posted on September 24, 2001 01:49:03 PM
Just had an idea that I think would have been the PROPER way to handle the AFA auctions.
When you post your auction, you decide if you want this auction to be an AFA auction. If it is, then you decide what percent you want of the final value to go to AFA. The minimum would be 25%, the maximum would be 100%. Increments would be 25, 50, 75, 100%.
If you do 25%, then 25% of your auction listing fees are waived by ebay.
If you do 100%, then 100% of your auction listing fees are waived by ebay.
You handle ALL PAYMENTS and ALL Shipping communications with the buyer (buyer still pays for shipping as usual).
The difference is that when your auction ENDS, ebay assesses you your discounted Final Value Fee + the additional amount you pledged to AFA.
So if you sold a widget for $25, your FVF would be 1.25 normally, so it would be discounted by 25% to $0.94. Your AFA donation would be 25% of the FVF, so another $6.25 would be deducted for that purpose. You'd still clear your $17.81 on the sale of the item.
If you did it for 100%, then your FVF would be $0.00 and your AFA donation would be the full $25.00.
The percentage of giving could also be boldly noted in each auction by ebay. Even separate icons that show AFA-25 and AFA-100 could be set on there.
This gives ALL sellers an opporunity to help out at whatever level they see fit -- while still keeping all auctions open to everyone!
posted on September 25, 2001 09:50:15 AM
You know, with all the valid complaints about AFA, they could STILL adopt this policy (above) for new auctions!
[ edited by peiklk on Sep 25, 2001 09:51 AM ]
posted on September 25, 2001 09:59:04 AM
Your plan does nothing for the fact that eBay is pushing the A4A auctions in front of all of the normal ones, and driving regular sales down.
I think if sellers want to donate $, they can do it without eBay.
posted on September 25, 2001 10:03:05 AM
I agree that that would have been the best way -- to do nothing and let sellers give as they can.
But the extra promotion by ebay isn't hurting, so letting sellers have a means to control how much they give STILL puts ebay in the limelight without hurting it's own backbone (us sellers).
posted on September 25, 2001 10:03:54 AM
Good idea! Have you proposed it to eBay?
Your idea would pump up bids and selling prices for all items that adhere to your format, and give sellers nice profits to boot. Bidders tend to be more generous if a portion is being donated to a charity.
posted on September 25, 2001 10:06:19 AM
eBay should have allowed PayPal to particapte in the fundraiser. Contributions are contributions and Billpoint could have set aside it's private jihad against PayPal for a horredous national tragedy. Shame on eBay.
posted on September 25, 2001 10:15:00 AM
Get real – eBay knows exactly what they are doing. How often have you seen eBay change their mind about anything? Seller, this is eBay PR at YOUR expense!
Ebay isn’t about to drop the “Billpoint” issue, that is one of their reasons for the AFA auctions – to push BillPoint –
As long as sellers go along with eBay, the problems will continue. The best thing everyone could do is to post elsewhere, and make Meg look like a total fool!
But, alas, I know greed, in what ever amount will rule out - I know most won’t, but it would be the best thing everyone can do.
posted on September 25, 2001 02:05:03 PM
It seems to me that the simplest thing for eBay to do would have been to pledge 50% or 75% or even 100% of the final value fees collected for X period of time. eBay could take all the credit they want and get the tax deduction themselves. Sellers wouldn't have to bear 100% of the burden and there would have been no need for the bug-infested "special edition" of Billpoint.
But, again, Billpoint wouldn't benefit from something that logical and easy to implement.
posted on September 25, 2001 02:42:11 PM
Nice idea, but unfortunately it's too complicated for many sellers -- evidenced by the fact that a few don't even seem to realize their Auction for America bids will go to charity, or that they'll be paying for shipping.
Not only do many buyers not read, but many sellers don't, either.
posted on September 25, 2001 07:05:11 PM
Your proposed idea makes enormous sense, and would have solved a number of problems.
Currently,the most serious damage being done by AFA is segregating the charity auctions from the main ones. When people get to the home page, the overwhelming banners and graphics entice them away from from the regular search and if they are looking for something through the AFA search, they are likely to assume it isn't on ebay and leave.
We lose a bid.
If instead ebay said to look for the flag graphic on sellers description pages, and there was a little 25-50-75-100% graphic device, that would be great. Everyone would still have a chance to have their auction found, and those with the donation logo would have the possibility of greater bids.
I believe partipation wouldn't be one out of 125 auctions, but possibly 1 out of 10, a 1250% increase!
I believe ebays marketing savvy has never served the average seller well, indeed, it really doesn't help the big seller either.
It is dumb, dumb, dumb. Now that ebays constantly rapidly growing numbers will likely slow to a snail's pace, projections are going to be in jeopardy. They will try to give slowing growth the usual "spin".
During the gas crisis, I handled promotion for a major summer festival which had ticket buyers arrive from long distances. Ticket sales stopped dead since they couldn't be sure if they would be able to get enough gas to get home again.
With some creativity I was able to actually increase ticket sales that summer by major changes in their promotion, and cooperation with others caught in the same crisis.
The ideas you suggest at the top of this thread are deserving of serious consideration. THank you for taking the time to post them. I only hope Meg herself will give them some serious thought.
PS (Hey Meg, it wouldn't be a "change", it would be an "improvement". Ebay makes them all the time, even when not needed!
