Pinky, I don't wish to pour too much cold water on a potentially good idea, but for an auction to work you need multiple bidders for each "lot". This means that you'll need to get a huge number of subscribers looking for properties of all shapes and sizes in many different locations at the last minute. Getting those subscribers to your website will cost a lot of money (advertising, PR, SEO etc.).
As to charging us owners, no matter how small the fee, I might be reticent to pay speculatively on the off chance of selling an odd week, so I wonder if, like standard auction houses, your charges to owners should be a percentage of the hammer price ? What do other owners think of that ?
Holiday Rental Auctions
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pinkeyemedia
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:10 pm
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I agree with your point about charges...they would have to be low otherwise, like you say, it would not be worthwhile. Looking at it in a different angle. If villa owners are offering weeks at lower prices, then how about charging the guest to pay for the service instead of the owners. As we would be doing them a favour it getting a good deal.
For example....
Villa owner lists a week on the auction site for free.
Customers bid and the highest bidder wins.
Winning bidder pays a service fee of say £10 to tha auction site and then the winning amount to the villa owner.
Both sides are happy.
Just a though
For example....
Villa owner lists a week on the auction site for free.
Customers bid and the highest bidder wins.
Winning bidder pays a service fee of say £10 to tha auction site and then the winning amount to the villa owner.
Both sides are happy.
Just a though
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pinkeyemedia
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:10 pm
- Contact:
Think you got the wrong end of the stick there!! I meant, it would not cost you to list your auction lot but you can of course set whatever price you want as a start or reserve!!Fraise wrote:No, I wouldn't be happy! I would never list my place for free without some sort of reserve
The final % fee is another idea and what that guarantees you only pay if you sell your week, which is fair enough.
About getting the numbers....thats my biggest worry...because it will cost ££££s!!
While im contemplating a million thoughts in my head, just wanted to say thanks for everyones input...sometimes there is something glaringly obvious im missing but you need others to tell you!
