eBay Drop-Shop Auctioning4u Signs Second Franchise
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Auctioning4u, the successor of the UK iSold It eBay drop-shop franchise, has signed on its second franchise.
Here’s the company press release, posted yesterday:
eBay Drop-Shop Auctioning4u Signs Second Franchise in Manchester
Auctioning4u the UK’s leading chain of eBay drop-off shops, is delighted to announce the signing of its second franchise in Manchester.
The move sees Mark and Catherine Clough take over Auctioning4u’s existing store in Chorlton, Manchester as well as employing the shop’s three existing staff. They will also ‘own’ the Auctioning4u Manchester territory enabling them to create a number of drop-shop style businesses within the area.
(Picture: Mark and Catherine Clough with their children Tia and Jensen alongside shop staff Steve Matthews (far left) and Tom Evans)
‘We’re excited to have the Manchester area as a whole,’ says franchisee Mark Clough. ‘It’s really virgin territory bar a few independent drop-shops, but there’s nothing as big or well known as Auctioning4u. The potential to create a number of businesses under the Auctioning4u brand, which would enable us to employ more local people, is huge and a great benefit for the Manchester area.’
The couple, who have racked up 43 years of retail management experience between them, are excited by the new venture: ‘We’ve always spoken about having our own business and thought franchising would be the safer option,’ says Catherine Clough. ‘Auctioning4u’s centralised model is perfect: it lets us be independent but at the same time provides the kind of large company security we really relish with such a young family.’
Managing Director of Auctioning4u’s consumer division, Dan Thomson said: ‘I’m really pleased that Catherine and Mark have decided to move to Auctioning4u and the Manchester territory. Their significant retail experience is a real bonus and I’m confident the shop and other businesses they have planned within the territory will be a success. Manchester will be a model example of the kind of franchise we can offer in our bid to roll out nation-wide over the next 12 months.’
Auctioning4u’s first franchise is based in Brighton and was signed at the beginning of this year.
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13 opinions for eBay Drop-Shop Auctioning4u Signs Second Franchise
Ralph
Jun 12, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Auctioning4u the UK’s leading chain of eBay drop-off shops, is delighted to announce the signing of its second franchise in Manchester.
The move sees Mark and Catherine Clough take over Auctioning4u’s existing store in Chorlton, Manchester as well as employing the shop’s three existing staff.
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In the real world this is called a store transfer not the sale of a new franchise. In fact many people who have posted here have stated that transfers are a sign that the franchise failed if I recall.
So the company owned store that failed (as defined in this site), is then transfered then is spun as a press release. This Act4U is really hiding the facts and stretching the truth.
Oh I see they now have 2 franchises, this really is a big franchise company - LOL
chance
Jun 13, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Ken, I mean Ralph, You are SOOOOO negative! Especially since your iSoldit stores went under! Here is hoping that Auctioning4u
has a store model that can work. In fact, they are working with YOUR failed stores, which is more than what Isoldit did! But then again, since ISI doesn’t really have offices and staff any longer, and more of their stores are still closing down, I can understand that as their CEO, you haven’t anything else to do.
Congrats to the Clough family - here is hoping it works out for you!
eBay Drop-Shop Auctioning4u Signs Second Franchise at
Jun 16, 2007 at 4:54 pm
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Hugh Walter
Jul 5, 2007 at 5:09 pm
‘Chance’ - stop constantly having a go at ‘Ralph’, after all you are using an alias too. We gentle readers might start to think your connection to A4U is stronger that Ralph’s might be to isold It. So what if he was with isold It? he will be smarting, he will be angry, he may be suffering financial hardship and WILL be bitter for some time (I was!), and the isold It/A4U ‘takeover’ web page yesterday was making it quite clear (see below)that they were unwilling to support the 4 stores they had placed on the web page as ‘talked on board’, if Ralph is one of them.
And - It is a transfer? there’s a thin line between PR and Lying, and some of the posts in recent weeks seem to have been treading a very thin, very grey line between the two.
