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Credit is definitely deserved here, day to day just like the most of us hes simply done it and can now achieve goals with a bit more oomph behind him.
Total credit
mal
Total credit
mal
He talked a lot about community and in the beginning it was. But then he brought on Meg, sat back, and went IPO.
Since then fees have gone sky high and the sense of community seems mostly gone.
He had a great idea but I'm not so sure it was all about the community. There are many interviews where that's what he talks about when he started the company. But when the time came he handed it off and let the money roll in. He'd still be incredibly wealthy even if eBay had taken a different path. Probably not as nearly so much so.
Don't get me wrong, he's been incredibly generous with the money he's made. eBay's a gerat success, a lot of sellers have done well, and maybe that is the best thing for sellers. Perhaps had he not handed it over it woulda festered under his leadership leaving sellers worse off. eBay wouldnt be nearly as successful internationally for example without intervention. And arguably as much as it is in the US. Perhaps eBay being the giant it is draws more buyers and is good for sellers and the higher fees are just the price you pay for that.
It just seems weird to me that he built things up always talking about community then when the time came he sold it out as fast as he could for a boat load of cash seemingly not really thinking at all about that community. Since then he's mainly been a figure head. He basically started it in 95, saw it was going to be successufl, found a replacement near the end of 97, and handed it soon after that. 2 years in, 18 billion out, and the community that built it, that he so often talks about footing the bill. Wish it was me. :P
Since then fees have gone sky high and the sense of community seems mostly gone.
He had a great idea but I'm not so sure it was all about the community. There are many interviews where that's what he talks about when he started the company. But when the time came he handed it off and let the money roll in. He'd still be incredibly wealthy even if eBay had taken a different path. Probably not as nearly so much so.
Don't get me wrong, he's been incredibly generous with the money he's made. eBay's a gerat success, a lot of sellers have done well, and maybe that is the best thing for sellers. Perhaps had he not handed it over it woulda festered under his leadership leaving sellers worse off. eBay wouldnt be nearly as successful internationally for example without intervention. And arguably as much as it is in the US. Perhaps eBay being the giant it is draws more buyers and is good for sellers and the higher fees are just the price you pay for that.
It just seems weird to me that he built things up always talking about community then when the time came he sold it out as fast as he could for a boat load of cash seemingly not really thinking at all about that community. Since then he's mainly been a figure head. He basically started it in 95, saw it was going to be successufl, found a replacement near the end of 97, and handed it soon after that. 2 years in, 18 billion out, and the community that built it, that he so often talks about footing the bill. Wish it was me. :P
True, true and true.
However, where can a person go and sell preowned apparel with $1,500 to $2,500 in sales per week?
No, resume required, no boss on your back and the only time clock you punch is the one you create for yourself.
The increased fees are a drag. Like most everything else, greed abounds. Still, all things considered, eBay is what each person makes of it. They take whatever resources they have and build a business, build a life for themselves.
Build, Auctiva to be the standard in auction management, maintain high quality customer service and watch where it takes you.
If you build it, they will come.
However, where can a person go and sell preowned apparel with $1,500 to $2,500 in sales per week?
No, resume required, no boss on your back and the only time clock you punch is the one you create for yourself.
The increased fees are a drag. Like most everything else, greed abounds. Still, all things considered, eBay is what each person makes of it. They take whatever resources they have and build a business, build a life for themselves.
Build, Auctiva to be the standard in auction management, maintain high quality customer service and watch where it takes you.
If you build it, they will come.
Holy smokes! Per week! Shhhhh! You're giving me ideas I shouldn't be havingquote:However, where can a person go and sell preowned apparel with $1,500 to $2,500 in sales per week?
If you work hard eBay is a great place. I think a lot of people just think they can show up, post a few listings, and make a lot of money and get disappointed when that isn't the case. Everyone I see that does well on eBay works very hard at it. Probably even more so than if they had a real job. But this way they're in control of when they work, and who they're working for!
quote:He talked a lot about community and in the beginning it was. But then he brought on Meg
Yea, Tom, you and I don't see eye to eye on much stuff, but you got this one pegged right on. The "community" they talk of now is just spin. There is no community, they don't care for anyone's opinion (oh sure, they say THEY do), they report "best quarter ever with highest profit ever" and then raise fees two weeks later.
This is a lying, greedy, two faced company. They are just like Microsoft now, If you can't compete, you consume. Take Paypal for example.
eBay lost it's soul the last time a message from "Skippy" was posted in a forum. Anyone remember Skippy? That's when their sense of humor dissapeared. It was rumored that Skippy was Pierre.
If it weren't for the fact that I do make some needed money from this company (much less than I used to for the same amount of work due to EVERYONE'S fees - yes, you too Auctiva, and the fact that things don't sell as well as they used to) I'd be outa here in a minute.
Anyone who was around selling before the IPO knows what I mean.
Did any of you happen to see this?
CNBC documentory on ebay
"The Ebay Effect: Worldwide Obsession."
I DVR'd it and have watched it several times. They barely nod at Pierre and make him almost non-existent in the conceptualizing of this monster now called eBay.
