posted on March 28, 2008 05:33:00 AM new
Hello...This is Brian Burke, Director Global Feedback Policy. Digital goods are often reproduced at little to no cost to the seller. On eBay, this creates the potential for Feedback Manipulation (both real and perceived). To preserve the integrity of the Feedback system, effective March 31 all goods that can be digitally downloaded or transferred electronically must be listed using the Classified Ads format.
Using the Classified Ads format, sellers receive a 30-day ad at a fixed price. This solution enables sellers to continue to market their digital goods on eBay; however, because Classified Ad listings are a lead generation tool and do not result in transactions that go through eBay, Feedback cannot be exchanged between buyer and seller.
Sellers who wish to continue to offer digital goods can do so by selecting the Everything Else>Information Products category in the Sell Your Item form and choosing the Classified Ads format (not auction-style or fixed price). For more information about the Classified Ads format, please read Advertising with Classified Ads.
I don't know how much this is going to effect other members here, but I am hoping it will have a positive effect for me. My auctions are mostly yarn and craft books, and I am finding that more and more sellers are selling whole books and patterns digitally. I sell that actual books, so buyers have to pay postage, whereas the sellers who sell the digital copies can sell much cheaper, and of course, sell the same thing over and over again. I am hoping that this also applies to UK sellers, because they are the ones who use this method the most.
posted on March 28, 2008 03:12:26 PM new
I'm sorry to see these go. While they'll never replace traditional books, I feel they are just beginning to blossom as a legitimate medium - there are many self-published authors out there with handy tidbits worth reading that go beyond "I'll send you an ebook on scamming for a penny if you give me good feedback".
My son has been playing with Photoshop and wanted to explore beyond the basics. He's already exceeded his allowance for books this month. For $2, he was able to download a very good guide which will keep him busy until he can afford to buy a more comprehensive hard-copy book. It's stupid to have to lose the option of buying ebooks on eBay just because the feedback system is screwy.
posted on March 28, 2008 03:38:00 PM new
I didn't think they were talking so much about e-books as people who are using copies and sending them digitally. I think that copying a craft book and selling it this way is no different than making hard copies to sell, which is not allowed.
posted on March 28, 2008 08:45:35 PM new
amber wrote: ...I don't know how much this is going to effect other members here, but I am hoping it will have a positive effect for me. My auctions are mostly yarn and craft books, and I am finding that more and more sellers are selling whole books and patterns digitally. I sell that actual books, so buyers have to pay postage, whereas the sellers who sell the digital copies can sell much cheaper, and of course, sell the same thing over and over again.
It should level the playing field as far as you are concerned, Amber. It will raise the cost for digital download sellers (and thus buyers) on eBay. The simpliest, low-cost way for digital sellers to stay in business on eBay would be to say in their listings that they send a CD-R or DVD-R, but in direct-to-buyer email, offer as an alternate a download-only payment link (minus media and S&H overhead).
Amber, you might want to consider getting a friend to scan any copyright-free or out-of-copyright yarn and craft books you sell and create your own pdf e-books. Provided you watermark and password protect them, they can provide an additional revenue stream as upsells to buyers and prospects brought in by eBay.
posted on March 29, 2008 05:48:47 AM new
agitrop: The problem I find is that it is mostly NOT the ones out-of-copyright that are sold this way. I once tried to sell some printed copies of 2 patterns from an old 1930's English book. Someone must have complained and my auctions were shut down, yet I see thousands sending them by email, which to me is the same thing.
posted on March 29, 2008 08:36:41 AM new
What is the difference between copied and digital download, as far as escaping trouble (copyright)? How do you find out if something is copyright free? I once created my own needlework pattern off of an old finished piece, and it was removed. This happened several years ago and I have been afraid since then.
posted on March 29, 2008 10:25:14 AM new
I am not sure what the difference is. I don't really think it is talking about e-books, that seems to be a different category, but I have found more and more people in the craft pattern categories copying and selling the copies either by email, or putting several of them onto discs, maybe that is what they mean by digital. I know that is really affects those of us who sell the actual craft books.
