SP Marketplace is closing down. What do you think of flippa?

[benitez17]

Matt, thanks for getting back to me about the auction I reported. It looks like it is gone now. I like the idea of the filters, and I hope Flippa will be vigilant about deleting auctions with incorrect information, because they defeat the purpose of having the filters.

I'm sure the Flippa staff is quite busy today, but they certainly didn't make it easy on themselves by launching the site in its current state.

About the fee, you insinuated that the seller who wanted to see the fee eliminated doesn't have to worry about the cost of the fee if they have the buyer pay some or all of it, which isn't how things work in reality. That money has to come from somewhere, and whether it is technically out of the pocket of the buyer or the seller isn't really the point, because they both lose out compared to the SP Marketplace.

[Christoph]

Very disappointed. The design is just bad, I mean really bad. It was nicely done on the old site ( a little slow, but good on the eyes and easy to navigate), but the color choice and how things are separated, just makes it painful to browse listings.

Since January I have bought and sold websites for many thousands of dollars. But the design, colors, and pricing changes - no thanks. I will move my spending to other websites accordingly. 5% listing fee? You're way off chart with that. Look at what Paypal or any credit card company charges for a transaction fee - Flippa is almost twice as expensive. Flippa is punishing whoever needs to pay this ridicilous fee (be it buyer or seller).

Thanks for the old marketplace - it was a good online market. I will miss it.

[Lite Scripts]

Dear Matt !

Ok in flippa you don't allow that changing the end time . but in older marketplace we have done it by changing the end day

We need to change the end time ! .

I don't know that moving to flippa will happen so soon and there is is no option to change the end time . If i would have known that earlier . i will change the end time to 30 days

but i need to change the end time to 7 more days

[AdamWB]

Does anyone actually LIKE Flippa? Every single forum, blog, and website that I have visited recently has 90% of users absolutely hating everything about it.

I'm curious if the developers are even aware of this?

[diwi]

I can suppose that Matt is not very familiar with his own sitepoint marketplace and do not know that we had possibility in any time change auctions durations.

I was suggest this request on http://flippa.uservoice.com/pages/17...ction-duration

This function is very wanted !!!

In next 2 days I'll lost my auction fees on 3 auctions.
Good way to earn money for flippa !
They gain but we lose.
Cool

Dear Matt !

Ok in flippa you don't allow that changing the end time . but in older marketplace we have done it by changing the end day

We need to change the end time ! .

I don't know that moving to flippa will happen so soon and there is is no option to change the end time . If i would have known that earlier . i will change the end time to 30 days

but i need to change the end time to 7 more days

[aj510]

Does anyone actually LIKE Flippa? Every single forum, blog, and website that I have visited recently has 90% of users absolutely hating everything about it.

I'm curious if the developers are even aware of this?

They are aware of it and are trying to steam roll their way through it....

[tke71709]

http://flippa.com/buy-websites?filterby=premium ... Who did you let design that... it's just awful.

No no no...

Flippa is beautiful, to those who suggested otherwise (just about everyone) the response from Flippa staff summed up the entire Flippa tone from start to finish.

From earlier in this thread (post 57 I believe)

"Opinions are like arseholes - everyone has one."

[tke71709]

Originally Posted by benitez17
Matt, I know you are smarter than that. Do you really think the buyer won't factor that fee into the price when bidding, and lower the bid accordingly?

Of course they will. I never said otherwise.

Then why insult everyone's intelligence by saying that you can set the auction to buyer pays the fee when you yourself admit that this will simply result in the seller receiving a lower auction price to compensate for said fee?

Whether a seller sells a site for 10k and pays a $500 fee to SP or a seller sells a site for $9500 and pays no fee to SP, they're still out the "success" fee. That's of course assuming that buyers are not scared off by the "we'll decide if a sale was successful or not and whether to charge you a fee or not" even further reducing the prices.

Just be honest and upfront about things, these ridiculous attempts at spinning the facts are embarrassing for a community with a level of prestige equal to Sitepoint's.

[tke71709]

5% listing fee? You're way off chart with that. Look at what Paypal or any credit card company charges for a transaction fee - Flippa is almost twice as expensive. Flippa is punishing whoever needs to pay this ridicilous fee (be it buyer or seller).

+ transfer fees through Paypal or Escrow

Heck even escrow, who provides an extremely valuable service to webmasters only charges $175.50 for a 10k sale and they can actually verify if the sale goes through before charging their users.

[pavelmaha]

Just wanted to share my opinion about flippa. I think the name is absolutely horrible and design is nothing to be proud about. The current sitepoint design is very beautiful and very easy on the eyes. From a user's perspective I think it only makes sense that the marketplace is part of sitepoint instead of having its own domain.

I don't know why they decided to do it but the whole idea seems horrible.

Regarding the price structure, I don't have a lot to say because I am not very active in the selling market, but from reading some of the reactions it seems like a vast majority of people are not happy with it.

