Hi, all,

Several users have asked about the Google Base and if it has helped my auctions.

The answer is definitely YES. Hits are way up, inquiries being sent from buyers searching on Google, finding my auctions and then making an inquiry is much higher than I anticipated. And my Internet sales have increased significantly since I started uploading to Google base.

It isn't hard. Sign up for a Google account. It is completely free. And until the end of 2007, the Google Checkout is free. More about that later.

To get your existing auctions to Google base, you can bulk upload using the Google Base Store Connector. Way too easy to do.

Here is the URL to get the Base Store connector.

http://base.google.com/base/storeconnector

Judy/blue

Hi Judy,

Did you do another post about Google Base somewhere? I'd like to read it if you did.

Thanks - Cher



http://www.JewelryByCherDesigns.com

Cher,

No I am a bad girl. I have been too busy. But I will get something done in the next few days as I have had numerous inquiries about it.

Judy/blue

Hi Judy,

That's ok, I know busy! I don't have a store anymore so I went looking for some software that would generate a Google Base file for me ('cause I'm busy remember) and I'm trying one right now.

Cher



http://www.JewelryByCherDesigns.com

Hi, All,

Google Base seems to be one of the hottest things going right now. And it is completely free. With the eBay fee increases, Overstock eliminating the Subscription plans as well as other changes in store for the Auction marketplace in 2007, seller's need to be taking advantage of every means to promote your Auctions as well as your online business.

And Google Base is a great way to do it.

First, you must have a Google Account to even get started. It is easy and it is free.

go to www.google.com and sign up for a free account.

The sign up includes supplying information both Personal as well as information you would like displayed on the Internet. If you don't create an User id, all the items you upload to Google show up as offered by nullnull.

Yuo can create your own Google Base user id. But you might want to consider using your eBay User id as you are promoting your auctions. And it certainly doesn't hurt to have your user id plastered all over one more spot.

Judy/blue

After you have singed up for your free Google Account, take a minute to go to the Google Base and browse through the "products" section.

Here's the URL:
http://base.google.com

Products remain on Google Base for 30 days. YOu can see when you uploaded, publised and searchable as well as when the auction will become inactive by clicking on "Base" items after signing into your Google account.

Judy/blue

Judy:

You're right about the eBay store. It's too bad, but at least as far as I can figure out, Google will only let you do store items. However, as you said before if your auctions are related to a store category then they too will go to GoogleBase.

After a week or so using GoogleBase I found out that every time I have a "major" closing of auctions or upload new material it is a good idea to do the GoogleBase upload. First (again as you said Judy) it will allow you to delete closed/sold items and it will upload everything that can be found in your store. Also you can decide not to list some categories or some items within a category.

The best solution for me has been to redo GoogleBase at least twice a week. It doesn't take a lot of time and you can be doing other stuff while it works so you're not just sitting looking at the screen. Once I started doing the multiple times a week thing with GoogleBase I found that I got a much better result.

Sue mentioned the big guys trampling over her items. I've had that happen to me since day one. So listing more than once a week has given me just a tiny edge over them. I don't know if a daily upload makes any sense? Has anyone tried a daily upload even if your items haven't changed on eBay?

Even with the biggies stepping all over my stuff I still get sales and it has been worthwhile. The great part has been that everything that sells is already in awk2 so the invoicing is sure easy. Once I get a GoogleBase sale it is treated exactly as if it was purchased on eBay using all of the aw2k functions.

Enough of my rambling on - just wanted to put my two cents worth in about GoogleBase. It isn't a great deal of work at all and it is worth it. Even if it is only 10 additional sales a week it is free and that's ten more sales that wouldn't have been made otherwise.

Garry

Garry,

If I upload at least once a week, I get the same results. My auction sales are much higher. Now I am sure I would sell something on Google Base if I would take the time to actually list more than 3 items on Google But those 3 items I have listed, I get inquiries about them.

And the 3 items I have listed on Google, I have some on eBay as well. And the items on eBay keep selling out in my eBay store. Inmy books, it is working.

I haven't tried uploading everyday. I have thought about it though.

You know, Cher you might ought to contact the Google Base Store connector tech support and suggest they add the functionality of uploading regular auctions as well. It really wouldn't hurt to have another category on Google Base other than the 30 day Product listings anyway. Just a thought.

