled by Ebay's past performance and expect the traffic to simply be there. No..WE are the ones who have to reach out to our buyers (past and present) and get them to these sites. I know if they bother to try they will probably stay. Since most of these sites are free to list or near free (Etsy is 20 cents per item for 4 months) we can afford to offer incentives for buyers to come and buy from us. Offer free shipping - offer a bonus gift, etc. Get them to come and see the site and see your offerings. In that way we can build these small sites into viable outlets for our items. Take the plunge and most of all TAKE INTEREST in building traffic.

Another Halloween offering today is an ACEO called Halloween Feast.

(ACEO is Art Cards Editions and Originals, an idea born and nurtured on Ebay. These cards are generally original paintings about the size of a baseball card. Exactly 2 1/2 X 3 1/2")

Ebay Small Sellers - Let's BONANZLE!!!

ACEO Halloween Cat

I know the feeling...you've been on Ebay for years and up till this year you've been doing okay. You're paying your fees and trying to keep up with the latest policy changes and requirements. Even with all that effort your sales are in the toilet and you watch your items roll off with few views and no bids because you find your items smothered under tons of other items from other sellers...what to do? Its time to get proactive (that means get a move on!). One day while reading Auctionbytes.com (which seems to be my morning paper) I saw an item about a place called Bonanzle. Funny name - gotta check it out. I was floored! Its bright and colorful, its clean and uncluttered - a shop there is free - listing is free!.....AND they will import your Ebay feedback and your Ebay items! I suggest everyone get there and set up shop - then go thru your list of past buyers and invite them over! Give them an incentive like free shipping or a free gift - you can do it because you're not weighed down with fees! Bonanzle is growing by leaps and bounds. I am amazed to check the stats there each morning and see that they are, indeed, gaining more sellers. I also love Bonanza Days there. That is a day you schedule with Bonanzle and on that day you offer sales galore and Bonanzle will direct traffic to your shop for a few hours. Its a plus you aren't going to get somewhere else...so give Bonanzle a look and I think you'll like what you see!

My painting for today: The witching hour is on its way...Halloween Cat