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Top 5 auction utilities
(IDG) 1. AuctionTamer: If you're finding it difficult to search multiple online auction sites, this utility can help you. What I really liked about the program was its Multi-Action Search feature, which enabled me to look for items on different sites at once. To get the results, I just clicked on the appropriate tab. Color-coding schemes identify items from different auction sites, a useful feature if you've selected similar items; for example, items from EBay are blue and Amazon items are orange. In addition, I was able to sort the list by certain criteria, such as lowest or highest price, newly listed items first, items closing soon, or hot items. A built-in browser lets you monitor auction variables, including item number, description, time left, last bid, number of bids, highest bid, quantity, and seller status. You can add items to the list in three ways, including drag-and-drop. There are predefined tabs for supported sites, including EBay, Am azon, Yahoo, AuctionWatch, and AltaVista, and you can create tabs as well.
But the program isn't just for buyers. Sellers can track bids and send e-mail messages to buyers on EBay, Yahoo, or Amazon (you must set up your e-mail server, user ID, and passwords in the Preferences area). Five preset e-mail templates are available, but you can customize new ones using tags that identify the auction, list bid amounts and amounts paid, and announce the item's shipment. You can use the Bidders list to see all bidder information at one time. You can also set e-mail notifications that will let you know if there are new bidders or if other bidding activity occurs. This easy-to-use utility is free for auction buyers. Auction sellers will have to shell out $20, but can use the program free of charge for 14 days 2. EPoster2000: Whether it's a Larry Bird rookie card, a leather-clad Barbie doll, or pennies from the 1900s, if you have items for sale, now is your chance to rake in the dough. This program allows you to create and upload professional-looking postings that display items for sale on auction sites in just a few minutes. You assemble postings by creating a "personality" for each auction site. For example, you can create a personality only for sports memorabilia and within it indicate specific shipping and payment instructions to be used on Yahoo's site (Amazon and EBay are supported as well.) A template with default fields helps you define the bid price, how long the item will be for sale, the quantity, the payment method, and other variables. Use one of the included themes to create your posting, or give it more flair by customizing it to include sound or pictures of the product. When you're done, you can upload your posting to the Auctiva Showcase, a free listing of sellers' postings across multiple auction sites. Or, you can set a schedule to automatically post at specific dates and times, on a national or regional scale. I found the program very easy to use. The only drawback is that there are some small fees associated with creating a posting. For example, adding boldface to a title will cost you $2.00, and if you want your photos added to the Gallery (an option that allows postings to be presented as thumbnails) you'll pay additional fees as well. A 30-day trial copy is available. 3. Auction Central: Have you ever wished that you could get in on the bidding action at Sotheby's London? This program won't make it happen, but it can get you darn close. Access over 400 auction sites worldwide, and simultaneously search 100 online auction sites in categories such as Wine and Cigars, Aviation, Stamps, and Consumer Electronics via the browser-based interface. As with most auction sites, you'll have to register before you can bid on an item. But what I really liked about this program was that I could use it to follow the items I bid on without having to go back to the Web sites themselves. For example, I searched for, and placed a bid on, a Michael Jordan trading card. I then used the Track Bid feature to monitor the bid. A mini-wizard (it has only two fields) popped up, asking me to provide information. Once I was done, all the items that I was tracking scrolled across the bottom of the screen, along with the last price. The program runs in the system tray, so when I wanted to check my bid, I simply right-clicked on the Auction Central icon to launch the program. You can use the Bid Watcher feature to delete, change, or rename a bid as well. You also get a listing of the top ten auction sites, which you can add to your Favorites, as well as the latest auction news via an e-mail newsletter, daily offers, and access to the Auction Central Network, where you can converse with other members and post items to the network--all for free. 4. Auction Station's Sniper: If you're tired of missing bids on EBay auctions, this program may be able to help you. It provides a convenient interface to EBay and offers a portfolio manager, a chat interface, an e-mail utility, and a "bid sniper." You can configure the program to display seller information, the number of bids, high-bidder information, and the status of your bid. Synchronize the time to coincide with EBay's clock, or set the automatic dialer to connect to the Internet 5 minutes before a scheduled bid. You have six portfolios to work with, and you can view bidding history, view the market value, send e-mail to buyers/sellers, or update the auction from the right-click menu. The best feature is the Snipe feature, which lets you set your maximum bid and indicate a time for the bid to be sent. Auction Station watches the auction until the bid is sent, letting you add your bid at the last minute. You can set the program to sleep mode if you don't want to have the Auction Station browser open all the time. Color-coded warnings inform you of the auction status (green means no action and red means one auction is being watched, for instance). A 30-day trial version is available, but you'll have to put up with sponsored ads. The ad-free version will cost you $19.00. 5. Auction Manager: This easy-to-use auction utility lets you create listings for EBay, Amazon, and Yahoo in a couple of minutes. The program is based on a batch-mode system, so you can create listings offline and then upload them in a batch using the AuctionSynch feature. You can set profiles for each of the sites to specify shipping options, payment methods, and other details. Available templates give your listing a consistent look and feel, and you can add images to your listings as well. The program's online Auction Manager allows you to follow bid activity, page views, and the time remaining on an auction. You can also import text and Excel files as well. What sets this auction program apart from others is its Inventory Management feature. If you have items that are not ready for sale, you can catalog the information there and then move them over to a batch file when you're ready to sell them. You can also set profiles for inventory items to specify categories and auction sites. For example, say you set up an inventory profile for EBay that categorizes your CDs in the rock genre. You can then use that same basic profile and customize it for Amazon or Yahoo by selecting the relevant check boxes. The program is free, but you'll incur fees for things such as boldface ($2.00) and featuring your item in a specific category ($15.00) or on the home page ($100.00). RELATED STORIES: Resolutions for smart online buyers RELATED IDG.net STORIES: Top 5 basic HTML editors RELATED SITES: ePoster2000.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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