Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You

Thursday, January 13th, 2011 5:58PM CST

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Greetings Seibertronians!
Have you heard about the easiest way to buy & sell Transformers in 2011?
If not, we’d like to tell you about Crave (http://www.crave.com), the new 100% Transformers marketplace created by fans for fans. We designed the site as a solution for collectors who want a better alternative to eBay.
If you have Transformers to sell, list them for free in about 60 seconds.
If you are looking for Transformers on your want list, browse the wide selection of vintage and new Hasbro and Takara TFs that sellers are offering.

”What’s in it for me?” Here are a few of the features set up to benefit the fan community:

Selling is free!

Bonus -- If what you want isn’t currently for sale, add it to your want list on Crave & we’ll notify you when it gets put up for sale.

Here’s what some of our 60,000 fans are saying:

"I love buying on Crave. It has a wide variety of Transformers and you can find good deals. I am very happy and content with your marketplace and will be buying more. Keep up the great job!" - Rocco Grassi

"When I bought my Masterpiece Skywarp, all I could say was wow. At first I was a little hesitant to buy from a stranger, but I was highly impressed with the outcome. The toy was not damaged in the least bit, and the delivery was remarkably quick. I will be using Crave over and over again from now on." -Lindi Walter

"I like how easy it is to list an item to sell on the Crave site; you just follow the instructions on the web page with simple steps. I like how you have to use a tracking # to track packages. I also like how Crave is in the middle of a transaction to make sure each person gets their product and their money." - Tom Jones

"One thing I like about selling on Crave is that you do not charge fees to set up listings. Also, I love the fact that your listings do not expire…Crave is doing a GREAT JOB as the 'middle man' for transactions. That helps both seller and buyer. It ensures honesty in buyer and seller..no payment, no figure..and no figure if no payment. It's a win-win."- Matt Wetzel

Recent Listing Highlights
The Crave community began developing the catalog back in June, but we just launched the marketplace in November. Thanks to fans like you, listings are growing each day. Take a look through the listings and let us know about your good finds.

A sample of series for sale on Crave:
1.Generation 1
2.Classics
3.Animated
4.Generations
5.Takara Henkei
6.Takara Binaltech
7.Takara Label Series
8.Takara Encore
9.Beast Era

And many more! If you have TFs to sell, come see how easy it is on Crave: click here for seller info.

A sampling of current listings on Crave:

Ratchet
For sale by Brandon Cruey
Series: Animated
Condition: Loose - Complete
Price: $10.00

Wedge
For sale by Ted Wink Daniel
Series: Robots in Disguise
Condition: Packaged – Sealed
Price: $19.00

DirtBoss
For sale by Ted Wink Daniel
Series: Unicron Trilogy, Cybertron
Condition: Packaged – Sealed
Price: $20.00

Windcharger
For sale by Tim Huynh
Series: Alternators
Condition: Packaged – Sealed
Price: $45.00

Shockwave
For sale by Jason Tong
Series: Generation 1, G1 1985
Condition: Loose – Complete
Price: $180.00

Payload
For sale by Craig Chappell
Series: Transformers Movie Universe, Movie
Condition: Loose - Complete
Price: $6.49

Swindle
For sale by Craig Chappell
Series: Transformers Movie Universe, Movie
Condition: Loose – Complete
Price: $3.99

Atomic Lugnut
For sale by William Clifton
Series: Animated
Condition: Packaged – Sealed
Price: $20.00

Scavenger w/ Rollbar
For sale by William Clifton
Series: Unicron Trilogy, Armada
Condition: Loose – Complete
Price: $25.00

Masterpiece Skywarp
For sale by Tim Huynh
Series: Generation 1 (Takara), Masterpiece
Condition: Packaged - Sealed
Price: $50.00

Jetblade
For sale by Jason Olmstead
Series: Transformers Movie Universe, Hunt For The Decepticons
Condition: Packaged - Sealed
Price: $13.00 (shipping included)

Darkwind

For sale by Jason Olmstead
Series: Classics Series, Classics 2.0 - Universe
Condition: Packaged - Sealed
Price: $33.00 (shipping included)

Crystal Window vs. Oil Slick
For sale by Andrew Goldberg
Series: Universe
Condition: Packaged -Sealed
Price: $33.00 (shipping included)

We are tracking new feature requests, so please send us your feedback. Visit our Feedback tab on the site or email us (info@crave.com) with your suggestions.

