Watching the Wheels

57 Comments

    • How Would an eBay Layoff Impact Sellers? [view article]
      Well since customer service is essentially non existant, unless you are producung substantial numbers, a cut here would be irrelevant. Sep 15 11:14 AM
    • eBay: Triple Whammy Weighs on Stock Price [view article]
      Tuffy, I have a degree in business, honor grades and decided against Ebay when the policy changes began. There were absolutely NO PROTECTIONS for the seller. There was no risks for Ebay.

      I'm glad you do well. I hope that non of the disgruntled target you with misplaced revenge. If this occurs, will Ebay back you up? Will paypal?
      Do you have these guarentees in writing?       Sep 09 03:31 PM
    • eBay Launches worldofgood.com, a Social Values Marketplace [view article]
      I have never understood the American mindset of treating their own like crap, while doing a show of global compassion?

      Sep 03 01:32 PM
    • Wal-Mart vs. eBay: Which is a Safer Stock to Own? [view article]
      Yo, Ebay++++,

      Thank-you for recognizing my linguistic skills. I do hope you view it as a bit more impressive when I tell you that I don't utilize spellcheck because I find it lacking.

      I do believe that it is important to invest the time into doing something well because first impressions do count and are what you will be judged by.When someone doesn't want to waste time to do something properly I find myself questioning the possibilities that slop work is the norm.

      I also find it interesting that you feel that you were being discussed. I mentioned no names.

      Quality and the time spent to achieve it does ensure that mistakes are dealt with in a timely manner. It may take additional time to achieve but long term has little to fear from the levels unwilling to waste time. Ultimately, people willing to expend the energy needed to do something correctly put less effort into achieving success.

      After we have taken the additional time in creating a flawless foundation, we can rest and wait. The slop work produced by people unwilling to waste time will inevitably begin to show the flaws and mistakes. At this juncture, quality will be able to kick ass, exerting very little additional effort.       Sep 02 08:33 AM
    • Wal-Mart vs. eBay: Which is a Safer Stock to Own? [view article]
      The responses to this particular article were an interesting read.The article based the analyzations on interpreting numbers; the commentary generated by the above could be studied based upon grammer and clues towards the vocabulary levels of the responders.

      Do the apparent differences in language skills provide clues into the intelectual and reasoning capabilites of the previous writers?

      I find it very intrigueing that the pro Ebay people are working within a grammer school level of writing skills. Is this indicative of inteligence levels?

      There are a multitude of analytical start points. Numbers are not the only means of measurement.

      I never sold on Ebay, nor do I own any of their stock. I buy very rarely now because I feel that there is an overall degradation within the quality levels of the merchandise being offered.

      It is true that Ebay does not have the liability of maintaining inventory, but when the onus of maintaining "the best deals" is placed upon the site's sellers it seems inevitable that maintaining best deal status in an ever competitive marketplace will prove to be problematic in the term for the independant sellers in the long term. There are limits to becoming "lean". If long term balance is not maintained, if fair does not enter into equations,if continual contraversy crops up with each minor shift in a business model, how am I too judge merit? How am I expected to judge in a favorable manner?

      There are numerous ways to legally distribute a company's assets within a set of books. Quarter to quarter seems to me to be an extremelly shortsighted approach. The lack of proud long term game plans being announced publicly also gives me cause for concern.

      Why is there no dividend offered to the shareholders? This is also a indicator of a company's merit when choosing a stock. Other indicators include buying and selling habits of a company's top tier. Meg sold a sizable portion of Ebay shares very close to her departure from a company she had run for 10 years. Why?

      I find that there are too many areas that bear closer examination before I would feel comfortable jumping on the pro Ebay bandwagon. I had considered selling on the site and unfortunately was unable to judge them worthy in ways that are indicative of a well run business.

      There are too many ifs that go unanswered for me to feel comfortable with the overall worthiness of Ebay.       Aug 31 08:51 AM
    • Changes to eBay’s Pricing Plan Could Whack Shares by 20% [view article]
      And to add to all of the above, there has been a definate drop in the overall quality and selection within the site. Aug 18 09:33 PM
    • Has eBay Reached the Limit of the Network Effect? [view article]
      Dinah, the policy changes were officially begun while Meg was at the helm. She has to be given credit for this fiasco also.

      In your blog an ex Ebay employee had suggested getting in touch with Pierre. For what purpose? He started the entire ball of wax by hiring Meg. If he was sincerely concerned he has had plenty of time to open his mouth.

      The entire blame will be placed on John Donahoe's shoulders and he will be the fall guy for policies that were developed by more than just his ideas.       Aug 14 07:00 PM
    • Has eBay Reached the Limit of the Network Effect? [view article]
      I saw you mention customer service wakening and that's when I stopped reading the article.

      You have to have something first before it can either improve or get worse.       Aug 14 06:53 PM
    • eBay's Latest Screw-Up [view article]
      Hi Et Tu!

      I believe that there is a phenominal opportunity at Etsy. I had originally planned on selling on Ebay. The policy changes left a potential new seller open to too much unacceptable risk.

      There is absolutely no way to convince me that shipping an item before money is cleared is safe. With a complete lack of customer service being una vailable to smaller sellers there is absolutely no incentives to for a new person to try. The only companies I see being able to function within the Ebay environment are large companies who have the means to set up their own sites and are already fully functioning businesses with access to full legal counsel and money to back themselves up. If these are already present why sell on Ebay at a Walmart pricing structure?

      Businesses at this level would be better off operating on their own and utililising the constant and never ending fees to advertise their own sites. Businesses can only partner for so long. How many times can the profit be subdivided before none exists for anyone?

