posted on January 4, 2001 06:25:21 PM new
Hi everybody,
I'm a seller at Yahoo! Auctions, and I vend used books and magazines. I'm one of those small time sellers who offers most books between $1-$3. I have multiple accounts (terror_lane, classics_101, mr_kidding_around) because I rely on inventory to make a profit, and the auction cap almost put me out of business.
Therefore I have about 2000-3000 books and magazines up for sale. Most don't sell within the first month, but does that make Hemingway, Steinbeck, Camus, etc... junk? Obviously I also sell material that I would qualify as "junk", but that is MY OPINION.
Obviously, math dictates that it is impossible for me to do business with Yahoo!. I completly agree with the "final value" system, we would at least be in business together.
I've been with them for about 3 years now, and even with all the problems, I was proud to say I sold at Yahoo!, yes, because it was free, but also that I helped build it in a small way. That's why I think it's worth fighting for.
Essentially, this thread will help other sellers and buyers to apply pressure on Yahoo! They have never responded in the past (like EBay), but I can't stand seeing something beautiful, destroyed. Listed in no particular order...
1) Don't panic. I almost shut down before the "auction cap" affair, but managed to get around it, even though it was a ton of work!!! (opening new accounts, tranferring info, etc...).
2) People recommend to shut down a few of your auctions as a protest, but I disagree. This will only create a "blip" for Yahoo! that they can easily ignore. Instead, resubmit everything you can before the deadline (Jan 10th). Stack your auctions into their system, and if you have extra auctions in the "bank", use them to protest the listing fees. Sure, it adds more "junk", but that's freedom of expression. We have to be patient, in 3 weeks, if we did this and nothing has changed (they keep the listing price or don't change it to Final value fee), this will cut the number of auctions drastically. The "blip" has turned into a tidal wave....
3) This leads to the buyers. They must be made aware of this situation!!! I'm very doubtful that Yahoo! notified them, so contact them, explaining the situation, and ask them to write to Yahoo!. They are as affected as we are with the listings. We might be "bargain" sellers, but there are a ton of "bargain buyers" that keep us in business. If we all leave "en masse", then we will never survive elsewhere, for the customer will be lost. With their support, we are 10x stronger.
4) There is a chat tomorrow at Yahoo! at 7pm eastern time. There are links everywhere on the message board. JOIN IT!!!!!! Everyone complains Yahoo! never listens, and with good cause, but this time they have to. It won't necessarily be the comments that will affect Yahoo!, but if we pack that room like they have never seen....
5) However hard it is, we must organize. AuctionWatch seems to be a good forum for this. Keep reading posts for the latest developments either here or in any other threads. Write to your customers, to ezines, to anybody who you think it might interest. I'd be happy to participate in a petition, but I will need help to do so (email at bottom). If anyone has good ideas, I'd be happy to give a hand as well.
6) Keep posting!!!! Absolutly any idea, question, thought, that follows AuctionWatch guidelines is more than appreciated, it is necessary. These thoughts came to me in the bath, so there you go...!
7) Lastly, but most importantly, again, patience. We will know in about a month if this policy will stick. If it does, then the exodus should begin. That's when I'll look at the threads of other alternatives. If this is a conspiracy, aka "Yahoo-EBay" merger, than we will fight a losing battle, but at least we will fight.
Respectfully,
Jazz
seller ids: jazzenterprises, terror_lane, classics_101, mr_kidding_around
posted on January 4, 2001 06:27:56 PM new
Hi jazz,
I sympathize with you. If yahoo cared about you and others who helped build them they wouldn't have arbitrarily done what they have. All these chats are is damage control.
posted on January 4, 2001 07:33:13 PM new
I would also recommend contacting each of the Charities that partner with Yahoo to host fundraising auctions. Explain to these organizations that as folks leave Yahoo in droves, that means fewer bidders for their charities, too!
