Fee, Feedback Changes at eBay Still Vex Users NOW

[Lanascountry]

Just want you all to know that THIS is going on right now at the WASHINGTON POST!!
They are asking for concerned ebay sellers to come in and speak their peace. They are
coming in by the moment!
This is well worth seeing and getting involved in!!

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2008/02/fee_feedback_changes_at_ebay.html
CREDIT to Washington Post By Rob Pegoraro
Fee, Feedback Changes at eBay Still Vex Users NOW

Users are still grumbling a month after eBay announced major changes to the way it works. Some just finished a week-long boycott of the service. But for all the squawking from eBayers, the company shows no signs of relenting on these new policies.

To recap, the company announced at the end of January three broad categories of changes, as summarized on this page:

* It's chipped away at insertion fees, what you pay to put an item up for sale in the first place, and upgraded the illustration options available with each listing. But eBay is also taking a bigger cut of the sale price, with its base commission going from 5.25 to 8.75 percent.

* "Power Sellers" who draw high ratings will get better exposure in product-search listings, pay lower fees and get a little more protection if a buyer disputes a sale.

* The site's feedback system no longer provides as many opportunities for buyers and sellers to rate each other. Most importantly, sellers will only be able to leave positive feedback for buyers; buyers can still leave negative feedback for sellers, although some new limits apply to that option.

eBay North American president Bill Cobb provides a few more details in a posting on the site.

Overall, these changes seem to make life a little easier for people who already have Power Seller status, while making things trickier for occasional eBayers. (Like, say, me; I have a feedback score of a mere 13). But I recently had a long talk with a friend who sells computers on eBay full-time and has run up a feedback score of almost 3,500, and he's not happy either--especially about the feedback limits.

I'll throw this one out to the assembled readers: If you spend any serious time on eBay, what do you think of these shifts? Please let me know if you mostly buy or sell on the site.

By Rob Pegoraro | February 27, 2008; | Category: The Web Tidbits: Audio and DRM
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2008/02/fee_feedback_changes_at_ebay.html

[piazzapizza]

Just checked it out and added my 5c worth too. Thanks for the tip Lana

[Lanascountry]

Phil..Just wanted to add a further FYI..THE NEW YORK TIMES has one going as well,
from the buyer perspective..Things going crazy at powersellersunite, we have over 3,000 new
members in less than 30 days!! :D (don't need/have to be a PS)

[Lanascountry]

GREAT post, (on the POST) Phil.. :DBTW..I am sending you a PM..check>>:)

[sell4less]

Thanks for the information. I just put my two words in and did a little advertising for webidz. :D

[Lanascountry]

Thanks Sell4less..MAYBE all our voices will be heard by someone!! :eek::D

[bamadog_8]

I messaged ebay customer service under the subject of closing my store and I also posted my message on my blog there so other seller's might see it and complain also.

Here is a copy of what I wrote:

---------------------------------------------

To:eBay Customer Support
From:bamadog8
Subject:Closing your eBay Store


I may be forced to close my ebay account in May due to your new and unfair upcoming feedback policy changes. The only negative feedback that I have ever gotten was from a buyer that tried to blackmail me into a second and additional refund and I refused - even tho I had already left this buyer a positive feedback. I have registered at an alternative online auction website and will be evaluating it until your feedback policy goes into effect in May.
Sincerely, bamadog8

[jay212]

I'm a little confused about this thread. Are we to acutually care about the the changes that ebay (greedbay) has made, because in my opinion this site is better. just not known as well, although it has been growning. Yes, I do understand that it takes some work and time to build up feedback as a seller/buyer at ebay. I have sold and bought on ebay and with there changes and new feedback policies, I just have to say screw'um.
Let there greed be there down fall. Not only that they have increased thier fees but they also own paypal and they charge fees with every transaction as well. So in conclusion I think we should just continue to promote this site and draw buyers from ebay and direct them here. As far as feedback from ebay just use repatoo for potentual buyers to view.
If I misunderstood the purpose of this thread please accept my apologies, I haven't been awake long and I just ran into this. :D

[Lanascountry]

Hey there Jay..Your question is VERY relevant and also thank YOU for the question. We TRY very
hard to be very positive to other auction venues, but the whole purpose of this thread is just to let
folks be aware of the continuing effects of the Boycott and strike issues. Especially from some
of us who are very involved in the process. You are ABSOLUTELY correct (and I paraphrase,
forgive me:)) Our FIRST goal is to build THIS site and many thanks for YOUR efforts as well, Jay!! :)

[Lanascountry]

Bama Hi!! I cannot blame you and we had much the same situation ourselves.
The ONLY neg we EVER recd in 3,000 transactions, was from a NPB who is now
NARU'd!! :eek::(

[jay212]

Hello Lana, sorry if I sounded a bit hostile, didn't quite sound that way in my head :) but I was a little confused thats all, should have had my morning coffee first.

