Question
The other thread was mostly for SpareDollar, and I didn't want to confuse the issues, so I started this one over here for Shooting Star.
Jolly Girl, You convinced me to give it a try. I am going to run it along side Auction Sage for a few days and compare the two. Already I lreally ike the color coding, but it seems that SS is not very automated. Or am I just not understanding it yet?
It seems to be a terrific program for folks that do not do a medium volume. What I mean is this: low volume is easy with this program because it really isn't a problem having to deal with several of the details manually. Very High volume doesn't actually seem too bad either, since by that point a seller will probably be using an Internet postage software as well (with the exception that the 2 programs do not integrate.)
But, for medium sellers that cannot justify paying a subscription service for their postage, but are doing more than a few sales per week, it can become cumbersome or time consuming to have to manually enter so much, or print each invoice as the payment is received, etc.
Like I said, I have only just begun to check it out http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif But, if you have any hints or tips for me, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks!
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wainting patiently for the short cuts and mini training seminar here http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif
I like to cheat as much as possible when it comes to learning new software.....why should I waste time making the same errors someone else already has http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gabs-a-lot:
wainting patiently for the short cuts and mini training seminar here http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif
I like to cheat as much as possible when it comes to learning new software.....why should I waste time making the same errors someone else already has http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
hehehe, works for me http://community.here.com/infopop/em.../icon_wink.gif
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>it seems that SS is not very automated<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not sure what you mean. If you mean, does it do everything without any user intervention, then probably not. But that is one of the things I do like about it. I work in the View Grid mode most of the time and often showing All Stages instead of the Needs Action stage.
I probably fit into the low volume seller, at least through the summer anyway, doing only Club99 events. I'm not sure what you mean by "cumbersome or time consuming to have to manually enter so much" since there really isn't much to enter. I enter my shipping since I put the amount within my description and not at the place eBay wants me to (I'm a little stubborn) but I think it will pick this up from the auction if you do. I have to tab through a date or maybe change it if I am doing my "paperwork" the next day but that's not a big deal. The biggest and most important part of using SS is creating your e-mail templates and then setting your stages. After that, it's pretty automatic, although not hi-tech.
I do use an online postage service - PitneyWorks Clickstamps - at $4.99 flat charge a month. It's worth it to me to avoid the lines at the post office, but if I didn't then I would definitely use the mailing label that prints at the bottom of the invoice. This invoice printing is really so automatic that it doesn't seem to take any time and it also helps me to keep track of which items I'm mailing that day. I post all my payments, then gather up my invoices, then gather up my items and voila - I haven't missed anybody or sent the wrong item to the wrong person!
I'd be glad to take you through the steps I use but I don't want to bore you all to death, so if you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to answer them.
Jolly Girl
My SYI Auctions
Cross Stitch Only Auctions
My Club99 Stuff
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I do between 150 - 200 auctions every week, and Shooting Star is the software I use for auction management. I don't use it for listing the auctions, but once the auction is launched, my life revolves around SS.
Yes, there are things that need to be done manually, like putting in how much shipping charges are, and hitting send on the emails, but once you have your email templates set up the way you like them, it's quick and painless.
There's a support board on their website (www.foodogsoftware.com) and the owners/developers of the software are always upgrading and improving (for free!). Best fifty dollar investment I ever made in my business.
Lynn
Lynnber almost everywhere
selling books and other stuff
Lots and lots of my Ebay Auctions
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Best fifty dollar investment I ever made in my business.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'll agree there 100%, after I got it I was wondering what had taken me so long...the time it saves me is amazing!!
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The place where shooting star is weak, reports, profit and loss, tracking costs.... What do you all do to track that? DL the archive and import to a spread sheet? Doing the spread sheet thing is one of the reasons we started looking for a package/service...
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I think Bret is getting confused (Age sneakin up on him LOL) http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
We have narrowed the choices down to about 3. Shooting star has good reports that I have seen. And I really like the color coordinated graphs. Where it is weak is the auction listing side. I have loaded and tried to use TPT, but it seems to have a few bugs still to work out. Not bad, just a bit annoying.
SpareDollar is the one that is weak on reports. But I like their listing/posting set up.
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Shari - my sentiments exactly. If we could combine the two with a fixed purchase price instead of a monthly fee, I'd be an extremely happy camper! As it is, I need both. The fact that Shooting Star is a one time fee is what makes it possible for me to run it alongside Sparedollar. If I had to pay a monthly fee for both, I probably wouldn't do it and to tell you the truth, I'd probably have to give up Sparedollar and <gasp> go back to using Turbolister since I now rely so heavily on SS to keep my stuff straight. Thankfully, I don't have to do that and hopefully will not have to do so in the future.
I third it - it is the best $50 investment I've ever made.
Jolly Girl
My SYI Auctions
Cross Stitch Only Auctions
My Club99 Stuff
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It is such a PITA to try all these new programs, but it is certainly enlightening. We have narrowed our choices down to 3. We are using them all for a few days, side-by-side, so we can compare as we work with them. Pros and Cons as we see them are:
1) Spare Dollar, a very good listing program. A major strength is the gallery. It includes image hosting. I dont really need the image hosting, as we have our own web space, and I write my own templates. But I do like many of the features. It has good support and a fairly active forum. It is a fairly easy program to use, not hard for newbies, and not too simple for the more experienced. The cons are that it does not have after-auction strengths at all. No sales reports either.
*Web-based, $4.95/mo
2) Shooting Star, which has some really great features for after-auction management. I love the color coded graph to keep you up-to-date on what is needed to be done. Some of it is not automated, so there is a bit more work to do here. It also has great form letters. It does interface with the Poster Toaster for writing ads, but that seems to be a bigger problem. TPT is, IMO, a wash. No strengths in before-auction management.
*Desktop based, This is a one-time fee of about $50.00
3) Auction Sage, which is another terrific program. I like the ease it has in after-auction management. It comes with decent form letters and several automated features and is really quite simple to figure out. It does have a built in posting program, with templates. It allows you to store several items for future posting, so it is a time-saver there. It has decent support, usually getting a response within a day or so. Also interfaces with Dazzle/Endicia, which is another time saver.
* Desktop based, This program runs about $65.00 for the first year and $50.00 per year after that.
I see the choices for us as either 1 & 2 together, or 3 by itself. But, we haven't decided yet. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
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