Is Snappy Auctions a Great Franchise Opportunity?
April 20, 2007 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
While the largest, most celebrated eBay drop-off store franchise concept , iSold It, has closed 60 stores, suspended domestic franchise sales and warned it may be on the verge of collapse, its next-largest competitor remains upbeat and continues to promote its franchise program.
In a company press release, Snappy Auctions celebrates inclusion on the list that made iSold It famous:
Snappy Auctions has been listed in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list for the first time… With over 63 units open, Snappy Auctions ranked 309th in the survey, in only its 2nd full year of operation. The Nashville, Tenn. based franchise enables customers to make money off of items that are sold on eBay…
Snappy Auctions CEO Debby Gordon claims that Snappy Auctions is not suffering the same fate as competitor iSold It. In fact, snappy Auctions is doing phenomenally:
“We are poised for a phenomenal 2007, after an incredible 2006,” Gordon continued, “and this accolade is just the beginning.” In 2006, Snappy Auctions launched Snappy Sales Solutions, S3, which has contributed to its recent success. “S3 is yet another step toward our goal of changing the way businesses get value from retired equipment and inventory.”
Snappy Auction also boasts having been named one of Franchise Business Review’s Franchise 50, which honors franchise systems based on outstanding franchisee satisfaction through owner surveys and comments.
According to a Ina Steiner’s column on AuctionBytes.com, “Despite the challenges, Snappy Auctions CEO Debbie Gordon believes in the concept and says it’s all about execution.”
Can Snappy Auctions really be succeeding while iSold It, with much the same business model, is fighting for survival? Have they successfully overcome the challenges that eBay drop-off store critics contend make the concept unworkable? What do you think?
YOU’RE INVITED TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON WHETHER YOU THINK SNAPPY AUCTIONS IS A GREAT FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY.
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Chance
Talking about useless systems reminded me of the useless systems we had at the Internet-Ebay-drop-shop-franchise-chain-consignment-handling-thing where I used to work. I think I posted on the subject on the ‘Will auctioning4u….’ page, don’t know why, but I must have had some good reason for posting there!
Anyway, thought you’d be interested to know the telephone system there is obviously still proving problematical for the CEO, if the conversation I had today is anything to go by…
{I was round at a friends house, he is not called ‘Tom’, and had left me to answer the ‘phone}
‘Ring’ ‘Ring’
Me – Hello?
Caller (In a German accent, for it was He!) – Oh, Hi Tom, I have a problem with the ‘phone, I’ll see you later…
Me – No you won’t….(pregnant pause)…You sacked me.
Caller – Who is this?
Me – I thing you know…
Caller – Oh, it’s you!…(thinks!)… Is **** there
Me – No, but I’ll let him know you called, bye…(I added two expletives (I think it’s one long word if uttered by an American!) as I put the ‘phone down but I fear he missed that!
Lovely!
In Nashville, Snappy Auctions Founder and CEO Debbie Gordon says the Japanese master franchise, sold by Snappy Int’l LLC in November for $750,000, will open 10 to 15 company
Debbie Gordon owned stores, and then begin franchising. Snappy’s Japanese franchisor is operating on the Yahoo Auctions platform, rather than Snappy Auctions U.S. partner, eBay (there’s no eBay in Japan). Gordon says she’s in hot pursuit of deals in other nations.
http://www.nashvillepost.com/documents/NP_INS/NONT07180781.html
Nice little picture of Debbie there too! Thanks Benscrood! I would not be surprised if a group action is in the works.
Flat Broke, your description fits more than one franchisor!
And Congrats Sean! This must be a subject worth talking about, and it applies to Isoldit, Quikdrop, and eAuction as well!
Funny, but to me there’s a definite resemblance between Ms. Gordon and the illustrious founder of a competing chain, Elise Wetzel. Perhaps it’s the “trust me, I know what I’m doing” smile…
They all have that smile, it’s lesson number 1 in the MBA role-play unit!
Well according to this web site there were 64 Snappy Auctions:
http://aol.entrepreneur.com/aol/franchises/snappyauctions/315758-0.html
If you count the stores on the Snappy Auctions site there are 48 stores. That’s 25% attrition rate to date and several more in the works.
