posted on January 25, 2001 03:32:34 PM new
Reddeer, I like your canuck 2 cents And yep, what was unique last year is old news and easily found now (my batiks and ethnic apparel is common). This is why I expanded into collectibles, textiles, etc, but I have to stick with what I love in order to sell it with such enthusiasm...ethnicity. So, I still throw out sarongs here and there, african style apparel with matching headwraps, mixed in with old persian rugs and a few books tossed in for good measure. I am surviving still, and will continue on with ebay, and my regular customers keep me afloat and new folks find me everyday. AND, best yet, I think I got a part time job!! So now I have extra income to suppliment my ebay (wow, that sounds weird). I just need to vent once in awhile, complain when things are not right, and dream that not ALL corporations ignore little voices and I might be heard...even if its a faint squeek in the din of louder voices
posted on January 25, 2001 03:37:07 PM new
OK, here is a test:
Everybody that thought Ebay would never increase their fees, raise your hand.
Everybody that thought PayPal would be free forever, raise your hand.
Everybody that thought Yahoo would never charge listing fees, raise your hand.
Everybody that thought Ebay was going to stay c2c vs. b2c, raise your hand.
Everybody that thought they could make a living selling the same thing forever on Ebay, raise your hand.
Everybody that didn't realize that 100 other people would soon be selling the same items you are, raise your hand.
Everbody that didn't develop an alternate income source with the profits they made from Ebay, raise your hand.
............
Now everyone with their hand up I offer my condolences. For those left, congratulations on your successful business. Fortunately, you were not distracted by false promises and illusions of easy money. You knew that something like this (the Ebay phonomenon) would not last forever. You stayed alert. You ran your business like a business. You prepared for the possibilities. And you have emerged unscathed. A little disappointed, perhaps, but you will survive. Good Job.
posted on January 25, 2001 03:37:10 PM newthe fact remains that if the small artist wants to be part of the competitive marketplace, the artist either adapts and evolves to the marketplace or moves on.
Or starves, I suppose. After all, that's what happens to MOST artists, right? And it's their own fault, since they REALLY should have gone into business selling life insurance instead of trying to sell artwork.
The point you're missing is that, not only doesn't everybody WANT to run a business on eBay, eBay was originally set up to allow people to sell stuff without HAVING to be a business. The whole idea was to allow individual collectors to get together and buy and sell what they had with each other. They weren't TRYING to be part of the "competitive marketplace", and the whole APPEAL of eBay in the first place was that these people didn't HAVE to be part of the "competitive marketplace". It was a place where individuals were "empowered" and could sell without having to compete with the "big guys".
Unfortunately, the big guys moved in and took over the place, blather on about how the ORIGINAL TENANTS should learn how to better compete or else leave, and then can't seem to understand why the individuals WHO NEVER WANTED TO RUN A BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE get just a wee bit testy about it all.
And that last artists simply shakes his head, knowing that it was never about "running a business" and it never was, and that that the retailers will just never understand that point no matter how many times they are told.
Have fun, guys. I've got a date to get ready for....
Barry
---
The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on January 25, 2001 03:44:35 PM new
Hey Maui, I understand.
I too wish that "everything" I tossed up for sale, sold like it did 2 years ago. So much for that, eh?
The truth is, that *some* items are selling for FAR more than they did 2 yrs ago. The hard part as a seller is figuring out what items are in demand, and then getting your hands on them, as inexpensively as possible. Easier said than done, but it's still doable.
Myself, who's just a small potato power seller, still meets wonderful new people every week on eBay. Some of these people are serious collectors, with some serious $$$ for their toys.
My job is to keep finding them more toys.
If I fail to do so, I won't be blaming eBay.
Getting up in the morning to find you made $500 on Ebay while you slept: Priceless
That is what make Ebay and Ecommerce fun for me. That is why I will never give it up. Where else can you make money while you sleep. While you are reading this, someone is bidding on an auction. And it might be yours. (nothing personal, but I hope it's mine)
posted on January 25, 2001 04:51:01 PM newAMBIENCE = things like $kippikins and the arty bohemians having all night chats, which occured whilst people were still paying alla the bills and conducting successful eBizzes.
Ahhhh- I get it now. No wonder I don't find eBay dreadfully boring today. I never went there because of $kippikins and the arty bohemians having all night chats, I just thought it was (and still is) a great place to buy and sell stuff.
posted on January 25, 2001 05:03:17 PM new
I don't think the "anger" is so much a result of fee increases per se, but it's more of an overall sense that eBay is adopting an increasingly arrogant attitude toward its everyday sellers. The language and tone used in some recent communications, for example, the "Spam/Fee Avoidance" policies, the sense some of us have that eBay is shortsightedly trying to turn their sellers into anonymous Half.com-like phantoms, the PowerSeller ultimatum sent to Mauimoods, that's the kind of stuff that makes it difficult for sellers to be upbeat and peppy all the time.