Indeed to digress before the main course, there is something fishy about the numbers. On May 9th A4U claimed to be offering franchise membership to “up to 30 stores” http://www.startafranchise.eu/index2.php?editorial=newsDetail&item=44
yet there were only 4 on the web page (that is; they were on the web page yesterday, the page now seems to have disappeared? Very convenient - no webpage, no draconian disclaimer!) and on May 31st CB himself stated “To be factional 3 of the 6 iSold It stores have now closed”
http://www.franchisepick.com/will-auctioning4u-save-the-ebay-drop-off-franchise/
While other sources talk of around 10 being up and running?
At the same time the ‘crowing’ - elsewhere - about some of them being tied into long contracts, forgets that A4U closed it’s first and better performing store in Kensington Olympia, about a year ago, because a store needed to be closed, to cut costs, and the most poorly performing one was er…tied into a long contract!!!
Perhaps someone from A4U will enlighten us as to store numbers, to clear up the confusion? were there 6 or were there 30? How many were there (planned, running & bought)?, how many have been/were offered A4U status, and what is the level of support they can expect? How many were cast adrift due to long leases? (or other problematical factors), where did the takeover web page go overnight? how many chose not to join A4U? how many have closed due to the events of the last few weeks? how many closed over the year of isold It’s parentage? after all A4U bought ‘the assets’ presumably they have all these figures?
The main reason A4U have a store in Mad’chester, failing or not, is because that’s where isold It set up! and no doubt Christian is very pleased with himself at the moment, somebody needs to remind him Nemesis followed Hubris.
Further; the new owners think “there’s nothing as big or well known as Auctioning4u” while A4U still describe themselves as “UK’s leading chain of eBay drop-off shops”. pardon a cynical ex-employee from educating the readership for a moment but…
In the last few days I have been following all the strings of the isold It story, along with current developments in eBay drop-shops in the uk generally, and there are a few facts to consider before conclusions are drawn. First; all the strings lead back to posts by Trevor Ginn (a bloody nice bloke I have NO personal animosity toward whatsoever), or as in the case of elsewhere on this site; Christian Braun himself (big mistake). In truth all publicity surrounding A4U is er…generated by A4U. Nothing wrong with that, that’s how business works, that’s the nature of the PR beast, and why it sits nicely between the Estate Agent beast and the Traffic Warden beast!
Second; Auction Assist (who I had lost track of this last 9 months) have expanded - using a model apparently similar to isold It - to cover most of the populated UK and NI, and in fact seem to be about twice the size of Auctioning4u! In short - well on the way to the nationwide network CB still briefs about, as being somewhere in A4U’s future!
I wish Mark and Catherine Clough all the very best in their endeavours, and will feel awful if it doesn’t work out. As I feel for ‘Ralph’ if he is an ex-isold It staffer/franchisee. But looking at the way things are going I would advise Ralph, to go away for a few months and cool down. I too was bitter, I too would have been emotional writing the posts I’ve written in the last few days , had I written them 10 months ago.
Further I advise anyone seeking an eBay franchise to talk to Auction Assist first, they seem to be getting it right. I have no connection with them (but may well talk to them myself in a week or so!), other than the most beautiful connection of all., which Ralph, is always; best served cold.
And if you have collectables to sell, sell them yourself, or give Vectis a call.
http://www.vectis.co.uk/
There - bit of free PR for a couple of others to redress the balance!!! I have to say I’m loveing it.
Trevor Ginn
Jul 6, 2007 at 7:33 am
Hugh,
Thank you for those kind words! I am glad someone actually reads my posts.
Actually Auction assist sales are only 25-33% of auctioning4u sales. You can calculate this by looking at eBay completed items.
Trevor
chance
Jul 6, 2007 at 2:02 pm
Hi Hugh!
I think you need to understand a little something about “Ralph”. He is NOT a store owner that was screwed by Isoldit, he IS the arrogant CEO who misrepresented the concept and its piss poor software, as well as the inept person who signed off on their inaccurate UFOC’s. So, yes I am fully aware of who he is, and how LITTLE he has helped the fledgling franchisees. So, no sympathy here!
