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Revised collectZing Site is now Live

It's been a busy today, but we now have the latest batch of revisions to the collectZing web site live to the world. The changes are all in line with our previous blog post. We hope you like the revisions, there's more in the works. A big thanks again to everyone who contributed ideas and feedback. Please don't hesitate to let us know what you think.

Revised collectZing Live Soon

When we last wrote we were asking for your assistance to guide a forthcoming revision of the collectZing web site. Well we're pleased to say that progress has been swift, and we are nearly ready to unveil the updated collectZing.com web site.

There are some changes. Many of them were mooted in our newsletter from last month. We've had a small group of members trialing the site in the last few days, and whilst it's inevitably thrown up a list of issues to deal with, overall we are very satisfied with where things rest.

The most major are:

  1. An overall of the graphics and layouts through the whole site, including dumping or rationalization of anything that seemed superfluous or unnecessary. There'd been something of an unplanned bloating of links and options etc that needed much pruning.
  2. Better navigation, especially moving around collections and objects. Hopefully the site is easier to understand, and easier to navigate.
  3. Retirement of tags. It was agreed these are redundant given you can use the Search function to check every word anyone’s ever written about their collections and objects.
  4. Removal of the marketplace. We’re still 100% convinced that the collectors of the world need a trading space that doesn’t have the word eBay in it. And doesn’t have the fees, charges and general disdain for collectors that sometimes seems so prevalent there. But until we have enough weight of numbers, we're giving it a rest. Any current listings will be removed at the time we do the upgrade (this isn't going to affect many people).

As a way of replacing the Marketplace we've gone back to the future and reintroduced the Up for Trade option - where you can mark your objects as available for sale/trade. This actually seemed to work quite well before.

Other changes will have to wait just a little longer, but we're already working on a backlog of updates to incorporate into revisions over the next few weeks.

So keep an eye open from us for notification of the new site 'going live'. You may notice a tiny down time (only a few minutes) as we implement the changes. We apologise for any inconvenience.

As always, we love your feedback and comments, email us at info at collectZing.com, or use the Contact Us form on the web site.

collectZing Revisions - Tell Us What You Think

collectZing has been up and running for a few months now, and we’ve been great encouraged and gratified by the feedback and comments from members. But like so many things collectZing is a work in progress. We spent the last couple of months of 2007 rolling out a big bunch of features and functions, and then chose to draw breath and sit back quietly watching how things worked out.

We have members all over the world, from all walks of life – and collecting. It’s always so difficult to anticipate the needs and desires of such a remarkably diverse group of people.

Now it’s time to move forward. We are firm believers in the collectZing idea. There are millions of collectors in the world, and many online resources exist. We think the ideas underpinning collectZing are as relevant now as when we first dreamt up the concept in the middle of last year, and we’re now pondering how to revise the web site to best cater to everyone’s needs, and make it an attractive tool in every collector’s arsenal.

We want your thoughts and feedback on how we can update and improve the collectZing web site. Here’s our current planning, let us know what you think – and don’t hold back, you won’t hurt our feelings whatever you say (well, we might shed one or two tears but we promise to be brave).

