Angie

eBay Listens to Customers, Retires Old Search Engine

I'm not convinced that they are listening, the new search is atrocious though many folks may not realise just how the searches are manipulated. Increasingly sellers are discovering new (and more economically viable) places to sell just as more potential buyers are using Google / Yahoo to find what they want on the web, not many choose to look on eBay first now as savvy buyers have also realised there are places to buy at lower cost and pay for their purchases using something other than Paypal - often Google Checkout.

Earnings Preview: EBay

I agree with the previous two comments about the real state of eBay and, yes, sellers are leaving in droves. I left two years ago when I saw the writing on the wall and am now doing quite nicely on uk.ebid.net which is an international marketplace with sites in many countries around the globe.

The changes on eBay recently have seen record growth in eBid's membership, listings and sales. It's noticeable that in certain collectables categories eBay is now a wasteland, the buyers have moved on and as more folks will now use Google to search for the items they're interested in, they are finding the other auction sites which have been there all along.

IMO eBay is likely to change its business model in the next year or thereabouts. I don't think it will have any option, the core of sellers, some of whom had huge numbers of listings at one time, are leaving or have already left and the buyers are following them.

Is eBay Expanding Their Finding 2.0 in the U.S.?

Best Match is the worst thing ever. Nowhere can I find out why, when I search for dollhouse miniatures, I get shoes and baby carriages, electrical goods etc showing up in the search. I've also found that Best Match is manipulating out a vast number of the products I am actually looking for.

The only way around it that I have found is to change the search to "Newly Listed" but I'm still not convinced that everything shows, for example, I don't think store items are showing in that search.

Frankly, the collectables in the markets I am searching have fallen off to such an extent that combined with the poor search facilities it is now easier to perform a Google search and go to whatever site the item I want is selling on.

New Selling Form Sinks eBay Sellers

"Using IP address to manipulate search, when we are talking about millions of listings per day seems really implausible."

Not in the slightest, there has long been an option on the search facility to view items within 200 miles of your location, this would simply make that search a default for the small ads which are placed all over eBay pages now.

There may as well be a disclaimer by eBay on every item page saying "you may be able to get this item cheaper elsewhere" because that's the truth as it now stands.

With the ridiculously high fees at eBay I wonder that anyone can make a living, especially when the changes (of one kind or another) are constant on the eBay sites. How can anyone have a business model which can "adapt" on a month to month basis ... only the dropshippers could even contemplate this, if you must buy in stock etc you can't possibly allow for the insane "tweaks" and ever-changing goalposts imposed.

It's like watching a disaster unfold in slow motion and if eBay's investors have seen the YouTube eBay Live 2008 videos they'l be dumping the stock like it has suddenly become radioactive.

Regarding Amazon's 'New' PayPal Killer

eBay has already tried to impose Paypal as the only option for payments on the Australian site and, inspite of the ACCC ruling that this was against competition rules, eBay are determined to impose their will on the sellers.

There is a dire need for a payments system which can stand up to the bully boy tactics deployed by eBay, not only do Amazon stand a good chance of leeching market share from Paypal - trust me, sellers are crying out for alternatives to Paypal - but if Google Checkout continues its rollout across the planet then eBay/Paypal's share of everyone elses hard earned cash is going to reduce substantially.

Amazon is already a trusted and respected name in the ecommerce sector, good luck to them with whatever the new improved system is to be.

PayPal Offers Cash Back to Shift Users From Credit Cards

Avid eBayer may consider him/herself to be very lucky, perhaps they have never sold items on eBay and suffered claims which are always found in favour of the buyer nor have they had their Paypal account frozen and been denied access to their funds, many have.