eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Ok, So I'm thinking of creating a website for the sale and auctioning of coral. I've seen a few have tried and failed in the past.So this is what I want to know: -Would anyone be interested in this? -What features would be necessary to want to use this? -Would it be something that as a seller you'd be ok paying a small fee for (like e-bay)? Why I think this would be a great thing: -If you want to sell it gives you a spot where you can set-up your own website (inside of mine) without paying crazy cost of web development. -You can have a real auction much like e-bay but focused on coral. -Vendor reviews will be right there on the page with the product so you don't have to look-up a review before you buy since its shown right there for you. -Pay-Pal is built in. -Built in shipment rules. So thoughts? Concerns? Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 This just like the dozens of FB Coral Auction pages? 1. No cost 2. Already have page focused on coral 3. Vendor reviews are incorporated in the FB pages 4. Paypal only, you just send to their email. 5. Shipment rules already incorporated into the auction. Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 I use several of these FB Auction sites. Its actually where the idea came from because of issues I've had. 1. No Cost (I have no answer to this that is correct and the biggest advantage they would have over me) 2. Facebook is not a page focused on coral it is social media. The auctions get way off topic every group I'm on and I have to scroll through many comments to find the most recent bid. 3. I don't have a single group where when I open up a product I see all reviews for the person selling. I can search and hope I find but I don't always and many people get scammed by not reading reviews. 4. Instant PayPal is better in my mind. I've had 1 or 2 people change prices on me via that e-mail and also had several people back out on me at the end of a transaction. 5. True but I like the idea of a site where I buy it now get sent to a page with shipping options check it and pay a total. A lot less concern of getting ripped off in my opinion. Also keep in mind not only an auction site. You could create your own store where you post frags for sale at a set price. Have all the functionality of liveaquaria or rarereef or reefgardener. The basement seller I think would do great with this. Link to comment
bpounds1991 Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Ehh...too many FB pages that are easy to auction on I think for an actual website to be successful. Link to comment
Milkeeway Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Even EBay started out free. If the site was free you'd have a lot more interest but I'm not sure if ad revenue would be enough. I don't have a Facebook but I'm like the .5% Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Can you give me an example page? Maybe I just have horrible experiences. Also anyone have an opinion on why we buy/auction on FB when it comes to coral but I don't see anyone doing that with electronics, cars, or really anything else? Is it somehow special or is it that that's the only option? It will definitely start out free. It may stay there for a very long time. Its just about having a site that actually is built for selling frags. Right now I only see these options: - Facebook (it works but there are many different groups and I have had too many bad experiences) - Forums (limited audience not really built for it either) - Making your own site (many have done it and its awesome but most don't have the resources and this would help you get there without those resources) - Craigslist (yuk but its done) Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Can you give me an example page? Maybe I just have horrible experiences. Also anyone have an opinion on why we buy/auction on FB when it comes to coral but I don't see anyone doing that with electronics, cars, or really anything else? Is it somehow special or is it that that's the only option? It will definitely start out free. It may stay there for a very long time. Its just about having a site that actually is built for selling frags. Right now I only see these options: - Facebook (it works but there are many different groups and I have had too many bad experiences) - Forums (limited audience not really built for it either) - Making your own site (many have done it and its awesome but most don't have the resources and this would help you get there without those resources) - Craigslist (yuk but its done) Great groups.... Positively Awesome Coral Reefers, Official SPS Frag Swap Page, U.S. Nationwide Coral Auction House Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 I'll check them out. So if there was a purpose built site for this and it was free you wouldn't be interested Harry? Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I'll check them out. So if there was a purpose built site for this and it was free you wouldn't be interested Harry? I would definitely check it out, I just don't see the benefit compared to the auction pages. Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 I don't see any reviews for anyone inside of an auction post there. So your hopping the person is legit or your researching them independent before you bid. Several non-bid comments in several posts. I'm still not a big fan of dealing with the cash after its done. I want an immediate payment or invoice. One central site for many many different people instead of wading through multiple groups. just my .02 Link to comment
Murphs_Reef Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 The site would be far to focused to be a success. I have a career in web Dev and in today's market.. It's better to work for some one that go it alone, piggy back off FB / eBay etc is the way to go... It would cost you a fair bit to set up the infrastructure regardless of buying off the shelf or a self built CMS... Overheads at a glance: SQL Google adds Hosting and scalability Tech support / bug fix User support (people expect instant support) Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Wow. I just can't believe nobody thinks this is a great idea. It exists for every other market out there but ours. Care.com Etsy.com Amazon.com Newegg.com Just a few examples. The cost isn't a huge concern for me initially. I'm aware of the development issues and costs. I'm planning on using a Magento backbone and have a host that will be fine until we get over 100,000 unique views a month. At that point I'd start thinking of somehow monetizing it. I hate the FB option. Its a force of technology that isn't natural. I can't think of a single thing others use social media to buy. I don't get the phenomenon that corals have on it. Maybe I'll be really wrong but I think I might try it anyways. Imagine if you could have access to pet stores across the US. Buy their inventory. It would be beneficial for both the buy and seller. Right now most don't because of the difficulty of setting up and managing the site. This would do that. Imagine those of us that have small basement frag businesses that want to step it up a bit. Now you have a site to manage your business and pull more traffic then what you could do if you built your own site. Man I'm really missing something. Link to comment
