posted on September 8, 2000 02:58:00 PM new
I don't often swear, but....what in the Dickens!...
So, what many AW users correctly predicted a couple months ago, WILL come true. Firt, the Image Hosting, then acquiring Honesty Counters, now joining with Andale...Soon, any auction not prepared through Ebay (fee-based) tools will be rejected? Are we building an Iron Curtain, here?...
I suppose they REALLY do not want us, small-fry, anymore....
posted on September 8, 2000 04:36:09 PM new
So Honesty bought OTWA, and Andale purchased Honesty and eBay makes a major partnership with Andale and that leave the users where?
No don't tell me I haven't recovered from eBay's stupidity as expressed in the EOA and Fraud announcements yet.
And as a Auction Ass't customer that was promised the program would be made usable on other than eBay sites, I'm still waiting. Do you think that eBay buying AA will slow down the development of that program for listing on YAHOO?
Guess eBay is past any open and honest dealings with it's' customers. Just a race for power now. And we are the fuel the engine is burning.
When someone or some business looses control and can neither act appropriate nor be influenced by those around them then authorities move in.
Bill Gates is an example but once you get that big, rich and powerful what harm can anyone or even the government do?
So we get burned and hope they treat our ashes kindly.
And so few seem to know or care.
Maybe igorance is bliss for knowing what is happening to so many small business and vulnerable individuals and not being able to help is disturbing.
posted on September 8, 2000 04:47:55 PM new
What is most disgusting is the lack of taste showed by eBay in it's purchases. Andale? Geez. eBay at it's core is a reasonably good site, but when they go out and buy companies they don't seem to see the world through the same eyes as their target markets. Andale. What a joke. They could have waited and picked it up out of bankruptcy court.
Did you know that eBay-ers are not allowed to USE ebay at work? I think this is a big reason why they are so out of touch.
posted on September 8, 2000 04:48:46 PM new
Truthfully, I suspected this was coming when I heard that Andale and Honesty were going to merge. Everyone involved kept saying that nothing would change but I didn't believe it.
Yes, eBay is determined to capture the online auction market along with all of the necessary tools and I can assure you that these services will not work as smoothly once eBay gets their hands on them AND if they were free at one time they will not continue to be free. If you think we've had a lot of down time recently, just wait until they start incorporating and running these programs on their site!!
One of the major problems I see with eBay's current direction is the "venue" status. I don't see how they can continue to call themselves just a venue when they own and run these auction tool services. The other problem is my perception that many folks will be tied to eBay because of the integrated ease of using these services on their site. Many sellers, especially the new ones, won't know how to list an auction on any other site because eBay will basically be doing it for them.
I had to learn how to put my pictures in my auction when I first started selling but that is no longer necessary since eBay's software will upload your photo for you and insert it in your description. Talk about a captive audience!!!
Blanche
[ edited by bhearsch on Sep 8, 2000 04:50 PM ]
posted on September 8, 2000 05:03:18 PM new
bhearsch mentions, "I can assure you that these services will not work as smoothly once eBay gets their hands on them AND if they were free at one time they will not continue to be free."
~ ~ ~
I believe that eBay will always be a profit-making company; however, as there are apparently SO many individuals who apparently "despise" eBay, I think there will always be a huge number of new Online Auction Services Companies. Alla the time. eBay competitors and the eBay-disgruntled will continue and continue to open up auction-tool websites, for a while that is.
And so, see, I foresee that alla these services are gonna be eBay~FREE - n0 kiddinG!
Seriously!
I believe that eBay will be SO wildly successful that all sortsa stuff will be eBay-services, and NOT fee-per-use.
posted on September 8, 2000 05:35:58 PM new
How will individuals such as us...the ones who made eBay what it is ever compete with large companies such as this? I'll have to be honest with you...I'm thinking of joining Andale or the similar myself for some of my sales. One thing they will never be able to offer is that one of a kind unique item you found for $1 at a yard sale, but it takes a lot of finds to pay the rent! Why can't they just leave everything alone once in a while?!
posted on September 8, 2000 06:01:56 PM new
coyote: it is the BIG corporations that can't compete with You!!!
Seriously!
Microbusiness is where it's aT!!
Can You Survive the Ebay Economy?
Author: David H. Freedman
Source: Inc. magazine (details) - March 01, 2000
"Online auctions aren't just for collectibles anymore. They're selling everything from moving services to real estate -- and they may be muscling into your turf."
posted on September 8, 2000 06:48:01 PM new
I have the feeling this will work as well as eBay Motors and Billpoint. It's not original and it basically says we want a bigger share of your earnings we can't legitimately get from fees without seeing a mass exodus to Yahoo or elsewhere.
eBay's greatest strength is the independence of the seller to create and market. I want tools that are independent of an auction site and I prefer to do my own work, not farm it out to someone who is not likely to be as picky as I am and can't compete with my service cycle times.
