eBay

pocomocomputing · ‎02-11-2016

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y16/m02/i11/s01

During his talk, Wenig used variations of the same catchphrase he has been using to sum up how eBay is different than other marketplaces: "unique inventory and incredible value." And he plans to go after boutiques and handmade crafters to get a rich and diverse set of inventory.

eBay had been focused on retail, and the company was a mile wide and an inch deep. But Wenig said post-PayPal, he'd rather have "a million small businesses" instead of putting "three more huge retailers on to sell commodity goods where I don't compare well."

wkndshop · ‎02-11-2016

Sounds GREAT to me, but where are the latest round of **Free Listings** to help us little guys get started?

Ive only got 1 day left of my last round of 30 day freebies.

Also, its Valentines i thought Ebay would have proffered more free listings to flood the market with these small sellers wares.

mr.elmwood · ‎02-11-2016

I was in San Jose, front row, when Wenig said this. He did not say this once, he said it several times.

Mr Wenig is an active seller on eBay.

I was chatting with friends, later, and looked around. Mr Wernig was sitting on the other side of my table just waiting for people to come up to him and chat. So, I did.

.
.
.

wkndshop · ‎02-11-2016

What did you talk about?

mr.elmwood · ‎02-11-2016

Just "stuff". It was more of a meet and greet type environment. I have chatted with Meg Whitman and John Donahoe, in the past. I did not want to waste an opportunity to meet the third CEO in a row.

Very intelligent and quite personable.

A friend I was sitting with went and asked him a narrow question, relating to a specific interest of hers. He was surprisingly well versed, in what I thought, would be something he should have no knowledge about at all.

Her request was denied, but, denied with reasons, examples, and respect.

.
.
.

cooltoyzncomics · ‎02-11-2016

I did not get the fixed promotion in January so I've been waiting for a promotion since early December. Brutal.

rose-dee · ‎02-11-2016

@pocomocomputing wrote:
http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y16/m02/i11/s01

During his talk, Wenig used variations of the same catchphrase he has been using to sum up how eBay is different than other marketplaces: "unique inventory and incredible value." And he plans to go after boutiques and handmade crafters to get a rich and diverse set of inventory.

eBay had been focused on retail, and the company was a mile wide and an inch deep. But Wenig said post-PayPal, he'd rather have "a million small businesses" instead of putting "three more huge retailers on to sell commodity goods where I don't compare well."

Yada, yada, yada. Well, gee, I'm still waiting for the phone call ... if he wants unique for great value, here I am! I'd be happy to give him a few REAL pointers on how to help a OOAK seller grow their business here.

From where I sit, things have only been getting more difficult -- and mostly due to eBay's decision-making. After all these years of selling truly unique items (my copyrighted historical sewing patterns), I'm now in jeopardy of eBay knocking me out of the game entirely if I'm unlucky enough to get a few "No" answers to the on-time delivery question.

It's one thing for Wenig to say what he's quoted as saying, quite another to actually do something about it. Maybe he forgot about sellers outside the U.S. and the effect the "on-time delivery" concept is going to have on them. Most of the good vintage/OOAK sellers in my categories have already run away to other places (along with their buyers). How does he propose to get them back now?

This is just more of eBay's usual closing the barn door after the horse has fled. Just more hot air, blah, blah, blah.

lukey9 · ‎02-11-2016

I'm closing down for awhile so I will be able to sit back and see what happens or is it just another smoke & mirror deal After waiting 15 months I finally got the call to go in for a total knee replacement on March 1 I am not going to hold my breath for the other announcement from E-Bay.

femmefan1946 · ‎02-11-2016

Been there -- twice.

Do the physio.

And get some Vitamin E oil for your scar. It makes a huge difference in appearance.

rose-dee · ‎02-11-2016

Oh, and I would point out that the following is in direct contradiction to everything else Wenig is reported to be espousing about small businesses creating unique items, because by and large, only mass-produced, commercial goods have produce identifiers.

