posted on July 25, 2000 06:42:15 PM new
Well, it ain't gonna git much play in the press, as the entire financial world is fixated upon the resignation of the amazon CEO Galli, which is oKay, too, as it demonstrates a return to logic and that the fin de millennium is truly sputtering out.
After the eBay earnings anouncement, it was firmly stated that eBay is committed to GLOBALIZATION, only little time was spent on Europe, which the rest of dotcomland seems mesmerized with.
Now, if eBay is genuinely serious and sincerely committed to creating a planetary person-2-person marketplace, then obviously they have re-entered the domain of the truly Historical, once again.
The main problem, besides the ordinary corporate sabotage, of course, is the difficulty typical to international shipments.
Indeed, even nowadays, there are MANY countries where in order to ensure the safe delivery of goods to their intended recipients, one must rely upon private courier services. Shipping comprises a real difficulty until the invention of teleportation devices, lol.
posted on July 25, 2000 06:44:58 PM new
Geez, these days I can't even count on getting what was described in the auction from a guy across town, much less around the world. Why on earth don't they just fix the problems they have rather than starting new ventures? (An age-old question...)
posted on July 25, 2000 07:18:53 PM new
radh - I did not hear this speech. Please try to think for me did she say person to person or just A global marketplace? Because I don't see them pushing the person to person anymore. It would surprise me to see lip service paid to it.
posted on July 25, 2000 07:19:27 PM new
Like I said in another thread, Time to part them there cheeks! Your about to enter another level of BS, kinda like AW and their declaration of we're restructuring the message forums! Then the one site that is slowly rising is put in the basement!
posted on July 25, 2000 07:28:51 PM new
We all owe the creators of the ebay concept a considerable nod of appreciation. I don't understand this constant antagonistic undercurrent expressed on these threads - it's as if some of you feel that you are forced to do business on Ebay. Ebay is a business and globalization is only natural - and good luck to them. Ebay continues to be a pop culture phenomeonen in a sea of less than mediocre websites.
posted on July 25, 2000 07:33:17 PM new
toollady: I take it you refer to the phrase, "Key Execution highlights" from the URL below. I think that's simply a business term.
Yahoo - eBay Inc. Releases Second Quarter 2000 Financial Results
posted on July 25, 2000 07:39:26 PM new
macandjan: the actual business model which propels the astounding successes is the part of it that is not merely the 88% gross margin profits, but the Key Concept fueling the entire thing is person-2-person.
They could even buy out Target, and display alla their mdse as online auctions, but the key to the success is the astounding draw that the person-2-person concept has.
Actually, it was the message posted to the announcement board earlier today. If memory serves, I believe the term or a derivative of same was used at least 3 times.
macandjan~~~ On the announcements board Meg is now using "small business" as part of the "community" of sellers.
posted on July 25, 2000 08:33:38 PM new
toollady: thanks for the heads up on the AB, great announcement! You mentioned, earlier, "Was that a subliminal message in there?
I didn't get the 'warm and fuzzy' feeling I usually get when reading her messages......something is amiss and I haven't put my finger on it quite yet."
~ ~ ~
Yeah, something's different for sure, if you ask me, I do have to agree that "Meg" sounds different.... my interpretation in reading the words is that what sounds different is that perhaps (?) these are MEG WHITMAN'S actual words, as opposed to "Meg's" words, which yeah, have tended in the past to be embued with a sacharine warm fuzzy wuzzyness, which I simply presumed was the work of a contingent of well-meaning people trying to make the message be something "we" want to hear, (i.e., how "Meg" should be presented), as opposed to Meg simply communicating what she wants to say, not what They think we wanna hear.
I found absolutely nothing subliminal about the word, "execute" nothing whatsoever. It's simply a technical term for saying, "This is what we DID." Frankly, I feel more comfortable reading these type of vocabulary words, and others, in a statement from Meg, something more resembling a oral Ph.D dissertation, in flavor, as it is more "real" to me, in light of what I've read about her, than some of the "letters" I've read from Pierre & Jeff & Meg in past times. This letter did NOT feel contrived, although obviously it was carefully crafted by an intelligent person, or persons.
If written solely by Meg, I think she executed an excellent communication to the eBay Community!
posted on July 25, 2000 09:46:28 PM new
toollady: I've recently been reading and re-reading the book eBoys, and therein are several letters to the community which, although they mean well, are as difficult to read now, as they were the first time around. Excrutiatingly difficult. I have only come recently to realize how genuinely horrified eBay staff apparently was during the downtime last summer. The letters are difficult to read because instead of pure & simple communication, seem to be trying to second guess what they want us to hear, so we won't jump ship; however, as there are no viable vessels or even vessel underwhich a mutiny could occur, the entire incident is rather muddied, indeed. People acting under horror do not generally make for clear communication.
