iOffer.com Unveils Enhanced Item Detail Page

Another iOffer press release:

New Design Improves Buying Experience with Better Features, Selling Experience with Increased Item Exposure

San Francisco, CA -- Online shopping consists of two elements: buyers and sellers. Buyers must be completely satisfied with their purchase, and sellers must provide the best service to retain buyers. Buyers must understand the full buying terms up front, and sellers want to expose their items to more buyers. iOffer's new item detail page satisfies both buyers and sellers, with advanced buying features and extensive selling attributes.

Enlarged item displays add clarity and focus to each item listing, followed by a full description to reiterate its importance. Buying terms are grouped together to let buyers grasp relevant information immediately, stating the item's asking price, quantity, shipping info & price, payment options, and available actions on the item.

A "Meet the Seller" box introduces the seller and his or her store to buyers, displaying recent activities and feedback ratings. Buyers can access the seller profile, past transactions, feedback comments, and seller statistics through the rating chart before making informed buying decisions.

Multiple gateways to the seller store are strategically placed on the page, including a permanent slideshow and a gallery view of their items. This convenient path connects buyers and sellers to help foster and develop a strong business relationship.

An organized tabbing system eliminates the need to scroll down the page, showing all buying information in one central location. The simple and clean layout allow item detail pages to load faster, permitting buyers to browse more item listings and find the best deal in a shorter amount of time.

The new item detail page is centered on item description and buying terms, creating a global buyer appeal. Placing the most prominent information in the center inspires buyers to proactively initiate negotiations with sellers to speed up transactions. As a result, buyers and sellers are satisfied, and both obtain better online shopping experiences.

About iOffer, Inc.

iOffer, Inc. is recognized as a leading alternative online marketplace worldwide. Since 2001, iOffer has been changing the way online transactions are conducted, providing a safe and friendly community for its members to buy, sell, and trade through open negotiations. iOffer believes that active communication and interactions are keys to the success and enjoyment of their members. For more information, please visit www.ioffer.com.

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iOffer.com Reports Growing Revenue and Traffic in January

Here's the latest press release from iOffer:

Successful Start to 2009 Brings Higher Expectations and Goals

San Francisco, CA -- The 2008 holiday season is over and 2009 is carrying higher goals for iOffer.com. December 2008 left the alternative online marketplace web site wanting more with record numbers across the line. Despite the continuing effects of the declining economy and the need for consumers to save money, January statistics in terms of traffic and revenue have fulfilled and surpassed all expectations for iOffer.

Key Metrics January 2008 vs. 2009
- Dollar Sales: $3.8 million vs. $8.5 million (124% growth)
- Unit Sales: 67,000 vs. 242,000 (261% growth)
- Traffic: 2.4 million visits vs. 5.8 million visits (142% growth)
- Page Views: 25 million vs. 65 million (160% growth)
- New Member Registration: 35,000 vs. 93,000 (166% growth)

New members and item listings are pouring in every day. Total transactions and dollar sales are increasing steadily. January set the tone of a successful year for iOffer, as more improvements are planned to enhance the overall buying and selling experience of its members.

About iOffer, Inc.

iOffer, Inc. is recognized as a leading alternative online marketplace worldwide. Since 2001, iOffer has been changing the way online transactions are conducted, providing a safe and friendly community for its members to buy, sell, and trade through open negotiations. iOffer believes that active communication and interactions are keys to the success and enjoyment of their members. For more information, please visit www.ioffer.com.

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Item Detail Page, Secure Payment Protection, Google Checkout

Here's a new update from the iOffer Announcements page:

Posted February 21, 2009

The new item detail page enhances the buying experience with improved features and faster load times. A simple, clean layout lets you view the most prominent information quickly and easily (item info, buying terms, seller info). Sellers benefit with increased exposure to their items, having multiple links to their store.

Click here to view a summary of the changes.

To increase online security, we implemented a Secure Payment Protection for credit card payments through Verified by Visa™ and MasterCard SecureCode™. All you need to do is create a PIN to authenticate your Visa or MasterCard, confirming your identity as the cardholder.

