Steve - frustration is the key word here.
There is a point, when you find yourself running to the Post Office FIVE+ days a week- sending out your customers orders within 24HOURS- and doing just about EVERYTHING RIGHT.
And- I will still insist that it does not matter to some buyers.
We now go to the Post Office ONCE- OR TWICE a week.
We are not trained seals- we do not jump for fish when our customers throw them at us.
Gas prices are far to high to waste energy, and time, to send out a letter or two. Ironically, there is a Post Office box about 50 feet (15m) from where I am sitting, and writing this. Because of the weather (snow & rain), we do not like to mail anything from a street box. Water is far too damaging to letters that may be sitting around for a while. We are considerate of our buyers. "OUR GOAL is always SAFE DELIVERY of your items- NOT SPEED"- and we tell our buyers this! (think about- short and to the point- you heard it here first!)
We have been around selling on eBay from April of 2003.
(We have received ONE single NEGATIVE from a buyer- and that was removed at their request.)
We had an eBay store some years ago- in the days when the END VALUE FEES almost made sense. And, other factors made selling there more conducive to higher sales. The NEW FEE structure is almost obscene!
eBay is being paid fees that are way out of line for the service it provides.
AT THIS POINT- eBay has become the de facto place to buy certain collectible items. There are other venues- but eBay is the venue of choice. This is an unmistakable fact. However, evolution means that things do not remain static, and change is inevitable. eBay's END VALUE FEES may be less than other BRICKS & MORTAR auctions houses- BUT- eBay does NOT take your photos, does NOT write your description (and do the research), DOES NOT collect you money- and DOES NOT package, and ship your items. SO- let's have a dose of reality- many FINE AUCTION HOUSES appear to charge a whole lot of money to auction your goods- HOWEVER- YOUU DROP THEM OFF- AND YOU GET THE CHEQUE (in many months- but at what savings of time, and energy to you?
As for the future- how many people buy CD'S? Not many. Most, over 50% of current music buyer download their music. Evolution has made the CD- the 8TRACK tape of the future.
Everyone predicted that VIDEO would kill the movie theatre industry.
VIDEO begat OPTICAL DISCS, which begat DVD's, and their progeny.
YET- the BOX OFFICE TAKE for opening movies still can exceed $40million for a single weekend! All those asses in those seats, and all those dollars in the industries pocket, were totally predicted to be non-existent, based on the past perceptions of the future.
Just because other auction houses online, including some operated by eBay have failed, does not make eBay TEFLON covered. It is not immune.
Most especially in the collectible market- physically seeing, and touching an item, even being able to smell it, has a great value.
The differences between the prices garnered in a SIGHT SEEN, AND a SIGHT UNSEEN market, can be HUGE !!!!
For homogeneous items, mass produced, and readily available, there are many fine LARGE!!! venues on the WEB to obtain them. eBay, if it is to survive, must define itself. AND- it is not suited, as it stands, to both be a merchandiser for MASS PRODUCED MODERN GOODS, and fine quality collectible items.
STEVE- please understand that I am not fighting you. And, possibly my background in economics is showing. The fact that you have a life is wonderful. Far too many people are showing the signs of becoming obsessed over hithertofore unknown factors- like DSR's.
Happiness is accepting that which we cannot change.
That doesn't mean we become so mired in our ways that we eschew change.
Those here who are knowledgeable, and 'adaptable' will survive. The exchange of information here can be great. It's the eBay ORWELLIAN nonsensical pronouncements, that I find disturbing.
Rest assured- there is most likely a damned good thesis to be written on how eBay has become a 1984 ORWELLIAN marketplace. From his works in 1848- to today in 2008, a short 60 years later, ORWELL would be proud!
As a total aside........
Around our house here- we have an expression, not often used, though very useful-
"IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY- DIAL 911.
If not- WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING ME?"
And, when the phone rings, and we are eating-
the line is modified to-
"LET THE MACHINE ANSWER.
IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY- THEY'LL DIAL 911.
IF NOT- THEY'LL CALL BACK !!!
And- if they're dead, we'll find out soon enough."
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