posted on October 23, 2001 04:17:16 PM
They sent me another email to join:
[i]Hi xxxxx,
Because of your outstanding feedback and sales, we sent you an invitation
about two weeks ago to join the Bronze PowerSeller Program. We noticed
that you have not responded to our invitation. We want to point out that
the program is free. Once you become a PowerSeller, you will be included
in special promotions and you will have access to a higher level of customer
support. PowerSellers may use the PowerSeller logo on their listings to
let potential bidders know that they are a safe person to purchase from.
Bidders are attracted to PowerSellers' listings because they know that
PowerSellers offer great service and have superb feedback.[/i]
And so on and so forth...
I have always ignored these request up until now. There's no glory in being a Bronze Powerseller. I'm scratchin' and scrapin' each month to do 3 to 3.5K in ebay sales even though I used to do much better.
So why do they keep asking? Don't they have enough Powersellers?
Is there anything in it for me at all? I've always heard it's a waste of time and I see some Powersellers with questionable feedback. The standards aren't very high, really.
posted on October 23, 2001 04:42:43 PM
this is just a canned letter they keep sending out and you get it becasue you meet the threshold of bronze powerseller.
why dont you just ignore it if you dont want to join.
posted on October 23, 2001 04:55:22 PM
Well, it seems to me like the "Powerseller Program" is what eBay offers to make you think they're giving you something in return for being such a good customer. They're offering you status and a higher level of customer service. It's mostly meaningless, but it probably flatters some and helps to cement their loyalty to eBay. I suppose....
posted on October 23, 2001 04:58:32 PM
Maybe the logic is that the more powersellers they have, the more sellers they have making whatever/month. Good marketing tool?
I think if I ever start understanding eBaythink I'll go have my head examined.
posted on October 23, 2001 04:59:01 PM
Maybe they use it to gauge how well they are doing (Ebay), they have 10,000 "Power Sellers" - I don't know, if they really want people to join, why don't they just automatically confer the status when you reach that level instead of having you join (Sort of like the multi color stars)
posted on October 23, 2001 05:02:45 PM
may be at first they think they are going to do something BIG with powersellers,like john deere's formidable dealer network,or auto dealers or truck dealers .
may be they are thinking of us as a resource they can count on ,may be they are going to create a finance subsidiary like ebay credit corporation and start issuing commercial papers to raise money and turn around and finance our inventory(fantasy island here).
that we become indebted to them ,literally in dollars they fund our sales,dont we wish.
the power logo does not buy us anything,in fact bidders said they imply prices are higher because we eat better and live in bigger houses so we need more money.
if you join,you do get newsletter and will know when free listing is here and get a different email addr to contact customer service,you get a t-shirt and a certificate from meg.
i cant think of anything else,may be someone else can add to it.
you could be asked to participate in testing some new features.
i will recommend you join as it costs you nothing and you get the newsletter and it does come in handy to have your email answered faster.
plus use the t-shirt to wash your car
posted on October 23, 2001 05:07:15 PM
come to think of it -if ebay creates a subsidiary ebay credit corporation and sells commerical papers to fund our inventory like general motors and its car dealers.'wont that be nice,we each get a million to buy things and then go belly up.
fantasy island does not have to be just a tv program,you know
posted on October 23, 2001 05:11:57 PM
I think they want to get you to join the program so that you will feel compelled to reach that level of $$$$ every month, thus bringing in more cash for them. Maybe once you join you will even feel compelled to sell more and more so you can have the extreme privilege of becoming a GOLD level powerseller. Thus more $$$$ for them. I think it is an attempt to appeal to your ego so that you can work harder to get them more money.
posted on October 23, 2001 05:53:58 PM
A few months ago a Powerseller did a protest auction of his T Shirt. I guess regular readers will know the details.
posted on October 23, 2001 06:24:14 PM
I am a bronze powerseller. I have been about 9 mos or so (?) and I do use the logo in my auctions. I think the logo reassures a bidder that you are a reputable seller. BUT, I was never offered a t-shirt and never got any type of certificate!! Boo hoo.
