lifesablur
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posted on September 23, 2001 10:01:07 PM
I hate to say this, but sellers need to start thinking about a date upon which we will no longer list any items with the Auction For America.
100 days is too long. eBay should have known that. It takes us right through to Christmas.
The simple solution is for people to STOP listing with A4A.
When there are no more listings on A4A, then there will be no further hindrance to our livelihood (which is regular auction listings on eBay).
I listed one item on A4A, I also donated a hefty amount DIRECTLY to the Red Cross, and now it's time for me to get on with my business.
Meg, you would not be viewed negatively if you ended the A4A after one month and stated, "Our charitable goals have been met. Now it's time to help the economy."
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packer
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posted on September 23, 2001 10:06:30 PM
Hi lifesablur,
I can't stop listing with A4A because I NEVER STARTED and I NEVER WILL!
I've givin all I can afford to for now.
Now its time for me to think about taking care of my own Family.
Realistically, 2 weeks would have been a gods plenty for this charity drive.
packer
oops..to many packers here 
[ edited by packer on Sep 23, 2001 10:07 PM ]
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outoftheblue
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posted on September 23, 2001 10:14:58 PM
If people don't start getting on with life and putting money back into the economy, the great depression is going to look like the good ole days.
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icyu
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posted on September 23, 2001 10:41:37 PM
Any idea what percentage of these A4A items are from serious ebay sellers?
I wonder if there are a lot of people who are intimitdated but interested in the selling online business (ie cautious but curious newbies) who might be taking the plunge with items that they really don't care much about or were going to donate somewhere anyway.
Are Meg and the gang really this smart at broadening their clientele??
IOW, even if you could get many of those fiercely independent ebay businesspeople to cooperate in a boycott, would it really dry up the source of goods?
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outoftheblue
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posted on September 23, 2001 10:53:37 PM
icyu
I've seen several powersellers listing lots of A4A auctions in the categories I sell in.
IMO, these sellers will probably drop A4A as soon as they realize that their sales have taken a big hit in the weeks to come. The newbies selling items they don't care about aren't what worries me. It's been said here before. "10 percent of ebay's members list 90 percent of the auctions."
[ edited by outoftheblue on Sep 23, 2001 10:56 PM ]
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icyu
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posted on September 23, 2001 11:03:13 PM
ootblue:
I've seen a couple powersellers that still had their old-template, 'buyer pays s&h/paypal ok' ads in the A4A, so I'll bet just jumped into this marketing brainstorm wallet-first.
At least one big seller had a number of $500-$1000 PC hardware items in A4A. I think he believes he's donating only his ebay fees, not the entire amount!
So I agree: Many sellers won't be back for a second round....
I guess I'd better edit in: Yes, I know that 'donating only his ebay fees' makes no sense, but that's what he said when he told me I was wrong about the whole thing going to A4A.
[ edited by icyu on Sep 23, 2001 11:18 PM ]
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kittykittykitty
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posted on September 23, 2001 11:13:07 PM
Meg, you would not be viewed negatively if you ended the A4A after one month and stated, "Our charitable goals have been met. Now it's time to help the economy."
excellent idea 
k3
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icyu
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posted on September 23, 2001 11:15:28 PM
deleted duplicate post
[ edited by icyu on Sep 23, 2001 11:17 PM ]
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lifesablur
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:09:39 PM
Bump, because I think it's important.
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Triggerfish
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:15:23 PM
Agree! It's VERY important!
I will NOT list a single A4A auction and am also advising, urging everybody I talk to, to not list or bid on them. (Of course, I explain why and that they should make their donations directly to whom they choose!)
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soldat2
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:52:35 PM
>Many sellers won't be back for a second round....<
Agree, but I'd like to add that the BUYERS will not either! You can only give so much before it 'gets old' and participation lags.
100 days is far too long.
We will not participate due to the Billpoint clause.
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REAMOND
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posted on September 24, 2001 05:43:00 PM
How will the contributed money be used in light of the huge grant by the govt ?? See the link- the US govt in granting billions of dollars to the victims too.
