Though the reason for this blog is to get together to try and save our places selling on eBay-many have brought up other selling venues.
While I think that our primary goal for now should be to convince eBay to let us continue, even if with changes, I see that many are looking for an alternative.
So many suggestions are coming in for alternative places to sell that I thought it deserved it's own section. Plus it keeps the other comment sections on topic AND allows anyone interested to easily find the recommendations all in one place. I'll update the post ASAP with suggestions in comments of the other posts.
Etsy--Lot's of shoppers-a big metaphysical section but 'different'.--has been reported that Spirit bound items are not allowed.
Bonanza--A great site but no sales seems to be the opinion.
eBid--
Wepay--a big push on this because they offer an alternate payment system to Paypal. I know many crafters and at least one psychic have stores. It is a new place just starting the last few months and many Etsy people moved shop here recently.
Artfire--individual storefronts
Tophatter- an auction site that does live auctions of all types. Fast going like an actual live auction. I have seen metaphysical themed auctions scheduled. They group things in themes to have the auctions. I have sold non meta items and bought too. I like it--- they are in their infancy but growing. People seem to love them too. Not sure it would work for many sellers though.
CH Marketplace-a few meta sellers use this but mostly customers re-selling or regular forum members.
eCrater--has some bad reviews
Amazon--
Hauntedshoppe-JanetKarmel--a meta seller with a large website who has offered to post items for others.
Gothauctions.com--
Prostores.com-stand alone websites synced to eBay so all your listings can be automatically transferred in their entirety easily and automatically-great for large sellers of BIN items. Owned by eBay.
FROM JINNANDTONICS----
ReplyDeleteSeller Satellite Network
free advertised business listings for metaphysical market sellers
One of our communities most respected and renowned members/seller, Caiyros was precognitive of this impending doom from ebay. In his wisdom, he foresaw, the great danger of not having a centralized communication network between sellers. Therefore, he created one himself to be of service without fee, and domination by any one seller over any other.
It is a safe haven, a neutral ground, to be available for all of us, to be found by all of our shared clients. As well as, a place we can communicate with each other without interference from ebay message limitations, or the watchful editor hacking at our links, and a place where we can push our genre and beliefs into the future without fear of persecution from the evangelicals.
All of us are strong, capable, and wisely guided by our beliefs. Perhaps it is time we protected them and defended them through supporting each other. Many of the low volume sellers, who depend upon traffic from larger sellers marketing, will suffer if they do not stay in the places the larger sellers go. It is our responsibility to be sure the future of our beliefs do not suffer as a result of our lack of trust and faith in each other, to unite. At the very least, consider, listing your stores somewhere or everywhere, and still linking together in one central place, where we are not preyed upon for fees or manipulated by feedback extortion. Just consider, this Seller Satellite Network, a central hub to bring us all together where communication can take place without limitations.
Sign up for free with our trustworthy comrade, here: http://www.sellersatellitenetwork.com/
We just did, and it was easy.
Thank you for sharing this. Will be looking into it tonight. Blessed be ~RelicsAndRunes
DeleteI NEED HELP!
ReplyDeleteI have a list of over 1600 eBay employees and department heads but these names need to be put into the standard email format eBay uses. This is easy but I can not do it all myself. It would take me hours and hours.
We NEED these emails for our mass email campaign to get heard.
So--PLEASE email me at ebaymetaphysical@gmail.com if you are willing to help. If we split the list among us we could be done quickly.
We could buy the list complete with emails and phone number extensions but its 1500.00
Does anyone use Prostores and if so, since they're owned by ebay, will those stores be subject to ebay's new rules about content?
ReplyDeleteIn the metaphysical jewelry category, every so often we get there's some fake bidder who decides to leave negative feedback for a bunch of people, often using many accounts. A lot of sellers seem to freak out about some 0 feedback buyer who causes trouble and I get those too but their negs are removed. It's the ones with a solid feedback history that say, "let's troll a bunch of heathens" that are the problem. Once in 2009 all my listings got removed for something fake that wasn't a violation (basically my paranormal story was too entertaining). I took it out, and then they were all removed from another phony violation, having a photo in the gallery that wasn't the item. And then about 5 a month for being adult items. I had to change my listings completely. In 2011 I did a google for my old description and found a forum where they all decided to target me.
ReplyDeleteNow the category is often hit by a fake bidder who targets everyone. We all used to be able to report them and buyer suspended, negs gone. But then in May 2012, eBay stopped doing anything about it. And a bunch of buyers like boy_accent came by and eBay wouldn't take it off.
But we've needed an eBay alternative for a long time. Any company that replies to all emails saying the don't read emails and to call them is a company that doesn't deserve business.
I put my setting to allow only single purchases from buyers with low feedback, and while I have to exempt new legitimate customers occasionally, it has virtually eliminated my issues with these attacks. I haven't had one in over a year.
