Jan 1, 2008
by Christopher Heine
CloseoutCentral is where buyers and sellers meet for great product selection and low prices. Buyers can use the site for free, and a membership is not required.
An increasing number of buyers are discovering the fantastic selection at the site, where they can use a bevy of excellent navigation tools. Specifically, they enjoy the following buyer friendly features at CloseoutCentral: Daily Closeout Alert (via email), High Powered Search, QuickLink and Seller Directory.
Daily Closeout Alert
In October, CloseoutCentral introduced an exciting new email service called, Daily Closeout Alert. Buyers who sign up for the email will receive a detailed notice of all merchandise lots posted at the website in the previous 24 hours.
It is worth noting that the very nature of the closeout business is unpredictable, so you never know what opportunities will arise from one day to the next. This service allows you to stay updated on all incoming CloseoutCentral products, in a convenient fashion. The email is organized by product category, and each offering includes a brief description of the lot, asking price, seller's company name, a direct link to complete details of the merchandise and how to purchase.
To subscribe to the mailing list, at no charge, simply visit www.closeoutcentral.com/dailyalert.cfm, enter your email address and click the Subscribe button. You will receive an email containing a link that you must click to confirm your subscription. Sellers never see your email address, and the subscriber list is not shared or sold to third parties.
High Powered Search
Once you start receiving the Daily Alerts, you are going to want to discover what other great products are available at CloseoutCentral. To find out, log onto www.closeoutcentral.com and type a query into the website's high powered search box, which is located near the top left hand corner of the home page.
It allows buyers to search by specific product types. For instance, a search for shoes will normally render a return of around 70 lots from a variety of distributors looking to sell bulk pallets at bargain prices. The lots are listed in an easy to scroll, vertical arrangement that lets buyers see the most recent posts first, and the oldest ones last.
QuickLink Connects Buyers & Sellers
There are more superb CloseoutCentral features that will make your life easier. At the top right hand corner of every CloseoutCentral page is the QuickLink box. Each seller on the site has a personal keyword or QuickLink, which can be entered into the box to go directly to that seller's page. If the buyer knows a seller's QuickLink, this method of navigation provides the fastest way to see the desired company's lots.
For example, a Jacobs Trading Company buyer can type jacobs into the QuickLink box and go directly to the firm's merchandise. The QuickLink box continues CloseoutCentral's tradition of easing the connection between buyers and sellers.
Seller Directory
Buyers need as many options as possible when they are tending to their company's merchandising needs. Another way for buyers at CloseoutCentral to find the products they desire is through the Seller Directory, which is located on the top navigation bar on the home page. It is the second button from left to right. When buyers click on the Seller Directory button, they are taken to a page that gives them three ways of optimizing their product search.
First, buyers can utilize the Find Company search box by entering the name of a firm and pressing the button. In the event of entering Spinning Disc Entertainment, the viewers would be taken to a direct link to see the lots for that company. After hitting the "Click here to see our lots" button, various lots will appear, with a range of DVDs, music CDs, posters and small electronics.
Secondly, buyers can navigate the Seller Directory by the alphabet. Individual links appear that represent the company names, starting with the letters A to Z. A link for seller names beginning with the numbers zero through nine is also available.
Thirdly, a viewer can click on links that break the sellers down into categories: Manufacturer, Distributor, Wholesaler, Imports/Exports, Closeout Brokers, Liquidators, Retailers and Services. The categories can potentially help the buyer cut out a middleman or two, and go directly to the product source.
Unbeatable Value
The multiple search applications available at CloseoutCentral.com give buyers easy access to the most current closeouts offered by the leading and largest group of suppliers on the Internet. But how exactly do sellers get plugged into the system?
Go to www.closeoutcentral.com/addseller.cfm and fill out a quick form to get started. Then, CloseoutCentral staffers will input your information and produce company profile pages for you.
Within 48 hours, a technical expert from CloseoutCentral will call and give you a tutorial on how to log into your accounts, manage and edit your listings and upload new product images and information. Each of these production elements are performed in a template system that's easy for computer novices. It is simple to master, and only requires the user to fill in the blanks.
Most importantly, members make their product lots available 24/7 across the Seller Directory for an annual fee of only $398. CloseoutCentral doesn't take a commission on sales. All of this adds up to a lower cost of doing business online.
For more information, contact:
CloseoutCentral
24 Stony Hill Road
Bethel, CT 06801
Tel.: 203-748-2050
Toll Free: 800-999-8281
Fax: 203-748-5932
Website: www.closeoutcentral.com
Topic: Web Tech Tips
Related Articles: Closeout Central
Article ID: 476
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