Power Sellers Unite

MamaNeedsANewPairOfShoes · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 34

I was at my children's playgroup today, and one of the mothers said she was thinking of starting to sell on ebay. I asked her if she buys on ebay, and she said all the time. I asked her if she know about ebay's most recent fee hikes, and their business practices as a whole. All of the mothers said no, and that they all at least occasionally buy on ebay. She asked me if there is a problem?! I was floored. As a buyer, she had absolutely no idea that there was any problem on ebay at all. I explained it to her in short, and she decided to neither buy or sell on ebay anymore. I just cannot believe that this has not penetrated the masses yet.

Pipphoe · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject: Re: Buyers Still don't know!

Actually I'm not surprised. Unless a buyer has been scammed or there's been a problem with PayPal they're not aware of eBay's issues with sellers. I was blissfully ignorant until I became a seller. As a buyer I was never scammed and never visited the boards.

Although I have to say, with all the increased scam reporting and other stories hitting the news you would think buyers would know more. Then again, buyers "in the know" have probably left by now or decreased their buying a lot, as I have, and so that accounts for the lower sales all around, among other things.

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

I too am not surprised.

As a buyer, most do not bother with reading the forums at the online auction sites. You just want to search, find, click, buy now and get the item soonest. Why should a buyer be bothered with what it might cost that seller to list thier items?

Most locals I chat with do not shop online at all, mainly due to the fact they've known someone, somewhere who's been scammed and lost $$

I never shopped online until I became a seller myself :shock:

damaradeaella · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 501

With all the boycotting and letter writing I've been involved in, I network through my personal myspace account occasionally, and I tell you, every one of my friends and family who hasn't talked to me in a while, writes and asks "What's up with eBay?"...

Good topic to bring up... Well, when sellers are forced to continue raising prices by eBay's greedy piece of carp management, the buyers will get IT, right in the pocketbook...

thekatyworkshop · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 337 Location: Illinois

Not surprised there. I have a buying account as well, and I surely did not see even one notice about any changes to either the search formats or to any fee increases to ANYone.

They don't tell the buyers HOW to search, make changes and don't even tell the sellers....

I know that when I wrote to a customer I had from Express (one of TWO since its inception!), I mentioned that she could also shop our eBay store and I would be happy to combine all her purchases into one invoice for her. She didn't even know eBay HAD stores, and certainly didn't know I had one! Buyers are kept in the dark on this one.

Dancingwithbooks · Joined: 19 May 2006 Posts: 128 Location: California, USA

Hi Mama,
good post, and good topic. I'm not surprized either, and a while back I thought it would be a good idea to post on the buyers board over on ebay, I used my buyer account, and right away, some sellers got on and told me to head over to the sellers board where this was being talked about, or to leave ebay if I didn't like it!! They didn't want the word getting out to the buyers!! Some ebay sellers are still very loyal to ebay! Go figure that one out, how can anyone trust ebay at this point, or defend them? Well, my opinion anyway. I really think that slowly and surely, the word will get out, and buyers will start to follow the sellers somewhere else, anywhere else! It's already starting to happen! I think sales are going to start happening a lot more at the alternatives instead of ebay, just give it time!!
Hope everyone has a great evening.
Regards,
Dancing

thekatyworkshop · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 337 Location: Illinois

Well, one thing is for sure -

this is the best time of the year to dabble with other venues! Shoppers will be looking for holiday gifts in general.

I am not really so sure how many buyers actually go directly to eBay to purchase items. I know that as a buyer, I look, but don't start there. I google-start and spread out from there!

If other buyers are like that as well, then spreading out even a few litsings on each venue possible might be a great idea for added exposure.

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

I too am not horribly surprised! For those who are 'buyers' only, and I was one for a long while, they might not even 'know' there are fees.

And then, with the 'excitement' of the first sale, they might not 'realize' that ebaY made more than they did! I'm a reasonably intelligent person, and the 'excitement of "it" all' kept me in the dark for a long while!

Educating buyers and shifting the market is a huge goal - for all of us as sellers as well as the site owners. I work hard to always share with folks that mention ebaY to let them know that:

- They should explore other venues
- They should learn how to use other search engines
- They should do research if they decide to become 'sellers'

I figure those 3 messages aren't 'data overload' in any setting - ball fields, dentist, grocery, family, friends, etc. 8) :? :D

MamaNeedsANewPairOfShoes · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 34

I had not even thought of posting on the buyers board! That is a good idea, although I have to be careful, I am getting pikk slapped a lot lately!!! :)

knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

I've posted this same post in a few places now, but it was one of those DUH moments when I realized I had been missing an opportunity all summer. Maybe you also have a place where this idea would work.

If you do any kind of events where there are lots of people, maybe just a flyer that explains things would work.

I do several farmers markets every week and I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. A couple of weeks ago I was talking to some customers about off season and got to talking about selling on eBay. They all did some eBay but were totally unaware of all the mess there right now.

So anyway, I just made up a flyer to hand out at my markets this week. I printed 75 up and I'll let you know how many I get rid of after the weekend. Weather is not supposed to be good tomorrow. Here is a link to a gif export of the flyer and a card to get attention http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/ebay2.gif
http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/ebay1.gif

I use printmaster for things like this, so if anyone wants the file that has printmaster, I would be happy to share it.

Carol

CrystalStar · Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 3571

Working on something right now that may help buyer awareness.