"wagglepopCC2 03 May 2008 17:56


I think it would be a mistake (and unfair) to rework convention in the name of making leaving the Wagglepop Marketplace an easy transition.

Part of the benefit of dedication to the Marketplace is that the feedback earned is kept as an ongoing part of that dedication.

If a seller chooses to leave the Marketplace by closing their SmartSell account, they also leave behind the Feedback Score associated with the account. Dedicated long term sellers will and should benefit from an ongoing seller feedback score as part of their "permanent" record.

I think that is highly appropriate and reflective of what we see as a common sense dynamic.

AP"

In other words, "keep shoveling us your stores fees and you can do whatever you want -- stop feeding our piggy bank and you become an outcast, effectively excommunicated from 'the light.' Your future support of our remaining sellers is not only inconsequential, it's not wanted."

Great attitude to draw new buyers to the community -- treat the existing members like "non-believers" for not lining the management's pockets. That attitude will soon overflow the site and permeate community relations, extending into the treatment of non-community buyers stumbling across the site.

No matter how you cut it that is extortion and strong arm tactics to the hilt! The more I learn about this "management group" the more I am amazed that they can keep anyone involved in the site.

If any of you who actively work on WP also decide to expand to other sites in addition, I would recommend using a different seller ID. With the lack of integrity and arrogance displayed on their own boards by "AP" above, I seriously doubt it would be beneath them to attempt to sabotage your business on other venues in an effort to "show you the light and return you to the fold!"

I commend you, Patch, on refusing to sell your dignity by circumventing your excommunication via registering under another ID. I trust that you are no longer considering any type of cooperative program with WP now that their core values are showing through their PR veneer.

bbhc wrote (View Post): › Ummm, does "I can afford it" mean you will be keeping your second Wagglepop store open...the one you said last night you "wouldn't be able to do" if you had to pay $29.95?

No, I don't think I will be keeping the second store open. I haven't had time to build it and don't know when I will. It was a fun little project at $9.95/month, but not so fun at $29.95/month when I don't have enough time for it. That's a store that will be a better fit on a free-to-list site or two rather than on 'The New Wagglepop'.

It is good to see that Angel makes it out into the fresh air frequently

It will be interesting to see how many of the smaller stores remain after the fee increase. I think its going to be lot harder for them to justify spending $29 a month when their total sales may not be much higher than that amount.

"I commend you, Patch, on refusing to sell your dignity by circumventing your excommunication via registering under another ID. I trust that you are no longer considering any type of cooperative program with WP now that their core values are showing through their PR veneer."

I stopped considering that after it was suggested I go to the mountain (WP Forums) and speak with Allah myself. I remembered that any deal with WP was likely to come at too high of a price for my site and my members.

OT
Patch - have you talked to uBidRight, OvernightAuctions, KananaBid or BiddersNSellers about this idea? I think they're Rscript also. That Rscript forum should be an excellent place to align a coalition.

However, look into this thread and contemplate what should be done differently:
http://www.powersellersunite.com/viewtopic.php?t=3420

Ok, back to the regularly scheduled topic. The whole time I was reading that, I was saying to myself, Boy, Angel is gonna be sooooooooo annoyed. I was surprised. I just hope for her sake that WP doesn't close its doors to the random buyer too quickly...

I realize not many WP sellers frequent here, but would like to know if anyone beyond Angel is going to stay.

BTW - Bid-Alot isn't the only site that's loaded with drop ship items. There's another that comes to mind that has multiples (8-12) of the same item - all dropship with no sales.

That's a sad way to skew the numbers, but I guess it's a reality at times to stay on the PSU site counts.

purple_reading_giraffe wrote (View Post): › The whole time I was reading that, I was saying to myself, Boy, Angel is gonna be sooooooooo annoyed. I was surprised. I just hope for her sake that WP doesn't close its doors to the random buyer too quickly...

LOL no, I wasn't annoyed by any of it. I like how they're dedicated to finding solutions to problems and making the right decisions to move forward in a positive direction even if most of the online selling world doesn't understand or agree with their ideas. WP isn't closing its doors to buyers, but they are definitely moving in the direction of being more selective with who will be allowed to sell there.

The one thing I would do differently if it was my decision to make would be to offer a 'per seller' cost (with up to 3 storefronts) rather than a 'per storefront' cost. But it isn't my company, and I respect that the decisions are theirs to make.

Hi PRG.

I havent spoken with anyone about it, just put the idea out there a few times. The main thing needed to bring a coalition together is money and tech know-how. Smaller sell everything sites would be overwhelmed with such a task I think.

2BOYSandTOYS wrote (View Post): › I realize not many WP sellers frequent here, but would like to know if anyone beyond Angel is going to stay.

I just did a quick count for 'ya based on what I've seen so far. I'm aware of 19 stores that are staying for sure and 3 that are leaving for sure (at least that's their initial reaction to the announcement). Some others are undecided, some I haven't seen them talk about 'where they're at' with everything yet, and I'm sure that many haven't seen the announcement yet since emails still need to go out and there will still be notices posted in more places on the site.

Quite a few sellers will probably leave, but no it won't be just me and Wagglepop selling on Wagglepop. LOL

I hesitate to make this analogy but does anyone else get a queasy Stepford Wives or Battered Spouse in Denial feeling when reading some posts?

