Re: "eBay Bans Private-Feedback Sellers in Move Toward Transparency"
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m10/i03/s01
Could you ask eBay why they did not set a block option so I can choose not to allow bids from eBayers who hide their feedback? Seems this is getting back to the "only sellers are devious" mentality and buyers need to be protected... must be part of getting back to the core.
Thank You for keeping us all updated we really enjoy your NewsFlash.
Kindest Thoughts and Wishes,
Lee
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Would you be allowed or able to do a story or suggest what other online sites could compete with Ebay (from a sellers point of view??
Also, it would be nice to have some names of these sites, how long they have been in business, who can sell, new and used items?? Is this something you could keep all of us updated on in every newsletter?? It seems like this type of business is forever growing and constantly changing and the competition is getting tougher from a sellers point of view.
This sure would make your newsletter even more valuable to us readers. Just to clarify in case I have confused you, sellers need one place to look for other auction/store sites to sell in besides Ebay. Is there any way your newsletter could establish a site or do you know of one??
Thank You For Listening,
Jane
*Editor's Note: Here's a chart on AuctionBytes that lists online-auction sites with their seller fees: http://auctionbytes.com/cab/pages/sitepricing.*
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Ebay has just banned me from the Ebay discussion boards for a "indefinite period of time" for "refusing to follow eBay staff instruction". I have yet to receive "staff instruction" and feel this ban is undeserved. In anger I spent 3 minutes writing this short article regarding the situation there.
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Ebay says "Let Them Eat Cake!"
Ebay has shot itself in the foot and is leaking buyers and sellers like a sieve. Although many will continue to list auctions on Ebay, a large number of sellers are looking to other venues to list part or all of their inventory.
Ebay's recent 500% fee increase for its Stores and the invisibility of many store auctions from its search engine has angered many sellers and has left buyers leaving Ebay for better (and cheaper) buying elsewhere.
Sellers are jumping ship in the hundreds daily, finding new homes at other venues like WagglePop, Hibidder, and Bidville. Buyers are following the migration of goods and deals to these new sites.
Current counts reveal an estimated 2236 stores have closed, with estimates starting at 676,200 items being cancelled and sellers planning to cancel another 125,500 items before the end of September. These items have moved off Ebay to better on-line auction sites with more exposure and lower fees.
Ebay management is taking a "Let them eat cake" attitude to long time sellers, instead focusing on Ebay sites in China and India as the saviors for Ebay's falling stock prices. Ebay management has yet to discuss the valid complaints of the sellers and has not even acknowledged the existence of a problem.
With the current situation, many predict rough seas ahead for the on-line auction giant. Already on the horizon there are several venues jockeying to be a real competitor. Many smaller sites boast better customer service and easy to use programs. Although, many sites have a way to go to be a viable force in the world of on-line auctions with site glitches, invoice problems, low site traffic and limitations when it comes to International buyers. Even with these set backs it's only a matter of time before Ebay's crown slips and we find a rival to the throne
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Ina
I read the article about the designer counterfeits. ebay lets their highpower sellers of junk get away with selling the counterfeits.
Ebay lost the reason it was started - for the person to sell small one of a kind items that they did not need at home or bought at yard or estate sale but have let the dealers that sell new items that they buy in lots and then sell at low prices and HIGH postage. They only monitor the small person and pay no attention to the large dealers - it is all based on GREED.
Al
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Editor's Note: Trading Assistants are experienced eBay consignment sellers who sell items for people on eBay for a percentage of sale.
Dear Ina,
The beauty of eBay Trading Assistants (TAs) is that they come from all size cities while most eBay Drop Off Stores, other consignment store franchises, Craigslist cities, and many brick and mortar stores, require higher density populations. The Trading Assistant Directory helps even consignors in small towns find consignment sellers to sell their items.
Directories are matchmakers. For Consignment Pal, matching up all types of consignment sellers (eBay TAs, eBay Drop Off Stores, consignment stores, antique stores, etc.) with consignors who have items to sell is a daunting task given the size of the US and CP's goal to eventually reach geographic saturation across 50 states. eBay Trading Assistants are one of the keys to filling the geographic gaps current businesses do not serve.
The eBay TA Chat Board is discussing whether there are 2000 active TAs or 50,000. Nobody really seems to know the number, but the importance of the numbers cannot be understated. Do the math. If 2000 is correct, then with 50 states, that averages about 40 per state. That's hardly enough to go around. Now, if there really are 50,000, then that means about 1,000 per state. Much better!
Like the TA Directory, the Consignment Pal consignment directories hope to meet the needs of all size cities. After all, don't medium and small town folks have just as much "extra stuff" as big city dwellers?
