NEW BUSINESS

By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
HOWLAND -- Bernie Profato walked into a Howland business hoping to turn a bag of unusual drinking mugs into a fistful of cash.
That's what happened the last time he used eAuctionBlock and Shipping Center.
The store in the Howland Plaza recently listed his 14 German beer steins on eBay, where they sold for $307.
Profato, a Niles resident, was not only happy to have the cash but he also was glad to have the beer steins out of his basement. He collected them more than 20 years ago while traveling in Germany.
This time, he brought the business a bag of Royal Doulton mugs. He's hoping the two-sided mugs, which feature faces of famous couples such as Samson and Delilah, will be valuable to someone.
The cost
It cost him $3 to find out. That's the fee eAuctionBlock charges to list items on eBay, which includes paying fees to the electronic auctioneer.
EBay runs Internet-based auctions that allow people from around the world to bid on a wide variety of commonplace and unusual items.
The local store collects a percentage of the sale price of the items it sells for people. Fees range from 15 percent to 25 percent, depending on the sale amount.
The service is well worth the cost, Profato said.
"The presentation they put into it was wonderful," he said.
The business handles all aspects of the sale. It lists the item, complete with a description and multiple digital photographs. It responds to all e-mails from potential bidders, accepts payment and ships the item after the sale.
Satisfying buyers allows a seller to keep its customer satisfaction rating high, which fosters trust among bidders, said Christina Savage, store co-owner.
She said some customers don't have the technical abilities to handle the listing and sale transaction, while others just don't want to be bothered.
'A convenience'
"We're a convenience. Buying on eBay is easy. Selling on eBay isn't," she said.
Four partners started the business in September, buying the former Postal Centers of America business from Charlene Canzonetta. The old sign is still above the store as the new owners wait for their sign.
One of the partners, Sam Shapiro, came up with the idea for the store and recruited the others when he heard the Postal Centers business was for sale. Shapiro also owns Dart Metals in Liberty.
The other partners are Brad Ziegler, who works in the store with Savage, and Bruce Tamarkin, who works for Redstone Investments.
Shipping business
Savage, whose previous job was handling public relations locally for the Ohio Bicentennial celebration, said they had to learn the details of the shipping business when they took over the store. That remains the biggest part of the store's revenues.
The partners began marketing the eBay business last month, however, and handled the sales of about $6,800 worth of merchandise since mid-January.
The most expensive item they sold was a set of china for $1,600. Skis, formal gowns and karate equipment were among the items at the store last week waiting to be sold.
The store also has sold gowns, other clothing items and golf clubs for businesses that had wanted to clear their inventory.
The owners have big hopes for the young business. Savage said they hope to have other stores in the Mahoning Valley this year and are considering whether to open the stores themselves or franchise the concept.
shilling@vindy.com