Sellathon?

Ok..here's the thread.
https://community.auctiva.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8556093...121085671#6121085671

I think it's well worth every penny a seller would spend on it.

Try it for your free 30 day trial.

We're in the lull time for eBay selling, summer months have always been slow. I would consider signing up now and playing with it for 30 days before the big selling days of eBay start.

I placed a link on the thread above and copied and pasted some info from the site, too.

My Best,
Donna

Thank you so very much Donna!

I'll sure check into it and hopefully will find benefit!

Don't forget to check your email (junk folders, spam folders) for emails from Auctiva when you first sign up for our service. We send one email that tells you all about Sellathon and also give you your Sellathon username and password and a link to your Sellathon account.

If for some reason, you never saw this email, file a support request (link at the bottom of the Help page) and our support team will help you.

Take care -

Cara

I saw on the auctiva home page that all sellers tools are free...what is the fee for this sellathon counter...

This Sellathon is showing up in my auctions and anyone can click on the link and see how many hits my items are getting, which items have snipes set up and which are being watched. I know that because I logged out of everything and was still able to view that information. I don't think I'm comfortable with that. I thought it was to be for the seller's use, not for everyone pokin' around on eBay.

Are you sure it's not just tied to your IP address or something? So that you can view it whether you're logged in or not?

I really don't know, just curious. If you can see all the info from someone else's computer then I guess we'll know for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by this_keeps_momma_home:
I saw on the auctiva home page that all sellers tools are free...what is the fee for this sellathon counter...

There are two different types of sellathon counters..

One with basic stats..Free

One with all the bells and whistles..free trial of 30 days with your Auctiva membership and after that the price varies.

My Best, Donna

quote:

Originally posted by glitzytreasures:
This Sellathon is showing up in my auctions and anyone can click on the link and see how many hits my items are getting, which items have snipes set up and which are being watched. I know that because I logged out of everything and was still able to view that information. I don't think I'm comfortable with that. I thought it was to be for the seller's use, not for everyone pokin' around on eBay.

Rick,

I think since the info might have already been in her cache, history, temp files..she could see it even if she were logged out.

If after cleaning your computer out and rebooting, you still have this issue...

I'd get with Crissie (sp)over at Sellathon in Customer Service, she's a doll and goes above board to help.

They also have a great community board that answers alot of questions and has stickies on threads with walk-throughs.

http://forum.sellathon.com/

My Best,
Donna

Thanks. I did check with them and basically they said that yes, anyone could see the information because I'm using the free counter. I didn't realize that using the free counter with Auctiva, would place that kind of information in my auction listings and honestly, it bothers me that I can't remove it now because the auction has a bid!

I don't like it that someone can tell how many people are watching my auction or have set snipes. I feel "naked."

quote:

I don't like it that someone can tell how many people are watching my auction or have set snipes. I feel "naked."

Can you give me the link to this and tell me how to do it. I can't imagine I or anyone else can see how many watchers you have or if there are snipers without logging into your Sellathon account. Hits yes, but not watchers or snipers. The number of hits of course can be seen right in the counter without leaving the eBay page.

There's probably a cookie on your computer that automatically pulls that information up for YOU, and not anyone else. Like Jeff said, give someone a link to the page and see if they can get the same information coming in from a blind computer...

Hi again.

I just looked at my auction from another computer and could still see the info. The link actually says:

Click here to see my other items, ranked by popularity.

And there are links that you can click on to see various information. I removed the link from two of my auctions, so there's no information on them available, which sort of looks even worse...?

I was able to see the history of bidder's and their id's, which could be a situation for spamming for similar auctions from other seller's....

But you could also see all the other things I mentioned too, right?

yes...sorry, forgot to mention that....

This is what I see:

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/0/4/3/9/1/3/webimg/16567757_o.jpg

It's not as detailed as I was imagining but, yep, it's definitely info I wouldn't want others to be able to see...

That's very surprising.

Is it possible that it's just a downside of the free trial period?

I get two different pages at various times when I click my own sellathon link (I'm a subscriber).

One is the screen you guys are seeing, the other is like a "Hey, come join sellathon" ad page wherein nothing re: my auctions can be seen unless I log in.

I've NEVER seen a bidder's list (either logged in or not), though. That's definately disturbing...something like that, if it's true, would lose sellathon my business.

-Fox

Well, I can't see where to see the bid history or bidders' IDs but you can see that stuff on eBay anyway in the actual listing.

However, what I can see (when clicking on glitzytreasures' counter) is how many snipes, watches and unique visits each of her items has. That's a bit disturbing.

quote:

Originally posted by glitzytreasures:
But you could also see all the other things I mentioned too, right?

