MySkatingMall.com will be the link between buyers all over the world looking to save money on gently used figure skating gear and sellers who want to clean out their closets. The best part? Five percent of the sale goes to the buyer’s home club. Sellers must donate at least 2.5 percent to their figure skating club, but they can donate more of the sale amount, too. Users must be 18 or over to join the free online registration. Jahnke is very careful to make the site family-friendly. He includes a video of himself explaining that users should report inappropriate content so he can remove it from the site.
Until March of next year, listing figure skating items for sale on the site won’t cost you anything. After that, listings cost a flat $1 for an entire year, or until the item is sold. Sellers can improve their listings with low-cost upgrades like title bolding, featured listing, and better placement. All transactions are done through PayPal, so users will need a free account at that secure site.
MySkatingMall.com also has online retail partners who sell new figure skating items. You’ll recognize names like Lauren Downes’ Sk8Strong off-ice DVDs, Annette Thomas’s balletforfigureskaters.com, Champion Cords, Sk8Mix music, and Brad Griffies custom skate outfits. Jahnke is still searching for online stores as retail partners, so the list grows all the time.
As of this posting, the site is in testing. However, individuals can visit the site and poke around to see how it works. In addition to the sales, you'll find a blog, videos, and links to informational figure skating sites.This is a terrific time for figure skating clubs to sign up their club to benefit from their members’ sales and purchases, too.
I plan on telling our club’s board all about MySkatingMall.com and asking the board members to promote the site in the club newsletter. I’m for anything that saves me money as a figure skating parent and brings down my ice costs at the club. Great idea, Ryan! I wish you success!
Ryan's full site launches on Friday, April 26.
Have a question for Ice Mom or the Advisory Board? Do you know a figure skating expert who would be a good fit for The Wednesday Ask the Expert feature? Have a suggestion for a post? Awesome! E-mail me at icemom.diane@gmail.com
10 comments:
I just bought a skirt from there, so we'll see. It's a great concept, though I think it could be cleaned up a bit and simplified a bit. I am not a fan of having to contact the seller after I paid. That should be done for me, like on eBay IMO.
We'll see about the quality of the items and if people are honest, etc.
Hi, Kate.
I think you're right about contacting the seller. Buyers and sellers would both be happier if that were automated.
I tested the system on Ryan's test site, but I didn't think that the actual site was ready for purchasing.
It's always a bit of a risk, isn't it, when you buy something from an eBay seller or something like that? But I've found that the skating world is actually pretty small. Word about crummy vendors will get around quick, I bet.
Thanks for the comment!
Ice Mom
I am super stoked someone is doing something like this. As a mom who only buys things at garage sales, the thrift store and craigslist skating gear can be hard to come by... But not impossible. I have found amazing dresses, skates and everything else under the sun for incredibly low prices. However you have to be patient and keep your fingers crossed that what you're looking for will eventually pop up. This will add another stop in my never ending quest for inexpensive quality skating stuff.
I'm with you, Ragamama!
There are few things I love more than a good deal. Can you imagine how big of a selection we'll have if the entire skating world is listing their used stuff on MySkatingMall.com?
It will be a bargain hunter's paradise. Plus, it will benefit clubs.
Ice Mom
Kate,
This is Ryan Jahnke, founder of MySkatingMall.com. I must apologize for the confusion about contacting the seller after your purchase on MySkatingMall.com. As "Ice Mom" mentioned, we are still working out the bugs until our Grand Opening on Friday,March 26th.
I investigated your problem and found that there was some text that we missed that implied you needed to contact the seller. This isn't correct - you can pay through PayPal right there and then. We have since changed all of the text on the pages and the text in the confirmation emails so that it is consistent with that.
In other words, you shouldn't have that problem ever again:-) Thank you for your help and and support of MySkatingMall.com.
Ryan~
Thanks for clearing that up! It wasn't a big deal really, but I am not a huge fan of sharing my primary email with everybody. Anyway, it worked out perfectly and the seller is shipping my skirt today.
PS~ Apparently Lil will be growing out of her brand new skates very soon according to the director of her skate school. I might need to sell them! :)
Wow! That is an incredible idea! It will be so much easier buying dresses, skirtrs, blades, ect! I already visisted the site and found all the listed items have very reasonable prices. Thanks! I will be buying from myskatingmall soon.
I love the idea, too, Anony!
My problem? Ice Girl won't let me sell any of her old dresses.
It's like they're puppies to her; she wants to make sure they go to a good home.
(*eye roll*)
Ice Mom
OK, if Ice Girl won't let you sell her dresses, make her sign an agreement which states that when she is old enough to move out of your home, she'll take all her dresses with her.
Denise, you forward-thinking woman! Yes, she needs to take all of her junk, I mean precious objects, with her when she leaves.
(Unfortunately, I still have a closet full of stuff at my mom's. Um. Sorry, Mom.)
Ice Mom
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