New Question: E-bay / Marketing / Sales

I limit the amount of info I give out, too, but eBay has changed my life for
the better. I don't have the energy to go to flea markets, shopping, etc. and
eBay lets me enjoy those things again. So I've compromised myself -- I feel
like such a ho! ;-)

]Better give you some backup VJ! I won't use it either. I limit the
]personal info I give out too.

thanks - at least you understand where i'm coming from!

I understand it too. I don't like the giving out information part, either.
But I've made the exception in this case and it's been working out okay for
us.


~~
Sooz
-------
Let the beauty we love be what we do. --Rumi
I'm not a hamster, and life's not a wheel. --Sooz
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

"vj" wrote in message
...
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "laura"
:

]a central information repository that would
]feature a group of artists, or even perhaps several groups of artists.
You
]could click on the artist's name and see that artist's work offered for
]sale.

that would be cool.
something like Eclectic - for lampworkers.

Yeah, I think something like this could have half a chance of working out
for the artists if it were done as an artist's co-op and everyone involved
was contributing significantly to the cost of advertising.

If you get it advertised in all the major magazines and such, you'd stand a
small chance. But advertising in places like that is hugely expensive and
someone willing to gamble would likely have to underwrite the thing at
first.

Laura

but sites like E-bay
are just too much. i'm not about to give them my phone number!

They've never given my phone number out to anyone, anywhere, as far as I know.
Once I gave the # to eBay, my telemarketing calls didn't increase, etc. shrug

~~
Sooz
-------
Let the beauty we love be what we do. --Rumi
I'm not a hamster, and life's not a wheel. --Sooz
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

i don't "BUY" until have the money in hand -
i guess it's just a personal thing for me.

Me neither. But I love eBay. :-)
~~
Sooz
-------
Let the beauty we love be what we do. --Rumi
I'm not a hamster, and life's not a wheel. --Sooz
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

Well, I do apologize for making it an inconvenience for some people, but I
was being overwhelmed. Taking custom orders can be extremely draining from
an artist's perspective. I may go back to accepting custom orders, and I
amy even go back to putting some items directly on my site - it will all
depend on timing and my energy levels. I was doing so many custom orders,
that I could not keep up. And many people were asking for changes and
additions and subtractions, etc. And it was akin to production - something
which I don't do well. I need to be free to create and let my imagination
go. I am still getting requests from people who haven't read the website,
as well. It's not that I want to alienate potential customers - not at
all - but I do need to do what's best for me. Right now, that's eBay.

And I for one am glad eBay asks for information. It makes it easier on the
seller - there are a lot of buyers out there with no scruples whatsoever,
and have no problem bidding and not paying. Our psycho bidder is a case in
point.

And in brick and mortar stores, they DO ask for information when a customer
pays by check, money order or credit card. That's what pin numbers,
signatures and phone numbers are used for. Online, they don't have a way of
obtaining a signature, and they don't use pin numbers. And they certainly
don't recommend sending cash in the mail.

Giving out your information online to a huge corporation like eBay is no
less secure than giving out your telephone number to the department store
when you pay by check. Most merchants won't even take money orders. Heck,
your whole address is on a check, as well as your bank's information. To
me, it's the same thing.

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net
"vj" wrote in message
...
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "laura"
:

]if it's lampwork that you want perhaps there will be people here
]who are willing to help you. I've bought things and listed things for
]friends who didn't want to do e-bay. Maybe you could ask a friend to bid
on
]something, or to perhaps even to make something? Just a couple of
thoughts.

the lampworkers here [Tink, Kandice, Karen, and Susan in particular]
have been really good about "filling requests".

but i was gone for several months, due to an overabundance of needing
to pay bills. and when i finally got back, several people had said
things like "everything goes up on E-bay now" or "i won't be taking
requests anymore". it startled me. i DO enjoy knowing that they are
doing well enough that they are too busy for some things now. i will
just miss being able to buy their lampwork.


-----------
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
-----------
The Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.
Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

And in brick and mortar stores, they DO ask for information when a customer
pays by check, money order or credit card. That's what pin numbers,
signatures and phone numbers are used for.

A really good point. Whenever I write a check, they always ask for my phone
number and driver's license number.
~~
Sooz
-------
Let the beauty we love be what we do. --Rumi
I'm not a hamster, and life's not a wheel. --Sooz
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

I used to feel that way about sharing information, but you know unless you
are sophisticated and knowledgeable enough to hide information, most of that
information is easily gotten anyway. I save my paranoia for the things that
matter most. Like "choosing your battles".

Tina


"vj" wrote in message
...
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from uppies (Dr.
Sooz) :

]Is this a philosophical avoidance, Vicki?

yes, probably.

i don't like SITES that ask for too much information.
i don't mind giving it to individuals i deal with.


-----------
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
-----------
The Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.
Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

but offline, it isn't as likely to be abused - to my way of seeing
things.

That's your opinion, and certainly you're entitled to feel how ever you feel.
But in my experience, I've been ripped off several times by using my check or
credit card in person -- and never online.
~~
Sooz
-------
Let the beauty we love be what we do. --Rumi
I'm not a hamster, and life's not a wheel. --Sooz
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

Luckily, changes don't have to be permanent - at least for me. I change my
mind all the time.

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

it was just a real shock when i came back here after
several months and saw how things had changed.


-----------
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
-----------
The Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.
Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

In defense of Ebay and other online sites asking for addresses and phone
numbers, I'll refer to the current mess with the creature many of us
lampworkers have come to know as the Psycho Bidder From Hell (PBFH).

Thanks to Ebay's requiring that information, and sharing it by request only
with a seller involved in a transaction, those of us trying to handle this
ungodly situation have been able, time and time and time again to double
check her contact info and find it fraudulent. It's just one of the ways
that we've managed to successfully protect ourselves. Thank the gods for
reverse directory sites like whitepages.com!

I completely understand the hesitation and resentment in giving information
to a brick and mortar store for a CASH sale. However, when was the last time
anyone paid by check or even Visa, when a backup ID wasn't requested? Visa
and Mastercard strongly encourage ID verification and so do most banks for
accepting personal checks. There's too much identity theft and fraud going
on these days, on OR offline, to justify being any less cautious.

Also, please keep in mind that what you may view as an intrusion CAN, in
some circumstances, actually be a protection to you as a buyer or seller.

--
KarenK
Desert Dreamer Designs
http://members.cox.net/desertdreameraz/
Ebay Sto http://www.stores.ebay.com/desertdreamerdesigns
JustBeads: http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=DesertDreamer