49 replies to this topic

[nathanallan]

Random Terrain, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:08 PM, said:

The only thing that will save the site is if they change the name to Chase the Game Gavel or Gavel the Chase Wagon. If they don't, the site will crash and burn. How do I know this? I turned off the lights, shined a flashlight in my face, and saw the future. The year 2000 is amazing.

SSSHHHHH!!! You'll give away all the secrets of FUTURE TELLING!!!

[Parrothead]

tz101, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:40 PM, said:

Parrothead, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:48 PM, said:

Here is Google in action:

There is someone on GameGavel now who typed this into the Google Search bar: spyro the dragon playstation 1

Try it and see what happens. Then click on Shopping Results. See the GameGavel listing?

So now all sellers who use a Buy Now/Fixed price have the advantage of having their auctions seen on Google. So not just people on GG can see the auctions but anyone who happens to be searching for it on Google too. So no matter the size of GG, your listings can be found on the biggest and badest search engine on the net. I hope you can understand now how powerful this is to our sellers and how it is bad if our feed goes down.

Threads started by disinformed people like this do a disservice to not only GameGavel, but more importantly to all our members who are doing their part to make GG a better place and a nice alternative to Ebay.

If I was "disinformed", then whose issue is that? I am only going by the email I received, and did not state anything that was not contained in that email.

Q: Is the word "custom" or "customized" a no-no as far as Google is concerned?

___________________________________________________________________

Here is exactly what the email said (cut & pasted):

This is just a short email discussing a very important subject. And that is the listing of pirated/modded games, systems, accessories, etc. on GameGavel.com. At first I wasn’t against this, but since have learned the listing of these types of items is in strict conflict with the Google Base Feed guidelines. Basically, one of the things sellers depend on is more buyers visiting GameGavel to bid and buy our items. And Google Base is one free method of bringing in significant buyer traffic to GameGavel.

Google Base is a free service by Google to include our seller’s items within the Google Search Environment. If Google Base determines there are modded/pirated items for sale on GameGavel, they immediately shut down our feed and our items are not included within their search environment.

_________________________________________________________________________


Now how you got any information regarding me doing this because of my greed for ad revenue is totally lost on me. This had everything to do with a feed that brings more people to sellers listings. Where does it mention anything about ad revenue? And to post a thread titled like you did, I would expect nothing less of the poster to being informed about the comment instead of looking like someone who was completely, totally and obviously disinformed. And if I was a member of GG I would think the same way here.

I am not trying to call you out here, but when my intention of bending over backwords for our members is construed as something else, I am going to vehemently defend it.

Custom or customized should be fine I think

Edited by Parrothead, Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:54 PM.

[Parrothead]

tz101, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:40 PM, said:

Parrothead, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:48 PM, said:

Here is Google in action:

There is someone on GameGavel now who typed this into the Google Search bar: spyro the dragon playstation 1

Try it and see what happens. Then click on Shopping Results. See the GameGavel listing?

So now all sellers who use a Buy Now/Fixed price have the advantage of having their auctions seen on Google. So not just people on GG can see the auctions but anyone who happens to be searching for it on Google too. So no matter the size of GG, your listings can be found on the biggest and badest search engine on the net. I hope you can understand now how powerful this is to our sellers and how it is bad if our feed goes down.

Threads started by disinformed people like this do a disservice to not only GameGavel, but more importantly to all our members who are doing their part to make GG a better place and a nice alternative to Ebay.

If I was "disinformed", then whose issue is that? I am only going by the email I received, and did not state anything that was not contained in that email.

Q: Is the word "custom" or "customized" a no-no as far as Google is concerned?

And what really puzzles me is you have a free seller account. You know how many people would love to have one of these now? And you don't want to have it anymore? Strange. I guess I will give it to someone else.

One Free Seller Account up for grabs. Pay no fees ever on GameGavel. Who wants it?

Edited by Parrothead, Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:59 PM.

[tz101]

Sorry, Mike, my intent was never to paint you as a greedy person, but I did interpret your email to be concerned with driving traffic, and revenue, to the site.

My email received read in its entirety as follows:

Hello GameGavel Community,



This is just a short email discussing a very important subject. And that is the listing of pirated/modded games, systems, accessories, etc. on GameGavel.com

. At first I wasn’t against this, but since have learned the listing of these types of items is in strict conflict with the Google Base Feed guidelines. Basically, one of the things sellers depend on is more buyers visiting GameGavel to bid and buy our items. And Google Base is one free method of bringing in significant buyer traffic to GameGavel.



