kolonel22
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posted on September 24, 2001 02:50:26 PM new
I have written about this in a few other A4A messages here on AW. I don't mean to spam the board but this is an outrage.
The United States Post Office is advertising eBay's Auctions for America on the front page of their web site. You can check it out at: www.usps.com.
I feel this is a real injustice to all the hard working people of America. A4A will be the end of many people’s businesses on eBay and the Post Office is now helping towards those means. I know they mean well by advertising another way people can pitch in and help but I am sure they don’t understand both sides of the story.
They are most likely looking at it as a way to promote a worthy case while like eBay adding to their bottom line. Lets face it more A4A sales means more packages sent and more money orders purchased.
I am calling and following up my calls in writing with my local congressman. I am also contacting my Senate Representatives to voice my concerns about eBay’s A4A. I am very upset that the Post Office is
using my tax dollars to help promote a for profit organization. I will be doing the same thing with my local Post Office’s Postmaster General, plus I am writing the U.S. Postmaster General. I am even considering a letter to the White House although right now they have more important concerns. Then again Bush did mention ebay’s A4A program on national TV.
This is an outrage and an insult. The USPS has no idea how many people are being victimized by eBay’s A4A program. They have no idea how many people this program is going to hurt in the long run and how many people are going to be losing rather successful business in the process.
Please join me. Don’t sit ideal and take a wait and see attitude. If you sell on eBay take action. Look how close the election was. One vote, one voice can make a difference.
Mad as "Heck"
"The Colonel"
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genxmike
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posted on September 24, 2001 02:52:34 PM new
We are selling on A4A and it is helping our sales.
Grateful bidders are clicking through to our other auctions and we are seeing an increase in bids and price levels.
Adapt or die.
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peiklk
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posted on September 24, 2001 02:58:28 PM new
genxmike: Adapt or die.
Or more appropriately "Sell out or die."
I was almost tempted to do it -- list one or two things in this stupid AFA batch. But then I remembered that United Way is involved and WHOOSH! All motivation was gone.
Glad it's working for you. For others -- call us "conscientious objectors"
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tomwiii
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:03:58 PM new
Has nothing to DO with adaptation!
Bully for you that ye sales are up! My un-scientific opinion is that this "PROGRAM" will be the last nail in the coffin for THOUSANDS of M&P sellers who built feeBay!
Can't wait for 3 mos from now when you're P&M'ing about you business disaster!
THINK...
Yahoo + Carnaby + ANYBODY BUT GREEDBAY!
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Triggerfish
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:04:04 PM new
'Or more appropriately "Sell out or die."'
Exactly! Jumping on that bandwagon will do little more than to help put more people out of business!
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misscandle
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:18:28 PM new
Interesting that the post office doesn't have any of its own auctions in the A4A program. Not that I could see, anyway, from a quick look at all their seller IDs.
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cougarls88
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:22:19 PM new
"Interesting that the post office doesn't have any of its own auctions in the A4A program."
Give them time--they'll get around to it...probably some more stuff they conveniently "lost" in the mail system.
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genxmike
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:31:36 PM new
I'm not in business to keep other sellers in business.
You have a choice. You can participate in A4A and receive increased bids. Or you can chose to not to participate, in which case you may not do as well.
Consider A4A a marketing tool that has the side benefit of helping a worthy cause.
I'll never P&M about going out of business because if I do it will be my fault for not adapting to the situation.
As for other sites, we've looked and tried several and until they can show us the bidders we'll not be selling.
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theredcircle
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posted on September 24, 2001 03:48:40 PM new
What genxmike said...
"Consider A4A a marketing tool that has the side benefit of helping a worthy cause."
...sums the situation up pretty damn well.
"I'll never P&M about going out of business because if I do it will be my fault for not adapting to the situation."
Neither will I, because I'll know I've done my best to adapt to the situations that are thrown my way. I may pay eBay, but it is still their show. If I don't like it, I stop paying them. If I do like it, I continue to play by their rules.