I wouldn't use Andale if it were free, much less pay for it.
posted on September 8, 2000 07:08:31 PM new
Hi.
As long as they aren't going to do away with Blackthorne AuctionAssistant, fine by me. I just got AA two months ago, and my own domain name yesterday for hosting my eBay photos 'cause the Microsoft free site I was using was always going down.
posted on September 8, 2000 08:35:17 PM new
This makes perfect sense for ebaY,why not venture into other areas that are associated with your site.Then use them as an additional revenue source.
Anyway that any business can cement themselves in their niche market is considered good business practice.We may not like it but in the world of business it is not that uncommon.
Any changes that you make to your site can also be implemented in other areas related to that business before they go into affect.
I would not have gone after Andale as I find some of their methods antiquated but too go after a business or partner with makes sense.
None of us wants to see listing fees go up and ebaY management knows that.So go after other sources of revenue that are associated
with your business.People here use Andale and pay the a percentage of what they make,if ebaY buys it then the money goes to them rather than someone else.Whats the diff..
Just that most people seem to beat up on ebaY any time they make a move.
posted on September 8, 2000 09:09:27 PM new
Butterfields is getting a great impression, and will be finer still, now that eBay hired the director of Sotheby's Europe to be the head of Butterbay.
I like 1/2.com still.
The eBay Magazine from Krause Publications seems to be getting much more enticing each month, imo.
I'm very enthusiastic about Billpoint/Visa - that is a company built to last, as I tell you I will never bank at something called brand-X and that pp place, the name reminds me of that PlayPal weird doll from the 50s or the 60s, i dunno.
I presume that Billpoint/Visa will make it, but really some very big players are entering the online payment field, so only time will tell - but, after all both Wells Fargo and Visa are not fly-by-night companies, and neither would ever stoop to viral marketing, omigawd, not them, pleeeeeeeZ.
I am very pleased with aspects of the eBay/MailBoxesEtc deal, although I am such a persnickettie (i.e., obsessive-compulsive packer) that I would never permit them to ever package anything of mine.
Although it's not a partnership, I am very intrigued with eBay University, and believe it would be wise for eBay to engage in further types of FACE TO FACE customer outreach.
I am abit worried about the actual advertisements that Disney might be running, but even if atrotious, they'll be mopped up pretty fast by the eBay-teevee-blitzkrieg next Spring.
I read both Scott and Crystal - and both seem extremely upbeat about the official announcement to be made 9/13 -- Scott's been around the online auction block more than several times, so I will withhold all further judgment.
I mean, I do hope its good -- I much prefer eBay money seeding R&D of possible future significance to microbusiness, although I do NOT like them automated emails of Andale, so I would NEVER use it, not ever --- that robot-""service"" is a significant part of what's wrong with e-tail, very different from p2p at eBay among the itsy bitsy liddle widdle sellers.
posted on September 8, 2000 09:17:58 PM new
Me an ebaY basher hahahahaha only when the site goes down.
Lets think about it here,how many of us would like to be the dominant factor in the categories we sell in ?
Me I would,and why not makes perfect business sense to me,sell the items,go after the source of supply and I control the market.Ebay management is thinking no differently.Dominate and control,give a good business footing,puts it on a solid foundation.
If I owned ebaY I would be no different either I would do the same things.Maybe a little differently.
Just like the diamond cartel,they do it why not ebaY.I say more poer too yah.
My brother is in a similar predicament he dominates in a business in England,has an incredible percentage of the market.
I even suggested to him today why not buy out one of the suppliers,that way if you have competition they have to get it from you too.
posted on September 8, 2000 09:20:16 PM newimabrit, I see a conflict of interest with eBay purchasing or partnering with other companies that offer services to the eBay user. Since they will have a vested interest in the particular service, there will come a time when eBay will start PUSHING the use of their company over others and that is the can of worms that concerns me. They have been doing it with Billpoint for some time now by offering a dollar off of any purchase made with Billpoint and by blatantly encouraging the buyer to try to persuade the seller to use Billpoint as a payment method. This frosts me and is unethical at best.
_____________________________________________
From the Billpoint FAQ page:
"For which items can I use Billpoint?"
"If you are the high bidder for an auction that includes eBay Online Payments by Billpoint as a payment method, you will be able to use Billpoint to pay for the item online using your credit card.
Even if an auction is not originally listed with the Billpoint payment option, the seller can still sign up for Billpoint and allow you to pay online. However, you should ask your seller about Billpoint before bidding and respect the payment methods offered."
