Power Sellers Unite

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17241 Location: Texas

The Guardian newspaper in the UK reports that eBay sellers there are planning to strike on August 15 to protest the eBay Stores fee increase, and WebUser magazine points to a forum on eBay where users are discussing the strike (http://forums.ebay.co.uk/thread.jspa?messageID=1200548979). Meanwhile, some sellers in the US are planning to strike the company on August 22.

The success of such protests by users have been difficult to gauge, and eBay has never published the impact of past strikes. Sellers who rely on eBay income for a majority or all of their income may take a more long-term approach to dealing with the fee hikes. The significant fee hikes caught sellers by surprise just before the back-to-school shopping season, which leads into the holiday shopping season - a critical sales period for online merchants.

The area on the US eBay discussion boards devoted to eBay Stores has several threads about what sellers are planning to do to cope with the increased cost of doing business. Strategies vary, from selling more items in auction format to closing their eBay Stores altogether. Users have been debating the effectiveness of selling on "St. Elsewhere," a code word for other online auction sites, which users are banned from mentioning or linking to on the boards.

more.. link to news article

HowardH · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 159

As far as I've been able to tell, "strikes" or "boycotts" of ebay have been largely ineffective, and will continue to be so. Every time they weather a "strike" with little or no effect, it makes them look even more invincible, and just serves to reinforce their attitude that they can do as they please. What will make ebay change its ways will be the emergence of some viable competition. When and if that happens, the changes will be dramatic and very fast. I suspect the only reason they didn't raise fees on regular listings this time around was the growing buzz concerning Google.

I've been keeping an eye on several up-and-coming commerce sites, and I have used blujay.com with some success. I like the business model of OnlineAuction.com, but I haven't yet tried it out (and their business model hasn't yet withstood the test of time). The problem with using several listing sites is, of course, the hassle and time involved in keeping them straight (one reason I like blujay is that they are very low-hassle). That means, as a practical matter, it is very difficult to manage listings on more than two or three different sites.

Ebay's fortunes may be waning, anyway. Most of the junk you find on ebay is not really suited to the auction format, and ebay's reputation as a fraud magnet is growing.

In the long run, I think that the business model of Froogle combined with Googlebase and Google Checkout will sweep ebay into the dustbin of history (unless they successfully restructure their business model to something better).

oh · Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 1

Hi there from sunny Italy.
Do not know.
As far I know there are strikes in the States, UK, Australia, Italy, France. Do not know in Germany.
As far as Italy is concerned for the first time national newspapers talk about it, and name the alternatives. Yes, alternatives are popping out.
Maggie was in Italy on May and she stated Italy was the fastes growing country for eBAY. REWARD:
WE HAD 4.25% FVF, NOW IT IS ALINGNED WITH YOURS.
More than doubled.
Always been skeptical about the possibility to bring something home from eBAY, but is seems that they are confronting the unexpected. Shops in Italy are closing in droves.
Think something is changing. They are not the only ones, at least in italy.
Have a nice day. Tomorrow is holyday and I'll spend my day to the seaside, :D
D

Daikon · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 949

And what after the strike? Go back to listing things on eBay? Or close up shop and move elsewhere?

The only way to hurt eBay is by stopping listing there or at least take most of your listings offline and put up your items somewhere else.

Pipphoe

I would just chalk eBay up to a excellent-good-decent experience gone very bad and move elsewhere and do the hard work of really building a business. No matter what eBay may or may not do, they've have shown that they could never be trusted again. And aside from the fees there's so many other things about eBay that don't work anymore -- and I don't think I need to list those :evil: There would have to be 100% change from top to bottom -- that ain't going to happen :evil:

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17241 Location: Texas

Not only in the UK :shock:

http://www.powersellersunite.com/viewtopic.php?t=6099&highlight=

Like stated above though--What about after the boycott?
These poor souls will just bend over and start to list back at ebay once the "boycott" is over :(

What these angry sellers should do is boycott, say for a month or more and if ebay doesn't offer some sort of possitive decision about fees--Boycott another month!

I feel bad for those who rely on ebay for their income IMHO :cry: They have to pay ebay's huge fees no matter how high they might go--And they will continue to go up! Mark me word :evil:

lammergeiernet · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 1007 Location: Canada

eBay is still a cost effective place to get hits for your best products ,get leads and move the rare items for a fairly good price even with the price hike.

