How Hunger for Control Led to eBay's $1.9 Billion Predicament

[myfrugalboutique]

Found this quite interesting 

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2023/10/1696445746.html

[hachumi]

Where are the cheerleaders now?  Just crickets on this one.

[myfrugalboutique]

I don’t know where they are, but I find that a fascinating thing. It is sadly true. 

[hachumi]

That wasn't really a reply, just an observation.
Whenever somebody posts about ebay and control  the answer is always "It's not ebay, it's you"
Where are the "It's not Ebay it's the Department of Justice"?

[luxgoods]

Exactly! 1.9 Billion Lawsuit from the Department of Justice. It was just a matter of time. Once again, Wenigs name comes up.  I hope he is still enjoying his 50 million Dollar severance.

[heckofagame]

I wouldn't plan a huge party. Any fines that are paid as well as any legal costs will be paid by us, the sellers. 

[sumsum70]

Hopefully, the DOJ statement copied below will lead to more lawsuits for other reasons.

the DOJ alleged that eBay is involved in and controls every stage of a transaction on eBay

[monroe67]

"I wouldn't plan a huge party. Any fines that are paid as well as any legal costs will be paid by us, the sellers."

First -- wouldn't be best to wait and see how the lawsuit is resolved?  I think it would.

IF  eBay is ordered to pay fines, and IF  eBay raises Final Value Fees as a result, wise sellers will add appropriate amounts to their listing prices.  Have something you would have listed for $19.99?  List it for $20.99 or $21.49 or more.   

[sumsum70]

This procedure doesn't work if buyers know it is still 19.99 on other sites.

Eventually, all of the money-grabbing will cause a reduced buyer base. Probably already has.

[clown_car_driver]

EXACTLY

Any viable business covers costs, fixed and variable.   THEN they add an appropriate % for 'profit'.  

PROFIT is not a dirty word.  

If that company can not acquire its product and sell it at profit - they go out of business.  It really is that simple.  If there is demand, the buyer will pay.   If there isn't, then we need to find something to do that the buyer will pay for.  IF I don't make a buck, eBay won't make their $0.25 -- I am not going to pay eBay their $0.25 and not make anything.    If my providers charge me too much, if my 'customers' won't pay a profit ... I'm done.  

We are about to enter into a very difficult time.   For everybody.  Buyers just don't have the money to spend like they used to, Sellers are stretched with increasing costs, and providers (eBay, USPS, etc) are necessarily raising prices. 

We are all in the same soup.  And, my crystal ball is indicating that things are going to get a lot worse.  Lots.

[the-hook-and-the-loop]

eBay has extended their reach as far as they can. They are chasing more buyers away then they are gaining.

[clown_car_driver]

If that company can not acquire its product and sell it at profit - they go out of business.  It really is that simple.  If there is demand, the buyer will pay.   If there isn't, then we need to find something to do that the buyer will pay for.  IF I don't make a buck, eBay won't make their $0.25 -- I am not going to pay eBay their $0.25 and not make anything.    If my providers charge me too much, if my 'customers' won't pay a profit ... I'm done.  

I just wanted to point out that the example I used above is a good example of 'stagflation'.  It is the cruel cousin to inflation.  And, it IS cruel.

You go to the store to get a jar of grape jam.  But, they don't have any.  Nobody does.  Why?  It's because the Grape Jam Company experienced an increase in cost to get grapes.  The grape farmer has to pay a lot for fertilizer, labor, shipping ... and he (rightfully) passed those costs on to their buyer.

It got to the point where an 8 oz jar cost $25.  Who's going to pay that?  I can live without grape jam for that kind of money.  So, they go on sale and are disposed of at a loss.   Is the store going to buy another truckload from the Grape Jam Company?  Nope.  

So GJC goes out of business ... and there is NO grape jam available anywhere, at any price. 

That's not such a big deal if it's Grape Jam, but what if its ... oh ... Insulin.  Or gasoline.  What happens when it's not a question of 'how much', but more a function of 'can I get it'.

THAT is stagflation -- and we're going to be there too soon.

Read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.  Written by someone who lived under the thumb of a government just like the one we are morphing in to.  And, their population voluntarily voted their regime in too.  

I think we got (I hope) one more shot ... I can only hope that the ballot box is secure, and that the American voter wakes up.  (that's the opposite of 'woke' btw).

.

[myfrugalboutique]

Please knock off the politics. I can only imagine how much money is being wasted daily due to the latest nonsense in the H of R

we could feed the homeless, improve our schools, help with tuition assistance, etc, etc. 

[chapeau-noir]

Define "woke".

[monroe67]

"Read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.  Written by someone who lived under the thumb of a government just like the one we are morphing in to.  And, their population voluntarily voted their regime in too."  I tried.  Just couldn't follow it.  

"I think we got (I hope) one more shot ... I can only hope that the ballot box is secure, and that the American voter wakes up.  (that's the opposite of 'woke' btw)."

About that "hope the ballot box is secure" comment -- and I am fully aware this has nothing to do with eBay -- I will continue to respond to anybody who suggests ballot boxes are not secure, regardless of the U.S. state or territory they call home, please, please, please -- p l e a s e:  

Get Involved!  Contact your local elections office.  In my state each county has a Registrar of Voters.  Other states may have given it a somewhat different name.  Those offices handle everything involved with elections.  (I just received, from the Registrar of Voters, my sample ballot for a November 7, 2023, County Supervisorial District Special General Election.  For ONE open position.)  

Contact your local elections office and find out how you can participate as a "volunteer" poll worker.  (I say "volunteer" because you will usually get some sort of payment, a stipend for the work you do.)  You will get training and you will learn how your county, borough, parish, village, or township, whatever those divisions are called -- you will learn how your state and county has put safeguards into place to ensure that ballots are secure, that the process is completely accurate and efficient.  

Moreover, assuming other states handle Election Day procedures similarly to mine, you will be given a poll worker handbook that you can refer to during the day if a voter comes in with an "unusual" situation.  In my state, each county's Registrar of Voters office is staffed on Election Day with dedicated "hotline" workers that poll workers can call for specific help.  

When you do attend poll worker training, please pay attention.  As a former poll worker, I was too often disappointed by my co-workers who didn't know what I think were basic things, and needed additional education while the line of voters was growing out the door.  

Granted, it is usually a very long day; for the "inspector" position I had the last time I was a poll worker, I had to be the first one at the polling place, around 6:00 a.m., and the last one out, which sometimes was close to 10:00 p.m.  But it can be very rewarding.  You won't necessarily work in your own voting precinct, so you can meet people in other neighborhoods, and help make sure that the whole process works precisely according to all the applicable laws.  

Speech Concluded.