Prevent unauthorized online use of your credit card(s) before it happens.
Verify your credit card information to activate Secure Payment Protection immediately.

In addition to Mpayy, PayPal, credit cards, and checks/money orders, sellers can now use Google Checkout to pay their monthly iOffer account balance.

-The iOffer Team

Selling on iOffer Part 7: Store Policies and Profile

In addition to listing your items, uploading your items to Google Base, and promoting your items, your iOffer profile and iOffer store policies are more useful than you think.

If you've heard of search engine optimization, then you'll know what keywords and phrases you put on those pages can do to your store. If you don't know what I'm talking about, please read on to see how your store can have better search results rankings.

Go to your Edit My Store and Edit Profile pages on iOffer.

Here, you should fill in as much information as you can in the available spaces about your store (description, welcome message, etc.).

Use SPECIFIC KEYWORDS & PHRASES.

Type in item categories, item keywords, anything you think others will type in to find your items. This is a basic understanding of search engine optimization. If you have specific keywords and phrases on your pages, new buyers typing in those keywords will be more likely to find your store as opposed to another seller's store who didn't give any clues to search engines like Google and Yahoo on what their stores are about.

The more keywords you let search engines know, the better they'll treat you. Try to keep them towards the top of the page as well.

Selling on iOffer Part 6: Promote Your Store

Did you upload your items to Google Base yet? That should be the very first step you take after listing your items.

Then it's time to promote your iOffer store. Start off with these iOffer promotional tools:

Store Widget and Profile Banner

A widget is sort of a custom advertising box for your store. It's very easy to set up, and you can post it all over the web (blogs, profiles, emails, web sites, etc.). Just post it and you're set; you don't need anything else. Profile banners work the same way, so start posting!

iOffer Community Clubs and Events

One of the better ways to expand your online presence is to interact with people. Join some iOffer clubs and participate in the discussions to get your name out there. Attend the live events to make friends. Your items will be automatically featured in events.

These tools should be a good start to your self-promotion. Remember, the more work you put into it, the better results you'll get in driving in more traffic to your store.

Selling on iOffer Part 5: Google Base

Once you have listed a few, or a bunch, of items, it's time to let the rest of the world know that you're selling on iOffer. That's where Google Base comes in.

What is Google Base?

Google Base is a free Google service that helps you publish virtually any kind of information -- be it your latest riveting screenplay or a listing for your slightly dented 1989 Honda Accord -- on Google Base or other Google properties.

Your item will fall into one of several categories based on its content. This category determines which Google property will display your item. For example, your screenplay and robot schematics may appear on Google Base, and your humble Honda may appear on Google Product Search.

According to many experienced iOffer members, sellers must do some self-promotion. If you don't do anything, Google Base is the single, one thing that you MUST do. This little feature will get you the traffic you need to your store.

So once you have items ready, use this iOffer Tutorial to upload your items to Google Base.

Also, members of the Seller Central club will kindly help you through the entire process.

I will talk about other promotional tools that you can and should use to advertise your new iOffer store.

Selling on iOffer Part 4: List a Single Item

After a thorough understanding of how Want Ads and Snag a Sale leads to selling your items on iOffer, it is time to finally list your items.

To the right is a Simple Listing Form on iOffer.

1. Choose a category and sub-category.

2. Use a title that is rich in keywords.

3. Describe your items in as much details as possible.

This is what buyers will see on your item listings. The more information you put, the less questions buyers will ask and the more likely they'll buy the item after reading everything they need to know about it.

If you're HTML savvy, I would recommend you click on Edit HTML and add your own flare to your item listing. Colors, fonts, sizes, your item listing can look that much better. Here's a little HTML help if you're not too familiar with it.

4. Choose 4 different sets of unique keywords for your items.

These keywords, along with keywords in your title, are crucial to your item listings. They may be the thing that makes or breaks the deal. These are the words that buyers would type in to get to your item. Make good use of these keywords, as well as keywords in your item description as well.

5. State an asking price.

You can leave this blank if you want to let buyers make an offer to start, but I highly recommend you to put a price so buyers have an idea to start off. If they like it, they'll buy it. If they don't like it, they'll make you an offer. Plus, you must have a price to submit your items to Google Base, which I will get into later.