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20010924_443.html
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lifesablur
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posted on September 24, 2001 05:48:05 PM
You know the old saying, used by televangelists and Jerry Lewis among others:
Give 'til it hurts!
Well, it's beginning to hurt.
Consider if there was a huge charity "parking lot" sale outside of a mall, and people were standing at the mall entrance telling customers, "Wait a sec, before you go in there why don't you shop at our parking lot sale... it's for charity, and I'm sure you can find stuff there that is also sold inside the mall. But it's much better if you buy it for the charity and not from those evil business owners."
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MAH645
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posted on September 24, 2001 05:48:58 PM
I never listed auctions for A4A and don't plan to. I am only listing for A4M (Auctions For Me)as for me and my family We must survive!
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outoftheblue
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posted on September 24, 2001 07:55:17 PM
Triggerfish
There is a way to make (almost) everyone happy. List all of your auctions as regular listings and make a direct cash donation.
If Ebay doesn't want to do this thing right, force it on them. They can't make sellers participate and they do have a link for cash donations.
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ExecutiveGirl
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posted on September 24, 2001 08:01:35 PM
You can count me in as wanting nothing to do with A4A either.
Once again, ebay has proved how little they care about their sellers.
Notice how ONLY SELLERS are the ones who are being forced to sacrifice their income.
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Triggerfish
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posted on September 24, 2001 08:02:06 PM
outoftheblue - Exactly! That's what I've been doing although I haven't listed anything lately due to lack of interest.
I have made my donations with cash and have urged others to do the same.
I just think it's a terrible shame the way ebay is carrying this out!
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professorhiggins
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posted on September 24, 2001 08:10:15 PM
icyu---
I bet that seller in going to have a fit when he finds out he just gave all that money away and has to may for shipping.
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icyu
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posted on September 24, 2001 09:58:28 PM
Consider if there was a huge charity "parking lot" sale outside of a mall, and people were standing at the mall entrance telling customers, "Wait a sec, before you go in there why don't you shop at our parking lot sale... it's for charity
Heck, in our area several malls even ban the Salvation Army's XMas bellringers from competing for your shopping dollar. "Too disruptive", they claim.
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jhf2662
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posted on September 24, 2001 10:05:56 PM
Well everyone is proclaiming the end of ebay/E-commerce, you should take note of the AW ANNOUNCMENTS.. re: the new fee structure..
That and they STILL don't support EBAY STORES...
Now that is something to worry about.
All that & a Bag of Chips Too!!
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wildboy847
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posted on September 25, 2001 06:34:10 AM
I am sure some of you are wondering how much Greedbay's Auctions for America "program" has raised? WELL SO AM I. Every other fundraising campaign that I have seen has shown how much has been raised for the cause. Where is Ebay's chart, graph or whatever they care to use to show how much we sellers have raised? They probably will not show how much they have raised because they dont want to show how this fundraiser has backfired in their faces!!! What happens when Ebay doesnt reach the 100 million they hope to raise? Will they make up the difference? I am not holding my breath on this one.
I agree 100% with everyone on here that has mentioned an A4A boycott. This program has been a disgrace since it opened. I continue to urge everyone to boycott Ebay and go to other auction sites. Only then can we get rid of the 800 pound gorilla named Meg Whitman.
For all of you that depend on Ebay as your only source of income: I have some words of advice. Dont put all your egss in one basket. If you do you will get scrambled eggs.
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sadie999
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posted on September 25, 2001 06:46:53 AM
Primary reason I'm not participating: the Billpoint rule. However, on a personal note, I just don't jump up and down and tell people when I donate to charity - I find it a bit unseemly. So, even if I had participated, it probably would have been under a second ID.
I searched a collectibles category yesterday that had about 895 listings. Five were A4Billpoint - they seemed to be doing about the same as if they weren't. They may go higher than normal, but I'd bet it has as much to do with free shipping as anything else (i.e., bid $10 more because you don't have to pay shipping).
