Some ideas for ebid - No 3 - Target Large sellers

[kreativebargains]

Why are "big" sellers better than small sellers ?

On eBay, they have changed the character of the site and not for the better.
They mainly seem to sell new, cheap, oriental imports, many of which are available frrom your local Pound Shop, post free.

Is that the way eBid ought to go? Large numbers of cheap sales, large numbers of unhappy customers. Every seller trying to out-cheap the others?

I really don't understand the idea of big sellers being more valuable to eBid than small. They would also present a potential risk to eBid. If they chose to leave, it would suddenly have an adverse effect. Which is why they would have a clout which smaller sellers don't have. And which would lead to manipulation and demands for their own ends.

Here's an idea: Let's try to make all the small sellers into "big" sellers - support each other, buy from each other, and all work together to promote eBid, and make it the place to go for an honest, safe, purchase.
I came to eBid to get away from that, as did many others. As well as not selling on eBay any more, I don't buy there either.

That is why I queried the term 'big sellers' earlier. There are a large number of sellers with thousands of listings or more who would greatly enhance eBid. These are the sellers I would like to see joining us. There is only so much that can be done to build eBid without attracting larger sellers from elsewhere. The sellers with the cheap tat are not what we want, but there are plenty there that we do.

[Pink_Panther]

That is why I queried the term 'big sellers' earlier. There are a large number of sellers with thousands of listings or more who would greatly enhance eBid. These are the sellers I would like to see joining us. There is only so much that can be done to build eBid without attracting larger sellers from elsewhere. The sellers with the cheap tat are not what we want, but there are plenty there that we do.

Cheap tat?

[squern]

So how would you attreact "Big" sellers, but discourage cheap tat?

Who would define what cheap tat was?

What is the advantage to encouraging "big" sellers, rather than a lot of small ones?

[sidthelamp]

Why are "big" sellers better than small sellers ?

On eBay, they have changed the character of the site and not for the better.
They mainly seem to sell new, cheap, oriental imports, many of which are available frrom your local Pound Shop, post free.

Is that the way eBid ought to go? Large numbers of cheap sales, large numbers of unhappy customers. Every seller trying to out-cheap the others?

I really don't understand the idea of big sellers being more valuable to eBid than small. They would also present a potential risk to eBid. If they chose to leave, it would suddenly have an adverse effect. Which is why they would have a clout which smaller sellers don't have. And which would lead to manipulation and demands for their own ends.

Here's an idea: Let's try to make all the small sellers, who want to be, into "big" sellers - support each other, buy from each other, and all work together to promote eBid, and make it the place to go for an honest, safe, purchase.
I came to eBid to get away from that, as did many others. As well as not selling on eBay any more, I don't buy there either.

first realistic post on this thread,

big sellers in any numbers do not equal diversity they do drive a market place down to a undercutting war were no one wins , they also demand i for one have seen that twice on ebid over the years when they didn't get there own way they disappeared. diversity is and has always been the key to a vibrant market place, small to medium sellers selling a whole range of goods, sure theres room for more big sellers, but not to the extent were they drive the market value down, over populating cats were small sellers get very little visibility , every one who trades on line has seen this happen over the years, my opinion is we need to attract specialised traders, with commitment , who can adapt to a different market place , be it clothes to tools these are the guys and girls we need, the platform is already in place,

[kreativebargains]

So how would you attreact "Big" sellers, but discourage cheap tat?

Who would define what cheap tat was?

What is the advantage to encouraging "big" sellers, rather than a lot of small ones?

Unfortunately if you attract big sellers you cannot dictate what they sell. Fortunately eBid does not seem afraid of getting rid of sellers who break the rules no matter what size they are, so those happily selling fakes elsewhere would not find a home here.

For me cheap tat is something that will not do the job it is bought for. One example that springs to mind is a masonry drill I once bought. I only had a single hole to drill so bought a cheap Chinese drill bit from Wilkinson's. I would have been lucky to make a hole in a block of cheese with it never mind a brick.

The advantage would be the increased choice and the buyers they could bring in. Yes that can be achieved by attracting lots of small sellers, but eBid has been attracting the small sellers for years. If the site is to make progress it needs to grow. One large professional seller could bring in more listings than maybe a hundred small sellers.

I do not think that having a larger number of full time sellers on eBid would be detrimental to smaller and hobby sellers, in fact the opposite. The increased site visibility should mean increased sales across the site.

[Juliebabe25]

I wlll make a full detailed reply to these comments in a few days.
I'm off to reply to series 1.

But yes it gets a bit tedious when people talk of Cheap Chinese Tat.
What do they mean.
Yes those drills Kreative bought did belong in a kitchen show.
So if they were sold on ebid they would get a poor feedback fro quality!
But most of what we buy in the west is made in China, is it all cheap tat.
Do people in the UK buy British Tat?
And if you are after an antique or collectible, then Chinese tat will not appeal unless its a Ming Vase.

(And as an aside the Chinese often produce cheap tat as they a screwed down to a price by the likes of Walmart)
But I do wonder why they bother supplying those cheap light bulbs with their halogen fittings that last less than 5 minutes)

[Ebideclectics]

No large sellers. One thing that makes this place a good different! Other places are driving out mom and pops. People like us who just want to sell our goods or wears at a fair price and can't. HUGE PEEVE !
However that is the problem. Not selling. Paradox

[burgyeb]

It would do eBid good to have large professional sellers here. I do not see anything wrong with offering an introductory, welcome incentive to get them here.Perhaps offering them continued incentives for high revenue performance and responsible interaction with eBid's smaller individual and business sellers.The incentives are really not much different than offering discounts to wholesale buyers, or offering discounted s/h to multi- item buyers.It would attract more buyers, and that would help all sellers here.

[burgyeb]

Type of large sellers I would like to see would include companies offering quality brand name items like consumer electronic, office equipment, office supplies, printers, ink cartridges, shipping supplies, buisness software. These type of items would be helpful to sellers in running their businesses. Particularly if company was reliable, and provided service warranties and good customer service. This would leave lots of sales opportunities for smaller niche sellers on eBid.

[tony41]

It would do eBid good to have large professional sellers here. I do not see anything wrong with offering an introductory, welcome incentive to get them here.Perhaps offering them continued incentives for high revenue performance and responsible interaction with eBid's smaller individual and business sellers.The incentives are really not much different than offering discounts to wholesale buyers, or offering discounted s/h to multi- item buyers.It would attract more buyers, and that would help all sellers here.

There is a lot of difference between offering discounts for large sellers and the examples you quote.
There must be a level playing field as regards fees and facilities offered to ALL sellers.
To do otherwise is to start out on a slippery slope towards present day Ebay and I'm sure no-one wants that (except large professional sellers,perhaps).