[Lanascountry]

It wasn't hostile at all, Jay and I commend & appreciate any comments you make.
Many thanks!! :D

[bamadog_8]

You are right Jay. I just had to rant a bit.. Now I can concentrate on helping to promote WeBidz:)
bamadog_8

[jay212]

Thanks Bamadog_8 I'm sure that everyone including myself appreciate your part in making this site grow. :D

[Lanascountry]

See this video at Youtube by one of our PSU members
about the ebay padded listing controversy!
Take a look!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf14CEHv__c

Boycott/STRIKE Victoriously!

[sniperace66]

hello all iam new as you all can tell i just registered here and Iam an X ebayer and a very disscussed the way ebay has treated it sellers. :mad:

Iam very happy what i see here just in the little time i been here. looks :cool: :)

i will look deeper into webiz but what i seen so far looks very promising i think this could outdue ebay if ebay keeps up what thay are doing. If you think 3000 in 1 month is good wait until after may thats when
the new feedback changes and theirs alot of unhappy campers over that one.

well anyway i hope to be opening up a store here and looking forward o making this my nes home.

[admin]

sniper,

We would like to welcome you to WeBidz, we are glad to have you as a part of our community. Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions or issues, and we will do our best to assist you.

[Lanascountry]

A warm welcome to our family/community, Sniper. I expect we may grow even bigger/stronger
as ebay rolls outs its' major changes re: MORE inflated fees, and (disaster) feedback for sellers
start to roll in.

Thank you for joining us at Webidz auctions! :)

[sniperace66]

thank you all for the warm welcome i feel at home here already. i will be opening up a store here very soon.

ill be selling a viarity of stuff from electronics to household item dune buggies dirt bikes go karts slot machine (if iam allowed) got to read your polices on that one:)
store name is one stop shopping mall hopefully in a few weeks i can get some items in it and get the ball rolling again like on ebay the old ebay not the new Ebay. :D

I would like to thank you all for the warm welcome and hope your easter was good.

[dreamz911]

hello, we are also x ebayers as one of you clinets wrote(GREEDBAY)which i think is perfect name for them i have been doing alot of looking around for ebay alternatives and came across webiz, we have listed a few items and will see how it goes, this site is very easy to navagate,and list items,i hope we found a new home,so sick of ebays crap,i think their policys are very unfair,is webiz doing a lot of advertising to promote? looks like there is alot of listings but iam a little concerned seems not many bidding going on. all i can say is so far so good so PROMOTE,PROMOTE,PROMOTE..seems great so far.thanks

[Lanascountry]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/lana-country/A-ICONS-GRAPHICS-MORE/welcomemugs.gif
Hi there Dreamz!! So glad you are here!! May I suggest that you get a banner in
your signiture ASAP, as it does create a few sales for you and helps you get started.
Also check out our wonderful honest sellers here in the forums, re: buying. (another
great way to start). We try to stay very upbeat and fun and to support and help each
other all we can here. You will find Kathy (Kat) Roz, Admin, & I are always willing to
help all we can and so many wonderful members here, most all the time.
We wish you all the best in sales and friendships and a sincere wellcome!!
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/lana-country/A-ICONS-GRAPHICS-MORE/welcomemugs.gif

[sniperace66]

Hello dreamz911 and welcome

Like with all websites it takes time to build and get a client base i just started here and in the middle of listing my items (over 200 and still adding) .

Iam sure that ebay when thay started out thay had the same problems. but look at them now. but the way ebay is going now i see no further advanvement there. my personal
Option is that thay are going in the other direction when thay raised their fees and changed how thay deal with sellers (feedback and paypal policies).

I see alot of Potential here to over take ebay in the future and iam willing to wait it out if we as sellers here on webidz work together can accomplish this.

[Lanascountry]

GREAT job on the listings, Sniper!!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/lana-country/A-ICONS-GRAPHICS-MORE/winneris3.gif

[unclejunk1]

Lets not forget how ole ebay is promoting right now! I love it:p You can list what you want and all you want for one cent each as long as you start it at .99 cents - I just cannot wait to lose money on my stuff! :rolleyes: I sure am glad to see all the new faces here. I fussed and fumed for far too long about ebay - its over! These folks are putting me to shame on listing - they need to join my listing challenge and show me how it is done! Get on in there and brag on yourself - let the world know it. But get a banner to lead them to your store.

