Latest news on Buy It Sell It

[TheCoveredBridgeStore]

Anybody else receive this email from BISI? (Buy It Sell It)"


What is being announced?
On 3/16/2009, we announced our pricing and membership structure effective 5/01/2009.

What are the pricing changes?
We have consolidated our plan offerings to three separate plans, Free, Standard and Digital Delivery. Free accounts will now include all buyitsellit features excluding domain hosting and bulk edit/import. Additionally, free accounts are now limited to 10 products. The standard plan has changed from $4.95/mo to $9.95/mo. We have consolidated our digital file delivery service to one plan which is $14.95/mo and now provides domain hosting. All plans remain flat-rate and do not include any sales percentage fees.

Why are you changing the pricing?
There are several factors why we decided to change our pricing structure. buyitsellit has offered "free" stores since November 2007. By offering totally free stores, we have had an increased amount of free stores participating in fraudulent activity and using system resources available for legitimate sellers. By changing our pricing, we will be able to provide a much more reliable and dynamic service to our members.

How long do I have to choose a plan?
All pricing changes will be effective 5/01/2009. You will be prompted to upgrade your account if you exceeded the free account limits or if you have not changed to the new pricing structure. All accounts will need to be compliant with a new pricing plan before 5/01/2009.

What if I decide not to change plans?
If you have not changed your pricing plan after 5/01/2009, you will still have full access to your products and orders via the buyitsellit admin. If your account is not compliant with a new plan after 5/01/2009, your storefront will be interrupted until a plan has been selected.

If I upgrade, do you offer any money-back guarantee?
Glad you asked! You bet, if you are not satisfied with in the first 30 days of upgrading your account, please contact support and we'll issue a full refund of your first payment.

Can I cancel or change plans anytime?
All plans are month-to-month

[kolstromkreations]

Yep, you beat me posting it, read it on the forum.  The party is over!

[TheCoveredBridgeStore]

ah well - I never did much on it - and quite frankly, maybe free isn't the best idea - brings alot of riff-raff

[kolstromkreations]

Ya got that right!!  There will be some howling though.

We have consolidated our digital file delivery service to one plan which is $14.95/mo and now provides domain hosting.

Wondering if this is going to be like the old Auctiva scam where one has to do the buyback if moving the domain.  Are they still doing that?

[SouthernJewel.com]

I figured it was coming...this is about on target of when I thought BISI would implement it's fee's.
 

[tomas]

Wondering if this is going to be like the old Auctiva scam where one has to do the buyback if moving the domain.  Are they still doing that?

No funny business like that! We never have any authoritative or technical rights on any domain. You're free to move when and where you want it, it's your domain.

[kolstromkreations]

Thanks, that's the way it should be.

[BTPS]

It's like the crazy fruits slot machine says --
And ALL good things must come to an end
LOL

Honestly can you believe that as cheap as I am - I don't mine this at all.
We all knew it would happen.

I have 3 stores there.  2 I will pay the monthly fee to keep.  They have proven themselves that they are worthy of paying to have.  The 3rd one - well it was off to a very very slow start but in the past month had 5 sales ... small profit but still - 5 sales.
So I got to figure out -- pay for 3? or just 2?

This is what I would LOVE to see -
a site that truely understands the value of NICHE stores and SEO
a site that offers a pricing deal based on how many stores you own
and not an individual store fee.
Sure, it might to a bit to get that organized
BUT in my case you would make more money
because if I have the choice of $10 per store or 3 stores for $25
I'll go with the three stores!
storesonline.com has always understood that concept and their stores run thousands!  Buy more and save, lol


Tomas?  any chance of a multiple store discount??

[signsintime]

This is good news for our business as now the free stores will be able to have custom templates!

We just sold one this morning after the announcement and I don't think it was by chance. LOL

[tomas]

Tomas?  any chance of a multiple store discount??

We've received a handful of these requests. It's been noted and seriously considered in the future. I can't provide an exact time-line however. I know a lot of our sellers have multiple stores and we'd love to build a system that integrates all of these from an administrative perspective and also a billing perspective.

This is good news for our business as now the free stores will be able to have custom templates!

The flexibility of the custom templates is what really sets BISI apart from the rest. We had to offer this feature for free just to demonstrate what can be done with your own template. I anticipate a lot more business for designers with this change.   

