New Virtual Auction Website is Live

[mrbabb78]

Hi,
I just wanted to post here to let everyone know that after alot a hard work my site is ready to be used.

It is called the FFXI Internet Auction House. I designed it to allows a simulated auction system like ebays for players to buy,sell, and trade items using FFXI Gil. THIS IS NOT A RMT site.

The reason I made the site was due to the current limitations of FFXI's auction/bazaar system. Instead of only 7 items, you can list an unlimited number of items. Also, items remain visible until they are sold or the auction ends unlike the bazaar system where the items are only available when that particular character is logged in and it's in his inventory. Once your items sells, you and your buyer recieve an email. You can then arrange an in-game meeting to complete the transaction.

There are two types of membership. Free and Premium which cost $2 every 30 days. Premium members have more selling options than Free Members.

Right now the design is very basic because I was just focusing on getting it up and running. I plan to update it visually over the next couple of weeks.

You can check it out here: http://ffxi.mmoauctionhouse.com
Let me know what you think. I'm always open to constructive criticism.

[Blood Red Poet]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

This is pointless. Not the first time it has been tried. Its not going to be used at all

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

A little...harsh :\

It's looking pretty good, I'd say just work on getting the word out and sooner or later you never know, it could become pretty popular.

[Blood Red Poet]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Maybe... but these things never work. Even if KI or Allak made a version, it probably wouldn't work.

[PotentPotables]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Where's the AH slot for Dhalmel Piss?

[hamiko]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Looking good.

[mrbabb78]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Thanks for the feedback.

Potent--I'm pretty sure you can list that under Other/Misc.

Blood - You make a good argument in that other sites didn't work. But I believe it was due the system they tried to setup. They tried to use a forum system which was useless as old posts would get pushed down the page as new items were listed, and it is extremely difficult to keep track of bids and other information. Since my system is an actual auction system. I think it would work alot better. What do you believe would it would take for you to use a site like this? I'm just looking for what people would like to see for such a site.

I'm still adding new features as I continue to get feedback from others. One suggestion I got was to make it so you can recieve messages when you win the auction or your item sold through POL email, which can be pretty powerful since you will recieve the notice while logged on as well. You can currently do that if you signup with POL as you main email, but I think I'll implement it so you can have one general email and you POL email. The other suggestion was to implement an item database so that when you when want to sell an item, no typing would be required. You would just select the item based on the category you selected, the system would fill in the item description and icon for you. Unfortunately, this would remove Potent's Dhamel Piss, but I could live with that.

What other ideas do you guys have that you think would make my site more player friendly?

[PotentPotables]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Potent--I'm pretty sure you can list that under Other/Misc.

No, I can't. I already got warned once for referencing pointless and facetious items. I won't do it again even in jest.

But, I'd hafta go with the populace on this one. Site does look good, but you're gonna hafta do ALOT of promoting to get it going good. Kinda like ffxiparty.com or whatever that crap was.

PLUS, you also have to rely on people being honest in-game when it comes to the actual trade.

[mrbabb78]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Yeah, I definitely am working on the promotion. I already submitted the site to popular search engines, and I applied for the Playonline community site service.

Honesty is a big thing to help the site work. I hoping that with the feedback system on the site, players will be able to see who is honest or not. I also have the ability to suspend or ip ban someone if they reputation is horrible.

[Yashin]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

I can tell ya now no one will pay for it...

[mrbabb78]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Your right that's a strong possibility. That's why I made a free mode. I would still be happy if people signed up and used the free service. I'm not trying to become a millionaire off this, that why the Premium charge is so low.

[PotentPotables]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

My advice, would be to offer the service free of charge completely.

Honestly, you might be using alot fo your own resources to keep this thing running, but having ANOTHER thing that ppl have to pay for for FFXI is going to turn alot of them off immediately.

Keep it free until a certain amount of subscribers. Keep it basic, then, hen you have your fan-base, give some premium content for a samll nominal fee.

Also, utilize everyones favorite forum and start shouting in LJ. At the very least we might be able to take some Jeuno lag and place it upon YOUR server >=)

[Medalink]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Kind of pointless since the Windower group is about to launch there Live Auction House.... But GL!

Medalink

[mrbabb78]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Potent you make a good point. I have been actually considering doing the free thing awhile then later making the two modes of membership. I actually just made it so you get a 14 day premium trial on signup. Maybe I'll just bump that number up. then if the user base get large I'll move it back.

Medalink, I didn't even know the windower group was doing that. Guess I'll see what happens...

[Medalink]

Re: New Virtual Auction Website is Live

Medalink, I didn't even know the windower group was doing that. Guess I'll see what happens...

Sad, not many people do, I read the transcript from there site after they held there confrence thing. But yeah its an app that you download seperate from Windower and it allows you to buy/sell from any of the 4 AH's on your server. You can now list 32 items at once and have everyone useing it see them. Its all been confirmed on there site if you dont belive me read the script yourself. Your idea is different, however it lacks the instat aqusition of items people like, just like buying gil, people cant stand to wait to get things so they buy gil and get it instantly, You wont be able to get very many people useing this unless you mimic the Windowers app and have it tied into the game live.

Medalink