You can also join 60,000 fellow Transfans where you can speak your mind on our Facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/cravetransformers
Join today and you’ll be entered to win one of our Transformers giveaways.

Erin & Kabe, Crave founders

Credit(s): Crave

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Click here to post your comment about this news story!

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169042)
Posted by NemesisScourge on January 13th, 2011 @ 6:38pm CST

Lol @ 60,000 fans, 40,000+ which are fake/filler Facebook profiles btw.

And value-wise, on the majority of the items? this is no better than eBay's silliness in outrageous prices with the exception of stuff no one wants like ROTF shelf warmers.

I get the whole fan-run [ supposedly ] set-up, but it's kinda sad they keep touting the 50-60k fans and the number magically rises each week by thousands lol.

Propaganda is one thing, but generally you do that when you have a little size and have room to fluff numbers. Not just blatantly lying.

Not trying to flame either, this is just my opinion and nothing more : ).

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169045)
Posted by FflawSuperior on January 13th, 2011 @ 6:46pm CST

'Feedback' tab doesn't appear to exist, facebook crammed down your throat, prices are equal to, or costlier than eBay, search is turrible (almost entire pages filled with blank auctions with no pictures, and the 'price range' they show (like a soundwave) go 50-250$! Then you go and find out the 50$ was sold, and there is nothing else but the 250$ in actuality; so it meant 50$ & 250$), having to wait for flash or HTML to load (rather than using standard text) is annoying (also can't 'open in new tab', have to click thru one item at a time)...Myeah..and shipping cost isn't shown until you find the figure, click on 'view for sale', click on the individual figure, and right before you buy it.

For the most part, the prices are what matter...And the whole not-showing-shipping-prices makes a huge difference (and the prices, as far as a handful of figures have shown, samey as eBay - Thus defeating the purpose of the website <.<?)

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169048)
Posted by NemesisScourge on January 13th, 2011 @ 6:53pm CST

Yeah, I wasn't even about to go into the poorly designed integration system. Again, I get what they're going for, it's just not coded correctly - at all. And just to add on to earlier, before someone gets all upset and goes OMG WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE DEALS ARE AMAZING?!.

In that above advertisement alone. You've got Universe: Darkwind for $33 + Shipping, ok, I don't know about the rest of the U.S but here in Chicago we've got 6-7 Darkwinds at every other Toys R Us for $20, again shelf warmer. Movie Payload for $7, really? That abomination isn't worth six cents. HFTD Jetblade, $20, my god Wal*Mart is still jammed packed, peg to peg with this sucker too, for $9-$11 dollar ranges. These aren't deals at all. It's crap we pass up or already have, but they charge double for it. MP Skywarp, $50? Again, still at Wal*Mart, clearance section, $23... And this is like every other Wally World here. Someone needs a better "featured item" catagory, LOL.

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169050)
Posted by FflawSuperior on January 13th, 2011 @ 6:56pm CST

NemesisScourge wrote:Yeah, I wasn't even about to go into the poorly designed integration system. Again, I get what they're going for, it's just not coded correctly - at all. And just to add on to earlier, before someone gets all upset and goes OMG WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE DEALS ARE AMAZING?!.

In that above advertisement alone. You've got Universe: Darkwind for $33 + Shipping, ok, I don't know about the rest of the U.S but here in Chicago we've got 6-7 Darkwinds at every other Toys R Us for $20, again shelf warmer. Movie Payload for $7, really? That abomination isn't worth six cents. HFTD Jetblade, $20, my god Wal*Mart is still jammed packed, peg to peg with this sucker too, for $9-$11 dollar ranges. These aren't deals at all. It's crap we pass up or already have, but they charge double for it. MP Skywarp, $50? Again, still at Wal*Mart, clearance section, $23... And this is like every other Wally World here. Someone needs a better "featured item" catagory, LOL.