  1. Drop tags. A while back tags were all the rage. And with good reason. But we’re not sure they are an essential part of collecting, given you can use the Search function to check every word anyone’s ever written about their collections and objects.
  2. Meld Start Page with Profile Page. At the moment everyone has a Profile Page (eg David’s is http://www.collectzing.com/member/david/) and a Start Page – that’s the one you see when you first log in, the URL is always http://www.collectzing.com/start/). It can get confusing, so we’re thinking of a single page.
  3. Objects – hide all the Documentation and Object Detail stuff when adding and editing an object on a separate tab, it’s a lot of screen clutter if you aren’t interested in all that stuff, but still very important to retain for members who need that detail.
  4. Seriously clean up – we realise we just kept dumping more and more bits onto the pages. So many good ideas, so little screen real estate. We’ll rationalise and scrap stuff to create simpler pages.
  5. Simplify Collections/Objects navigation – we agonised over these pages for ages last year. The end result is confusing. So this is probably our biggest task. We need to re-visit the whole way we portray collections and objects. At the time we thought it made complete sense – you have a Collection. The Collection has objects. But man did it confuse some people. Plus the screen layouts don’t help. We’ll take any and all suggestions.
  6. Collector Clubs are something we just can’t make our minds up about. Are they a valid idea? Maybe not. Maybe yes. Still trying to decide how to handle these.
  7. The Marketplace we’re leaving alone for now. While it’s true it ain’t been a happening thing much yet, we tend to see that as a function of low utilization on the main parts of the site. We’re still 100% convinced that the collectors of the world need a trading space that doesn’t have the word eBay in it. And doesn’t have the fees, charges and general disdain for collectors that sometimes seems so prevalent there.
Tell us what you think - email us at info at collectZing.com, or use the Contact Us form on the web site.

Co-Founder speaking at Facebook Garage



Read all of Co-Founder speaking at Facebook Garage

Mention of collectZing at Mashable

Read all of Mention of collectZing at Mashable

eBay Cuts Listing Fees - well, sorta

Well it looks like eBay has actually finally realised its listing fees are a killer. They've announced they will cut their fees by up to 50% - and focus more on charging commissions on successful sales, rather than listings that don't sell. Plus they're saying they will reorganise search results to down play sellers with lower ratings.

UPDATE

I jotted the above after reading the original wire service reports. But I've been reading more of the detail and commentary and as always with eBay there's a sting in the tail. They seem to have seriously bumped up the post sales commission rate on items under $25. Yet again you get the impression eBay just doesn't want the small sellers, just the big professionals.

Got clubs?

No, not things you hit people with... Clubs as in associations!

After the holidays, you may be left with the feeling that there's no one in the world who really understands your obsession like you do - not quite! Here at collectZing, there's plenty of like-minded people to chat to, so if you'd like to gripe about your Christmas presents, or want to bask in the glory of your latest new find, why not head over to the Clubs section?

There you can meet other people, start a discussion, build links between friends, answer each other's questions, and just have fun!

If you don't see a Club that interests you, why not start your own, and invite some friends along to help get things moving?

Looking for collectibles?

Many of you will remember that late last year we launched our very own Marketplace, where you can buy, sell and swap collectibles. Since launching, we've had some successful trades, but not a lot of action since the holidays/new year got in the way. So we just want to remind you that the Marketplace is there, with some great features:
  • Set a minimum price
  • View a range of offers
  • No bidding, so the 'best' offer isn't necessarily the highest amount of money
  • Accept a range of payments, from direct deposit, to Paypal, to the 'Zing' - our inhouse currency
  • Swap objects - no money exchanges, just the collectibles
  • Rate other members based on your buying and selling experiences
  • Automatic transfer of object data - don't want to have to reload images to collectZing? It's done for you once you finalize your trade!
Don't forget to check out the wiki for tips and step-by-step instructions on using the Marketplace:

http://wiki.collectzing.com/Trading+and+Wish+Lists

There's a great selection of objects in the Marketplace at the moment, from sports memorabilia to car magazines, a movie statuette, and some American coins. Be sure to check them out, and add your own sales to the Marketplace!

Happy new year!

collectZing is back in the office, and raring to go! We hope you've had a wonderful holiday and new year, and look forward to helping all of our members - new and old!

Feel free to contact us with any inquiries or questions, we're here to help. Don't forget, Marty Weil is still our resident collecting expert, so if you have some burning desire to find out something about a collectible that you have, feel free to contact us.

Best wishes for 2008 from all at collectZing!

Congratulations winners!

Last week we drew the last winner of our Zing and Win competition - and it was an extra-special prize, because it included the photography package, $US 1000 cash, and $US 1000 Amazon voucher!

The Grand Prize winner.... drum roll please....

New Zealand Star Wars collector, Padmae!!!

