OT: ebay blames the economy for it's poor financial results

[capt_comics]

Google should start a new auction website ....they are the only ones with the name, money, know-how, and a "paypal" alternative.

 

They would/could crush em

Not really sure why they haven't?

 

As said somewhere else in the thread , maybe they have been waiting for the stock to tank and then buy them.

Would be great news.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[capt_comics]

If (and this is a big if) you have a good customer base on eBay, it is a GREAT time to be an eBay seller.

 

So let me get this right.

You're doing better on ebay the last year or so?

 

 

 

 

 

[skypinkblu]

If (and this is a big if) you have a good customer base on eBay, it is a GREAT time to be an eBay seller.

 

So let me get this right.

You're doing better on ebay the last year or so?

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, I did fine, I sold some costume jewelry before Christmas and I think sold all but 2 pieces, 2 went lower than I wanted, but about 5 went MUCH higher.

 

Comics were about the same.

 

Donut is right about that...

 

I just don't enjoy listing there as much as I did, and keep putting it off, Vince is absolutely correct, Ebay is trying to imitate Amazon, they have said it, and their lack of transparency, and the no negative feedback for non paying bidders, just turns a lot of their base (like me) completely off.

 

I used to love bidding there, when I could SEE who I was bidding against, it's not as much fun for me anymore, so I rarely bid as much as I used to, and as for selling, it's more stressful, so I keep putting it off...but as far as results go...

 

I haven't noticed much of a change, but I don't usually sell very high priced comics, or jewelry.

 

The big difference for me, is, I'm not comfortable starting things at 99 cents anymore. Too many listings, so mine can get lost, and too many manipulations with the searches. I miss starting at 99-cents, I MIGHT try it again, but I'll see

[capt_comics]

If (and this is a big if) you have a good customer base on eBay, it is a GREAT time to be an eBay seller.

 

So let me get this right.

You're doing better on ebay the last year or so?

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, I did fine, I sold some costume jewelry before Christmas and I think sold all but 2 pieces, 2 went lower than I wanted, but about 5 went MUCH higher.

 

Comics were about the same.

 

Donut is right about that...

 

I just don't enjoy listing there as much as I did, and keep putting it off, Vince is absolutely correct, Ebay is trying to imitate Amazon, they have said it, and their lack of transparency, and the no negative feedback for non paying bidders, just turns a lot of their base (like me) completely off.

 

I used to love bidding there, when I could SEE who I was bidding against, it's not as much fun for me anymore, so I rarely bid as much as I used to, and as for selling, it's more stressful, so I keep putting it off...but as far as results go...

 

I haven't noticed much of a change, but I don't usually sell very high priced comics, or jewelry.

 

The big difference for me, is, I'm not comfortable starting things at 99 cents anymore. Too many listings, so mine can get lost, and too many manipulations with the searches. I miss starting at 99-cents, I MIGHT try it again, but I'll see

 

Hey Sharon

 

Well that's good to know.

I have a friend that was/is a bigtime ebay seller. Had been doing 10K-15K a month for 4 or 5 years. He said his sales were way down this past year.

Have another friend that sells a lot but has built up quite a bit of business offline...if you know what I mean.

 

I know I don't sell much on there anymore like I did from 1998-2004. And if you do get to know some sellers that are honest and know how to grade, there have been some real bargains the last year or so. I just wish I had more time to buy on the site.

 

Spend too much time here I guess

 

[Pirate]

 

 

This is something you could apply across the Board in countless Organizations.

If it ain't broken, then don't try to fix it.

 

But they always do...

 

That's what SEARS thought in 1979 before Wal-mart bashed their head in with new technologies.

 

SEARS decided "not to fix it".

 

 

I've been with Sears for over 20 years, that is only the tip of the iceberg.

 

 

There was a book we read in business school called THE BIG STORE that documents the decline of SEARS. People don't remember this, but they were a GIANT. In the late 1970's, they were #1 and were bigger than #2, #3, #4 and #5 combined (as I recall from the book).

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mom used sears for everything back then. Our christmas wishlist from made from the catalog. She ordered clothes and about everything else from the catalog stores that used to have a front desk area the size of a shoe horn with a big back room of special orders they got in. You would pay and pickup

[Sal]

Creating the site is the easy part. By an order of magnitude.

 

 

 

The hard part is convincing people that

a; if you're a seller, you will be able to bring buyers to the table, and

b; if you're a buyer, transactions are safe.

 

 

Neither of the two is going to be as relatively easy as it was for eBay back in the day

[*paull*]

Meg Whitman only left eBay last year. It's been going down the drain for at least the past few years. When her name came up as a potential VP candidate, I nearly laughed my off.

 

I am definitely noticing a lot less activity on eBay. The non-comics stuff that I am selling now that should be getting a lot of watchers/bidders is simply not. I'm selling stuff at around half of what I would expect them to sell for.

[TheShadowKnows]

You/I/We all say the same mess every time eBay comes up around here:

 

eBay should go back to the way it was, yada yada yada.

 

Well - why don't we shut the fark up and pool our resources, find some coders and make a site "like it used to be". Gawd knows we can find some out of work programmers these days...

 

Who is gonna rope this goat?

 

Relief may be closer than you think.

Whats up Royce

 

What's up Dennis?

 

Hey, it's late in Oregon. shouldn't you old Oregon guys be asleep?

