OLA: Sellers AND Buyers

#1

While registering with OLA, I got a couple of BIG red flags: The "promo codes" which are used when a new person signs up are nothing more than a pyramid scheme. Everywhere you look, sellers state "use my promo code when upgrading".
Also, the $4.00 (per month) verification fee for buyers is just unreal. WHO would PAY a fee to OLA to purchase anything? I also saw that many of sellers require "verified buyers only" on items costing less than $10. If I have to pay $4.00 to buy an item, + the whatever the item costs, + shipping, it's just not worth it. Many OLA sellers have very nice things, but nobody is going to pay a fee to be "verified" just to shop there.

#2

I agree. There are stores here in Massachusetts like BJ's Wholesale in which you buy a yearly membership to shop there.

No thanks, I'll go to Walmart, lol.

#3

olga wrote (View Post): › I just started to register with OLA & got a couple of BIG red flags: The "promo codes" which are used when a new person signs up are nothing more than a pyramid scheme. Everywhere you look, sellers state "use my promo code when upgrading".
Also, the $4.00 (per month) verification fee for buyers is just unreal. WHO would PAY a fee to OLA to purchase anything. I also saw that a lot of sellers require "verified buyers only" on items costing less than $10. If I have to pay $4.00 to buy an item, + the whatever the item costs, + shipping, it's just not worth it. Many OLA sellers have very nice things, but nobody is going to pay a fee to be "verified" just to shop there.

I think it has already been mentioned on here about buyers getting verified over at OLA. I think if the seller is selling a high dollar item, asking the buyer to be verified would be a good thing. Someone mentioned on here that they would give the buyer back the verified fee to make that sale.

#4

HELLO, Ola is NOT Sam's Club. If the "verification fee" is for big ticket items, then sellers need to learn to read, because there are MANY MANY items which require "buyer verification". Lots of the items are $10 or below. Not exactly high ticket.

#5

olga wrote (View Post): › HELLO, Ola is NOT Sam's Club. If the "verification fee" is for big ticket items, then sellers need to learn to read, because there are MANY MANY items which require "buyer verification". Lots of the items are $10 or below. Not exactly high ticket.

I totally agree that a seller will hurt their sales if they are selling a low cost item and asked the buyer to get verified. I do wonder how OLA Management verifies it's buyers who pay a fee to make a auction purchase.

#6

I totally agree that a seller will hurt their sales if they are selling a low cost item and asked the buyer to get verified. I do wonder however, how OLA Management verifies it's buyers who pay a fee to make a auction purchase.[/quote]

I'm sure I don't know. I think OLA is a crock. What is a "promo code" ? If the sellers aren't getting a kickback from it in some form, then what's the purpose of having it ?

#7

olga, you've been here for a few days and have even posted in some of the threads that really exposed OLA and it's tactics. I am really confused about your reaction to some of the things going on over there. You came here before you registered to sell over there and read loads of threads about numerous OLA topics. Didn't you believe what you read here?

#8

innerpuppie wrote (View Post): › olga, you've been here for a few days and have even posted in some of the threads that really exposed OLA and it's tactics. I am really confused about your reaction to some of the things going on over there. You came here before you registered to sell over there and read loads of threads about numerous OLA topics. Didn't you believe what you read here?

inner, I have been researching several "alternative" sites & of all I have seen, OLA seems to be the site I would like to use. However, after reading some of this stuff on PSU, (which is in great contrast to what I read on OLA forums), i'm not so sure now.

#9

olga wrote (View Post): ›

I'm sure I don't know. I think OLA is a crock. What is a "promo code" ? If the sellers aren't getting a kickback from it in some form, then what's the purpose of having it ?

Sellers make money off singing up new members if they use the sellers promo code. It' s an affiliate program. You could make money just by promoting your code and not even have any auction listings. The problem I see with this is you have to pay for the service of $196.00 to earn the commission.

**#10**

OMG, so the sellers DO get kickbacks from the promo codes. Just what I thought.

**#11**

maggiescountrycandlelites wrote (View Post): ›

olga wrote (View Post): ›

I'm sure I don't know. I think OLA is a crock. What is a "promo code" ? If the sellers aren't getting a kickback from it in some form, then what's the purpose of having it ?

Sellers make money off singing up new members if they use the sellers promo code. It' s an affiliate program. You could make money just by promoting your code and not even have any auction listings. The problem I see with this is you have to pay for the service of $196.00 to earn the commission.

Sellers "could" make money from signing up new members but I personally don't know any who have.
My promo code is on the bottom of every one of my posts in the chats on OLA but it is only there for someone who thought that I was enough of a help to them for me to get a bonus from the fact that they signed up.
I sell all kinds of things on OLA. I'm not there to just sign up a bunch of people.
I'm there to build a long term business & It is working for me for what I want.
I would encourage anyone to check it out at $8. a month level and see how it fits your business plan. Do the research. Keep good records and make "INFORMED" decisions based on "your facts" not on all the garbage coming from the PSU forums.
As was mentioned, it is an affiliate program **NOT A PYRAMID SCHEME** as many of the OLA bashers here would have you believe.
A business person would not pay $196 just to sign up new members IMHO because there would be no long term benefit to it.

If I had the time I could easily refute much of the OLA bashers misinformation and sometimes lies that are expounded in these threads as "Facts" Rolling Eyes

**#12**

If I had the time I could easily refute much of the OLA bashers misinformation and sometimes lies that are expounded in these threads as "Facts"

----------------------------------

FACT: I have looked at several items (less than $10.00), on which OLA sellers require "buyer verification". Either the sellers can't read the terms of what "buyer verification" is, or they are VERY paranoid. Nobody is going to pay a monthly fee to purchase Wal-Mart junk.

