I have been a seller and buyer on eBay for over 9 years. I like many people are furious at the new changes at eBay, especially the dramatic increase in final value fees promoted as a fee decrease due to a nickle reduction in listing fees (do they think we are stupid?), the iability to leave anything but positive feedback for buyers (coming May 1), the ability of Paypal to hold our money for 21 days, and the problems with the DSR detailed feedback system, which gives the impression to buyers that 4 stars is "very statisfied" but where sellers have to get a 4.8 to be not flagged as deficient by eBay itself, or receive any discount. And by the way, the discount, which probably less than a few percent of sellers will qualify for even before the new changes make it harder, is far LESS than the new fee increases. Moreover, eBay has not pitted buyers against sellers with the new feedback system, making sellers even more powerless and vulnerable to abuse. The bottom line: I for one (and there are tens of thousands like me) no longer find it fun, worthwhile, or profitable to do business on eBay. I am not only supporting the new boycott on May 1, I am leaving for good.
The question I and many others have is: where to move? Sure, we can build and promote our own web sites, but is there an alternative auction site that can fill eBay's shoes, but do it better? Ironically, we have too many choices, which spreads out buyers and sellers into too many different places. We need to figure out how to concentrate on one or a few alternative sites. That's the only way to build a viable alternative to eBay in the short run. How? I think I have the solution. Please help me if you agree by expressing this to the other auction sites. The idea is as follows.
Two or three of the alternative auction sites need to stop competing, and join forces. In other words, merge. This will do two key things. First, it will be big news, and draw major media attention to the ebay problems and a viable solution. Second, it will give feeBayers the clear direction they need in deciding where to move. Both buyers and sellers will probably flock there faster than you can say ''screw eBay!'' If this happens, the media coverage that is bound to follow will only accelerate the process.
Otherwise, the only other solution is for a single competing auction site to spend enough on national advertising to start a stampede to their site. Without a merger, they'd need to go all out in this way to get that critical mass of buyers and sellers. But it would pay off. Even if they spent tens of millions on this initial campaign, it would soon pay off in Billions they could make by becoming the new, and hopefully much better and kinder replacement for eBay. But the merger concept would work even better I think, and be less expensive for the companies. They would not have to spend a lot in advertising, because the merger would generate its own story, and provide the momentum for the mass exodus from eBay. Isn't this logical. So, to the CEO's at OLA, iOFFEr, eCrater, or whoever else has an auction site and is listening: get your heads together, stop competing and join forces! Everyone will WIN WIN WIN!
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