Personally, yes-- I will adapt. I will cut way back on Photo Gallery since I consider that just a nice option, not a necessity. I will also devote far more time to my personal website, which has been outperformed my expectations.
[ edited by Lisa_B on Jan 25, 2001 05:05 PM ]
posted on January 25, 2001 05:26:52 PM new
Barry...much of my response was directed towards all those posters who are complaining about not being able to make money on ebay, about sales being down, about the fee increases wrecking havoc with their profit margin.
Seriously, look over all the posts about the fee increases on the many threads here at AW...the vast majority of those posts are not from the "hobby" seller. The majority are from people who are defining themselves as being a "business". The posters are complaining about not making a profit, about being driven out of business. Hobby sellers aren't worried about profit margins...profit is a business term.
In the last three years I haven't seen much change in ebay...except for being bigger, its the same experience as it was three years ago. And although Radh seems to be bored with ebay, my impression is that the average ebayer isn't bored.
I'm a little person, selling used merchandise...not new stuff. I list about 400-500 auctions a month. There are many, many like me. We are businesses. We are the other occupants of your starving artist mall...not giant retailers like you think.
posted on January 25, 2001 05:45:21 PM new
MrJim: After Barry's post, and my consequent reply of LOL, which I had NO idea would *break* the thread, I was offline packing books for shipment -- SORRY that I didn't know that the post would create a difficulty.
YOU said, "And it's their own fault, since they REALLYshould have gone into business selling lifeinsurance instead of trying to sell artwork."
U r oNNa roLL, and should consider (seriously) writing this up into an article - or better yet, if you have the time, a booK -- YOU have a *bestseller* on your hands, BarrY!
posted on January 25, 2001 06:13:41 PM new
I HAVE BEEN A SELLAR ON EBAY FOR 1 1/2 YRS. MY SELLS HAVE STEADILY INCREASED, THUS ALLOWING ME TO QUIT THE RAT RACE. I SUPPORT MY 3 KIDS ON EBAY PROFITS ONLY. THE INCREASE IN EBAY'S FEES DO NOT UPSET ME. I REALIZE THAT AS THE SYSTEM GROWS SO DOES THE EXPENSE OF MAINTAINING IT. I DO RESENT THAT THE SERVICE AND SUPPORT THAT I GET FROM EBAY FOR THE MONEY IS INFERIOR. I PAY THE "LANDLORD" HIS RENT AND HAVE NO SUPPORT WITH NON PAYING BIDDERS. TIME IS MONEY AND IT TAKES MORE TIME TO COLLECT MY .55 BACK FROM NON PAYING BIDDERS THEN THE VALUE OF THE REFUND. ALSO THEY GET A LIGHT SLAP ON THE WRIST AND I RUN THE RISK OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FOR THEIR FAILURE TO HONOR OUR EBAY "CONTRACT". I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT ONCE EBAY GETS THEIR CUT THEY COULD CARELESS ABOUT ME. I FEEL THAT I DO NOT GET THE SERVICE THEY CLAIM TO PROVIDE FOR THE MONEY. THAT IS MY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE LANDLORD. I GUESS I'M SAYING MY HUTS MADE OF PLYWOOD AND NOT THE BRICK I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE.
posted on January 25, 2001 09:25:27 PM new
Though I'm inclined to agree with the low key, it's-not-their-fault users, it's awfully hard to swallow increased prices, decreased sales and an unstable system all at once. To put things into perspective. With a gross sales average among numerous eBay ID's of 2K to 4K per week, eBay's fees have just jumped from about 500 per week to 600 per week for us. On the really bad weeks, this one looking to be the monster bad week of all, the fees will be 1/3 of our gross. Now take out our company overhead, cost of goods, etc... It just seems that eBay would create a more profitable environment for it's sellers before squeezing them a little tighter. Or so I humbly think. Tim
posted on January 25, 2001 09:29:10 PM new
I have been selling on ebay since December of 96, yes things have changed, some for the better and some things not, thats life, its not always fair, things change, rates increase, there are outages, etc. Stuff happens, face it folks, nothing is perfect, you get out of it what you put into it. If your sales are lower look around at what you are selling, reassess your game plan. Stop and think of what you were doing before ebay came along, did you ever in your life think you would have the opportunity to sell to the whole world for such a tiny fee? I never did and I am grateful everyday for ebay and the opportunities it has presented to me, don't waste your energy on negativity it never did anyone any good
posted on January 25, 2001 09:30:10 PM new
Hey sorry if there were duplicate posts. I kept getting error messages.