I haven't seen one A4B auction when I search the items I look for on eBay. I primarily search for two things - neither of which can be purchased new/retail.
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jrome
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posted on September 25, 2001 07:39:17 AM
eBay may have puffed up their chest when they said they would raise $100 million in 100 days, but a look at their auctions reveal otherwise. By searching for common words in listings (I tried "unique" and "pretty", I estimated that about 1 out of every 125 auctions is A4A. eBay had $2.2 billion in transactions via the website last quarter. That comes out to $2.4 billion in 100 days. Assuming the average selling price is the same, and assuming the average length of the auction is the same, and assuming the typical auction titles and descriptions are the same, you will find: $2.4 Billion /125= $19 million. This is far short of eBay's goal. The campaign may pick up steam, but unless they change the terms (allowing PayPal, matching-fee donations), it seems extremely unlikely eBay will meet their goal. Has anyone on the media picked up on that? eBay is acting like they will raise $100 million, but unless Pierre, Meg, et. al. contribute themselves (or via eBay foundation), they will not meet their pledge.
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BJGrolle
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posted on September 25, 2001 07:46:45 AM
I do not plan to participate. Makes no business sense to give merchandise away and pay for the priviledge of shipping it on top of that. (At least not if you can help it.)
I plan to continue donating outside of my auctions, thank you.
http://bjgrolle.freehomepage.com
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lifesablur
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posted on September 25, 2001 09:22:04 AM
Meg will place all the blame squarely on us sellers.... She'll paint us as uncaring penny-pinchers.
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ThriftStoreQueen
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posted on September 25, 2001 09:49:05 AM
As a seller: I haven't listed anything since before September 11th and as someone else posted, because of the Billpoint factor I didn't list any AFA.
As a bidder: I have been bidding like crazy on NON AFA auctions!
Call me a cynic, selfish, self-centered, a witch with a "b" in the front but I have to ask WHERE is all this donated money going? Not only AFA but the gazillions that are being collected across America? Besides the celebrities and companies whom have donated millions, every single place I go is taking donations. From the supermarket to my Avon lady! To think of how our economy could be if half as much was being spent elsewhere.
BTW, I *DID* give money the week this horrible tragedy happened. I also think it is time to move on and worry about our own families!!
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mballai
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posted on September 25, 2001 10:15:47 AM
Let's see:
We pay income tax on our auction earnings, some of which will go to New York and Washington
We pay federal taxes on our phone service, some of which will go to New York and Washington
Our internet service has federal taxes built in, some of which will go to New York and Washington
Our eBay fees are income for Meg and Co which will be federally taxed, some of which will go to New York and Washington
While I am all for making special donations, I really do not think there is any need for A4A given the above. The only way people can donate is to have income to support it and this reduces it.
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jwpc
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posted on September 25, 2001 10:26:57 AM
ExecutiveGirl
You said it when you said:
You can count me in as wanting nothing to do with A4A either.
Once again, eBay has proved how little they care about their sellers.
Notice how ONLY SELLERS are the ones who are being forced to sacrifice their income.
*******
I think after a couple of rounds of paying and paying, and giving and giving, and also paying shipping, most will stop.
BUT, if one is to believe all the posts that they haven't and wouldn't post an AFA auction, then where are all these auctions coming from????
I for one am not posting an AFA auction, in fact I am not posting on eBay while this competition is going on.
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Zoomin
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posted on September 25, 2001 11:05:02 AM
I've read these A4A threads for over a week now and hesitated to post.
Here goes (go ahead and flame me):
I'm listing A4A auctions. They're doing great and so are my other items.
The close rate on my other auctions is still over 95%. I am still bringing in higher bids than my competitors.
A4A has not hurt me a bit.
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jfpnatl
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posted on September 25, 2001 11:13:13 AM
I listed one item that contistly sells for about 30-40 dollars. I can't afford to list more. I was happy to help but you can only do so much. I dont paln on listing anymore.
A4A wasnt a problemthe ONLY A4A button is a problem for me. Unless it is removed soon I for one will not be listing..........
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