How many of you double list on multiple venues?

[Rita Holcomb cemetarian]

I know a lot of people list things on muti venues, but I've avoided that simply because of the upkeep. BUT........with sales soooooooooo slow and nothing moving here on Bonanzle, I'm going to try multi listing...........by that, I mean listing the very same item on multi venues.

Does anyone here have success with that? And do you price differently for different venues?

Help a poor starving seller out............LOL, share your insight.

[Mary Garrett]

Yes, I do list the same items on another site, ioffer. I have been selling there for 5 years, so I see nothing to be gained by leaving yet. If sales pick up here to do as well as they are on the other site, then I may close the other one. When I seel as item on 1 site, I end it on the other. I don't believe it is likely to sell on both sites, at the same time.
I keep the prices the same on both sites.
But if I list something on ebay, it is not listed on the other sites, since I usually list there as a BIN.

[Reallysmartdeals]

I do. I sell on 10 different sites. I always have. It is best not to put your eggs in one basket. The more you get your items out there the more you will sell.

I have been doing this for years.

Debbie
http://reallysmartdeals.com
http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/reallysmartdeals

[UknowUneed Another]

This is an interesting topic. I haven't been brave enough to give it a shot. I'm currently on Etsy and with Bonanzle since mid March.

To anyone who has had an identical item double sell, how did you handle that? Is there any real ramifications that could happen via the venues themselves?

[Maxine Booth]

Wow, and I thought I was spreading myself thin! That's a whole lot of work. Fortunately, my livlihood doesn't depend on my sales, but I think I'm in the minority.

Reallysmartdeals said:

I do. I sell on 10 different sites. I always have. It is best not to put your eggs in one basket. The more you get your items out there the more you will sell.

I have been doing this for years.

Debbie
http://reallysmartdeals.com
http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/reallysmartdeals

[angiesjewelry]

I have to list on more then one to ... have quite a few but I'm now able to concentrate mostly on Bonanzle and AlsoShop

I barely have time for the second now though, but have many good customers there so I continue to bring them the merchandise.

Guess we all need our sales, but will be happy the day I only have one to manage

I wasn't getting sales much on Etsy and to many non paying buyers on ioffer

Ebay .... I have left a long time ago and was on many other sites since then. I sell a little on Amazon and need yet to try listing those on Bonanzle.

[Country Joe]

Hi, I sell mainly on my own website http://countryjoescollectiblestuff.com but do have a some items on Bonanzle http://eclectic-collectibles.net I also put a few on Blujay http://moreneatstuff.com/

Try not to duplicate too many items though, easier to keep track of inventory that way.

See ya, Country Joe

[Magistone (Cherie)]

I list on two sites, but I limit the items to being different on each. Google if they notice the same items and not as multiples they have pulled some of my friends until it gets straightened out. Google doesn't like multi-sites with the same seller and items.

[Jenny (aka Alas y Cia)]

Interesting point about Google, Cherie - so it is worth perhaps changing some of the text around if using several venues.

It looks as if the days of relying on one venue have gone. The Web has grown and changed and we are in the middle of a nasty worldwide recession as well.

In spite of the cheer leading for Bonanzle (which I think is great, by the way), most sellers have to realise that there is absolutely nothing wrong selling on multiple sites. It is the way to go. There are many who have left eBay because of their high fees and rules, but there are people who have simply opened a second or third shop with Bonanzle and another site and who have kept their bay shop.

Dont forget, for those of us to sell primarily to non sellers, it is a question of buyers learning about all these newer sites and learning that they too have a choice of sites to look at. It is not necessary to knock another site, for Bonanzle to become a great place to buy and sell. There is plenty of room for all these days and the secret is to increase buyer awareness of their choices.

I duplicate items on all of the places I sell. One has to watch out and remember to remove sold items from all, but as things are slower than usual, it is a small price to pay for being able to reach a wider public.

[Donna Baker]

We sell on Ebay, Bonanzle, and just opened a store at Auctiva Commerce too. Most listings are duplicated on Ebay and Bonanzle, and will be eventually on Auctiva. Right now that's not a problem because sales are dead, dead, dead. Ebay used to be fairly steady but now just an occasional sale.