----
TRC
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peiklk
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:04:38 PM new
United Way doing ANYTHING is not a worthy cause.
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sulyn1950
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:06:51 PM new
I just received an email from Lycos. They had a link for me to go the A4A auctions. There is a link on Lycos homepage too. When you click on it you go to:
http://pages.ebay.lycos.com/auctionforamerica/
I had actually forgotten I had ever signed up with Lycos and I have never received SPAM from them before. So I guess they are really pushing this "partnership" and this eBay endeavor.
By the way, I just read on the Lycos site that United Way and The New York Community Trust (September 11 Fund) are underwriting all administrative costs so 100% of the funds are suppose to be used for those impacted by this disaster. I found that interesting considering the main reason many won't support UNITED WAY is their high administrative cost. Maybe The New York Community Trust will keep them in line.
Also, as an after thought: I read on the eBay board that Billpoint's system is apparently not handling all this too well, some buyers can't seem to pay. They get told the seller is not registered! Wonder who the buyers (especially the new ones not familiar with all eBay's glitches) will blame?
[ edited by sulyn1950 on Sep 24, 2001 04:21 PM ]
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rgrem
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:19:59 PM new
The fact remains that historically the united way has administrative costs of 30 to 50%. That money is coming from somewhere. Now I hear that "United Way and The New York Community Trust (September 11 Fund) are underwriting all administrative costs so 100% of the funds are supposed to be used for those impacted by this disaster. " So it appears that the fund and the UW are paying the costs, afterall. Remember, the costs are coming from somewhere. What other UW efforts are being penalized? I would have thought the UW would say something like" with minimal fund-raising costs, we are comitted to holding our costs to 10%. If their execs had any guts and were such nice guys, this would have been a given.
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sulyn1950
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:33:42 PM new
rgrem-Thanks for pointing that out. You are right where will the money to "underwrite" the administrative cost come from????
I used to work for a state agency in the 70's that almost demanded ALL employees donate at UW's annual drive. They wanted 100% participation! When it was pointed out that 45% (at that time I believe that was the figure released) of everything collected went to pay those running United Way, our agency backed off the arm twisting!
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capefeartrading
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:36:01 PM new
Well, as bad as I hated to do it - I put one auction under A4A tonight, hoping that it will increase, at least the views on my regular items...sure didn't want to do it, but I'm only doing ONE! That's it! If I see that it helps my regular items, then I'll keep running that one item - I have lots of them...
Anyway, as far as The United Way - I'm in agreement with that - want no part of the United Way/Sept. 11th Fund - I listed mine under the TWIN TOWERS FUND and there's one more, but I can't remember what that was...there are more auctions listed under the Sept. 11 Fund - but not mine...!
   
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fishbowl
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posted on September 24, 2001 04:46:35 PM new
Perhaps the postal service should offer free shipping on A4A items. Or at least a discount. But I guess they're probably looking forward to the extra revenue from these auction items.
I am personally getting burned out with all this donation solicitation everywhere I go. Actually I'm reaching the point of irratation.
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walkalot
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posted on September 24, 2001 05:14:31 PM new
My sales are incredible. The AFA program is fantastic. Can't believe the whiners and complainers are so inflexible with their eBay business that they can't adapt to the new market conditions. Buseinss rule number one that any CEO will tell you is that if you are not flexible with regards to the environment, circumstances and market conditions, you cannot remain competitive.
Like a someone already said, AFA is here, it is a fact, so adapt or die.
My sales are soaring. Bidders are clicking in from my AFA auctions and the profits from the increased bids are offsetting the AFA auction costs and leaving me with very nice profits. The buyers are emailing me, chatting, loving this program and as a consequence I am adding new customers to my repeat customer base.