**#13**

olga wrote (View Post): ›
FACT: I have looked at several items (less than $10.00), on which OLA sellers require "buyer verification". Either the sellers can't read the terms of what "buyer verification" is, or they are VERY paranoid. Nobody is going to pay a monthly fee to purchase Wal-Mart junk.

I completely agree, (Nobody is going to pay a monthly fee to purchase Wal-Mart junk)
I personally don't have any auctions requiring verified buyer and can't see any reason to have it for me. But, I could see on big ticket items having it.
What I have seen in the past is that people just list it that way thinking it gives them a measure of assurance that the person will follow through on the sale or take it more seriously.
Personally, "BAD IDEA"

But I guess I don't quite get your point here. The FACT that people do that has no bearing on what or how I do things on what I sell and don't know why it should make any difference on what your selling either.

**#14**

vermonter53 wrote (View Post): ›
Sellers "could" make money from signing up new members but I personally don't know any who have.
My promo code is on the bottom of every one of my posts in the chats on OLA but it is only there for someone who thought that I was enough of a help to them for me to get a bonus from the fact that they signed up.
I sell all kinds of things on OLA. I'm not there to just sign up a bunch of people.
I'm there to build a long term business & It is working for me for what I want.
I would encourage anyone to check it out at $8. a month level and see how it fits your business plan. Do the research. Keep good records and make "INFORMED" decisions based on "your facts" not on all the garbage coming from the PSU forums.
As was mentioned, it is an affiliate program **NOT A PYRAMID SCHEME** as many of the OLA bashers here would have you believe.
A business person would not pay $196 just to sign up new members IMHO because there would be no long term benefit to it.

If I had the time I could easily refute much of the OLA bashers misinformation and sometimes lies that are expounded in these threads as "Facts" Rolling Eyes

vermonter53,
I am not misinforming anyone.

I was spammed to death my a user who was only selling a couple of items on OLA auction and really focusing on getting people to sign up as a founding member so he could make money off his promo code. OLA stood behind this user for sometime. He went as far as to say I could earn my wings by selling his promo code. So yes vermonter53 people will pay $196.00 to earn a commission on that promo code and focus on that. Their intentions aren't making it a super auction site to sell on, their motives are to make money off the promo code. I find this very disheartening and a vital concern for people who might get duped.

**#15**

olga wrote (View Post): › If I had the time I could easily refute much of the OLA bashers misinformation and sometimes lies that are expounded in these threads as "Facts"

----------------------------------

FACT: I have looked at several items (less than $10.00), on which OLA sellers require "buyer verification". Either the sellers can't read the terms of what "buyer verification" is, or they are VERY paranoid. Nobody is going to pay a monthly fee to purchase Wal-Mart junk.

I think, olga, that the wording of the Buyer Verification is confusing and the use is misunderstood by some sellers. This has been a topic of conversation for over a year here on PSU but does not warrant attention at OLA as the subject is revisited every couple of months for a few days at a time.

I understand your point about the buyer verification. The person who visits the OLA for the first time may surf away without a second look. If their first impression is an additional $4.00 cost added to a low dollar item (because they don't understand the Buyer Verification stipulations, either) they'll go back to eBay without looking back.

There is no way to estimate how many sales this confusion is costing OLA members. But the sellers deal with and, as you see defend it, so it's working for them. Not for everyone I guess.

maggiescountrycandlelites wrote (View Post): ›

vermonter53 wrote (View Post): ›
Sellers "could" make money from signing up new members but I personally don't know any who have.
My promo code is on the bottom of every one of my posts in the chats on OLA but it is only there for someone who thought that I was enough of a help to them for me to get a bonus from the fact that they signed up.
I sell all kinds of things on OLA. I'm not there to just sign up a bunch of people.
I'm there to build a long term business & It is working for me for what I want.
I would encourage anyone to check it out at $8. a month level and see how it fits your business plan. Do the research. Keep good records and make "INFORMED" decisions based on "your facts" not on all the garbage coming from the PSU forums.
As was mentioned, it is an affiliate program **NOT A PYRAMID SCHEME** as many of the OLA bashers here would have you believe.
A business person would not pay $196 just to sign up new members IMHO because there would be no long term benefit to it.

If I had the time I could easily refute much of the OLA bashers misinformation and sometimes lies that are expounded in these threads as "Facts" Rolling Eyes

vermonter53,
I am not misinforming anyone.

I was spammed to death my a user who was only selling a couple of items on OLA auction and really focusing on getting people to sign up as a founding member so he could make money off his promo code. OLA stood behind this user for sometime. He went as far as to say I could earn my wings by selling his promo code. So yes vermonter53 people will pay $196.00 to earn a commission on that promo code and focus on that. Their intentions aren't making it a super auction site to sell on, their motives are to make money off the promo code. I find this very disheartening and a vital concern for people who might get duped.

PSU took a pounding in 2006 by OLA sellers trying to sign up founding members. I've personally received a few recruitment PM's here @ PSU, though I'm glad to say it's been over a year ago.

While the majority of OLA members aren't abusive and pushy in their attempts to make affiliate money, make no mistake: there have been a few that have left a very bad taste in the mouth of a lot of people in the past and, evidently this continues today.