How to respond to ebay shambles

[bunsock]

I totally agree with what adruml says above. I was a bit concerned as to the negativity of some of the posts which might give potential new sellers (& buyers) the impression that it is not possible to sell well here on eBid and that the site was generally uninspiring. Yes, to sell effectively it does require a totally different approach from how you sell on the "other side".

One aspect of eBid is that it is good for selling low value collectables (photos, postcards, stamps) whereas the other site fails in providing charging model that enable sellers to get a worthwhile return on these small items and hence doesn't offer a good range to buyers. That doesn't mean that eBid is only good for small value items, for example over the last 12 months I have sold 1,700 items ranging from 30p to £350.

[Cancelcollector]

Sometimes I can't help but think that some of the "negativity" comes from folks who would have much luck selling their stuff ANYwhere... and eBid just becomes an "incidental scapegoat."

Let's face it, expecting to be "successful" with 5 listings consisting of

1. A pair of sports socks
2. An obscure part for a 1988 Ford Fiesta
3. A pair of no-name cheap shoes made in China, in some putrid colour that matches NOTHING
4. A slightly used frying pan
5. An overpriced comic book the seller is attached to as being "rare" (not!)

That's going to be a "tough sell" no matter where you are. Here on eBid we just happen to have an attached forum where people can vent their frustrations. A lot of online marketplaces don't have that.

I do like the "low value" aspect, as a stamp collector and trader. Allows me to list a far wider range of items than I do on The Bay. But it doesn't stop me from putting up a few £50 stamps, as well.

~Peter

[adruml]

Sometimes I can't help but think that some of the "negativity" comes from folks who would have much luck selling their stuff ANYwhere... and eBid just becomes an "incidental scapegoat."

Let's face it, expecting to be "successful" with 5 listings consisting of

1. A pair of sports socks
2. An obscure part for a 1988 Ford Fiesta
3. A pair of no-name cheap shoes made in China, in some putrid colour that matches NOTHING
4. A slightly used frying pan
5. An overpriced comic book the seller is attached to as being "rare" (not!)

That's going to be a "tough sell" no matter where you are. Here on eBid we just happen to have an attached forum where people can vent their frustrations. A lot of online marketplaces don't have that.

I do like the "low value" aspect, as a stamp collector and trader. Allows me to list a far wider range of items than I do on The Bay. But it doesn't stop me from putting up a few £50 stamps, as well.

~Peter

I would agree somewhat and maybe the days of yesteryear are long gone. Several sellers began listing (note I didn't state selling) odds and ends/bits and pieces saw how easy it was and decided to expand into supplementing their income. I am one of them. My original intentions were to sell some Tiara glassware left at my home by a roomate. There were also some odds and ends collectibles and other used items. I signed up to a site listed the items and just watched the bidding wars.
During the time I was listing these items I decided to purchase a set of drums from the site and also found someone selling cracked cymbals and thought I had a great idea for Custom repairs to cymbals so I started purchasing cracked cymbals, repairing them and listing them. No brainer, the bidders would bid and bid beyond my expectations. So then I found a source I could purchase inexpensive guitars and began selling those as well. Every now and then I would be able to get deals on assortments of items so I would take advantage of those as well knowing they would sell.
Profit margins were fantastic and I did this for about 3 years usually listed 10 items per week and I believe the most I ever had listed in a weeks time was 20 and it was rare the weeks listings did not sell for good $$$ at weeks end. Started Jan 2007 stopped purchasing and started selling off what I had left the beginning of 2010 due to the sites changes.
I did start just to get rid of odds and ends so I can't ever say anything negative about someone trying that. Don't forget a site has in fact sold a half eaten grilled cheese sandwich as well as a cornflake shaped like the state of Illinois.
I think there are sellers out there looking for the old days in online auctions. Whether that is possible on any site is questionable. Myself I would like to see it. What it would take to get there is what I believe people try to explain here which some look at as demanding or negative. I do agree if a seller knows the this site and believes they will be able to begin a business with odds and ends/bits and pieces as you have described they will be disappointed. If a hobby seller decides to list these type of items then so what? It's a hobby list away eventually someone may need it.

