Winning auctions automatically

Auction Sniping, named for the original software AuctionSniper, has gone mainstream and, if you are selling on eBay or expect to as part of your business plan, you should be aware that this relatively new trends mainstream adoption has put your profits at risk.

In traditional English Auctions, the basic premise is this, each individual openly bids against one another, driving up the price of the item until only one person remains bidding. With the advent of auction sniping, this process essentially vaporises with little to no trace of action until the very last seconds before the end of bidding. Now this really is nothing new as most experienced participants realize that bidding too early before a set end time only serves the purpose of you bidding against yourself but, in this case, auction sniping software controls this aspect with cold computer precision, until the very last calculable instant. No drama, no anxiety, no competition, no loss.

Other similar software titles include:

• Auction sniper
• Auction Stealer
• EZ Sniper
• Bidnapper
• JustSnipe
• Gixen

among others. No doubt the effects of these and other tools are evidenced in eBay’s regular and sometimes erratic pricing and policy adjustments, designed to ever more protect against it’s erosion and increase in the bottom line and excitement as well.

Naturally for listing participants, the only real defense against this trend is listing with a Fixed Dutch Auction format where the opening price is set to the what the seller considers to be the minimum price but, beware, this method is well know to decrease participation to the point where the seller is left paying the fees with no sale so, price wisely.

Related posts

• No related posts.

Free offline support numbers in an online world.

So if you have been in marketing or support for a while you know the value of having your customers being able to reach you easily. Email is nice, Live Chat is better but, nothing beats a human voice assuring your prospects that they are making the right purchase decision. Traditionally this has been the role of 1-800 numbers but not any more.Now with the convergence of home PC based IP telephony and free online conference call software, paid 800 numbers are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. For example, anyone using Skype, Yahoo or any other IP telephone, can place a free call to a service like Basement Ventures which you could use to offer support to folks who call in. In a nutshell, you put the conference call number on your home page and update it and/or it’s conference line number as you need to. Now naturally this would necessitate a somewhat nimble and motivated office environment. Of coarse this is absolutely perfect for the budding entrepreneur. Are you wondering how a conference call would work out if more than one person calls in at the same time? Many of these services offer the ability to mute everyone except one person. neat eh! Other service are also available. Gizmo for example allows anyone on any type of phone to call you free for 5 minute, they only need to opt-in. You can even funnel your clients through Facebook profile in order to have a chat with you if want. Have a look at Google for a good listing of other free conference call companies.

Ok I know what some of you are thinking, I have to update my home page with a new phone number every day? All I can say to that is, you’re kidding right?

Related posts

• Web Page Optimization Compontents 2 (1)
• Web Page Optimization Components 5 (1)
• Web Page Optimization Components 1 (0)
• Squeeze Page 2.0 (0)
• Link Building 2.0 (1)

again

Google got *slapped back* yesterday with an advertising fraud lawsuit, yet again.

A Massachusetts based private investigator, David Almeida, is seeking class action status. The lawsuit claims Google defrauds advertisers by omitting a critical default setting during campaign set up. This default is set to display advertising on both Google’s search results pages and, all partner pages, through both shared search results and Google’s Adsense programs. Advertisers don’t see this option while creating a campaign. Only after creating a campaign is the setting in dispute both available and visible. This requires the user to go back and change in Adwords, this disputed campaign setting by un-checking the box labeled “Content Network” which is, you guessed it, checked by default.

No doubt Google will take action to remedy this legal *broad match* quickly as it is in Google’s best interest not to allow this joust to run *un-checked* as the lawsuit could become quite an expensive proposition otherwise!

On a more serious note, If you’re not creating separate search and content campaigns you really should be, it’s a best practice and, will help you spot these little gotchyas on the fly as they say!

Related posts

• Feedburner RSS on Facebook (2)
• Web Page Optimization Compontents 2 (1)
• Web Page Optimization Components 5 (1)
• Web Page Optimization Components 1 (0)
• Squeeze Page 2.0 (0)

with desktops

Have you heard of the expression, ‘designing above the fold’? It is terminology taken from print media meaning, put your best stuff where it can be seen. In the case of a news paper that would mean, place your most eye catching content above where the paper would be folded, similarly when it comes to a web sites home page,

you want to place your most ‘profitable’ offerings where web surfers can see it immediately upon seeing your page.

With all the varying desktop PC screen resolutions currently in use, designing for less bounce and more conversion is getting more and more tricky to do. The key thing to remember is, this is not your 1985 experience any more and this is not you high school PC. Believe it or not, there are actually some out of touch folks still designing for 800×600 screen resolutions. All those folks really to need to smell the e-java and take a look around to see how many new PC’s are now coming with a ‘wide screen’ as standard equipment.

Design Above The Fold 2.0 Center of left justify will have the same results

At this point in time I would have to say that designing a site presentation with any smaller than a 1024×768 screen resolution in mind is a an ill informed decision. In fact, if your offering has even the slightest hint of high tech, you may want to go the next step, 1280×1024. If your offering is exclusive or pricey, then you know your clientèle will have the latest equipment so, design with 1600×1200 in mind.

Related posts

• No related posts.

no chanting and dancing here!

So you think you know SEM and SEO? Think you know conversion and analytics too do you? Rest assured you will realize just what a papoose feels like in a tribe of true comanchero chieftain warriors when you powwow at the SEO Rainmaker. Ok no more code talker conversion ease, I promise.

Seriously, Jerry West and David Bullock have joined forces to create a dynamic duo of Rainmakers that can really “make it rain,” meaning bring in revenue.

In the exclusive two-day event hosted by David Bullock and Jerry West, you will learn how to become a Rainmaker… regardless of your industry. Get your website or marketing materials personally scoured, reviewed and, critiqued by two of the best in the web marketing industry all while attending an event unlike any other to date.

Here is a small bit of sampling of what will be covered:

Tools & Systems

1. A full step-by-step system personally created for you (following a detailed review of your site or marketing materials).
2. Competitive Intelligence Unleashed.
3. How to properly implement testing methods and/or advertising on your website to achieve top conversion.
4. Why “Traditional Marketing Methods” continue to fail online and what you need to know and understand to increase your sales volume almost immediately.

Your Business

1. Why customers should do business with you.
2. How to use “Points of Difference” to dominate your competition.
3. How to “dollarize” your products or services so that prospective customers fully understand the benefits.
4. How to properly decipher customer needs.

You (Your Greatest Asset—and often the most neglected)

1. How to be more productive and decrease your frustration.
2. Must-have habits of the Rainmaker.
3. How to always deliver on your promises.

If you would like to get a stronger understanding of both David and Jerry, feel free to browse their blogs. Folks, you really do not want to miss this one. You don’t want to find out the hard way that your competition didn’t miss out!

PS

Don’t pass on the Motivational Factor Index Questionnaire over on Jerry’s site. Filling it out only takes a few minutes and you will likely find it quite enlightening!

Related posts

• No related posts.