DeleteCaiyros is a good man. I still say that all of you should be branching out into all available venues. Especially for any of you who this is an only income, you need to utilize all resources available.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you guys will figure this out, and I wish you guys the best of luck, but don't let your pride stand in your way.
I've just listed my first 4 items on ebid.net, and I have to say I really like it. It's similar to ebay in many ways, and feels pretty comfortable. We can import our ebay feedback, so we won't be starting out at the bottom. They support html code, so the listings look professional and attractive. They allow MANY methods of payment too, including Paypal (which is nice as most of our established clients are used to using it), but they allow checks, money orders, Google checkout and others as well. Best of all, it's considerably less expensive than ebay. I think if we could get our clients as a whole to move over there with us, it could be a good fit all around. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI've used ebid in the past, and I put a few test items up there today. I have never made a sale through ebid. Like most of the alternative auction sites, the problem is that there are no buyers (or at least no metaphysical buyers).
DeleteI agree that's the main problem. However, the difference now is there will no longer be an ebay for our buyers, so they will HAVE to find an alternative if they are to continue to collect. That's why I think it's so important we all go together to one site, and bombard our customers with emails, promotions, sales, freebies, etc to get them over there and excited about it. We need them to view eBid (or whatever venue everyone agrees upon) as the "new" ebay. :)
DeleteSome of you here asked us via email about how the Marketplace works, I did respond to you individually, and I am also pasting it here to save time.
ReplyDelete#1 - a few years ago we moved to a dedicated server. It is through a professional service and we pay to have performance where it can handle an enormous amount of traffic, over 1 million users on the site, site-wide (not one, single application). The Forum can handle several thousand logged on at any given time, the Online Shop can handle up to 5,000 (registered & non-registered), the Marketplace can handle several thousand, and the rest of the site is not an issue because it does not have software limitations.
We used to be on a shared server (which most websites are), but the volume of traffic to this site made us take the plunge to a dedicated service around 4 years ago. Though, honestly, since almost all sellers share the same buyers & collectors it's not going to be an issue. It's not like each seller has their own customer base, we all share the same pool of customers. There isn't going to be a vast influx of users than what we already see. The site handles 5.4 million unique visitors a year, and site-wide the CH website handles an average of 153,000 hits per day across the site.
#2 - we have been security minded and have paid for security services for years now. We subscribe to the WatchDog service, and because we are on a dedicated server, we are behind a firewall. With the software updates we contract with a professional software developing firm for all software updates to the Forum, Online Shop, and Marketplace. All software is kept up to date with the latest releases, and we have an ongoing subscription contract with the developers to keep the site up & running smoothly.
#3 - the Marketplace is intended for adults. We are not the judge & jury for altercations between buyers & sellers. We encourage the buyer to contact the seller directly to resolve all issues, and vice versa. Thus far we have not had a situation where someone could not come to an amicable agreement.
#4 - buyers & sellers are only removed from the Marketplace if there are an alarmingly high number of abuse reports made against them for fraudulent activity, non-payment of services/items, non-shipment of items, etc. However, that doesn't happen often, usually everything runs smoothly. And, in the case an abuse report is made, we contact both parties involved to let them know that there is something that needs to be attended to. However, we do not make the decisions nor judge the situation in any way.
#5 - Ash & I are the only decision-makers on the website, period. We have moderators on the Forum, but in the Marketplace, Ash & I handle everything. No one is removed from the Marketplace (buyer or seller) without knowing, any time there is an issue we contact both parties involved. No one is just suddenly removed. However, usually Ash & I don't even have to get involved, the situations are usually resolved directly at seller-buyer level without us even knowing about it.
ReplyDelete#6 - it is an non-policed Marketplace. If someone reports a listing because it is a danger to others, we review it, and we are in contact with the seller if we think there is an issue. We expect adults to be able to conduct business as adults, and that sellers & buyers are perfectly capable of working out any issue. In the event of some bad altercation we contact both parties and get them to reach an agreement of some sort.
We do not tolerate abuse, however, and if a buyer is randomly making purchases to troll the site, they are immediately suspended and any feedback or messages left is removed.
#7 - we do not make professional friendships or personal friendships with other sellers. I'm sure they are all great people, but once bitten, never again. We offer the Marketplace & the Seller Announcements area openly & freely to any seller who conducts themselves with honesty, integrity, and fairness. We do not review who registers for the Marketplace. Once an account has been created, it is ready to use. We rely on the buyers to alert us if there is an issue with a seller on the Marketplace, and vice versa. It is an open area intended to be used by responsible adults.