6. State the shipping costs.

Be reasonable. Don't trick people by having a cheap asking price and charging $100 for shipping. iOffer charges the final fee on the combined total, so this trick will not work. Feel free to add a couple extra bucks for handling, but again, be reasonable.

7. Add pictures.

Pictures are FREE on iOffer, so add as many as you want. Get pictures from different angles so buyers know exactly what the item looks like. If you were buying something, you would want to see more pictures too, right?

After you've done all that, your listing is set. Preview your listing to see what it looks like. If you're okay with it, create the listing and before you know it, your item will turn into cash.

Selling on iOffer Part 3: Snag a Sale

Did you have a good start with the Want Ads? Here's another starting point.

Selling is like fishing. You wait and you wait, until something finally happens. You feel a tug at your pole, so you start pulling. For all you know it could just be a garbage bag.

Likewise, sellers wait awhile before they make a sale. When someone finally comes and takes a look around your store, you get excited and give them your full attention, not knowing if they're actually buying something or not.

To make sure that you get the real deal, use iOffer's Snag-a-Sale.

Snag-a-Sale is a feature that lets you see the offers and negotiations that are taking place in front of you, whether there's a question or offer in place.

Why do you care?

The transaction is not completely done. There's no commitment yet. That's where you come in. If you got the same item or something similar, jump in there and offer the buyer a better deal.

Just like fishing, snag the buyer quickly with your offer before it's too late. It's a big ocean out there; everything is fair game.

Selling on iOffer Part 2: Want Ads

Want Ads again?

I want to emphasize how important Want Ads are and how often people look past it not realizing the power of these Want Ads.

Here's an important quote at the end of my first Want Ad post:

"When you want to start selling, browse new Want Ads to see what buyers are looking for and list those items first."

Many new sellers overlook the fact that Want Ads help them start their business. Buyers post Want Ads because they want something that they can't find. Your job as the seller? Find that item and list it for the buyer. If you already have the item, you're one step ahead of everyone else.

If you don't believe me, try posting a Want Ad yourself. You'll receive responses fairly quickly.

You could be that seller responding to the Want Ad. Don't just sit there and ponder about the kinds of things that you could be selling. Just sell the things that you know will sell...by looking at Want Ads.

Selling on iOffer Part 1

As promised in my previous post about Want Ads, it is time to talk about selling.

Just like the little lonely "For Sale" sign in the middle of a vast plain of green grass, or a little guppy in the Pacific Ocean, where do you start and how are you supposed to just jump in and blend in with the rest of the crowd?

For starters, you should see how selling works on iOffer. Take a look at their Seller Help and Seller Safety Guide pages. Take a look at their Fees and Credits Policy to gain a sense of how much it would cost you to sell something, and how much you would profit from it.

Second, why don't you see how their selling process works. Take a look at their simple listing form. Fair enough, it's easy and straightforward. You only need the basics: category, title, description, keywords, price, shipping, and pictures. Everything's on one page, so fill out everything and preview it to see what it'll look like.

This should get you going for awhile. Spend some time and play around with it.

I'll leave you with some incentives for you to Sell on iOffer:

• Free Listings


• Free Pictures


• Free Store


• Free Web Adress


• and much, much more!

Swapping Revisited

Thanks to onlinethriftshop's wonderful post in the iOffer Community Clubs about swapping, I had to put it on here:

What truly sets ioffer apart from other listing sites is the ability to swap and trade items if you wish. It's a fun way to get to try out new or different things without the expense of buying outright. Here are a few tips about swapping that have helped me.

1. Look for a swapper that has good feedback for sales and swapping and always be fair in your offers. Don't expect a seller to swap you a 100.00 handbag for a hand full of beans. Make sure you have an item of equal value to swap for.

2. If you are new to swapping, don't be offended if a more established member asks you to send your items first because it's just a way of establishing yourself and your trustworthyness, not meant to offend you or rip you off. Everyone was new on here at one time and we've all to do what it takes to start building our reputations.

