Concerns about AUML
It is NOT a new or unique concept. There are already many such businesses, in the US, Australia and London. The largest may be AuctionDrop, affiliated with UPS, so you can drop off items at local UPS stores across the USA. AuctionDrop received several million in venture capital.
Other US-based eBay trading assistant companies have done such things as develop their own software for coordinating auction information with eBay, notably,
www.numarkets.com
which has 6 locations in Georgia, N. Carolina & Tennessee, each listed with phnone numbers and email addresses, and was also begun with venture capital.
Another prominent player: www.quikdrop.com, has far more extensive explanations of its franchise offerring than does AuctionMills.
And look at this:
---------------
from: www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y04/m04/i01/s01
e-Powersellers Sells Drop-Off Store Franchise on eBay
By Ina Steiner
AuctionBytes.com
April 01, 2004
e-Powersellers is selling an eBay drop-off store franchise on eBay for $14,995. Drop-off stores sell items on eBay on a consignment basis for consumers who drop the items off at retail locations. There's been a steady increase of stores opening since 2003 in the U.S., with a concentration in California, as well as locations in Germany and some planned for Australia.
e-Powersellers also announced agreements in place to allow franchise in five states, Oregon, Utah Colorado, Arizona & Nevada, with opportunities to follow in May 2004 for California, Washington, Hawaii, Texas, and New York. e-Powersellers already has offices located in Oregon and California.
"Since opening in December of 2002 we have had an overwhelming interest in e-Powersellers.com franchises," said Craig Solomon, founder and CEO of e-Powersellers.com. e-Powersellers Web site has been working as a third party eBay support forum, chat room and auction support site for the last 2 years.
---------------
These are just examples, with many more to be found at www.auctionbytes.com. If you examine the site, you'll see AuctionMills is one in a million, so to speak.
AuctionMills intends to compete with numerous companies that have selling track records on their own turf. These companies have also been getting great interest in their franchises. If you go to one of their two stated locations, in Dallas or McKinney, would they be able to take your items?
The other companies put their effort into actually making valid, operating businesses. AuctionMills has nothing but a pretty website, with no information on the company's managers. The other companies have not issued any stock, they've convinced investors with their business plans put into operation. AuctionMills has sold nothing yet but stock, and that on the PinkSheets, where regulations are next to nothing. It could be that somebody has made a great deal of money on something that's not there when you look closely.
Everyone be very, very careful.