At Bonanzle we have only made a couple sales since we started in November. I was hoping for a better response there and it's very frustrating. I do think that will be a good venue some day but not yet and if we were paying listing fees to keep our stuff listed, I would have to reconsider. We are paying the monthly fee for premier membership but so far not seeing any benefit and might have to reconsider that until sales pick up. I don't know - its a catch-22. Dropping the membership might kill our exposure completely so for now we continue to pay. I get confused with all the self-marketing we have to do there too. Never sure I'm doing enough, or doing it right, and I don't really have enough time to devote to learning all the ins and outs.

My husband likes the Auctiva Commerce site but I don't like it at all. I have no idea how buyers can possibly find us as I can't find us myself half the time, so I'm not sure how long we'll be staying there.

Would love to have our own website but again that would involve all the self-promotion that I already don't have time for. The one advantage to Ebay is not having to do all that so that alone is worth the fees if we're getting the sales. I just wish they would stop shooting themselves in the foot and get back to being a decent venue. Wishful thinking!

Right now we are listing mainly books, but have tons of other collectible and antiques that I'm reluctant to take the time to list if they're not going to sell. I have been looking into Ruby Lane or TIAS for that stuff. It's more expensive but I think the exposure would be better. Does anybody have any experience with those sites?

Sorry this is so long. I hope you're still awake if you read this far.

[Karen]

I started on ebay and am still there. I list on Bonanzle and Etsy also. I have most of my items on both ebay and Bonanzle with a few items on bonanzle that I know won't sell on ebay. I only list items that I can make duplicates on Etsy. Etsy mainly has my cancer awareness jewelry there and some medical bracelets.

As for sales, ebay is the only sure source for me. My sales have dropped there but I still get sales weekly so I have to stay there. I have only had a few sales on Bonanzle, 1 or 3 a month. I have only had one on Etsy since I opened it in March.

I believe with the economy the way it is that the more people you can reach the more sales you are likely to get. Since I do make my own jewelry most of my items can be duplicated so I do not worry too much about the selling an item twice. But this happened to my on ebay. An item was relisted because I had originally set it up with multiple quantity and it relisted when I sold the last one. But the customer was very understanding and ended up buying more. So it worked out fine.

As for pricing, I keep everything the same. But if I have a customer wanting to purchase a lot of items or asking for a discount for a large order I send them to Bonanzle. Since the fees are less I can offer them a discount and still make the same profit as ebay but my customers think they are getting a better deal. I have also sent discount coupons with ebay orders for Bonanzle to drive more customers there.

Hope this helps.
Karen

[Vince Jelenic]

Hi.
I run Green Spot Antiques, Cambridge, Ontario.
We started B&M, added eBay about 6 years back.
We now sell on the following.
B&M store and online : greenspot.ning.com
ebay: http://stores.shop.ebay.ca/Dial-It-Back-Collectables
bonanzle: http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/wandcan

We haven't had a problem with double-selling, all unique items + this economy = pretty relaxed selling.pace.
Items from our B&M store are also fed into bonanzle.
eBay items are imported into bonanzle.
thus, bonanzle has the largest number of online items in our operation at this time..

Our process is simple:
from ebay, items imported into bonanzle. both have google feeds.
from B&M store, items imported into baonanzle, both have google feeds.
(I hope the gods at Google, keep them all up for awhile)

In truth, we do not use Bonanzle's listing services at all.... a shame, as it is among the easiest to use.
We self-host images and keep all info on internal databases, so all our listings are easily transportable.

Unfortunately, eBay and our B&M site are the most active, only one sale on Bonanzle thus far.
That is the reason we IMPORT the items into bonanzle for now... and need multi-venues.

Luckily by keeping all info local to start, we can easily track sales, and remove from other venues as soon as it happens.
Our office is constantly connected to the interet, and a few minutes to clear an item from a site is all that is required.

Wish I HAD a problem with duplicate sales -- it would at least liven up slow days. :-) TWO people who wanted the same itam at the same time and paid for it? Heck, i'd set out the liquor store to purchase champagne! (and then probably end up refunding both by mistake after a few too many glasses).

[Evelyn Rowell]

i DO. Because business is so slow on every site, it doesn't take a lot of upkeep. It doesn't take a lot of time to check them each day. I do limit what I put on ebay because of the fees. I also sell on etsy and I take the kovel's komments e-letter and I noticed they are getting into the auction business and you get it free for 1 year, I think I am going to list some there just to see what it will do.
Bonanzle is where I have the most listed and I love bonanzle and the boyz are doing a good job but we need to find a way to get buyers in. evelyn aka magnoliaglitz