posted on November 14, 2000 06:37:05 PM new
300 p/e no longer looks so good for eBay. Look for listing fees and FVF to be raised if the business growth slows. E-tailing and auctions seem to have peaked.
posted on November 14, 2000 07:28:18 PM new
What may ultimately prove to be eBay's downfall, I think, is its acceptance of regular on-line dealers masquerading as auctioneers. Other than myself, I am aware of no other Shooting Star sellers who actually do AUCTIONS on eBay: every other Shooting Star seller I've spotted is simply a store or mail order house doing Dutch 'auctions' running 1000s of identical items at a fixed price. They run these ads over and over and over and, frankly, make eBay darned boring. Where's the fun in that?
I am truly proud that my auctions are just that, truly auctions, night after night, constantly changing stock, no reserves, no games. I don't mean to pat myself on the back, but rather to suggest that it's sellers like myself, and other true auctioneers, who make eBay an interesting and exciting place and will probably make them a viable forum for e-business for many years to come. I wish eBay had MORE auctioneers and LESS fixed-price dealers amongst its ranks.
posted on November 14, 2000 11:05:41 PM new
Jereth: I agree. When I action I always start my stuff at 1 cent. I recently started a computer part for 1 cent that ended up at over $2k.
If your item truely has value it will go for more than 1 cent, let the market set the price. Of course a lot of my stuff is junk so I'm quite happy even getting rid of it to start with.
Yes, I have sold many things for 1 cent, but I have more than made up for that in the extra bidder activity I get on other auctions and higher bids in the end.
Just imagine if every item on eBay always started at 1 cent, buyers would flock there like crazy! Heck I'd do more bidding I know that much.
I love looking at your auctions by the way. Amazing to see all those CD's start at a penny and get bid up! I'm pretty sure it's you. I see your name on auctions, there are really few shooting stars and so I just put 1 and 1 together. email me at [email protected] as I have an idea I'd like to share with you. Gotta keep some things secret ya know.
posted on November 15, 2000 12:35:52 AM new
Ebay was down to 42 yesterday and revived a little today.I expect it will go lower with all the stock Meg and whatshisface want to dump on the market.
I don't start at .01 but there is a lot I start at $1,$2,$5 and it continually amazes me that something that books at $150 will sell for $15 and something I would be glad to get a couple bucks for is rising and rising and rising. Guess it all evens out.
I too wish everything was an individual item. Are they still selling those millions of "How to Make a Fortune on Ebay" booklets and CD's ? I have to laugh when a guy with little feedback and almost no items for sale is trying to sell a booklet on how to make $25,000 a week on ebay.
posted on November 15, 2000 10:11:41 AM new
eBay's stock and value was fueled by the huge growth.
Where is the growth to come from now ? More individuals auctioning their used "stuff" ? Don't think so.
If eBay is to continue to grow, it has to bring in the brick and motar retailers.
A recent book about eBay by the founder of PC Magazine offers that eBay will pursue regular retailers, which will eventually "shoulder out" the individual selling "auction" items.
Even though I agree that eBay must pursue retailers to met its growth projections, I think the results will be flat. Regular retailers will create and operate their own net sales sites.
eBay has peaked as an internet garage sale/ flea market. The 300/1 PE will soon cause a reversal of fortunes for some.
eBay's international operations present problems even before they are started. Fraud is certainly one aspect, language is another. Taxes on retail and VAT in Europe, yet another problem. But it is unclear whether these international sites are geared for everyone or just the people of those countries.
Gotta keep some things secret ya know.