THE REAL SCOOP ON AUCTION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

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It means that if you have Marketworks, it can sync up to it to help do a better job of accounting. The two have a relationship together. Basically, Marketworks needed some better accounting stuff and E Seller Pro helped them out with some customers who wanted it. But, E Seller Pro can stand alone without Marketworks. You can run both together, but E Seller Pro can do it all. I would rather just choose one or the other

Thanks. I am currently with MW but you make eSeller sound pretty enticing. I would love to hear from all of you in a month to see if you still like its service.

Thanks again for the input.

Jaade

Marketworks is still great in my opinion. I haven't used their system extensively, but compared to a lot of other services they run a solid system. Other people have their opinions about software systems, but I only trust what I've seen personally. And I can't see how some companies don't take advantage of advanced features. I suppose if you're comfortable with 500 or 1000 feedbacks you can use some other programs. But, I'd rather make a ton of money using software that lets you grow your business and control all sorts of important features. I'd rather spend time thinking about cool new marketing ideas, rather than cleaning up a software mistake or bug. We'll see what happens. Keep in touch.

I have also now had a demo on eseller pro and yep, it looks excellent. Is anyone prepared to share with me what implementation costs and monthly fees they have been quoted?

bewdynewk wrote:

Great info people - thanks!

So what about AuctionTamer? - can it be mentioned in the same breath as those above?

It looks almost ideal to me but I'm new at this - so I'd like to have your brutal assessment.

I have used AuctionTamer for years.... It is a VERY powerful tool for eBay buyers & sellers. There ARE probably better seller tools but most are Internet based and cost a fair amount.. AT is mostly PC based with some tools like the sniper working off your PC (you can get 3 free snipes a week) and is fee based. Try the trial version of AT. The info is pretty well presented with a browser above and an Excel-like grid below with all the items you are tracking.
As a buyer I track a bunch of the same item and can see pretty quickly what is selling for what or what sellers and buyers are doing....
The seller tools are pretty decent as it will track sales, send several different types of emails and all that. It has a built in auction builder that I never cared for.
My only REAL complaint is that AT used to be SOLD outright (as in you pay for it one time only ) and now it is based on monthly/yearly FEES. BEWARE! This means you will be paying FOREVER more!!!
The author claims that this is because of all the frequent updates and such and how it is really a different program from that program sold sooooo long ago. He can no longer support THAT old program...
He did allow legacy users to use a lesser featured version but I am unsure when THAT will die out...
Sorry to whine but I rather BUY than RENT a program! ...Particularly after you thought you DID buy it...
How would you like to pay each month for Windows or Word or all the other programs you use ??? I hate this trend! (Auction Builder now belongs to Ebay and is paid by the month this way) Numerous other programs here are also paid for this way.
Sooooo for the casual Ebay user this may mean AT (or other such fee based programs) might not be justifiable.
Just my .02 cents.
Ras

Has anyone used Andale ,they offer quite a few products.

I have seen a few high sellers using Andale, and I'm not impressed with all the options they offer. I always check to see what programs high sellers use and how that reflects on their feedback. Feedback=productivity and great customer service. Most sellers using Andale do not have the feedback and do not have the sales I would see with sellers using Marketworks and Channel. I imagine when E Seller Pro takes off they will hit it big too.

If anyone else wants to wear a Zoovy S*cks tshirt to eBay live next yr. I'll be happy to take orders for them.

I went to eBay live in 2005 speficially to find auction management software.

We started with Kyozou. It was terrible. I can't even begin to say how poor it is and all the bugs not to mention that in 2 months I knew more about how the program was supposed to work than the technicians.

Moved to Zoovy in 2005. They do updates constantly without telling anyone they're doing it. They have more bugs than anything I've ever seen and considering I've been doing software support since the late 80's that's saying something.

Integration with eBay is a nightmare. I have created so many support tickets because of customers not being able to checkout it's not funny. I have lost thousands and thousands of dollars. They ignore tickets constantly. I have support tickets that have been opened for months that they will not reply to. If it weren't for a few features no one else seems to have then I'd be gone. I should have attended eBay live this yr. to find a replacement but I guess that'll be 2007.

I'll certainly take some of the other suggestions into account when looking. I spend hours each day answering emails from customers that can't checkout. If an eBay buyer can't checkout they think the transaction didn't go through so they buy another one and another one so I end up with 4 items being sold with 4 times the fees and they end up paying for none of them and buy from someone else.

Oh... checkout through Zoovy on eBay is 7 screens. Yes... 7. It's a total nightmare.

If anyone is even considering using Zoovy, please contact me prior. I'll be happy to explain in detail all their shortcomings.

I guess like this started off. I need to pick whoever isn't the worst.

Nice post! Zoovy is horrible for eBay. How can you possibly track your auctions and properly manage you biz? Kyozou has a great interface, but from my experience and what I've heard, you have the same issues. I encourage you to get in touch with me so I can help you out. I have a lot of input for you.

