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December 31, 2004
What To Sell On eBay: “Want It Now”
eBay has introduced an interesting new service called Want It Now.
There are two sections of this service. First, buyers tell sellers what they want to buy. There is a list of all categories and buyers simply post what they are looking for.
Then, sellers can respond to the requests of buyers and direct them to auctions of their own that offer the sought-after products.
How active is this board? This morning, there were 9360 listings in Books, 5100 in Sporting Goods and 15425 in Clothing, Shoes & Accessories. It is logical to assume that the numbers will grow as more people learn about this service.
As for how useful it is ... I would guess that it will be more useful for research than actual sales. After all, out of 9360 book requests, how likely is it that I would have a particular volume? And how much time will it take me to go through all those listings to sell a book and make a few dollars in profit? Is that really a wise use of my time? I doubt it.
However, there might be trends to be spotted. For instance, let's assume there are large numbers of requests for Sci Fi books. That might encourage more sellers to specialize in this category.
My guess: probably not especially useful. But I could be wrong, and let's give eBay credit for trying.
http://pages.ebay.com/wantitnow/about.html
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:24 AM | TrackBack
December 30, 2004
Kids Marketing On The Internet
What a great idea ... teaching our kids how to market on the Internet at a very early age. I don't know about you, but I've really struggled with this net marketing stuff and have often wished that I had learned it at a very early age.
In another blog entry, I mentioned the story of Sarah and Josh Taylor, whose daddy is teaching them how to make money on eBay at ages 11 and 8:
http://auction-genius-course.com
Marketer Alice Seba has a picture of her three year old son Malcolm, who she calls the “next-mozart-of-internet-marketing”:
http://www.aliceseba.com/2004/12/next-mozart-of-internet-marketing.html
I know Ken Evoy's daughter, Yuki, makes money with her website, as well. And let's not forget to mention that my partner is my son, Jeremy, and my daughter Jessica works part time for our company.
Let's hope that other parents follow in these footsteps. Whether the kids ultimately choose the Internet as their career really isn't the issue. The important part is that these kids have a skill and understanding they can use at any time they wish. What a priceless gift!
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 10:55 AM | TrackBack
December 27, 2004
Free Business Software Comes Highly Recommended
Ian Richards has a nice list of 46 free business software downloads that he recommends highly. His list includes free security software, file managers, text editors, cleaners, popup blockers and much more:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm
I certainly haven't used all of his recommended business software choices, but recognize many of them. I do have to disagree with his browser alternative, though. I prefer Opera to any browser on the net, even though Foxfire certainly ranks above Internet Explorer, IMHO.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 1:28 PM | TrackBack
December 26, 2004
Ebay Listing Offers Judge For Sale
A recent eBay listing, offering a NY housing court judge for sale on eBay, angered Judge Jerald R. Klein of Manhattan. He was listed for sale — with worldwide shipping included — by a disgruntled litigant.
The ad criticized Klein for the way he dispensed justice and showed a photograph of him smiling, seated in the courtroom. It drew 6,400 views and 21 bidders over four days.
"I'd like to know their rules for this," said Klein, who first learned about the posting from a reporter who called him at home.
"I'd like to know what investigation they did before they put this out there," he said in 12/20/04 editions of The New York Times.
An eBay spokesman said the company never investigates listings before they are put up for auction on its Web site. There are more than 30 million listings on eBay and 3.6 million are added daily, making it impossible for the company to screen advertisements, the spokesman said.
However, after eBay was made aware of the listing, it took the posting down, citing a number of rules that it said the ad violated, including misleading description, unauthorized use of a photo and unauthorized use of a name.
The ad, entitled "Judge for Sale," was posted last Wednesday by Janet Schoenberg, a disgruntled litigant in a landlord-tenant dispute in New York City Civil Court who said Klein was mishandling the case and that she had exhausted other ways of drawing attention to her case.
"In today's world, this is how people who are not celebrities can get their voice heard," said Schoenberg. She maintained, however, that she meant the ad as a joke. "I didn't expect anybody to actually bid on this," she said. "It was satire, it was parody."
She said that the judge himself was never for sale. In fine print, after accusing the judge of lying and breaking the law, she explained that her posting is a "work of art" and what was actually for sale was an audiocassette of the judge's proceedings, which are public record. She said the tape provided proof that she was being wrongly evicted from her rent-controlled studio.
