posted on October 26, 2000 09:56:25 PM
I sympathize with all the sellers who are getting fed up with the constant problems on ebay. I tried to do some bidding tonight and the searches alternatately gave me "zero" items found matching my inquiry or 1700, on the re-try. It's very frustrating.
But, those who think that a boycott will get ebay to straighten out it's problems are fooling themselves.
Sorry to break it to you, but boycotts only work when a majority of business is actually stopped. That will NEVER happen on ebay. Ebay is no longer a site dedicated to small, part time sellers who will - or can afford to - quit when they are treated shabbily. Many of the sellers now rely on ebay for a substantial part, or all, of their household income. To these people it isn't a "boycott," it is a strike without the safety net of strike benefits to tide them over. The thought of hungry children, foreclosures, and auto reposessions is enough to make alot of people think twice.
These sellers won't leave, because they have no other choice. They have committed themselves to this course of action, and now for better or worse, they are stuck with it. It is clear from reading the posts here that many sellers are not enthusiastic about the idea of life without ebay. When the ebay goose stops laying eggs of gold, then these people will wish they had moved on sooner. But that is something that has to be faced in many professions.
To those who are fed up enough to boycott, I think you are right to be worried. I don't think anyone would blame you for moving on. I just think you are making a mistake by waiting for a crowd of angry sellers to join you. Even though I suspect alot would secretly love to leave, not everyones situation allows it. You need to respect that.
