The End of the ebay for Business Podcast
All good things must come to an end. On today's podcast, it was announced that this was the last "ebay for business" podcast.
There was no indication that ebay plans to replace it with a new in house production of any kind.
"...Our library of past episodes will remain available throughout two thousand twenty five, but I do encourage you to download those that are a special interest. We also encourage you to check out many of the wonderful eBay and selling related podcasts online. There are so many. Just search on the terms eBay selling, e commerce. Tons of sellers out there are offering really good podcasts. So, check them out."
Griff did NOT announce his retirement, so it may be premature to say he is leaving ebay.
45 comments
mummumscorner
·1 year agoI keep hoping that this decision will be reconsidered, and revived in new version. eBay wants sellers to think it has their back. The podcast was a meaningful way to have our back by keeping us up to date with strategy, tactics, news, and simple process innovations.
There are many other podcasts but none with eBay’s perspective vs podcast’s wanting the latest click bait, rumors and best guesses from outside of eBay.
eBay did not ask the sellers what they want. Probably saves eBay money to pull the plug, but will it cost more in lost alignment of sellers to eBay’s vision and changes.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year agoThis was a very abrupt notification, and there was NO mention of it in the pre-recorded sessions from ebay Open yesterday, which suggests that the decision to end the podcast might have been made AFTER those sessions were recorded, which I believe was just a few weeks ago at most.
Again, I hope this was not due to a health issue for Griff (he's no spring chicken...and neither am I , for that matter).
And, of course, this might not have been Griff's decision, it might have been made by higher ups....it certainly would be in keeping with other recent decisions, to cut back on some of the category specific social media sites, to consolidate the ebay for business facebook page with the ebay facebook page, and so forth.
It will be interesting to see if there is any acknowledgment of the end of the podcast at today's ebay Open session. (and perhaps an announcement of a successor program, although Griff's statement on Tuesday gave no hint that there would be a successor.
This is of course speculation, but I know of at least one podcast that is considered an ebay "partner", which suggests ebay might have decided to budget money to support multiple podcast "influencers" rather than continue an in house podcast. Perhaps they will also make ebay execs and employees more available to some of these podcasts?
Time will tell.
valueaddedresource
·1 year ago@my-cottage-books-and-antiques I saw Griff posted in the podcast facebook group that he's "not retiring. Yet."
Here's my wild guess off the cuff thoughts - to be taken with a large grain of salt. 😂
Like you said, it was very abrupt, but if anything is/was going to be said about it at Open I would expect that would probably be today since there are more seller led/seller focused things on Day 2 and if anything, I would think the clapping tunnel, thank you montage thing that usually goes along with the up and running announcements would be a perfect and classy place to thank Griff for the work he's done with sellers over the years etc.
If that doesn't happen then yeah, I agree it could be a sign this was a very last minute decision to pull the plug.
But to your point about the social media consolidation and other changes we've seen - eBay has had a *lot* of turnover in the comms department this year, with many people affected by layoffs in January, VP Global Communications, Michelle Friedman leaving in April, and I've seen a few posts on LinkedIn in the last month or so that also indicate some shuffling of the deck or reductions in that area even if there isn't another big mass layoff going on at the moment.
While it certainly crosses into different areas of the org chart with input/participation from customer support, product teams and seller experience - the community team, social media pages, podcasts and anything public-facing that could be seen as "content" created and put out by eBay is pretty much all ultimately under that larger comms umbrella.
And eBay just announced a new Chief Communications Officer yesterday.
https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-announces-appointment-of-gigi-ganatra-duff-as-chief-communications-officer/
So, my guess is that there's been a mix of short handedness/consolidation/cutbacks and also that eBay may be re-evaluating their entire comms strategy, particularly around content for and "engagement" with sellers.
I would also surmise that moving away from direct eBay content creation and engagement and leaning more on "supporting" seller created/led efforts (like the podcast you mentioned) is probably both a significant cost savings and a significant buffer when it comes to liability/accountability and controlling/curating what is out in the world as "official" narrative and presentation of the brand.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@valueaddedresource I tend to agree. Both about the "buffer" and cost savings, but I also think ebay has concluded that they can build a much larger audience overall by using "influencers" off ebay, than by trying to draw people to come to ebay itself (Of course, the ebay podcast could be accessed on many podcast channels, but it was also a very ebay centric podcast...and many, many sellers these days are multi channel, and would probably prefer a wider range of discussion).
