Auction Orbit - Newsletter 2.1

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read the first Volcanic Software auction newsletter of the new year! Many folks around the country are experiencing the cold temperatures of January, and thus I feel it is a perfect time to stay indoors and surf online auction sites! Some exciting changes will be taking affect in regards to the Volcanic Software website and Dominant Ad Creator within the next several months, so with that said lets start the newsletter!
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Although there hasn't been many changes in the site or Dominant Ad Creator since the last issue, there are some great changes coming up soon!

First things first, I have done some deep thought and decided to get a new website domain and title, which will be more auction oriented than the current 'Volcanic Software' theme is. The new site will be called 'Auction Orbit' and will be found at http://www.auctionorbit.com when finished. Here's a list of some of the new and enhanced features that I hope to include:

Along with these new features, all of the current ones will remain. I may discontinue the sale of the 'Pro Auction Tools' CD with the new sites release, simply due to lack of interest in most of the products aside from Dominant Ad Creator. All current owners of any other tool will still receive updates when necessary.

Speaking of Dominant Ad Creator... I will not make any promises, but there may be a much-improved version due out with the launch of my new website. One major feature I am planning on integrating is the automatic submission of your ads to the eBay website directly from my software. This has been a major feature request since I released the ad creator several years ago, but due to eBay's site structure and forms it will prove to be quite a challenge. Of course, adding such a feature will also increase the size of Dominant Ad Creator by a bit, depending on how automatic I wish to make the submission process. Either way, I do plan on making the ads easier to submit than ever before! The previous method of generating the ads in Dominant Ad Creator will also remain available.

Expect more progression and news in the next newsletter, and expect the site and possible new version of Dominant Ad Creator to be announced by the end of February or March!

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The most critical and apparent change to eBay's website this month is the increase of fees, set to take affect on February 2nd of this year. Generally speaking, there has been roughly a $0.05 increase in most features such as the basic listing fee. For complete details about the new fees and changes set to take affect this February, please visit http://pages.ebay.com/help/announcement/1.html .

A second enhancement to eBay is the 'Member Profile' page, which can be accessed by clicking on any user's feedback number next to their name. Over all, it is still the same feedback page as it was before, however there are several new features on the page that provides a more user-friendly report of each user. Some of the new features include tabs which allow you to sort the feedback by whether the user bought or sold an item, and also a tab to see what feedback that user has left for others. The words 'positive', 'negative' etc. have been changed to small circular icons. Aside from that, it is also important to note that Neutrals are no longer posted in the report, and thus unless you receive one within the past year it will not appear at all on the overview. Also, there is now the option to remove feedback by 'mutual consent' which means that if you and another user resolve a problem after negatives have been left, you can go through a process and get them removed without paying the $20 fee.

One last feature that is rather handy is the addition of ten more letters to the title, which will allow you to further describe the item and hopefully draw more folks to your listings! This extended title feature does not look like it will cost any extra, aside from the new eBay fees taking affect.

Also, if you have an e-mail address for your userID, today (January 31st, 2004) is the last day to change it yourself before eBay automatically assigns you with another username. Rumor has it that if eBay changes your ID (it will basically be the first half of your e-mail address, followed by a series of random numbers), you will not be able to change it to what you want for another thirty days!
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This month's article showcases a potentially new field of business. Most people, whether technically inclined or not, have at least heard of eBay and know that many people sell their personal items on it. However, not everyone has access to the internet or the time to learn the process for listing and selling items on the eBay auction site. A new company has started up in the San Francisco area which will assist others in getting auctions up and running on the auction site. Staff of the business(es) will type up a description, take professional pictures, list the item, and handle all e-mail transactions. There is also word that other stores will be starting similar services in the next couple of years.

This month's auction site comes directly from eBay itself. If you are an avid eBay surfer or just want to have a little more convenience, than this free program from eBay will suit you well! The eBay Toolbar first surfaced a few years ago, and has since then become a tool that many folks enjoy using. The eBay Toolbar is a tiny program that resides within your web browser, and allows you to perform searches at a click of the button, regardless of what site you are currently on. Along with this feature, you can also access all common features and pages within eBay with one click!

I must however, warn you of several downsides to this toolbar. Although the toolbar is freeware and does not seem to interfere with your system in any manner aside from eBay, it is considered Spyware. By this, I mean that it sends data to an ad-related website each time you use the software, and this fact has been a topic among many eBay users in the past. Users opinions vary, and for that reason I will point you to a download site where many have reviewed this toolbar. You can be the final judge as to whether or not this utility is worth installing.

Back when eBay first launched, it was a rare treat to see a listing with pictures in it. However, as technology and users progressed and digital cameras and scanners became more affordable, more and more users were able to showcase the item for sale through pictures. Now when you browse eBay, it is a rare occasion to find listings with no pictures of the item! With the large number of eBayers and many similar items listed daily, you should make it a number-one priority to provide pictures of the items you list to ensure potential bidders don't pass your auctions by. This month's tip includes some simple guidelines for creating the best and most effective images possible for use in your online auctions.

Camera-wise, you really do not need a top-of-the-line model to achieve great auction photographs. Because the images should generally be small in size when posted in ads, even a 1 to 2 mega-pixel camera will take clear pictures at a resolution manageable in auctions. If you plan on taking a lot of close-up images, I would recommend you get a digital camera with a 'Macro' function so that the close-up shots aren't blurred. Also, a camera with a high shutter-speed will make the blurred-photo problem less of an issue.
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We've come to an end of yet another issue. Expect some strong news next month in regards to the new site and program. Although it is unlikely that the site or program will be completed, I should be able to state about how long it will be yet. As always, feel free to send me an e-mail if you have any questions or comments about this newsletter or a future one!