After four days on eBay, the best offer for the judge was $127.50.
Klein declined to comment on the potential libel issues, saying that he would discuss his next action with court administrators.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:34 AM | TrackBack
December 16, 2004
Business Success & Why So Few Achieve It
Business success – specifically success in your very own business – is highly desired. Multi millions of people optimistically 'start their own business' - yet very few achieve anywhere near the level of success they want. Estimates are that about 3-5% really shine, while everyone else either just gets by or quits, often with bitterness and disappointment in their hearts.
Why is this so? And more importantly, how can we change these dismal numbers – or at least make sure we are among the favored few who really shine?
One thing is certain: it's easier to make money at a job than it is being your own boss. If you have a job that you hate, and yearn for independence, you might want to argue with this. But the proof is self evident – of all the people that you know, how many support themselves at a job, and how many are successful in their own business? It's also true that most folks I know don't find much joy in their jobs.
Author Lawrence Boldt sheds light on this dilemma when he says:
“Discipline is simply a matter of doing what we must, without wasting time or energy worrying about whether or not we feel like it. When we develop the habit of plunging in without whining, complaining or procrastinating, we are on our way to genuine freedom.”
“We may not want to face it in such stark terms, but the choice is self-discipline or dependency, boss yourself or be bossed. We require a boss because we lack the discipline to boss ourselves. We resent the boss because he or she reminds us of our dependency.”
“Freedom is not the ability to do what we feel like doing but the ability to choose what to do and follow through.”
I have been much impressed with his comment, “without wasting time or energy worrying about whether or not we feel like it”. I've been experimenting with this for a while now and find it works wonderfully well. I rarely waste my energy any more thinking about how much I 'hate/don't want to/detest' doing whatever needs doing. I'm learning to take my thoughts away from “I don't wanna ...” and put them on “What is the best way to accomplish this?” It's a very empowering attitude and one I can highly recommend.
We can all see that there is an epidemic of whining in our culture, of lack of responsibility and blaming others. For instance, in a shocking story here in my home town of Atlanta, a 12 year old girl took a “poisoned” cake to school and offered it to her classmates. As a result 13 kids ended up in the hospital, although fortunately none died. The schools permanently suspended the girl – and her father is suing the school system for this suspension! He said it is the fault of the school for not “providing the proper environment”. What an incredible lack of self responsibility. What about the child's environment at home?
If we have attitudes like this, the chances of our success are almost non-existent.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 1:17 PM | TrackBack
December 13, 2004
Skilled Website Marketing By Online Casino
Famous eBay auctions are being skillyfully used in website marketing campaigns these days. In an earlier entry on this blog, I mentioned the sandwich that supposedly looks like the Virgin Mary. It was bought by the Golden Palace online casino who is taking full advantage of the publicity generated by the famous food item:
Isn't it thrilling to know that we can now get our very own Virgin Mary t-shirt, mug, mouse pad, apron, tote bag and more?
To follow up on this famous artifact, the site has bought the “haunted cane” - for the hefty price of $65,000!
The seller claims that the ghost of her dead father manifests the cane and has scared her five-year-old son repeatedly. The seller’s father died recently after battling lung cancer for over a year. He died peacefully in his sleep but the child claims to have been visited repeatedly by his apparition. In life, the deceased used the walking cane to tap the child when he was misbehaving.
If you're thinking all this is pretty silly stuff, you're right, IMHO. But, it shows really shrewd publicity instincts on the part of the casino owners, who clearly know how to exploit publicity for their cause. Heck, they're even start a “cheese tour”. After all, just anyone couldn't be trusted to transport the world's most valuable sandwich. Miami Herald columnist Jim DeFede's is driving from Miami to Las Vegas and is reporting on his “odyssey across the United States”.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/10268699.htm
As business owners, we might want to take notes on this kind of publicity.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 9:41 PM | TrackBack
December 11, 2004
Todd Taylor Knows How To Sell On eBay!
On December 3, 2004, I walked into a hotel in Orlando, Florida and was immediately approached by a tall, husky man with an outstretched hand. He said, "My name is Todd Taylor and I flew here from Pennsylvania just to meet you. Can I take you to dinner?"
