Today Darren Rowse posed a question to readers of his blog - How can I make Problogger more useful for you?
Unlike the majority of blogs you find on the Net, The Auction Rebel isn’t monetarized so I can make money from it. There are no Adsense blocks scattered throughout every post. There aren’t affiliate links in every other post.
My goal for The Auction Rebel isn’t that it make money for me, but rather that it provide information that will help make money for you.
With that in mind, I’d like to pose the same question to you - How can I make The Auction Rebel more useful to you? What would you like to see here?
As Darren did, I’m going to provide some general areas of discussion and then let you, the reader, go from there.
- Topics - Are there general, or specific, topics you’d like to see more of? Less of?
- Types Of Information - Reviews, tutorials, short tips, single posts or multi-post series, more “getting started” information - what interests you most?
- Posting Frequency - Shorter, more frequent posts? Less frequent, in depth posts?
- Blog Features - Is there something not here now that you would find helpful in building your eBay business?
- Community - One of things I would like to see evolve here is more interaction between readers. How can that be accomplished? How can I entice you, the reader, to share more of your experiences, questions, successes, and failures?
- Other Stuff - Anything else?
While I can’t promise everyones suggestions will be implemented, I do promise they will all be read, and some thought given to them.
Here’s your chance to help make this blog more useful, and enjoyable, for you. You can share your ideas and suggestions using the comment box below, or you can mail them to me directly through the Contact Gary link in the top navigation bar.
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July 23rd, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Gary, I came across this site because of the 10000 challenge, and think that you have a great site with some very insightful information. For years I have been on and off selling on ebay and because of your site got into the book thing on Amazon.
My topic would be books and I would love to see some of your readers feedback on the following:
- Do most of you buy books based on prior knowledge of a sale or do you use the scanner?
- Is there a tool out there that will allow to list your entire inventory of books on eBay and on Amazon?
- Tell me about the great find! Mine was this weekend, I found a History of Alpha Phi Alpha by Wesley at the flea market with several other books that I purchased. I ended up purchasing 22 hardback books for $20.00 and when I got home I turned on the computer and started listing them with amazon, to my amazement the Alpha Phi Alpha book was listed for $399.00 so I checked eBay and the book sold last week in auction for about $250.00. I almost considered going back to the flea market to see if I missed anything.
Scot
July 24th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Gary,
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your site, I have told you this many times.
In reference to your question about how to have readers interact, how about setting up a type of message board? That way we can list questions we all have, or comments and then we can respond to each other that way?
I like the tips you give about what to look for at garage sales. It opens up other ideas that I haven’t thought about before.
The other thing I would like would be to read more frequent posts from you. I like reading about your shopping trips, what you bought and your reason and/or thoughts about why you bought it, and then to find out how well it did for you on ebay.
You have so much knowledge and I just soak up what you have to say. You are very kind, you ALWAYS respond back to emails, and you aren’t afriad to share “tips” with the rest of us. You don’t hoard your trade secrets and that enables the rest of us to take what you say and what you have learned to help each of us.
I could go on for a while about how much I like your site and even though I have never met your or spoken to you in person, (other than email) how much I like you. You seem like a very nice man and a generous, sharing person.
THANKS so much for doing this for us and being so willing to share.
July 24th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Hi Gary,
Before I answer your request for feedback, I want to thank you for mentioning my Lego story in your blog. It was a nice surprise. I hope your readers will make some unexpected money from their Lego finds, too.
And that brings me to the thing that I enjoy most about your blog…the tips about what to look for at garage sales. I typically only buy things that I like at garage sales and ignore everything else. But if I want to get serious about making money on eBay, I have to buy the things that people will pay big bucks for (stuff that I would normally ignore). I have actually printed out some of your posts and brought them with me when I go garage saling. I would love more of those posts!
I would also like to see more discussion about tools that you use when selling on eBay and doing research on products. For example, when I am at a yard sale, and I want to check the price of something, how can I do it? I have a Blackberry. Is there a way for me to easily search completed auctions? I know that you have written about it a few times, but I would like to see more details and read discussions about the tools that your readers use, too.
Thanks for sharing your ideas and tips. It is much appreciated!
July 24th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Hi Gary,
I guess I’d have to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on the comments made by other users. We all love what you are doing and will gladly like to see more of the same. Through our comments we can ask for specifics and/or a message board that all users could access and create threads for sharing ideas, answering questions, etc.
…. Ron
July 25th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Hi Gary
Just to let you know that I love reading your blog. I think the message board idea is a good one where readers could have specific questions or general information to help each other out.
I really like the tips for what to look for at rummage sales as I would normally pass on.
As another asked I would like to know a little more about ScoutPal, like if you take it with you into a thrift store, do they question you about it, or do they let you use it in their store?
As always I really enjoy reading your blog and hope to meet with you soon.
July 25th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Hello Gary,
Nice site.
* Topics - Are there general, or specific, topics you’d like to see more of? Less of? I think you’ve got it about right. Perhaps remember that there are some other auction sites beyond eBay (thought I accept that they are few and small). Also I’d like more about the international aspects of selling on eBay.
* Types Of Information - Reviews, tutorials, short tips, single posts or multi-post series, more “getting started” information - what interests you most? I like to see factual information. Learning from the real world experience of others is also of value.
* Posting Frequency - Shorter, more frequent posts? Less frequent, in depth posts? A mix is good, lots of short frequent and the occasional in depth.
* Blog Features - Is there something not here now that you would find helpful in building your eBay business? An eBay news section ?
* Community - One of things I would like to see evolve here is more interaction between readers. How can that be accomplished? How can I entice you, the reader, to share more of your experiences, questions, successes, and failures? A forum or discussion board ?
Kind regards from England
Linda
July 25th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Hi Gary
I really enjoy your site and all the information you provide.
Topics: You do a fine job with mixing them up, but I really do love the Challenges.
Types Of Information - Reviews, tutorials, short tips, single posts or multi-post series, more “getting started” information
Yes to all of these, I would like to know if you use any software or programs for listing your items.
Posting Frequency: You do a fine job, if you would post more I would read more
Community: Other than a forum which could be more work for you, maybe every week ask a question or something to get us your readers
to comment.
Once again thanks for doing what to do here.
Frank