The best minds in blogging agree that you need to diversify your blog's revenue sources - never relying too heavily on a single source. I've launched a new plugin for Wordpress blogs to allow bloggers a quick way to add a revenue stream to their existing sources (Adsense, etc.). Auction Thumbs integrates thumbnail images with Ebay affiliate links either in the post footer or as a widget in the sidebar, or both. The next 50 purchases can use the promotional code for a limited-time discount during launch. More information and a revenue case study available at the site.
Quite an impressive plugin. I was just reviewing this site http://theebaymall.com/Auto-Directory/index.php for my affiliate program. I am just concentrating on ebay motors specifically cars. I want your unbiased opinion which one serves me better _ is that your plug in with wordpress or a site like that. Tell me cost wise and result wise.
I used Ebay affiliate tools off of their site for several months before creating this plugin. One of the reasons I got the plugin created was so that I could remove the Ebay branding. I didn't want it to be in your customer's face all the time with their bright colors and logo. I couldn't create an elegant site with their slogan and "EBAY" plastered above all the items. I didn't want an Ebay logo on my site 6 times if I had 5 blog posts at a time on the home page with thumbnails in the footer and a sidebar widget. I needed something unobtrusive. I wanted the customer to get engaged with the item - want it - before they knew it was on Ebay. In my niche, high-end antiques, Ebay is not a brand that is associated with high-end buyers buying rare pieces for $50,000. Ebay sells Wii and Beanie Babies and my type of collector might be turned off if I flashed Ebay in their face before they fell in love with the item. Obviously, eventually, as the customer clicks through on an item on my plugin, they understand it is from Ebay, but until then, I'd like the design to be seamless with my site. That is what my plugin provides. The site that you mention Richard, has the Ebay branding all over it, such as here: http://theebaymall.com/Auto-Directory/nissan.php. Mine would not have that. Also, the Ebay widget (The Editor Kit it is called) that is used above on thebaymall is a different configuration than my plugin: it is full page, long list of items. If you want to take over large amounts of real estate on your page, then the Ebay Editor widget will display up to 800 pixels wide and up to 200 Ebay items long. It can also be configured to be smaller. It has the ability to specify keyword string, Ebay Category, and price range like mine. If you want to embed Ebay affiliate images along with content - which you are either creating for SEO reasons, or you like to blog - then my plugin displays a strip (1 row in post footer or 1 column in sidebar, or both) of thumbnails seamlessly and without Ebay branding. Your site visitor can mouseover if they want to see item description, cost, end date. If they click the thumbnail, it will take them to a new window on the Ebay site - and drop the affiliate cookie. My plugin allows you to stay within Wordpress and not need to go to the Ebay site when configuring thumbnails for a post. If you have your Ebay affiliate campaign numbers written down, you never need to go to Ebay to create widgets each time you post. My plugin keeps your activities within Wordpress. A third configuration of my thumbnails is a gallery display in the post footer. Rather than being search string-based, it is item number-based. If you specify a string of Ebay auction numbers, you will get the associated gallery of thumbnails in the footer. That is the only case where I display more than 1 row or column of thumbnails. Cost-wise, Ebay tools are free. So there is no comparison on cost as mine retails for $49.95 after the $10.00 off promotion ends. I started my affiliate activities with the Ebay tools and they worked well. I can't say that either will work better, performance-wise ($). However, if you are a blogger and not just someone wanting to put up a ton of affiliate links without content and you want something seamless with your design, without wild colors and Ebay branding. If you want a solution that takes up less blog real estate, and is configurable all within Wordpress, then my solution is a better option. If you don't want to mess with script, then mine is a better option. If you're putting your affiliate code once and will leave it - dealing with the script from Ebay tools is fine. I'm not afraid of script, but I don't want to deal with cutting and pasting and worrying about formatting and display issues every time I do a post. My plugin keeps you out of code & script. Time is another factor. I do a few posts a day across my blogs. I can add the affiliate thumbnail criteria for a blog post with my plugin in about 5 seconds while in the post editor and then hit publish. When using Ebay tools you need to leave Wordpress, login to Ebay, navigate to the specific widget page, type in about 30 fields of criteria, click next to generate the code, copy the code, go back to Wordpress, paste the code, hope the formatting works with your blog. Not seamless. Hope that helps. Here's an example blog that uses the plugin: RJHorner.com
You had unfortunate timing, sorry. I was upgrading the plugin installation on that site today with the new release in which I added some new functionality. It's all fine.
coachtraffic, You can see it in heavy use on this site of mine: http://www.rarevictorian.com. As an aside, the Gallery feature of the plugin will be in effect for two days on the Neal Auction post and after that, the thumbnails will disappear. Unlike the Post Footer thumbnail feature of the plugin which is search criteria based, the gallery feature is item # based (a string of them), so when the specific items sell or become unlisted, the thumbs drop out of display. Most of the use of the plugin on that site is the post footer type (one-row, search-based) and the use of the sidebar widget, but for two days you can see the gallery in action on the Neal Auction post while that list of items haven't been sold yet. Note the gallery and post footer thumbnails are using a 60px configuration setting in the plugin while the sidebar widget is set at 100px
Am quite impressive on your explanations and details. I just want to go with your plugin. Am regular and comfortable with blogspot than wordpress. You may need to help me in setting up things with wordpress if i find difficult. How long you are offering a discount? Can I buy thru paypal?
Yes, the link on the home page has the discount code nearby. Click on that link, enter the discount code "promocode" and you will be able to use Paypal or Google Checkout. I will provide installation support if needed after you read the manual and make an attempt, of course. This site just went live with it if you want to see one of my customer sites: http://www.collectorsquest.com/blog/index.php I'll be checking with them in a few days to see their results. They opted not to use the sidebar widget but are using the post footer feature. All 300 of their prior posts now have affiliate links with the default search criteria that they entered in the plugin config. I added a feature that randomizes the thumbnails in each footer if a post does not have it's own tuned affiliate search criteria and is using the default. That way each footer should be mostly unique as far as thumbnails go even if two posts use the same criteria. Thanks for all the questions.