Hillary and I have been very busy as of late, so this list is probably not a complete one of the closed Snappy locations.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Naples, FL
Charlotte, NC
Medford, OR
Pearland, TX
Miramar, FL
Manhatten, NY (company store)
Staten Island, NY
Greensboro, NC (1 owner, 2 locations)
Greensboro, NC (1 owner, 2 locations)
Greenville, NC
Paramus, NJ
Clovis, CA
Asheville, NC
McLean, VA
Bellevue, TN (company store)
Grand Rapids, MI
Please feel free to correct/add to the list while we are on the stump.
Cheers,
/Bill
Bill: I know that Hillary has been busy with the campaign. I’m afraid to ask how you’ve been keeping busy…
I’ve always thought that you’d have been great in franchise sales…
Surely he’ll be showing Hillery’s interns the ‘Ropes’? (synergy being what it is; The Clinton Years – 2; The Comeback Kid has just started in the background!! try BBC.co.uk – Radio – R4 – Current Affairs – The Clin… they’ll do it as a ‘listen again’ pod cast for the next 7 days.
Bill, you ignoramus! Quit chasing those interns and pay attention. You forgot at least 3 other stores in Snappy’s home town:
1) Brentwood TN
2) South Franklin TN
3) North Franklin TN
And my intelltigence department tells me there’s several more more on the way. Of course they told George there were WMDs in Wala Wala Washington too so this is unconfirmed information.
You still forgot a few.
Ventnor NJ
Folsom Ca
Stafford Va
Royal Palm Beach, FL
Manchester, NH
North Atlanta (pickup only)
Norcross, GA
North Naples, FL
Burlington, NC
Houston
Germantown/Cordova/Bartlett, TN
So what does this mean?
31 have closed!!!! WTF? No wonder they have had to fire almost everyone!
64 at its peak?
48% attrition rate? Gordon stated in conference call a while back that, “in this business, there will be some attrition”, but give me a break. And she says other stores are not an indicator of your performance? That may be the case; but when 1 out of two stores is closed you only have a 50% chance of staying open. Let alone making any money. Might as well take the $100K-$150K and go to Las Vegas and bet red or black. Hell it would be a whole lot more fun.
There is no problem – Sure Gordon.
Stores are doing fine- Sure Gordon..
Stores that closed didn’t have a sign up, they were idiots, yadda yadda yadda – Sure Gordon
Sure does seem to be a lot of hot air amongst other hot “stuff” being spewed from 209 10th Avenue South Ste 322 Nashville
Does that cover all of the closed stores?
I’d appreciate any clarifications, dates, additions to this list.
Franchise Graveyard: eBay Dropoff Stores
I don’t want to single out Snappy Auctions, so if anyone wants to contribute lists for iSold It and others it would be appreciated. To contribure in private, email info@ideafarm.net. Thanks to those who contributed.
I would like to know more about the situation in the summer of 2006 when the system was down for a month. Somone stated earlier that a company offered to help Snappy with their IT issues and Snappy threatened them with legal action.
Can you explain this to Bill. He’s not too bright you know?
Also, being a lawyer myself, I wonder how many people Snappy has threatened with lawsuits to keep them quiet. This seems to be a common practice with franchisors.
Maybe I could pick up some extra money on the side suiing bankrupt ex-store owners. Running a campaign is expensive and keeping Bill out of trouble is even more expensive.
Sean here is a start, and you might want to link this to the Isoldit thread as well. These closing are up to the end of 2006, there are many more since, but this will get you started.