Todd explained that he had used my eBay information to open a clothing business on eBay that was generating a SIX FIGURE PER MONTH income. Even more astonishing is that he began in May of 2004!
Todd also told me about a conversation with his daughter Sarah on her 11th birthday. It seems that Sarah had received some money as a present. He said, "Sarah, you can take all this money and spend it. Or you can take a part of it - $60 - an invest it in your own auction. I will sell you $60 worth of clothing at my cost and help you put it on eBay. You will double your money, minus eBay and PayPal fees".
Sarah wanted to think this proposition over and after two days told her dad that she wanted to invest her money.
Her auction was so successful that she now has a thriving business of her own. Sarah and Todd have done the numbers and are sure that by the summer of 2005, she will easily make $2,000 each month in her part time business. By the time she graduates from high school, she will have $180,000 in the bank!
Eight year old Josh is so impressed with what his sister is doing that he wants his own business, too.
What an incredible legacy Todd Taylor is giving his children! And in the meantime, Todd is negotiating a short term lease on a warehouse until he can buy the land to build his own warehouse and office complex. Investors are eagerly seeking to put money into Todd's eBay business.
Todd gives me the full credit for his success, but is this really true? Of course not. There are two components to success: correct information/knowledge and the willingness to take action. Each is impotent without the other. Many folks acquire the knowledge they need - but then never DO anything with what they've learned. Todd has a determination to make things happen and no one can "give" that to another person. Todd modestly assures everyone that he is just an "average" guy with no special qualifications. I doubt if his children would agree - I know I wouldn't!
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 3:05 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 9, 2004
Luxury Publicity Brilliance: The $10,000 Martini
Publicity brilliance occurred earlier this year when New York's luxury Algonquin Hotel offered a $10 000 martini cocktail.
The vodka, vermouth and olives are much the same as in any martini, but the twist lies in the "ice" - in this case a diamond from the hotel's in-house jeweler. The cocktail, with the diamond in the bottom of the glass, must be ordered three days in advance and the final price can vary according to the size and quality of the diamond.
This week a student of mine stumbled upon a discussion of this publicity brilliance in a Yahoo discussion board of so-called “Internet marketers” ...
Would you be amazed to learn that most of the 47 comments were negative? People were bashing the idea and the people who could afford such a thing. That just blows me away... the dream of most average people, I thought, was to become independently wealthy... yet they talk in negative terms about people who have achieved that. Words like "spoiled brat" populated the comments. Then, there were the more crass and rude suggestions.
This is something I have noticed many times myself. Instead of being fascinated with great marketing, people who claim to be focused on making money trash people who are making money! Is this envy? Is it a closed mind that can't see or appreciate sound marketing?
Personally, my reaction is to study clever marketing ideas, so that I can learn from them and hopefully become a more effective marketer.
The last I heard, the Algonquin hasn't sold any of their $10,000 martinis. Do you think they care? Their goal was to get publicity for their famous luxury hotel and in that they succeeded admirably. Good for them!
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:48 PM | TrackBack
December 2, 2004
Using Controversy To Sell Things On eBay
Using controversy to sell things on eBay is a tactic as old as the auction site, itself, - even if sometimes the ethics or morality might be questionable. For instance, about 90 minutes after the 9/11 monstrosity, newspapers and other memorabilia were for sale on eBay.
Even non-sports fans, like me, have heard of the monstrosity in November when Detroit Pistons/Indiana Pacer players waded into the stands, punching spectators and getting involved in a general melee that, IMHO, casts shame on professional sports.
Player Ron Artest received the most severe penalty – a suspension for the rest of the basketball season. In response, eBay sellers have been peddling “Ron t-shirts” and expressing their own opinions:
I have to admit that I find the word “free” a little strange. After all the guy isn't in jail for assault, where he might arguably belong. As NBA Commissioner David Stern said, "The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the professionalism and self-control that should fairly be accepted from NBA players."
Other choice mementos from this disgusting event include cups used in this brawl:
And the worst of all ...
Speak about the “barbarians at the gate”. What great advice ... if anything or anyone irritates you, just fill a cup with beer and throw it at a TV. This is really the lowest of the low. The only good news is that this tasteless auction, with less than one hour to go, is selling for only 60 cents.
I've gotta wonder if the people selling this junk really believe what they're saying, or if they're just trying to make a buck selling things on eBay?