Congratulations Padmae, we know you'll get a lot of great use out of the camera package, and we wish you all the best for the new year!

In a short recap, here were the other winners of the Zing and Win competition (in chronological order): Kokoda, Swacosons, Kenjan9903, Chess1458, Mark.c, Killbill, Park Place Money Bag, Mamabear, Vpvphotographs, Oche66, and Chicken.

Congratulations to all of you, and for those who didn't win... well, maybe you'll get another chance in the future!   ;)

In the meantime, please remember we'll be out of the office from the 21st Dec, until the 7th Jan. Have a wonderful, safe and happy holiday, and see you in the new year!

Happy holidays!!

The holidays are upon us, and here at collectZing, we're feeling very festive. The halls are decked with collectibles, music fills the air, and there's lots of fun food to eat.

But we'll all be glad to have a nice little break, and come back in 2008 refreshed and ready to do more for you collectors out there!

So we'll be on holidays from 21st Dec until 7th Jan.

We wish you a happy and safe holiday, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!!

Last days of the Zing and Win competition!

December 14 is not far away - and it's your last chance to be in the draw for our Grand Prize!! The prize includes a photography package, $US 1000 cash and $US 1000 Amazon voucher. All you need to do to win is to be a member of collectZing, upload at least 10 objects, and invite two friends who then also join collectZing. Learn more about the competition here. Just a couple of days left to be in the running, so be sure to get moving!

collectZing on Facebook

Now you can manage and share your collectZing collections on Facebook. We've launched the new collectZing Facebook application. Are you one of the 40 or so million people with a Facebook account? If so, you can add the collectZing Facebook application right now.

Add the application, and sign in with your normal collectZing email address and password. You only need to do this once. Then you can manage your collections and objects, and show them off to your Facebook friends.

Why not invite all your Facebook friends to your collectZing collections and spread the word!

> Add the collectZing application to your Facebook profile now!

Want to read the best blogs on collecting?

Over the past six months, we've done a lot of research into collecting, and we've come across some very informative, insightful and fun blogs. More than 240 of them in fact, across a range of collectible types and themes. So we thought we'd share them with our members, on our brand new bloggers page!

On the page, you can view the latest and greatest posts from our huge list of blogs, as well as sort or view by collectible type if you so wish.

You can find the bloggers page by clicking on the link in the right-hand column of your Start Page:



Alternatively, go directly to:

http://www.collectzing.com/bloggers/



You will see there's also a 'Submit new blog' function; so if you see your blog, or your favorite blog, isn't listed, you can add it to the page! Just add in the blog details, and we'll do the rest!

Are you a business for collectors? Read this!

We've noticed a lot of new members joining lately, who are businesses in the collectibles industry. Whether they are dealers, authenticators, appraisers, clubs, or auction houses - we welcome you all!

But we noticed something important: there was nothing to differentiate a business member from an individual member, or collector. So we have created special Business Profiles for those people who want them.A Business Profile is similar to a normal membership, except you can upload your company logo and display a description of your business services and products, and location/contact details – and be shown on a Google map.

Additionally, Business Profiles have a special new icon, so that members can easily recognise and search for dealers and other collectible businesses. Plus, as a member with a Business Profile, you can easily use our new Marketplace, where you can buy, sell and swap collectibles.

All you have to do to use the Business Profile is to ensure you're a member of collectZing, and to activate it when editing your profile. Step-by-step instructions are given here, along with an image so you know how the profile appears to other members.

Digital Photography Guide - Part Two out now!

A while ago you may remember that we published Terry Lane's part one of a series on digital photography. Well, today we have published part two.

Terry Lane, one of Melbourne publication The Age's writers, first wrote an explanation of how to take professional-quality photos with a digital camera. In part two, he explains how to edit your digital photos to make them even better, using photo editing software and a little know-how.

Read Part Two of the Digital Photography series here.

Welcome Star Wars collectors!