[Lanascountry]

I gotta tell yall a little secret about our (CONTRIBUTING
member:)) Uncle Junk (Rick) he does NOT sell any
junk..GREAT items..now I just need money!! :D

[unclejunk1]

Ah shucks, tant nothing! just ole junk i dug up out back. Hey vote for this southerner! We did not lose - just waiting for ammo, that's all.

[Lanascountry]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/lana-country/A-ICONS-GRAPHICS-MORE/winneris3.gif

Uncle JUNK!! :D

[sniperace66]

Heres more news about Ebay thats going to raise h-e- doulbe hockey sticks at ebay :D

http://ebayinkblog.com/2008/04/02/ebay-at-channel-advisor%e2%80%99s-catalyst-conference/comment-page-1/

Was just on the forums and already thay are leaving because of this and its just in the planning stage.

Look out for the mass Exodus from ebay thay be flooding the doors to get out :D

[unclejunk1]

Very interesting! A lesson for all. Something we all need to remember is that even the smallest customer is so very important. Change many times is for the good but not when it hurts large and small - thats throwing it all away. Stupid to throw anything away if you don't have too. Everyone can learn from this- you cannot favor one group without losing another and if you carry it to far you will lose the trust of even the ones you favored, they will wonder when you will do it to them too. That is a leason business and government needs to learn, there is nothing wrong with profit but greed destroy's it all. Examples - Ebay, Oil Companies, Banking, Medical, Drug Companies. - worst of all government that is part of it. We are living in dangerious times and must understand our customers better if we want to survive. Buy and sell where they look after your best interest. You vote with your dollar in business. Get out and vote for the best of the worst this election year and you will get what you voted for. Best of luck to one and all!

[sniperace66]

your right there unclejack just ashame that oil companys made over 40 billion last yr in profits and thay keep
raising the price and then have the balls to ask the goverment for a tax rebate of almost 17 billion dollers
now thats greed if i ever seen it. Ebays the same way give them an inch thay will take a 100 miles. :D

[Lanascountry]

JB & I USED to sell wonderful old merchandise on ebay, like unc Junk has here at Webidz, they
were making it already so unpleasant for sellers that many of us with life long experience in
antiques, collectibles, and great old items, lost interest. That coupled with the fact that at times
we were NOT getting the bids to even make it worth our time, with listing fees, FVF's as all
upgrades, paypal and packing fees..
I noticed in that report you showed the lady made it clear that ebay was free to make 'CHANGES'
charge more, etc., anytime that feel like it. JB & I have been fighting these ongoing changes in
the boards as well as on alternative sitesm for 4 years now, and I am here to tell you that sites
like WEBIDZ.com can and will be the standard in the online auction world in the not too distant
fuure.. Did ya'll notice on there how many wonderful things
ebay continues to do for the corporate offices and such, as sellers (who ARE their customers)
receive less and less and work more & more!?? The WONDEFUL OLD items are going..so will
that huge number of BUYERS! Are WE ready (as auction community leaders) to receive and
help all these new folks that will be the heart of alternative site communities?
ebay has, and will continue to (IMHO) cut their own throats..They appear to have a
'death wish'!! It was fun, but time to move on and forward, friends..
Bless you all!!

[unclejunk1]

Hi, Lana! ebay was a novelty in the beginning. As time went on it became very clear that the focus was on profit alone for ebay and it came at the expense of the seller. That has not changed and is not likely to. You were not alone in your experience. We may have differing opinions in some ways, but alike in so many. When we lose our interest in old things we forget quality and history and should not do one or the other. In your 20 plus years :D you have seen so many things go out of style and come right back a few years later. The kids today think clothing styles are new but we know better. It just comes back around. I am like you I believe this is the future for several reasons, one cost, two, gas is getting higher. Last and most important when ebay finally reaches its final leg of evolution, I believe shipping will finally settle down and stop going up and up. Not everyone likes the old junk like I do but they will learn as they get older. Funny how the young folks are buying pyrex and corningware like it was old because that is what Mom had. We oldsters just need to adjust. Just look at the prices that 70's carnival glass made by Indiana Glass is bringing - that junk is new to me! Once we adjust we can do it again.

[Lanascountry]

LOL, Unc..don't you just wish we HAD picked up all those bright colored PYREX bowls and FIREKING
green mugs we passed up in the 70's & 80's?? Remember when authentic McCoy pottery was junk??:D
Problem with me & Jb, Rick is we have more than we can ever display and give to all the children..LOL, our
kids say 'hold on to it for me mama, I don't have room' when I try to give their LIKES to them NOW!! :rolleyes:

[unclejunk1]

Got it! I think I will just sell off my son's retirement right now!.