The Energon Pub

News Credits: 97 · by **Savage** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:01 pm

Just received an email update from Crave.com, saying that the business hasn't grown fast enough, and they have been forced to sell the site. This is certainly a blow to the TF community. Crave.com has been an excellent way for collectors to track down those must-have exclusives, as well as the retail product that just didn't make it to your local stores. Hopefully the new owners of Crave.com will continue to provide a similarly unique and useful resource for the TF community.

Excerpts from Crave.com email:

We're writing to let you know that after almost two years of building up Crave to be the marketplace for fans, by fans, we will be closing the site next month. We were working earlier in February on options to keep the site running, but unfortunately none of those came through, so we've sold the business to a new owner.

What's next? In the next couple weeks, the current site will be shut down. All sales have already stopped and transactions in process have been completed. The new owners have future plans, so stay tuned.

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:58 pm

LMAO...you beet me to this by like 1 minute..

I used crave a few times..nothing really bad to say about it. Just hard to compete with a giant like ebay..Crave was kind of like that cool flea market you go to on the weekends..versus the mega mall that is ebay..RIP crave

News Credits: 668 · by **Autobot032** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:11 am

Can't say I'm surprised. I'm saddened that it didn't work out, I was hoping it would for the fans. But I never used it, a lot of people I know never did, plus the whole integrating with Facebook didn't please a lot of people, either.

It's a real shame, but bound to happen.

News Credits: 7 · by **alldarker** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:22 am

Fail 1: Facebook integration. I am not on Facebook and will never be. And I'm not the only one, I suspect.

Fail 2: Failure to accept the rest of the world outside of the USA. Even though I saw plenty of stuff on Crave I'd actually want to buy, they made it impossible to do so because they discriminate against foreign buyers.

So, no loss AT ALL for me. BTW: Crave ending up like this was predictable right from the start, due to the problems stated above.

News Credits: 11 · by **joevill** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:19 am

It is unfortunate whenever any business shuts it's doors. Erin is a real sweetheart.

News Credits: 273 · by **Delicon** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:54 am

I didn't go crazy on Crave.com, but I definitely liked having it around. I actually enjoyed the Facebook interface and they actually had some very cheap prices on some things.

Of course, my biggest memory will be that I was wearing one of their shirts when I got to meet Markie Post at last year's BotCon.

Like chonosmoon on Facebook · by **chonosmoon** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:06 pm

they said they sold it to a new owner, so it could be just shut down temporarily.

by **Chovner1** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:42 pm

Sign up with Shelflifex.com when the site goes active soon and have access to their marketplace. It's a new site granted but shows ALOT of promise.

by **MGrotusque** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:38 pm

It was torture for me if and when i would go to that site and see the sweetass deals on TF and knowing the didn't ship outside the U.S.
No loss for me. Hopefully the new owners figure that out if they even sell TF's at all.

by **Fortress_Maximus** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 4:25 pm

not remotely surprised crave shut down

biggest concerns were:
1) facebook login (HATED IT - don't use that crap),
2) too many idiots/TROLLS bickering &moaning about prices & hijacking listings,
3) complete disorganization of specialty figures (hard to associate correctly),
4) lack of follow up with the numerous proposed ideas to enhance the site,
5) inability to allow international transactions.
6) inability to BAN and/or blacklist bad buyers and sellers (three strikes out, nope people could just create fake accounts). instead of associating with an active credit card which would have been prudent and helpful)

crave had promise but lots of functional challenges.

anyone else got better free sites to use besides fleabay?

by **amtm** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:10 pm

Bummer. I was hoping they would finally fill the hole of a site that really understands Transformers collecting. I'd start one of my own but it's too damn complicated. Ebay leaves a lot to be desired in the way things are "organized".