For those interested sales from 2007 Join date until 2010 (gross can't put profit here due to tax reasons) $103,575.00. That is without listing hundreds or thousands of items, without promoting myself (other than proper customer service) and before fees got ridiculously out of hand. Why can't we wish for similar here?

[CountryCuzin]

I'm sure ebid management are fully aware of the ebay shambles taking place right now and that sellers have began to start listing on ebid. the question now is how will ebid respond to this?

We need variants added to our options and any other necessary changes because any buyers coming from ebay will be used to them and if they are not here they will simply go elsewhere just as the people I have recommended ebid to have. Ebid has a one-off opportunity to take a giant leap by doing the things they know need to be done. But they must be done very quickly if it is to capture a reasonable slice of the market that ebay will lose. Ebid has potential to grow and here is it's opportunity if it grasps it.

I recently opened an eBid store and am slowly adding inventory. I would LOVE to bring my full inventory over to eBid, but an not able to do so without variants. Most of the items I sell are available in multiple colors and/or sizes.

I agree that this is the OPTIMUM time for eBid to add the variant and other features that would encourage those fleeing "The Dragon" to fully make the change to eBid. There are MANY online auction sellers that are now looking for a new home. PLEASE, PLEASE.

[orchardcraftco]

I'm sure ebid management are fully aware of the ebay shambles taking place right now and that sellers have began to start listing on ebid. the question now is how will ebid respond to this?

We need variants added to our options and any other necessary changes because any buyers coming from ebay will be used to them and if they are not here they will simply go elsewhere just as the people I have recommended ebid to have. Ebid has a one-off opportunity to take a giant leap by doing the things they know need to be done. But they must be done very quickly if it is to capture a reasonable slice of the market that ebay will lose. Ebid has potential to grow and here is it's opportunity if it grasps it.

Hi
I am new here and have come over from Ebay, The one thing that is needed here as said above is variations.

I sell applique items, letters and shapes and need to offer the option of different colours for each item. Is this possible?

[Juliebabe25]

mmm a lot of people have been asking for variations.

I imagine that this would be a major programming job.

[Juliebabe25]

One aspect of eBid is that it is good for selling low value collectables (photos, postcards, stamps) whereas the other site fails in providing charging model that enable sellers to get a worthwhile return on these small items and hence doesn't offer a good range to buyers. .

But that also means that ebay is making a lot more money than ebid.
Or put it the other way ebid is making a lot less money than ebay.
So it will always have less resources with which to progress.

[kreativebargains]

mmm a lot of people have been asking for variations.

I imagine that this would be a major programming job.

Not that major. If they wanted to put it to the top of the list it could be done.

[tony41]

But that also means that ebay is making a lot more money than ebid.
Or put it the other way ebid is making a lot less money than ebay.
So it will always have less resources with which to progress.

This is not logical.
Ebay has a lot more money than eBid because it is much bigger. Even if Ebay and eBid were the same size, Ebay would have still have more money than eBid because Ebay charges much higher fees.
In any case your post is not an answer to the point that Bunsock was making. He was saying that a strength of eBid is that its charging structure allows the sale of lower priced collectables which Ebay does not allow and that this give a good range for buyers. If eBid gains some of the collectable sellers displaced by new charges and other rule changes this will give buyers an even better choice which is a good thing for eBid.
I know you do not like sellers of lower priced collectables (and this is another of your thinly veiled attack on these sellers) but a better range of available items in whatever category must be good. Please stop suggesting that sellers of lower priced collectables are to "blame" for any of eBid's problems.

[adruml]

This is not logical.
Ebay has a lot more money than eBid because it is much bigger. Even if Ebay and eBid were the same size, Ebay would have still have more money than eBid because Ebay charges much higher fees.
In any case your post is not an answer to the point that Bunsock was making. He was saying that a strength of eBid is that its charging structure allows the sale of lower priced collectables which Ebay does not allow and that this give a good range for buyers. If eBid gains some of the collectable sellers displaced by new charges and other rule changes this will give buyers an even better choice which is a good thing for eBid.
I know you do not like sellers of lower priced collectables (and this is another of your thinly veiled attack on these sellers) but a better range of available items in whatever category must be good. Please stop suggesting that sellers of lower priced collectables are to "blame" for any of eBid's problems.

Wow! ebay has more money than eBid because it's bigger. Sounds logical to me.