posted on July 19, 2001 06:49:37 AM
A brand new article in todays edition (7/19) about how Ebay is welcoming big business
while not caring about small sellers.
posted on July 19, 2001 07:34:44 AM
I still maintain that everyday, 1000-of-a-kind items don't do well on eBay anymore. Since that is what big retailers sell, I'm very interested to see how this shakes out.
The landscape is changing, but there will always be people who want collectibles, odd ball stuff, etc.
Maybe IBM will find more buyers on eBay. Personally, I wouldn't make a major electronic or appliance purchase on a site that offers itself up as only a venue. Even with something like clothing (though I occasionally buy clothing on eBay), I like the convenience of being able to try things on, or return them hassle free - something you don't get with mail order.
I've read posters here who are doing just fine, and the key seems to be having and eye and the knowledge to know what's hot and unusual.
posted on July 19, 2001 08:08:07 AM
sadie - it's very true that for many items, there is no substitute for the hands-on approach of picking them up, trying them on, seeing how they work. But there is also the fact that tons of merchandise is sold each year via mailorder catalogs, and the online world should be able to tap into that.
Plus, discount malls demonstrate how much people like to feel they are getting a bargain, so that is another natural market for sales on ebay for places like J.C. Penney [which in the article reports selling items from its Spring 2001 inventory at a discount]
I think it will be interesting to see, as buyers, what the purchasing experience is like, dealing with these large stores. I thought it was amusing to read in the article about staff working in a corner of a warehouse, taking photos to load onto ebay. I wonder how they will handle the back-end. Probably a lot of automation, and I do like a more personal touch [as long as the seller is responsive]
posted on July 19, 2001 08:41:31 AM
I used to be a buyer at eBay and now I just sell. I find browsing or searching brings up far too many identical items listed by the retailers. This will only get worse as time goes on. I really don't think buyers are interested in the average pair of kids pajamas, even if the price is lower than department stores. Okay, some may, but I have learned from all the countless hours spent buying and selling at eBay, that you gotta have something pretty neat, if you expect to make any money selling it there.
posted on July 19, 2001 08:45:50 AM
Interesting to note this:
"Whitman said eBay goes out of its way to treat small and big merchants alike, and she contended eBay's platform offers small fry a better chance to compete against large corporations."
Any seller that can maintain their own little niche and keep getting return customers may do just fine. The trick will be to remain flexible enough to always have another plan on the back burner.
Sellers that can rely on their local market as well as the internet will also do okay. It is a big world out there with lots of opportunities.
"Instead of being simply a marketplace for collectibles such as Pez dispensers and Beanie Babies, eBay is becoming a virtual retail site where shoppers can find "practical" products such as televisions, computers and automobiles.
This year we've seen a much more pronounced shift toward practicals," Patel said, adding that the change has increased the value of goods sold on eBay and, in turn, the company's revenue. "eBay is becoming much more of a distribution channel."
With a goal of reaching $3 billion in sales--and a whopping $30 billion in transactions conducted through its system--by 2005, eBay's ambition is to be the place where things are bought and sold online.
I just don't buy into the $30 billion figure. The site is too large now to "shop" at. If you have a particular item in mind you can do a search. But most of the items I have purchased I found while browsing. Its too big to browse anymore. Even if the average price of items increases, we're talking about at least 10-12 million items.
I don't think the big retailers are too interested in being so close to the competition either. Having price comparisions a click away creates issues that many of these big outfits do not want to venture into unless it is a niche specialty brand, and even then selling online may cause buyers to question pricing and quality. Selling at a discount online will also cause problems with the B&M sales.
Call me a cynic, but common sense and experience tells me that the site has reached critical mass and will not reach these revenue goals.
posted on July 19, 2001 09:58:52 AM
I can see eBay as a venue to get some name recognition for a new or smaller online retailer/wholesaler...
But, why would I wade through the quagmire of eBay listings if I just wanted a widget from Wal-Mart? I'd either go to their B/M store or to their web site. Ditto for almost every well known retailer who operates a web shopping service...
I just can't imagine looking for their products on eBay...
Currently, with the retail items that are flooding the jewelry categories, it's getting nearly impossible to find decent quality vintage/antique jewelry...."style" has become a big word attached to what was once a description of craftmanship and originality.
How many times have you seen "antique style" or " vintage style"?...Yikes!
I've learned to stick with a few reputable sellers of the real thing and work with them to find what I need....and dread the results of the search engine, which, BTW, as many know, doesn't always return the entirety of the items available for sale.
I'm sure others disagree, but I think the move towards retail is going to blow up in eBay's face....maybe not tomorrow, but soon...
Pat
edited for spelling
[ edited by camachinist on Jul 19, 2001 10:13 AM ]
posted on July 19, 2001 10:19:59 AM
I think there will be a big splash with the big retailers selling on ebay and an almost silent drip-drip-drip as they disappear one-by-one. Unless it is some sort of unique item, I wouldn't buy anything new on eBay. Ebay's major attraction for me are the flea market - antiques mall - estate sale - garage sale stuff that it could take years to find just trolling in your own town. For new everyday stuff I can go to the local store; pay cash, charge it, write a check; avoid shipping/handling charges and take it home with me right away; and return it or exchange it no-questions-asked. All the hassles are worth it for me for collectibles but for everyday stuff? Fahgetabbatit!
Gerald
"Oh but it's so hard to live by the rules/I never could and still never do."