Store # City State / Province Status
130 Alcoa Tn Closed
80 Algonquin Il Transfered
98 Alhambra Ca Closed
117 Arcadia Ca Transfered
51 Avon Ct Closed
199 Bakersfield Ca Closed
49 Big Bear Lake Ca Closed
135 Boise Id Transfered
123 Bonita Ca Transfered
42 Broomfield Co Closed
92 Centereach Ny Closed
9 Cerritos Ca Closed
210 Charleston Sc Closed
103 Charlotte Nc Transfered
18 Charlettsville Va Closing
7 Chattsworth Ca Closing
12 Clinton Township Mi Closed
67 Richmond Va Closed
41 Colorado Springs Co Closed
65 Columbia Mo Closed
53 Columbus Oh Closed
50 Columbus Oh Transfered
154 Commerce Township Mi Closed
152 Corona Ca Closed
36 Corpus Christi Tx Closed
13 Costa Mesa Ca Transfered
79 Cresent Springs Ky Closed
71 Atlanta Ga Closed
191 East Setauket Ny Transfered
70 Edwards Co Closed
075a Encinitas Ca Open
153 Escondido Ca Closed
156 Falls Church Va Closed
003a Farmingdale Ny Closed
176 Flagstaff Az Closed
28 Freehold Nj Closed
11 Ft Collins Co Closed
23 Glen Burnie Md Closed
46 Glen Ellyn Il Closing
26 Goleta Ca Closed
29 Grand Junction Co Closed
163 Greensboro Nc Closed
140 Greenville Sc Closed
89 Grover Mo Closed
113 Harrisburg Pa Closing
106 Henderson Nv Transfered
110a Hiram Ga Open
033a Houston Tx Open
017a Houston Tx Closed
31 Huntington Ny Closed
131 Indiana Pa Closed
37 Kalamazoo Mi Closed
56 Kenosha Wi Closed
57 Kent Wa Closed
198 Knoxville Tn Closed
32 Lake Zurich Il Transfered
105 Las Vegas Nv Closed
137 Lawrenceville Nj Closed
102 Lexington Ky Closed
122 Lincoln Ne Closed
54 Lettleton Co Transfered
9 Long Beach Ca Closed
25 Long Beach Ca Transfered
155 Long Beach Ca Transfered
6 Longmont Co Transfered
85 Lubbock Tx Closed
100 Mechanicsville Va Closing
64 Middleton Ri Closed
59 Midlothian Va Closing
81 Milford Mi Closed
44 Mission Viejo Ca Transfered
207 Murfreesboro Tn Transfered
95 Nortn Myrtle Beach Sc Closed
132 Niceville Fl Closed
39 O’fallon Mo Closed
174 Ottawa On Closed
90 Overland Park Ks Closed
52 Palm Desert Ca Closing
68 Pittsburg Pa Closed
144 Portage Mi Closed
111 Poway Ca Closed
139 Prescott Valley Az Closed
142 Rockwall Tx Transfered
40 Roswell Ga Closed
134 Saco Me Closed
015b San Antonia Tx Closed
002a San Antonio Tx Open
16 Selma Tx Closed
147 San Diego Ca Closed
35 Atlanta Ga Closed
149 Schererville In Transfered
60 Pasadena Ca Closed
072a St Petersburg Fl Closed
45 Tigard Or Closed
158 Union Nj Closed
159 Ca Closed
216 Wilmington Nc Closed
94 Winston Salem Nc Closed
83 Woodstock Ga Closed
Chance:
How did I know you would happen to have a list handy? Thanks.
Also posted here.
View the list in progress here.
Snappy in Manchester, NH is closed.
Okay Sean, explain to me why a franchisor threatens a franchisee for posting the truth here, including threatening to talk to their other job. If they are telling the truth, it is NOT slander or liable, and the 1st ammendment applies. So how do these nasty franchisors get away with it?
Seems like Snappy and Isoldit want to be the center of attention this week, whether it is against the law or not! So, I think that ALL the franchisees who are threatened should post their threats or send them to AmITheOnlyOne.org so they can be posted anonymously. I am sure that other media venues will be interested too!
NEW POST:
Franchise Graveyard: eBay DropOff Stores
Well, I’ve closed my store and am free from Snappy. All I have to say is, if you’re dumb enough to buy a Snappy franchise after reading this, you deserve what you get. We warned you.
Time to get on with my life and sit back to watch it all come crumbling down.
Just for accurate information purposes, one of your lists seems to indicate that the franchise in Charlotte, NC was transferred. I was the owner/operator. I closed the store. The cut that corporate takes from the franchise owner escalates with time not just profit. It’s not a good business model for the franchise owner. I got out before it sank me with it.
Here’s an interesting fun fact. Last month I pulled a list of open Snappy Auction stores from their web site. I just compared it again to their last list. It’s 6 stores smaller than their last list. That’s 6 stores in one month and no new ones.
Also, I found over 20 Snappy Auctions sellers on eBay with 20 items or less listed on eBay. How do they stay open on that?!?!