[BTPS]

We've received a handful of these requests. It's been noted and seriously considered in the future. I can't provide an exact time-line however. I know a lot of our sellers have multiple stores and we'd love to build a system that integrates all of these from an administrative perspective and also a billing perspective.

where's that smiley with his eyes falling out of his head.
NO NO NO, lol
If I wanted integration I would do one store!  LOL. 
I have separate business, separate LLC so keeping the admin functions separate are extremely important.  If I was the sole owner of all the businesses that wouldn't matter but in my cause I am not.  I have a multiple member LLC and my own businesses.  You know it's like yours, mine and ours, lol.  If they had to be integrated that would kill it for me.

I'm not asking for integration of anything.  Just like a buy 2 get 1 half price sale, LMAO!

[tomas]

I understand the need to keep data separate. I wouldn't consider 'merging' multiple stores.

What would be convenient is to easily switch between stores in the admin. Similar to what inkFrog offers for multiple eBay accounts.

[SouthernJewel.com]

Tomas,

How will this playout for Inkfrog users?

If memory serves (and sometimes it doesn't) I remember that Inkfrog was going to give it's members the ability to post to BISI for no additional charge?

Is that still under consideration? Or will the Inkfrog members receive a discount?

[BTPS]

What would be convenient is to easily switch between stores in the admin. Similar to what inkFrog offers for multiple eBay accounts.

Since I never used InkFrog I have no clue what you are referring to.
I use multiple ebay ids with Auctiva - even though they told me it can't be done, lol, but I doubt that's what you are referring to.

I don't want access to all the stores via one log in.  That too won't work the best for me and my situation.
Just have a Buy 2 get oen half price sale. 
Man I like that idea.
Even a buy 4 get one free, lol

[planetsuze]

Too dang funny. I woke up this morning to interesting email.

One from BISI about the rate increase. I thought "THAT figures. I just open a paying store (the $4.95 one so I could use custom templates [plug for Jeri and Teri here!]) and here's the increase!"

The other one was PayPal telling me I had my first sale already!  
I don't know what they are doing exactly, but they must be doing something right. I just listed these items literally this past weekend. Except for one test item, and the one I sold was a new listing.

I have 44 days to decide how to play it (so it tells me every time I log in now), but I am going to hang around a bit and see what happens!

[BTPS]

planetsuze  - you know all these years I have "known" you
I have no clue what you sell, lol

BUT it's been my experience that BISI is doing something right!  Which is why I have stores there, lol.  I always just did the free one cause I don't care for a template I just want a place to sell, lol.
BUT 10 items is not worth being a store in my opinion. 
One store has about 1800 items, one has about 500 and the 3rd only has about 45 -- it's the 45 item store that I don't think I will pay to have.

If I could just figure out the XML thingy I would have tons more items in my stores.  I was loading the one with the 1800 via the bulk lister the day it suddenly changed and havn't gotten it to work for me since.  So I just moved on... resulting it the store not being completely loaded.

[planetsuze]

LOL - I *was* your garden-variety yard-sale sleuthing eBay seller of miscellaneous items several years ago. I haven't been super active in awhile, some Amazon books and stuff here and there and the occasional ebook sale. I *truly* enjoyed the toy biz a little bit ago, before the economy tanked... 

This is my new venture: http://www.skincaredivine.com

I am still stocking the store.

This is a limited deal, though. Once these items are sold, it's done. I invested in these items to help my niece start her esthetician business, and she promptly got pregnant and stopped working. Cute baby, but I would like my investment back, LOL

Does anybody know how well the digital items are doing on BISI? That's another avenue I may consider seriously if it looks promising.

[SouthernJewel.com]

My personal thoughts are this...alot has to do with your independent Google Base loadup.

Gotta do those meta-tags and KNOW what you're doing as far as keywords and attributes. (which we all know BT knows attributes)

[BTPS]

alot has to do with your independent Google Base loadup

BISI does my google feeds.

hhhmmm next time I log in I'll check but I don't think I use google attrobutes there.
I could be wrong though, lol.  Lord knows I don't remember much these days.

[SouthernJewel.com]

I need to reword that.

You have to HAVE your own Google Base account which you input in the settings.

It's not something that BISI does on their own. It keeps them from having their hand smacked if an item is uploaded that isn't allowed.

Better?