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eBay manager program

 [1/4] from: jackseay::earthlink::net at: 22-Sep-2000 8:46


Here are some ideas I've had a long time for a much needed application. I think Rebol could do it. There are probably tens of thousands of big-time eBay sellers now. If their average product sells for $10 or so, and it takes at least 1/2 hour to handle all the steps in each sale, they will be making less than minimum wage. If that time could be cut to 5 or 10 minutes per sale, that would make a serious impact on their profit margin. Here are some of the steps a program could manage: Quickly compose the ad on the eBay website using as much reusable HTML as possible, send the picture(s) to their website, notify the buyer of their mailing address and PayPal info, track each step of the transaction (emails sent and received, payment received, product shipped, feedback, etc.), print mailing label with address info from email, print packing slip with ad copy and other info, send feedback and email that feedback was made, etc. Also make it easily customizable, so other tracking info can be added by user. For the buyers, many other processes could be added: paying thru PayPal, automatic bidding at specified time, tracking of steps in transaction, and many of the above steps. I have several times considered being a full-time eBay seller, but decided against it because I know how much time it takes to complete each sale. For a program to be really helpful, it must be able to interact with and produce web pages, ftp, email, printer output, and tracking of all steps for each product bought or sold. What language is there that can do this easier than Rebol? *#*#*#*#*#*# To design the new structures of writing for screens is a profound issue of literary structure.  It is important to provide the best literary structure that we can, for hypertext, as the literature of tomorrow, determines in part the new structure of civilization. Civilization is in large part about, and around, what is written.  This is what we call literature. Literature is an endless river, connected, like water, in all directions.  Document connections go forward and backward in time, and sideways between documents.  Scholarship and fiction, political speeches and criticism, advertising, journalism and technical reports-- all affect each other and evolve in a constant flow of ideas and writings. ... Ted Nelson... Jack Seay [jackseay--usa--net] http://home.earthlink.net/~jackseay/jack

 [2/4] from: jackseay:earthlink at: 22-Sep-2000 9:19


It might provide some visibility when thousands of ads and emails read "ReBay - Powered by Rebol". And thousands of new people would be downloading Rebol to use it, and maybe seeing what else Rebol can do. [jackseay--earthlink--net] said at Ò[REBOL] eBay manager programÓ. [Sep/22/2000Fri 08:46] -Here are some ideas I've had a long time for a much needed -application. I think Rebol could do it. - -There are probably tens of thousands of big-time eBay sellers now. -If -their average product sells for $10 or so, and it takes at least 1/2 -hour to handle all the steps in each sale, they will be making less -than minimum wage. If that time could be cut to 5 or 10 minutes per -sale, that would make a serious impact on their profit margin. - -Here are some of the steps a program could manage: -Quickly compose the ad on the eBay website using as much reusable -HTML as possible, send the picture(s) to their website, notify the -buyer of their mailing address and PayPal info, track each step of -the transaction (emails sent and received, payment received, product -shipped, feedback, etc.), print mailing label with address info from -email, print packing slip with ad copy and other info, send feedback -and email that feedback was made, etc. Also make it easily -customizable, so other tracking info can be added by user. - -For the buyers, many other processes could be added: paying thru -PayPal, automatic bidding at specified time, tracking of steps in -transaction, and many of the above steps. - -I have several times considered being a full-time eBay seller, but -decided against it because I know how much time it takes to complete -each sale. For a program to be really helpful, it must be able to -interact with and produce web pages, ftp, email, printer output, and -tracking of all steps for each product bought or sold. What language -is there that can do this easier than Rebol? - -*#*#*#*#*#*# -To design the new structures of writing for screens is a profound -issue of literary structure.  It is important to provide the best -literary structure that we can, for hypertext, as the literature of -tomorrow, determines in part the new structure of civilization. -Civilization is in large part about, and around, what is written.  -This is what we call literature. Literature is an endless river, -connected, like water, in all directions.  Document connections go -forward and backward in time, and sideways between documents.  -Scholarship and fiction, political speeches and criticism, -advertising, journalism and technical reports-- all affect each -other -and evolve in a constant flow of ideas and writings. ... Ted -Nelson... - -Jack Seay [jackseay--usa--net] http://home.earthlink.net/~jackseay/jack

 [3/4] from: allen:rebolforces at: 24-Sep-2000 16:05


----- Original Message ----- From: <[jackseay--earthlink--net]> To: <[list--rebol--com]> Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 11:19 PM Subject: [REBOL] eBay manager program Re:
> It might provide some visibility when thousands of ads and emails > read "ReBay - Powered by Rebol". And thousands of new people would be > downloading Rebol to use it, and maybe seeing what else Rebol can do.
I'm pretty sure EBay sued a company for re-using data from it's site without permission. The company was scanning ebay and other auction/sales sites to create a "best buys" list. So tread carefully and get permission before doing this sort of application on a commercial scale. Cheers, Allen K

 [4/4] from: jackseay:earthlink at: 24-Sep-2000 2:52


This would be a program to manage a buyers' or sellers' own auction transactions. There are already programs that do some of what I was suggesting. I don't think it would be in competition with eBay, but would make it more profitable for sellers and save time for buyers, thus increasing eBay's business. Everybody wins. It might not be a good idea to call it ReBay, though. Remember Lava? But, some research would be prudent before proceeding. [allen--rebolforces--com] said at Ò[REBOL] eBay manager program Re:(2)Ó. [Sep/24/2000Sun 02:05] - ------ Original Message ----- -From: <[jackseay--earthlink--net]> -To: <[list--rebol--com]> -Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 11:19 PM -Subject: [REBOL] eBay manager program Re: - - -> It might provide some visibility when thousands of ads and emails -> read "ReBay - Powered by Rebol". And thousands of new people would -be -> downloading Rebol to use it, and maybe seeing what else Rebol can -do. - -I'm pretty sure EBay sued a company for re-using data from it's site -without -permission. The company was scanning ebay and other auction/sales -sites to -create a "best buys" list. - -So tread carefully and get permission before doing this sort of -application -on a commercial scale. - -Cheers, - -Allen K - - ------------------ Jack Seay [jackseay--usa--net] http://home.earthlink.net/~jackseay/jack