In a move designed to dramatically
reduce costs incurred by individuals and small businesses which sell items
through online selling and auction sites, The SOC Exchange has launched a new
online selling platform, www.thesocexchange.com.


The new Internet trading community created by innovative Australian
entrepreneur Franco Lagudi, is launching in the U.S. to offer a new option for
online sellers; one which does not charge listing or commission fees. Instead
the site will charge sellers just $1 per month to list and sell as much as
they like.


"Recently, eBay announced its fee restructure, but costs still seem too
high for many small businesses," stated Lagudi. "A $25 collectible item that
sells after being listed three times for up to 21 days costs $3.35 in fees to
sell on eBay. On The SOC Exchange you could list and sell 1000 items for just
$1 total."


The SOC Exchange gives sellers their own customizable website where they
can list as many items as they like, add up to four images per item and post a
blog, for a set fee of $1 per month, with no contract period. Sellers get
their own URL enabling them to send their customers a direct link to their SOC
Exchange store, providing a low-cost solution for the growing number of
sellers which use multiple sites to list their products.


"The landscape is changing, internet users are more savvy, and the
economic climate means that every penny counts," explained Lagudi. "Our
business model reflects this enabling us to provide a superior quality selling
platform with extensive user-friendly features, and none of the complicated
fees."


The SOC Exchange does not take a percentage of the purchase price, and
offers sellers increased features over other low-priced sites; such as the
ability to establish a personal website on which to showcase products
simultaneously, and features which allow sellers to create a blog on their
website and send email updates to customers, old and new.


With the current economic climate, people are increasingly looking for new
opportunities to supplement their income, and selling unwanted items,
collectibles and handicrafts online has become a popular way to make extra
cash. When looking to buy, one in four American adults now turns to online
classified ad sites, up from one in seven in 2005, according to the Pew
Internet and American Life Study (February 2008). In fact, a third of all
internet users have used an online classified site, and around a quarter have
used an online auction site.


Buyers register with The SOC Exchange free of charge and can browse the
numerous categories, search by product name, search within a set distance from
their location or go directly to a seller's site. Buyers can also bookmark
sites they wish to return to, and register with their favorite sellers for
email updates and information on new products.


The SOC Exchange is the perfect solution for small businesses such as
artists, antique dealers, booksellers, rock bands and small retail stores,
which wish to sell products online, and offers the following features:


-- an e-mail alert capability, which allows sellers of goods to push
   e-mails to customers and buyers who sign-up for news updates;
-- a customer tracking system, which informs the seller of the number of
   visitors to his or her website;
-- the ability for sellers to create a blog on their website with
   automatic RSS feeds for a seller's items and blog;
-- built-in technical safeguards such as SSL encryption and anti-virus
   protection, reliable and secure hosting and unlimited disk space and
   data transfer;
-- sellers can customize their website to create an individual style or
   brand their page;
-- the ability to load up to six items on the front page of their website,
   with an unlimited number of items to be listed within their site;
-- four photos per individual item, giving potential buyers the chance to
   check out a potential purchase from any angle;
-- an optional seller location map, and:
-- sellers can advertise for free on their state homepage.




Lagudi has filed several patents with the U.S. and international patent
offices to safeguard the concepts, processes and systems he has developed.


Safe buying tips are offered on the site, and members are encouraged to
use payment systems which offer protection. Unscrupulous sellers, and buyers,
can be reported to The SOC Exchange and those which refuse to comply with the
website's terms and conditions will have their membership revoked.



About The SOC Exchange:


The SOC Exchange was created by Australian entrepreneur, Franco Lagudi, to
provide a simple, low-cost online solution for people to buy and sell online.
The website offers users an easy way to host an e-commerce store which is
suitable for individuals and small businesses. With a background in retail,
Lagudi also operates www.buyblitz.com, a U.S. Web site that serves as a
catalyst for specialty food retailers to be able to successfully reach their
customers.



SOURCE  The SOC Exchange