10-16-2008, 11:15 AM
Randy Smythe reprinted a copy of a letter that was sent to him by a group of eBay sellers who are trying to mount a boycott of IR 500 retailers. The letter is being sent by the group to IR 500 merchants who no doubt snicker and dismiss the letter sender as a loon after reading the opening paragraph:
read the rest here: http://www.myblogutopia.com/2008/10/on-e...ymore.html
my comments:
1. eBay is not an island. eBay sellers' items have always had to compete with buy.com and other IR500 merchants' items for online buyers regardless of whether Buy's items were listed directly on the eBay site or not. The increasing importance of both organic and paid search, Google Product Search, and CSEs means going forward eBay sellers will see increased competition from IR500 merchants even if those merchants aren't listing their items on eBay.
Every business, whether online or offline, must deal with larger competitors. The successful smaller businesses learn how to differentiate themselves from their larger competitors and attract customers by providing something their larger competitors don't - whether that 'something' is better customer service or a different product mix. Only on eBay do smaller businesses stamp their feet and demand that their larger competitors shut down their operations.
2. Every business attempts to negotiate the best prices with its vendors and suppliers. When you buy merchandise from a supplier you no doubt also try to negotiate the best price or receive volume discounts. Buy.com didn't do anything wrong - it merely did what any business does in its normal interaction with vendors and tried to negotiate the best deal.
3. If the letter hadn't sounded like it was written by a 7 year old lemonade stand operator rather than an adult business owner I wouldn't have bothered to start this thread.Â
Quote:Topic: Why weâre not buying at buy.com
Nobody likes a bully. They push and shove to get their way and donât care about others. Pretty selfish behavior.
Usually they get away with it too. If they are bigger and stronger, who is to stop them?
Well we canât speak for patrolling the school corridors, but when it comes to companies like buy.com bulling their way onto the eBay marketplace we believe itâs time to take stand. Together...
read the rest here: http://www.myblogutopia.com/2008/10/on-e...ymore.html
my comments:
1. eBay is not an island. eBay sellers' items have always had to compete with buy.com and other IR500 merchants' items for online buyers regardless of whether Buy's items were listed directly on the eBay site or not. The increasing importance of both organic and paid search, Google Product Search, and CSEs means going forward eBay sellers will see increased competition from IR500 merchants even if those merchants aren't listing their items on eBay.
Every business, whether online or offline, must deal with larger competitors. The successful smaller businesses learn how to differentiate themselves from their larger competitors and attract customers by providing something their larger competitors don't - whether that 'something' is better customer service or a different product mix. Only on eBay do smaller businesses stamp their feet and demand that their larger competitors shut down their operations.
2. Every business attempts to negotiate the best prices with its vendors and suppliers. When you buy merchandise from a supplier you no doubt also try to negotiate the best price or receive volume discounts. Buy.com didn't do anything wrong - it merely did what any business does in its normal interaction with vendors and tried to negotiate the best deal.
3. If the letter hadn't sounded like it was written by a 7 year old lemonade stand operator rather than an adult business owner I wouldn't have bothered to start this thread.Â