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Watching the Wheels
59 Comments
eBay Still Hazy
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 !
eBay is Listening
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.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
I understand that it is a consumers CHOICE to spend money. I believe that a customer has the right to expect a good product and good customer service without having to fight for these things. Ebay places all of the onus on the sellers and offers nothing in return for not having the expense of having to maintain an inventory for you to pick and choose from.
The sellers in some cases are less than professional and it is up to Ebay as the venue to make the site safe, They have chosen to go about this in a CYA OMG gotta not cross the legal line of venue, someone else may sue us.
They are less than forthright intheir approach and the honest people are the ones who are tending to leave. Skeevy sellers will just keep pace and learn how to work the system.
Policies nedd to be fair and equitable for all parties invoved if they are expected to work long term. I have kept track of all the neverending antics because I WAS considering selling on Ebay.
I am also educated in business and from my perspective Ebay is too risky.
Have you ever had a problem as a buyer that had to go through Ebay? Casual byers are treated no better than the sellers. The top tier may have the training in business but they chose to go about the sweeping changes in a manner a little too much like the bad sellers that they are hoping to remove.
How people are observed treating others is usually a damned good indicator towards what they will do to you.
Oh, and my IQ is at least equal to anyone at the helm of Ebay. My inteligence is saying they're shady.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
forums.ebay.com/db2/th...
eBay's Best Bargain - Itself
forums.ebay.com/db2/th...
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
If you backtrack to when the policy changes were first announced and read the blogs and other news stories that came out in January and February of 08, there is a wealth of information. I know I had read abooout a class action suiit that is fairly recent.
You can also access alot of interesting links if you read through the posts in Ebay's message boards. I think that it was a post hinting at bankruptsy that had links leading to alot of PayPal's history of being in litigation. This might provide needed leads for you.
Thanks Et tu Brute. I am trying to inspire people to realise that there are always options. It's not always gaining a victory that is most important, but a willingness to fight back.
I also believe that the corporate greed so prevalent in America NEEDS to be reigned in. We as a nation need to seriously reevaluate how things are done before we self destruct. There are far too many money changers in various guises that essentially produce nothing. How many times can a cut be siphoned from the same dollar? Top tier people have a responsibility that comes with stewardship. Without a strong foundation the top will crumble. And being at the top, will fall further.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
:) Free Marketing
Check out my shop at:
uknowuneedanother.etsy...
My Grand Opening is tomorrow Saturday June 28, 2008
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
Ruby Lane handles antiques and I think artisan jewellry.
Etsy is very reasonably priced and the top tier are actively involved within forum space and appear to be very responsive to community suggestions. I will be opening up my shop there tomorrow.
For me ,they were the most economical and you can easily look up various sellers to sbstantiate that sales are indeed being made.
When I am more established I will try Amazon.
I understand the logical approach of 217221's advice, but there are also times that just going and doing so on faith, will work miracles to restore a person's sense of self worth. You may at this point realise that you can do a whole lot more than you ever thought you
could.
I had a stretch of time where all my choices were bad. I was continually picking the lesser of 2 evils. I survived all of it. It made me a better person. It made me wiser. It was this time frame that shaped who I am today. It was the crap that I went through that helped me realise my strengths. It's kind of spooky to realise that if you were an animal that you would chew off a leg to escape a trap.
It is also wildly empowering. There is always something that will turn up. You DO though have to believe. Allowing a company to dictate every facet of your life chips away at your soul.
And unless 'Men in Black' is a documentary and aliens are at the helm.Everyone at Ebay puts their pants on one leg at a time.
TAKE YOUR POWER BACK!!!!
I realise that there are sellers who are disabled. Handicaps did not stop Helen Keller or Franklyn Delano Roosevelt. Ray Charles did ok.
There is always one more ace. You only have to be determined to get it.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
To my understanding a venue is similar to renting or leasing space. In the real world of brick and morter businesses it is the business owner's responsibility to advertise and market and promote. The landlord is NOT responsible for these functions.
Only one in five businesses pan out and become successful. Are all the sellers doing everything that needs to be done in order to insure their own success? I doubt it.
And why, as business owners, are you allowing what essentially amounts to an employee ( CEOs are employed by owners ) to dictate terms?
On a similar note, why doesn't Ebay shift their model and offer out slots on a franchise basis? They would be able to dictate terms, collect a nice sum of money for a franchise position and have better controls over what the sellers do.