And yes, they recently changed the Comms director and their ad agency, and I'm sure both changes are related. I suspect part of the strategy going forward will be a more diffuse approach, spread out over the Internet (and the B&M world) as a whole. This is one reason I started my other thread, about search....I suspect we are going to be seeing more and more sales coming from something other than non traditional search, as ebay tries to figure out how better to meet people where they are (rather than only driving traffic to ebay), while still collecting revenue in some way. There wasn't a whole lot said yesterday, but I think we are being shown the tip of the iceberg, with a lot more going on behind the scenes in this regards.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@valueaddedresource Also, good to see you posting. How are you and the Hurricane getting along so far?
valueaddedresource
·1 year agoThanks @my-cottage-books-and-antiques just a little rain and breeze so far this morning, but landfall's still 8-10 hours out so it probably won't get too bad here until later this afternoon. Prepared as well as can be, now as the great Tom Petty said...the waiting is the hardest part.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@valueaddedresource
Well, sound like you have battened down the proverbial hatches, hope we see an "all clear" from you later....
valueaddedresource
·1 year ago@my-cottage-books-and-antiques waiting for the sun to come up to survey for any outside damage but safe to say, we dodged a big bullet here in Tallahassee, didn't even lose power.
Thoughts are with those in Perry and along the coast who got the worst of it with the storm surge...it's going to be ugly I'm afraid. ðŸ™
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@valueaddedresource Glad to hear you dodged the bullet. I was following it here and for a while there, Tallahassee looked to be a definite target.
the-hook-and-the-loop
·1 year agoSo eBay's not for business anymore?
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoJust in the front - the party's in the back.
dhbookds
·1 year agolol..........this is what you get when you click on the picture:
Way at the bottom is a link to the podcast......I'd be confused..........but just me.
bullcity96
·1 year agoIt is such an amazing resource. I feel like I’m losing a friend suddenly. When they phased out the last host it wasn’t sudden like this. It’s like something bad happened and they are shutting it down but I know they are awesome and great! You guys will be missed and should start your own podcast 🙂
wastingtime101
·1 year agoHi @kayomi@ebay . Will the Seller Spotlight podcast continue or is that also ending?
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@wastingtime101 Well, only kayomi can provide an official answer, but that podcast had already been consolidated with the ebay for business podcast, so there has really only been one podcast for some months now, with the Spotlight being integrated into Seller for Business.
I think they are still doing Seller Spotlights (not sure they call them that) on eBay's you Tube channel?
wastingtime101
·1 year agoOh, right. I did see all those videos on youtube but didn't realize they weren't cross-posted on the podcast page here on community.
Honestly, they probably get more attention on youtube than they ever did here.
kayomi@ebay
·1 year agoHi @wastingtime101 , the Seller Spotlight podcast has ended alongside the eBay for Business podcast.
wastingtime101
·1 year agoThanks for the confirmation, Kayomi.
katbuzzco
·1 year agoI was disappointed to hear that the eBay for Business podcast is being discontinued. It's much easier for me to stay on top of what's happening at eBay by listening to the podcast while I'm doing other tasks than it is to remember to log in to read through the often lengthy announcements. I'll miss hearing Griff and Kayomi and do hope that eBay offers something similar in the podcast's place.
valueaddedresource
·1 year ago@my-cottage-books-and-antiques I asked in the eBay For Business Podcast Facebook Group if that group would be discontinued soon too with today's news and Griff said it's not going away but will "evolve" so...who knows what that means exactly. 😂
fern*wood
·1 year agoProbably "evolve" like the monthly chats here on the board evolved into nothing.
angjur_94
·1 year agoI was shocked. The podcast was an excellent resource for me. I learned so much from it. I’m really going to miss it.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@angjur_94 I wasn't shocked. I've been figuring at some point, Griff would step down from the position, and I had a feeling, once he did, they would just close it down. But I did expect a little more advance notice, so surprised by how abrupt this was. I hope Griff is well.
jerseyboymusic
·1 year ago@my-cottage-books-and-antiques
Maybe Griff saw Marty McFly Jr after 11 years and wants revenge? 😅
wastingtime101
·1 year agoWasn't that Biff, not Griff?
jerseyboymusic
·1 year ago@wastingtime101
Griff was Biff's grandson in 2015 ðŸ˜
slippinjimmy
·1 year agoGriff is probably "well" but given he was a student at the Berklee College of Music in 1972 he is probably 72+ and maybe not interested in doing a regular gig anymore.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year agoAre there any ebay/ecommerce related podcasts you listen to?
I occasionally check "The Seller Community Podcast" produced by List Perfectly, and co hosted by Doug Smith , former ebay Community Team member. Like ebay for business, they provide a transcript, which I really appreciate (it's easier for me to skim through a transcript than listen to an entire episode).
https://thesellercommunitypodcast.com/
Would be happy to hear about others.
fbusoni
·1 year ago@my-cottage-books-and-antiques
I am one of those people who abhor listening to others enjoy and luxuriate in the sounds of their own voices. (Probably why I never made it into "senior management". 😄 )
Transcripts are good, but a distillation of the transcript down to bullet points would be even better.
Honestly, maybe its because I'm 65, but I've not once heard anything in one of these podcasts about selling that did not boil down to plain old common sense. ("When you buy a storage unit, be prepared to do research." Really? I should not just go ahead a list an antique French porcelain hand painted apothecary jar with gold gilt for $19.99? )
By contrast, I've learned a great deal here on these seller fora.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@fbusoni I don't mind listening, but I have always preferred the transcript because I can scan through it faster than I can listen to something , and I can do a copy and paste when I want to quote someone.