As for A4U, their model probably has issues, and certainly would have issues here in the US. But Christian has been testing the concepts, not mass marketing them (until recently). That I give him credit for that, whether you like him or not. There is also a fellow in Australia who is testing another similar style. I would love it if one of them came up with a winning idea, but not at the expense of the franchisees they sell it to. I am tired of seeing the franchisees used as guinea pigs (like isoldit’s newest campaign). It is heart wrenching to hear the closing franchisees stories. And yes, I am one of them. I am sorry that you got burned, which makes you one of the statistics like me, but you can bet Ralph is having a bad month, because at the moment isoldit is in the toilet, and Ralph thinks he is Mr. Clean. Remember that HE is the one CREATING the problems!
Those of you thinking about buying a drop off store, with or without the franchisor, PLEASE read http://WWW.AmITheOnlyOne.org first! There is ALOT of information on the site from many different franchisees and independants. Hugh, I am sure Karen and Gene would like to hear from you as well. And Trevor, goodluck to you, maybe you can find the magic answer! Keep us posted
Hugh Walter
Jul 6, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Hi Trevor
Yes I’ve been reading them all avidly in the last few days!! See if you can’t get someone to answer some of the direct questions that have been put to A4U on this and the other page, by me and other post’ers?
I - due to paranoia and a blocked broadband? - have already posted on the other page re.your comment on Auction Assist, I will quickly paste the relevant passage:
I would not argue with Trevor’s figures, however the fact remains that since we (they, A4U) became aware of them at the International Toy Fair, EXCEL, Jan. 2006, Auction Assist have built a nationwide network of Franchised? stores, without making a lot of noise, without loosing stores in the numbers iSold It apparently did, and are in a position Auctioning4u are still only talking about being in - one day. Yes, their figures may well be lower than A4U’s but their model may well have overheads so much lower than A4U that they could be making more actual money? They may be selling under more than one name (other drop shops do, eh? fashion?), they may have revenue streams you don’t know about, they may have an arrangement with eBay? they may be doing the sensible thing and taking it steady with slow measured growth? The point I’m making is that you can’t judge your opposition, simply by following their eBay sales?
I would add, your sales include a lot of stuff which is sent direct to the Acton warehouse, from some large organisations, more ‘wholesale clearance’ than eBay’ing, and no comparison with a chain of drop-shops that, unlike AA, you still don’t have? Also they may have a similar level of financial backing to you?
Hi Chance
Firstly must apologise for paranoid post on other page, obviously poor service provision or something. hell, it’s a Friday!
Second, having read all posts on both sites, (and being only too aware of the liable situation after the poodles nasty little missive) I wonder how sure you are that ‘Ralph’ - who has gone very quiet - is who you say he is. But no matter, you seem to have a similar attitude to iSI as Ralph has to A4U, while I say a plague on all their houses!
What worries me is your apparent faith in A4U and belief that they are somehow different, the ‘caring’ face of capitalism, with their pre-testing of the ‘product’.
Christian has only been ‘testing the concepts’ because (unlike AA) he hasn’t got Franchisees on-board. Before I was asked to come on board I expressed an interest in running a franchise in the south-east (or managing one of the in-house stores, that was never made clear), I was told that a woman would be running the operation, given her number and left a message for her to get back to me. As far as I can work out 2 1/2 years later (she never got back to me), she had in the meantime lost interest in stores, and (I suspect is the woman who..) used the back of A4U to launch a PR firm!
fast forward a year or so and CB has recruited me…all the company literature and website have a map for a store in Kew, South London. it hung around in the pamfletes and flyers for some time, but it never opened! Then there was closing of in-house stores, another franchise failed to lift off, and then some guy came along, did the ‘orientation course’ invested (memory states) £20k ($40,000 - I’m sure someone From A4U will correct me if I’m way off the mark), he’d found and kitted out a shop, it had been sign written and everything when - He pulled out at the last minute taking a big hit, Again memory suggests the eve or morning of the big launch.
Memory further provides some vague reference to someone else being offered a post with A4U when they started to have 2nd thoughts about the shop franchise thing. Others came to the introduction briefings and never came back, so no, it is not for ‘testing’ that A4U are in a different boat to iSI, simply that they haven’t managed to do an AA yet, though not for want of trying.
