You can read "Searching for Greener Pastures" here. Reply to this message to discuss it.
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Great article. I usally read about these issues and find many of the same old same old. but these latist changes in ebay policy and the online shopping enviorment i too am looking for alternatives to ebay! But i still love the site and the community.
Visit my ebay store where I sell my original abstract paintings for sale.
Urban Picasso Art
http://stores.ebay.com/urban-picasso-art
www.urbanpicassoart.com
Visit my ebay store where I sell my original abstract paintings for sale.
Urban Picasso Art
http://stores.ebay.com/urban-picasso-art
www.urbanpicassoart.com
This was a fantastic article - I am one of the "Mom and Pop" shops....I only began selling on ebay 4 years ago - first 2 years were great - 2007 started getting particular and 2008 took the "cake" with sellers unable to leave negative feedback for buyers and the ridiculous "seller dashboard" - I have 100% feedback and 4.7 - 5.0 in all areas of "dashboard" except "shipping fees" - I usually add 50 cents to $2 extra - depending on package - someone needs to pay for the packing supplies DUH??? - and now I have a 4.3 in that area! Has anyone gone to the post office lately?...their prices DO NOT decrease!
Also what is with the 12% FVF with Buy it Now - talk about highway robbery? Sure they give you a deal on the 35 cent listing and then rape you on the final value fees....goes right along with the PAYPAL or electronic payments only!
Bidders/Buyers do not like this.
I too am searching for alternative sites to sell my items --- all personal collections -
I am open to any suggestions!
Again great article and thanks for letting me vent!
Also what is with the 12% FVF with Buy it Now - talk about highway robbery? Sure they give you a deal on the 35 cent listing and then rape you on the final value fees....goes right along with the PAYPAL or electronic payments only!
Bidders/Buyers do not like this.
I too am searching for alternative sites to sell my items --- all personal collections -
I am open to any suggestions!
Again great article and thanks for letting me vent!
For sellers who qualify, try www.etsy.com. At etsy categories are limited to your own arts and crafts works, any materials used for arts and crafts, and anything vintage which is 20 years old or older. For the whopping price of 20 cents, you can list an item for four months. FVF is 3.5%. No auctions, just straight out buying and selling. There is a feedback rating.
The only drawback I find to etsy is because they do not have the exposure and recognition of ebay, you will need to drive your own traffic. Easy enough. Just take a few minutes everyday to promote your store on craigslist and other venues. And when you ship items to buyers, if your business card happens to list your store, so what.
There are several options available to all of you. It just takes a little research and doing your homework. You can't grow any business without change and growth and expansion, and most of all, you have to take risks. Take a leap of faith. Believe in yourself. You are your own boss and with you in the driver's seat, that ought to be motivation enough to make a move to improve your own financial status. It can be done.
I will tell you that literally half of the things I sell, I have acquired for FREE. I've done my homework. I study the market. Last year I made $400 from one dumpster dive. I found a book in a thrift store for $4 and sold it for $400. I found art work at a yard sale for a quarter and sold it for $75. Today I picked up over $200 in merchandise for FREE. All it required was the gasoline to pick it up.
Any of you can do exactly what I do. I have no tricks up my sleeve. I just do the hard work.
And everything I have done has been completely honest and above board. I talk to people. I ask questions. I seek out opportunities every single day. You would be amazed how many opportunities are available to you just for the asking.
Don't get too comfortable with where you are at and never stop looking for something better. Because if you look, you will find it. I did.
The only drawback I find to etsy is because they do not have the exposure and recognition of ebay, you will need to drive your own traffic. Easy enough. Just take a few minutes everyday to promote your store on craigslist and other venues. And when you ship items to buyers, if your business card happens to list your store, so what.
There are several options available to all of you. It just takes a little research and doing your homework. You can't grow any business without change and growth and expansion, and most of all, you have to take risks. Take a leap of faith. Believe in yourself. You are your own boss and with you in the driver's seat, that ought to be motivation enough to make a move to improve your own financial status. It can be done.
I will tell you that literally half of the things I sell, I have acquired for FREE. I've done my homework. I study the market. Last year I made $400 from one dumpster dive. I found a book in a thrift store for $4 and sold it for $400. I found art work at a yard sale for a quarter and sold it for $75. Today I picked up over $200 in merchandise for FREE. All it required was the gasoline to pick it up.
Any of you can do exactly what I do. I have no tricks up my sleeve. I just do the hard work.
And everything I have done has been completely honest and above board. I talk to people. I ask questions. I seek out opportunities every single day. You would be amazed how many opportunities are available to you just for the asking.
Don't get too comfortable with where you are at and never stop looking for something better. Because if you look, you will find it. I did.
This was indeed an interesting article.
How many MORE people will ebay piss off before they realize they made a huge mistake?
for those who are asking, the official boycott is currently supporting three alternate sites,
www.onlineauction.com
www.etsy.com
www.ioffer.com
While we have not voted to officially support them, www.bonanzle.com and www.ebid.com as well as formerly supported www.ecrater.com have brought some success for sellers.
