Power Sellers Unite

campu2 · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 334

We are very excited about the groups concept to create additional
selling venues. If you have additional ideas as a means to create
more momentum for this concept, we would be interested.

1) Probably most important. Groups already have established traffic.
2) Fast and easy to create. My average time for creating a group is about 5 to 10 minutes max.
3) Sellers have all the options of working individually, and/or working
together. (Linking their groups to create a network, creating groups
by category, etc.)
4) Posting inventory lists is less time consuming than listing each
item/title as individual auctions. It also encourages buyers to purchase
multiple items to save on S&H
5) You are not dependent on any one site. MSN, Google, Yahoo,
Mypace, have groups. Not to mention all the hosting sites that
provide forums.

My bad luck (or stupidity) I had just deleted a group with 2,000+
members when I read an article about using groups and social
networks for online sales.

We created another group in May and have reached the 2,000+
mark again.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altcollect/

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EleganzaJewels · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 519

A little OT here, but not completely (I know, sounds like "yes, we have no bananas HA!):

An easy way to get one way links to your store/website/auctions, as well as potentially get stray buyers, is to install and use the del.icio.us toolbar. Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking site, and the toolbar lets you tag and save the page/URL that is currently in your open window.

First thing you do is register, install the toolbar, then use keywords as tags to save every single cotton picken one of your webpages/storefront pages/auction pages. A little tedious, but every bookmark is one more in-bound, one way link running from del.icio.us to your listing or site. Always a good thing!

What is del.icio.us?

PS: the main page at del.icio.us is an 8/10 on the google toolbar, and Ebay is a 9/10, so you get an idea of how well Google thinks of del.icio.us

campu2 · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 334

A little OT here, but not completely

Not to worry. Getting traffic for your online sales is NEVER off topic.

lhhgbh · Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 336

just be careful when you use groups.. if you even come close to spamming or if you piss off a member in a group, they can report you as a spammer and your website host can give you the boot or fine you..

campu2 · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 334

lhhgbh wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")just be careful when you use groups.. if you even come close to spamming or if you piss off a member in a group, they can report you as a spammer and your website host can give you the boot or fine you..

That's good advice. The safest bet is to create your own group.

Yahoo groups have the least flexibility but from my own experience
their groups generate the most traffics and sales. The message
search makes up for the lack of features. It is flawless and fast.

Google has added some nice features to their groups but unfortunately
have deleted the "Groups" link from the homepage so the traffic
has slowed to a crawl. I have one group that has been stuck at
208 members for over a week.

fruity · Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 375

am I missing a thread here? What is this groups idea. Someone link me please. I would like to at least participate in the conversation

campu2 · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 334

ChopSueySisters wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")am I missing a thread here? What is this groups idea. Someone link me please. I would like to at least participate in the conversation

Chop; I'm looking for sellers and ideas for promoting groups as a
way to sell online.

Two examples of groups/forums where you can do a lot of buying
and selling.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6

http://www.sportscardforum.com/

Internet users do not normally think of groups/forums as a place to
"shop", but they do create and join groups to discuss popular interests
such as Movies, Books, Sports, Arts, Crafts, Fashion, etc.

Many of these groups evolve into active buy/sell message boards.

More than once, I've had DVDs, Cards, Comics, etc.listed on
Yahoo Auctions for months. Listed them on a forum and sold
them in 2 to 3 days.

Large independent web based forums take years to grow into
large active communities. Yahoo, Google, MSN, groups already
have the traffic.

You might be interested in creating a group and linking with other
clothing, fashion, jewelry groups.

I am looking for sellers (DVDs CDs Sportscards, etc.) who are
interested in creating and forming a network of buy/sell/trade
groups.

As I'm typing this, I'm thinking that I need to post a message on
my home page offering to link up with other groups.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altcollect/

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campu2 · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 334

I do see a lot of inactive groups. Little content with one or two posts
per week. Most likely these groups were created, abandoned by the
owner and are now on auto pilot.

I would be cautious about forming a link farm. Forming a network
of groups with little substance or content (overlinking). Its unlikely
to produce any sales for the owners.

When you are creating a new group I would be prepared to provide
99% of the content for at least a month, if not more.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altcollect/

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knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

If you are the owner of the group in your siggy - bikinishots - you or someone in the group signed me up for the group about a month ago. I got the automatic form letter that "you have been signed up for this group. if you didn't sign up just ignore this email as the group is a double opt-in."

As I did NOT sign up for that group I just ignored the opt-in.

While I do think groups may have some use in marketing, you will NOT gain friend by signing people up to your groups without their knowledge or permission. If it wasn't you, I suggest that you post to your group that that isn't an acceptable practice.

If that group is a "marketing" group, I suggest you get a better name for it. Right now it sounds like a bunch of over hormoned college guys on spring break.

Carol

campu2 · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 334

I got the automatic form letter that "you have been signed up for this group. if you didn't sign up just ignore this email as the group is a double opt-in."

Carol;
I believe you are confused. You might want to re-check that form letter.

Yahoo groups isn't Myspace. We get 20 to 30 new members every
day with hundredrs of visitors. We dont have the time nor motivation
to send out "invites" or add anyone to groups.

Yahoo Groups does have a feature for invitations, but you would
need the persons email address. We don't have any need to
post policies concerning "invites". The promote feature is turned
off in our groups.

Group content is designed to generate traffic for what we sell.
If it doesn't meet with your approval, I assume you are not a male
from the ages of 14 to 35 that typically buys the kind of items we
sell (sports cards, DVDs, Rock CDs, Comics, etc.)

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knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

I looked for the email but I must have deleted it. But I know it was for that group and not anything with MySpace. My MySpace stuff goes to a different email altogether. I checked out the group home page when I got the email -- it's a pin-up shot, I suppose would be one way of describing it.

Maybe someone thought they were being funny. It would be easy enough to get my ID and email from my web site.

And, no I'm not in your target group. I'm female and 57 and at times a bit of a fuddy-duddy. I do buy CD's but for classical , classic rock and Andrew LLoyd-Weber. I do make and sell a hot sauce that college kids in Madison go nutz for.

Carol

joflora · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 1760

Carol, I got a bikinishots email too and mine was from myspace. If nothing else, I got a MEGA chuckle out of it just thinking of ME and BIKINI in the same line. ROFL

Jo

knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

joflora wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
just thinking of ME and BIKINI in the same line. ROFL

LOL, me too. It's been at least 20 years since I could fit in a bikini.

I need to loose at least 50 lbs before even thinking about something like that again. And even then I wouldn't as I always hated seeing those 60something wrinkled old hags walking down the beach in their bikinis' thinking they looked good, not realizing all the younger ones were laughing at them behind their backs.

Nope, won't go there !!!

Carol