Following eBay’s announcement that sellers of digital content (e-books, templates, patterns, and so on) would be restricted to their Classified Ads format, OnlineAuction.com (OLA.com) has extended a hearty welcome to displaced sellers. Said one former eBay seller, “For some people, this is their livelihood and eBay has given them seven (7!!!) days to re-work their business plans.”
At $8.00 a month (the basic OLA seller’s membership), an unlimited number of items may be listed for less than the cost of ONE classified ad on the larger site. In the midst of a rapid increase in its membership base, a well-publicized site upgrade including new servers, and planning the large upcoming advertising campaign, CEO Chris Fain is very optimistic about OLA’s future. “We’re the Costco of the online auction industry ,” Fain said. In a recent CNN/Fortune interview he stated, “Because eBay is such a huge entity, it’s hard to compete unless you get the people behind you, but that’s what’s happening right now.”
“Our company sees eBay’s changes as an opportunity for both OLA and sellers seeking a new venue. At OnlineAuction.com, we’re here to enhance your business not control it.”
“To show you how our members are getting behind OLA we have thousands of sellers listing items at cost or even slightly below cost to get buyers to our site. Our people represent mostly the smaller sellers that have really been hurt by the new policy changes at eBay. These people are joining forces to help create the new and only real competitor in online auctions,” said Fain.
