What's With All The Fees?

One of the biggest problems with selling stuff online is the fees that continue to show up and grow. It was originally a much cheaper process than it is currently. But now you have insertion fees, final value fees, and numerous other fees.

There seem to be fees for everything anymore. On some sites you have to pay extra fees for multiple categories, adding a subtitle, additional pictures (you get 1), custom layouts, and higher fees for different items, separate selling styles, and selling tips. Then you can add other things that cost even more. It is getting ridiculous. All these fees are just making the process that much more complicated and costing people more and more money.

Why has this happened?

Well I am not going to turn this into a rant about greed and corporate integrity (or lack thereof) but let’s just say that people are still paying the fees so why stop charging them.

But what if all you want is a simple listing for your product that doesn't take much (or any) of your money to post and sell? Are there any options out there for that?

Not really. Most of the sites that are popular right now charge fees.

But there is hope on the horizon. There are sites out there (some are just getting started) that don’t charge certain fees or on some you can get away without paying any fees. One of those sites is netSpray.com.

NetSpray.com is an innovative new marketplace that allows you to post items for sale on their website for free. That’s right; there are no insertion fees and no final value fees. It is entirely free. There are options that you can add that would cost money but you don’t have to do them.

What netSpray is going to offer are different levels of sellers and selling options. Those will come with monthly fees instead of fees on every sale. But they will give you added bonuses like more pictures or more details on your ads. All of the things that you receive by upping your membership are meant to help you customize your ads and to sell more products.

Fees are a pain in the neck. Whether they are on your paycheck, cell phone bill, or on your online selling sites they are just not much fun. Why would you want to pay multiple fees when you can do the same thing for free? Would you choose to pay all those fees and taxes on your cell phone bill if a company offered you a chance to not do it at all? I doubt you would.

So come on over to netSpray.com and list your items for sale there.

Interesting Article on Older Internet Users

Not that I couldn't have told them the same thing, but it was nice to hear someone elses perspective on how the "older generation" is getting along with online commerce. 

InformationWeek (who bills themselves as the market's foremost multimedia brand) published an article on Jan. 29 about a survey that claims Baby-Boomers are in places just as active online as Gen. Y (18-32) and Gen. Xers (33-44). The survey claims that 80% of Gen. X users shop online, compared with just 71% of Gen. Yers. 

Here is a closer look at the survey itself: "Generations Online in 2009"

The study was conducted by the Pew Center's Research and American Life Project. Read more of, "Older Internet Users Embrace E-commerce". 

And as always, leave me some feedback. Did you like this post? Were there things you wish I'd added? Thanks and be good! 

Recent E-commerce News

E-commerce news for the week.

eBay bans paper-billing. No longer will the sellers on eBay be able to accept (a) Money Orders, (b) Cash or, (c) Check payments.

There is an on-going debate in the blogosphere whether or not video or text is king in the blog.
Steve Rubel

 - Forget video, here is why text is still king

Darren Rowse

- Why video is worth experimenting with on your Blog

Darren Rowse
- My Mum doesn't get YouTube

Also: New York State vs Amazon has passed the first round with NYS winning their charge that a sales tax should be enforced on goods sold out of New York. 

Making Your Photos Work for You: E-Commerce Sellers Guide

The quality, type, and number of photos placed in an online listing can make or break a deal. 

Quality is important: people want to know that the item that they are considering buying is coming from a considerate home. What way to better show that consideration - for the item and the buyer - than to take quality photo (ie, well lit, well thoughtout, well cropped). Realize that the photos you present to the buying community are often all that they have to familiarize themselves with the item. 

Type of photos taken say something: if the photos you take are not informative, they really don't take into consideration the needs of the potential buyers. You must have an attitude that the buyer has never seen this item. Taking the type of photos that your buyers need is about considering any scratches or blemishes, plus all the good qualities, and any unique information or characters, photos of name brands, and don't forget to put in some photos that excite buyers! 

Number of photos: this last one may be limited by the contract that you have with the site that you are selling on. But, bigger purchases generally require more photos. For clothing, I tend to suggest that a range of five to eleven photos is responsible - remember buyers know only what you present of your items. Electronics, antique - toys/collectibles, these things can be sold with fewer photos generally, but think of the difference and the security that you'll give your buyers if you go above and beyond by adding two more photos of the items you are selling? 

 --Your buyers will appreciate it, and they will reward you too.