      A favor please, ... When everyone mentions Etsy could you also put in a plug for the vintage and supply ends to help the whole of the site?

      Thanks!       Aug 12 02:00 PM
    • eBay's Latest Screw-Up [view article]
      Sellers also have the freedom to offer Paypal, Google Checkout, RME and the standard money orders and checks. Aug 12 09:40 AM
    • eBay's Latest Screw-Up [view article]
      Hi everyone,

      I wanted to add some information to complete legandsofbatman's take on Etsy. Although it doesn't get the mention that I believe is deserved, sellers can also offer vintage items and supplies for sale on Etsy.

      The site offers very reasonable rates. It is easy to check that sales are being made and the sellers also set their own prices. It is NOT an auction fromat.

      Vintage items qualify if they are 20 years and older. Supplies can be either handcrafted or commercial.

      If anyone has questions I will do my best to answer. I can be accessed via www.uknowuneedanother....

      The site is also undergoing huge improvements and have recently gotten a new CEO with a backround from Amazon and a tech expert will be starting very soon from Yahoo       Aug 12 09:37 AM
    • eBay's Latest Screw-Up [view article]
      Would there be any long term reasons behind purposely trashing a business from an Ebay perspective?

      What could be gained?       Aug 07 10:23 AM
    • eBay Still Hazy [view article]
      Et tu, like your stock plan. It's creative and it seems to me that if you could coordinate an effort you could acquire a large enough chunk to at least have a substantial influence. get on the boards in other countries. I'm sure the Aussies would be game, probably the French also. I used to bounce around and visit other Ebays.

      Just have to be logged in and you can chat with whomever you'd like. There is also some sort of translating gizmo that can be attached while conversing.

      The French companies have some found money.

      I say run with it! It's a fitting idea.

      I've always been a firm beliverin there being more than one way to skin a cat.

      Power Sellers Unite could be useful. I would suggest trying to form some sort of legal entity to protect the project.       Jul 18 09:25 PM
    • eBay Still Hazy [view article]
      In areas that I was purchasing in, numbers are down along with the quality and legitimacy of the items within the catagories.

      Ebay can say what they want. Everybody is entitled to voice an oppinion. Time will tell.

      I have seen a downgrade. And if you read the Ebay user agreement they state in no uncertain terms that they wash their hands of the transactions between buyer and seller.

      Companies come and companies go.

      What ever happened to the addage :

      " The customer is always right? "

      Their user agreement seems to point to an attitude of let the customer be damned. Again if you read this policy Ebay could care less if you are a buyer or a seller.

      Take it for what it's worth.

      Hi, Et tu !       Jul 18 12:42 PM
    • eBay is Listening [view article]
      Maybe one of the reasons behind the shift is to restore the quality of listings in certain catagories.

      I collect depression glass. I have noticed lower counts in overall glass listings in conjunction with a degradation of the quality of choices within this area.

      I read the letter written by Norrington. It was the most upfront and professional approach to date by any member of the upper tier of Ebay since the policy shift was announced earlier this year. Had a more upfront approach been taken BEFORE the changes took place, less negative public feedback in the form of the a very steady stream of comments left after any news snippet offering the opportunity to do so would have occured.

      Had the top brass of Ebay appealed to the sellers about the numerous lawsuits and other challanges that the were facing and asked for help instead of arbitrarily shifting the nature of the playing field the outcome would have probably been a very smooth transition to a more controlled selling platform.

      I liked Norrington's letter. it was well written and direct. The executive level of Ebay still needs alot of work in this area. A few apologies would also be appreciated, and a much more visible profile towards your dynamic and living inventory source.

      I also have to assume that fear was an underlieing motivator behind the flawed approach to the policy changes. I am curious as to why Ebay used a less than upfront manner of delivery. if retalitory feedback WAS a problem, why was it allowed to fester? If the lawsuits were pending, why didn't Ebay ask for a moritorium on designer label goods as a show of respect to the companies who had put in the work to build brand recognition? Was therofit stream so necessary to Ebay's existance that they couldn't live without it? In order to receive respect, one must be willing to extend it to others.

      One thing that I wasn't thrilled with was the still present caste system judgment calls pertaining to the worthiness of buyers and sellers based upon monetary gains to Ebay. Whether a user spends $1.00 or $1,000,000 within the site, they still spent money and generated FVFs to Ebay and are worhty of being shown respect. This does not happen. It needs to. This policy is prejudicial in nature and offensive. If the company shows me poor treatment at a low end purchase level how do I know that this treatment will change if I spend a larger amount of money? I don't. And I find myself judging Ebay in a negative light due to inequity in how the public is treated. It shows an incredible lack of breeding on the part of the policy maker's of Ebay. It might also be indicative of insecurity. Ebay will suck up to the big spenders. If preferential treatment is demanded by people with more money to spend, what holes exist in their souls?

      Has anybody ever wondered about the phenominal success of either Oprah Winfrey or Warren Buffet? I am very sure that in no small measure it is due to their completely unpretentious approach to life. Both of these people seem at ease at all levels of humanity. They both managed to rise to the top without creating animosity. So by example, these two human beings show that it is possible to treat all people with respect and still reap astronomical financial rewards.

      As America begins to reap what it has sown, ( the stock market has essentially been static for close to 10 years, there is a credit and housing crisis, etc,etc, etc, ) It may be a good idea to rethink some of the yesteryear's media and propaganda messaging and bring morality and the high road back to the frofront of how we proceed in how we do things.       Jul 12 07:23 AM
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