Weathering out the Storms......

[bone*diva]

I just wanted to post here to try to allay any panic that may have occurred here recently. Ebay's new feedback policies may make some of you feel that it's time to jump ship. This isn't the first time that eBay had made changes that cause sellers (and buyers) to balk. There have been countless boycotts and protests over the years, since I began selling in 1999, on eBay. Some of them I participated in. In the end......I am still here. There is not another venue that draws buyers like eBay. There is not another venue that has the funding behind them like eBay. Though I don't always like the changes eBay makes....I do like the sales. I find sales here at eBay. Sometimes we do have to ride out the storm. Personally, as a buyer, I have never liked the retaliatory component of the feedback system. As a buyer I find the changes to be GOOD! As a seller, if the buyers find it good...they will be more apt to stay and buy here....and THAT is good. Just my two cents........... Lisa -- ~Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimbol in the wabe.... -- Edited by bone*diva at 02/12/2008 6:11 PM PST

[kellyscolorstudio]

Fi, don't ever feel alone in this group. Our goal is to be here and to be supportive of everyone in their artful endeavors, in a kind, friendly, and cohesive way. Hopefully everyone feels comfortable enough here that they can peaceably state how they feel and it will continue on as informative, lively adult conversation. As my fellow artist, your opinion (and the opinions of the others here) matters a great deal to me. Now, time to go "art!" Happy weekend, everyone! -- •:*¨¨*:•.~Kelly~.•:*¨¨*:•. :-x

[ooak_handcrafts]

While I agree that it might be time to move on to St. Elsewhere's I have to ask where are they? Etsy comes to mind but having experience with selling there I have to say that they have the same policy. While they will let you leave a negative as a seller, it will be removed if the buyer protests. And you won't necessarily be informed of that. That is the next largest venue for handcrafted items but it costs more there with less exposure than eBay with the same problems. Other sites are distant thirds for handcrafts. Starting your own website might be a viable option for some. -- Free Fudge with every order from DecadentIndulgences.com

[925silverpalm]

Hi Fiona! No, I wasn't referring to your post, I just thought it needed to be said! I would hate for Ebay to drive a wedge bewteen any of us! We all need to continue to support each other! :) -- ~Sue :) my listings!http://stores.ebay.com/Wild-Watercolors-Art-Gallery_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

[robertsloan2art]

Yes, if this strike has taught me anything it's not to rely on just one venue. I've started listing my Etsy store link on my list of websites on the backs of my little bookmarks. It's just one more line, but I have lots of good ACEOs up there and will build that up still more in time to come. I've gotten into the Yahoo group and that's almost like an annex of this community, so many familiar handles (and unfamiliar handles that turn out to be friends in their other incarnation! I'm siamesetigerari over there. If you know my cat, you know me. lol) Someone up there mentioned the trust in this community. It's real. Even if there are problems with other buyers, I trust the art buyers and sellers here, because ours is its own different market and very intense, very positive. Ken, thanks for the tip on Tazbar having 100 free listings to start off with. Tazbar has a very good policy there, if I do well on those listings I'll start using it. -- robertsloan2art -- original ACEO, OSWOA and larger artwork. A big part of life is recognizing that creativity is human. It's not limited to a special Talented few gifted and cursed by the gods to become high-paid superstars. Search on Robs Art for all my art listings.

[robertsloan2art]

And yeah, the reason the changes disturb me is that eBay has been the venue for the disabled and the little guy for a long, long time. I can't count the number of times that just wandering around homeless or semi-homeless, I advised people who still had online access to try selling on ebay, do crafts or scrounge stuff or get rid of useless stuff to close the gap and not go homeless. It's a business. It's here to make a profit. It's kicking its customers in the teeth right now on a misguided business model, but it may come around. But while it was doing the largest garage sale thing it also opened doors for a lot of people who don't have many other ways to make a living. Hopefully these other sites will pick up the gap, and it'll just even out over many sites instead of just one. -- robertsloan2art -- original ACEO, OSWOA and larger artwork. A big part of life is recognizing that creativity is human. It's not limited to a special Talented few gifted and cursed by the gods to become high-paid superstars. Search on Robs Art for all my art listings.

[kaleidoscope2]

We've all been listening to a seller's point of view but I just got one from a buyer. My husband was bidding on something of eBay. I told him that he wasn't going to get any feedback then told him why. Even after I told him eBay's rationale, he said, "That's not fair." Lorri

[surreal1st1cp1llow]

Lorri... could you please tell us why he isn't going to get any feedback? ~M & T~

[kengillam]

Surreal1st1cp1llow you said read post #29 in this thread but your post was #28 so what has been deleted!! is there censoring of free speech or did you misquote the post number.

[surreal1st1cp1llow]

-------> STREAK ------->

[kellyscolorstudio]

Ken, Mark N Thora were letting you know they were about to "streak -------->", 'tis all. -- •:*¨¨*:•.~Kelly~.•:*¨¨*:•. :-x

[julee_bug]

Ken, Why do you always seem to be looking for someone to argue with or something to argue about? You claim to despise eBay yet here you are. You all but accuse the mods in this group of censoring free speech yet here you are. You say it upsets you to see your friends being taken advantage of, yet you call us wimps and foolish and, goodness knows what else that we've let roll off our backs. People have different situations that warrant different views on this issue. And I am growing tired of hearing my friends being disrespected because their opinion differs from yours. We are all a little frustrated right now but we aren't taking out our frustrations by brow-beating and insulting each other. And Kelly, if I went too far, you have my permission to censor me. Because, more than anything, I think we ALL have the right to come in here and feel like this is a community where we are supported by fellow artists, even if their opinions differ from ours. julee

[kellyscolorstudio]

Ken knows how we feel, we just had this discussion in another thread. I think that right now we are all under a certain amount of stress over this, it's very concerning and we need to be careful not to let it dictate our behaviour towards one another here in the group. I myself listed a few things the other day when they had the 20 cent special, it was late at night and I didn't realize it would run into the strike, well now I have bids...so I'm letting those go on but I've not listed any more. I felt silly when I realized what I had done but I don't feel like America's Most Wanted over it, and I won't. We all have to do what we can. I do believe that Ken cares about us and our well-being as a whole, he's just "up on step" over it. Name-calling, though, as I've said before, is uncalled for and not appropriate. We have to do better. Hang in there everyone. Hang in there. Best, -- •:*¨¨*:•.~Kelly~.•:*¨¨*:•. :-x

[retrospective66]

I agree that we shouldn't pass any judgement. There are some people that can't afford to not list. I will not be listing this week. Which is good for me because I need to paint my whole house! Not the kind of painting I would like to be doing! Also, I will not be BUYING this week either. Which is really hard for me to not pass up a great ebay deal! :-) -- ~ Michelle

[carolynnz1957]

interestingly enough, i depend on my ebay sales to eat. but im not listing during strike week... i could lose some more weight anyway! ;-) ~~carolynn

[bird-painter-fiona]

Hi, I'm just poping in to say hi to wish everyone a great start to the week ahead ... there's lots going on at my work at the moment and I wish my collegues could be as friendly and as everyone here 🙂 the person who runs the office can not cope with anyone having a different opinion over any issue, which makes the day drag .... here we can all express ourselves without fear of any ridicule ..... I'll try and imagine what a fun & crazy workplace it would be if we were to all work in the same building, cheers Fi