Posted By:
Crit Van TuylGood points, Tom.
I know way more than I would like to admit about Collectionmonster.com. I will state that they have laid off their workers and while the site appears to be up, it has very little traffic.
NAXCOM is very well financed. The free shipping promotion comes from a long line of successful websites like Amazon that used it when they started out. In order to facilitate new users to try their service they use this sort of promotion. Free listings is offset by their having a small transaction fee, less than eBay I might add.
As for my relationship with NAXCOM I support companies that I believe help the hobby. I like the guys at NAXCOM and have in the past worked for them on a daily basis. Before that I supported them and now I am a consultant and work for many companies in the industry. I own several hobby sites myself.
As you pointed out eBay does own the auction model. NAXCOM's backers felt that an alternative to eBay and auction sites in general was needed and they commissioned studies to find just what was needed. What they came up with was the need for better customer service, built in protections for both buyers and sellers and a bid/ask concept similar to the stock market. That alternative to eBay is NAXCOM.
You may or may not be aware, but NAXCOM lost one of their own this year to a tragety. He was a great guy and one of the guys that worked for FREE because he believed in the viability of the concept. A bunch of the NAXCOM guys went without pay. That sort of passion and commitment is rare these days and I for one am proud that I know them. Now things are much easier for them and the ball is rolling along nicely.
For me, better customer service, built in protections and they can talk cards with you as they promote the hobby means they get my business. An old saying jumped into my head..."to thine own be true". These guys are hobbyists and as such, one of us. I will support them anyway I can.
Crit