Google Base is a free service by Google to include our seller’s items within the Google Search Environment. If Google Base determines there are modded/pirated items for sale on GameGavel, they immediately shut down our feed and our items are not included within their search environment.



So, starting now, sellers can only list legal, commercially available items up for sale or auction on GameGavel. If any of you currently have one of these types of items listed, please remove it right away. If anyone sees a modded or pirated item up for sale, please report this item using the “report violation” button, which is located on all listing pages in the lower right hand column so we can get the item removed and not jeopardize our Google Base Feed. Any listing enhancement fees associated with an item violation will not be credited back.



Thanks again,





So Cal Mike, Founder

GameGavel.com


The underlined section is where I got the "disinformed" notion that even av mods on older systems would not be permissible, and that it is of utmost importance to keep Google's revenue flowing. Call me crazy if you want, but it reads as such in my humble opinion.

[accousticguitar]

How about auctions that also have buy it now prices on them? Would they come up in a Google search?

[Parrothead]

accousticguitar, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:00 PM, said:

How about auctions that also have buy it now prices on them? Would they come up in a Google search?

I believe those would not be included. But Google Base guidelines are pretty hard to interpret. If you list and want to be included in the feed, best just to use same price for starting bid and buy now price.

[Parrothead]

So, starting now, sellers can only list legal, commercially available items up for sale or auction on GameGavel. If any of you currently have one of these types of items listed, please remove it right away. If anyone sees a modded or pirated item up for sale, please report this item using the “report violation” button, which is located on all listing pages in the lower right hand column so we can get the item removed and not jeopardize our Google Base Feed. Any listing enhancement fees associated with an item violation will not be credited back.

tz101, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:58 PM, said:

The underlined section is where I got the "disinformed" notion that even av mods on older systems would not be permissible, and that it is of utmost importance to keep Google's revenue flowing. Call me crazy if you want, but it reads as such in my humble opinion.

Where does it mention "Googles Revenue Flowing". I don't say revenue anywhere in there?

Google Base has nothing to do with Google Ads. Two completely different programs. Google it

What prompted this email was a guy listing territory free modded PS2 or 3. That one auction took down the feed for two thousand other items. I am trying to learn about the feed guidelines and they are very hard to interpret. So I am still figuring this all out. But it has nothing to do, even remotely, with "selling out".

Edited by Parrothead, Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:22 PM.

[Parrothead]

Check this out - http://www.google.co...avel&hl=en&aq=f

[rmaerz]

I don't get it - how a modded machine is a bad thing unless it's not clear as to what may or not be a pirate machine...

Anyways, I don't get the fuss: Mike has mandated this in the best interest of sellers. What percentage of product on GameGavel were modded systems versus everything else onsite?

It's a business so where's the crime in increasing revenue?

[Parrothead]

rmaerz, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:27 AM, said:

I don't get it - how a modded machine is a bad thing unless it's not clear as to what may or not be a pirate machine...

Anyways, I don't get the fuss: Mike has mandated this in the best interest of sellers. What percentage of product on GameGavel were modded systems versus everything else onsite?

It's a business so where's the crime in increasing revenue?

As I've said the Google guidelines are a bit hard to interpret. Here is the message I get when they find something they don't like:

Our specialists have
looked into your Google Merchant Center account and found that your data
feed contains prohibited items. We do not accept listings for console mod
chips or mod chip accessories. We require that you remove these items from
your data feed.

So your guess is as good as mine. All I know when the feed is up our daily unique visitors rise significantly. Check out or Google Analytics for the past 30 days. I bet you can tell when the feed went back up Yesterday we had almost 3,000 unique visitors.

Edited by Parrothead, Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:55 AM.

[Jibbajaba]

I am definitely going to start listing some stuff on GG now. And if TZ101 isn't going to use his free seller account, I'll take it.

Chris

[Parrothead]

Jibbajaba, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:58 AM, said:

I am definitely going to start listing some stuff on GG now. And if TZ101 isn't going to use his free seller account, I'll take it.