And of course, do realize, that the events I'm reading are written by an AUTHOR, whose interpretations I may entirely disagree with, were I to have observed the events firsthand myself, as he did.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nah, I didn't get the *globalization* from the AB, but rather the AP, which I kept reading again and again and again, ya know they keep doing updates upon updates upon updates to the original story, ad nauseum, so I'd happened to read their phrase/clause, whatever plenty of times before I came across a direct statement by Meg to the press...
Ebay Reports Higher Profit, Sales
"'We are very pleased with our second quarter results,' eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman said in a statement.
"'Everyday the eBay marketplace becomes indispensable to more people and small businesses around the world.'"
I'm still trying to locate the early article where europe is mentioned, but infintesimally, in regards to around the world. I read so many articles today, that it take a while to find it.
Corporate headquarters may remain in San Jose, for old times sakes, but eBay has extended way way way beyond them, indeed, I suppose in no short time the idea of "headquarters" will seem quaint indeed, to many multinationals.
posted on July 26, 2000 07:43:59 AM new
CNBC SquaKBox
Meg Whitman early in the interrogation used the definitive word, global.
Unfortunately, I missed quite a few of the q&a's after she was asked WHEN would half.com become profitable, and I believe she gave the original projection of 2001, but I was laffing too hard at this point to catch it, as when I heard the query, I imagined her calmly stating, "Half will become profitable in the quarter after the quarter in which we determine that it's irrevokably crumbled Amazon."
I mean I know she'd never say that on teevee, it was simply my perverse imaginings, lol!
When I turned on the teevee this morning the screen was emblazoned with a message that Lehrman had thrown the towel at amazon.
posted on July 26, 2000 07:51:29 AM new
toollady: "execution" is a biz term, which I heard dozens of times this morning awaiting the arrival of Meg Whitman. Companies who have "poor execution issues" get downgraded, for instance from a "buy" to a "neutral." The word 'execute' and 'execution' were sprinkled throughout the analyses of many companies. However, I refuse to purchase a Dictionary of Business Terminology to learn anything more than I gathered from its contextual meanings of late. (lol) (I read the Wall Street Journal for the investigative reporting, not for the biz or finance-yaWn news.)
The guys who host Squak Box are a real hooT, very funny, they had to keep repeating the COMPAQ earnings, again & again, and they actually told the audience, that all viewers are expected to tune in at 7am sharp, or use their VCRs, as the hosts get real sick & tired of the repetitive nature of so much of their show.
posted on July 26, 2000 08:11:25 AM new
I saw Meg on squawkbox - I liked Faber's questions.
As for Meg, she is doing her job and doing it well, but it seems quite in vain since there is hardly anyone left who "believes" anymore. At the end she said ebay had increased their gap ahead of competition Amazon and Yahoo and I wondered which formula was used to glean that little tidbit.
edited for i before e except after..
[ edited by VeryModern on Jul 26, 2000 08:13 AM ]
posted on July 26, 2000 10:35:16 AM new
VeryModern: I've seen these guys before and they really didn't seem to have any of their normal "cutting" questions, they almost seemed either bored or as though they had no idea what to ask, that the concept of eBay is still too new. I'm glad that I watched a long portion of their show -- I had to think of you, your comment about financial analysts, cuzza all things these people OUT LOUD on teevee, no less said the same kinda things, particularly in regards to how the analysts re-rate the stock in the aftermath of earnings reports. It was pretty wild, and they are genuinely funnee.
Sad as it will be to many who read my words, fact is, eBay has NO competition.
There are many things about our world that currently make little sense to us, due to the amazing impact that technology has had, and continues to have, nano-second by nano-second, and how those changes, irrevokable changes, are not yet understood.
posted on July 26, 2000 11:00:49 AM new
Really, next time she's on teevee, I gotta use a VCR, cuz I simply dissolved into hysterical giggles, and was trying desperately not to awaken my household.
Although I didn't start gaffawing until the Half.com question, my funnee bone was twitching at the realization of what she'd done.
What she do?
The image in my mind was all those Press Releases by the amazon last year and how amazon.com was going to be the one URL where anybody on the planet could buy whatever they wanted.
While they were issuing those statements, she simply went and did it.
How so?
