iOffer - Review of the Alternative Online Marketplace

iOffer.com Unveils Enhanced Item Detail Page

2009-02-26T05:43:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-23T13:13:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-06T05:51:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-05T06:33:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-04T06:24:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-16T06:27:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-15T06:22:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-14T06:11:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-12T18:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

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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New Year, More Sales

2008-12-31T17:48:00.000-08:00

2008 was a wonderful year. But now it's time to say goodbye and look forward to an even better new year in 2009.

Mentioned in an earlier post, iOffer had a record holiday, thanks to the many buyers and sellers who were able to find and use the site. However, there are many more people out there who have never heard about it.

In this new year, why don't we all try to spread the word about iOffer, and let everyone know how wonderful it is. Without the help of everyone involved like you and me, it wouldn't have gone too far. Let's continue this upswing trend and make 2009 an even better year for all of the small buyers and sellers out there.

Okay kids, be safe out there!

Merry Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T10:16:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve, everybody!! Hope you all got your shopping done the past couple weeks, or days, from iOffer. If not, there's always some end-of-Christmas sales and people selling whatever they got over the holidays!

Start preparing for the big day tomorrow, it's going to be wonderful!!

eBay Alternatives: iOffer Reports Sales Are Up

2008-12-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

Here's an article from AuctionBytes:

iOffer.com reported record dollar sales, units sold, new items listed, and new memberships over the past six weeks from November 1, 2008 to December 15, 2008. The "trading community" marketplace encourages negotiation between buyers and sellers and reported key metrics for the holiday shopping season (November 1 to December 15). Data from 2007 is listed first, followed by the same period in 2008.

Dollar Sales: $5.5 million vs. $15.1 million (175% growth)
Unit Sales: 121,323 vs. 275,813 (127% growth)
New Item Listings: 470,846 vs. 1,213,476 (158% growth)
Traffic: 3 million visits vs. 9 million visits (198% growth)
Page Views: 31 million vs. 80 million (158% growth)
New Member Registration: 44,192 vs. 126,175 (186% growth)

Source: iOffer.com

Congratulations, iOffer!

New iOffer Home Page

2008-12-18T11:06:00.000-08:00

Starting today, when you visit www.ioffer.com, you will see a brand new design. Here's a breakdown of each individual section:

Smack in the middle of the page is a welcoming message about iOffer and what it is. The search box lets you search the entire site immediately. Click on "learn more" to see the various features that you can use on iOffer.

To the left of that is a little box that encourages new visitors to sell on iOffer. It is truly fast and easy to start selling on iOffer. Like the box says, there's no listing fees, you get a free iOffer store, and you can transfer your items and ratings over to iOffer from other sites. Just click on the big, yellow button to see for yourself.

Right below that is a "Current Activity on iOffer" box. This area shows you how active the site really is. Buyers and sellers are always online, and questions and offers are continuously being made. Click on each individual link to see what was said if you're interested.

Then there's the huge category visual. In addition to the normal category column on the left hand side of the page, this visual is more appealing and attractive (at least to me). These are the more popular categories on iOffer, so click on a few and browse around and see what's cooking. Wouldn't you want to click on one of those pretty pictures instead of a word? I know I would.

Right underneath that are the "Featured Items". Sellers who paid for this enhanced feature will see their items here, with a much bigger picture than before. You're sure to get more lookers this way. Pictures are always good, so I would suggest all sellers to keep putting nice pictures for their items. Pictures are FREE anyways, so why not. These 8 pictures will rotate, but if you want to see more Featured Items, just click on the "View All Featured" link.

Finally, you can see what buyers are saying about their sellers and the items they bought. Read it and you'll be sure to feel welcome. This shows how wonderful the site is, with buyers and sellers happily transacting with each other. Happy Buyers = Happy Sellers = Happy Business = Happy $$$. Now, if only I can get more sales.

So, what do you think about the new look?

iOffer Holiday Logo

2008-12-12T11:54:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I received a holiday promotional email from iOffer, and they included this wonderful holiday logo! It's nice to see that iOffer is getting into the holiday spirit as well! Just wanted to share that with everyone. Happy iOffering!!

- iOffer Dude

Announcement: iOffer Currency Conversion

2008-12-10T12:54:00.000-08:00

From the iOffer Announcements page:

International buyers can now conveniently browse the site and view item listings in their local currency. We will try our best to predict your location, but if your currency is set incorrectly, click on the country name on the top right side of the page to update your country setting.

