09-01-2006, 08:41 AM
Quote:Despite the increasing costs and restrictive payment methods, a good site user experience may keep people coming back for more. But the Ebay platform itself instantly appears slow and antiquated to any net savvy user. Modern web sites utilising the latest in 'Web 2.0' technologies have been flourishing, whilst Ebay has remained in the clunky, full page-refresh, pre-ajax mentality, despite huge profits that could easily transform an underdeveloped user experience via some decent level of R&D investment. Instead, Ebay development seems to have ground to a halt, with the company seemingly resting on its laurels with regards to its main user interface, which is utilised by hundreds of millions of users daily...
Ultimately it will take a huge sway of users and a very attractive alternative offering for people to switch to another auction service. But despite its current size, the fickle nature of internet use created by word of mouth and current trends, the minimal cost of switching, the tiring user experience, the increasing costs (which are proportional to Ebay shareholder greed), and the restrictive nature of Paypal and related services, will all couple to ensure a better-equipped competitor who embraces change, open standards, and provides a much better degree of customer service, will eventually topple Ebay - and not before its due time...
full article: http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34077
