Ebay should consult users

[wpt05]

When implementing change eBay should consult actual eBay users before doing so.

It seems there are many complaints because of features being added or features being removed. Are any real users of their product being consulted before these changes are made?

I don't believe this is a problem specific to eBay. How many times do you get “updates” on your computer only to find out it works worse or not at all?

Does anybody else have any thoughts about this subject?  

[cashvaluerecovery2011]

It seems that those who have power to make change usually only do so when it benefits them or their interests. Ebay makes changes when they want how they want with the sole idea that it puts more money directly into their pockets. They rarely take the "build business" approach like trying to make sellers happy about selling just as they do buyers.

I have been here since 1999 with multiple accounts. One has only to take a small whiff to catch how ebay thinks here. I rarely ever buy here anymore and have sold for all 20 years. A store since it was available. Yet today I can check my email and see 2 dozen spam emails from ebay about what great deals they have for me as a buyer. "Look at all these ebay bucks", "Save big on these hot new items" etc. I almost never see anything for sellers or about sellers............unless of course its to let me know im about to have to do something new and special for buyers or lose some money here or there.

I cant even remember the last time something was implemented that didnt negatively effect sellers. At ebay Change is something that comes at a cost every single time. Its one of the few times and places where when im told "you can keep the change" that it actually causes anxiety.

[aquajoe07011]

eBay consulting users before making changes makes too much sense.  Why would eBay do that?  LOL!

[castlemagicmemories]

Sometimes Ebay has reacted after the fact and walked back a policy due to protest.  

[wpt05]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

Sometimes Ebay has reacted after the fact and walked back a policy due to protest.  

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That is one of the points I am trying to make.  Why not ask first before implementing (or experimenting).  

[goodluckselling · Accepted solution]

There are many opportunities for users to share there experience with eBay.  Many just do not do it? 

• eBay sends out surveys all the time. 
• Nearly every page has a share your thoughts or comments
• beta testing on big changes happen all the time.
• eBay staff has a weekly chat every Wed. where you can share and suggest ideas
• eBay staff monitors threads for input from users and even encourages us to share experiences
• social media presence where you can make suggestions and share thoughts
• eBay sends you suggestions  through eBay messages and seller hub which allows you to communicate with them
• Podcasts and You tube subscriptions you can participate in
• Dozens of discussion themes to participate in
• make it happen here in the forum.
• eBay staff are largely also actual sellers and buyers like you and I who test different things and report to the teams that work in those areas

Are any of these areas what you are speaking about that you want eBay to consult actual users?

Good Luck Selling!

[pburn]

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@wpt05 wrote:That is one of the points I am trying to make.  Why not ask first before implementing (or experimenting).  

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They do consult with users before implementing changes.

As for the "many complaints" you refer to in your original post, keep in mind that these discussion boards tend to attract people who are upset with changes eBay has made (with no judgment on whether they are right or wrong). So, seeing 100 posts complaining about a change would not necessarily represent the 1 billion* eBay users. There could be countless people who think the changes are great or really have no opinion about them at all.

*Hyperbole.

[zamo-zuan]

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@wpt05 wrote:

When implementing change eBay should consult actual eBay users before doing so.

It seems there are many complaints because of features being added or features being removed. Are any real users of their product being consulted before these changes are made?

I don't believe this is a problem specific to eBay. How many times do you get “updates” on your computer only to find out it works worse or not at all?

Does anybody else have any thoughts about this subject?  

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I mean, taking feedback from those who use your site is pretty standard practice on all services on the internet.

Why it's not here? I have no idea. 

They definitely don't have standard practices. I mean just look at all the tech issues they have. They obviously don't implement these things in the eBay sandbox and test them first, they are brought in to the live server broken, and rather than fixing problems, they add more features on top of broken features.

Anyone with software design experience knows this is a big no-no. Because building like this means, when you finally do get around to fixing a problem, it may take a feature that was previously "working as intended" on top of that broken foundation, but once the foundation is fixed, it's no longer working as intended. 

Their policies also have obviously not been assessed by anyone with design/marketing experience. Many are obviously bad ideas. It's obvious businessmen without design experience have the final say. Again, anyone with software design experience knows what it's like to be in that position - where people who don't understand design are the ones to decide the design, and it leads to problems.

[blueeggsandspam]

eBay takes more of a "throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks" approach.

Employees should be required to buy and sell a minimum number of items before they create policy, write code, or offer customer support.

[fern*wood]

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@blueeggsandspam wrote:

eBay takes more of a "throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks" approach.

Employees should be required to buy and sell a minimum number of items before they create policy, write code, or offer customer support.

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...make that high dollar electronics or designer handbags.

[jason_incognito]

When I was only a buyer it seemed that the only emails i ever got wanted me to sell my stuff.....

[tunicaslot]

Ebay actually does meet with seller groups. Theresa Cox just posted this on one of my facebox groups

I'm headed to eBay HQ this week. Me and three other sellers will be meeting with various teams and will be part of a sellers panel for Harry Temkin's team. What questions or issues do you have? What do you want to know more about? What ideas and suggestions do you have to make the platform better and selling easier? Post your comments below and I'll be sure to address as many as I can while visiting #TheMothership

Everyone is posting their ideas from stop randomly changing listings to GTC, an option to exchange an item without opening a case for those sellers who have variations, fix the app, don't penalize sellers for false SNADs ect...

Even mentors have input and the discussion about changing the letter buyers receive when we purchase the postage label was something already in discussion before someone else took credit for it. Like any business - things don't change overnight. Management looks at the $$ and what benefits them.

[luckythewinner]

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@wpt05 wrote:

When implementing change eBay should consult actual eBay users before doing so.

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Do you know for a fact that this does not happen?

[tunicaslot]

Or it could be - they do consult with sellers but don't agree with them and implement the changes anyway.

[wpt05]

@tunicaslot wrote:

Ebay actually does meet with seller groups. Theresa Cox just posted this on one of my facebox groups

I'm headed to eBay HQ this week. Me and three other sellers will be meeting with various teams and will be part of a sellers panel for Harry Temkin's team. What questions or issues do you have? What do you want to know more about? What ideas and suggestions do you have to make the platform better and selling easier? Post your comments below and I'll be sure to address as many as I can while visiting #TheMothership

Everyone is posting their ideas from stop randomly changing listings to GTC, an option to exchange an item without opening a case for those sellers who have variations, fix the app, don't penalize sellers for false SNADs ect...

Even mentors have input and the discussion about changing the letter buyers receive when we purchase the postage label was something already in discussion before someone else took credit for it. Like any business - things don't change overnight. Management looks at the $$ and what benefits them.

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Hopefully everybody will post them.  

Thank you.