The reason we have decided to support only a few groups is because in years past everyone boycotted and went off on their own. Today, however, we have banded together and stand united against ebay, and will continue to do so, until such time as ebay negotiates with us, and agrees to our terms; terms that are best for the community, not just a small segment. By uniting together and working together to build only a few sites, we believe we have a better chance at success, because we are uniting buyer and seller in as few supported sites as possible.
I encourage everyone to join the boycott,
Thank you,
Tim
http://forums.delphiforums.com/boycottebay/start
http://myspace.com/boycottebay
How many MORE people will ebay piss off before they realize they made a huge mistake?
for those who are asking, the official boycott is currently supporting three alternate sites,
www.onlineauction.com
www.etsy.com
www.ioffer.com
While we have not voted to officially support them, www.bonanzle.com and www.ebid.com as well as formerly supported www.ecrater.com have brought some success for sellers.
The reason we have decided to support only a few groups is because in years past everyone boycotted and went off on their own. Today, however, we have banded together and stand united against ebay, and will continue to do so, until such time as ebay negotiates with us, and agrees to our terms; terms that are best for the community, not just a small segment. By uniting together and working together to build only a few sites, we believe we have a better chance at success, because we are uniting buyer and seller in as few supported sites as possible.
I encourage everyone to join the boycott,
Thank you,
Tim
http://forums.delphiforums.com/boycottebay/start
http://myspace.com/boycottebay
Use ebay to find new customers and drive those new customers off ebay to some store you have somewhere else.
Don't overlook Craiglists. It's a super great place to sell stuff that's hard to ship or valuable.
You can meet the buyer in person and they will pay cash; no shipping, no paypal chargeback ripoffs.
Don't overlook Craiglists. It's a super great place to sell stuff that's hard to ship or valuable.
You can meet the buyer in person and they will pay cash; no shipping, no paypal chargeback ripoffs.
You should check out Bonanzle.com, It is really growing with ex-ebayers. it has booths (stores) set up and stock for free (import direct from ebay also) and very small fvf (based on total of sale - not each item). Rated very good by many sites as great alternative to ebay.. TRY IT OUT..
Fantastic article. 10 year + online seller here. I sure am happy with finding the place where the grass is greener. Stop by and say hi... www.bonanzle.com http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/tree411 and http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/Cindy_sCloset
Amen to that
I've listed items with no fees on Bonanzle and ioffer, yet had no sales there. I have had sales at blujay.com, which is a fee free listing site as well. I won't sell again on ebay unless they have a promotion for reduced final value fees, but then, I'd lose more profit taking payments with PayPal. Ebay is a no win option for me.
The things in this article are along my thoughts for the past year. I am so sick of the policy changes that completely undermine the sellers. Why don't eBay put up a survey (and display results publicly) asking which sellers thought no longer being able to leave negative feedback was a good idea...what do you think the results would be?
The moment that policy change was announced there was a unified "WHAT THE F###???" that I am betting could be heard from Mars. I am sick of eBay and do support the boycott (thanks Tim) 100%.
eBay does NOT care about your opinion as a seller, but you CANNOT be ignored as a buyer! Remember that before considering buying something from ebay to save a few dollars. Find it elsewhere and pay the difference if you ever want eBay back to the way it used to be.
---------------------------------------------
www.doctorauction.com
The moment that policy change was announced there was a unified "WHAT THE F###???" that I am betting could be heard from Mars. I am sick of eBay and do support the boycott (thanks Tim) 100%.
eBay does NOT care about your opinion as a seller, but you CANNOT be ignored as a buyer! Remember that before considering buying something from ebay to save a few dollars. Find it elsewhere and pay the difference if you ever want eBay back to the way it used to be.
---------------------------------------------
www.doctorauction.com
Many ebay sellers have a webstore somewhere else.
If you can't figure it out in the ebay ad (look for an email (Joe@joessite.com), just email the seller and ask.
I've bought a ton of stuff I found on ebay off ebay in that way.
Can't stand the thought of one penny of my money going to ebay.
If you can't figure it out in the ebay ad (look for an email (Joe@joessite.com), just email the seller and ask.
I've bought a ton of stuff I found on ebay off ebay in that way.
Can't stand the thought of one penny of my money going to ebay.
Interesting article. I too have felt ebay has slowly pushed those that made them out the door. Those that were asking about other sites, I set sales on several other sites, but far and large my best sales come from
AlsoShop
and they have been receiving tons of outside sales from major search engines in the past several months.
AlsoShop
and they have been receiving tons of outside sales from major search engines in the past several months.
I have several places that I sell at. The one that I have the most sales is at www.alsoshop.com
I heard about that site in October of 2008 in a forum in Ebay. I went and checked it out. Liked what I saw and joined.
I am impressed with the way that the major search engines are helping us. It is awesome.
I heard about that site in October of 2008 in a forum in Ebay. I went and checked it out. Liked what I saw and joined.
