Show 10-01-06: Glacier Bay Agonistes, eBay Motors Motors On, Podcasting News, eBay’s China Syndrome, Overstock.com Limits Concurrent Auctions, Elmo Arbitrage, AuctionCloud, Cellfire, ACollegeTrades

Posted by Michael Donahue on 10/2/06 in Podcasts, eBay News, E-commerce News

Extraordinary Popular Elmos and the Madness of Auctions...

Glacier Bay’s Randy Smythe emerges to give his take on the failure his business…no hard feelings, just the facts…but surprise, he does have some issues with eBay mgt.. All of this bringing up an interesting question; if eBay’s a sinking ship, what explains the success of eBay Motors? E-Auction-Air is proud to be among the top 25 most popular podcasts on The Podcasting News; now lets see if we can juice the ratings with a little “American Idol” style homecooking.

eBay’s China venture seems to be going the way of the “Sand Pebbles”…but then, into every dream of conquest a little rain must fall…just ask Wal-Mart’s returning German Standardstütze. Seeking to bring some variety to the buyer’s experience, Overstock limits concurrent identical items to 5…its a good move. Tickle Me Elmo arbitrage is burning up the eBay boards…funny how the market works when scarcity meets demand.

AuctionCloud offers a unique way of reading the eBay marketplace: dynamically, by category and search word. Cellfire offers an example of how your cell phone will more and more serve as a marketing and transaction tool. ACollegetrades debuts with free auction listings (as in no cost for listing or sales), aiming at the Ivy crowd.

Recommended Reading:

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds icon
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Links from this week’s show:

Randy Smythe, Owner of Glacier Bay DVD’s, Explains It All - The unraveling of one of eBay’s largest sellers…next the book, then the movie as a comeback vehicle for Nick Nolte.

The Podcasting News Top Rated Podcasts - Help E-Auction-Air supplant “God’s Ipod” and take our rightful place next to the Beer Babe…

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*).

eBay China Selling Out? - Hegemony just ain’t what it used to be.

Overstock Auctions Limits Concurrent Listings for Identical Items - A practical, business-like approach without a fee increase.

AuctionCloud - Real time popular searches on eBay..useful for both buyers and sellers.

Cellfire - Service for cell phone coupons.

Fatwallet - Bargain gateway where bargains abound and affiliate commissions are shared.

ACollegeTrades - Auction marketplace focused on the college crowd with no listing or final value fees.

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3 smashing comments for this post.

  1. Richard Chemel Said:
    October 4th, 2006 at 6:21 pm

    To add to your discussion in this weeks show- Ina Steiner has a 3 part interview with Randy on auctionbytes. It makes for a good read, especially when he alludes to ebay being a “ship without a rudder”

    BTW the site looks great.
    RC

  2. SeekingTheSource Said:
    October 15th, 2006 at 2:24 am

    Hi, as always a quality show. Mind if I poke you for some advice? In regards to your comment about how the internet will bring forth efficiency, a Chinese supplier has contacted me to directly sell me the exact same products that a local middleman supplier also offers. Obviously, the Chinese supplier offers better pricing, but I have to stock inventory on my shelves. The local supplier offer perks like being able to buy in smaller quantities, NET 30, and blind drop shipping. Do you see any way of me working with both the Chinese supplier and local supplier?

    I guess my concern is that if I go with the Chinese supplier only, I have to factor in the cost of labor or my time involved with shipping the same items to my customers. If I go with the supplier, I will make less profit on each item but I do have to worry about the labor involved with shipping the product.

    What are you thoughts?

  3. Michael Donahue Said:
    October 15th, 2006 at 3:16 pm

    Good question.

    Depends on a number of variables..
    Qty required from China vs. whatever that number represents in terms of demand and sales history: 1 month supply, 2 months…?
    Is the minimum from China a container, 1/2 container?
    Actual landed cost from China per unit, inclusive of brokerage fees, import taxes, etc.

    Warranty: How are defective units/ returns currently handled from your present wholesaler vs. you absorbing the defects/returns.

    Reliability of supply… I’d keep an open door with your wholesaler in case the Chinese supplier disappears.

    Mindful of the above, what is the $ increase to your bottom line as well as percentage increase going with the Chinese supplier? With this in mind, could you increase sales turn by say, 5% per month using your current supplier by adjusting pricing or marketing through different channels. My point being that there is a significant comfort zone with your current arrangement and that by stretching for margin & margin alone, you open yourself up to variables(reliability of supply, cost of money, cash-flow, cost of warehousing, etc.) that are under control, relatively speaking, with your current arrangement.

    I’d say that working with both, in terms of exploring products (not stocked by your wholesaler) & relationships with the Chinese manufacturer and keeping the doors open with your wholesaler is the best bet.

    All of this depends on what your selling specifically and of course, you want to keep that to yourself;)

    I hope this helps.

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