Very werry werry telling. Collectibles are now referred to as, our "Core Collectibles" and they no longer account for the majority of sales as they did in the beginning, as now there are SO many categories, not just cars but even real estate.
posted on July 26, 2000 11:45:11 AM new
VeryMo: One of the news articles stated eBay was the site where the most eBiz was conducted, but I don't have time right now to find the exact article and locate the quote. But I think the way it was put was in dollar amount of total sales, I cannot remember, read too too much yesterday.
posted on July 26, 2000 11:59:32 AM new
TAGnotes Wed 17 May 2000 Vol 2 Number 76 Issue 158 - There were approx $206 million in online auction sales in April
with a total online sales estimate of 2.6 billion for the month.
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray and Harris InteractiveInc conducted
the poll. They estimate 73.4 million people browsed the net,
Amazon.com accounted for 17.7 percent; eBay, 13.5 percent.
Third- place CDNow Inc., had 5 percent.
-the sources were CNET, Bloomberg, WSJ - can't remember exactly which this tidbit came from. -Rosalinda
(edited cause Druther has interfered with my brain to finger functions)
TAGnotes - daily email synopsis about the Online Auction Industry
http://www.egroups.com/group/TheAuctionGuildnotes
[ edited by rnrgroup on Jul 26, 2000 12:01 PM ]
posted on July 26, 2000 12:05:31 PM new
>>Sad as it will be to many who read my words, fact is, eBay has NO competition>>>>
I don't understand this. Ebay has competition on every block in every city. Places where you can buy and return if dissatisfied.
I also don't understand all this "liquidating" that is supposed to be going on. You got you Macfrugal's and your Pic and Saves in this kind of business and there aren't exactly lines out the door. In fact you could shoot a cannonball through the parking lot and no damage of any kind would result, at least that's the way it looks to me driving by.
posted on July 26, 2000 12:06:10 PM new
And I meant to respond to Toollady -
I think the reason you felt something was amiss - is because though Meg STARTED and ENDED her message talking about the individual seller and small businesses and the community - everything inbetween was about BIG business and Corporations. And she didn't even mention the banner ads and the Corps THEY represent.
So if her message left you feeling like Magazine_Guys Baitfish Chum - that might be why the unease! -Rosalinda
TAGnotes - daily email synopsis about the Online Auction Industry
http://www.egroups.com/group/TheAuctionGuildnotes
posted on July 26, 2000 12:21:12 PM new
>>>>>The image in my mind was all those Press Releases by the amazon last year and how amazon.com was going to be the one URL where anybody on the planet could buy whatever they wanted.>>>.
I don't understand this either. If ebay is THE place to buy everything under the sun, then why the constant complaints about less variety, and less desirable goods as months pass? And if people are flocking to ebay to buy, then why do I see 0 and 1 bid so frequently?
Sorry radh, but it ain't working. With the larger volume seller the quality drops. I have recently had the misfortune of making purchases from 2 powersellers with thousands of fb and I am wholly disgusted. In one case I paid via paypal and I am still waiting 16 days later on the goods. The buyers who have dared to leave negs are slammed with basically "go to hell - shop elsewhere" you are really at their mercy. 3467 fb, what good does leaving a neg do? "Shop elsewhere?" I will.
These are the sellers Ebay is catering to, and the way it is going they will be selling to an empty house before long. They needs some standards set. Ebay has serious shortcomings and Meg did not address them. The buyers experience is horrific on ebay as I have outlined before. Click - wait to load - NOPE this little seller gouges shipping - Click - wait to load - NOPE this is too ugly and over and over and over. Forget about it.
Bottom line, the fad is over and they have got to make it ultra easy to buy and they are not Not NOT doing this.
posted on July 26, 2000 12:25:42 PM new
Oh.. and I watch Faber fairly frequently and to my eye and ear it has nothing to do with ebay being "new" - he is clearly not impressed, and yes, bored with the drival.
posted on July 26, 2000 01:25:47 PM new
ros: I cannot find the article where the journalist wrote it, but here's another article which might refer to what the other journalist wrote, not sure:
It's somthing over at CBS MarketWatch, and I'm having difficulty with their URLs
"At an annualized run-rate exceeding $5 billion, 'once again, EBay had more economic activity than any other consumer site,' said EBay CFO Gary Bengier."
posted on July 26, 2000 01:30:26 PM new
VeryMO: In my area of the country, there is no reason for cars to be in those parking lots, either, as the merchandise that used to get to those spots, sold at pennies on the dollar, now it is sold online, cuz even if they discount it 80% they make money.
You mention, you don't understand why I state eBay has no competition, well they don't, even if they don't realize this, there's a whole new paradigm, generally referenced as the 21st century.
posted on July 27, 2000 09:31:12 AM new
VeryModern says, "I saw Meg on squawkbox - I liked Faber's questions. As for Meg, she is doing her job and doing it well, but it seems quite in vain since there is hardly anyone left who "believes" anymore. At the end she said ebay had increased their gap ahead of competition Amazon and Yahoo and I wondered which formula was used to glean that little tidbit."
