New comments (October 2009)

I always take every opportunity to offer input when there is a opinion asked by Ebay.....I don't think my suggestions ever reach anyone except a clerk that is only checking 'A', 'B' or  'C'....

Anyway, I see that EBAY SALES are DOWN about 29 percent. TWENTY NINE PERCENT!  I know the economy is off but I am telling you, AND EBAY, that the Ebay's new

sales format and platform (hidden ID's, can't communicate with fellow Ebay collectors etc) is a BIG reason for the downward sales! The fees and double dipping PAYPAL is another subject that has made many in, what once was, the Ebay community angry.  Last month, I purchased less items on Ebay than I have in TEN YEARS!

Ebay is going toward a sales platform/format that is geared toward RETAIL SALES. ATTENTION EBAY!  The cCOLLECTORS MARKET is NOT THE SAME as the RETAIL MARKET!!! Ebay has stopped the growth of the collectors market and has killed a collectors community that was GROWING because of the contacts we were all making, the trading of information (and collectibles) and the making of new friends and finding out things that we did not know. (Like the Grateful Dead discovered, the band allowed audience members to record and trade their tapes of concerts freely (just not commercially) and the found that their audience grew more and more and their official sales increased!  They nurtured the environment that sustained their business, concerts and sales!  Ebay's bean-counter, model it after K-Mart is killing their business and our fun.  (Oct 2009)

Ebay has changed the disclosure of User ID's in bid history. Fellow bidders' ID's are now hidden. Personally I do not see the benefit as a buyer/bidder. It has more to do with Ebay retaining fees and controlling communication between Ebay members outside Ebay. This is all well and good except it, again, has taken away from the member's enjoyment and benefit. I believe it results in lower bids.

We can no longer see what others are bidding on. That was a benefit for sellers as well as buyers! What the heck is happening to Ebay??!! The giant monopoly continues to move farther and farther away from the successful model that millions of people around the world came to enjoy. I don't know if it was that evil Meg or the devil that replaced her but someone has forgotten the basics.

Frankly, for Ebay to imply they are protecting me from offers and fraud is absolute crap. It has very little to do with anything involving buyer protection. It is 99 pct about protecting Ebay from it's members networking and simply selling directly or even communicating about or during an auction. (With the latest changes, I can't even advise a bidder that he is bidding on an item that is misrepresented. For example, you see there is a missing part and the seller's description states it is 100 pct complete. You contact the seller and he knows but does not update the auction and continues with a misrepresented sale...."AS IS, NO REFUNDS"! Ebay has made it more difficult than ever to protect buyers from ethics-challenged sellers. The new hidden bidder is one more way Ebay has continued to ruin what was once a simple selling platform with transparent, honest and open information. Shame on Ebay for portraying themselves as protectors of the seller.

This effects how much I am willing to bid. Previously we could review a competing member's history and make choices as to the sophistication of the member, typical price range, bidding style and so on. I could also see transparent or suspect relationships that may exist between two members to increase the final value.

Additionally, I may bid higher if I know I am bidding against an aggressive bidder! Heck, I sometimes bid higher than usual when I am bidding against someone that has beat me in previous auctions.

I believe the original, transparent, bidding process resulted in higher auction prices, more strategy and more fun!

I also feel that Ebay continues to impose more and more features and fee increases that aren't needed. The excitement of sales is tempered with the very high cost of selling on Ebay and the double dipping fee structure of the Ebay/Paypal. I would like a simple platform of photos and text with a recording of the transactions (buying/selling/watching etc). The every day seller is being hurt most.

Prices of many collectibles are being effected directly due to Ebay's selling platform. The percentage paid, net, to Ebay and Paypal is prohibitive in lower priced collectibles.

For example: If you do not use Paypal, your final auction sale tends to be lower! The psychology and convenience of the only real credit card option does encourage higher bidding.

This deflates the average price for items of similar description. The auction procedures could benefit from the most neutral environment.

Finally, this prevents us from making new friends around the country with similar interests and opinions to share! What next, hidden items? I have acquired knowledge and created relationships with fellow collectors across the country. Now that ability is gone!

This is what happens when a company has a monopoly. Meg created a monster. Great profit and great disregard for customer. The New Evil Ebay should look at transparent sales like the Grateful Dead did with bootleg recordings. It actually helps business in the long run. Why not allow optional hidden sales??

SecretMonkey