I just went in and did a search (titles and descriptions) on sellathon and was able to pull up many auctions. I then clicked on the see my other stuff ranked....and was able to see all the stats.

Makes for a mighty nice research tool. I can see what tactics/copy works best and imitate it...if I so chose.

If I had these auction's up and running, I wouldn't want everyone to see everything about them though....

Is there a way to use the counter and not have that info show (without paying)?

I think at the very least, there should be a warning that sensitive information will be available to anyone viewing your auctions if you chose to use the free counters!!

See, I use the free counter (haven't subscribed yet) but whenever I check I never see anything but "Sorry, this seller is currently not a user of Sellathon's ViewTracker™ service."

I just searched eBay for "sellathon" and checked the counter out in random listings.

I got a mix of that stats page, the "not a user" page and a sales page trying to get me to join.

Alright. This is from the Sellathon community forums:

quote:

Our research shows that the Gallery increases traffic to your items 17%. More visitors means more opportunities for a sale! Very Happy

As I've said in a few other threads, you can become a paid member and use a completely hidden code. This will eliminate the link to the Gallery and the counter graphic from your items all together, but will require you to swap tracking codes in any running items.

You can also join our affiliate program at http://www.sellathon.com/affiliates.php , and enter your affiliate information in Step 3 on the Tracking Code page. This will change the tracking code so that the link will go back to our home page, and we'll pay you a commission on every paid membership that comes to us by way of that link. Again, you'll need to swap tracking codes out in your running items if you choose this route.

Apparently it's just how it is until you pay up.

But if this is the case why don't I hear people talking about taking advantage of the information for marketing, bidding, whatever?

Rick, how long have you been using the free counter? If it's been quite a while, maybe your "free trial" is up and that's why you're getting tht message instead of being able to see your stats.

I still think the counter should come with a warning/disclaimer. I think it's unfair otherwise.

quote:

Rick, how long have you been using the free counter? If it's been quite a while, maybe your "free trial" is up and that's why you're getting tht message instead of being able to see your stats.

Yeah, I bet you're right about that (it has been a while). I had no idea that's what the "free trial" is. Very odd.

But, hey, I guessed that back on page 1 and nobody responded!

If anybody can see that info only during the free trial then I guess that makes a little more sense. It's still crappy and a bit like asking for protection money from new users but still..

Mornin,

Here's the contact info, plus I emailed Crissy this thread to see if when she gets in on Monday if she can get your answers for you.

This will get to the bottom of this real fast. I should've done this in the first place, I've been scattered and offline for family time.

Glitzy did you take the time to email sellathon in regards to this? To get an answer directly from them? Perhaps they could clarify it more in depth.

Good Luck, Donna

Email support@sellathon.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm (ET). Feel free to email support at any time, but if you email during business hours, you're guaranteed to get a prompt reply. (To save time, please include all relevant information when you write us like your username, auction IDs, nature of the problem, etc.)

Telephone Support:

Call Sellathon Support at (859) 272-2467. While most companies these days just buy a voice mail system that says "Your call is very important to us", we decided instead to be a little nostalgic and - GET THIS - actually answer our phone! Yes, it's true! Call us during business hours and the phone will be answered by live, knowledgeable human beings!

I didn't e-mail them, but as I said earlier, I did contact them through their message board. This was my earlier post:

quote:

Thanks. I did check with them and basically they said that yes, anyone could see the information because I'm using the free counter. I didn't realize that using the free counter with Auctiva, would place that kind of information in my auction listings and honestly, it bothers me that I can't remove it now because the auction has a bid!

Yeah, what I'd posted earlier from the Sellathon boards was a response to one of glitzy's posts.

Here's the official response I received from Sellathon.

Hope this helps any of you who have concerns.

As a footnote: Alot of services don't have any real life person manning their boards and have message boards up for sense of community.

I always go straight to the source with Customer Help. It's why you won't see me asking questions of Auctiva on these boards, I go to Help and send a customer ticket, that way I have a tracking date and time of when I asked for support. When all is well, I can then close the ticket with my comments that are on file for management to see.

Krissie is great and she will go OUT of her way to help you. Due to proper business standards I'm sure Krissie wouldn't come to this board and answer via the board. If she contacts me, I'll pass the information along.

I've not seen this issue before, but then again I've never made clicked on any seller's Sellathon counter or any other service counter for that matter. <shrug> It's just not something in the seven plus years that I've ever thought to do.

I can understand your concern though.

My Best,
Donna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Donna-

Thank you for making us aware of this message/thread. I have forwarded your message to Krissie so that she will see it.