3. Use as much care in shipping your swap item as you would if you had sold it to that person. Wrap it safely and be sure that you and the person you are swapping with agree before hand on a day to ship your items and how they will be shipped. Most members use priority mail or first class so that you get your item quickly and securely with tracking information. If you are going to use some other means of shipping that is going to take more time, please tell the other person that upfront and make sure that they agree with that before you ship. There is nothing worse than going out of your way to run out the next day to the post office to get your item out on time and spending more money to have it shipped properly and then finding out your swap partner used "snail mail" and your item doesn't show up for 2 weeks and is mishandled. Which leads to....

4. Provide tracking information asap to your swap partner. This is a way of building an honest swap relationship right off the bat so that they can track their package and know it's on the way.

5. Have your item in stock! Unless your swap partner knows and agrees upfront that it's ok for you to order their item from somewhere else, NEVER offer for trade an item that you don't currently have in your hands and available for trade.

5. Be responsible for your swap item just as you would for a sale. Have lots of pictures and describe your items faults and all up front to the other partner. This just goes along with treating your swap buddy as you would like to be treated.

Finally...for now..just be fair, honest and open in your swap dealings and stand behind a swap item as you would an item for sale. It is still a transaction between 2 people that is as solid as any other business deal and as binding, but can be so rewarding and so much fun once you get started.

That's all I have for now! Please feel free to ask any questions or add anything I may have left out in regards to making swap offers here on ioffer. Thanks and have a great day!

Robi

iOffer Want Ads

Want Ads are self-explanatory. They are what they are; ads for something you want.

iOffer Want Ads are better than other want ads because they're FREE. Read the 3 little logos up at the top and you'll quickly understand how it works.

1. You post a FREE Want Ad and tell the whole world what you want.

2. Your Want Ad will be posted to the whole world. Anyone looking for it will find it.

3. When someone responds to your Want Ad, you'll get an email telling you to do something about it.

Why am I talking about Want Ads?

Because it's the perfect ending spot about buying and a great way to start talking about selling.

When you, as a buyer, can't find something, post a FREE Want Ad and it'll find you.

When you want to start selling, browse new Want Ads to see what buyers are looking for and list those items first.

Not So Secret Buying Tip on iOffer

Yesterday I talked about the 5 Ways of Buying on iOffer. Today I will talk about a couple different unconventional ways to get the items you want on iOffer.

When you browse around online marketplaces, what kinds of items are you looking for? Couldn't you just go to your local store and get it? You're online to find the lowest price, right? Do you ever wonder about the items that you have laying around may be items that other people are looking for?

What would you say if I told you that you can get what you want by giving up what you don't need? Because that is exactly what I mean with the following not-so-secret buying tips on iOffer:

Swaps

Swapping is another word for trading, and that is what iOffer's Swap Center is all about. Trading instead of buying. There's a whole world out there, there has to be someone out there who has what you want and who wants what you got.

The trick is for you to go find that person on iOffer, and list your own items so they'll be able to find you as well.

When you've found the perfect match, click on the Let's Swap button and both parties are on their way to getting their items. Only members who allow Swaps will have that option, so keep searching.

Browse around and list your items to get started.

5 Ways to Buy on iOffer

Last year, literally, I did a pretty poor job of overviewing the buying concept of iOffer, with a promised but yet to be fulfilled overview of selling on iOffer. Here's the beginning of attempt #2.

Buying on iOffer is similar to buying on any other physical store or web site. You walk through the doors, or enter a web site. You walk or click around to see what this particular store has to offer. Personally, I am more interested in finding sales and deals, and comparing prices to see how I can pay the minimum for the maximum.

iOffer helps you in that sense. When you want to find something, just type it in and all the results will come out. iOffer consists of MANY seller stores for you to browse around, eliminating the extra car trips and web portals. Sellers offer great deals, and if it's not great enough, feel free to make them an offer that's sure to entice them back, because having a sale is better than having no sale.

Once you get all that taken care of, here are 3 ways for you to buy on iOffer:

1. Buy Now

Most item listings you see will have a "Buy Now" button. If you are satisfied with everything, click on the button and the item's yours. Filling out the rest of the information only takes about 5 minutes.