For anything but the best stuff eBay will drag you under :cry:

There is no doubt eBay can only be one tool in your online/offline tool kit.

I'm sure eventually they will ban listing on international sites one day and I will have zero use for them ,but until that day eBay has its place......just more and more at arms length so they can't scratch out your eye's hehe :twisted:

mojavelyn · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject:

Well, I've stated before, the only way to make ebay pay attention, is just what Daikon is also saying.

You can't win a revolution by playing safe. You can't win the war while sleeping with the enemy. Unless you're getting company secrets while in a "weakened" condition.

Daikon · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 949

I'm just biding my time, putting finishing touches on our OSCommerce site.

On the 21st I'll be ending lisings of slower selling items and moving them to my own site. I expect I'll cancel around 40% of all my listings this way.

I hope (and suspect) I won't be the only Powerseller doing this. THAT'S what'll make eBay sit up and take notice, not some one day strike by some sellers who'll go back to listing stuff the next day.

As lammergeiernet said, eBay is still a great way to get people to know about your business, but to rely on them as your sole outlet would be foolish indeed.

Oh and the strike? Yeah, I'll be participating, just to show my solidarity with those who believe it'll make a difference ;)

mojavelyn · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:35 pm Post subject:

elgato wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
They have to pay ebay's huge fees no matter how high they might go--And they will continue to go up! Mark me word

Cat, does this mean that you don't want my prime lake front property teaming with flora and fauna? LOL

coastalgifts · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 57

I really don't think e-bay will even notice a one day strike by our friends in the U.K.
The only way to do it is the way it is being done here in the states. Pull it off of e-bay ( period ). Just imagine what it would be like if the other countries had the ( you know whats ) to do this. If this was done, e-bay would not fall, but it would equal the ground we all stand on. The fees would drop and sellers would come back.
8) Staying cool in Florida
Terry
For all your disaster info check my site.
Survivorneeds

mojavelyn · Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 1:18 am Post subject:

Coastal, why go back to ebay? Isn't that like the alcoholic losing his sobriety or the battered wife returning to an abusive husband. Wouldn't the answer be to leave the abusive situation?

Ebay will just laugh at any one day boycott, no matter what country it is in. The better situation would be to leave ebay altogather. Its not the only game in town any more.

coastalgifts · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 57

I agree 100%.
Thought that was what I said. We all know that there are some who will migrate back when this is all over with. I for one will never go back.
For the fees that are and will be charged, you can start up your own site.
But, for those that do go back, hopefully this will make it better for them.
8) Staying cool in Florida
Terry
For your disaster info check my site
Survivorneeds

HowardH · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 159

coastalgifts wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")I for one will never go back.Never is a long time, and I don't see any need to cut off my nose to spite my face. I plan to just scale way back on ebay (closing my store since it is not cost-effective), and concentrate my main efforts on Blujay, my own site, and perhaps one other. I will list one or two items on ebay, primarily so that when I sell something there, I have a chance to send a blurb with the item that I deliver that tells my customer about the advantages of Blujay over ebay.

I'm working on a one-page brochure that I can use to print my packing list on the back.

Ebay is where the traffic is, and I can use that to my advantage while minimizing the amount of money I send them, and spreading the word to all my customers about the alternatives. I think of it as an advertising expense.

IOW, I will be using ebay as an introductory service, even though they prefer the whorehouse economic model. I doubt if there is any way they can prevent that without shutting themselves down, too. Already, I am getting some repeat business through Blujay -- and increasingly, I'm getting new business there, too.

2BOYSandTOYS · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 10095 Location: Kansas

I'm with you Howard - using ebaY to drive or redirect traffic is worthy - in my opinion. Running a few auctions here and there is affordable and does promote the seller.

I've not had a ton of time to determine what and when, but there are items that are mostly popular on ebaY, and I use those - start low - gather page views and hope for the best. My about me page points them to my site; my listing points them to my about me page; my site points them to my 'other listings' at alternative sites.

It is still a great 'marketing place' if you can't afford to list all items there!!

:D :D