Judy/blue

Judy:
You're right. It couldn't hurt to let Google know that there are other items available on eBay not just stores. But Cher can list individual items and not use googleBase upload. There is the function on the GoogleBase home page where you can list items and you don't need an eBay account even to do that.

But letting them know the suggestion couldn't hurt.

Garry

I emailed the Google Base tech support and suggested they consider adding Overstock. (that was prior to all the major changes at Overstock). I received a real live reply thanking me for the idea. And said they would consider it.

I think Google Base has a "suggestion list" too :o)

Judy/blue

Hi, all,

More on Google Base---

After you have signed up for Google Base and edited all your personal information, you will want to sign up for Google checkout. Now you can't use Google Checkout on eBay. But nothing says you can't use Google Checkout for all the buyers that are emailing you directly to request more product.

Your buyers are emailing you requesting additional product?? And since you use AW2000, a click on the "+" on the Invoices toolbar, enter in their email address and you have a new Invoice. click the "+" button located directly above the Invoice Items field and you can add anything the buyer wants to their Invoice. Then you can send them to Google Checkout to pay. No Paypal fees

If you use the sign up for "Google checkout" that is on the other services page, it signs you up like you are a buyer, instead of a seller.

I suggest you post one item to Google Base and sign up for Google Checkout then. Since you are a seller, you should sign up for a merchant/business account. You will need either your Federal ID number or Social Security number to complete the Google Checkout sign up. And then you have to wait 3 to 5 days for Google to deposit a few pennies into your bank account in order to verify your Google checkout account. Just like you did when you signed up for Paypal.

Judy/blue

Wow Judy, it's awesome that you got a real response! I will send them a suggestion.



http://www.JewelryByCherDesigns.com

Cher,

It wasn't a "fast as Thom" response. Took about day and half to receive it. But it was not automated. There was even a typo in it so I knew a real life person had responded

Judy/blue

Judy:
With all that's going on with O/S let's keep our fingers crossed that GoogleBase acts before there is nothing left of O/S. It's so sad to see O/S going downhill as quickly as it is. I hope they can revive it and keep it going as a vital site. I've noticed that people on O/S (buyers) are not necessarily the same as those that frequent eBay.

The people at GoogleBase are very proactive aren't they? They reply with real live emails - nothing canned or formlettery.

Garry

Garry,

No the buyers on Overstock are usually not the same. I spent a great deal of time encouraging my buyers to bid on my Overstock auctions. Several of my regular buyers did register and bid. but for the most part, new and different type of buyer.

And I hope Google base turns out to be a viable options as well. That would be so good.

So far the Google tech seems to be real active. I have been impressed. OF course they don't respond in the lightning fast speed as Auction Wizard tech, but for a big company, it is impressive.

Judy/blue

Judy:

I don't think any tech support can match what Thom and his team do. Way back when - I had just started using aw2k (had paid for it al all) and I had a crash. I think it was several days after I had paid for the program. So I thought I'll just reinstall. Didn't work. Sent Thom an email. And it wasn't more than 15 minutes and I had a reply. He gave me step by step instructions what to do. That didn't really help. He asked for a log file and so I sent it off. About 2 hours later he sent me an email with a link to a patch. I downloaded and applied the patch and was back up and running. All in all it was probably 4 to 5 hours after the first email was sent by me - and I was back up and running. That was a Sunday!!

It just doesn't get any better than that - I've never had support like that - even live phone help has never been that good with any vendor. The program itself is great but the Tech support makes for an unbeatable situation for auction management IMHO.

Garry

Garry,

100% of my experiences with Auction Wizard tech support have been the exact same. Thom has bailed me out of some terrible messes I have made.

Judy/blue

Hi, All,

If you use the Google Bast Store Connector, an update has been released. They have added the ability to delete any Items that are not eBay Store items which works out very well. Don't have to spend so much time deleting items that are Not Sold or already Sold.

Judy/blue

HI, all,

For those of you using Google Base, just a reminded to keep your items updated by uploading at least once a week. Uploading once a week keeps your Auctions refreshed in Google Base.

Judy/blue