Average sales for these 20 stores (including auto category sales) was $11,453 for the month. This is a far cry from the $30-40K most stores need to sell to break even.
My prediction: 5-7 more stores will close in the next 30 – 45days. Charles (former owner listed above) was smart enough to see the writing on the wall and got out and cut his losses.
Any takers on that bet?
I’m baaaaaack! Well it might be me, but it might be someone calling themselves me. Like the person who told you to ignore my previous posts. That COULD have been someone from Snappy, but we’ll never know.
Well, it’s refreshing to see more store owners are getting the hint and closing their stores. The downside is Snappy is just moving their flawed business model offshore. Now we’ll have people in Japan who may not know what’s going on. Best of luck to them. They’ll need it.
Will even independents work in Japan? They have a very different (ordered) society? do they have a Car-boot/flea-market/auction/yard-sale mentality? I don’t think so, anybody been there?
Welcome back Get Real!
More fun facts. Do a search on Google for Snappy Auctions stores for sale and you find about a dozen. So why out of over 60 stores would you find a dozen or so for sale?
Oh yeah, 5 of those still listed for sale have already closed.
Welcome back GET REAL!!
I checked on some of the stores Number Cruncher mentioned for sale and no one was willing to guarantee the store was profitable. They all talked about gross revenue or annual sales, but never about profit.
I got the stock answers like” I wanted to spend more time with my family” or ” I wanted to take a different direction”. The same type answers you get from a CEO who was fired ot assked to leave: spin.
As an owner of a SA Store and an experienced eBay seller I can assure you that this concept is not a good investment and is doomed for failure. The costs of processing, time required to turn-away the junk people bring in (65% of ALL items brought), liability issues with other people’s stuff, inadequate software, high rent and other fixed costs, time required to answer the emails from eBay morons, eBay’s and Paypal’s tendency to always side with the buyer, labor costs, federal, state and city taxes, insurance, payroll processing, advertsing (which doesn’t work w/o a coupon—yea, discount a margin of 33% which in itself is not profitable for most of the items brought to sell), as well as the other normal costs of owning a buisness and all that you have is a recipe for failure. Who wants to work 60 hours a week to break even or lose money??? Can’t sell the business because no moron will buy a cash-flow negative biz and the possible liability is enormous. Selling on eBay will work for niche items purchased wholesale. trying to sell everything under the sun drives up all aspects of expense and nets very little in the long run. Selling out of one’s home or inexpensive space may be possible, but, again, likely you will receive mostly yard sale or garbage product. This biz cannot be profitable or deliver a salary for an owner above the poverty level. Why bother? Most of us remaining are trying to find someone to take over our lease so we can cut our losses and move on to successfully selling on eBay. For those poor owners who have lost large sums of money or more, you need to organize and hold the franchisor accountable. 6 months experience in a retail storefront is no track record for selling an unproved (still unproved) opportunity. Beware what may be ahead for the franchisors. Of course, getting blood from a potato is useless; however, there are other means to skin a rabbit. On a positive note about SA, they are good people with good intentions and the support was generally excellent. The software was very limited for experienced eBay sellers and work-arounds are commonplace. Honest feelings from an owner on their way out….
I couldn’t agree with you more. This is the best concise description of why eBay drop off stores don’t work. I heard an email went out to the Snappy stores and I’m guessing you’re only the first to respond.
The only think I don’t agree with is SOME of the people at Snappy were great to work with, but several (no names but their first initials are D and A) consistantly berated franchisees, were totally incapable of admitting a mistake even when if was undeniable and used their policies to their advantage on a consistent basis.
There is one point I need to add. The S3 program was a smokescreen to delay the inevitable. Snappy HQ couldn’t even make it work. They eventually cancelled the program in Nashville, since their sales guy couldn’t even recoup his costs to Snappy. Of course, you’ll hear that was because the salesguy was not producing, but he was handpicked by D herself so that should tell you something.
I’m sure we’ll be hearing from more store owners…on both sides. Well, probably more on the side of most bloggers here.
I actually feel quite the opposite of the above two comments. Snappy Auctions has proven to work in our situation. Support always responds to our request in a concise manner — and is always there to help!
