I have no other way to voice this suggestion to eBay (I dont think), So I figured I'd put it here and see if it might get to the right people if they felt it was warranted...
I had an idea today that I thought was worth sharing for eBay, that would ultimately help all of us struggling sellers on here, and eBay as a whole of course too..
The reality is that eBay is Losing to Amazon big time...That reality is the 9000lb gorilla in the room, and the Gorilla who's also sitting on the heads of us who sell on eBay..And it's weight is so great, that I can see it everyday that eBay is scrambling to try keep pace with, and combat it's loss of ground to that Gorilla (Amazon)..In everyway possible.
This 9000lb gorilla, like any Gorilla? Has to be dealt with and addressed. Its a matter of survival at this point...
When you think about it though, Amazon really just has ONE HUGE Advantage in the market right now over eBay, and thats the PRIME shipping program...All of the other benefits of Prime are nice (I know because I'm a member), but they PALE incomparison to the FREE PRIME 2 day shipping, with the guaranteed delivery...
And this is the only aspect of Prime that is really killing eBay..It's the only area the two companies really compete...Consumer product sales and order fulfillment....
The Prime Shipping aspect ALONE is what is driving all of these buyers to Amazon, and crushing ebay and all of us eBay sellers (at least those of us who sell stuff you can get on Amazon)...
So it would stand to reason to me, that if eBay could devise a competing program of the same like to PRIME, with shipping similar shipping benefits? Then it would immediately GAIN back a lot of ground, and people would start migrating back (IMO) to eBay..
It's a very simple concept, especially now that eBay has proven that they can implement a "guaranteed delivery" program without a lot of pain to the seller, or I think themselves financially..I think that program has been a success, however I am not behind the scenes at eBay, so only they would know...
But essentially what they did was take on the same finanicial liability that Amazon does (in a way) if a package is late. In my opinion? Smart, Bigger picture move...Short term loss possibly for what could be a substancial long term gain...
So I say: Why not take this a step further?
When we consider that Amazon DOES NOT in anyway offer its customers (me included) PRIME for "Free"...
No, it's a Buyers Club...And not a cheap one at that...
Presently I think a PRIME membership is $129 a year(?)...So it's not a give away by any means...But in the end?
Depsite all the Free 2 Day shipping they contract with UPS? I'm 99.9% sure they come out on top of that, and WAYYYYY On top ..
.100 million buyers paying $129 a year? Is $12.9 BILLION A YEAR...That covers A LOT more than all the free two day shipping folks..
To that effect? I give you my vision for the "eBay PRIORITY BUYER Program" (the name is just my own off hand creation, it could be better)...
How about this:
eBay already has serious contracts with the post office, as we all know... And I can tell you this - USPS Priority is WAYYYY cheaper than UPS 2 Day, on ANYHTING...You're probably talking like $10-$15 cheaper or more on any size package, any weight, anything...
Priority mail BLOWS away UPS in price, and I would say in my experience? It's just as fast, if not FASTER sometimes...Priority Mail ROCKS..
So given this fact, and the existing relationships that eBay has with USPS already? Why not implement a whole new program like that would work like this:
Buyers on eBay are made an offer to join the new "eBay Priority Buyer Program".
The program is simple, and OUTSTANDING if you shop on eBay a lot (or are going to once you join the program for sure).
For a Yearly Membership fee of half of what Prime costs, call it $65 a year billed upfront(?) - You now get priority FREE PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING on ANYTHING you buy on eBay (from select sellers).
This only applies however when you purchase from TOP RATED PRIORITY SELLERS, in the USA. Who also are a part of the already in place Guaranteed Shipping Program (Sellers who have a track record of fast shipping and who meet the guidelines for TRS obviously). T
hese sellers now automatically are offered the new TRS PRIORITY SELLER Badge for their listings, and only they can implement the program for buyers.
When the buyers buy from these sellers as members of the new Program, eBay takes their memebership fees, and eBay then pay for the Priority Mail shipping on those orders; and provides the sellers who are participating Free Priority Mail Shipping labels for those purchases.
As great sellers already we do our part and keep our end of the bargain, and provide One day Shipping (which we do anyway as TRS's with the badge), and in return, we also get a MASSIVE increase in Sales because of our participation in the program..
Buyers now get exactly the same thing they get on Amazon as far as Fast Free Shipping that they pay a yearly premium for, as eBay uses the membership fees to foot the bills, while luring back customers AND giving Amazon a nice well deserved punch back in their face, HARD...
On the back end, eBay can make a very SWEET deal with USPS (just like I know Amazon did with UPS for the Prime Program), and on that note EVERYONE would win...
USPS, eBay, Us as reputable sellers who are good enough to make the cut of the program criteria, and the Buyers ESPECIALLY WOULD LOVE THIS, and LOVE ebay for it...It's a Classic, WIN WIN WIN WIN with almost no downside to anyone..
In my opinion, eBay by doing this would attract even more professional sellers and companies who have gone over to Amazon now;
And all the little guys/newbies would be striving again to make TRS, because now it would really mean something again...Namely HUGE SALES...
BUT they would have to conform to the program criteria, which would be EXTREMELY tight (and rightfully so)...
But it honestly wouldn't be too much tighter than what were dealing with now as TRS's, except now we'd have HUGE sales benefits that come with all the circus hoops again..
With all the buyers eBay has already? This would be a no brainer...I would sign up for this in a HEARTBEAT at $65 or $70 bucks a year (or a little more), and you know what? From my perspective as buyer on both eBay and Amazon? If they rolled this kind of program out and I joined? I would definitely stop favoring Amazon all the time to get my "Prime Shipping"...
If there was an eBay alternative to that? I would definitely buy on here more than I do (sad to say I dont as much as on Amazon anymore)...
It's got a lot of moving parts, and needs some refinement of course, but I say to eBay; Why Not???? Why not try something like this to regain some relevance out there again, and go for Amazons throat? Theyre going for yours, and you know it...
eBay has been trying to mimic Amazon in so many ways....Guys? If you're gonna do it anyway? You might as well go ALL IN and do it right....And from where I'm standing eBay would have absolutely nothing to lose by doing this...
It's not like they'd be offering free Priority shipping to whole site..Just to members...Then as the program grows and gets bigger and bigger (like Prime did)? It can evolve and more and more can be offered and it can be perfected...
I really, really hope that someone from eBay gets this to right people to consiser this as an idea for a future program...Because this might not be the thing that absolutely saves eBay from totally sinking out there...But it would sure get rid of A LOT of Onboard water ebay is taking on right now...
Any thoughts are welcome, but I think at least something LIKE this has to be done by eBay, and this plan is just to feasible to ignore...
mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