This blog is becoming so large I dont want anything lost in the shuffle so I will add this on every page. When the eBay smoke clears and we have all done what we each decided to do to protect ourselves we are planning on forming a meta site in the forms of eBay for all of us to join and drive traffic to. For everyone that emailed me already I have received them and will introduce everyone in some type of format in the coming future. For the rest that still want in please email me here: thirdeyemaster1@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteIf you still want more info look through the posts on what we are proposing.
Good Luck my friends.
Methias Chinoa - Thirdeyecommunications ~ Mrs. Gula
All I can say is be very careful setting it up. In the past group seller actions have resulted in two Witch Wars. When there is a group of sellers doing something together the accusations start to fly about how the group is working against every other seller, how they won't let you in if you are this or that, etc. I've been through two Witch Wars, and both Witch Wars originated because there was a group of sellers who were doing something and another group of sellers didn't like it. Or, a seller was kicked off the site for something and they took their revenge in the form of internet complaint postings all over the internet!
ReplyDeleteI don't know, I guess it depends on how it's done, and who actually owns and is the legally responsible party. Are you going to set it up so that all participants are part owners?
None of you should leave eBay anyway, you should be listing things that ARE allowed and still utilizing that line of exposure!
ReplyDeleteYou can still list a great number of things, without spirits & spells, and still have a public account where people can still find you & present customers can see you didn't disappear!
I sent out an email to about 125 of my customers last night, just giving them a head's up as to what's happening, and invited them to my listings on ecrater and ebid. As of this morning (only about 6 hours later), I'd had about 20 new hits on my ebid listings and 20 or so on ecrater, and one ecrater sale and one sale just from talking to/emailing the buyer. I think that creating a centralized hub where everyone can link to their sites is a great idea, but in the meantime until that's up and running, I think we should all utilize sites that are already established and direct our clients to them.
ReplyDeleteCreepyhollows is right, too. We should all try to stay on ebay and offer whatever we can to maintain a presence there. They're still the big dog in the yard, after all.
That's great news, I've got a letter drafted, a few items posted on eBid, just waiting to see what happens. So glad to see the sites working out for you. Be sure to keep us all posted
DeleteYes, as a community in whole, we can't give up that line of exposure. We aren't leaving eBay, we are just going to abide by the new rules and list non-spirited, non-spelled, etc.
ReplyDeleteFor all sellers who've been absolutely great here & are truly involved in getting true unification together for the ultimate good of the community, if you need anything, you can contact Ash or I directly, and once you guys get going, let us know so we can do any part we can to get the word out!
I have no doubt that you guys can come up with a great plan! Don't leave eBay, keep up "legal" listings there, and place listings in EVERY available venue, not just one!!!
We're here if you need us for anything.
IMPORTANT!
ReplyDeleteI have gotten so MANY emails from sellers who have been contacted saying they talked to eBay and their listings are allowed and it's business as usual. PLEASE do not put your business in the hands of a CS rep! What they tell you ultimately means nothing if they don't have the right info-words are just words. Based on the many conflicting reports NOTHING is certain yet. STOP BEING OSTRICHES WITH YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND! If eBay allows spell cast or spirit bound jewelry it will be wonderful but it's looking more and more like it IS out. Come the end of the first week of September you could get so many listings pulled and the resulting policy violations your accounts could be suspended for good. Maybe THIS IS eBay's plan?
New Website: www.magickals.com check it out....Carlos built it just for us!
ReplyDeleteSince I see a lot of you are already going about your own sites & creating your own Marketplaces, are we to assume then that the unified effort has been abandoned?
ReplyDeleteIf it has, that's fine, I just think communication is breaking down on here. It sounded, at first, like you guys were adamently against any one-seller owned Marketplace, now you guys are each creating your own, so have you all reconsidered that possibility and decided it was a good idea?
The greatest hurdle for you guys is going to be trust, from buyers & sellers, in operating on these new sites. It would be in each of your best interests to create a statement outlining how your site is handled...
1. are you on a private server, or shared server?
2. is your software & policies PCI compliant?
3. what security measures are you taking to safeguard customer personal & credit information? And, seller personal information?
4. what are your regulations for sellers listing on your sites?
5. if there is an alteraction, who is going to deal with it & mediate between the buyer & seller?
6. how much advertising revenue are you going to spend on advertising this new place? Where are you advertising? Are sellers who participate privy to the information regarding site traffic, ad functionality, etc?
These are just a handful of important questions.
I don't know where the unity you guys were speaking of already went, but it seems like you all are taking an "every man for himself" route. Which, again, is fine, but at least let all of us know because I know some members on this blog, and some sellers who've just been watching & following are waiting to see how this attempt is going to play out.