posted on October 23, 2001 08:15:57 PM
To my knowledge powersellers never got a tee shirt. The "protest" auction was for a ebay jacket that was given to the "shooting star" sellers at that time. Ebay did not care for the auction and removed it (but not the seller)...
posted on October 23, 2001 08:19:20 PM
They want you to join so 6 months later they can send you another round of emails telling you how you are going to be dropped unless your sales pick up.
posted on October 23, 2001 09:13:41 PM
I just pulled myself out of the Powerseller mode after reading too many threads that buyers don't necessarily like Powersellers. Also, why would I want them to keep pushing me to sell more without offering me a reason to do so. There is no benefit. Don't give them the benefit, they'll only ask you for more tithings soon enough.
posted on October 24, 2001 01:50:29 AM
I'm mainly a buyer, and from my POV, a powerseller logo is not necessarily a good thing. If I have a question and see the powerseller logo, I'll check how many auctions they are running. If it's in the hundreds I may not even bother to ask. Too many of my questions to powersellers have been ingnored.
Join if you want, but give serious thought before putting the logo in your auctions.
posted on October 24, 2001 06:12:17 AM
BlondeSense,
That's my fear too! It's just logical that customer service will suffer when you deal with massive volumes. Maybe a few rare sellers can maintain superior service and a lightning quick turnaround, but I highly doubt it.
How many people actively look for PowerSeller logos in order to bid? Anyone?
I'll admit I do look for impeccable feedback ratings though. That's comforting, but I can't ever remember being impressed by the ostentatious PowerSeller logo. It's like saying, "I'm the greatest! Bid on my auctions.".
posted on October 24, 2001 06:35:25 AM
BlondeSense: As I stated earlier, I am a bronze powerseller, however, in one months time, the most auctions I ever had close were 65...and that is a lot for me. I am slowing down my number of auctions currently...lack of time and bids unfortunately. My point is, just because a seller is a powerseller, doesn't mean they have 200 auctions up at once and will give you poor relations. I always respond to every question....no later than one days time (generally). I would hate to think that you would not even bother to contact someone with a powerseller logo because you assume all powersellers will ignore your questions. JMHO.
posted on October 24, 2001 06:41:02 AM
the old fashioned powersellers who have consistent sales are still powersellers.
the powersellers created by bulk listing of low priced items easily obtained from wholesale districts, listing 5000 items a month the same items over and over again until they run out of buyers have come and gone.
posted on October 24, 2001 07:12:22 AM
I always chuckle at the posters on this forum who easily "profile" groups of users and basically label those groups of sellers as good, bad and horrible. (with powersellers labeled as the horrible) Only in this forum is it ok to blatantly discriminate/trash powersellers.
Do you realize that it only takes $2000.00 in sales to become and maintain powerseller status? That sales quota can take 2000 auctions a month or 2 auctions a month. I can guess that most powersellers are not maintaining 2000 auctions a month to reach their bronze status. I can sell 10 golf clubs a month to maintain Powerseller status.
Even if you don't want to accept it, or admit it, the extra level of support is very beneficial. I can have a response to my support requests within 2-3 hours. How long does it take you when you email the "wheel of support" through their new form?
I will admit that there is a difference between the retail outfits that run THOUSANDS of auctions a month, and the bronze powerseller who is running 100; but, on the same hand, there is also quite a difference between the full time seller and the hobby seller that runs 10 auctions a month and has to work full time and can only ship one day a week, and can't find the right packaging and needs to wait for payday to ship.. (don't laugh, I've run into those sellers)
Certainly, there are extremes. There are good sellers and there are poor sellers. Usually, it doesn't take long for the bad sellers to rack up poor feedback, or give up because it is too much trouble. Many times, the powerseller is working hard to make good sales, write good descriptions, and to make more money, not because they want to maintain powerseller status, but because they are trying to make enough money to support themselves and pay the bills. There are bad powersellers. There are good powersellers. There are bad hobby sellers and there are good hobby sellers.
