USA4SALE Networks Classified Blog

Happy 4th of July!

Nicholas — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:00:29 +0000

Our office is closed July 4th.

Ask Don: How Can I Improve My Ad?

Michael — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:09:42 +0000

Dear Don: "I've been trying to sell my Ford Escort and I've had only 1 call about it in almost two weeks. Will you please look the ad over and advise me on what I need to do?" — Patricia W, Ocala, Florida.

Dear Patricia: I have examined your ad and my advice to you is to plan on keeping your car or trash your ad and start over. I read your expanded attempt to verbally describe the body style etc. of your car, but when I got to the part where you addressed the subject of its color, I lost all interest, got sleepy and took a nap. Even cave dwellers, during the dawn of man, used pictures as a fast, easy and accurate way to communicate . . . (click to read more)

Donald L. Turpin, is the author of Penny Power, a book of true, chronological and humorous stories about how he parlayed a $100.00 cash retirement gift into over $50,000.00 cash using classified ads. Got a question? Click here to Ask Don.

Father's Day Gifts

Nicholas — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:59:50 +0000

Let me let you in on a little secret. What dad's really want for Father's Day is a thank you from the people he works so hard to provide for. That and 30 minutes of quiet on the sofa.

Which means you can can find a great thank you gift for Dad in our classifieds. It need only be something he would use within the next 7 days, and it must actually work with no repairs needed. Scratches, dents, and dings won't matter. Now all he needs is enough time to enjoy your gift.

Ask Don: Should I Price with Padding?

Michael — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:18:44 +0000

Dear Don: I have decided to sell a set of silverware that I recently inherited because I already had one. My husband told me that I need to price it considerably higher than I expect to sell it for because I can always come down in price but I can't go up. Do you agree with him? Elizabeth R., Tampa, Florida.

Elizabeth: No, no, no, - absolutely not! Tell your husband to go fishing, play golf or whatever and leave the selling up to us. Now that you have got him out of the house, let's talk. Based on a 22-year record, 82% of my sales were made for the asking price, leaving only 18% for which the buyer negotiated for a lower price. That fact forces me to conclude that 82% of all buyers will not even respond to your ad if they believe that your silverware is priced to high. The fact is that this large percentage of buyers simply do not like to, and will not, negotiate by offering you a lower amount. That leaves only 18% of prospective buyers that will even consider contacting you about your silverware. I don't know about you, but I don't like those odds. I had much rather my ads attract 100% of prospective buyers, wouldn't you?

So, here's my advice: Arrive at an absolute minimum price that you are willing to accept for the silverware, then add no more than 5% to that amount to arrive at your advertised price. The added 5% will permit you to accommodate the 18% of buyers that must always negotiate for a better price before they will buy anything. Yet, your price will still appeal to the larger 82% of prospective buyers. Now call your husband and tell him that it is safe for him to return home, but don't tell him about our little secret.

Get Ready for Summer!

Nicholas — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:07:07 +0000

We're talking absolute essentials here. Must haves to get through the summer:
Barbecue grill for cookouts, check.
Pool for cooling off, check.
Patio furniture, check.
Matching pair of 300cc jet skis with trailer, check.
We'll help with these, but you're on your own for the sunscreen.

Help Wanted: Certain Danger, Possible Honor

Michael — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:34:23 +0000

Looking for a tip on how to write better employment classifieds? Start with a compelling story. Here's a classified ad placed in 1913 by Ernest Shackleton: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success." Shackleton's ad produced 5,000 applications for his South Pole expedition.

Boost Your Business Online . . .

Michael — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:07:57 +0000

Would you like to learn why smart businesses are turning to local Internet advertising? There's never been a better time. USA4SALE Networks is now offering a free sample of an exclusive client newsletter with tips and techniques to improve your online advertising. And for new clients, there's also a $100 credit toward business classifieds. Click here for details.

Cleaner Safer Classifieds

Nicholas — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:16:17 +0000

I recently posted an ad for someone's rental on our site. While on the phone with him, I mentioned our scammer alert and the typical scam received when advertising a rental. Well it didn't take long for our newest advertiser to receive his first scam message. Grateful for my warning, he quickly forwarded the message to me. Then another. And another. Where were they coming from? You'll never believe what I found.

Ours wasn't the only site he had posted the ad. Since this was the very first time using our classifieds, he had also posted the ad on a competitor's website. Sure enough, the next message confirmed it. "I saw your ad on such and such…" Our classified system had blocked spurious messages that others had allowed to pass through.

Thanks for choosing the safer classifieds.

Classifieds Upgraded

Nicholas — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:22:34 +0000

We've upgraded. You should too. A few of the Internet browsers that use our site have not been upgraded in a while. Keep yours up to date to take advantage of our latest features, like drop down menu navigation , Flash content, and faster loading pages.

You can upgrade Internet Explorer by going to: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
(Windows Automatic Update is supposed to do this for you.) Or click Tools > Windows Update.

The new Internet Explorer looks a lot different. So you may want to install another browser called Firefox. It looks more like IE6, but works better than even the latest version. Go to: http://www.mozilla.com/

See animated Flash content like virtual tours, by installing the latest Flash player.

Are Wii Having Fun Yet?

Nicholas — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:09:16 +0000

With the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Nintendo Wii may be harder to find in stores. But I've seen some in the classifieds, usually with the extra nunchuck and a few games. Take a look at our Hobbies & Games page for a great deal on a Nintendo Wii.