I will keep putting up AFA auctions. I am making a ton of money. Every time something happens over the next three months with regards to the war or terrorists, for certain more new internet users will flock to this prgram, see my AFA auctions, bid, click into my other auctions and bid some more. Meanwhile, those who are inflexible will whither and die.
walkalot
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REAMOND
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posted on September 24, 2001 05:43:27 PM new
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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paintpower
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posted on September 24, 2001 06:47:22 PM new
Being involved in the A4A did not help my other auctions one bit. I had more auctions close Friday evening with no bids than I've ever had since I started selling on Ebay in October 1999. In fact, it was so bad I've decided to take off for a couple of weeks. I've got a couple of items still running and when they are finished I'm taking an Ebay holiday. I've got some really good stuff to list that I can't afford to give away. I may keep putting up an A4A auction or two, but my regular auctions did not benefit from it.
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pumpkinhead
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posted on September 24, 2001 07:02:24 PM new
Can someone tell me where I can find out more about the United Way? How much of money donated money actually goes toward the company itself? My company also demands (in a nice way) that we donate every year. I will not be happy if 45% is going to towards the administration of the UW.
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sadie999
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posted on September 25, 2001 06:58:28 AM new
If you think A4A is helping or hurting your business, I think you're overestimating its effect.
If you sell new retail items, you may be affected - I don't know, I've never sold those.
But collectible and niche items are going to sell whether they have a big honking flag in the auction or not.
Adapt or die. Yep, its the rule of the planet. On the other hand, climbing over dead bodies to further your business goals is something some people won't do. There is a limit to adapting.
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lattefor2
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posted on September 25, 2001 09:09:35 AM new
I sincerely hope for the sake of the people that feel the A4A buyers are clicking onto your other auctions, and purchasing do not think that those auctions are also part of this program and expect free shipping. Just a thought.
Reenie
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peiklk
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posted on September 25, 2001 09:38:38 AM new
So if ebay had a popular promotion whereby one puppy was killed for every auction listed -- you'd say "That's the market right now. Adapt or die?"
No thanks!
Some of us have scruples.
As someone else pointed out -- the money is coming from somewhere to pay the admin costs -- this will come from OTHER UW fund drives because they know that people will really pay out the wazoo to help right now if they "think" that 100% of the money is going to their cause.
Now, if there are non-UW funds that are available, I might actually consider listing something. But anything that keeps UW around for any longer is NOT a worthwhile endeavor.
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capotasto
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posted on September 25, 2001 12:05:22 PM new
walkalot:
"My sales are soaring. Bidders are clicking in from my AFA auctions "
How do you know? How can you tell?
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Zoomin
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posted on September 25, 2001 02:02:00 PM new
My sales are doing great, too.
I can't tell for sure if it's the A4A auctions doing it, but a look at the threads around here tells me it must be so.
My hits are higher and so are my bids.
Everyone else seems to be complaining about items closing without a bid or ending at 50% of it's usual final value.
Not so, here.
My last week was great.
I have had (both last week and currently) more early bids in my "real" auctions on items that normally don't see Bid1 until the last day.
BTW,
What I find amazing is how high my A4A auctions are ending.
I thought these were minor donations I had listed.
The final bid on my A4A items have brought in about 30% more than I would have expected.
*just an interesting tidbit*
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gravid
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posted on September 25, 2001 04:24:03 PM new
I agree that anything involving United Way I don't want in.
I used to work at a company that demanded 100% participation and was told by the other workers that if I refused in a couple weeks I would be fired.
When I refused the owner of this family ran business came out to talk to me at my machine. He tried the "Don't you think they do a teriffic job?" approuch and I said no -I see a lot of organizations there I don't want to support and I resent the pressure they put on people to contribute. There are some people that need all their pay and they should not have to explain their finances to anyone.
He indicated that in that case there would be a time coming very soon that the company would have to lay people off and that the team players would be taken care of and the others would be gone. I said you mean the team players that make the company look good by giving to the United Fund? He said - "Finally - I knew you weren't completely stupid."
I agreed - Yes - That's why I recorded our entire conversation on this microrecorder - which I pulled from my pocket - so if you fire me over this my lawyer can sue your hairy little butt off.
He did not look pleased when he left.
I left the company when I wanted to.
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