eBay Changes Fees, eBayers Stage Their Annual Boycott

[amy]

"These are the same sellers who have been whining for three years about wanting to pay only for performance,"

Note to braindead analyst...

estimated monthly figures:
Amazon: $2,100 ($39.95 + FVF)
eBay Auctions new fees $145,000 ($36,000 WEEKLY insertion fees + $1,200 monthly FVF w/discount)

...eBay isn't even close to having a fee structure based on performance.

[mandy]

Auctionbytes survey results: sellers who favor recent eBay changes:

A minority of sellers said their fees would go down under the new fee structure (13%), and a minority of sellers said they believed eBay feedback changes were good (5%).

Respondents who said their monthly fees would go down and those who felt feedback changes were good skewed toward higher-volume listers with higher annual GMV compared to the average of all respondents...

full article: http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m02/i13/s02

Results from yet another Auctionbytes survey:

A recent survey of over 1,600 eBay sellers found that 90 percent of respondents plan to make some changes to their business due to the fee and policy changes that eBay announced on January 29, 2008. While 10% of survey respondents said they would not make any changes, 23% said they would stop selling on eBay...

full article: http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m02/i12/s01

[mandy]

Another article on seller reaction to eBay's fee changes:

More than likely, eBay will continue to dominate for quite some time, Kossack acknowledged, but it will also experience major declines in its growth.

"Part of what fuels growth on eBay is the public display of eBay success stories, so that aspiring ebay entrepreneurs see the success and want a part of it," he pointed out. "But as eBay continues to make it harder and harder for even its top sellers to flourish, more entrepreneurs will seek out other avenues to run their businesses. They may go to other auction sites, or they may go to other sales channels or start new businesses entirely."

Kossack knows, of course, that for many sellers, there are no alternatives. The investment in time and inventory is too costly to maintain without eBay's promised volumes...

full article: http://ecommercetimes.com/story/eBay-Sel...61650.html

[sneakymagenta]

23% said they would stop selling on eBay...

They've said that after every fee hike.

[sneakymagenta]

Fees are reasonable compared to eBay, she said. "Last month my fees at eBay were US$700, which was more than I actually made."

The new fees and feedback regulation have"pulled the rug out from a lot of sellers,"

The rug was pulled out from under that seller by her own doing BEFORE the new fees if she paid more in fees than she sold. :

[BellisimaJ.]

Last month my fees at eBay were US$700, which was more than I actually made."

The rug was pulled out from under that seller by her own doing BEFORE the new fees if she paid more in fees than she sold. Roll Eyes

As "un-savvy" as I am about ecomm overall, even I could have figured that one out. 


There is another boycott scheduled for a one-week period starting on Feb 18. 

[bargainbloodhound]

There is another boycott scheduled for a one-week period starting on Feb 18

I already boycott eBay, and auction sites in general, 365 days a year.  I hate buying or selling on auction sites. 

Kossack knows, of course, that for many sellers, there are no alternatives.  The investment in time and inventory is too costly to maintain without eBay's promised volumes...

There's a big gap between eBay's promised volumes and the volume eBay actually delivers.  Our websites get much higher traffic (and sales) than our eBay stores ever did, and the profit margins are much higher.

[mandy]

Related:

Listings for the first quarter thus far are up 12 percent, year-over-year, according to American Technology Research analyst Tim Boyd. Here's the catch: Listings in the core U.S. market are down 6 percent, year-over-year, while international listings are up 27 percent

full article: http://blog.wired.com/business/2008/02/a...ers-b.html

[sneakymagenta]

There is another boycott scheduled for a one-week period starting on Feb 18.

Taking part in a boycott would hurt me far more than it would hurt Ebay.  I can't afford to lose 7 days of sales.  I need the cash flow.

[regic]

I'm sure that your suppliers, creditors, and employees would understand why your payments were late. 

arcasm1: