In the spring of 1999, eBay created the Voices of the Community program in response to anger over the prohibition on firearms and the closing of live support boards. It began as a set of general-topic meetings with groups of eBay users – buyers, sellers and eBay employees. Members of the Voices program were flown to eBay's corporate headquarters in San Jose, California to meet with eBay management to give feedback and response. Approximately 250 people have participated in this general program.

Since then, the program has grown, with eBay adding a new segment: the category-specific Voices program, in which buyers and sellers who deal with specific categories of eBay meet via conference calls about once a month.

"It's meant to be a healthy, ongoing - and ongoing is the key - dialog about what's happening on the site. We want constructive criticism and feedback from members; we want to run to run technologies by them and get feedback." This is how eBay spokesperson Hani Durzy explains the Voices program. He stresses that it is not for one-way communication. Some sellers disagree.

"I think it's a public relations thing so they can say, "we consulted with sellers."" That's how Matt (not his real name), a bookseller on eBay, described the category-specific Voices program. Changes in the site last April "practically destroyed book sales," and "eBay’s option fees are getting dangerously close to prohibitively high." He doesn't feel that eBay is listening.

"I went into it knowing that it could possibly be just [a public relations tool]." He says his suspicions were confirmed.

Two other sellers had a slightly different take on the Voices program.

"Superb" is how bookseller Will Ingles described working with eBay's Community Development representative early in the program. Ingles was invited into the Voices of the Community program in 2002. Initially, meetings were held once a month by conference call and he says they made real gains on issues such as categorization.

Amy (also not her real name), another participant of the Voices program, saw it this way: "A lot of people were very angry about the closing of Half.com." In the Voices meetings, eBay management "tried to say that there are options." eBay did hear her out and even suggested some possible plans.

"The whole point of the program is for us to listen to community; that is the entire reason for its existence," says Hani Durzy, eBay’s spokesperson. "What we try to do, and the Voices program is part of this effort, is gather information, balance it and then make the decision that is right for the overall community."

Both Amy and Will Ingles, however, perceive the Voices program as more for listening to and dealing with grievances than actually shaping the eBay's policies or direction.

As Will Ingles puts it, in January of 2003, "things began to change. Rather than asking us what we wanted, they began to sound us out about changes that they were already planning." Ingles says that the Voices group he is in has become, "no more than a sounding board for up-coming change. They use what we say in their first round of their replies."

And perhaps that's all they can ask. Amy explains eBay's use of the Voices feedback this way: "Sometimes they (listen) and sometimes they don't; I'm sure it's really a business decision. The thing that you have to keep in mind is that eBay is a business; their primary reason for existence is to make money for shareholders and, as best they can, address the needs of the buyers and sellers; but they can't do everything (sellers) want and stay in business."

And what about the problems she brought up in her Voices group? The eBay team suggested that she open a store on eBay and move her inventory of more than 1000 books there. They even offered a free 30-day trial period. And though sales were "nothing like the level I enjoyed at Half.com," she still appreciates the Voices program. "Overall, it has been very helpful," by giving her a chance to network with other sellers.

When I asked the other sellers why they stay in the program, Matt says he prefers to be in the loop on future developments. "I'm in there because I feel it's better to know than to not know." Ingles feels that his Voices group may actually make some headway yet and says that he likes to have a say.

And what about this strong desire to remain anonymous? Both Matt and Amy insist that they have said nothing that violates the nondisclosure agreement that they sign upon joining the Voices Program. While neither was afraid of suspension from eBay, both thought they could lose their place in the Voices program.

Spokesperson Hani Durzy's response: Criticism of the Voices program, in and of itself, "would not get someone kicked out of the Voices program," but he also admitted that there is a lot of gray area. eBay has members sign the nondisclosure agreement to keep them from talking about products and developments that may be coming down the road, he said.

In the end, says Durzy, "healthy criticism is what the Voices program is founded on in the first place."