<taking a deep breath>
I agree Jeff and Tom.
When Meg came on board the whole atmosphere changed. She brought the "impersonal" touch that large businesses bring in. Take for example your statement in regards to the paypal purchase. Look what they did with craigslist? When they saw that it was getting a following, swooped in and purchased. I haven't quite figured out the reasoning for purchasing RENT.com. But I'm sure it's got multiple lines that will feed right into the pockets of ebay.
And my gosh, look at the Skype purchase?
I remember Skippy back then. The boards are very sterile now as opposed to back then.
White-washed & cleansed devoid of alot of the gung ho spirit, that "let's put on a show" spirit that was there, peppered with gosh, it's hard to put a finger on it if you didn't see it.
I'm trying to diversity and be successful in both my eBay business and my website. Diversifying gives me some feeling of control over MY business and how I want to run it as versus how eBay wants me to run it and pay them. This isn't a game with me, this eBay venture....it's needed income with our family.
And if Google makes a run at auctioneering as is rumored? It will be full steam ahead for me! I've tried them all, Overstock, Yahoo, Bidville, ePier, Wagglepop, Lunarbid and more. No service can match the power of "IT." I'm keeping my fingers crossed..because if anyone can maybe knock the queen off her base ...analysis looks good that Google might be able to do this and do it right.
It was so much more fun in the earlier days..no wetting our pants over getting a .10 listing day. And yes, ebay will continue to raise fee's as long as there is no valid competition.
Thoughts on this?
CNBC documentory on ebay
"The Ebay Effect: Worldwide Obsession."
I DVR'd it and have watched it several times. They barely nod at Pierre and make him almost non-existent in the conceptualizing of this monster now called eBay.
<taking a deep breath>
I agree Jeff and Tom.
When Meg came on board the whole atmosphere changed. She brought the "impersonal" touch that large businesses bring in. Take for example your statement in regards to the paypal purchase. Look what they did with craigslist? When they saw that it was getting a following, swooped in and purchased. I haven't quite figured out the reasoning for purchasing RENT.com. But I'm sure it's got multiple lines that will feed right into the pockets of ebay.
And my gosh, look at the Skype purchase?
I remember Skippy back then. The boards are very sterile now as opposed to back then.
White-washed & cleansed devoid of alot of the gung ho spirit, that "let's put on a show" spirit that was there, peppered with gosh, it's hard to put a finger on it if you didn't see it.
I'm trying to diversity and be successful in both my eBay business and my website. Diversifying gives me some feeling of control over MY business and how I want to run it as versus how eBay wants me to run it and pay them. This isn't a game with me, this eBay venture....it's needed income with our family.
And if Google makes a run at auctioneering as is rumored? It will be full steam ahead for me! I've tried them all, Overstock, Yahoo, Bidville, ePier, Wagglepop, Lunarbid and more. No service can match the power of "IT." I'm keeping my fingers crossed..because if anyone can maybe knock the queen off her base ...analysis looks good that Google might be able to do this and do it right.
It was so much more fun in the earlier days..no wetting our pants over getting a .10 listing day. And yes, ebay will continue to raise fee's as long as there is no valid competition.
Thoughts on this?
quote:It was so much more fun in the earlier days..no wetting our pants over getting a .10 listing day. And yes, ebay will continue to raise fee's as long as there is no valid competition.
TEN CENT LISTING DAY???
Remember FREE listing day? Those greedy bastards can't even give us a free day anymore. Not even once per year. Oops, gotta raise fees now. bye
You can be assured that any company eBay buys is either to kill that sector of competition, or absorb the technology.
Remember that famous quote: "Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated."
quote:Originally posted by JeffS:quote:It was so much more fun in the earlier days..no wetting our pants over getting a .10 listing day. And yes, ebay will continue to raise fee's as long as there is no valid competition.
TEN CENT LISTING DAY???
Remember FREE listing day?
The young ones to ebay don't believe the myths of Free Listing Days...but they were there..oh yes they were.
Take care, Donna
Parsnally, the Cap'n love's it when somebody scores the really big treasure! If he sank a few schooners along the way, heh, heh, so be it! He takes himself the risk a-gettin' sunk, too!
Now, 'bout all them poor swabbies what's got their stern sheets in a knot about it, talkin' bout greed an' what not. Harr! I s'pose they're all plyin' this here eBay Ocean outta a sense o' whaddycall...Altroo-ism? They're not greedy, oh no. Heh heh!
Why, I bet they'd turn down all that money if'n they was offered it. After all, they wouldn't be "'ave-naughts" iff'n they didn't, well, er..."'ave naught."
Avast...
Captain F.M. Binghamton. (The F.M. stands for "free market"...hee!)
Now, 'bout all them poor swabbies what's got their stern sheets in a knot about it, talkin' bout greed an' what not. Harr! I s'pose they're all plyin' this here eBay Ocean outta a sense o' whaddycall...Altroo-ism? They're not greedy, oh no. Heh heh!
Why, I bet they'd turn down all that money if'n they was offered it. After all, they wouldn't be "'ave-naughts" iff'n they didn't, well, er..."'ave naught."
