posted on September 1, 2000 01:57:57 AM new
Apparently knowbody gets it. Even eBay itself perhaps.
There is not a lack of sellers, buyers are a different story. Bad sellers are affecting the buyers. There are many more than there used to be. Thus the seasoned bidders are the ones that are NOT being as active as they were. The more bad news that happens the more its being promoted and the bottom like is people are starting to listen.
Those activities result in eBay having to be more strict and alter the rules, costing sellers and eBay.
No matter what names they bring aboard and no matter what they do in advertising the bottom line is still the bottom line. They can ad blitz and sure it will make a difference but its still like a leaking glass, loosing prospect sellers and prospect buyers.
How much it all effects the bottom line in eBay revenues, I dunno. But clearly the yells about restriction, the yells about advertising of external entities, the yells about half.com and other ventures does show that eBay is "making moves" to either lift the bottom line back up or up further...
The solution is a simple one actually and thats to create a "new eBay" or another eBay. That site strictly for businesses. Consumers now have a choice. They can shop the "garage sale" as its called or they can shop w/ businesses w/ clearly stated policies, buyers pay by credit card and basically eBay enters the B2C market doing what it does best.
The effect... Private sellers will be delighted as the good businesses make a move. Good Businesses will be delighted as they no longer have to hear from buyers how they got ripped off by others. Consumers will be happy as they now have some choices. Authorities will be happy as again, consumers now can make a more informed choice. The press will eat it up as perhaps the biggest move on Internet commerce in quite sometime. Historical, at least marketed right to the media and authorities. The good businesses are paid by eBay, all credit card transactions so "deadbeat bidders no longer an issue"... Feedback, keep it or dump it, doesnt matter. NOW eBay has a VIABLE all around site for ALL parties be they individuals, private sellers (the garage sale as someone said, sheesh) and small business, moderate business and big business have an attractive new place to sell.
Signed: WhyNot!
posted on September 1, 2000 04:14:20 AM new"The company is determined to shake its image as the world's largest garage sale"
Too bad the directors at eBay feel that way. The garage sale aspect of eBay is what brought me to the site. If I want a electronic gear I'll probably buy it local. EBay was the place I came to to find a discontinued flash for a camera, a CD that was out of print, a used video of a movie I wanted, a collectible camera, etc. If eBay wants to shed that image I think they'll find themselves competing with Walmart, Office Depot, Circut City, etc. and I think they'll lose. I wonder if the stockholders share the director's 'vision'? To me it seems they are in serious need of an eye exam.