I did move everything but am still interested in the united outlet. I only put everything there, because I knew I could use it until I can find something better. At least its still up and running, I use paypal the same as before, and I have policies on the site, artfire does not get in the middle, just me the buyer and paypal. I had a studio there before so I am familar with the site, it is connected to facebook, twitter,pincrest etc. All from the home page, it is much like a website, but artfire submitted each item into google organic,shopping,bing, and yahoo, for me. Buyer can also add the item to amazon wish list, witch I hope gives them more confidence to purcahse. I dont have to spend money on that. It is a short term fix, until the dust settles and there is somewhere else where we can get exposure.
DeleteThis is exactly what has me concerned. There are 3 or 4 people who are simultaneously creating the exact same type market place, and I'm worried that rather than unify us, we're going to end up fragmenting. I can't stress enough how important I feel it is for us to stay together as much as possible, and show our buyers a unified, central place where they have lots of choices and options.
DeleteGreetings,
DeleteI have seen this also Magnolia but it isn't really every man for himself. Carlos opened the magickals and he is not a seller, and the other man I think Marcus is also not a seller. I really don't know why they are doing this but I also don't have time to concern myself with this. I, as all of you have to much going on as it is. I have posed several times for members here to email me if interested and many have. We have already started discussions and have answered many of these questions behind the scenes. I cannot and will not discuss the schematics of the operation in public. I can answer several of your questions here though about magickmoney.com
1. are you on a private server, or shared server?
Starting on a shared server and moving to dedicated after launch depending on traffic.
2. is your software & policies PCI compliant?
Who isn't? My private store is and this marketplace will be. This isn't really a question, why would anybody not be PCI compliant in the year 2012?
3. what security measures are you taking to safeguard customer personal & credit information? And, seller personal information?
The site security will be handled with all appropriate SSL Certificates (256 bit Encryption) of the highest standards
4. what are your regulations for sellers listing on your sites?
This is still in the works as far as listings. ALL sellers are welcome, just like ebay. Open as many accounts as you want and sell what you want.
5. if there is an alteraction, who is going to deal with it & mediate between the buyer & seller?
Paypal just like we do it on eBay if it is escalated and the site team put in place before an escalation.
6. how much advertising revenue are you going to spend on advertising this new place? Thousands.
Where are you advertising?
We cannot share this secret, but my record of success of building traffic has been shown.
Are sellers who participate privy to the information regarding site traffic, ad functionality, etc?
NO.
What we are also working on is a structure system to reward those that join first and and help build the customer base. They will have special incentives set in place for the growth of the website.
As I have told those that are in the updates for this marketplace in private emails, I do not care about these "witch wars" you all talk about in the past, or these groups that united and failed in the past, I am not from the past. I have UNLIMITED resources at my disposal and am not wondering if magickmarket.com will work, but rather the road I choose to take in the beginning. I want nothing more than the sellers that list on magickmarket.com to succeed as in turn the site shall succeed. My group will help all along the way.
It is not that we have broken apart or even not united. You simply speak on two guys who are building sites that are NOT part of our world, I don't even know how they are a part of this blog. Those that were interested to be a part of this marketplace and share ideas are more thgan willing to join myt emails. Just send me an email here: thirdeyemaster1@gmail.com
If you are wondering if their is excitement building for MagickMarket.com and if people are interested and if we know how to begin a campaign simply look at this post omn facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=351141411633601&set=a.112805298800548.20672.108299109251167&type=1&theater
That is over 200 likes and over 20,000 people have "seen" the post. All organic and natural.
Thanks for asking questions :)
Namaste
Methias Chinoa
This all started off with everyone wanting to do something together, not under one seller. Somehow it has derailed into multiple people doing multiple efforts.
DeleteThe major thing is just about everyone on this blog said that they wanted a unified effort, not to be under one seller. You're saying you don't have time to concern yourself with this, but you have to, otherwise what's the point of being on this blog? If you are going to do your own thing, do it, by all means. But, if the point of the group is to come up with a consensus, then agree each to do their own thing & support each other... or, everyone create a collective Marketplace and then have your own informational & side shops.
Here's my secondary issue, and I know I'm not the only one with this issue because some of you have been discussing this via email correspondence... you have to learn from the past or you will be doomed to repeat it. You weren't here for either of the Witch Wars, you're relatively new, but this isn't the first time the sellers of the community have tried to come together in a group effort to create a selling community. It has to be handled with tact.
I heard on my own forum you were recently in a kerfuffle with another seller, and it doesn't take much for a Witch War to happen, especially when everyone is already on pins & needles as it is. I'm not familiar with you, or your site, or any details as to what you do, so I have & continue to have no opinion on what happened with the other seller, but if you are going to run a site where MANY sellers are going to be participating you have to be able to take on that responsibility. You may be able to, and maybe that he-said, she-said fight was an accident, it happens. I'm not picking on you, every one of us here has had our ups & downs with other sellers, we are all cautious.