Prices are adjusted and estimated based on daily exchange rates. However, all negotiations and transactions are still completed in U.S. Dollars.

To learn more about Currency Conversion, click here.
To read the Currency Conversion FAQ’s, click here.

- iOffer Dude

iOffer Seller Promotional Tools

2008-12-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

After the little buying series last week, I'm going to talk about selling.

The season to buy is now, so I'm sure there are many iOffer sellers out there who want to make their stores stand out a little more. One thing about iOffer is that sellers need to do some self-promotion to get their name out there. Here's some seller promotional tools from the iOffer website that will surely help!

Google Base
Many members in the community clubs agree that Google Base gives them a bulk of their store visits. Google Base puts your items in the Google shopping search results. Only items with fixed prices may be uploaded.

Store Widget
Customize a widget for your store to feature it anywhere on the web. Simply copy and paste the HTML code provided onto your personal websites and blogs. Go crazy and post it all over the web!

Community Clubs
Get your name out there by interacting with other iOffer members. Once they get to know you, they'll visit your store, and your reputation will start to build up.

Host an Event
Host and attend events to interact with iOffer members to promote your store items.

Invite Your Friends
Send an invitation email to your friends and old customers to let them know about your new iOffer profile and store. You never know how many returning customers you'll be able to keep!

Profile Banners
Add a banner that links to your iOffer profile. Simply copy and paste the HTML code provided onto your personal websites, blogs, and emails. Like the widget, go crazy and put a banner anywhere you can think of!

Additional Tools
Another link they have with a couple of tips and hints.

- iOffer Dude

Cyber Monday

2008-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving feast! It's time to get back to work, and get back to buying and selling on iOffer!

As you all may know, today is Cyber Monday, the online version of Black Friday. This weekend also officially kicks off the 2008 holiday shopping extravaganza!! What better place to go than iOffer!! So hope you all enjoy your day, and

HAPPY SHOPPING!

- iOffer Dude

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T04:25:00.000-08:00

- iOffer Dude

Buying on iOffer: Recap

2008-11-26T13:48:00.000-08:00

This is the last of a series of posts about the simple aspects of buying on iOffer.com.

1. Buy Now - If everything looks good--price is right, shipping's awesome, no questions needed--just click the "Buy Now" button to purchase the item right away!

2. Make Offer - Have some fun with the website. If the price isn't right, make some offers and counter offers on some items to experience how the site really works!

3. Ask a Question - Are you the cautious kind of buyer? Ask as many questions as you want about the item(s) before committing to anything. You may even request an offer from the seller if you want them to make the first move.

4. Add to Cart - Maybe you're the indecisive kind. Add the item to your shopping cart so you can monitor the item(s) whenever you want. But don't wait too long because the item might be gone before you can get back to it.

5. Swap - Why pay for something when you can trade for it. If both parties agree on item(s) that each person wants from the other person, then you guys can trade those items instead of the traditional buying and selling.

That was one big and short recap of the several buying aspects of iOffer. If you want, go to their Buyer Center and learn more about buying.

Next time, we'll talk about the opposite of buying...Selling!

- iOffer Dude

Buying on iOffer: Part 5

2008-11-24T12:22:00.000-08:00

This is the fifth of a series of posts about the simple aspects of buying on iOffer.com.

If buying isn't really your thing, one cool thing about iOffer is that you are allowed to SWAP with a seller.

Swapping lets you trade your item(s) for the item(s) that you were looking at. You may initiate the swap by clicking on the "Let's Swap" button. Then this window will pop up for you to send the seller a nice message about what you want to do. The seller can view your items and choose the ones they want to swap if everything works out.

However, you must have items for sale to be able to initiate swaps. Nonetheless, this is another great way for ioffer to engage its members to negotiate, rather than bid, bid, bid.

- iOffer Dude

Buying on iOffer: Part 4

2008-11-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

This is the fourth of a series of posts about the simple aspects of buying on iOffer.com.

If you can't decide between "Buy Now", "Make an Offer", or "Ask a Question", your other choice can be: Add to Cart.

This window will pop up to let you know that you have added the item to your cart. Whenever you're ready to decide what you want to do with your item, just click the little shopping cart icon on the upper right hand side of the page.

- iOffer Dude

Buying on iOffer: Part 3

2008-11-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

This is the third of a series of posts about the simple aspects of buying on iOffer.com.

If you're not ready to buy the item immediately or just have no clue what kind of offer you want to make, another option you can do is: Ask a Question

The above box will pop up. Type in whatever you want to ask, whether it's about the item itself or about shipping. Anything related to the product at all you can ask, and it will show up publicly. In fact, you can even request the seller to put more pictures of the item and ask the seller to give you an offer! Now, how cool is that?