It could be a win win for everybody.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
I detected a few differences in us. For starters I am not team player. I would rather rise or sink on my own.
I am unwilling to accept a correction unless the correcter can show me a better. I have found that when job security can't be held over your head, "superiors" are not exactly sure what they should do next.
The best that I am willing to grant another human being is equal. Everyone has talents and skills lacking in the next person.
I have done management within corporate restaurants. I have put my neck on the chopping block more times than I can remember on principal. I still have my neck.
It was only a few years ago that I truly realized how incredibly strong I am. I believe that when a person is willing to openly accept the consequences of their own actions and when a person is truly willing to go down in flames over principalpal, most of the opposition will back down. THEY DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I am strapped for money right now. Something will work out.
I will not sell out my principals I also have enough confidence in my abilities that Ebay would be reletively safe. But as I said in an earlier post, they are not worthy.
And quite honestly I don't understand why any of the sellers are willing to put their merchandise, time and money on the line with a company that has no viable customer service. As I said, there are principals involved.
Ebay reminds me of an abusive relationship. The cops get called and then the victom says nevermind.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
Without a doubt! The problem though is that they are implementing the changes within Ebay in a completely underhanded manner.
If you read through Amazon the writing style is forthright. They at least have the decency to say " This is how we do things."
It boils down to matters of trust. Ebay, in my oppinion is operating in the style of either a sociopath and or coward.
There are times when RADICAL is what is needed to get a job done. I have always been seen as being over the top in one form or another.
There is nothing that I am willing to accept as justification for the slimy way that Ebay seems determined to utilize in cleaning house.
I believe that they will ultimately reap what they sow and the other cowardly, sociopathic wonders of the world will seek out their own kind.
It'll really be beer and skittles then.
If you read the book ' The Prince' by Machiavelli, Ebay could potentially be setting themselves up for a complete fall from grace. They are attacking the site in ways that will not be forgiven.
I read up on Bain as part of my research into everything. I had been poised to begin selling on Ebay. I ultimately deemed them unworthy.
Ebay isn't changing in ways that it seemed that Bain advocates. Something has become very tarnished. I don't know what that is. My gut tells me that its there. So I wander in and out of all of this because somewhere, within all this chaos is an interesting snippet to learn.
New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers
The breadth of this plan could not have been thought up and strategized overnight. Thr policy shift was originally announced while Meg was still CEO and if one were to look up share ownership, Saint Pierre can buy and sell most people. Wasn't it he who hired Meg?
Everyone is crying the blues and yet I see no real measurable actions on the part of most of the posters. The petition counts hover at maybe 6,000 signitures combined between the buyers and the sellers. Unfortunately that doesn't even quaulify as a whisper.
" I can't make money elsewhere", cry all the people in the various vent your spleen discussion areas that are fruitful and multiply within the corporate giant. Maybe if you all spent less time discussing ad nauseum, you would generate the hours needed to build an income in different ways.
Maybe had you all functioned as the business owners that you process yourselves to be, some independant thinking and an openness to new ideas would have surfaced.
If you want to boycott something try stopping yourselves from being Ebay's unpaid customer service department.
Bottom line you cannot be abused unless you have granted some form of tacit permission for the abuse to be doled out.
A quote:
"I would rather be a free man in my grave than living like a puppet or a slave" The Harder They Come by Bob Marley
Grow some backbones and another piece of anatomy that I am too lazy to euphamise right now. AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!!!!!
eBay's Best Bargain - Itself
The seller fears are very real.
feedback.ebay.com/ws/e...
eBay's Best Bargain - Itself
If Ebay is poised toward greatness, why has Meg sold close to $40.000,000 of her shares?
She was still onboard when the policy changes were developed and put into play.
eBay's Best Bargain - Itself
I'll know that Ebay cares when every member is afforded the same level of service.
Is my money not as green?
Customer service is a tool that helps to build a customer base. It is up to a company to prove their worthiness to me; not the other way around.
The last time that I experianced such mediocre business practices was a few months before MCI went belly up. There are reasons and underlying causes behind such levels of mediocraty. I say let it play out. Ebay will either get it right or eventually crap out just like MCI and Enron before them.
Policies need to be fair for all users or dischord will continue. Why if Ebay is doing so well, does the stock hover in the 20's?
If Ebay is doing so well by its members, why do the comments left after any article that allows them tend to be of negative oppinion?
Why haven't any of these reporting bodies become curious enough to do further investigation?
Has our society become that jaded?