Frankly, I think the constant powerselling bashing gets old. I wonder about those of you that easily label groups of people/sellers. Do you label folks like that in real life as well?
posted on October 24, 2001 09:07:15 AM
The Powerseller Bronze, is a Phantom idea. Worthless no matter if you have a logo or not. Buyers look at feedback not logo's. What possible support can the Powerseller program offer sellers that are of powerseller status that the seller can not handle themselves. If you're of powerseller status already then what don't you know about what you're already doing? At $2,000.00 a month selling 2,000 items as suggested above, you are losing money to be a powerseller to make ebay richer. Dumb... all to be a Powerseller? Wow, I'm still not impressed either way. Buyers look at feedback and you don't need a self serving logo for that. Just good customer service, product and price. Why give ebay and it's blatant (here) shareholders the benefit of puffing their shirts just a little more today. I dumped out and I'm still proud of it. In the three years of being a Powerseller I never received a thing for it other than a survey or two. Whoopeeeee!!! Bogus-self serving nonsense.
It sure sounds like you are trying to convince yourself that you made the right move by exiting the Powersellers program.
You are right, it is not for you, and you were right to get out of the program. Obviously, the 3 hour turn around time on support questions is no use to you. And, as in my case, the personal phone calls from eBay when I have an issue that they want to help me resolve, would be worthless to you as well. (oh, yes, eBay has called me several times, even though I have the phantom "bronze status".) Issues come up, whether you sell 1 or 100 items, and fast, personal responses to those issues sure are nice.
You are correct, the 2000 items for 2000 dollars is a joke, just as I meant it to be. Just my point that many powersellers are not doing that much volume, instead, they are working hard to sell/earn a living/pay the bills. And to give good customer service. Also, I suspect that many powersellers are not wasting their time with nickel and dime items and instead are hitting $2000 with less than 100 items a month (easy to do, only 20 items at $100.00 a month or 40 items at $50.00 an item or even 80 items at $25.00 each)
posted on October 24, 2001 09:28:31 AM
Yahoo Premium Sellers on the other hand do receive tangible perks. For example:
Premium Sellers Box: Premium Sellers' names and descriptions rotate in the Premium Sellers box in each category and on the front page of Yahoo! Auctions (auctions.yahoo.com).
Buyers can click on any seller to link directly to his/her Auction Booth, a custom view of all of his/her current auctions.
All Premium Sellers List: As long as sellers have active auction listings, their names and taglines will be displayed in the Premium Sellers list in their top category.
Premium Sellers Icon :
Every item a Premium Seller lists will be highlighted with a special, eye-catching icon. Look for Premium Sellers' items in search results, Hot Auctions, and the category pages.
Superior Customer Support: Premium Sellers also receive expedited access to customer support and personal guidance from the Yahoo! Auctions Manager in their top category.
A fee discount for meeting specific sales goals would be an even better incentive. Maybe it'll happen in the future when Yahoo makes changes to revamp auctions.
posted on October 24, 2001 09:38:44 AM
What kind of issues do PowerSellers need to ask Support questions for? The only reason I ask is I've never had to ask eBay for support in handling thousands of sale transactions. The one time I did email eBay for help it involved a fraud case which they said they couldn't help me out on.
Are there billing questions, bulk listing questions, HTML questions or what specifically that you need immediate help on? I'm trying to understand why this Support perk is so crucial for success.
posted on October 24, 2001 09:38:58 AM
igolf- We disagree it's that simple. Again, you have not convinced me of Powerseller status being beneficial. Phantom at best. Continued happiness. And remember, I was a Powerseller for three years with no benefit. I'm capable of solving my own mysteries without ebay's assistance.
eseller- I'd love to have known what ebay's Powerseller helpers suggested to resolve the issues. I'm sure you found the answers faster than the two hour service they say they provide. Phantom resources offered by ebay for pay!
[ edited by Empires on Oct 24, 2001 09:43 AM ]
posted on October 24, 2001 04:00:06 PM
I too wonder why the 2 to 3 hour turnaround on support service is a big deal. I can count the times I've really needed ebay's help on about one finger. And that's in nearly 3 years.
This doesn't count the things like reporting an habitual bid retractor who ruined an auction, or things like that. I have emailed them on things like this, but it was never a time sensitive issue.