2. Make Offer

Many item listings will also have a "Make Offer" button. If you are not sure about the price the seller put up, just make an offer and see what the seller says about it. There's nothing wrong with negotiating, it's Business 101.

3. Add to Cart

Why the heck do you need to add your item to a shopping cart if you know you want it? Because if you want to buy more items from the same seller, you can make a combined bundle offer for all the items to potentially save on shipping. Plus, adding your items to a shopping cart gives you the opportunity to...

4. Make a Group Offer

Multiple sellers are sure to have similar items for sale. If you find them and don't mind getting any one of them, you can make a group offer on them. A Group Offer lets you send one offer price to multiple sellers on similar items. You're giving sellers a first come first serve rule; whoever you can strike a deal with first wins your business.

5. Ask a Question

Finally, if you want to know more information about the item(s), you can ask a question to the seller before committing to anything. This may not necessarily mean buying the item, but you have to start somewhere, right?

That's a lot of information to swallow in one day. Come back tomorrow to learn a little bit more about a couple features that goes with buying on iOffer.

What is iOffer

Back to basics. Breaking down iOffer little by little.

iOffer is an interactive online community that allows its members to buy, sell, and trade through open negotiations, viewable to the general public, just like you would in real life.

Of the top of my head, here are some of their basic benefits:
- No Listing Fees
- Free iOffer Store
- Free pictures
- Transfer your items and ratings from eBay and other sites
- No item expiration dates
- Sellers only pay a fee when their item sells
- Multiple payment options (PayPal, Google Checkout, Mpayy, Amazon Payments...)
- and more...

One unique characteristic of iOffer is that buyers can make OFFERS on items, so it's waiting until the end of an auction to bid on an item. Instead of bidding, iOffer is all about NEGOTIATIONS.

iOffer Review Blog

I admit, I have not been doing a good job updating this blog. I've been using iOffer no doubt, but have not shared anything exciting and cool with everyone else.

So, starting tomorrow, I promise you all that you will see new posts here often. Possibly 3-4 posts a week to start off. I will do my best to go over some buying and selling essentials that we all should know, and highlight all the cool features that are all over the site.

iOffer has a new homepage, so now it's time for me to begin a new take on this blog!

New iOffer Home Page Highlights Buyer And Seller Actions

Here's the press release for the new iOffer home page:

Redesign Improves Site Navigation and Item Listing Exposure

San Francisco, CA -- iOffer.com unveiled a new home page design to optimize the online buying and selling experience. The refreshed home page exemplifies what iOffer is about: better deals for buyers through open negotiations and higher profit for sellers with free listings, store, transfers, and other features.

Easy and Simple Navigation
An integrated search box provides a more prominent gateway for buyers to access all item listings. Popular category images in the center and top category links on the left enable buyers to browse items effortlessly wherever they are on the page.

Improved Featured Item Exposure
Featured items are strategically positioned below the popular category images to amplify its significance. Enhanced graphics offer clear and concise depictions of featured items, helping sellers gain more traffic and exposure to their store.

Shared Interest of the Online Community
"Current Activity on iOffer" displays current member negotiations. "What Buyers Are Saying" shows buyer ratings. Both present a continuous stream of active buyers and sellers interacting positively on the site, ensuring the quality and merit of iOffer.

iOffer continues to provide a consumer-friendly community that adds value and excitement with their inviting new home page. It encourages visitors to stop and take a look, informing them of the site's unique principle. It generates multiple entryways to the most pertinent information on the site--item listings. Consumers gain a sense of its relevance to their individual buying and selling needs. Buyers and sellers are able to obtain a better experience through this focus on content and personalization.

About iOffer, Inc.

iOffer, Inc. is recognized as a leading alternative online marketplace worldwide. Since 2001, iOffer has been changing the way online transactions are conducted, providing a safe and friendly community for its members to buy, sell, and trade through open negotiations. iOffer believes that active communication and interactions are keys to the success and enjoyment of their members. For more information, please visit www.ioffer.com

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