The post that you left in the Auctiva forum is really the best answer that can be given to a large group. Anyone who has any questions about the Gallery, or any other aspect of ViewTracker, O-Tracker, or Seller Power, is encouraged to contact us so that we can answer their questions. If anyone contacts you directly, please feel free (again) to pass along our information.

As such, I can almost guarantee that Krissie will not reply directly to this thread, although she may send a reply to your message.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Alex

Sage advice there Donna....

Auctiva needs to hire you to write a user's manual for newbs...

It was Krissie who gave me the response that both Rick and I posted here.

The bottom line is this.... I think the Sellathon program could defintely be useful. I simply do not like having information about my auctions shown to the whole eBay community without my consent or knowledge. When I chose to use the counter, there was no disclaimer that anyone who chose to click on the Sellathon link would be able to view stats about my auctions.

I guess that's something that Auctiva needs to address since they're allowing Sellathon to share our information without explaining exactly what will happen when you use the counters.

Gosh,

I have alot of affiliate links. I don't state any kinda disclaimer for the services that I believe enough in to affiliate for them. I don't plan on adding a disclaimer either.

I took the time to research them before signing up with them and can stand by those productsand will. When I click on another persons affiliate links, I do take the time to research how that item works, how it will show up in my auctions, web site, etc.

I also assume (and you know what they say about assuming) that the person who signs up for the services through one of my affiliate links will do their own research before signing up for them. One example of this is I have over 500 affiliate links to my eBay auctions.

What one person might not like about a service another might and to assume otherwise seems...well, opening one up for trouble.

Where as you don't like the Gallery link, it wouldn't phase me, it would merely add another dimension to cross-promotion as far as I was concerned. And another way to get my links out there for Search Engine Optimiziation.

I'm not saying that you don't have a right to dislike that part of Sellathon. But to say that there should be a disclaimer...as a person who has affiliate links..I think that's alot to ask.

My affiliate links to eBay don't have a disclaimer against eBay or my affiliate links back to Auctiva don't have a disclaimer against them.

I still stand by my advise that before one signs up for any service that I affiliate (whether via a service like Auctiva or from say my cross-promotion of other sellers I trust) for I would think they would take the time to research what they are personally signing up for.

I don't use Sellathon during the slower times of the year..but when it's rock n rollin with eBay I do. I think it's a killer service and shows me so much information in regards to my auctions. And I don't mind the cross-promotion of my other items. But once again, that's me and not you.

My Best,
Donna

Gosh, I had no idea that I was signing up as an "affiliate" for Sellathon by using the free counter that I believed was provided by Auctiva.

Most people who sign up as affiliates, understand that they need to research what they're promoting (which is what affiliates do, they promote web-sites and earn money/rewards for doing so).

I thought I was using a free counter, provided by Auctiva. I had no idea that using that counter, meant that Sellathon could my auctions in any way they felt necessary to promote THEIR product.

And, I don't think requesting a disclaimer is asking much at all. The least Auctiva could do is explain how using the counter, means that you accept and understand that you are becoming an "affiliate."

quote:

I don't use Sellathon during the slower times of the year..but when it's rock n rollin with eBay I do. I think it's a killer service and shows me so much information in regards to my auctions. And I don't mind the cross-promotion of my other items. But once again, that's me and not you.

That's right, it's YOUR choice. I wasn't given a choice!

quote:

Originally posted by glitzytreasures:

quote:

I don't use Sellathon during the slower times of the year..but when it's rock n rollin with eBay I do. I think it's a killer service and shows me so much information in regards to my auctions. And I don't mind the cross-promotion of my other items. But once again, that's me and not you.

That's right, it's YOUR choice. I wasn't given a choice!

<shrug>

As teenagers say...Whatever.

Read the acceptance agreement that comes with the service..you agreed to the use of their product in your auctions. Auctiva does not automatically sign you up for the Sellathon counters, you have to manually do that yourself. And before manually accepting the counters, You were given a choice to accept or deny via the Sellathon site. You accepted without seeing what the counter entailed fully, so I do think you had a choice to investigate what you were accepting via the agreement.

But then again, that's just legalities.

I'm done with this discussion.

Argue with yourself. Geesh.

quote:

As teenagers say...Whatever.

Are you a teenager? That would explain a lot.

I hope you truly are done with this conversation because frankly, I'm a little tired of your comments.

I may be stepping on some toes here since you're a "premier poster" and I'm only a "rookie," but all I ever really wanted was some help, not a constant gushing and promotion of the wonders of Sellathon.

I don't want to argue, I just wanted help. Thanks to everyone who tried to help and I apologize for letting this discussion turn into a heated disagreement.