Show 09-03-06: Seminar Scams, Anti-Spyware Rated, Art Market, 3D Retail, HelloDeo, 15 Competitive Tips, Collectibles Marketplace, Wholesale Flowers, Vintage Clothing Source

By allowing seminar companies to run about the country qualified as eBay Developers, the site is doing immeasurable harm to the brand. Thousands of dollars later, wannabe sellers are left fleeced and feeling mislead by the association of the eBay name with empty promises and hard-sell tactics.

Apart from site related fraud issues, eBay allows groups of get-rich-quick nabobs to scour the country offering seminars that are doing immeasurable harm to the brand as well as bilking those that sign up out of thousands of dollars. Anti-spyware programs are an essential defense for protecting the security of your business…how about a site that objectively rates them all?

Art offers a very interesting avenue for both resale…if you know what you are looking for. We visit a site that not only shows you the going rates for 52,000+ artists but also affords you an art-only auction marketplace. Retail sites in 3D that simulate actually going to the mall..there’s a very preliminary one we visited that shows how the future of retail might just consist of emulating the present. MyBidList.com adds PayPal and Google Checkout to it’s free service. HellOdeo enters the free video sweepstakes with a smaller player that might be a good fit for your auction format.

A voice of reason on the eBay boards…a seller lists 15 need-to-do’s in order to remain competitive…and there’s nary a whimper about fee hikes. Collectibles is a wide category that you may already sell in…but whether you do or not, you need to check-out a site we found that gives you a great deal of valuable information about a wide range of collectible categories. An new wholesale overstock / surplus site with a twist…short quantities that won’t break the bank.

A wholesale craft site with a wide range of not only craft supplies but also finished goods, project ideas and much more. Dried flowers from Hawaii and fresh flowers from South America could equal a niche business for you. Vintage and vintage constructed clothing is a booming fashion market that offers a great opportunity.

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Links from this week’s show:

Power Press Web Site Marketing Strategy - Using a Press Release to drive sales to your eBay store or auction, authored by yours truly (*hint*hint*).

Board Discussion re Misleading Seminars - Serves them right, you might say. But then again, seminars such as the one referred are ruining the brand.

Malware Test Lab - Objective rating of spyware programs.

AskArt - Excellent site for overview of 52,000 artists, the auction value of their work and much more.

3B Village- A site that offers web browsing in a 3-D atmosphere..a rough approximation of the future of on-line selling..but interesting to consider.

MybidList.com Checkout Enhancement - Our favorite auction site to-go now has the capability of PayPal & Google Check-Out.

CollectingChannel - Uber site for all things collectible.

Split-Buy - New wholesale close-out site where small lots are available as collective buys.

Darice Craft Supplies - Major craft supply wholsaler, including finished goods and projects.

Dried Flowers Direct - Just as it says, dried flowers direct from Hawaii.

Online Wholesale Flowers - Good prices on a wide variety of fresh flowers.

Dust Factory - Wholesale Vintage clothes as well as new old clothes..I know, I know but you’ll understand once you visit the site.

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