I think when your business model is driven by user participation, it only makes sense to listen to them when making big changes, don't just try to shove it down everyone's throat.

[egenius]

I have already voiced my opinion in a non-logged in state.

I am sorry in advance if this gets harsh as I go along…

I am sure you guys thought long and hard before making the switch but - I urge you to reconsider. I realize that a lot of blood and sweat went into this project, but it’d be better to fix this before it is too late.

I know why you would want to introduce a more lucrative fee structure. As a business often we are forced to make such greedy albeit necessary changes. And I am ok with it. But please step back and look at it from an end user point of view. Honestly why fix something that wasn’t broken?

I loved browsing through the old marketplace - it was easy on the eyes. Looked familiar, blended in perfectly with sitepoint and did what it was supposed to do. On occasion I bought a few sites that I liked - so this feedback is not coming from a lurker. I was/am an active buyer and I am refusing to use flippa. It’s hideous, impractical and a bad attempt to replace something that was much better looking and functioning.

Please bring the old marketplace back. Call it what you like (flippa/flippu/flippi/floppy) but keep it how it used to be. I am all for change but when its a step backwards it doesn’t make sense.

I understand if you decide not to do anything about this and I am sure we (the users who hate this change) will find some where else to buy/sell sites. But please save us the hassle will ya?

Judging by the reaction from the SP team, here and elsewhere it is safe to say no one is listening. Specifically...

"Opinions are like arseholes - everyone has one."

This was the only place I used to visit to find sites to buy. If you don't mind sharing please feel free to PM me any other sites you guys use. I am looking for alternatives as I can't stand the horrible blue site and the arrogance.

p.s. If possible I'd like to go somewhere where our "arseholes" are treated with a little more respect.

[hooperman]

This was the only place I used to visit to find sites to buy. If you don't mind sharing please feel free to PM me any other sites you guys use. I am looking for alternatives as I can't stand the horrible blue site and the arrogance.

This page lists a number of places where you can buy and sell websites.

[tke71709]

I find this thread particularly hilarious and had to share it...

http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?t=623121

More overwhelmingly positive feedback!

[MarkNYC]

I am sorry but this Flippa is horrible! Design, navigation, 5% fee, everything! I wouldn't buy anything on that site or list a site for sale on those terms. You guys had such a nice Marketplace, why change it?? I really think if you revert back to the marketplace, that would be the best business decision you've ever made!

[diwi]

Today I was surfed around the net and was read many many comments on another forums like warrior, dp and many other.
80-90% of another forums members (which use sitepoint marketplace) very dissatisfied with new flippa but sitepoint owners did not listen us - sellers & buyers.

On many forums Matt (SP founder) only replied on good positive comments but ignored many constructive comments.

It's not right. SP/Flippa like monoplist who dictate us their rules but don't listen us.

[tke71709]

It's not right. SP/Flippa like monoplist who dictate us their rules but don't listen us.

SP is not a monopoly and are well within their rights to ignore the criticisms of their service.

I've heard of multiple competitors springing up because of the flippa fiasco (including some backed with some Internet marketing "names" and proper funding associated with them).

We'll see what happens, Flippa may be the best thing that happens to site buying/selling on the Internet if it results in better sites and services being launched. I don't think there was a huge demand for other sites when the marketplace existed, it would have been too difficult to dethrone them, but the backlash makes this the perfect time to take a run at SP.

[hooperman]

Someone with a budget of $250 - $750 is asking for a clone of flippa on GAF.

[Dan Grossman]

Someone with a budget of $250 - $750 is asking for a clone of flippa on GAF.

You've been able to buy SitePoint Marketplace clone scripts (and themes for CMS's) for almost as long as the marketplace has been available. He's wasting his money paying to copy what he can buy for a few bucks. The script isn't what's valuable, it's the listings and the traffic.

[tke71709]

Someone with a budget of $250 - $750 is asking for a clone of flippa on GAF.

Including all the bugs?

[egenius]

You've been able to buy SitePoint Marketplace clone scripts (and themes for CMS's) for almost as long as the marketplace has been available. He's wasting his money paying to copy what he can buy for a few bucks. The script isn't what's valuable, it's the listings and the traffic.

I second what Dan said. You can buy a clone for a lot cheaper or put something similar together in no time by customizing open source stuff that is already out there.

A clone is going to get him nowhere. Since SP has tons of 'satisfied' users such as myself, something half decent will get you my business. The only reason I used to visit sitepoint was for the marketplace (the forums are good too ).

Heck, I should just open up my own marketplace and call it a day!

[yomimedia]

Guys, your calculations are pretty convincing. I agree to some of you, they wouldn't do such a thing that won't benefit them.

[SolidDomains]

I really miss the old marketplace. Flippa is not easy on the eyes. I got tired of scrolling through sites after 5 minuets. I don't think I'll be posting my sites for sale there. it's too bad. This was a much better marketplace design.