Avast...
Captain F.M. Binghamton. (The F.M. stands for "free market"...hee!)
quote:Now, 'bout all them poor swabbies what's got their stern sheets in a knot about it, talkin' bout greed an' what not. Harr! I s'pose they're all plyin' this here eBay Ocean outta a sense o' whaddycall...Altroo-ism? They're not greedy, oh no. Heh heh!
Uh-huh, right, whatever...
Ebay announces their BEST quarter ever, highest profits to date.
Then two weeks later raises fees.
They've done it for the past two years.
Don't lecture me about greed. I need the money as bad as anyone else, and yes that's why I'm here. But I don't wipe my @$$ and then rub it in my users faces. eBay does. Over and over. You take it. You get mad. Where else are you going to go? They know this. That's how they get away with it.
You can leture me if I sell a one ounce item and charge $10 to ship it. I don't.
quote:Originally posted by JeffS:quote:Now, 'bout all them poor swabbies what's got their stern sheets in a knot about it, talkin' bout greed an' what not. Harr! I s'pose they're all plyin' this here eBay Ocean outta a sense o' whaddycall...Altroo-ism? They're not greedy, oh no. Heh heh!
Uh-huh, right, whatever...
Ebay announces their BEST quarter ever, highest profits to date.
Then two weeks later raises fees.
They've done it for the past two years.
I was so mad last year when they upped prices that I closed one of my stores and haven't reopened it either.
To me? If you're doing great..then you give BACK to those that helped you to make those record breaking profits.
Instead of two weeks later, raising rates..they should've been handing out freebies left and right. If you did such and such a month..here's a special cut for you and this freebie. This level of selling, we're going to cut you a deal here and offer you this. Yada Yada.
I sell because I have to..but I would be selling more if they hadn't raised my costs on 3 other IDs. Selling more to them should equate with more money coming their way. And yet, when they raised fee's. I cut a store out and haven't dropped sales down on 3 IDs.
Sellers need incentives, too! Don't dangle a .10 listing day just once in a blue moon...look at the medveds. They are moving. If eBay would do this more often..that brings in NEW business and KEEPS the old.
I'm done, Business time,
Donna
quote:To me? If you're doing great..then you give BACK to those that helped you to make those record breaking profits.
Instead of two weeks later, raising rates..they should've been handing out freebies left and right.
Could not have said it better myself.
eBay answers only to one God: Wall Street.
That is all they care about. So, when you do good, and they announce record profits, and then raise your rates, what happens?
The stock price goes up.
Who benefits? The investors do. Not you. You do the work for the investors to make money. It's just that eBay takes more advantage of you and is more blatent about it. Christ, if you're gonna raise rates, do it 6 months after you make your announcement that sales at at an all time high. Don't cry "you're poor" 2 weeks later.
quote:Originally posted by JeffS:
Uh-huh, right, whatever...
Ebay announces their BEST quarter ever, highest profits to date.
Then two weeks later raises fees.
They've done it for the past two years.
quote:Originally posted by Suthrnjewl:
I was so mad last year when they upped prices that I closed one of my stores and haven't reopened it either.
Darn you, Donna. I had a hilarious comeback to ol' JeefuS all set to go,
but now you stepped into the line of fire! 
I don't want to take a chance on hittin' my favorite Southern Belle so I'll let it go. Time for Rush Limbaugh, anyway. Hit them sales!CB
quote:Originally posted by Capt. Binghamton:quote:Originally posted by JeffS:
Uh-huh, right, whatever...
Ebay announces their BEST quarter ever, highest profits to date.
Then two weeks later raises fees.
They've done it for the past two years.
quote:Originally posted by Suthrnjewl:
I was so mad last year when they upped prices that I closed one of my stores and haven't reopened it either.
Darn you, Donna. I had a hilarious comeback to ol' JeefuS all set to go,
CB
THTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTH!
I'm your FAVORITE? WOOHOO!
Now you made me blush!
Donna
quote:Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:He's giving it back, just not to those that helped him make it. Once eBay went public they now have to look out for their shareholders. And that means no freebies and to extract as much as they possibly can out of sellers.quote:If you're doing great..then you give BACK to those that helped you to make those record breaking profits.
If I remember right eBay didnt even need to go public, they were already profitable, had a bunch of money in the bank, and the amount the raised by going public was a small sum compared to their bank account and earnings that were coming in. They probably never even touched it. I'm pretty sure I even remember interviews where they said the never touched it. Going public was just a way for the founders of eBay to cash out.
That's what I admire about the founder. Philanthropy runs deep in my veins..I only wish it could run deep in my pockets..but I give where I can.
I feel that what the FOUNDER is doing is VERY worthy. I enjoy his site and what he's doing with his life.
Darn it..I wonder if the thing is still DVR'd..If I find it I'll try (note the word try to get a VHS copy done for you) And they didn't go to ANYTHING that he does. Actually made him out to be a hit and run, outta here kinda grab the money and go guy. I knew he had done and is still doing worthy causes and it's a shame the documentary didn't go into it further.
Take care, Donna