Cheers,
Linda Miller, ConsignmentPal.com
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Re: "Interview: Former eBay Top Seller GlacierBayDVD Speaks Out"
(http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m09/i29/s01)
Terrific piece on GlacierBayDVD - solid useful business information - would love to see a comment by a business consultant who deals in retail to show typical costs of running a business to see whether eBay's 17% fee as a cost of doing business (marketing) is reasonable or not. Do eBay sellers expect too much or does eBay?
As always, you remain a great asset and are appreciated,
Esther
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Re: "Interview: Former eBay Top Seller GlacierBayDVD Speaks Out"
(http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m09/i29/s01)
Ina,
I really like your story about EBay's largest seller and him saying eBay has no rudder. I've worked for companies that have a broken rudder and based on their running around in a circle were bought out and/or went under. eBay's upper management, those making the decisions, are Schizophrenic with multiple personalities. One day it's green, the next day it's red and the day after that it's chocolate blue. They are too many fingers in too many pies. It reminds me of those TV shows where they give someone $1000 to spend in 3 minutes and they run through the store grabbing anything. But they're grabbing stuff that's of no use to them and will become a costly white elephant.
I used to have a store and closed it - so disappointed in their raising fees but more so is their attitude toward the stores.
eBay is so screwed up, I wish they'd be bought out or go under so all the buyers would migrate to another site that has better service and direction.
I wish they would make all the sellers who sell new items go into the Express It section and leave the auctions and used items in another section, kind of like they separated out eBay motors.
Cindy
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Ina,
I just want to say that the interview with Glacier Bay is fascinating. Thank you,
Robert
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Bravo on the Glacier Bay Article Ina!!! Great job. Now that's the most interesting stuff you've put up yet.
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Re: "Squidoo as a Marketing Tool for eBay Sellers"
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y206/m05/abu0167/s03
Thank you Ina, for a very informative review on Squidoo. I was researching what an "eBay Top Reviewer" was when I came across your essay. I've recently spent lots $$ on eBay business books and these marketing tools/suggestion were not mentioned. I'm working hard to learn lots about eBay. Now I just gotta get busy and design my machine embroidery design store.
Thank you again for the great information,
Very appreciative in Canada,
Susan
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Re: "eBay Holds 10-Cent Listing Day for Canadians Only"
http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m10/i02/s01
Good Morning Ina!
I was looking at the Canadian Sale today, and of course it's just like the last India Sale - based on residency. What I did find interesting though is the link through to this question:
*Why do I have to wait to receive a credit instead of seeing the discount price immediately on the site?
The reason many of our promotions issue credits as opposed to changing the prices temporarily across the entire site has to do with the eligibility requirements of the promotion. If we change the prices directly on the site, any seller from around the world would be able to come to eBay.ca and get the discount, no matter what site they normally use. This ends up hurting the balance of supply and demand on other international sites, where the sellers would temporarily be migrating from, as well as creating a lot of sudden competition for our Canadian sellers.
Instead, what we like to do is have the promotion open only to Canadians and let them list on whatever site they wish. We know that this type of eligibility allows Canadian sellers to be more successful at selling their items. Currently, we don't have the ability to verify a user's residence in real time with their listing, so we pull a list of the qualified users after the fact, verify it personally and then issue credits. Please note that if you are invoiced before this credit is applied, you are responsible for paying the full invoiced amount. Any credit will then be applied to your seller's account and can be used towards future selling fees.*
I guess it just stumps me why (it appears) that no one is looking out for the successful-ness of the .com Sellers. Our Core search defaults to include all Global listings - and these types of promotions just rub more salt into the wounds, IMO. Where is the logic in saying that the .com site is "cluttered", SIS confuses buyers with too many results - and then allow about 2-3 million listings in default search results, that didn't pay to list on .com.
I guess I'm just at my wits end. Sales are horrible for me - the hits aren't there. I don't even like to open Sellathon anymore and look, LOL! I'm tired of seeing all the UK and Australian listings next to mine in the Clothing Cats. Where's the Fair Trade?
Maybe you could blog about it or something. I guess the wording in that question up there about "sudden competition" and "allow Canadian sellers to be more successful at selling their items" just got me thinking - why can't they see what they're doing to us? How are we supposed to compete in this overcrowded market with less buyers? And don't even get me going on those sponsored ads, LOL!
Anyways, I thank you for your wonderful reporting as always. I look forward to Part 2 of the Glacier Bay interview. I'm also watching his blogs closely.
Thanks!
Karen
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Hello,
We too, are frustrated with Ebay and have turned to our own website to not only help ourselves but our fellow sellers. We would like to introduce you to our auction website that will be geared to Myspace.com users, with our over 100 million people network and ability to post blogs and bulletins to our friends we will be able to advertise your products. First month is free and for registering you receive $10 toward the next month, and $10 for each person you refer.