I am impressed with the way that the major search engines are helping us. It is awesome.
Hello yes I agree that ebay has forgotten who pays their bills ( we do the sellers). I hate the DSR rateing system, and the feedback system. I had a perfect 100% positive feedback, untill this took place, one customer tried to blackmail me if I didn't offer a PARCHEL REFUND they would leave me a negitive feedback, and they did because I told them I only offer FULL REFUNDS on return of the item. to offer to next bidder or relist. they left me a negitive feedback (ptcruiser98) also I'm sure that one of my other buyers gave me a bad DSR rating even though they left a positive feedbck because I shipped item over the holiday weekends, and it took a little longer than normal. BRING BACK MEG RYAN
Great Article... Maybe she will help promote Auctiva Ecommerce.
Thanks to Ebay, one of the greatest online eBay alternatives has risen to the top of the list. Bonanzle.com came out of beta in the start of September 2008, and in that time has exploded. Many of your favorite sellers have re-located here.
No listing fees. Low final value fees.Listing is a breeze.Support is out of this world - personal contacts - no canned responses!. The ability to negotiate and share info in real time right in your Bonanzle Booth. A community that actually is the friendliest on earth and will do anything to help you. The ability to upload your items to Google Base, a feature that is the absolute best way to draw customers. The sellers choose what method of payment they wish to accept: money orders, checks, google and paypal.
I encourage all those small sellers who are looking for a viable place to sell their items to come over to Bonanzle and see for yourselves what it is that makes this site the award winning, fastest growing sales venue on the web.
Some milestones to consider:
Bonanzle was named the best ebay alternatuve in July, 2008 by Ecommerce Guide. (Before even coming out of beta!) http://www.ecommerce-guide.com:80/news/news/article.php/3762231
Bonanzle was again named the best ebay alternative last week, this time by SmallBusinessComputing! http://www.ecommerce-guide.com:80/news/news/article.php/3762231
On behalf of the Bonanzle community I invite you come look around and ask questions. These are links to my 2 booths.
http://www.bonanzle.com/sofyblu2
http://www.bonanzle.com/sofy_schoice
No listing fees. Low final value fees.Listing is a breeze.Support is out of this world - personal contacts - no canned responses!. The ability to negotiate and share info in real time right in your Bonanzle Booth. A community that actually is the friendliest on earth and will do anything to help you. The ability to upload your items to Google Base, a feature that is the absolute best way to draw customers. The sellers choose what method of payment they wish to accept: money orders, checks, google and paypal.
I encourage all those small sellers who are looking for a viable place to sell their items to come over to Bonanzle and see for yourselves what it is that makes this site the award winning, fastest growing sales venue on the web.
Some milestones to consider:
Bonanzle was named the best ebay alternatuve in July, 2008 by Ecommerce Guide. (Before even coming out of beta!) http://www.ecommerce-guide.com:80/news/news/article.php/3762231
Bonanzle was again named the best ebay alternative last week, this time by SmallBusinessComputing! http://www.ecommerce-guide.com:80/news/news/article.php/3762231
On behalf of the Bonanzle community I invite you come look around and ask questions. These are links to my 2 booths.
http://www.bonanzle.com/sofyblu2
http://www.bonanzle.com/sofy_schoice
Loved the article... FINALLY someone giving an honest assesment of ebay's underhanded dealings towards us sellers and buyers alike rather than the 'rah rah ebay' crap usually posted by activa articles.
Face it folks - I was a Power Sellers for years, have made over 6,000 sales total on ebay and yet I closed my ebay store ane deleted 90% of my listing a couple days ago. That alone should tell you my feelings for ebay - there aren't enough swear words or negative comments in the english language for me to begin to descibe my feelings towards ebay and the people who have destroyed it...
They did it for the sake of profit - O.K., nothing wrong with that in it's self, but they went so overboard and made so many 'against the people who pay their salries' changes they have shot themselves in the foot and completely destroyed the entire concept and ebay site.
Everyone... PLEASE find other listings venues to sell your items - (ry auctions8.com free listings!) WE HAVE TO LET EBAY KNOW THEY HAVE MADE THEIR FINAL FATAL MISTAKES IF WE EVER WANT 'OUR' SITE BACK!!!!
Face it folks - I was a Power Sellers for years, have made over 6,000 sales total on ebay and yet I closed my ebay store ane deleted 90% of my listing a couple days ago. That alone should tell you my feelings for ebay - there aren't enough swear words or negative comments in the english language for me to begin to descibe my feelings towards ebay and the people who have destroyed it...
They did it for the sake of profit - O.K., nothing wrong with that in it's self, but they went so overboard and made so many 'against the people who pay their salries' changes they have shot themselves in the foot and completely destroyed the entire concept and ebay site.
Everyone... PLEASE find other listings venues to sell your items - (ry auctions8.com free listings!) WE HAVE TO LET EBAY KNOW THEY HAVE MADE THEIR FINAL FATAL MISTAKES IF WE EVER WANT 'OUR' SITE BACK!!!!