posted on September 17, 2001 06:47:00 AM new
Good Morning All!
Has anyone volunteered for this yet?
It is part of the Auction for America program.
I'm not sure what impact it will have, but at least we can feel we are "doing something"
posted on September 17, 2001 06:56:15 AM new
I did, I signed up for 70 emails per week. That's only 10 a day. I am in front of the computer all day so I am sure I can handle that. I dont know what to expect but I have a lot of gratitude for ebay since I have increased my worth by 1.5 million dollars in the passed 2 years thanks to ebay. So if some newbies need some questions answered, I can certainly try.
It looks like ebay is trying to help as well.
Claire & Jack Rosen
www.cjrfinearts.com
cjrent
877-276-6702
posted on September 17, 2001 07:15:51 AM new
I held off on signing up for this because I wanted to see what the program would be like.
Boy, was *that* a good idea.
This morning as I am listing items, I'm presented with the opportunity to not only give my items away, but to pay shipping, etc. for the privilege.
Shocked by the events of 9/11/01, we decided late last week to make charitable contributions. We decided for ourselves who and how much. Those contributions have been made. Now eBay is pushing (and I do mean pushing) Auctions for America, even including a rebuke on the final listing screen if you did not choose to give your item away.
This ill-conceived Auctions for America program simply points up to me once again that eBay does not understand its seller membership. We are not all selling off a few excess knickknacks to earn some bowling money. Many of us are living off our eBay earnings. Our eBay business has received no payments at all since last Wednesday and while we will survive this unfortunate event, some businesses ultimately will not.
posted on September 17, 2001 08:55:41 AM new
Is this Members Helping Members program some way for ebay to get free employees? Are the "volunteers" going to be answering questions that would normally go to customer service reps?
I can understand wanting to help people out, and will do so *but only when I want and how I want*.
Besides, slavery was banned in this country, long ago.
I don't understand why anyone would want to work for free for ebay.
[ edited by petertdavis on Sep 17, 2001 06:28 PM ]
posted on September 17, 2001 09:43:08 AM new
Maybe I am getting confused. The auction for america and the members helping members are 2 different things, arent they?
All I really know is that when I started on ebay, I emailed some people that were getting close to the 10k feedback rating. No one had gone over it yet. If fact I called one as well. They were very helpful and were knowlegeable, and more the glad to help out a newbie.
Since many people make their living and a nice supplemental income from ebay, isnt it to all of our best interest to help new people. Not that I am an expert by any means but if I can help and I have some time, why not?
It is not just like ebay will benefit from some free labor, so will we. Dont think of it as helping ebay, think of it as helping a newcomer and yourself.
Claire & Jack Rosen
www.cjrfinearts.com
cjrent
877-276-6702
posted on September 17, 2001 10:56:56 AM new
I will not fault ebay for trying to do something positive. Their impulse is to be commended, inept as it was.
IF ebay had a real "community" of buyers and sellers, then the "community" could have devised a program that was from the grass roots sellers. It would have been been credible.
Instead it came up with the current auction scheme which was from the top, from management to the so-called "community". No discussions, no participation, just take it or leave it. Even a quickly scheduled open chatroom would have served as a springboard for bringing the community together. This is incredibly naieve.
Ebay is a corporation, not a community, and we have no vote over their actions unless we are shareholders. On the other hand, good publicity for ebay will help all of us, and publicity right now will increase browsers, and hopefully bids.
Sometimes corporate and community interests are the same. I would chalk up the way they planned and announced it to be another example of the inept marketing people they have. They certainly never seem to remember that we are both their greatest asset and their toughest critics.