Bullet points are not necessarily done well, and tend to leave out context that can be important when dealing with conversational discussion, as opposed to prepared "speeches". Still, they certainly have their place.
Over the years, I actually learned quite a bit from the podcasts, and before that, ebay Radio (especially back when you could call in live and ask questions of ebay execs).
Of course, over the years I've also learned a lot here. Although one has to wade through more misinformation and redundant questions.
I've often wondered if there is a market for someone to put together a "Readers Digest" sort of compilation every week of information gleaned from podcasts, discussion boards and YouTube , etc, programs. Not so much "ebay news" as seller tips and strategies, etc.
Maybe AI could do the job? LOL
fbusoni
·1 year ago@my-cottage-books-and-antiques
What I'd like to see here are pinned threads which contain bits of wisdom from experienced sellers.
The old Amazon seller fora had these many years ago if I recall correctly. They were really superb.
Of course, were they to be introduced here, they'd immediately be polluted by all manner of detritus from imbeciles from hostile nation states, and there would be no way of removing said trash without having to bother a moderator.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@fbusoni Years ago, ebay had a section where sellers could write up information on a topic, such as "Shipping 78rpm records" or "Pottery Marks of McCoy Pottery"....Guides I think was the name of one of these type things, and I believe there was something else as well. Of course, since these were written by sellers, some were great and some were not, but many were written by serious collectors who knew their stuff.
Unfortunately, ebay eventually deep sixed them all, and replaced them with "professionally written" stuff that wasn't nearly as good or useful, and which , eventually, was also deep sixed.
If I remember correctly, some of the write ups included really useful lists of links to outside ebay reference sites.
There was actually a lot of good info, all contributed by sellers who gave of their time and expertise for free...and all removed quite abruptly. I can tell you, a lot of sellers were very unhappy when ebay pulled all their hard work.
But I digress...
Just making the point that ebay has provided some similar stuff...and I seem to remember when Groups were actually active, some Groups had informative pins at the top of the pages....but I doubt ebay will do something like that now. You can always call in the Community Team and request it if you want...
fbusoni
·1 year agoYou can always call in the Community Team and request it if you want...
Thanks for the laugh! 😂
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@fbusoni Just speaking of the Boards generally, but the Board today is a shadow of what it once had been. The activity level is nothing like it was years ago. A combination of outside circumstances (the rise of social media, for example) and incredibly poor decisions on ebay's part drove a lot of sellers from the Boards, and ebay's continued failure to provide actual answers here and to actively engage with the seller base will guarantee more departures.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoPlus the entire turnover from the old forums to the new company was managed by a "communications" middle manager who had never even BEEN on the forums and hadn't a clue what went on there - he even admitted this and not long after was shuffled off to another job or maybe just left, but the damage had been done. I had the impression from reading his posts that he was just lost on this project.
So, we went from a simple, reasonably well designed forum system to this Fisher-Price business we have now. A trove of archives, guides, general sales information plus busy specialist forums, was just eliminated, and I think due to eBay management's ignorant leadership (a bolt-on forum like this just isn't going to make those decisions on their own). Many people simply never came back. The Vintage clothing and accessories board, believe it or not, actually put eBay on the map for a large market as there were a number of write-ups in the press about the high quality of participants - including well-known experts - and discussion.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year agoYes, the Vintage Clothing Board was an amazing resource and brought in EXACTLY the sort of "Enthusiast Buyers" (and sellers) ebay is now spending lots of money trying to draw to the site. They had the Dominant position when it comes to vintage clothing and the Board was actually a large part of that, but ebay has simply NEVER understood the value of this seller generated content. They pretty much tossed it all away. Sadly, the history of ebay is littered with poor management decisions like that. Nike just dumped Donahoe as CEO in large part because he was making a lot of poor decisions there ....
brightlightbookseller
·1 year agoHuh, didn't even know it exists. Sorry to anyone that enjoyed it, though.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@brightlightbookseller
"Huh, didn't even know it exists"
Probably one of the reasons it is being discontinued. In typical ebay fashion, they've never really done much to promote it. It was one of the very few resources where sellers had a decent chance of getting official answers to ebay related questions.
I would not be surprised if the community boards are next on the chopping block.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year ago@brightlightbookseller
At the moment, if you look over there to your right as you scroll down this page, you will see links to recent episodes. Also, here's a direct link to the podcast page:
https://community.ebay.com/t5/eBay-for-Business/bg-p/ebayforbusiness
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoI doubt that - where else would they get the free customer service? 😣
nobody*s_perfect
·1 year agoLOL, it's promoted right at the top of this discussion board. Now they need to update their image sequence.
dhbookds
·1 year agoyep.......still there today
@kayomi@ebay might want to take the image out of of the top of the selling board...........
wastingtime101
·1 year agoTo be fair, they just launched a new episode yesterday. In my opinion they can leave the banner up for the week and take it down on Monday.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP1 year agoGiving this some more thought, Griff indicated past episodes would be available through 2025, so maybe just change it to Podcast Archives or something like that.