- iOffer Dude

Buying on iOffer: Part 2

2008-11-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

This is the second of a series of posts about the simple aspects of buying on iOffer.com.

After looking at an item and the "Buy Now" price still seems a little iffy, you may go ahead and "Make an Offer" instead.

The above box will pop up. Type in the price you want to pay instead, and check the box to specify if shipping is included in the price or you're willing to pay extra. You may even post a comment with your offer, asking an additional question or convincing the seller to accept your offer. Finally, select whether your offer will stand for the standard 3 days, 1 day, or 5 days. Review and submit your offer and you're all done!

- iOffer Dude

Buying on iOffer: Part 1

2008-11-18T12:52:00.001-08:00

This is the first of a series of posts about the simple aspects of buying on iOffer.com.

If you're browsing items and you want a particular item, the easiest way to get that item is: Buy Now

The above box will pop up and you will easily be able to complete your checkout process. Before you know it, the product will be on its way!

- iOffer Dude

Popular iOffer Community Clubs

2008-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

Below are some of the more popular community clubs on iOffer. Mouse over each club logo to see the title of each club. And since your cursor is already on top of it, why not click it and check out what other members have to say!

- iOffer Dude

Announcement: iOffer Accepting Amazon Payments

2008-11-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

From the iOffer Announcements page:

iOffer is now accepting Amazon Payments as its newest payment option. It is free to open and use, with multiple payment sources available worldwide, including payment from your mobile device with Amazon TextPayMe.

Funds are generally available within one business day, and can be stored in your account, transferred to your bank account, or turned into an Amazon gift card.

All payments are covered by Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee protection, and Amazon's fraud protection covers all unauthorized transactions on physical goods.

To learn more about Amazon Payments, click here.
To start accepting Amazon Payments, update your selling preferences.

- iOffer Dude

Why iOffer? Free Tools and Features

2008-11-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

Why should people use iOffer? I've compiled a list of reasons why I started using it:

1. FREE listings

2. FREE seller store

3. FREE picture uploads

4. FREE multiple web addresses that link to you

5. Non-Auction Format
Making offers and negotiating with buyers and sellers make me feel like I'm shopping in person, rather than trying to make the highest bid in the last 5 seconds of an auction.

6. Mr. Grabber
It lets you transfer your items over from eBay, Overstock, and Sell.com. You can also transfer your eBay feedback rating so your buyer/seller reputation is intact. The best part is it's also FREE.

7. Store Widget
You can easily customize a widget for your store and post it all over the web, for FREE.

8. Group Offers
When you make an offer, you can make the same offer to other sellers who are selling similar items. Whoever accepts your offer first gets the deal. This seems like I'll get what I want quicker as a buyer, and probably a better deal too.

9. Events
It's sort of like a chatroom where people can get together and mingle away, while promoting and selling their items. How cool is that?

10. Live Notice
I thought this was a neat feature. I'm sure many sellers are online all the time, and this feature will pop up messages in your face when you sell an item or someone asked a question about your items or anything like that.

11. Community
I like this part the most. I mean, everything I've listed so far are awesome, mainly because they're all FREE, but as a newbie, I like how the members at iOffer are so nice and easy-going. They have hundreds of community clubs and I can guarantee that you will find some sort of help in any club.

Wow, sorry didn't think my list would go that long. And sorry that you had to read through everything. I'll try to add some pictures next time to even out the text/image ratio.

Am I missing anything else? Feel free to make comments and add some other features that I may not have found yet.

- iOffer Dude

Parody Feepay

2008-11-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

Check out iOffer's cartoon and see how other sites are stealing your money!

- iOffer Dude

Welcome Introduction

2008-11-05T15:27:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone!

As an iOffer fan, just wanted to spread the love, the joy, and the word out about iOffer. I've been using it for a bit of time now, and it's been pretty sweet.

The economy is bad, so we all need to find other ways to spend our money, or not spend any at all. One way to keep spending is to buy less, or spend less and get the same amount. That's where iOffer comes in. I find their fees to be cheaper than other eBay alternative sites, and their community members are so nice and helpful.

Therefore, I created this blog to share my ongoing experiences with iOffer. I hope you will begin to enjoy this blog, as well as iOffer itself! Until next time, keep your eyes open for more changes and updates.

Browse around iOffer yourself and tell me what you think...www.ioffer.com

- iOffer Dude