eBay

pierrelebel · ‎10-23-2013

By Ina Steiner
EcommerceBytes.com
October 23, 2013

eBay made a couple of major changes on its marketplace that decrease transparency, which many users say make buying and selling on the site more risky. eBay spokesperson Ryan Moore said the recent changes to customer feedback pages and advanced search were made based on customer input along with recently announced site enhancements. But it's difficult to find eBay users talking positively of the changes on the eBay discussion boards.

For more: http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m10/i23/s01

bb_cool_stuff · ‎10-25-2013

Risk management and contingency plans are part of running any business on any platform.

So true.

My contingency plans included Kijiji last winter.

To be honest i made twenty dollars in six weeks.

Lets just say at seventeen cents a minute taking pictures & listing items i lost money.

Oh well at least i tried. I can't hit a home run kneeling in the on deck circle.

i*m-still-here · ‎10-25-2013

@ricarmic wrote:

The transparency provided opportunities for me which I tried to take advantage of. It also provided challenges for me which I had to live with or work around.

It's reduction creates new challenges and advantages for me, and like all the other changes we see come out, I will adapt and make use of them or learn to live with them like all the other changes before them. In the grand scheme of things less transparency probably is better for me and my style of selling.

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That post is right on the money!

EXACTLY as I feel for the most part with the exception of the comments regarding the lack of advance warning.

In the past eBay used to give everyone the head's up regarding looming changes well in advance, and the result was that these minute details would discussed to death on this board.

IMO just plopping the changes on us the way they do now is the better option since there's nothing we can do about it anyway.

We adapt nickety split and forget that there was ever any other way in no time.

There are a lot of changes that many sellers who only buy occasionally are not even aware of now unless someone (like me) posts about them because unless you actually encounter them as a buyer these details are no longer in your universe(s) of eBay minutiae.

rose-dee · ‎10-25-2013

@i*m-still-here wrote:

In the past eBay used to give everyone the head's up regarding looming changes well in advance, and the result was that these minute details would discussed to death on this board.

IMO just plopping the changes on us the way they do now is the better option since there's nothing we can do about it anyway.

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My own criticism of eBay's handling of these changes (aside from what I feel about the substance of the changes themselves) is that sellers in particular -- whose livelihoods are often linked to this site -- aren't given notice even on the day major changes are rolled out. This leaves us scratching our heads, wondering if another glitch has happened, whether the change is permanent, and if so, what its purpose and impact will be. Often it means scrambling to make alterations to adapt. Usually it means confusion, and even more discussion on these boards to try to sort out what is happening.

Although I don't expect to be advised weeks in advance of every alteration to eBay's site, surely it isn't beyond those eminently IT-literate people to put up a brief announcement banner in a prominent place a day or two prior. Pick a spot where sellers are apt to see it -- our Summary page, for example. It would be so refreshing to be given some sort of warning. As for getting an explanation for a change like this, that's a hopeless wish.

I do think that the discussions and comments on these boards over proposed changes don't go entirely unnoticed by eBay. We know they're always monitoring, why wouldn't they be tabulating the opinions too?

ricarmic · ‎10-25-2013

i*-s-h wrote:

We adapt nickety split and forget that there was ever any other way in no time.

I think the extra, important words are:

So far we've adapted nickety split and forget that there was ever any other way in no time.

My very big concern is that some day, there will be a change, that may not seem like a big thing but it will be a big thing to me..... and my ability to sell.

I agree that we each on our own have no impact on deciding what changes come, but being aware at least enough in advance that we don't find out by the result, allows us to (pre)adapt faster and interrupts us less, which means we have more time to sell more, which means eBay shareholders make more $$ too.....

pierrelebel · ‎10-25-2013

By Ina Steiner
EcommerceBytes.com
October 25, 2013

eBay Defends Controversial Changes to Feedback Pages

eBay has been rolling out a series of controversial changes over the past week with no warning and no announcement to users. EcommerceBytes has been covering the developments as they've rolled out, and turned once again to eBay spokesperson Ryan Moore for answers. The changes increase bidder and buyer anonymity as part of an initiative that removes some transparency to the marketplace.

Last Wednesday (Oct. 16), eBay removed all purchase details from buyers' and sellers' feedback pages. On Monday (Oct. 21), eBay removed the ability for sellers to research bidders using eBay's Advanced Search, meaning users were no longer able to research bidders. On Wednesday (Oct. 23), eBay began masking buyers' identify on sellers' feedback pages but returned purchase details those pages - however, it is keeping item details off of the buyer feedback pages.