In light of what I feel about ebay raising their prices, it is all in vain because the alternatives to leaving ebay aren't attractive. It's not about anger that I choose to speak up about the raise in fee. Actually, my bloodpressure never rose a bit. I simply believe ebay didn't need to raise their fee. The way I see it though, they can do anything they want with their company, and all decesions they will have to deal with the consequences. If they went bankrupt tomorrow, I still wouldn't be upset because I'm always planning ahead and I've got myself covered.
Basically, the main point of why I got involved with this topic is because I feel it's a disservice to the ebay community, mainly the sellers who just want to earn extra income or earn just enough to get by, yet ebay is squeezing them out. In the same regard, the buyers are losing selection if those sellers are squeezed out. Maybe I should just worry about myself because I'll be the last one to suffer, but maybe I should speak out for these passive and uniformed group because I am informed and not passive. Anyway, like I said, if you go with the flow, you've earned the right to work harder and longer.
tootles.
\"It's lonely at the top, but you eat better.
\"
posted on January 25, 2001 09:36:19 PM new
murders happen...ten year olds snort drugs...people get mail bombs that blow off their head, lets just sit back and do nothing about it, afterall this is life, and nothing is fair.
posted on January 26, 2001 07:15:23 AM new
Raglady1: On a philosophical level, I agree. On a practical level, these discussions are part of the new democratic search for a better way. For instance, a few weeks ago my credit card server was raising fees by five cents per transaction. Though I was frustrated, I was too busy at that point to email the company and explain that cheaper services were beating down my door every day. Before the end of the day and before I could even respond, I received a second email from my servicer that the new fees were being recinded and that they appreciated my business and hoped to continue working with us. Why? I assume other companies had more time that day and started leaving termination emails enmasse. In that case, their anger bore fruit. As for being thankful for eBay. I'm thankful for technology and the new environment that's growing. I don't think eBay's fee hike constitues philanthropy, so I'll withhold my thankfulness from them for a bit longer. That said, I don't think I'm so much angry as concerned. It would be in everyone's best interest if a serious sales auction outlet could really compete with eBay. When that happens, eBay's sellers will become a valuable commodity and things will move more toward our benefit.
posted on January 28, 2001 07:59:12 AM new
Thank God I finally got to some post I agree with! My wife and I started with ebay almost 6 years ago and have learned lots over the years. yes the good ole AuctionWeb was great and we were there when the growth pains gave us free listings for a month! Yep 10 cent listings. This is what you have to learn to be successful in any business. Especially one with as much stiff competition that there is now! You have to study your business and evaluate it everyday! It's not enough to just go out and buy and then make a profit on ebay anymore..It used to be that way and in certain areas it still is. The people complaining I assume have purchased products to sell that arn't selling and assume that the buyers are gone! We had the same problem for a short time so we developed a strategy to find out what was selling and where the bidders were! But we having been buying much smarter and we dont nickle and dime our business anymore...We were doing that! treating it like it was just some extra cash and not like a real business! Now we get bids all the time! We dont worry aboute being a Power seller because there are not perks associated with the name! If the incentives were there like cheaper insertion fees based on quantity sold then you can bet we would care. And that might not be far off! This is what you should consider: Diversify your merchandise to bring in new bidders! One week maybe collectibvles, the next maybe antiques, and then mix up some new stuff or some of the same stuff you've been running to keep you current bidders for what they buy. It's not Ebay fault you are having tough times...It's yours! You are the only one that can make your business grow! Ebay provides the tools...You have to provide you Brain! I hope this will help...Any questions about anything feel free to post...Thanks! And Hang in there! Where else other than Ebay! NO WHERE at least at this time! Going to other auctions is a waste of precious time! And remember this: If it werent for ebay, 99% of the people here would not even have a business...Try setting up a shop and see what it costs you!
And yep, what was unique last year is old news and easily found now (my batiks and ethnic apparel is common
). This is why I expanded into collectibles, textiles, etc, but I have to stick with what I love in order to sell it with such enthusiasm...ethnicity. So, I still throw out sarongs here and there, african style apparel with matching headwraps, mixed in with old persian rugs and a few books tossed in for good measure. I am surviving still, and will continue on with ebay, and my regular customers keep me afloat and new folks find me everyday