That's great that you have unlimited resources, not everyone here has unlimited resources, and neither do the little sellers who will ultimately be the casualty here. And it's great you're pushing a Facebook campaign, but, it's not the quantity of the traffic, it's the quality. You can get 5 million people to look at your site, but are they people who are actually interested in what you're doing and are actually going to buy things from your Market? We all share the same customer base, we all know the same buyers, anyone who creates a site will have the same circle of traffic coming to them.
It's not just about saving yourselves, it's about saving an entire COMMUNITY. Without the community and there being some vast support structure so those new to collecting can see it's not just a couple sites, it's an entire movement, the more solid the foundation becomes.
Can someone tell me if there is one, non-seller developer working on something for everyone? Or, has that idea been dropped altogether?
I said I don't have time to wonder why two non sellers are creating metaphysical markets. As everyone who follows I might just be one of the biggest fighters since eBay has started this ban. Our altercation with another seller was based on that sellers misunderstandings and has since disappeared as this seller has understood and seen factual statements clearing our name. You won't see that broadcast because that is not my groups style.
DeleteI find it odd that you come here on this blog and have started a deceitful sly campaign against this mega marketplace and I in general. Do not think others do not see it as they have emailed me in private. I guess the rumors I here are true.
I will simply walk away from this stage, as what I was hoping does not happen has. I have collected the emails of those that are interested and will be updating you further. Keep the fight flowing with your hearts and minds and your energy bright with your spirit.
Namaste Dear friends.
Methias Chinoa
Methias,
DeleteI think Magnolia is just trying to share her vast experience. After all, she has already been through the trials of building and growing a large site, interacting with large groups of buyers and sellers, adding features and working out tech issues with growth. She KNOWS it's far from easy and brings up many valid points and asks pertinent questions. You should, we ALL should, listen to her advice and take it seriously. She has seen and been through a lot and has really been instrumental in growing our community.
I speak to those that come with an open heart and ready to accomplish something new. Go back and read through all the posts that have been logged with all pages within this blog. If you do not see a pattern forming, it is not up to me to shine the light on it within these walls.
DeleteVerna you have done an extraordinary job bringing everyone here together. I commend you and look forward to accomplishing much with you in the future sister.
Namaste.
Methias Chinoa. ThirdEye Communications~ Mrs. Gula
I don't really care to get into something negative here, I thought the point of this blog was to bring sellers together so we could all make a move together, to help everyone here and the smaller sellers who don't have the resources to open their own sites. Without the community as a whole (any size sellers) the breadth of being taken seriously as a community diminishes. It takes everyone to help one another to make it work.
DeleteMethias, you are turning negative quickly, and I'm not really sure why. I may be the one voicing these concerns, but I'm not the only one talking about them. These concerns are something being expressed by the sellers you are talking to in this blog. My personal reputation amongst the community, and my collective efforts with my husband during the early, forming years of what you are enjoying & participating within now, is well-documented, and well-known. All of our efforts have been, since the beginning of CH, focused on community support. We were supporting the community before there were eBay bans, and before there were any troubles, so if there is anything echoing in these walls it's the genuine concern for the security of the community... which I believe all of us here have.
You can't say that you can't listen to the past, the community, in this fragile state cannot take another vastly, stressful situation when everyone is already upset & worried.
I said in my early posts that seller efforts are tricky because it can turn negative, I posted a list of valid questions and I can understand times are tense, so I'm not taking it personally. But, don't be rash to judgements and accusations. Calm down, and everyone should be discussing this openly & helping calm any fears and worries.
Basically you answered my post with you calling me negative, rash to judgements and accusations, and telling me to calm down.
DeleteMagnolia, I am simply questioning YOUR intentions as you question mine. I also have reason to question as many are emailing me wondering about certain patterns of your posts.
You should really break off this topic and concentrate on the problem at hand as the rest of us are. You are truly losing the audience here.
Then I shall leave you to it! You seem to know what you're doing & you have it under control, I'm sure you'll do fine.
DeleteFROM JINNANDTONICS
ReplyDeleteMethias
Thank you for answering these questions. Can you provide a mission statement for the site in your words?
Thank you for realizing I answered these questions. It is one thing to question from a business point of view and another to extend words of negativity towards ones agenda. If this forum's purpose is to move forward in a united effort why are we constantly talking about witch wars? I don't care, and never will. Magick Markets scope is not Third Eye, Creepy Hollows, JinnnTonics and a Golden dawn. It is bigger, wiser and a step into mainstream. Through these eyes only can we see the vast marketplace that can unfold from a darkened state. Is this marketplace supposed to be 20 sellers working as one? That will never happen. One must take the lead. I offer my resources to build this, my expertise to lead this, and your ideas to create this. I do think the sites you speak on are big. I want us to think bigger, better, and stronger. If you do not plan on joining this site, please step away and allow the ones that seek this chance to come together. It is ok to be alone and concentrate on your personal agenda. That will help the community grow stronger in any event. I ask that the rest of these questions be in private emails shared by those that have expressed extraordinary support for this endeavor. It is important to carve a place in this world for those that cannot build and maintain their own private section. It is important to build and create a marketplace without the added extension of ones own community. I ask for a chance, if you want to take my hand, hold it and allow us to work together. If you do not want to take this chance with us, be blessed in your efforts. In any event we wil be open for you to join us at any time down the road. We are open to all.
