Started out just wanting to know why my category numbers were not correct but hot flashed and all the buried disatisfaction came out. Hope to get an answer to the category question but thought I'ld share the rest here also. This is long winded and definitely a rant - but it is basically how I feel. And I note that others here have posted with similar comments so here is what I sent to support today for answers.

Due to a death in the family and personal health, I had not listed for about 9 months on ebay. When I started back up, the first thing I did was to make sure Mr. Poster was updated and ebay categories were updated. Now have Mr. Poster Version 1.72. By the way, you are still showing 1.52 as being the most recent version on the request help form. Am having errors on several of my items every time I post my batches. Although the errors show up as something to do with attributes - I noticed that the category numbers were not correct and once I changed it to the correct number as per ebay‘s page where all categories are listed and you can view them using number of listings per category or showing category number, the listing went thru fine. Have checked my update categories options everytime I‘ve opened Mr. Poster but it says there are no updates. I post quite a few items in Collectibles, Decorative, Unbranded, and this seems to be where all the errors occur.

Have been to the forum here at Auctiva but couldn‘t find anything re this particular problem BUT did note that people are posting about something I have over the years I‘ve been with you, posted about on the forum and thru communication with you. Why don‘t you just charge for Mr. Poster and keep it updated. Auctiva Mr. Poster is recommended frequently on the ebay boards, it is loved by everyone who uses it and it is the best listing software out there. I already had a photo host when I started with y‘all right after ebay shut Mr. Lister down - I don‘t need photo hosting, I don‘t need a template - I do need an easy to use listing software that I can work on offline to set up batches to post. But I need one that is kept updated - and a year ago when I had to stop posting for awhile you were having this same problem with keeping category numbers updated correctly. Also I need counters that work on every auction - not just some auctions. And I know what your‘re going to say - the counters do work they just don‘t show when checking the counter list thru Auctiva unless people have hit on the auction - honey, I‘ve had bids on auctions, which means someone definitely hit on the auction, and it still doesn‘t show on my counter list!!!

From what I can tell by looking at your community forum, everyone loves your listing service and none of us have been able to find anything comparable - cause we look, believe me - but we are all totally confused by the New auctiva and the Classic auctiva - shoot I can‘t even figure out what the New is cause when I sign in to it it just keeps bringing me back to the page to sign in to it!! I‘ld sign up for your $9.95 a month service - not because I want or will use any of the extras offered with it - JUST to have Mr. Poster kept up to date. I‘ld DEFINITELY sign up for eBud to have all the options on record keeping, but since Mr. Poster is the listing service with it, plus the same counter service, I have to wonder if the rest of it works. AND speaking of, I‘ld pay you another $5 a month to have a counter service that worked on every auction and provided a breakdown of when the most hits were made by day and hour (like the old Ruby Lane counters). From what I see on your own forums and the ebay boards and from talking to Austin ebayers, there are a slew of people who would pay for the same thing.

And that‘s my second question - Is Auctiva Poster different from Mr. Poster? On your product page you show Auctiva Poster offered for $9.95 a month at the top of the page BUT lower on the page where you show the plans available, in the 9.95 Starter Plan you specify that it does NOT include Auctiva Poster. You don‘t get Auctiva Poster until you get to the $19.95 a month plan. Okay - I could swing 19.95 - is this a different listing software? is it kept more up to date? does it work basically the same as Mr. Poster just paid more attention to by y‘all? Do the counters work better? and do they have a breakdown with the counters? I‘ll go this service if it works better and is kept up to date. This is my slow period on ebay from now thru christmas so I‘m working on opening an ebay store and getting listings ready for Jan. and spring which is always a good money time for me. And part of what I‘m doing is looking for a good listing software - I want to stay with y‘all but I don‘t want to have to double check everything - that takes as much time as ebay‘s crazy listing services.

Personally - you‘re sitting on a gold mine if you would just make the mine easier to find. Instead of dividing your site in two - which no one can seem to figure out - and by saying get this for 9.95, then when you go to that plan it says in red - this is not offered with this plan - Just simplify the whole mess - offer people what they are already lined up at your door for but make it clean cut and KEEP it updated and working. As stated above and as stated repeatedly on your forums - I and others would pay for services thru you if we could figure out what they were and if they were maintained. No one is going to buy a service from you, even though it offers options they need and want, if it includes a service they are already using and having problems with.

Thanks - don‘t really expect a full answer to this but just had to get it out of my system. Off to auctionbytes to see if they‘ve added any listing services to their list and to the ebay boards to see what people are recommending there before the posts get pulled by ebay cause no one is recommending their listing software. Y‘all show up on the boards a lot!! but everytime I see where you get recommended there are several people who post about the problems they encountered with you and how they were never solved - and the whole confusing New vs Classic is one of the main ones!

AMen - what a friggin mess this place is. I tell you what tho, I wouldn't be ready to spend a red cent on anything until they take care of some of the legal questions surround their stuff and the rules of other participants like PAyPal, and also not just clean up their stuff but bug test endlessly. THese guys can't even handle answering their own email.

We all have lived through being financially raped by Microsoft et al while they use us to bug test their shoddy products while they get so filthy rich they can throw away billions of dollars taking care of Africa's medical needs while we, their customers, can't afford medical insurance.

I'm sick of it. Auctiva needs to get it right before they think of charging for anything, and they need to get a pro inside of admin and clean up this scattered all over the place nonsence they have going on. Its too bad when someone has a good thing going but is too crippled to do it right - they wind up loosing everything.

Wow! I totally agree with the Classic vs New Auctiva split into two separate websites being confusing.

I would love, love, love to have all the neat features of the free website but with the ability to use a desktop lister for bulk listing and offline work.

I think so many of the questions asked by myshabbichic are excellent.
Plus, what is up with charging for scheduling listings on the classic site and having it for free on the other site. Image hosting is free on one but not on the classic. Huh?
Wouldn't mind using both websites (if that is even possible or a good idea, I'm not sure) but I would prefer everything to be on just one website and way more organized or streamlined and if not free atleast highly affordable like maybe $20. a month. Especially if everything is well maintained and support is a bit more user friendly.

Momborch

www.autohobby4me.com

I have spent days trying to make sure my first and only listing in my store shows right on ebay. All this running from one place to another, admin. telling you to contact support but you don't hear back, why not post answers in the public forum so we dont have to email them one million times trying to figure it all out, heck I didnt even know about classic, until I tried to us mr poster, then so disapointed I am going to have to use yet another program to post html. I dont know it, I use standard and online and in mr lister you could edit font, color size etc. Nothing in mr poster, how come so many thinks its best out there? You cannot even edit your desc. I am so disapointed. What a waste of time and no one answers just tells you to send support ticket, grrrrrrrr.
Dale
I am so confused by what you call the new site, and since alot of stuff doesnt work your just searching and searching, there must be a simpler way. And no I dont want to pay anything, I can't even get going, one listing took a week of messing around. No less dial up makes it a misery.