CB has been attempting to get a franchise network up and running for at least two years, and as Sean hinted halfway down the other page, he (CB) is selling a vision or a dream just as much as the others, only I would say (in my own opinion - of course!), less tested.
That last comment deserves further explanation:
Because there was no thunder of feet trampling to the franchise door, A4U needed to do something to keep ‘growth’ a visible quantitative for the investors, and also needed to generate cash for ever growing staff wages and real estate costs. Cash came from turning the Acton ‘processing centre’ into a clearance warehouse for lost property and new goods. Nothing wrong with that, but if you are a successful clearance warehouse - something that has been around for centuries in one form or another - why complicate matters with drop-shops or eBay (er.. because that’s the vision you’ve sold everyone on!!).
The ‘growth’ as I’ve discussed elsewhere, was provided in part by the acquisition of rivals (usually dead on their feet, or one shop operations whose entire assets half filled a van), along with a steady increase in staff and the buying of bigger, badder, pinker vans!
Therefore and as a result of all this activity, software changed weekly (sometimes daily or even hourly) and had the sort of ‘oh I think I’ll crash now’ holes in it that early Windows was famous for! Higher systems, platforms and client relationships changed regularly, the vision was constantly revised. ideas were taken up and dropped long before they had time to prove themselves one way or the other. budgets were promised then not delivered, methods changed….I could go on add nauseum, the fact is even assuming that nothing has changed since I was sacked nearly a year ago, you would have a ‘product’ with a year of testing?
That would be a year of testing without any independent shops running the system. The reality is that there have been plenty of changes in that year, the shops are A4U shops, supported by the (clearance) warehouse, the figures are skewed by the amount of stuff passed through the warehouse that hasn’t seen a shop, independent or in-house, and the whole edifice is/has been supported by £4m+ (approximately $8million) from city types hoping to make a quick buck!
In conclusion; I am not saying that A4U haven’t ‘got something’, maybe they have, maybe the guy in Australia has, Colin on the other page thinks he’s sitting on a unique angle, Auction Assist seem to have something, but so far A4U’s ’something’ remains an in-house dream, hardly tested in the real world situation their franchisees will face and all the publicity has been generated by A4U, without peer review or strong media critique, and questions put to them go unanswered. As I still believe in some form of drop-shop/eBay facilitation service working in the long term, and would never get involved with CB again, I’m interested in what AA are doing, as it looks right, albeit through the same dark glass, one has to view auctioning4u!
So endith today’s lesson, I will check out the link you mentioned. don’t take this as direct criticism, just don’t believe the hype!
Auctioning4u Scraps Franchise Program, Closes eBay Drop-Off Stores
Jul 17, 2007 at 1:06 pm
[…] According to comments Christian Braun posted to FranchisePick.com, Auctioning4U has reached an amicable agreement with their two franchisees. In an interview with Ina Steiner of AuctionBytes, he stated that the first franchisee is a former independent drop-off store operator who is considering becoming an Auctioning4u employee. The other franchise belongs to Mark & Catherine Clough, whose Grand Opening we celebrated in a post just last month (eBay Drop-Shop Auctioning4u Signs Second Franchise). […]
Auctioning4u Scraps Franchise Program, Closes eBay Drop-Off Stores at PIGASYS
Jul 17, 2007 at 1:29 pm
[…] According to comments Christian Braun posted to FranchisePick.com, Auctioning4U has reached an amicable agreement with their two franchisees. In an interview with Ina Steiner of AuctionBytes, he stated that the first franchisee is a former independent drop-off store operator who is considering becoming an Auctioning4u employee. The other franchise belongs to Mark & Catherine Clough, whose Grand Opening we celebrated in a post just last month (eBay Drop-Shop Auctioning4u Signs Second Franchise). […]
sean
Jul 23, 2007 at 8:46 am
If you’re interested in the eBay drop-off store franchise phenomenon, see the list of all posts on the subject at our new Blogliography: eBay Drop-off Store Franchises
chance
Jul 23, 2007 at 12:27 pm
“Blogliography”, great new term. AmITheOnlyOne.org has a new one as well “egonomics”. All rather appropriate!
Hugh Walter
Jul 27, 2007 at 4:00 pm
I shall read and digest this weekend!
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