PROSTORE - YOUR COMMENTS ?

[cartoonsinabox]

Has anyone started using or considering to use the new PROSTORE by EBAY ? I was thinking of using this new service to start my onw website store. Has anyone started using it. If you have good experience or even negative please let me know.
__________________________________________________?:|

[magicpixiedust]

whats a prostore? havent heardof it?

[muminlaw]

marsu450, check the US PS board -- there are several discussions going on about it.

magicpixiedust - prostore is eBay's answer to separate web-sites. Apparently you get a unique domain address, and eBay provides the tools and templates to set up your semi-independant website and to link it to your eBay auctions -- they have several levels depending on the size and services you want and they take 0.5% of final sales.
. Glenda
To Golf or Not To Golf? What a stupid question!

[catseye*]

No, you can't link to your eBay auctions. the same rules apply as any off-eBay site.

I'm seriously looking into it.

[muminlaw]

I thought I read that one of the features is the ability to link your eBay auctions to your ProStore. I agree that you can't link to your ProStore from you eBay auctions although I imagine you're allowed to put the link in your ME page.

I'm still debating whether I'd prefer the ease of this one or if I want to go all-out and open a truly independant web site. Either one sounds like a lot of work for a retired 'little old lady' who'd rather be golfing!
. Glenda
To Golf or Not To Golf? What a stupid question!

[magicpixiedust]

if they provide all the tools/templates to help you design your web page this sounds good..and there are no listing fees or added fees except the 0.5% then this sounds reasonable. Would you be in the mainstream web search, so if someone typed in what you were selling, your store would come up? or does the person have to know exactly your web name?

[sunset_sports_cards]

Ebay will also charge up to $250 per month for the web space or Prostore and still want between .5% and 1.5% commission of your sales. Does it ever end?

[sunset_sports_cards]

Web site address is www.prostore.com.

[sunset_sports_cards]

Sorry missed a letter. www.prostores.com

[chuck111fishing]

Ya its just another price grab in my eyes. They just want more and more money out of us. They eventually will screw up a good thing they have going. It think of all the transaction fees and the amount they nail you for is becoming obsurd.



to fish or not to fish
best tackle everywhere

[belldandyrose]

why bother going for it?
if you're going to open a webstore to save money on ebay fees..then do it yourself!! go purchase web hosting, buy a domain name..that way you don't have to pay commission to ebay and their ridiculous prices.

[javax.swing]

fee hikes coming for sure...that's "intro" pricing 🙂

[croquet_team]

You said it, javax.swing! I think if you're gonna go off eBay, you should go cold turkey for sure. Leave this percentage bullkaka behind you! It would, however, be a better sell if you could link to your eBay auctions...however...?

[betterthanstore]

I think it's far too expensive. I only spent about $200-300 to have my website designed (one time fee), then only about $12 to host my website. The prostores is just another ebay money making machine. E-mail me if you need to know more details.

[whoscloset]

0.5% is peanuts initially, but I'm worried about how high the price will go once they've attracted some users. Let's face it, they have a bit of a tendancy to raise their fees.

Normally, I would go for it anyway and move my site to a new host if they became to greedy. Here's the problem, they told me it would take up to 3 months to restore my URL to my exclusive possession. In other words, once you've established your web presence, you would have to give up 3 months of sales and all of the SEO you've worked hard to create in order to free yourself of ProStores fees.

Monique

[cartoonsinabox]

Thats a good point Monique.

[catseye*]

You can sign up initially using their domain name, and give it a whirl. What I'll probably do to try it out is use their domain and forward my own domain name to that.

[whoscloset]

Great idea catseye! Maybe I'll try it that way.

The only problem is that when you work on your SEO the search engines will not recognize your URL. For example, I currently have whoscloset.com directed to my ebay store. I have worked hard on my SEO but even though I have submitted that URL they still only recognize the stores.ebay.com/whos-closet one on Google.

So while you can keep running if you decide to move your hosting, you will lose your SEO rankings and have to rebuild them.

Monique

[whoscloset]

On a positive note, ProStores does incorporate the two-tiered Canadian tax system in their checkout. It is the major reason I am considering using them.

Even PayPal's shopping cart won't recognize our tax system so it can be hard to set up a web store on your own if you're in Canada. I've been trying to find a checkout that is reasonably simple to incorporate, functions well with PayPal and works with our taxes. So far not too much luck.

Monique

[sunset_sports_cards]

0.5% is peanuts initially, but I'm worried about how high the price will go once they've attracted some users. Let's face it, they have a bit of a tendancy to raise their fees.

Re read the site www.prostores.com and you will find it is between 0.5% - 1.5%. I would wager a guess and say that it will be closer to the 1.5% for us high volume sellers.