Thank you
Christopher Crosslin, Owner
MonkeyingAroundCollectibles.com
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Re: "AuctionBytes Survey Finds eBay Sellers in Transition"
http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y206/m09/abu0175/s02
Another excellent issue. Re the survey. It would really be great if you could re-survey in 6 months the specific respondents regarding their site shifting plans. As you point out in the article what we say we are going to do and what we did may be quite different. Or, as mom used to say: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating".
Re "the future". You may recall the attention given to the "paradigm shift" in analyzing and predicting business planning. One might speculate that eBay may be set up for a paradigm shift. One or more of these alternatives may just really catch on. Sellers will go wherever there are buyers.
Dave
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Hi, Ina,
Thanks for your efforts on the survey! Much appreciated along with your Newsflashes. I, too, am looking forward to non-eBay coverage of any sites to sell anything on at all! There has to be SOMEPLACE but I sure haven't found it.
Spent a lot of energy two years ago BUILDING up to a few sales at Yahoo and Amazon thinking an adjunct to eBay but Yahoo after a few months went to Nada and Amazon after 6 arduous months of getting to about 3 sales a week (but higher than eBay and more sensible to use)..they put in their new shops or marketplace ...something...that zapped auctions.
I do try Amazon about every 6 months, putting about 3 or 4 books on....scarce, good ones..that only have about 2 other entries. I put the price in at say 195 if the others have 400. and still after 60 days haven't sold one.
Had tried SellYour Item.com with same vigor and sleepless nights for 6 months....wonderful site, wonderful staff, we all fought to bring up numbers. Yes. But no buyers and it folded.
Personally, at this point, I am sick of auctions and would like to slap my stuff on in classifieds but knowing they would be SEEN. I cant use Google. They are not webtv compatible.
Well, you will certainly know before I do.
Thanks again.
Joan
Editor's Note: I wanted to get official word from Google as to what support they offer for WebTV users, here's an official response (via email) from a Google spokesperson:
"We're excited about the access possibilities that WebTV and similar products provide. Because WebTV offers a unique web browser, some Google products and services may not function properly when accessed through it. Some examples are products like Gmail and Google Checkout, which use newer web technologies that aren't currently compatible with the WebTV browser. Google search should work fine, though the format of the search-result pages may not be optimized."
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Dear Ina:
I am an eBay seller mostly. Making wrought iron pieces is my forte'. Several yrs ago, on some days, I would be the only one in the country advertising wrought iron Pot Racks on eBay. They would sell for an average price of about $150. Some sold for $500. A whole bunch sold for $125. During the busy times there would be maybe 40 listings by myself and other sellers. Then this Chinese import hit the market and sold for $9. It looked much like a combination of two of my pot racks. Now I can't give away one of my $125 racks. I've tried selling them for $65 and no sales. I believe that the Andale' service is responsible. Here's my thinking.
Andale' is a service that keeps track of hits and sales on eBay. They will sell you the information for a very reasonable price. They in fact are giving away the trade secret of market consumption identity and killing entire markets in the process. Now there are typically 500 to 900 pot rack listings. They are mostly import items. They appear to me to be of inferior quality. They make all pot racks have lesser value. After all, who wants something in their kitchen that reminds one of a tin can reconfigured into a pot rack by child labor. I realize that sounds prejudiced, but I'm an average person who watches Lou Dobbs and other World economy news, so I figure other USA consumers may have like thinking. I could be wrong.
Andale' has killed the entire market for, at least, pot racks. It has created an easy avenue for a race to the bottom and in the process glutted the market with cheap trashy junk that leaves quality items looking like similar trash too. I think Andale' does a great disservice to the micro cottage industry in the USA. An American industry that is desperately trying to find markets for wares they have to conceive, design, make, and test market only for Andale' to give away the information to others who can flood the market overnight with cheap imitations.
Yours Truly,
Dan
Editor's Note: There are actually several services that provide eBay market data in addition to Andale.
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Great Job Ina!
Thanks again... I did take your survey. Looks like I will tear it up on eBay next year because I am one of the 33% who is staying. My competition will be dwindling.
I think many of these disgruntled sellers have no clue about the cost of doing business in the real world and don't see ebay for the bargain I still believe it is.
Brick and mortar owners like myself still see eBay as the bargain too. With increased shipping fees, on-line auctioning is going to require more unique and specialized inventory.
If something like the Beanie Baby hits the market again, eBay will set on fire. Much of what is going on is the slumping economy in general, lack of consumer confidence and increasing credit card fees and interest. The corporate executives at eBay obviously have no real experience in the retail world and know nothing about how to treat their customers.