For more: http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m10/i25/s01

rose-dee · ‎10-25-2013

But what is your own opinion of this Pierre? I've been interested to hear from you (although I realize you're easing out the eBay door soon).

i*m-still-here · ‎10-25-2013

That information continues to be incorrect even after several days.

It is possible to see a buyer's history as recped pointed out.

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Advanced-Search-amp-FB-Can-t-See-a-Buyer-s-History-any-Lo...

pierrelebel · ‎10-25-2013

"what is your own opinion of this Pierre?"

Sorry, ever since Mary retired, I have less time to spare to participate in discussions on these boards.

As posted in a different thread a few days ago, I see the (not previously announced) changes as part of the new direction taken by eBay in 2013.

A few years ago, eBay realized their venue could only succeed on the long term by attracting more buyers and keeping current buyers. To that point, eBay modified many rules and policies to clearly advantage buyers. Most sellers agreed realizing that if more buyers stay here, sellers will all benefit with added volume.

However, this year we have seen a one hundred and eighty degree change of direction, a complete U-turn where policies and methods of operations are changing to the benefits of those very large retailers eBay is now attracting to the site. Those large retailers do not care about feedback, about DSRs, abotr TRS, about discussion boards, about buyer or seller protection policies, or any of that stuff.

They come here to sell, sell, sell, and sell some more. They understand they will suffer 2%-3% losses caused by fraud and abuse - about the same they face in their brick and mortar establishments through shoplifting and pilferage. These losses are only a regular cost of doing business. They do not care as it is built in their gross margins. All they want are more sales with substantial margins. eBay buyers can give them that.

eBay Inc will oblige. They wil give them the tools and platform they need. eBay makes a lot more money dealing with 100 large retailers who understand the basics of business than one million part-timers with a large percentage complaining about this and that.

Sad but..... life does go on.

i*m-still-here · ‎10-25-2013

rose-dee · ‎10-25-2013

Thanks for your input Pierre - you've basically confirmed some of the suspicions I've had about the underlying reasons for the head-spinning changes that have been implemented on eBay, particularly over the past few months. I've been here for many years, but don't remember such radical shifts and shake-ups on this site over such a short period.

Something I didn't actually realize about this big change was pointed out in the link to the article you provided. I've cut out the caption from the screen shot shown in the article, which I think is clear enough:

eBay hides purchase information for the buyer's transactions (you can't see what he purchased or how much he paid) but reveals who the seller was, but when the user sold an item himself, eBay displays what he sold but masks his buyer's ID.

I didn't at first appreciate that it wasn't just the "View Item" feature that had been removed, but that they have altered much of the information that used to be available, based on whether one is a buyer or seller.

One commentator on the article you've linked made a very cogent point -- that this, together with Cassini and the new search mechanisms on eBay, will help to funnel more buyers toward the larger commercial sellers, giving them less information about a variety of past purchases by others, and, as the poster put it "funnelling buyers toward" the big retailers.

I've managed to hang on here at eBay so far, but as 'ricarmic' pointed out, we little guys are wondering which next new wrecking ball will be the end of our viability as sellers. There are only so many of these types of changes that can add up before the total begins to weigh too heavily. For many small sellers, I wouldn't be surprised if life might not go on as it has before if that extra income is no longer possible. I suspect there are a whole lot of folks whose monthly bottom line depends on eBay sales.

rose-dee · ‎10-25-2013

'ricarmic' -- I just thought I'd click on your FB page to see what the "new" version looks like from another user's viewpoint, and I can see and click on all the "View Item" entries!

Huhh??? Now I'm really, thoroughly confused.

Has this perhaps got something to do with the fact that I'm accessing it from these boards? I'm going to try taking a peek at a few other posters' FB pages, and see if the same thing appears. Or could it be eBay's programmers are removing it, replacing it, removing it, replacing it, trying to get things just right?

rose-dee · ‎10-25-2013

Sorry, scratch that post above (well, not literally!)

I see, I see. Looking at a seller's FB page, the buyers' IDs are hidden; Looking at a buyer's FB page, the "View Item" feature is disabled. Yikes. Why not just make the whole thing hidden?

In fact, why don't they just do away with FB pages altogether at this point -- ah yes, that's what is coming -- a 5-star review system, rather than FB, which will appeal far more to huge commercial sellers who, as Pierre points out, don't care a wit for the whole FB system.

There is method in this madness after all.