eBay Franchise Consignment Stores Survey Results
A legitimate business opportunity that I speak about lately is the eBay consignment store franchise. Dane at Business Opportunities blog pointed us to this survey of eBay auction consignment stores at AuctionBytes.com.
The timing is opportune as I am speaking this Tuesday evening in Clarksville to a group of 80 or more fellow Arkansans on how to start an Internet auction business. This seminar is a one time good deal as First Security Bank of Clarksville is paying for the program, so admission is FREE. Registration details are on the Arkansas SBDC’s Fort Smith training calendar. I suspect that like many of my programs, this will end up a standing room only affair before sunset.
The survey of eBay franchises and independent auction consignment stores has some interesting findings:
eBay frachises are more likely to handle excess merchandise from retail stores, distributors, liquidators, and manufacturers. (I suspect eBay trains them not to overlook these potential customers.)
Independents likely own only one store, while eBay franchises typically own two or more stores.
eBay franchises serve a greater number of customers each week than independent auction consignment stores.
eBay franchises are able to process (research, caption, photograph and list ) consignments faster than independents.
eBay franchises offer more add-on services, like webhosting, site design, training classes, and shipping, than do independents. (Another eBay franchise profitibility secret, no doubt)
Anyone considering opening an auction consignment store would be wise to read and save these survey results for use in their business plan. You can access the full survey results with percentage breakouts for both eBay franchises and independent auction consignment stoes at AuctionBytes.com. By the way, I also list AuctionBytes.com in the back of my seminar materials as one of the best sources for up to date news on Internet auctions.
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Comment by Adam — February 8, 2005 @ 2:52 am