Hi to all.
I signed up yesterday, in the hope that you can save me from flea bay and its customer service initially, never mind the fees.
Background. Sold on E-fleabay since 2003, at first it was pleasurable, a good site, didn't charge too much and not a lot of "politics" going on. In those early days I was only selling the odd item, i.e things I no longer used. Things ramped up a little when I realised I could make a little pocket money, for a year or 2. Then I was either laid off from work, or the wife was on maternity leave, therefore went for the E-fleabay weekly, listing, selling etc. All was good, then the changes and the politics kick in, which ruined a very good site to sell on. The fees went through the roof (I make a living but ebay take close on £300 a month from this, which is near on 21% of the final sale fees) then the feedback changed, now I cannot comment on the complete A**hole that robbed me etc, other than leave "positive" for their experience, the DSR star rating, a joke, only there to allow Ebay to NOT give you a discount. I was a power seller, top rated and stuff, 2 months after DSR I wasn't, discounts, being featured higher up the listings, gone. A complete joke, I didn't change in anway I had operated, boggling!
The final straw and believe me the camels back has been breaking for a while now. I was served a "schilling" bid warning, on Tuesday of this week. I was gobsmacked, all of my listings with bids, I assure none had any of their schill bid, well bids. At this time I actually had 2 buyers standing in my showroom, who had come to look at furniture and they wanted to bid on these. I have a laptop available for interested buyers, within the showroom, so that if they want to buy and is on auction, they can log on, bid etc. Both of my customers, well they were not very impressed, although I managed to sell 1 item privately. On trying to speak to E-fleabay "you are not a customer" service, they just spout their policies and rules, none of which applied.
In short they ruined 8 auctions, made me look an idiot, or some sort of scam merchant in front of customers and they couldn't give a toss.
So here I am, I have listed 1 item on Ebid to see if it works, I have 2 watchers, so maybe it will, I do hope so.
As a user, it is a little "clunky" in places, but Rome wasn't built in a day, I wasn't expecting it to be Ebay, but I would like it to be! As a basic shouldn't the "thread" messages go from most recent, not from years ago to recent, as a default?
I will give you my support, as I need a marketplace that is not robbing me blind, not listening and is out of control.
Can you do it? A pull together attitude can, personally I am still holding out on Tesco going into the online auction market and giving Ebay a real run for its money. Ebay can be unravelled, you just need a ton of money to start it. The Ebid ethos seems good, you just need a ton of marketing, so do it!
Whoever founded Ebid could get very rich and keep an ehtos, so get to it, before someone else does, you have a foundation, build it, but remember why you did it, to make yourself a very good living without stamping down everyone else.
All the best with Ebid. and if you need some help, I am here.
Mark (aka Bettybug01)