Chris

It's yours. Congratulations. These were offered right after we launched to grow interest in the site and let people use it for free. We aren't giving any more out and obvisouly it will become more and more valuable as we continue to grow. I assume you are currently registered with GG under this same USER ID? I already adjusted your account so you are good to go. With the upgrade you pay no listing fees (well, noone pays those) and no selling fees - ever! The only fees would be for listing enhancements should you elect to use them - things like homepage featured listings, top-of-category listings, and bold titles. Photo uploads and reserve fee style auctions are also free to you.

Questions? Let me know.

Thanks,

Edited by Parrothead, Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:19 PM.

[the-topdog]

tz101, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:58 PM, said:

So, starting now, sellers can only list legal, commercially available items up for sale or auction on GameGavel. If any of you currently have one of these types of items listed, please remove it right away. If anyone sees a modded or pirated item up for sale, please report this item using the “report violation” button, which is located on all listing pages in the lower right hand column so we can get the item removed and not jeopardize our Google Base Feed.

I think you are under a misconception about what Google Base is tz101. It has noting to do with revenue, it is a free shopping comparison engine hosted by Google. When you submit a list or "feed" to Google, they will include your items in the Google shopping search results for free... exposing your auctions to millions of people who use Google.

This is an awesome thing, because not only are people on GameGavel able to look through your auctions you have listed on GameGavel but it exposes them to an exponentially higher number of people who may be interested in purchasing your listed items.

So if one or two items that violate the terms of listing on Google Base, take down thousands of other auctions from Game Gavel from Google Base, that is just not acceptable. To mitigate this, just simple changes need to be made to the verbiage of a listing with a fixed purchase price. Avoid terms like pirate, modded, modified, region free and unreleased... Instead use terms like custom or w/xyx feature. None of this applies to any auction that does not have a fixed purchase price because those auctions are not included in the feed from Game Gavel anyway.

I hope this clears it up a bit. In my opinion, it just appears that Game Gavel is only looking out for the best interest of their users... because, lets face it, if their users aren't successful then Game Gavel is not successful.

Edited by the-topdog, Fri Feb 19, 2010 4:11 PM.

[Shawn Sr.]

Parrothead, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:53 AM, said:

So your guess is as good as mine. All I know when the feed is up our daily unique visitors rise significantly. Check out or Google Analytics for the past 30 days. I bet you can tell when the feed went back up Yesterday we had almost 3,000 unique visitors.

Are these extra hits creating more sales? Is there any data on that? That would be cool to see also.

[Parrothead]

the-topdog, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:31 PM, said:

tz101, on Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:58 PM, said:

So, starting now, sellers can only list legal, commercially available items up for sale or auction on GameGavel. If any of you currently have one of these types of items listed, please remove it right away. If anyone sees a modded or pirated item up for sale, please report this item using the “report violation” button, which is located on all listing pages in the lower right hand column so we can get the item removed and not jeopardize our Google Base Feed.

I think you are under a misconception about what Google Base is tz101. It has noting to do with revenue, it is a free shopping comparison engine hosted by Google. When you submit a list or "feed" to Google, they will include your items in the Google shopping search results for free... exposing your auctions to millions of people who use Google.

This is an awesome thing, because not only are people on GameGavel able to look through your auctions you have listed on GameGavel but it exposes them to an exponentially higher number of people who may be interested in purchasing your listed items.

So if one or two items that violate the terms of listing on Google Base, take down thousands of other auctions from Game Gavel from Google Base, that is just not acceptable. To mitigate this, just simple changes need to be made to the verbiage of a listing with a fixed purchase price. Avoid terms like pirate, modded, modified, region free and unreleased... Instead use terms like custom or w/xyx feature. None of this applies to any auction that does not have a fixed purchase price because those auctions are not included in the feed from Game Gavel anyway.

I hope this clears it up a bit. In my opinion, it just appears that Game Gavel is only looking out for the best interest of their users... because, lets face it, if their users aren't successful then Game Gavel is not successful.

Very nicely put

Edited by Parrothead, Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:59 PM.

[Parrothead]

Shawn Sr., on Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:44 PM, said:

Parrothead, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:53 AM, said:

So your guess is as good as mine. All I know when the feed is up our daily unique visitors rise significantly. Check out or Google Analytics for the past 30 days. I bet you can tell when the feed went back up Yesterday we had almost 3,000 unique visitors.

Are these extra hits creating more sales? Is there any data on that? That would be cool to see also.