Mustang Boy Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 There is a huge auction site similar to what you're talking about for the freshwater side of the hobby that also has a small salt section, www.aquabid.com Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Mustang, I use that site all the time. Its the other part of my inspiration. I just don't get the hesitation on the reef side. Also the development package I'm planning on is much more powerful than aquabids current one. So it would give you more ability. I don't know maybe I'm missing something but I got a feeling once it was up and had traffic people would use it. Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 eBay.com /done LMAO didn't think of that!! Link to comment
Murphs_Reef Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Sounds like you came knowing what you would do regardless of research. Should be a good experience regardless of outcome, Dev is always trick...Good luck.. Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Yea, Probably was going to attempt it regardless. I believe once I get traffic that it'll be a good thing. More options are rarely a bad thing. I guess I was hoping people would give me ideas on what would get them to check it out so I could incorporate it in the launch. Ebay is another example of too much going on in my opinion but its just that my opinion. I know that Etsy was created while e-bay existed and people use it because it cover a niche well. I hope to recreate that. I compare it to Wal-Mart. Yea lots of people like that and will go there. But lots of people still want to get clothes from a clothing retailor and electronics from Best Buy and food from Trader Joes and tires from the local mechanic. I personally like getting my stuff not from social media or forums but from a vendor and I like my vendor to have its focus on me not on literally everything under the sun. Stevie, Why isn't that where you sell your stuff? Would it not do that for you? When you were first starting wouldn't it of been nice to have a site focused on aquariums where you could easily open your site without a huge commitment? Or why didn't you sell it strictly on facebook groups? I'd think you'd be a perfect example. Yea you could sell on facebook or ebay but there was a reason you had a website developed for you. That's what I'm focusing on. Link to comment
StevieT Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 We sell on our site, eBay and Amazon. I wish I would have sold on eBay sooner, so many more customer opportunities. The rest failed because you're trying to reinvent the wheel. But you've made your decision already regardless of asking for advice. Link to comment
Murphs_Reef Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 We sell on our site, eBay and Amazon. I wish I would have sold on eBay sooner, so many more customer opportunities. The rest failed because you're trying to reinvent the wheel. But you've made your decision already regardless of asking for advice. Absolutely agree. It's the small convenience store taking on the industrialised supermarket. Cool project but I would be very surprised indeed if you could make a living from it, or even some pocket money... The site will need 24hr monitoring both client and tech support, after your very costly (time and materials) marketing strategy Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 I hope you don't think I'm disregarding you. I value the input whether I go the path you would suggest or not. I may never make a dime. That would be ok. I hope its at least something people get some use out of and enjoy (aquabid.com). Stevie you still have a site. That's sort of my point. There isn't 1 best solution. You sell on Amazon and Ebay and your own site. Some people sell coral on FB and on Ebay and on forums. This will just be another one. Very much small local store vs big box giants. However look at the current trends. Are wal-marts going away? No but are Trader Joes and Whole Foods and Krogers opening? Every day. I have a very nice living made off of my engineering. I'm not looking to get rich quick or retire. Just want to build something for the hobby that is used and appreciated and if it can make me a dime that would be sweet too. I'm just not a big fan of any of the current frag selling methods. Link to comment
bpounds1991 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Over half of the people that do the auctions on the Facebook pages are vendors/website owners in the first place. It's as easy as them posting a picture and letting thousands of people duke it out over their corals, no need to reinvent the wheel. Link to comment
eodmike Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Thanks. I'll sleep on all this information. I appreciate everyones input. I really do. All your input was good. I'm just torn. 1/2 of me says even if I think its a great idea the people I intend it for don't like it. The other 1/2 of me says lots of things were invented that were "bad ideas" until they were done then people loved them. Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Thanks. I'll sleep on all this information. I appreciate everyones input. I really do. All your input was good. I'm just torn. 1/2 of me says even if I think its a great idea the people I intend it for don't like it. The other 1/2 of me says lots of things were invented that were "bad ideas" until they were done then people loved them. I say go for it, but don't invest too much money. It could be a hit if it's user friendly enough. Link to comment
Hammerstone Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 If it's your dream, make it happen. Link to comment
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