eBay Buyers and eBay Sellers
I know that most of my friends in the e-commerce had received the following letter but I still wanted to share it with all of you anyways because this will eventually affect the buyer;
From: eBay Seller Central
Date: 01/04/07 03:52:13
Subject: A Message from Bill Cobb: eBay.com and eBay Motors Fee Adjustments
Dear (Seller's ID)
An important part of any business strategy is the regular evaluation of pricing structure. From time to time, we make pricing changes to correct unhealthy dynamics in the eBay marketplace, as was the case last July. Typically, however, we make changes on an annual basis at the beginning of the year.
Today, I'm here to tell you about fee adjustments for eBay.com and eBay Motors which go into effect on January 30, 2007.
Let me say that, while we believe these changes are modest, we consider any changes that may impact our sellers with great care. These adjustments are the result of careful analysis and we believe they're the right thing to do to keep the marketplace strong for our eBay.com and eBay Motors sellers.
A Successful Online Holiday Shopping Season
As I've said many times, one of our most important jobs here at eBay is ensuring that we're driving buyers to the site. This online holiday shopping season was a big success, and I want to acknowledge the outstanding efforts this last quarter from our marketing team led by Gary Briggs. Our integrated "IT" campaign performed well for the second year in a row, reaching our targeted shoppers an average of 13 times per person.
Of course, our shelves need to be well-stocked when the buyers arrive, so these results are testament to the partnership we have with our dedicated sellers. We can all be proud of our joint success in pleasing shoppers with whatever "IT" was this season.
I think you'll find we're taking a surprisingly fresh look at some of the old challenges, and I'm excited about the road ahead.
On behalf of everyone at eBay, I wish you all a very Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Bill Cobb
President, eBay North America
Please lets review carefully this letter:
-They review pricing every year but yet mentioned that last July they had raised the fees to the sellers. How is this going to impact the sellers with "great care"?
-Very successful campaign on TV adds and everywhere on the internet about the "it" and where to find it. We the sellers have to reimburse the money they spent on the campaign?That is what it looks like when fees are being raised again in a period of six months.
-And yet they expect our shelves to be fully stocked.
I am not a marketing analyst but I can put one and one together. I am not the smartest woman or I would had owned ebay by now but this affects everyone. The sellers finds a product, bring it to eBay for the consumer and the seller NOT always makes a profit , depending on the product. The consumer wants a bargain and of course goes to get "it" on eBay. If sellers are paying more to market the product on eBay and pay a final value fee in order to make a profit, the seller has to bring the price up.
That was not hard, was it?
Ok, what will be next in line...?
You are the consumer, see that I am selling a product that "it" is not a bargain, you will not buy "it".
Last July a movement started on eBay which it has been kept in the dark by many. I am letting you in. More and more eBay sellers are going away to other venues. Many had had to open their own websites, sell on Yahoo, Overstock.com, eCrater.com and many others due to the high costs to try to make a living offering products to you, the consumer.
But yet, Tv advertisement will send you to eBay to get "it" and we are going to go to eBay for that bargain. Then here it goes, it is affecting the eBay seller as well as the eBay consumer.
I will leave it up to all of you but please do some searches. many have pages on myspace and are friends of friends of friends to all of us. We are here for you and will try our best too give you a better price on your product. None of us want to raise our prices.
Check my friends and their friends and you will find your favorite sellers right here!