Launch of eBay Alternative for Antiques / Vintage Sellers

[jules43035]

Welcome! If you're here, then chances are you are spending some time and effort searching for another selling venue for your antiques, collectibles, artwork or vintage items following what most of us have deemed as "anti-seller" changes on eBay. Take heart, you're not alone.

There are many eBay "refugees" combing Web page after page in their attempts to discover a viable eBay alternative. As you've probably experienced, this can seem like a very futile exercise so I've opted to establish a ring for us to explore our options and even create some new opportunities.

While there are many new online marketplaces (e.g. eCrater, Esty, Bonanzle - to name a few), these are lacking in a few areas where we (as antique dealers) could benefit: 1) most don't have a significant number of antique / vintage listings, 2) others don't have significant traffic overall, 3) some cater only to auctioneers and 4) yet others don't have an emphasis on our product categories. For full disclosure, I have set up a booth on Bonanzle, www.bonanzle.com/booths/jules43035, but my search continues.

Since I have conducted my own exhaustive search for an eBay alternative and I've launched a booth on Bonanzle, I have interacted with a large number of people in the antiques business and I've done a great deal of research.

Here's what I know: 1) there is a large market of antique / vintage buyers online actively searching for our products, 2) there are huge opportunities for Web marketing to promote an antiques online auction site, 3) there is a large number of people in our business motivated to create a viable eBay alternative and 4) it is difficult to "go it alone" with your own e-commerce Web site (or your own store URL on the marketplace Web sites.

My thought is that collectively, we can define and build the ideal site on which to market and sell our products. We can continue to create our individual brands via storefronts, blogs, etc. BUT we can also leverage our collective experiences, skills, talents and time.

[GildedElegance]

I too have opened a booth on Bonanzle. I think it has amazing possibilities, and I will continue to support my efforts there. But at present there is no emphasis on our product categories.

I am very interested in building an ideal site to market and sell our products.

[Cleos Great Deals]

Thank you, and we think this is a wonderful start to opening dialogue that will bring others that present their expertise in the area of vintage and antique items. We welcome the opportunity in this network to offer what information we have and to read about those that have expertise in very specific topics.