What it Does

• Turbo Lister allows the seller to enter all the listing information offline and upload all the listings at once. It is easier to fill in than the online system, and it incorporates templates to make the listings more attractive. There are many other features, such as the ability to save formats, and to relist items or sell similar items.
  
  

Problems With Turbo Lister

• Users report a number of issues with Turbo Lister, including regular software crashes. It also can have problems signing on to eBay, uploading images, losing information, and running slowly. These problems have persisted through numerous versions of the software, and have led to sellers looking for alternative programs
  
  

Key Features for Alternatives

• For an alternative program to Turbo Lister to be successful it should:
  * Be a desktop application--not requiring users to be online to prepare their listings,
  * Include templates, preferably customizable--allowing the listings to be personalized,
  * Have a function to upload photographs,
  * Incorporate scheduling of postings at a set time,
  * Allow relisting of items.
  Other facilities such as managing sales and feedback are also useful.
  
  

Free Alternatives

• Very few free programs are available. One of the best is AuctionSplash. It works on the Net 2.0 platform, giving it the ability to be minimized to the Windows toolbar and continue working in the background. It has facilities for listing, uploading images and using templates. It also incorporates real time sales information and a feedback module.
  
  

Paid Alternatives

• Two of the best paid listing applications are Auctiva and Inkfrog. They both have active communities that offer support and advice, as well as technical support on their websites. The prices in 2010 are modest--in the $8 to $10 a month range.
  
  Auctiva is an easy program to learn, although it does require a lot of changing between screens to set-up listings. It has a good variety of templates and a facility to build in standard clauses for shipping, returns and insurance. Listed auctions also have the option of displaying a scrolling ribbon of other items for sale by the same seller, allowing interactive cross-selling within the account. It also caters for sellers who handle consignment auctions, with special reporting and contracts available.
  
  Inkfrog has the reputation of being very easy to use, yet powerful enough to meet the needs of the most productive PowerSellers. It has all of the features of an advanced listing program, as well as inventory management, automated relisting and a profit tracking capability in the sales management module.