User:Mr walsh/Boxaroo
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| Boxaroo | |
|---|---|
| Image:Boxaroo logo.gif | |
| Type | Privately Financed |
| Founded |  USA (January, 2007) |
| Headquarters | San Carlos, CA and Mclean, IL, USA |
| Key people | Matt Walsh, John Yates co-founders, Jonathan Grellas operations manager |
| Industry | e-commerce |
| Employees | 3 |
| Slogan | The Easiest Way to Sell Your Stuff Online |
| Website | boxaroo.com |
| Type of site | online auction |
| Registration | required to sell items |
| Launched | August, 2007 |
Contents |
[edit] Origins
During a discussion about a recently-purchased Digital Camera, founder John Yates reminded founder Matt Walsh that should he come to agree with Matt's dubious opinion of the product, John could simply sell the item on eBay and recover the majority of the product cost.
This inspired a close examination of the eBay selling process to understand what could be done to enable people who had previously not sold items on eBay to do so. Primary barriers to entry they recognized included eBay / PayPal registration, financial privacy (credit card and bank information is normally required), product characterization, photo management, feedback prerequisites, item packaging and shipment label preparation.
[edit] The Boxaroo Service
[edit] Listing Items
Visitors to Boxaroo's website can search a product database for an item matching theirs in various categories; Music CDs, Movies (DVD/VHS), Books, iPods, Cameras, Videogames and various personal electronics. After selecting a matching item the user may further refine the provided product data and pictures. Visitors may also sell items that Boxaroo does not have product data for by entering in their own description and picutres.
[edit] Auction Process
Item listings created on the Boxaroo site are listed on eBay under a Boxaroo account. Questions coming from buyers are processed by Boxaroo on behalf of the seller except in cases where additional information is required. Such questions are routed by Boxaroo between its users and the interested eBay users.
[edit] Shipping Items
After a successful sale, one of the sites in Boxaroo's fulfillment network selects proper packaging and prepares pre-paid mailing labels for the sold item(s). The item's seller upon receipt of this package opens the box, places the item inside, tapes the box with the enclosed tape, affixes the shipping label to the box and drops it off at a USPS or UPS location.
[edit] Payment
Boxaroo holds the proceed from the sale until the recipient has received the purchased item and has had an opportunity to raise any issues. It then remits payment to the seller less a commission, currently 20% of the selling price. This commission includes eBay and PayPal fees resulting from the sale.
[edit] Comparison to eBay 'Drop-off' Stores
Boxaroo's service resembles various Auction 'Drop-off' stores such as i-SoldIt and QuikDrop. On one hand, drop-off stores require zero participation in the shipping process whereas Boxaroo users must drop their pre-paid packages off at Post Office / UPS centers. On the other hand, Boxaroo users can list items from their home. Additionally, while Drop-off stores typically require a minimum item valuation of $30 or more, Boxaroo will list any item.
