MetzyMom

Online Consumers to Spend Less Money, Use More Coupons, This Holiday Season

The 'ideology' of buying fewer gifts or spending less on gifts is awesome, but the reality is something else altogether. My mother has been saying 'No more big Christmas Mornings' for years, but when push comes to shove, it's always more than she intended.

I think savvy shoppers will search out all avenues to try and get the best deal, including online auctions... and I don't see eBay doing any better than the alternative sites percentage-wise. It's going to be who offers the best deal for the money. Sellers at OnlineAuction.com sell their items for much less than most eBay sellers because they have no fees. I think that alone is going to make a difference, just the same as Free Shipping is going to make a difference this year. Perks and freebie gifts are also going to be incentives. For example, I include a free guest soap with every order... the bigger the order, the more freebies included. Those freebies translate into extra 'no cost' gifts.

Now, the REALLY savvy shopper starts buying the day after Christmas, not only for next years Christmas gifts, but for birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, etc. as well.

eBay Is a Losing Bid - Barron's

It's more than the economy hitting eBay hard, it's all their new and improved policies. John Donahoe has said flat out that eBay is no longer a place for 'flea market' sellers, but it is those 'smaller' sellers that provide what people are looking for, along with the personalized service that buyers want.

Sellers are not the only ones leaving either. With the newest eBay change, buyers will no longer have a choice as to how they pay for their goods. They are being forced to use eBays 'better half', PayPal.

Sellers are doing more than just leaving and opening their own websites. For those who still want a viable auction format, they are signing up in droves at other eCommerce sites, like OnlineAuction.com (www.OLA.com). Sites like OLA offer better deals to sellers, who are then able to offer better deals to buyers. I've been at OLA since February of this year and am 100% happier than I ever was at eBay. I pay $8 a month and get to list anything and everything I can. I also pay no Final Value Fees AND I get to offer my customers many different ways to pay: PayPal, Google Checkout, RevolutionMoneyExchang... (which has no fees for transactions like PP and GCO), Money Orders, Personal and/or Business Checks, and several other choices.

eBay thought they were the only game in town... but they were wrong and their falling stock proves it.