ReplyDeleteMission Stament:
Build, fulfill, and establish a marketplace of practitioners offering services unwanted by other marketplaces. Implementing a vigorous advertising campaign that can pave a path for new clients to satisfy their desire of the paranormal. Through this desire practitioners can unite and offer services to those with physic abilities under an umbrella of support, and understanding of the metaphysical untouched in other markets.
MagickMarket.com
Methias Chinoa.
Methias, you're getting jumpy when there's no cause to be. I clearly stated I wasn't picking on you, and I shared that we've all been there with other sellers. I haven't, at any point in time, said anything against your Market. You are making negative assumptions, and you haven't even started yet. I was merely asking questions that have been echoed by multiple sellers in this blog via emails to one another.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot fault anyone for asking questions, it's uncertain times, and sellers are nervous about taking that next step.
I wish you & your efforts the best of luck, and I'm sure with your determination it will be a great success.
However, don't be so rash to judge, I was asking simple questions & expressing valid concerns considering the majority of us here went through the Witch Wars and don't want to do it again.
Again, I don't know why another post must be posted telling others that I am jumpy, rash, and negative. lol
DeleteWhy do you keep defusing the subject? Stick on the problem at hand. You asked me 6 questions about magickmarket.com and I answered them all, what are your thoughts?
I asked our buyers what they want to see: http://www.creepyhollows.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=37813
ReplyDeleteThey are just starting to respond, obviously the opening suggestion is that we all do something together where everyone pays in a set amount and we all vote on the issues.
Ash & I are more than willing to do something like that with you all, and I think the buyers need to be a part of it too since they are the ones who would be using the software and would be making purchases.
So, we've opened the thread to all sellers willing to participate to have a conversation with the buyers. And, if you guys have your own sites & you want to ask your buyers for suggestions and post them here we can cross-update the threads on our respective sites.
This is a GREAT opportunity for sellers who are willing to be community-minded to show the unification of all of us.
Verna, I know you've already emailed so many sellers, but could you do it again and ask that anyone who is willing to pay into a joint effort for a collective site to contact you, or come on here, or go on CH and respond?
I am open to everything and anything. You can count my money for whatever joint effort is created.
DeleteMagickmarket.com will continue though as I have 18 sellers aboard and are ready to create this marketplace.
Sounds like then you guys have it under control. I'm sure you'll all do perfectly well on Methias's website under his influence as he truly seems to be motivated & invested in this project. Happy trails & I'm sure you guys will all find success!
DeleteI want nothing more than to gain the trust of everyone. If something better comes along please I will be the first to offer my help spiritually, financially, and physically. I just can't see that many people coming together with a financial invested interest and agreeing and making things work. This I know you out of most people can understand.
DeleteI thank you for your positive and motivating words and hope that one day we can work together, maybe on a joint venture, or even within the walls of magick market.
I salute you and tip my glass to you.
Methias Chinoa.
I just made my first sale on Ebid.net, and it was enough to cover their lifetime fees. It was one of my clients from the only 125 or so I sent a "test run" email to, so I feel very encouraged. I really think that if we all went together to another venue (my vote being Ebid) and sent emails to all our clients, had huge sales/promos/incentives to get them there, they'd go. Our clients want to buy these type of products, so once they're not allowed to be sold on ebay, logic dictates these people WILL go elsewhere. If a large number of us are in one place, then that's likely where they'll head, too.
ReplyDeleteI support all of you who are trying to come up with alternate plans, creating sites specifically for metaphysical offerings and whatnot. However, we are RUNNING OUT OF TIME. For those of us who are small volume sellers, we MUST have an alternate in place and hopefully already getting traffic when ebay stops allowing our products.
Lastly, I started on ebay in 2006, and I joined Creepyhollows "Elite Collectors" site, which if I remember correctly was open to everyone. There was some buyer (I believe it was a buyer, though a seller may have also been involved) who decided that everyone affiliated with this group was a fraud and she made it her campaign to ruin everyone within this organization. She was ruthless, and damaged a lot of good people with her lies. I don't know what started it or how it escalated, but I want everyone who is considering opening a place for just metaphysical sellers to know it CAN happen to anyone. To not concern yourself with these potential problems is really going to damage what you're trying to do in the future, because it only takes one person getting angry to ruin what would otherwise be a wonderful, beneficial to all effort. Creepyhollows, I apologize if I didn't get this exactly right. I was on the fringe and didn't know exactly what was going on, only that is was bad and extremely damaging.