Bite me

[TheShadowKnows]

You/I/We all say the same mess every time eBay comes up around here:

 

eBay should go back to the way it was, yada yada yada.

 

Well - why don't we shut the fark up and pool our resources, find some coders and make a site "like it used to be". Gawd knows we can find some out of work programmers these days...

 

Who is gonna rope this goat?

 

Relief may be closer than you think.

Whats up Royce

 

What's up Dennis?

Whats up Mike?

[ant]

ebay blames the economy for it's poor financial results

 

Whereas I blame ebay for MY poor financial results

 

[ant]

ebay blames the economy for it's poor financial results

 

Whereas I blame ebay for MY poor financial results

[lizards2]

You/I/We all say the same mess every time eBay comes up around here:

 

eBay should go back to the way it was, yada yada yada.

 

Well - why don't we shut the fark up and pool our resources, find some coders and make a site "like it used to be". Gawd knows we can find some out of work programmers these days...

 

Who is gonna rope this goat?

 

Relief may be closer than you think.

Whats up Royce

 

What's up Dennis?

 

Hey, it's late in Oregon. shouldn't you old Oregon guys be asleep?

Bite me

 

Bite me, too.

[lizards2]

You/I/We all say the same mess every time eBay comes up around here:

 

eBay should go back to the way it was, yada yada yada.

 

Well - why don't we shut the fark up and pool our resources, find some coders and make a site "like it used to be". Gawd knows we can find some out of work programmers these days...

 

Who is gonna rope this goat?

 

Relief may be closer than you think.

Whats up Royce

 

What's up Dennis?

Whats up Mike?

Trying to lay low and keep the :takeit:'s to a minimum, so I can pay off my debts

[Bunky Brian]

Meg Whitman only left eBay last year. It's been going down the drain for at least the past few years. When her name came up as a potential VP candidate, I nearly laughed my off.

 

I am definitely noticing a lot less activity on eBay. The non-comics stuff that I am selling now that should be getting a lot of watchers/bidders is simply not. I'm selling stuff at around half of what I would expect them to sell for.

 

I am not defending ebay, however, our ebay store sales are down from last year, I suspect because THERE IS LESS BUYERS REALLY BUYING? Regardless of the stupid corporate moves ebay has make, that don't mean squat to a buyer who will not pull the trigger for some pee stained comic book, that don't pay the rent, or feed his kids, my point, ebay is making less because there is "less" in actual sales going on.

 

B

[VintageComics]

Brian I think there are less buyers because there is less product, more red tape, higher fees etc.

 

Ebay has become a control freak but in trying to make the market safer they have squeezed themselves out of it. They're safe now...oh they are so safe that I'll bet there is a lot less fraud than there used to be.

 

 

They have effectively deconstructed true auctions, raised fees too high, eliminated paper money (forced use of paypal) and eliminated a true feedback system. They have done nothing in favor of the seller.

 

R.

 

 

[Dick Pontoon]

Note to self: Check any future potential Bunky Bros. books for pee stains.

 

I've been buying less because the amount of decent books has dropped way off, and haven't been selling due to the myriad bad changes and smaller audience.

[Mister_Comics]

I have heard that there are still some ebay catorgies that you can still sell without using PayPal. Automotive is one. I wonder if I were to sell comics in this catogory would it work were I would be able to ask for check or money order as payment? Even though it would be comics I am selling. Or would ebay stop me from doing this?

 

Just wondering.

[500Club]

Creating the site is the easy part. By an order of magnitude.

 

 

 

The hard part is convincing people that

a; if you're a seller, you will be able to bring buyers to the table, and

b; if you're a buyer, transactions are safe.

 

 

Neither of the two is going to be as relatively easy as it was for eBay back in the day

 

Yes; this is the essence of eBay's business 'moat'. A competitor site would need to reach critical mass in terms of both buyers and sellers.

[Silver Surfer]

Meg Whitman only left eBay last year. It's been going down the drain for at least the past few years. When her name came up as a potential VP candidate, I nearly laughed my off.

 

I am definitely noticing a lot less activity on eBay. The non-comics stuff that I am selling now that should be getting a lot of watchers/bidders is simply not. I'm selling stuff at around half of what I would expect them to sell for.

 

I am not defending ebay, however, our ebay store sales are down from last year, I suspect because THERE IS LESS BUYERS REALLY BUYING? Regardless of the stupid corporate moves ebay has make, that don't mean squat to a buyer who will not pull the trigger for some pee stained comic book, that don't pay the rent, or feed his kids, my point, ebay is making less because there is "less" in actual sales going on.

 

B

 

I don't think I've purchased anything on EBay in the last 6 months. I use to surf it almost daily but haven't even bothered lately.

[VintageComics]

Creating the site is the easy part. By an order of magnitude.

 

 

 

The hard part is convincing people that

a; if you're a seller, you will be able to bring buyers to the table, and

b; if you're a buyer, transactions are safe.

 

 

Neither of the two is going to be as relatively easy as it was for eBay back in the day

 

Yes; this is the essence of eBay's business 'moat'. A competitor site would need to reach critical mass in terms of both buyers and sellers.

 

There would be a mass carry over from Ebay...an exodus of biblical proportions...and having Ebay feedback and some regular customers to carry over would only make the transition that much easier.

 

I think if Google started something like that and used Ebay's simpler, earlier formula it would catch on faster than Ebay did when it first started.

 

R.