| Many eBay sellers prefer to manage their auctions offline, on their own time ”without being tied to a single service. If you're more of a do-it-yourself kind of seller, you might want to check out some of the software programs designed to help you manage the eBay auction process. Here's a short list of programs for your consideration: -
All My Auctions (www.rajeware.com/auction/), $39.95. This is a basic auction management software program; it includes template-based listing creation, live auction management (including the ability to track competitors ' auctions), end-of-auction email notification, and report generation. -
Auction Information Database (www.epigroove.com), $29.95. A.I.D. helps you monitor your eBay auctions, in database format. You can download all your auction data, send auto-generated end-of-auction emails, and print packing slips and shipping labels. -
Auction Lizard (www.auction-lizard.com), $29. Auction Lizard is an easy-to-use listing-creation program that uses forms and templates to generate HTML-based listings. -
Auction Wizard 2000 (www.auctionwizard2000.com), $75/year. This full-featured software offers many of the same tools you find at the large auction management sites, including inventory management, bulk listing creation, end-of-auction emails, bulk feedback posting, and the like. -
AuctionSage (www.auctionsagesoftware.com), $24.95/3 months, $64.95/year. Software for posting and managing eBay auction transactions, including sending buyer emails and leaving bulk feedback. -
AuctionTamer (www.auctiontamer.com), $39.75/3 months, $99.95/year. AuctionTamer is an all-in-one auction management software program for both sellers and bidders. For sellers, it lets you create auction listings, schedule delayed auction listings, manage your live auctions, send post-auction emails, and print shipping labels. -
eBay Seller's Assistant Basic (pages.ebay.com/sellers_assistant/), $9.99/month. This is eBay's older software-based listing/management tool, still available even though it's technically been replaced by Turbo Lister and the Web-based Selling Manager. It offers HTML-based listing creation (using forms and templates), auction tracking, and basic post-auction management (including automatic email notification and feedback generation). -
eBay Seller's Assistant Pro (pages.ebay.com/sellers_assistant/), $15.99/month. A more fully featured program than Seller's Assistant Basic, including bulk listing creation and post-auction assistance. -
eLister (www.blackmagik.com/elister.html), $9.95/30 days, $29.95/6 months. eLister is an easy-to-use listing creation program, complete with HTML formatting and predesigned templates. -
MyAuctionMate (www.myauctionmate.com), $43. This is an auction management software program that offers listing creation, batch uploading, auction tracking and management, end-of-auction email notifications, automatic feedback posting, report generation, and more. (The company also offers its listing-creation module, MyAuctionDesigner, separately, for just $9.95.) -
Shooting Star (www.foodogsoftware.com), $49.95. Shooting Star is a program designed to manage the end-of-auction process. It uses what it calls a "workflow system" to move you through various post-auction operations, including email notification. -
Virtual Auction Ad Pro (www.firstdesign.com/vadpro/), $14.99. This is a software program that lets you create great-looking HTML-based ad listings; it also offers templates for listing titles and descriptions, for those without strong copywriting skills. The Absolute Minimum When you become a high-volume seller, you'll need help managing all those transactions. That help is available in the form of third-party auction tools. When choosing which service to use, keep these points in mind: -
Some auction management sites charge a flat fee; others charge by the transaction or a percentage of the selling price. -
These sites offer a variety of services, including research, inventory management, image hosting, gallery, bulk listing creation, end-of-auction email and checkout, bulk feedback posting, and Web-based storefronts. -
While you can pick and choose different services from different sites, you're better off choosing a single site and using all its integrated tools. -
Some sites bundle multiple services together into a single package; others sell their services on an a la carte basis. -
Don't get carried away by all the different services available ”every tool you use adds to your auction costs. |
|