I fully expect them to continue with this self-serving manipulation and I wouldn't be surprised if some time in the near future they make it very difficult NOT to use their services.
posted on September 8, 2000 09:30:50 PM new
You have to understand this is their business they own it and they can do whatever they like with it.
Personally there more I have gotten to use Billpoint the more I like it.I even encourage my international to use it.
For the following reasons.
1)It speeds up the transactions.
2) I do not have to worry about international checks,odd currency,euro checks etc.
3)It also give me an advantage over the competitor.They won't support it I will.
International thinks wow that was easy,gets items within a week and bids again.Repeat business.
I have customers in England that pay me with Billpoint within hours of it ending.I even have other customer complaining to me how they keep getting out bid by these same customers.
Ebay may or may not force these on us we will have to wait and see.Every business has to make a profit if you do not then you fold.
With Amazon and Yahoo out there how long can they exist in the red,you can only do that for so long.
I want to be associated with a site that makes a profit and is doing all they can to establish a solid foundation.
How long can those free listing services exist out there without some sort of revenue.
They add advertisements to these sites and people complain about them too.
You have to make money to stay in business first rule.
Nothing is free,if its free its often garbage.
Just like they say you have to spend money to make money but you have to have the money to spend first.
posted on September 8, 2000 09:47:02 PM new
Oh, not the Kruse/Krause thing again!
OK, here's the deal...
KRUSE INTERNATIONAL is the leading live auctioneer of fine automobiles in the world. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of ebaY.
KRAUSE PUBLICATIONS is the publisher of ebaY Magazine, and many books and publications aimed at the collector. They have the publication license for the ebaY name for the magazine. They are an independent and standalone company that ebaY has no ownership stake in...
ebaY paid many millions for KRUSE.
Thus far, they have shown operating losses and have created a revenue drain on the company, necessitating raising revenue through other sources to bolster the balance sheet for the benefit of Wall Street. Hence some of the 'sellout' deals that have caused much concern among many of ebaY's users.
posted on September 8, 2000 11:27:51 PM new
I sell ad design software. I and other vendors of auction management softwares are not allowed to advertise in the Featured category. Now eBay, which is "only a venue," will be promoting their product on their site, while prohibiting me from doing the same. What's funny is that eBay notified me my software is "inappropriate" for Featured listing.
eBay is clearly a monopoly. There is no way, with this acquisition, that eBay can continue to claim they are only a venue. They can't have it both ways; for example, by denying all responsibility for auction content, while providing tools to upload auctions. Look what happened to Napster. The Feds will eventually move on eBay.
On the plus side, knowing eBay's engineering department, competition from eBay will no doubt increase my sales. And I will be sure to emphasize that my software works with ANY auction site.
Now, let's sing ... "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, etc."
posted on September 9, 2000 04:36:05 AM new
Just thought I'd let those who use Andale know that I surf with Java and Java script turned off. That includes when I'm shopping on ebay.
For some reason, auctions done with Andale come up with no pictures. I skip those and go to the next auction. When I'm looking to buy, I don't want to have to change the way I surf just so I can look at your item. You lose.
It's arrogant of me, yes, but I won't subject myself to that awful music, that horrible mouse image thingy, or anything else when I'm buying. If I have to take an extra step, or turn Java script on just to see what you have to sell, I go on.
Maybe the problem is just my computer. I don't know and I don't really care. If I have any trouble looking at an item, or if it takes too long to load, I'm out of there. Nothing is rare enough anymore for me to put myself out in the least.
I can't be the only buyer who feels that way.
But, if I am, then those who use Andale to list lost only one customer.
Same goes for those who use some obscure local internet provider to host their pictures. If my computer says "searching for obscure.com" for more than a couple of seconds, I go on.
For ebay to partner with the one major hosting service that gives me trouble is unbelievable, but par for the course.
Robin
Edited to kill the sig line.
[ edited by monkeysuit on Sep 9, 2000 04:36 AM ]
posted on September 9, 2000 05:50:41 AM new
monkeysuit - I surf that way also and when pics don't show, I just click "back". I don't even think about it, so you are right, you are not the only one.
It goes to show that there really are limits around what a buyer will tolerate.
posted on September 9, 2000 07:05:59 AM new
Every time I heard the word Andale, I think of that stupid promotion in which they screwed the users by cancelling it. They did come through and pay but it was quite a fiasco.
Then I think of the time I purchased an item from a seller who was using Andale and I never had any contact with the seller. I had to go to the Andale web site and go through six screens entering my personal information, auction number, etc. It took ten minutes, the site crawled and I was completely turned off by it. I bought from the seller, not Andale and I'm not happy about giving my address to a third party.
Any time I see the word Andale in an auction listing, it's bye bye.
