I've been on iOffer for awhile now so I thought I'd share my thoughts and a review on them. This would help sellers here to determine if iOffer is right for them, since iOffer seems to be the 2nd runner up in auctions next to ebay. Since I've been suspended from ebay, I searched high and low for the best alternative site for ebay. Believe me, I've become an expert in ebay alternative sites.
Background:
I was selling digital items on ebay and making good money (in the thousands per month). Then I get suspended for miscategorization of digital items, after ebay's new digital item policy. After march 31st, 2008, ebay only allows digital items in the classified ad format or you have to make a CD and physically ship it. These 2 choices were not for me so I looked for alternatives. Since ebay basically banned digital items, it made no since for me to make ⊗⊗⊗⊗ accounts like in the
Stealth Book here, as I am only going to sell digital stuff and digital stuff is banned now. Which is why I looked for alternative sites.
iOffer.com facts:
The site is buggy. Some buttons don't work, etc. The site is slow. I went on whois.com and found out they only have 2 servers and 25 employees. Questions get answered in 3 days average. Alot of ⊗⊗⊗⊗ everythings, especially purses, DVD box sets, software like XP, Vista, Rosetta Stone, and MS Office, all for like $25 or less. Calculates Final value fee including shipping.
They have a program called C.O.P.S. which is like VERO on ebay. However they don't do anything, they leave it up for the rights owners.
iOffer.com the good:
Has Mr. Grabber, a program which grabs your feedback and even listings from ebay. You can list anything in any category. For example, a shirt in the electronics section. Therefore, you can spam iOffer. They say they check but really don't. No listing fees, and no fees unless you sell. Has tools to submit to google base. Integrated with paypal and google checkout. Has 4.5 million listings and 1 million unique visitors a month. The best next to ebay. Listens to suggestions. iOffer has a thread on their forum where you can list suggestions and sometimes they do it. For example, they made pics up to 6 free.
iOffer.com the bad:
Mr. Grabber only transfers feedback numbers and percentage positive. Doesn't transfer comments etc. Can't get all listings transfered. Alot of non paying buyers. Get stupid buyers offering you less than cost for your items. ⊗⊗⊗⊗ everywhere. Has 4.5 million listings but listings never expire. They stay up forever as long as the seller is still registered or ends listing, whereas ebay's listings always end. This is important in determining listing numbers to determine which site is best. Temporarily suspends you if you sell 4 items without feedback. Slow site. Buggy site. ebay has 13.5 million listings and 16 million unique visitors, thus pwning iOffer. Spends like $300 a month on advertising, whereas ebay spends $100,000 plus a month. iOffer has 60,000 external links to it, whereas ebay has 16 million links to ebay.
My personal experiences/opinon/sales figures:
Best ebay alternative IMO. I have 25 duplicate listings on there but I only get 10% or less of ebay sales numbers. My best month on ebay was $3k whereas my best month on iOffer is $200 (this month June 2008). Keep in mind I sell digital items. However, my sales were dragged down for being suspended for 1 week because I suggested to forum members who got suspended for no feedback, to paypal buyers $1.00 to buy feedback, which is what I did. iOffer read my comment, deleted it, and suspended me. When I asked why, they told me so and made me promise to not do it again, which I promised and I was unsuspended. I've been on iOffer for 2 and 1/2 months and gross sales are around $300. Not good but better than nothing. Not integrated with e-junkie.com, which I use for my automated digital downloads. Now I have to manually send emails. This is only important for digital item sellers. My sales however are increasing, as I've learned how to spam iOffer with my listings etc. But it takes much more effort than ebay to get to the same sales numbers.
I hope this has been informational to you guys. Please add to this if you know additional info. Thanks.