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Ebay tries to wash away mistakes with new service

Posted Oct 10 2007, 10:13 AM by Kim Peterson
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Another day, another doomed social networking service launches. Today brings us the "Neighborhoods" community at eBay, which is struggling as the number of auctions on the site decline.

The service is truly cringeworthy. In the Coffee Lovers forum, eBay employees have obviously tried to seed some discussions by posting things like, "Isn't morning a great time for coffee?" Yeah, that's going to stimulate some fascinating comments.

The idea is to stem the losses at eBay by keeping people on the site. Ebay's listings dropped 6% in the second quarter from the first and 2% from the year-ago period. Listings by active "power sellers" were also down an astonishing 25% from the year-ago period.

Meanwhile, eBay is still reeling from its hugely bungled Skype acquisition and from bad press like this article, where a Led Zeppelin promoter says, "I wish eBay would drop dead and die." 

If eBay wants to keep people on its site, it should consider dropping all the fees that sellers get hit with. There are cheaper ways to sell (Craigslist, anyone?). Asking "What has Star Wars meant to you?" is not going to cut it.

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Comments

 

Been on ebay since 1999.  Hate it, extremely bad customer service, fees are crazy out of control (Worse than my bank). They cater to businesses too much and not enough to the normal person. The yard sale mentality was great, now it's gone, so treasure hunting feel is gone.  I can buy from retailers sometimes cheaper than the businesses that sell there at better service.  

Scott W (Posted 10.10.07 2:31 PM) Report Abuse

Ebay's real downfall is its inability to stop fraud especially repetitve fraud by the same individuals.

Wendell (Posted 10.10.07 2:33 PM) Report Abuse

Ebay is not even really an auction anymore...80% of the prices you find on there now are basically what you would pay at any department store. And lets talk about most of the shipping charges these people are trying to get away with...with those kind of charges I am willing to pay 10 dollars more and drive up the road to purchase my item and bring it home the same day!

Susan (Posted 10.10.07 2:35 PM) Report Abuse

What happend to ebay is what happened to the local swapmeet where it used to be a cool place hang out and find interesting items. It turned into a market of cheap goods with POWER SELLERS that chased away the sense of community.

Jose Ruiz (Posted 10.10.07 2:37 PM) Report Abuse

craigs list isn't nationwide - that is why ebay isn't going anywhere

Scott Golden (Posted 10.10.07 2:39 PM) Report Abuse

Ebay price on fees and the prices that items are being sold are not the greats. Considering some of the items that are sold can be purchase at a cheaper price in stores across the country.

Curtis (Posted 10.10.07 2:41 PM) Report Abuse

EBay has really Lost it's sense,  Sellers get hit with so mant fees that it forces them to actually look for other avenues. Fees Fees Fees!!!  

Erick (Posted 10.10.07 2:41 PM) Report Abuse

I used to sell on ebay, but stopped because of the fees.  I don't mind paying the fees once, but if the item doesn't sell I had to pay fees again.  I can run an ad in the newspaper or on the radio or tv for what they charged me to not sell a newer vehicle.

wanda (Posted 10.10.07 2:41 PM) Report Abuse

As a seven year trader on EBay both buying and selling, it is losing site of several things.  Fees are going to high, they are allowing large large sellers to use and abuse purchasers, they are not swift to solve issues even when documentation is provided to EBay and Paypal.  And trading "VICTORIUSLY" means nothing to any of us... service service service will help... otherwise google, amazon and yahoo are looking better and better.

Mike FIsher (Posted 10.10.07 2:41 PM) Report Abuse

I agree, they are running off people with the fees on ebay alone. Then they slam you with more fees through Paypal! I've been buying stuff on ebay for years but each time I consider selling something i'm scared off by the "nickel and dime to death" fees. I even find my self buying less due to sellers trying to pass on the expense by over charging on the shipping.

Paul (Posted 10.10.07 2:43 PM) Report Abuse

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