Just to be clear, I'm NOT saying I think it's a bad idea~I think it's a great idea! I just want to make it clear that whether or not you're concerned with it happening, it can and has happened in the past. Thanks!
DeleteThat's right we had the ESPC which was a site built exclusively for collectors, and we also allowed open advertising & selling for ALL sellers. However, a group of sellers who advertised on our site broken into an internal fight because of one seller getting into trouble over something, and the next thing you know, all hell broke loose. I've been through this before, twice now, and I'm sorry if you guys think I'm asking too many questions or sounding overly concerned, but I've been there, done that already.
DeleteI offer the CH Marketplace to you all because it's an already established site, it already has traffic, it already has the buyers on it that you all share with us & sell to yourselves. If you guys don't want it, fine, if you do, fine. Either way.
However, it sounds like Methias has taken charge & already has you all on his project, so I see no further need to discuss that aspect.
So, unless there is still a project on the horizon where we are all going to contribute money towards the purchase of software, domain name, developers, etc and it's not under one seller's control, then I'm open to discussion, as is Ash.
If anyone has a project where we can all invest and contribute I agree fully and will also offer myself to this project in any form.
DeleteI also must agree with Magnolia, if you do not have and will not have your own private stores when the end of this month rolls and are expecting at branching out all over the web like ebid, artfire, and bonanza, I think you should consider creepy hollows marketplace as well.
I believe the traffic within its marketplace will surprise you in comparison to some of these other sites.
I might add some listings as well as a show of solidarity and for recognition.
Peace & Prosperity my friends, can and will bring UNITY.
Methias Chinoa
The members of our site have been contributing thoughts, and this post sums up what I would get behind.
ReplyDelete----------------------------------------------
If you want to go the route of a new, fresh site that tends to all...
It simply shouldn't be seller-owned.
Those passionate about the evolution of the metaphysical, who would invest for all. I'm thinking collectors themselves could play a significant part, I'm thinking sizeable investment and otherwise fee and donation-run... A percentage of every sale would go to site maintenance - not profit of a site owner but rather pooled back into the venue.
Set up:
Neutral Party (Small group of or single meta-enthusiast)
Investors: Practitioners, Collectors, whomever.
Additional revenue: Donation option. Percentage of all profits.
Neutral Party handles all funds.. all investors are anonymous to each other unless making joint investments. That way if people want to be b*tchy about working together, they don't have to know who they're working with. Problem solved. You're welcome (lol).
Start small, after a while sustainability will be reached.
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We already have a Marketplace that has been up for 6 years, and I don't see the point in joining another seller-owned effort when I've already gone through all that in the past.
If you guys want to come up with a joint effort where we all put money in, we all choose the domain, we all choose the software, we all tend to the maintenance & security issues, and even include the buyers in the decisions when it's getting off the ground you guys have our support financially & in advertising to our own group.
Otherwise, if you guys are all going different routes, happy trails & you know how to find us if you guys end up needing us.
TBS is owned by Time Warner Cable, Zappos is owned by Amazon, YouTube is owned by Google, Samsung makes screens for LG, and Third Eye will be owned by MagicMarket. Sometimes my friends somebody has to take the lead. Who better than to take the lead then one that is fully invested in a product from starting point to marketplace. MagickMarket.com will not have any connection to Third Eye or Mrs. Gula, I guess you will just have to see it when its unveiled to see what I am talking about. Separate servers, separate corporation, separate everything. I will even pay for fees just like you in the future to expand. If you like we can hire an independent auditing firm to check our backbone so that you can see this will be stand alone. I have nothing to gain by being selective for my own gain as a brand as third eye byt the world to gain by being selective to all the other sellers on magickmarket.com I am thinking a little bigger and rather larger than what many in the community are used to. Using this eBay ban is our chance to take board a ship and finally reach rougher waters. In those waters anything can happen. Reach for the sky my friends. Our time is now.
ReplyDeleteI am open to anything to prove my independency on this market. Do you want me NOT to sell on it? Do you want NO Mrs. Gula or Third Eye listings allowed on site? Will THis make everyone happier? I firmly believe that by us adding our products it helps us all but if I have to do that, I will. Maybe for a short time in the beginning? I dont know what else to say..
DeleteI don't doubt it, you have the motivation to get on board. However, as far as CH is concerned you're creating exactly what we've already done, and that's great, but you're outlining what the CH Marketplace already is & does. We've already established a Marketplace, and the sellers here all expressed not wanting one seller to be in control of the future of the community, which is completely understandable.