Although some stores may have not made it — the does not prove that the business plan doesn’t work. All it says is that the location aspect of the business plays an intricate part of business success (and BTW for all you entrepreneurs out there, Location, Location, Location!).
I’ve never heard one bad thing come out of anyone’s mouth at corporate. They always work with you to get any situations you may have resolved and definitely have a passion for what they do, and a love for their franchisees.
Not Frustrated,
RupertG
“I heard an email went out to the Snappy stores and I’m guessing you’re only the first to respond.”
just curious what do you mean about the email? did someone get ahold of an email list of the franchisees and start sendign them all emails?
RupertG:
Thanks for posting. Glad to hear someone has had a positive experience. Where is your store located? How long did it take you to become profitable? Other than location, what are you doing differently that some of those less fortunate can learn from?
I’m also curious as to why location is that important. It seems to me that the barriers would be that people wouldn’t understand what you do, or wouldn’t see the value in paying the percentages rather than visibility or convenience of the store. I’m interested in the role location plays. It seems like the trend is to move toward industrial or less expensive locations.
Curious: I don’t get the email reference either.
Ya, apparently Karen McGinn (Genius @ amitheonlyone.org) sent our a couple links in a spammer to all the stores.
And yes Sean, location goes back to earlier posts regarding median income and the like. It’s a huge part of this biz. Industrial parks would be great, but you’d have to advertise a great deal and likely still just get consumer business.
Well Rupert, you’re one of the lucky ones. I disagree with your comments on location. You would think Manhatten would be a great location, but they closed. Other locations were in demographics with very high disposable incomes, but they couldn’t break even. This is the mantra from corporate, but they had to close some of their stores. Why? The real mantra should be customer adoption, customer adoption, customer adoption. Location don’t always cut it.
Number Cruncher showed the average sales for stores and it was a sobering tale. Let’s say you are breaking even maybe even making some money. Consider your investment. You probably would have been better off to let your money sit in a interest bearing checking account. Why spend 10s of thousands of dollars to make that kind of money? Put your money in mutual funds, get a job and most likely be better off.
As more stores close and Snappy is unlikely to get any new stores (thanks Franchise Pick for providing this forum to potential franchisees), your support will most likely diminish and eventually you might be on your own. You might want to track the number of stores that are closing.
There was apparently an email sent to all of the Snappy stores by Karen McGinn with a couple links…er go all the posts here lately maybe?
R: I believe the email said something like…to keep on top of the news for ebay drop off stores go to this site and AmITheOnlyOne.org . These are two great places to hear what is going on. And, if you are in any way being threatened by your franchisor, these are the two sites that can help you. Feel free to talk and post anonomously to either.
Rupert G: I am curious if you are making money, and if so, are you paying yourself a salary and paying back part of the start of costs? I do not know of ANY ebay drop off store that has broken even. Location, location, location has not proven to be the winning answer, in fact, locations approved by these franchisors has only added to the bankruptcy rate and created the single largest problem these store owners have-their lease! What city are you in that has such great locations, we would all like to know? Truthfully, I believe you are just commenting by request of HQ. So please show us some numbers, and prove me wrong! There are many here who can learn from you if you have really made it work!
Chance – What fun would it be if somebody posted positive information?
Why then the legitimate reporting crew @ amitheonlyonetakingfivedollardonations.org would try to poke holes in it.
Because finding out someone may be doing this well, could possibly throw a wrench in this whole industry!
Interestingly, NO ONE has proven that what AmITheOnlyOne says is not correct, infact, they have thousands of pages of data stating the opposite – that the concept does NOT work! Obviously you have no real data to report, or you would be posting it, and if it truly is good data, then their isn’t anyone that can shoot holes in it. So stop mouthing off and give us some REAL facts, I have yet to see any!
The fact about their numbers is that they make no sense. Who the hell spends $5500/month in payroll for three people generating $7k a month in actual sales?
RupertG,
Location?? No, I don’t think so. It is important, BUT, each and every location is approved by corporate. If there is a doubt that the snappy model isn’t appropriate for the location – why are stores allowed to open in those locations. So, if location was the problem then snappy corporate is totally at fault.
