In every issue, readers soundoff about issues important to them. From feedback to payment services, from increased fees to posting policies, AuctionBytes Soundoff gives you a chance to air your views.

You can also read the AuctionBytes blog, which has a place for reader comments under every posting (http://blog.auctionbytes.com).

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Ina,
I have been a Powerseller for e bay for over 8 years, and did very well, and my feedback attests to this. Ever since the changes have been made, my whole business has fallen apart. Once the seller was unable taken away the ability to leave feedback for the buyer, that was the beginning of the end. I had worked so hard for 8 years to achieve an outstanding feedback record, and as soon as this change took place, with in two weeks everything began to change. Buyers felt empowered in a way to do just about whatever they felt, knowing the repercussions would be minimal if anything at all.

I have since stopped selling on e bay, and have no intentions of going back to such a selfish, greedy company who have no regard for the people who helped create this business, the sellers. My 98% feedback rating has drastically dropped to the low 90's, do to these changes. I will not watch my company go down the drain, working with people who show so little regard for the people who actually line their pockets, and helped them create this business in the first place. You should be ashamed of yourselves, your greediness will destroy you.

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I am a very little, tiny seller on ebay. BUT, due to the tax benefits, I have been a licensed business since almost the beginning of my online selling. It costs me only $25 per year to renew my business license & the sales tax # was free - with a $25 bond that was returned after a year. If I sell in my state, I collect sales tax. Once a year, since I'm a small seller, I turn that tax over to my state. It's really only minor paperwork. There's software that will even do it for you.

I am not in favor of paying lots of taxes on my income, but small businesses receive many allowable deductions to trim down the taxable income.

Where do people think the money comes from to pay teachers, police, firefighters, city snow removal, school bus service, etc.? Would anyone like to call 911 & hear a recording for them to please leave a message because online sellers didn't pay their income tax & the operator was laid off? Taxes are deducted from my regular paycheck. Some of those taxes pay for schools & I don't even have kids!

Yes, money is tight. Yes, we live paycheck to paycheck in our house. Thankfully, we are employed with no layoffs in sight.

Online selling affords just about anyone the ability of working a part-time (or more) job from home, setting their own hours. What an opportunity! Got a f/t job? Got kids? Are you a student? No problem.

Just do the paperwork & pay the stupid taxes & stop cheating the rest of us.

Besides, is it really worth it for the IRS to come knocking on the door because of a person thinking their trackable income wasn't tracked?

Thank you.
By the way, love your publication.

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I know the subject has been beaten to death, but this is just another step in the wrong direction with the government telling us what to do, dictating and stepping into our lives yet again. I believe that eBay has forgotten it's the small sellers who made them what they are...or were. They've practically priced out the $25 and under sellers with huge fee increases; made it a "have-to" to accept credit cards, thus knocking out those buyers who don't have credit cards and forcing still more sellers to their local craigslist and other venues where money orders are acceptable as a method of payment.

Does ebay not recognize or just not care about the little guy anymore? I, for one, haven't sold anything since November, 2008 and having been a seller for 8 years, I'm actually relieved. No more hassles, no more failure of ebay to protect the seller or buyer, as the case may be, the quantity of counterfeit designer goods has increased to a higher percentage than 90% - in fact it's higher than that. No more shipping hassles, no more being "forced" into giving free shipping in exchange for "maybe" a better fee discount. AND no more scrutiny by ebay because I am giving up my powerseller designation quite willingly. In other words, I've had enough of ebay to last me a lifetime. I miss the fun it used to be, but miss nothing else. Everybody's got an angle on ebay and I for one am thrilled to be O U T!!

Just my humble thoughts - I'll miss ebay a little, but I'm not allowing the government to scrutinize my humble sales efforts. Craigslist is proving to provide me a nice side income and no fear of taxation without representation!!
Mindy

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Hi Ina,
Just wondering are there anymore JUST Auction sites around besides EBAY? Seems like they are all for set prices, and I enjoy the thoughts of some item going for big bucks when we have no idea what the value really is..
Thank You,
Rochelle

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It looks like sellers ain't feeling the love of the new "MY EBAY" page .. The is normally a benign ebay board but yet is has grown several pages over nite and seller central is packed with complaints .. I think ebay might have been fibbing about 90% are already using the new board or all 10% that weren't flocked here in the last 2 days ... LOL the page is awfully slow on most computers .. not everybody uses new big memory mega drive computers .. most use ebay because they are poor ..

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum.jspa?forumID=73&start=0

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Ina,
First, I want to thank you for the EXCELLENT coverage of eBay and lots of other places & people connected to online marketplace. I look forward to each issue!

Today, I posted the comment below at the "ebay ink" site:
I opened a new eBay ID in October 2008. I started selling items at auction in various Health care categories. My highest sale was $30.00 and I currently have 10 sold transactions in my account. I have experienced FIVE (5) 21 day holds on my 10 transactions - that is a rate of 50%!! Now, I can handle this as this is my second ebay account - and I am not in need of my sales funds FAST. My personal experience has shown the small percentage of holds to be much higher. As of today (Jan 21) my feedback score is 8 and 100% positive. My most recent sale of $30.00 from Jan 20 is currently on 21 day hold.

I wanted to let you know my personal experience also - as it is very different than described by eBay or PayPal.
Thanks for listening.

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Ina,
I believe your newsletter would add a level of "balance" if you portrayed a young seller (perhaps someone who just graduated school) who needs help getting started. Perhaps you could make a blog article about it and all your readers could pitch in some positive advice. I think if your newsletter makes people realize how much they actually know, it will provide an even greater education...keep up the good work, I have enjoyed the site over the years.
Dan

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Here's an interesting conversation near and dear to my heart about auction extensions, I believe it will bring bidders back to auctions .. there are so many sites as noted in the thread that use them and are growing fast .. those sites also have high satisfaction rates ..
Allan
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=520082532&start=0