I am kinda too lazy to search right now. But I did just get an email from eBay that now adding up to 12 images in the antiques, collectibles and several other categories are going to be free. I suspect this is in an effort to get us all using their image services to give the site a more uniform and consistent look.

I am actually OK with this as I have not run into any probs of items I buy who are using eBay's services these days.

So, the opbvious question is...given there is the eBay API which lets the developer have pretty much full access to eBay's services, are we going to see integration with eBay image hosting options anytime soon?

I know it has been a long time between program upgrades, and I am also sure the userbase might be declining. But Aw2k is feeling sort of worn and behind the curve these days. We maybe need a new version, which I have no problem paying an upgrade fee to have done. For me a $50 one time fee would be just fine if enough improvements were made.

I say this because I am on the original one-time-fee license so, I always feel guilty asking about new features. It's a partnership here and I want Thom to stay in business as well as all of us...

Hey!

How are you doing! Haven't seen you for a while...Good to hear from you.

I also received the same email.

Few if any third party tools use eBay picture services. They have their own. Ebay isn't trying to compete with third party tools at all. They are attempting to compete with some of the other venues popping up all over the internet.

Many of these new sites offer free images up to x qty.

I don't know about the user base. I can tell you from first hand experience that there are numerous and I mean lots of Auctiva, Blackthorne, SMP and Turbo lister people leaving those providers and using AW2K. They are glad they moved once they get the hang of AW2K...






Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

Visit me at Bonanzle!
http://www.bonanzle.com/bluepennylady

Edited by AuctionWizard on 02/13/09 01:33 PM (server time).

Not sure you quite get the point of my post. The reason eBay is moving to having sellers use their services for images is to help create a more consistent UI. Currently as we all host our own images there is a marked difference between our listings and those which is eBay's service.

I see the current situation where some listings have multiple images in the upper left corner fully accessible with a quick mouse over vs. those of us who host our own images are locked into a single image, potentially quite confusing for buyers.

On the new view item page potential buyers might never see your other pictures unless they scroll down enough. Our images in the description are, for lack of a better analogy, "below the fold" as I see more and more buyers adjusting to the images in that upper left corner.

Losing bidders/buyers because the did not see the other images should be a concern. Buyers like simple and consistent UI's. But when one listing uses eBay's service and another does not buyers can be put off by the lack of more pictures where they have become used to finding them.

Thus we need the ability to make use of those as an option now. This is a fact. The change in the item pages has a pretty significant impact on how shoppers will browse the site. I suspect those with below the fold pictures, with only a single image in that upper left image area, might begin to see a drop off in either sell through or bids.

As to the user base for Aw2k, if it is indeed growing, then sorry we then should be seeing more features added or even a new UI/listing model not the same UI we have had since 2000...that is now about a decade old. I am not saying it needs to be prettied up, but rather there need to be changes...for gawds sake we still have not gotten the ability to edit drop down lists nor a simple, and mean SIMPLE printer icon when viewing invoices.

And do not take this as a knock on Aw2k, I have been using it the entire time it's been around. But, it is reasonable to expect some updating by this time. Not seeing them would seem to indicate this is almost abandonware. Thom has been great in many areas but really, how many of the smaller issues which would make things a tad easier on us, have been addressed? Nine years is long enough to add a print icon as well as the ability to edit drop down lists no matter the amount if recoding needed to address the drop down issue.

I am not an apologist for any package...I am however a loyal user who is willing to point out short comings.

I love AW2000 too but would like to take advantage of eBays offer to host pictures for free. I pay $10 a month to someone to host my pictures.

Does anyone know if there is a upgrade of AW coming so we will be abe to take advantage of this free program?