I lost everything with snappy and will continue to pay for my credit card bills for the next few years to just get out of this debt. If you’re making any money in this business and I doubt it, it can’t be much and it will be short lived – don’t kid yourself – are you and your location that special?
And snappy support being helpful – you must have very low expectations and NOT have ever spoken with them…. oh wait!! maybe you are running the new version of snappy software promised last march, then may, then june….. or, maybe not.
Do you really expect anyone to post anything here? These halls are lined with sharks ready to tear apart anything that is posted.
If you posted 2+2 = 4, Karen or Chance or the others would call you a liar and a fraud.
This is not a friendly place folks
R, you are starting to see the light. These numbers don’t work even at 20k or 30k, yet you have people out here hyping their franchise, where NO ONE is profiting except the franchisor! No need to give the negative numbers, we all know them too well. Perhaps you or Rupert can supply some good numbers. Lets see the positive side, if there is one.
How much did you sell last month in retail sales, shipping, and how much profit?
How much is spent in rent, utilities, taxes, advertising, supplies, and labor (for how many)?
Do you work in the store, if so, how many hours and for what amount of pay – if any?
How much start up money was put into the business, and at what rate are you paying that back?
How many items do you process in a month, and at what sales level?
Where does your inventory come from, and how constant is it?
And to repeat what Sean asked “Where is your store located? How long did it take you to become profitable? Other than location, what are you doing differently that some of those less fortunate can learn from?”
These are not hard questions, they are simple profit and loss questions you need to be able to answer even for a bank loan.
It would be nice to see a postitive side of this if their is one-but in the last 4 years one has not emerged! Even the franchisors haven’t shown the ACTUAL numbers! If they did, no one would have bought these stores. These same franchisors are still selling franchises, knowing that they do not work! Please, show us ONE that does work!
Not uncharacteristically, “R” is experiencing one of the few months where positive cash flow is realized over a period of years. Don’t be fooled. If you are running the entire show ENTIRELY by yourself, then a PCF is possible, but not sustainable. However, the stress and strain is not worth it. Much better off to have left the money in the bank. Anyone who claims that they are profitable is a liar. True profitibility occurs after the start-up costs have been repaid and PCF is sustained. The highly visible, upscale retail setting is doomed. No matter how many good items are brought in, the labor costs and increased overhead required to process it negates any real progress. I have been open over 2 years and have faired better than most. But I have worked untold hours and drove myself nuts to stay on top of things. Salary? I didn’t start taking a salary until 18 months into the business and only after I had cut my workforce to myself and 1 FT employee. I had to take the salary or risk losing everything else I have. This business is attractive and deceiving at the same time. It is not until you have done it for awhile that you begin to see the enormous limitations to profitibilty. Naturally, if people were to bring just 1 item a day that would sell consistently for a grand, one person could make an average living. But this is fantasy! It doesn’t happen that way in the real world. On top of complaints about the commissions being too high, potential sellers have other opportunities—auctioneers, ticket brokers, consignment shops, used merchandise stores, individual ebay sellers, craigslist, classifieds—the list goes one. The people with the valuable items to sell either have no need or interest to sell them or have other means. unfortunately, this realization came after many months of operation. As owners we really have no one to blame but ourselves. eBay, and the internet in general, can be a great place to make a great living, BUT, you must find a marketable product that you can purchase wholesale and sell for minimum double your money to make it; and with minimal overhead. Buying from estate sales, local auctions, and even on eBay to resell can be a good buisness; but not with a $3,500 a month hill to climb just to keep the lights on. In terms of sales to keep the lights on, the average store needs to hit $11,000.00 in sales per month. Mind you, that is JUST to pay the landlord, phone and cable/DSL company, insurance, security, and electric/gas. This figure assumes no start-up debt; no payroll; no advertising; no salary; no life insurance; NOTHING ELSE! This is based on a 32% net commission on sales and does not include any shipping profit. So tell me “R”, how are you doing it? A big sale here and there will help smooth the rough months, but in the long run, a regression to the mean is inevitable. Good luck to you if you have found the secret. I have been enlightened by experience and know there is a better way. Why work like a dog to break even? One goes into business to GET AHEAD. I cannot see any light at the end of this tunnel that is worthy of the effort required to get there. Sorry, but no one works harder than I. And I am worn to the ground! Thanks for listening!