"However, eBay is complicated for shoppers, the CEO said. And that's why the company is "replatforming," a reference to the initiative in which it is requiring sellers to list with Product Identifiers in order for eBay to be able to create Product Pages. That initiative has been a key talking point to analysts since Wenig took over from John Donahoe as CEO."

I think somebody didn't notice he's talking out of both sides of his face...

rose-dee · ‎02-11-2016

@mr.elmwood wrote:
I was in San Jose, front row, when Wenig said this. He did not say this once, he said it several times.

Did they give you Kool-Aid at that event?

momcqueen · ‎02-11-2016

I read that last night too with interest. I'd love to believe it but we shall wait and see. It seems to be a no-brainer to me that ebay has to re-discover its roots and distinguish itself against the competitors it cannot hope to beat. Yes, small sellers may sometimes require more hand-holding, coaching, and correcting but, to me as a buyer, that is part of the whole package and reason I come to ebay. I go elsewhere to get stuff cheap. I look here to get the stuff I want that cannot be found in-store. The River's third-party sellers don't interest me as much since they have to charge a lot more than an ebay seller does with the same product in order to make the same profit. (I looked, I sniffed, I am stuck here for the time being.)

Words to placate small sellers. We will see if action corresponds.

Now, how to lure buyers back? ebay.com is relentless with their promotions and ebay bucks. Here at ebay.ca? We are poor cousins. I would like to see a bone thrown now and then. Are we really so middling? I need Promotions Manager here. Need need need. I can provide better service to my Canadian customers with it. And I have no interest whatsoever in entering the foray on ebay.com, free listings or not.

cumos55 · ‎02-11-2016

Feedback with four aces ...1111... has got to be a winner.

aubreyclay56 · ‎02-11-2016

focus on small sellers that is way funny lots of free listings in dec and january helped me make about 60 sales awesome no free listings no more sales,not hard to figure it out for the realy smart people,i cant afford to list 200 items my profits would all go to ebay instead of 25 per cent sheash

dutchman48 · ‎02-11-2016

Only certain people are rah rah Ebay and they are fast diminishing

cumos55 · ‎02-11-2016

Sellers who have been here many years, up to 10 years and more.... adjusted to eBay as the years passed....

A small seller can have a big presence.

I do remember a business that has about 6 listings... a special care product for people...and it sold well

Many small sellers make the mistake of starting on eBay, and they continue to sell a product that fills a small niche... Buyers initially find them... but then the market has filled and sales drop.... Less buyer who want their product.

The focus on eBay should be to sell a wide variety of items... and constantly adding to a primary niche, ready to meet the needs of the market

and not depend on one category of inventory.

Sometimes you have to dump or set aside old inventory and start something new

Small sellers must change as eBay changes.... and as the market changes.

The idea is to be a small seller, that fills a niche, to sell with a focus, and not afraid to vary inventory in relation to what one finds as possible inventory.

reallynicestamps · ‎02-11-2016

no free listings no more sales,

HUH?

Why would it make any difference to a buyer how much the seller pays (or doesn't) for her listing?

No listings= no sales, yes.

No free listings=/= no sales.

And if you can't pay 30 cents (or less) for a listing, there is a problem with your business plan.

sylviebee · ‎02-11-2016

That term : "Small Seller" is used here a lot, but what exactly is a small seller as opposed to a big seller?

Some sellers who sell only used items are not that small at all. (For example, 135,000+ items.)

What's the definition of a small seller?

hlmacdon · ‎02-11-2016

From the article it sounds like they are trying to refocus on the market that Etsy took off with and that Amazon has launched into. With Etsy stock tanking it's probably not a bad time to focus on it. The problem as I see it is that intiatives like the SDI to improve SEO and recent policies aren't really geared towards the smaller seller of unique items in any way. They are really going to have their work cut out trying to figure out how to segment the two different types of business rather than the one size fits all approach currently. Still it is somewhat positive to hear.