ReplyDeleteDuring the first Witch War eBay yanked MANY sellers listings and we put up the Marketplace, which housed around 30 sellers until eBay came to their senses, then most of them went back to eBay, we didn't until a year and a half later when we hired more staff here. Since then the Marketplace has been temporary & permanent homes to multiple sellers.
I commend you for your motivation, but what you're doing already exists. I was told the point of this congregating of sellers was to find a neutral venue where no seller owned the venue. That it would be a neutral platform where no, single seller owned it. Whether it's on its own server, or not.
I figured each seller would create their own sites & do their own things, that's awesome, you should all build your own stores & invest in your own futures. That makes logical sense.
I misunderstood that this group was about all of us pooling our money & resources together to create something through a neutral party. Like, we all contribute $100 and someone pays an internet developer to create a site, and then we all pay a certain percentage of what we sell on the site into a mutual fund that would pay the developer, maintenance, security updates, etc.
Methias, you should definitely pursue your own desires & goals for yourself & your site. However, that is an independent effort from what I thought we were doing here.
I don't know. You all figure out what you'd like to do, I'm sure you guys will figure it out & be great no matter what ;)
I've checked out Creepy Hollows marketplace. You may have been around for a while but in the psychic readings section, there are not many sellers and hardly any sales for them. You are clearly not getting enough traffic to the marketplace. Sellers need venues like ebay, where traffic for people looking for readings and spells etc is consistently high. You'd need to push the advertizing /marketing of the marketplace itself to gain ore customer interest. It doesn't inspire me to join at the moment, given you've been around years and sales for these things are so low .
DeletePS) I can understand why traffic and sales of these things would be slow/low the first year or 2 but your marketplace has been around longer than that and simply does not shift high volumes of these services unfortunately. That could change with more marketing though ?
DeleteMy thoughts--
ReplyDeleteI purpose those who are interested pool/share their mailing lists for one big announcement about the situation happening at eBay and how to protest it PLUS this combined list be used to send out announcements about the alternate venues chosen by we sellers. Whatever venues.
Right now as far as venues, we have long term and short term goals. Many need a place NOW but look eagerly to a future place that is shared by ALL Metaphysical sellers. Don't lose site of one by concentrating just on the other.
However-many need to think short term first right now. I don't think people are really scattering-I think they are working on short term fixes to move towards long term goals. We need to think of ourselves AND the community because we are intertwined.
We need to check our egos and listen to voices of experience too. They have much to give us.
I know many of us have issues with one another in some way but we need to try hard to get over and past that. I know when I was sending out messages to sellers about the situation (still am in fact), I grimaced but sent messages to EVERYONE going down the list. I did not make a distinction between those few I had issues with and those I did not.
FROM JINNANDTONICS--
DeleteWe are happy to help and use the mailing list plan.
I have about 3,000 possibly -- maybe more. Still waiting on final list from the harvesting and editing out of the temp ebay email addresses.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the eBay sellers need temporary housing that may or may not become partially long-term venues for sales.
ReplyDeleteAnd, the long-term plan of having a paranormal version of eBay co-owned by all participants (like the employee-owned businesses you see) to be the ultimate goal.
Let me know if you need help, in terms of getting everybody together, and continue to have an open coversation on here so everyone knows the plan, rather than having private conversations where everyone is independently advised.
I inquired at Witchmarket.com, and they'll be happy to have us, though I am not sure what sort of customer base they have. They have been around for years. So, that is one more option. They also volunteered that Enchantedauction could be used, and that Auction-genies.com is 'pagan friendly'.
ReplyDeleteThose are great resources! I think, in the early stages, posting anywhere you can in order to gain some exposure!
ReplyDeleteThat way, you can see which sites are working for you, and which aren't, in terms of sales.
I don't know how many of you have ever sold on other sites, but it is really different, and once you get all moved, even to a temp place for now. Social media is free, and a great way to get customers. In order to help our buyers find us, I have created a blog. If you don't have one It is a great idea, because if you use blogger its free, and gets top billing in google search, blogger is owned by google. You can add links to it in a blog roll, and I would be more than happy to include any of you on this list. Creating links for one blog to another will help us all. I would ask you to put my link on your blog. If you want to be added send me a message with you link to lm1937paul@hotmail.com My blog is http://lilithslairsstudio.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteyou can also create twitter, pincrest, and facebook. I know many of you have these, if anyone needs a invitation to pintrest let me know and I will send you one..
I do want to point out to everyone that, although the scattering of efforts might seem to be a bit frustrating, in reality every site being built is going to be more search engine exposure for the metaphysical community, and folks should list everywhere they can right now. When the dust settles, the best-built and best advertised auction/store site will be the one people use most, and we'll have our mega-marketplace. The one the customers like will be the one to use.
ReplyDelete