Buy.com's eBay Store: The Place Where the Level Playing Field Officially Ended

[mandy]

Randy Smythe broke the news first of the reduced listing fees eBay is charging Buy.com as part of a deal the two companies reached:

eBay's "Level playing field" has a "bump" in it and it's called Buy.com

If you ever wanted a preview of the "New eBay," I've got a treat for you, it will look a lot like Buy.com's eBay store. You will be surprised to see 150,000 3-day Fixed Price listings. Yes, that is correct—150,000 FP listings, in categories like Books, Music, DVD, and Computers...

full article: http://rksmythe.blogspot.com/2008/05/eba...ew-in.html

From eBay's corporate blog

In a nutshell, yes, eBay has entered into a partnership with Buy.com that will see them move all of Buy.com’s new and in-season inventory onto their eBay store in the coming weeks. Terms of the deal are not being disclosed publicly but the messages I’m hearing echo recent themes coming out of eBay presentations focusing on a better buyer experience and moving toward a more retail-like experience. eBay spokesperson, Usher Lieberman, provided Randy and I with the following:

  

  “eBay is aggressively using price as a lever to improve the value and selection on eBay.com. Consistent with our goals, we have entered into a partnership with Buy.com to bring their new-in-season merchandise onto eBay.com. We expect to learn a great deal from this partnership and we will build upon the results.”

The odds that other multichannel megaretailers will receive similar deals is a strong possibility.  Whether the small businesses that historically have filled the ranks of eBay's top sellers (i.e. PeSA, IMA members) will receive similar deals is up in the air.

I’ve been informed that we are not, at this time, extending the “deal” to top sellers and that any partnerships will be assessed on a one-off basis with hand picked partners. Personally, I think that top sellers that have put the sweat equity into helping make eBay what it is today - that have consistently provided excellent service for their customers - should be included for consideration when the time comes.

full article: http://ebayinkblog.com/2008/05/03/ebay-p...th-buycom/

An appropriate headline from StartUpNation:

eBay partners with Buy.com, gives large sellers the finger

full article: http://www.startupnation.com/blogs/index...he-finger/

[mandy]

Randy Smythe has blogged several more posts on this topic:

Winners and Losers in the Buy.com / eBay Partnership
http://rksmythe.blogspot.com/2008/05/win...-ebay.html

All eBay / Buy.com All the Time!
http://rksmythe.blogspot.com/2008/05/all...-time.html

Impact of eBay/Buy.com Deal Part 2!
http://rksmythe.blogspot.com/2008/05/imp...art-2.html

The Impact of the eBay/Buy.com Deal!
http://rksmythe.blogspot.com/2008/05/imp...-deal.html

The Auctionbytes blog has several comments from buyers and sellers on the topic:
http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blo...31600.html

[accentnepal]

Enhance buyer experience:
Channel them towards the big marketeers and homogenized products exactly like they can find everywhere else.

Moooo

Actually good news for off ebay websites. The marginal hobby sellers on ebay who have been selling for pennies per hour will be forced out of ebay search and die.

And somehow the long tail of small business will find another venue -but I hope it is not that arrogant Craig's List.

[mandy]

In reading some of the comments in Richard’s eBay partners with Buy.com post and the Evolution of the eBay Feedback post I think it’s important that we address the misperception that eBay dislikes small sellers. Let me be clear: eBay has always believed that small and casual sellers — “the little guys” — are eBay’s most important competitive advantage … These sellers created our community, bring a human touch to the marketplace, and continue to make eBay a truly one-of-a-kind shopping experience...

full bullshit post: http://ebayinkblog.com/2008/05/09/small-...advantage/

[mandy]

The Auctionbytes blog has an article and dozens of comments on Norrington's small sellers blog post:

Norrington wrote a special post on the eBay Ink blog to tell the community that eBay does indeed want to retain small sellers. Here are some actions that speak louder than words.

- eBay cancelled next year's annual eBay Live user conference, an event at which many small sellers have traditionally attended, saying it would attend smaller meetings next year instead. I can't think of a "Small Meeting" in this industry that is not composed of "Large Sellers," (okay one, but it's out of the price range of many small sellers who enthusiastically attended eBay Live each and every year).

- Shipping costs are rising, and eBay is forcing sellers to reduce shipping charges. This favors high-volume sellers who get volume discounts from shipping services. This, combined with the shipping DSRs, puts the squeeze on small sellers.

- Low-volume sellers are disproportionately affected by negative DSR ratings, leading to a vicious cycle of less exposure, fewer sales, lower volume.

full article and comments: http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blo...55144.html

[amy]

And somehow the long tail of small business will find another venue

I found Buy.com.  ;D

[bargainbloodhound]

[quote author=amy link=topic=17799.msg70016#msg70016 date=1210792963]

And somehow the long tail of small business will find another venue

I found Buy.com.  ;D
[/quote]

Many of the large eBay media and consumer electronics sellers whose eBay sales are most likely to be hurt by Buy.com's eBay store are also the same sellers who are benefiting from the expansion of Buy.com's 3P program. 

Buy.com is also selling on Amazon.