We at collectZing.com just wanted to say hi and give a big warm welcome to all those new Star Wars collectors that have joined up recently. Many of you may have come from Mousedroid.com, and we would like to thank Mick Selas from Mousedroid for posting news about our site.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this site, Mousedroid.com is an Australian-based fan site for Star Wars collectors. Mick established the site in order to help bring the strong and vibrant Australian Star Wars community together; and he feels that collectZing can help do that, by offering a place for collectors to discuss and trade collectibles.

Mousedroid.com is a great place for collectors and fans alike. There's news and events updates for Australian collectors, as well as international news; links to local clubs; information on all of the latest collectibles, product reviews, and a wide range of products to buy from the Mousedroid store; a vibrant online community in the forums; interviews and trivia; surveys; handy links to Star Wars sites; and much much more!

Thanks again to Mick, and hello to all you Star Wars collectors!

New Marketplace!!!

For a long time now, we at collectZing wanted to provide our members with a place where they could buy, sell and swap their collectibles. And just this week, we launched it!

Our new Marketplace area is specifically aimed at you, the collector. If you've been on eBay of late, you will have noticed a considerable increase in items that are simply not of interest to the collector - used washing machines, clothes, iPods... you name it, someone's selling it there. Because of this, many collectors feel that they have been slowly shut out of a good online market where they could find things to fill their gaps in their collections.

What makes our Marketplace so different is:

  • Since it is based around a collecting community, it won't get swamped with random listings of everyday products.
  • You can buy, sell and swap - meaning no money has to exchange hands, and collectors can get rid of duplicates while still filling the gaps in their collections
  • It's not an auction site, so the seller can accept the best offer, not the highest offer
  • There are no listing, selling or commission fees during the beta period, meaning more money for you to spend
  • We have our own inhouse currency, the Zing, which means more flexibility in payment options
  • When a transaction is completed, collectZing automatically transfers the online data of that object. This means no time spent on re-uploading photos or information, PLUS the ability to see the object's provenance as it passes from seller to buyer over time
We understand that the Marketplace might be a bit tricky to learn at first, so we've written a step-by-step guide to buying and selling on collectZing.com. Read all about it here.

Buy, Sell and Swap for Free

collectZing.com, the new online social network for collectors, young and old, dabbling and passionate, is pleased to announce its latest feature – the collectZing Marketplace – has launched. The feedback from existing members has been overwhelming. Collectors are tired of wading through endless auction web site listings of secondhand cars and celebrity belly button lint. And of paying endless listing fees, charges and commissions.

The collectZing Marketplace is an online trading exchange where collectors can buy, sell and swap their collectibles, with no fees or costs during the introductory beta period.

Members can list their items for sale with a range of different payment options, including collectZing’s own virtual currency the ‘Zing’. Potential buyers can then browse and make offers on the items – including offering one of their own items for a swap as part of the trade. The Marketplace is not auction based, sellers can choose to accept any of the offers, meaning highest price is not necessarily guaranteed success.

Unlike auction web sites, collectZing tracks the provenance of the items traded in the Marketplace, helping to prevent fraud and substantially improving the historical information available about a collectible the next time it is offered for sale in the Marketplace.

There are no listing fees or commissions during the beta phase - it's free to buy, sell and swap in the collectZing marketplace.

For more information about how the Marketplace works, and the Rules, please see the Quick Start Guide. You can also read all about the collectZing currency, the Zing, in the collectZing Wiki.

New object features!

You may have noticed a lot of changes over the weekend - well, I'll blog more about that very soon - but in the meantime, you may like to know that there's two new additions to the Object functionality.

Firstly, you can now select whether the Object is for general audiences, or whether it is 'adult'. If you consider something to be for 'adult' audiences, then this is a good way to make your Object less visible to other members - they will still be able to see the Object, but will be warned before doing so.

Secondly, you can now upload two documents along with a picture. This is an excellent way to upload certificates of authenticity, attach a copy of an appraisal, or any other important documents that go with your collectibles. Please note: file formats accepted are .doc and .pdf only.

It's the little things like this that make collectZing a great place for managing your collections!

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