Can you buy me an MP Skywarp? Haha - All the Walmarts within a 15 mile radius have been sold out since they hit clearance. Been looking for that bugger since my buddy got one, and everywhere else is selling it for 50$+ -_-;

Did you also see this G1 Soundwave? http://crave.com/marketplace/listing/ch ... municators for...250$? There's BIN on eBay for less than half of that xD

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169051)
Posted by NemesisScourge on January 13th, 2011 @ 7:05pm CST

Oh, I did see that. I was like : X. I'll check the Wally World clearance hell of the Suburbs tomorrow for you and shoot you a PM. If there's an MP Skywarp in good condition I'll grab it for you and send it out for cost. Some of those boxes are trashed from being moved from aisle to aisle but I'm always down to help a fellow fan out.

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169056)
Posted by dragons on January 13th, 2011 @ 7:15pm CST

i checked it out i have no problems with pages or other items loading problem is feedback button isnt worth much site may need time to grow its still new by the way tehy may still have some glicthes to work out.

i do agree there is half stuff on thee that we have or do not care about to have

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169069)
Posted by quickmixed on January 13th, 2011 @ 7:45pm CST

Its a great idea but until they grow their inventory then I'll stick with my dealers on ebay. Im not a fan of buying only one figure off of one seller, and much prefer to buy 4-5 at a time to save on postage. I live quite a fair way away from most of these people so i can see myself getting absolutely destroyed by postage.

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169139)
Posted by Blozor on January 13th, 2011 @ 11:43pm CST

Hn. They need to make a category for Third Party products.

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169312)
Posted by faustx on January 14th, 2011 @ 4:46pm CST

Ha...you guys haven't even mentioned the best part of all.

They are touting the system as free for sellers, which as a frequent seller sounds, well, great!

BUT: buyer beware in the extreme...downplayed across the site and only stumbled upon at the last step of the Paypal checkout is this little mistep: BUYERS PAY 10% FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BUYING THROUGH CRAVE?!?!?!?!?

This is so wrong it's amazing...sellers pay commissions, not buyers.

To be fair, pricing and inventory isn't up to them, it's up to the community to take control and add wanted items at fair pricing.

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169449)
Posted by Blackstreak on January 15th, 2011 @ 7:34am CST

You guys yelp about how overpriced transformers are on Crave. I think you forget that ebay can be even more overpriced. I just did a search for Reveal the Shield on ebay. I've seen sellers ask for as much as 2 or 3 times the amount of your local stores for a Jazz or Wreck-Gar, sometimes w/ free shipping other times you have to pay shipping.

I've scanned through the Crave website and I did pick up somewhere on there that buyers pay a fee to purchase through that site. I didn't have to go through the shopping cart to find that out, I just don't remember where I saw it.

Re: Crave News 1-13-2011: A Buy / Sell Solution for TF Fans Like You (1169472)
Posted by skywarp1 on January 15th, 2011 @ 9:30am CST

I definitely think this could work once buyers/sellers realize it's NOT eBay and thus reduce the inflated prices that occur due to eBay's ridiculous fees.

People constantly gripe about eBay prices, but they're a direct result of fees/commissions. Heck, if I buy two hard-to-find deluxes from Target at 11.99 a piece, you can bet I'm not selling the second one on eBay for less than $16 (especially when you consider gas, packaging, listing, commission, etc. for costs and such). That's not crazy...that's fair market value when you consider all of the costs that went into getting/listing the item. Thus something like $30 for Darkwind on eBay wouldn't be crazy, even if you can still buy him down the street for $20 (plus tax).

You're always going to have those idiotic sellers trying to charge 4x the price of an item that you can find in a store, and you should find solace in knowing that they'll pay an idiot tax (i.e. the eBay fees) for listing the item and it won't sell.

On Crave, I could totally see people realizing that the lack of fees will save them something, and ultimately sellers will drop prices accordingly (especially if nobody is buying at the old "eBay" price). So the same Darkwind may sell for $25 instead of $30, and even with a 10% buyer commission it'll be a savings for those of us that can't find him down the street.

If people charge reasonable shipping and can reduce the prices the amount of eBay's fees, Crave could work much better. I know people will say "10% is more than eBay's fees!" but it's not...not when you consider listing, eBay commission, and PayPal commission at a minimum. All sellers have to do is drop the price accordingly.

Personally, I'm not going to knock the service until I've tried it. I do agree that it'll be better once the inventory is there though.

That's my 5 cents