You need a reliable system that works specifically for you business. After using a good amount of these programs for you, I would be more than happy to give my input.

Skulls615@aol.com

First let me say .... WOW ....these have been some very helpful posts!
I have been selling on eBay for several years and hope to be a higher volume seller in 2007. My problem is trying to find a service that I can afford right now to help me grow to be like you guys (yes, I want to be like you guys when I grow up ). I have 2 ebay stores, one for our romance novel sales and 1 for everything else we come up with. I too, have tried just about every service I could find, in the past and for one reason or another, disliked all of them. I'm currently using Selling Manager Pro, BUT, I miss being able to schedule auctions to list without paying eBay even MORE money in fees. I was with Channel Advisor since they were Rover (and free!), but they went nuts and started charging for every little thing AND you can only have one eBay account with them (or, of course, pay for another complete account). I also have a web store which I and another eBayer created with osCommerce for our book business, but have yet to even use it because of family health reasons. The services that I find that can offer you help across the board ( eBay, Amazon, webstore...) are too expensive for me right now with their $500+ a month rates.
I've even been considering using two different services for my two different eBay accounts, but still not sure which 2 I'd use.
I just read on here about Hungry Gopher....any other comments about that one? It looks very interesting and I'm considering the 30 day free trial. I have my own auction template, and I'm wondering how that will work and if editing your auction ads while viewing it in HTML mode is a option or will I have to teach anyone helping me how to sort thru the code to change info per item.
Give us some more info on your opinions of some of the services you guys have mentioned that you would like to try.....especially HG !
and Thanks for the info you have already given!

Hello I am new to these forums. I have just decided to search because I was already using Marketworks for the past month, and the learning of it is JUST too much for me. I am doing this by myself.. I am currently selling various different products. I actually paid somebody on eBay to learn how he is selling stuff and paid him 3000 dollars.. I pretty much paid 3000 for an account on where to get the stuff and some half-ass stuff he did to my marketworks account then list my auctions, run up my ebay bil to 1500.00 on my first month of selling..

so what im saying is, i know i can learn but i am horrible at learning with emails and instant messaging, i need hands on training.. does any of you live in the greater los angeles area? and can teach me the ropes on how to run this, I am willing to pay, (payment plan) if you can teach me .. i just lost my job and I am very confused on how to run a proper business on ebay, dont get me wrong, i can sell, but i am now just learning about marketworks and reading these forums not realizing that there are more auction software like that. im typing too much but the questions is mainly

is there anybody here willing to teach me? ive been on ebay since 99.. i have learnt alot, i want to learn from another pro thats willing to meet up.. but its gonna be 07 soon and i need to start my year off right. ANY inputs or comments pleas let me know..

Email me: VisionMaxinc@aol.com

ESPICIALLY seller1 im actualy praying that you live in california..

I'm in Orange County, but I'm obviously not a pro. I've tried atleast once most of what's been talked about here and ended up going with Selling Manager Pro from eBay, but I'm giving Hungry Gopher a test run. I don't think its going to do much more for me than what SMPro already does except schedule auctions in advance. What I would really (want for Christmas ) is for a service that lets me list to other places all at once (eBay, Amazon.....) for the same PRICE as HG ,but we all know that that just doesn't seem to be happening.
BTW, I had free phone one on one setup assistance with Marketworks and STILL didn't like it! Especially when they made me leave MYSELF feedback for my first feedback on a new second account and then tell me it was MY fault!
Have you given Selling Manager Pro a try at all? I have no idea what your needs are or what you are going to expect to need....but if you have any question about it that I might be able to answer, feel free to email me!
The_LilleyPad@msn.com

i didnt even set it up.. the guy that i bought the info did it for me, so basically he didnt train me on anything.. he just threw me in the woods and expected me to know waht to do, i am trying to learn Marketworks and have learnt some, but how do you use excel to make an inventory? i have no idea? if i wanted to add more stuff how do i do that? thats the confusing part.. and i have right now 11k of inventory in my eBay store, thats all im doing cuz im so scared of the ebay fees.. i made money, in fact pretty good money, how am i suppose to learn anything if this guy is never around.. its a really long story lol but yeah what are you selling?? i like what i do, and i want to learn, but i do not have proper guidance right now and its hurting me pretty bad..

[Last edited: 25 Dec 2006]

Gosh, I have so much input on what you guys are trying to do. There certainly are a ton of ways to cut down your fees and make you guys more efficient. I think I can be a ton of help. Send me an email at skulls615@aol.com. I am pretty efficient with Marketworks and know what you guys are talking about. There are certain tricks you can learn from 2 years of working with that program, or you can just learn from people who have been working with the program already! That's the big secret! Other people can show you all those little things and save you a ton of time and money. I have a ton of stories from people who took $500 and turned it into a million dollar a year eBay biz. Guess who is one of those?

Oh I do live in California! : )

Where is there better weather?