PatchDog wrote (View Post): › I hesitate to make this analogy but does anyone else get a queasy Stepford Wives or Battered Spouse in Denial feeling when reading some posts?

No, but this thread has turned into yet another perfect demonstration of why stronger eBay alternatives do not exist today.

Well, I'm not really sure what to think, other than to note that Angel has been consistent in what she says both here and privately and in other places, so I will always take what she says as being the truth as she knows it, especially about her sales, btw. I see no reason to doubt her statements that she makes good sales, nor that she works hard doing so.

I have also never seen her call anyone else a name for any of their personal or business decisions. I have seen her be less ladylike, but very rarely and when well provoked. I truly admire her ability to take a licking and keep on ticking. Those on the other side of those dramas slip a bit in my eyes.

She also manages to be a fairly effective representative of the WP sellers' interests as much as she is able - I have seen this in action. I am pleased for her, personally, if this change means more money in her pocket.

But I still, personally, feel that WP management is making a big error with this move. I think that adding this option to their existing package and completing the in-process projects would have been a much better way to ensure future growth. And I am still in awe of that masterful command of doublespeak. Now there is something eBay should be willing to pay very highly for. If he is able to convince his sellers that thrice the price up front in return for no FVF is a bargain, just imagine what he might have done with the recent ebay fee changes. Gee, maybe they did it backwards, penalizing success and all.

Angelsong777 wrote (View Post): › PatchDog wrote (View Post): › I hesitate to make this analogy but does anyone else get a queasy Stepford Wives or Battered Spouse in Denial feeling when reading some posts? No, but this thread has turned into yet another perfect demonstration of why stronger eBay alternatives do not exist today.

Wrong. I have opposed WP bashing in the past for the sake of unity. I have said let the past be the past and let the site start fresh. I even repressed my own WP experiences until you insisted that I register and join a forum.

This thread is not about old news but current events. The greed and the arrogance of the owner or owners of that site has far surpassed eBay especially when you take into consideration that there are so few sales outside of the community and there is little enough traffic as it is.

They have already locked down their forums and rule the site with the firm hand of a tyrant when it comes to people voicing their opinions so much to the point that fewer and fewer new members will come and infuse new blood into the site as it is. Now they plan to lock down the borders to the WagglePop Kingdom even tighter?

Noone on that site is making money except for the owners and I think you should wipe off that smile you have painted on your face Angel, look in the mirror and think real hard about how you have been prostituting yourself and your dignity by lying about how great things are at WP in a feeble attempt to lure new members to the site. How many people have you mislead with your posts? How much time and money have you cost people Angel? I picture you and I see those women in prairie dresses from the polygomist compound in Texas. Soft voices, no expressions, no emotions and complete denial of anything being amiss.

Do not dare to judge why stronger eBay alternatives do not exist. You wouldnt know a strong eBay alternative if you tripped over one and fell into another one.

It is time for you to come clean Angel. Stop spreading nice, warm, feel good lies about Wagglepop and tell the truth once you have figured it out for yourself.

It is time for you to apologize for lying to begin with. Apologize to those people who believed what you said and went and wasted their time and money in WagglePop.

I am sickened by what is being done to WP members who only stick around for their friends and because they have invested so much time, energy and money into a site that they refuse it admit it is over. The owners are even reduced to using the line "you will lose your WP feedback". It would be funny if I didnt feel such pity for members of WP.

OK, I cant help the members who want to remain members since they are afraid to come out and play with the real sellers but I can damn well do my best to make sure that no new members get tricked into going to WagglePop because of your lies.

You dont seem like a bad person Angel but right now you are doing bad things. If you ever see the light and climb out of the gutter you are in right now, then you can discuss strong alternative site strategy with me, but dont try to do it now.

Some alternative sites are struggling through legitimate growing pains. They want to expand exponentially to become more viable and attractive for "eBay refugees" and the continued success of both the management and buyer-seller groups. The reality is that they can only grow at a rate commensurate with their revenue production capability; as the sites grow more revenue is generated that can and is reinvested in the continued growth, ad infinitum. Efforts by the seller members of such sites have a fairly realistic chance of being rewarded for their work put into such sites.

Other sites, and there are more than just one, are basing their growth on creating a closed, almost incestuous community, dictating more participation amongst the members while drawing more resources away from the sites for personal gain. Without any demonstrable gains in benefits for participation by either new or existing members, they float specious listings via programs such as competing drop shipping and/or fanciful images presented as coming enhancements to create a facade of a robust growing site.

But unfortunately without increased new traffic, steadily growing final sales volume and higher verifiable STRs, all of the supposed coming improvements and benefits are no more than smoke and mirrors set in place by doublespeak and slight of hand. A very careful look at "the man behind the curtain,' the actual verifiable accomplishments without benefit of embellishment nor inflated listing techniques will show the objective observer whether or not participation with such a site would be financially advantageous or just another con structured to siphon money from the unwary hard worker.

Personally, I would much prefer, and do, participate on the former described sites; and work hard to not only identify and avoid the later, I do my best to honestly expose them as well to the uninformed or naive.