One other thing they blundered terribly was making it known that they acquired paypal. It is not reasonable or logical to lump paypal fees together with the cost of ebay fees when considering the cost of using ebay. Any merchant will tell you, credit card processors are all (fill-in-the-blank) and I don't care how you process them it is going to cost you money.
I can't say one (darn) nice thing about the way they do things at ebay... This is a real shame for them. They have so much going for them and they don't know how to handle the blessing. When you treat your customers like crap it will always come back and bite you in the backside. It will bite them hard you mark my words.
I have cut many of the add-on frills that I don't need just to put as much pressure on their revenue as I can and I think others are doing this as well. They have thrown away a great deal of good will with many sellers including me.
I'll bet every one will hear the giant groan in the not too distant future. In business, every dollar adds up, especially the small ones...
Eventually, they will realize this when it becomes difficult to pay their bills. They will have to cut prices to stimulate new business.
Greed will destroy you every time I don't care who you are. Why don't you apply for Queen Meg's throne? I'll be your knight!
Michael
PS: This is my opinion.
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I do not understand Ebay either they are an auction site or they are not. Fixed prices are not auctions.
Ebay seller Rochelle
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Hi Ina:
I am not sure if this is happening to me only: or what? Printing out ebay Invoices. I had a problem a while back with printing out ebay Invoices I called ebay and they told me how to print out invoices. I just noticed that when you use the PRINT ON TOP OF THE EBAY PAGE when you go to print out the invoice ebay does not allow you to have
the buyer email address.
Did you know this??? is the a default by accident by ebay?
Rena
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Re: " eBay Feedback Farms Planted with One-Cent eBooks"
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m10/i03/s02
Hi Ina,
I enjoyed your article about the 1-cent listings that are feedback farms.
I have a slightly different story. I sell a single recipe for 99 cents on a Buy-It-Now PayPal-only immediate payment required set up. The recipe is totally legit-it's something I made up myself and often get requests for.
I get buyers, however, who appear to be trying to buy feedback rather than the actual product. Many buyers are zero-feedback or under-ten-feeback new users who, when I check their other buys, are buying lots of 99-cent items. It is not my intention to sell feedback, but to share a recipe. (I make almost nothing in money from this-the listing fee and PayPal fee eat 2/3rds of the dollar I charge.)
I also note, however, that someone at eBay is on the ball and aware of the possibilities of problems here. I have had three or four buyers turn out to be NARU'd within a week or so of buying my recipe. When they do that, they also deduct my real feedback from that NARU'd buyer from my feedback count. That's OK with me; I'm glad to have the quick-freedback hustlers off the system.
I thought you might be interested in my experience here.
Rich
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Hi, Ina!
I always read your newsletters thoroughly and attentively. I'd like to offer some perspective on the rants you received about eBay practices, including its discriminatory enforcement of eBay policies and rules.
My experience of Internet companies, including eBay, is that management will say whatever sounds good, then proceed to do whatever management wants. eBay knows very well that every seller, including large corporations, needs eBay more than eBay needs any seller or group of sellers. eBay also knows that the balance has shifted: between 1995 and 1999, there were more buyers than sellers; since 2002 or so, there have been far more sellers than buyers. Some categories consist almost exclusively of dealers buying from and selling to each other, or using eBay as a cheap, target form of advertising. Rolex dealers are one conspicuous, albeit not the sole, example.
I've given up selling on eBay. It's too expensive, too labor-intensive, and too fraught with the minefields of fraud, phishing, system problems, and eBay management whims. I now derive my income from trading stocks, options, and currencies. Believe it or not, it's more lucrative, less stressful, and far less time-consuming.
I work to live. I gave up on eBay because I don't live to work. While there are some conspicuous eBay successes, it's rare for a seller to make a living solely through an eBay business. I can and do make a good living as a trader.
When sellers face the uncomfortable realities about eBay and acknowledge that the power imbalance between eBay and any one seller or group of sellers means that life for eBay sellers will be fraught with costs and frustration, they'll do what I did and find another way to earn a living.
eBay is one way. That's the truth, pure and simple.
Regards,
Allegheny
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Ina,
FYI, seems on the new search pages we sellers have "off site" competition too....eBay is using the right side bar to include links to sites offering similar goods. Discussion thread link....
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000223127
Funny that we are not allowed to include a link to off site, but eBay will put links to our suppliers right next to our items in the search pages. NOT funny at all in my book. Just another "scam" by eBay.
Thanks for your attention to this matter.
Sandy
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Ina....excellent information regarding the survey. I participated in it. Thanks.
What do you think of the idea of people saying that they don't intend to sell on ebay any more in the up coming months. Do you think that is an idea that they won't follow through on?
If they do follow through it could create a variety of results....one of them being higher prices realized due to a decrease in saturation of various items for sale?
Duane
