PhotoPost Auctions?

Michael P · December 16th, 2004, 09:20 AM

As you may know, I recently added bidding capability to the Classifieds 2.0 release. Now that people have played with it for a bit, some would like to see a more full featured auctions capability. I've been thinking of breaking out Classifieds into two projects: PhotoPost Classifieds and PhotoPost Auctions and putting more options into the Auctions for more control over bidding and auction options.

Seems to me the more we try to make one product do both, the less we can focus on one core functionality for a product.

Curious to get some feedback - would people like to see a more full featured Auction script added to the PhotoPost family? We've already got a great start with Classifieds 2.0, but that isn't so obvious with a product geared towards Classified ads.

HobbyTalk · December 16th, 2004, 03:14 PM

IMHO, it would be a mistake to try and compete with the leading auction sites. Having the auction features built-in to classified makes it the perfect companion. I have seen very-very few small stand-alone auction sites work. Having them separate will not work for the vast majority of small sites I don't think.

NSXTC · December 18th, 2004, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HobbyTalk

IMHO, it would be a mistake to try and compete with the leading auction sites. Having the auction features built-in to classified makes it the perfect companion. I have seen very-very few small stand-alone auction sites work. Having them separate will not work for the vast majority of small sites I don't think.

Im inclined to agree

sleep747 · December 20th, 2004, 06:31 AM

I agree. A classifieds section is great for any site, and adding the auction feature would be nice for some cases, But I don't see any great need for it myself.

Besides MP, if you stretch yourself out any thinner, your family will be putting your face on a milk carton.

Michael P · December 20th, 2004, 07:47 AM

Good feedback, thanks. So we'll stick with the single product for now and see if we can keep it from getting too confusing.

It wont be the coding, it'll be the FOUR GIRLS that put me on a milk carton, lol!

Martyn@BB · April 20th, 2005, 10:53 PM

I disagree with the above. My members are perfectly happy buying and selling in a sales forum on the site and simply wont use the classifieds. They have tried to have forum based auctions of a sort, but failed miserably for numerous (obvious) reasons. I have a classifieds licence but all I want it for is to run auctions. I currently dont use classifieds at all even though there is an auction facility, because the auctions are burried in the classifieds.

There is actually quite a demand for auctions on my site, but nothing for the classifieds aspect. I run a very specialist website and for the most part, the items for sale dont do particularly well on ebay. Sellers generally get better prices using my site where there is a high concentration of entheusiats.

Even if you dont produce a separate product, I would very much like to see some kind of switch in the adminCP, to turn off all sales types aside from auctions.

Michael P · April 21st, 2005, 07:19 AM

Good point and a good suggestion; I think a switch to allow classifieds, auctions or both would be a good idea.

scubapr5 · April 24th, 2005, 10:45 PM

I like the idea of a combination classifieds and auction on the same program.

Any idea of a projected launch date?

Michael P · April 25th, 2005, 07:30 AM

The current version of Classifieds supports Auctions and Classifieds; the question was weather the two should be seperated or if development should continue with both in mind.

agiacosa · May 8th, 2005, 06:09 AM

Michael,

I would be all for beefing up the auctions side or a new product. I think there is a real need for auctions in niche sites such as ours.