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One-week eBay sellers' boycott - Printable Version

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One-week eBay sellers' boycott - Karl Schneider - 02-10-2008

All --

OK, I don't like to start eBay-related discussions, but this may be of general interest, as eBay is the primary source of most of our HP calculator collections (including mine):

http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/07/smbusiness/ebay_boycott.fsb/index.htm?postversion=2008021009

It's a petition by eBay sellers to abstain from selling on eBay for one week (18-25 February) to protest changes in eBay rules.

One sentence in the article caught my eye. There may be one or more statements about American societal values within it; you are free to infer as you wish...

Quote:

Last month, she quit her job as a social worker to instead sell doll clothing on eBay full-time. Less than a week later, the fee changes were announced, and (she) realized that they would put too much pressure on her bottom line.

-- KS


Edited: 10 Feb 2008, 11:29 p.m.


Advice for eBay sellers' boycott and changes - Mad Dog ebaycalcnut - 02-11-2008

Sellers:

1) Don't bother with the boycott. In fact, I bet the unmentionable auction website gives all kinds of strike-breaking specials like cheap listing fees. No more than 10% of sellers will participate I am guessing; probably less than 5%. In fact, if more sellers boycott then buyers (doubt it though), you will have less competition and, therefore, higher prices!!!

2) If you participate, do it right. Put your stores on hold (the site has ways to do this) for the week. Stop listing the week before so that you have nothing on sale during that week. However, again, I just would ignore the boycott.

3) I do not know if this is within the rules, but when that new buyer-get-positive-only feedback system starts, maybe start offering a $2- or $3- rebate by Paypal after receiving a positive first. Obviously, tweak it based on the amount you are listing the given item for (and also increase the starting/buy-it-now price up to cover this amount plus enough to cover the new fee increases). This would give buyers more incentive to work things out before whacking you for things beyond your control such as shipping service delays. No big deal to you as you jack up prices to cover this. And, if buyers don't bother leaving you feedback, you are ahead two or three dollars!


Buyers:

1) Start licking your chops! Come May, you will get to leave HONEST FEEDBACK!!! If a seller did not get your item to the post office for over a week, ding them! If a seller did not respond to your emails, negative first and then you will negotiate to remove the feedback! Be reasonable and fair, but now you can stand up to slow or uncommunicative sellers without fear!!!

2) Look for all kinds of low prices during boycott week! I bet a higher percentage of buyers boycott then sellers; which means savings for you!!!

3) Sellers are going to be mighty nervous in the next couple of months, the whole thing might go down the drain after all.... Buyers might start drifting off to other websites. Try to get better deals. If someone is listing a 15C for $150, would it hurt to ask to cut the price to $100?? If they want to keep prices high, heck, you don't need this stuff after all. It's just a hobby. Just wait them out.


Edited: 11 Feb 2008, 1:20 a.m.