Well we pretty much know the real story. The proof is in the numbers. For instance, Snappy Auctions has not set up a new store in months while losing over 30% of their stores! The word is getting out.
Also, I checked out their Japanese stores on Yahoo:
http://storeuser16.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/user/snappyjapan
Pretty much more of the same. After 10 months they look pretty much like I would expect. After Japan, I wonder what’s next? They’ll run out of countries eventually.
I know some stores will never believe the truth…until they’re in bankruptcy court. Let’s hope the email that went out from AITOO hits home with some stores and they get out while they can. There’s people out there willing to help them.
I can only imagine what’s going on at Snappy right now. There must be nashing of teeth and great efforts to control the damage the truth has done to franchisng efforts and a certain person’s ego.
BTW….tell Snappy (aka Ruppert) hello for me.
RetributionContribution: Thanks for your honesty, and we empathize with your feelings. Let’s hope that we have kept one more person reading this thread, from being where we have been. Thanks!
UPDATE: there’s 3 less stores on the Snappy Auctions web site than there were last month.
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose,
A time to open a store
a time to close a store
A time to believe the franchisor
A time to learn the truth
RetributionContribution, In all seriousness; good luck and godspeed.
Well, I’m guessing the email that we’re talking about came from outside Snappy. I went to the Snappy web site and the email addresses for all their existing stores are there, so I guess that make them publically accessible information.
Anyone from the “inside” hear about the response from Snappy HQ? If it’s in line with their MO it was immediate and includes a plan of action against the person who mailed it.
If you know, please post the info here. I”m intrigued.
“Madness” says: Do you really expect anyone to post anything here? These halls are lined with sharks ready to tear apart anything that is posted. If you posted 2+2 = 4, Karen or Chance or the others would call you a liar and a fraud. This is not a friendly place folks
Madness, you are always welcome here and you know I will defend you. No one mixes a metaphor the way you do. You’re the cutest. No one else has the chutzpah to declare, in the 250th comment, that no one will post here. Be not afraid: I will not allow Karen & Chance to call you a liar or a fraud because of your math skills (They may, however, point out that after eBay fees & royalties, 2+2=1.65).
You make me sentimental for a commenter who once declared this blog boring and “all blown to hell.” Don’t let the glass-half-empties get you down! I have a feeling that for you, with your positive mental attitude, 2+2= a hefty boat payment. Persevere and prosper!
AN OPEN MESSAGE TO SNAPPY AUCTIONS:
I’d imagine you are monitoring this discussion and that it’s not giving you and your franchise sales team the warm fuzzies.
I am concerned, too. You see, we’ve exceeded 250 comments on this post alone and, as “Madness” eloquently points out, the discussion is getting a bit one-sided. Eventually it will get boring, comments will slow, and I’ll be forced to actually write something original on this blog.
I’ll make you a deal: contact me at info[at]ideafarm.net or call me at 717-656-2107 x24. Get me some data to disprove these Negative Nellies. Get me a success story, a profitable store, sales and expense data… anything. I’ll post it. I’ll interview you. Or a franchisee, or several.
Stop listening to your PR people. As you suspect, they don’t get blogging. They are reading from last decade’s playbook. They say not to acknowledge it. It’s not the “legitimate press.” Meanwhile, do a Google Search and see how the hype stories are being overtaken by negative articles. If they advise bullying or threats, they will hurt you more than your detractors. You gots to get into the discussion… Fight back with facts…
I am skeptical but fair. I will post your rebuttal word-for-word without editorializing. Get me some Snappy answers and I’ll get them posted for the world to see!
Hmmmm, I never saw a posting from Madness, but I say BRING IT ON!!! But, if you want to avoid the sharks, throw them a bone (pun intended). Show us tangible evidence to offset the tangible evidence we have displayed (thanks NUMBER CRUNCHER, CHANCE and RETRIBUTIONCONTRIBUTION). Show us a store that has consistantly made money in normal circumstances (no ganging 3 stores or moving inventory from a closing store to an open store).
No PR spin, no corporate-speak….just the facts m’am. Heck even if you’re barely getting by but you LOVE what you’re doing, post it. I’ll even do my best to hold my tongue……but it won’t last if my BS indicator goes past 7.