It definitely doesn't hurt I have no factual data, other than our standard monthly sales #'s. And generally, when the feed is up we get more registrations, bids and sales.

[Random Terrain]

Parrothead, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:06 PM, said:

Very nicely put

That's what she said. Now on to more important things. When are you going to merge with AtariAge and call it Game the Wagon Age Atari Gavel Chase?

[the-topdog]

Random Terrain, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:14 PM, said:

That's what she said. Now on to more important things. When are you going to merge with AtariAge and call it Game the Wagon Age Atari Gavel Chase?

I got dibs on www.GavelAge.com !

[Jibbajaba]

Parrothead, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:18 PM, said:

Jibbajaba, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:58 AM, said:

I am definitely going to start listing some stuff on GG now. And if TZ101 isn't going to use his free seller account, I'll take it.

Chris

It's yours. Congratulations. These were offered right after we launched to grow interest in the site and let people use it for free. We aren't giving any more out and obvisouly it will become more and more valuable as we continue to grow. I assume you are currently registered with GG under this same USER ID? I already adjusted your account so you are good to go. With the upgrade you pay no listing fees (well, noone pays those) and no selling fees - ever! The only fees would be for listing enhancements should you elect to use them - things like homepage featured listings, top-of-category listings, and bold titles. Photo uploads and reserve fee style auctions are also free to you.

Questions? Let me know.

Thanks,

Wow, man. Thanks a BUNCH. I am going to start listing stuff ASAP. This Google Base deal has me excited.

Chris

[oldgames]

Shawn Sr., on Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:44 PM, said:

Parrothead, on Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:53 AM, said:

So your guess is as good as mine. All I know when the feed is up our daily unique visitors rise significantly. Check out or Google Analytics for the past 30 days. I bet you can tell when the feed went back up Yesterday we had almost 3,000 unique visitors.

Are these extra hits creating more sales? Is there any data on that? That would be cool to see also.

I can't speak for others, but even though I don't have any fixed price auctions to directly benefit from Google base I am seeing a marked increase in traffic and sales. I suspect part of this increase may be due to Google Base drawing more traffic to the site in general. Once there, people tend to look around. I think I am going to start doing some fixed price listings together with my auctions to get even more benefit from this feature that Mike has provided for his sellers. I've always been a big supporter of GameGavel / Chuckwagon, but I'm more optimistic now than ever.

Mike can comment on my next suggestions as I wouldn't want anything to jeopardize the Google Base feeds which seems to be helping traffic on the site. For such things as A/V mods, custom painting, etc which do not violate the spirit of the rules against pirated goods or mods designed to circumvent restrictions intentionally put in place by the manufacturer, I would suggest the following type of wording for the listings.

Atari 2600 with A/V upgrade

Custom painted SNES

I wouldn't think this type of thing would get picked up as a violation by Google Base. I also can't imagine anyone viewing these kinds of enhancements as being in any kind of 'grey area'. These are very innocuous modifications that do not alter the units basic functionality.

[poobah]

Just MHO....

When I got the GG email I thought "Well, so much for gamegavel..."

However, after I read this thread, I don't see any really negatives. The sort of items that AA folks are likely to sell (ie: svideo mods, homebrews, etc) are still fine, it just becomes a matter of terminology.

It is somewhat unfortunate that the original email wasn't clearer on this. I read it as mods of any kind, homebrews, etc. were now banned, period, end of story.

[tz101]

poobah, on Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:47 AM, said:

It is somewhat unfortunate that the original email wasn't clearer on this. I read it as mods of any kind, homebrews, etc. were now banned, period, end of story.

No, you were "disinformed" and it is your fault that you felt this way toward GG. Now go and repent before all the smoochers on this thread crucify you.

[Osbo]

tz101, on Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:49 PM, said:

poobah, on Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:47 AM, said:

It is somewhat unfortunate that the original email wasn't clearer on this. I read it as mods of any kind, homebrews, etc. were now banned, period, end of story.

No, you were "disinformed" and it is your fault that you felt this way toward GG. Now go and repent before all the smoochers on this thread crucify you.

LMAO

[Parrothead]

Hey TZ,

I have re-instated your free seller membership. I've thought about it and didn't want to take it from ya over a misunderstanding, regardless of how it happened. So it's there if you ever want to use it.

[Cebus Capucinis]

How about Chase and Gavel the Chuckwagon Game?