It is interesting to watch how eBay has been leading to new business development. There are any number of start-ups that have been using eBay’s infrastructure to create local retail operations, such as SnappyAuctions.com based here out of Nashville. These retail sites offer a place to drop off goods that customers want to sell on eBay. Snappy Auctions takes care of the rest. They deal with all of the hassle and confusion of setting things up with eBay.
Well, today I learned of another new business called NashvilleBids.com, which is trying to create a localized version of eBay here in middle Tennessee.
Their pitch:
“NashvilleBids.com is a down home idea whose time has come; a big boy auction alternative for Middle Tennessee buyers and sellers.
“For buyers, this means the seller is your neighbor, not a post office box across country or halfway around the world. For sellers, there is the added bonus of being able to accept or decline purchases from buyers residing outside Middle Tennessee.
“Unlike the big boy auction sites, the staff of NashvilleBids are local people who are just as frustrated as most of us when it comes to browsing hundreds of listings before finding one or two that are close enough that we can afford the shipping charges. ‘Try paying the shipping charges for an antique piano you won on eBay from someone in California’, says NashvilleBids founder, Tracy Layne, ‘and if you do decide to pay it, you just cross your fingers and hope the person you bought it from will actually send it. NashvilleBids.com serves the entire Middle Tennessee area, so you can avoid the hassles and costs associated with nationwide or statewide auction sites and arrange to pick up your item.'”
The next few years could be very interesting times for this new eBay inspired industry. I plan to pay attention to see what works and what is next!
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