~ ~ ~
The Amazon/Yahoo thing was also reported in most of the online articles, and no, I'm not sure of the formula, but perhaps it refers to the annualized marketplace projection.
I have distinct feeling that many people are uncomfortable interviewing Meg Whitman, unless if they are doing a homey liddle fluff piece and picture her walking her dog; I think they are uncomfortable because, as you say, she does her job well, and there is simply NO way to catch her off guard or back her into a corner, or any of the conventional media tricks. The journalist cannot compete with her, and thank gawd already is cognizant of same.
I also detect the fetid festering fumes of well-hidden misogyny at work, it's undeniable that the techie dot.commies essentially comprise a b0y's Netw0rK.
posted on July 27, 2000 10:42:49 AM new
>> also detect the fetid festering fumes of well-hidden misogyny at work, it's undeniable that the techie dot.commies essentially comprise a b0y's
Netw0rK. >>>
radh - this did not even occur to me but now that you mention, it could very well explain Faber's demeanor. In fact, I realized that I have never seen him interview a woman before and so I have nothing to compare.
The ol' boys thing is so ol' fashioned VeryModern forgets to think about it.
On the empty parking lot at the close out store, my point is that by and large there are very few people who want something no one else wants which is why it is in these stores in the first place whose parking lots are empty. When ebay advertises they do not promote the site by saying "Come to Ebay and buy clothes from 3 seasons ago, or a 2 year old toy, or perhaps a "irregular" bra." They are after the unique and unusual which by it's own nature is either not mass-produced or has not been produced at all for 20 or 40 or 100 years.
Now I think she said this collectable market has flattened out which makes sense to me, and reflects my personal experience as well as what we read on these boards. So they head off in a new direction, but I don't think it will work. The fervor and the fever for ebay of the past will never be replicated by swamping the site with merchandise from Disney, Topps or whoever. They can sell this mass-produced stuff online provided it is deeply discounted (like the $25 book for $2 on half.com). The buyer will benefit but it will be pretty fruitless for everyone else and as you always mention - it will be BORING.
It will also be dicey for the producer to sell their product cheap, and weaken their brand and I have a perfect example.
Hallmark sells their Christmas ornaments with strict control. Regardless of how the season is going, sellers of their product are not allowed to discount the ornaments prior to December 26th. This rule has the effect of keeping prices high. This year you can go on ebay and buy 2000 Hallmark ornaments below the box price because some sellers are cheating the system and listing the product and the auctions are ending below "box price", and guess what? The spell is broken. This year it is 1 or 2 or 5 or 10 sellers but next year it will be 20 or 40 or 80 sellers doing it and all of the sudden a Hallmark ornament is no longer worth the price on it's box.
I have no idea how this is going to turn out longer term, but if I were a producer I would think real hard about what I was considering doing before I did it. If you give your product away online too cheaply, you will hurt sales in traditional outlets and you may be far better off (Disney?) to sell your stuff in your stores, on your own site where you set the price because it you let the buyer set the price, guess what they're going to pay you?
Not much.
And if there is an endless supply of your widget, what will they pay?
Again. Not much.
posted on July 27, 2000 12:12:24 PM new
VeryModern mentions, "The ol' boys thing is so ol' fashioned VeryModern forgets to think about it."
~ ~ ~
Yes, indeed. I empathize with your wholeheartedly. In fact, the entire WOMAN-HATE epiphenomena of past history is soooooooooooooooo quaint, so entirely outmoded, so outta it, that I had no idea that the idea had been ressurected as having any energy. I was absolutely clueless. And it totally floored me when I finally detected what it was that, off and on, I've trying to discover & identity at the basis of a whole number of memes I've been exposed to my entire time online. I spose, too, that why's such memes don't work, no matter how long and hard they are foisted upon
those who are supposed to be entirely unsuspecting.
It's quite perplexing.
What is perplexing?
A couple months back, in an online article I cannot locate, I read that the marketers were dispensing with online banner ads and with 3-D radio ads, and instead had discovered viral marketing and that that was where they would foist all their efforts - into word of mouth advertising.
I, of course, do NOT have the intellect required to understand all the reading I've done about memes, but you see, I find it real perplexing that Monied-Advertising, (""""so to speak""""" (((lol))) (((((cough!)))))
I find it real peuliar that anyone would ever equate "word-of-mouth" advertising with viral marketing.
VeryModern, I'm sure that YOU can identify the differences between them, and indeed, understand that they are, in fact, antithetical in nature, and in the end result, after the fanfare and hype settles lead to two distinctly different results.
[ edited by toollady on Jul 25, 2000 06:59 PM ]