posted on September 24, 2001 10:22:47 AM
I have been on vacation for the past 10 days. What a shock to read my email from Ebay and come to AW and find out about the Auctions for America Program.
Ebay has created chaos in the one place people were supposed to try and be brave and fight terrorism by returning to work and trying to suppress our fears by going about our daily tasks. For me this meant listing, scanning, and packing along with running my shop.
As if the pink slips being handed out right now by the airlines and affected businesses are not bad enough, EBAY has to devise a way to send a pink slip to sellers. How Patriotic of them. Guess President Bush thought so too, course he didn’t know the whole story, that seems to happen a lot these days.
Ebay knows darn well that many people are trying to make a living doing this. They had to know what impact free shipping, the "feeling of doing the right thing"; special search engines would have on non-A4A sales. There is not another business in this country that is doing a benefit for 100 DAYS at the expense of their business. Nor should they do so. It does not make any sense to destroy your business and put MORE people in economic difficulty.
Apparently no one at Ebay has ever ridden on an airplane. I am reminded of the flight instruction about the oxygen masks. As a parent, you first put the oxygen mask on yourself and then your child since, you cannot help your child if you are passed out.
Charity also follows the same pattern. I first must pay my rent, electric and heat bill, food and then I can give to help others. Last thing this country needs right now is more unemployed people. The saddest part is that many industries have no choice but to send out pink slips. Ebay whether through planned intent or sheer stupidity is sending out pink slips to many sellers who are dependent on Ebay for whatever portion of their income.
I am not a fool and will not donate listing fees to Ebay at this time. I strongly resent their interference in my ability to “Return to my Monday, Tuesday Job today.”
I do not know how my Wednesday, Thursday job at the B & M will go, but I did know I would need both incomes in these trying times.
posted on September 24, 2001 10:30:27 AM
I think after the first few weeks that listings will drop way off and it won't be a problem anymore. I am a power buyer and sell a lot also, there is nothing in afa that I want, what is listed from the category I buy in is junk. Hold up, I truly don't think it will last for long. Heather
posted on September 24, 2001 10:45:37 AM
Mildreds, I think and hope that Heather is right. I lurk on these boards alot and I had to respond. I have been a member of Ebay for almost 3 years (buying at first and selling for about the last year). In August I quit my real job to do Ebay full-time. Now AFA. When I want to give to charity I give directly to the charity, not through a middle man. My bids have dropped off to nothing. When I did this my DH and I decided if after 6 months it wasn't working I would get another "real" job. Well, Ebay shot 3 of my 6 months in the foot. I just wonder what the Christmas season is going to be like. Thank goodness I'm not the major breadwinner. I feel sorry for the families who depend on Ebay for their sole income. Now it's a waiting game. Barbara
posted on September 24, 2001 10:53:36 AM
Myself and a few other dealers in my category list a few quality and unique items every time we list our normal auctions. The result is phenomenal. The buyers on the AFA auctions are clicking over into our regular auctions and bidding up a storm. I know my profits on the normal auctions are covering all of the costs of the AFA auctions and still leaving me a nice margin. Not only that, the AFA buyers are emailing us, letting us know how much they appreciate the AFA auctions, giving us an opportunity to make new friends and add more customers to the repeat customer base.
The AFA program is a real success, raising money and boosting sales for those of us who are savvy and experienced in business, who thought out how to present our AFA auctions carefully before listing them, who took time to prepare and coordinate with other dealers in our category.
The key is to putting up unique items that don't conflict with but are compatible with the regular auctions. I am quite pleased with my profits.
posted on September 24, 2001 02:46:33 PM
I really think it will slow down, if ebay manages to get $100 mill out of this, it will really shock me, I do think that they will not admit that this is not as great of a success as they had hoped.
As for how other sellers auctions are going? I buy one kind of vintage pottery, usually to resell on my website or relist on ebay, the prices in my category are unbelieveable. I got 6 pieces the other day for $20, 2-3 weeks ago they would have gone for close to $150. Many, many are ending without bids, lots with just the minimum. I sell high quality vintage items also, and they are doing terribly. I make my living this way also, been bad times before, will be again, stick it out and you will make it. Heather
