Part time/small sellers

[mg152]

We had a very pleasant chat yesterday with eBay executive Sarah Brubacher. Very nice person BTW. She has assured us that ebay values & wants to keep small/part time sellers around. I’ve always believed that long time sellers of any volume are the backbone of eBay & according to what Sarah said EBay recognizes that.

This post is for informational purposes. Some will believe it & some won’t.

Have a great day my friends! 😀

[123papapatrick]

Hard to compete with shoplifting and burglary sellers on eBay and Amazon. Shoplifting cases and commercial burglaries, in particular, rose sharply with internet sales.

Twelve people have been indicted in a multimillion-dollar scheme to steal merchandise from retail stores in 28 states, including New York, and resell the stolen products on Amazon and eBay, officials said Wednesday.

The alleged thieves resold at least $12 million in merchandise stolen from stores like Staples, Best Buy and Office Depot in New York City and across the nation since 2012, and estimates of over $30 billion in stollen items and In 2014, “return fraud” during the holidays cost internet retailers $1.9 billion, and 71% of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation experienced return fraud by gangs. In 2016 Co Antrim mother accused of shoplifting received up to $100,000 selling stollen goods on eBay.  There is an extraordinary online forum exclusively for SHOPLIFTERS where thieves gather to boast about stolen goods and share photos of their 'hauls' to be sold on craigslist, auction zip, purplewave, live auctioneers, proxibid, eBay, Amazon.  One family busted with billions of shoplifted toilet paper listed online.

[lookng2015]

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@rainbowcolorz wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

OK, I have to ask. Doesn't the grammar in  your user name make you uncomfortable? It made me shudder.

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LOL.  I thought the same thing but after reading his/her long post I didn't see any grammatical errors so I figured perhaps "too" was already taken.    But still .... lol

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I took it as a toast - "Here's to MUCH STUFF".

[lookng2015]

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@kh-ornesh wrote:

Hello everyone,

Since this thread has gotten a bit off-topic, please bring the discussion back to "Part time/small sellers".

Thanks!

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And this is an example of just why this can no longer BE a "community".

[d-k_treasures]

You would think someone would shoplift something other than TP - like something worth more or easier to walk out with. 

How do you shoplift so much TP other than hijacking your local Job Johnny truck?

[lynnd1984]

They won't keep small or part time seller for long only allowing 50 items a month for free listings. I sell mainly old antiques and coins that I find and buy at estate sales. They don't sell for much  but are worth something to someone which is why I use Ebay - more exposure to get stuff out there to the people who want it.

It doesn't make sense for me to keep using Ebay when I get charged a 30 cent listing fee + a final value fee, and then a paypal fee for something that takes time and effort to put on Ebay and I may make maybe $5 or less. Come on, Ebay, if you value your long time small sellers, make it easier for us to sell - let us bulk sell (like you used to) and allow for at least 250 free listings a month. It's just ridiculous. I left half my stuff off for the rest of this month because I reached my limit of free listings, and then next month;if it still doesn't sell, they are dropped from my items and I will lose my research and the dang listings (because Ebay only allows 60 days) and have to do it all over again...

If Ebay wants us here, then they need to prove it by helping out all of the small players - not just the multi hundreds and thousands listing big vendors. 

[tomuchstuff5]

@llllady

@mg152

@d-k_treasures

@lookng2015

I opened a new thread about seach filters, please check a listing or 2 of yours to see if you get the same result. Could be why such a drastic drop in views and sales. 

Small/Partime Sellers of Vintage Antique Collectibles need to test search results with filters

I just tested some of my items and find something that is not what I would have expected or hoped for. When entering a search with a Free Shipping filter on a item that there may only be a few of on Ebay. Unless one of those items has Free Shipping, it appears there are NONE on Ebay. Otherwords you get no results at all. Not even the option to see the ones that are not free shipping.

When search done with Free returns only, the ones I have on promoted listings show up . Just the SPONSORED LISTING of which mine have a NO RETURNS POLICY on.

I wonder how GD filters affect those type listings.

This need to get changed

Please check some of your items and see if you get the same result.

[rixstuff]

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@123papapatrick wrote:

Hard to compete with shoplifting and burglary sellers on eBay and Amazon. Shoplifting cases and commercial burglaries, in particular, rose sharply with internet sales.

Twelve people have been indicted in a multimillion-dollar scheme to steal merchandise from retail stores in 28 states, including New York, and resell the stolen products on Amazon and eBay, officials said Wednesday.

The alleged thieves resold at least $12 million in merchandise stolen from stores like Staples, Best Buy and Office Depot in New York City and across the nation since 2012, and estimates of over $30 billion in stollen items and In 2014, “return fraud” during the holidays cost internet retailers $1.9 billion, and 71% of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation experienced return fraud by gangs. In 2016 Co Antrim mother accused of shoplifting received up to $100,000 selling stollen goods on eBay.  There is an extraordinary online forum exclusively for SHOPLIFTERS where thieves gather to boast about stolen goods and share photos of their 'hauls' to be sold on craigslist, auction zip, purplewave, live auctioneers, proxibid, eBay, Amazon.  One family busted with billions of shoplifted toilet paper listed online.

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Can you imagine the conversation around the prison lunch table:

What are you in for?

I stole 3 cars

I stabbed my ex

I broke into an electronics store

I stole toilet paper...

[jamesquinn-half]

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@mg152 wrote:

We had a very pleasant chat yesterday with eBay executive Sarah Brubacher. Very nice person BTW. She has assured us that ebay values & wants to keep small/part time sellers around. I’ve always believed that long time sellers of any volume are the backbone of eBay & according to what Sarah said EBay recognizes that.

This post is for informational purposes. Some will believe it & some won’t.

Have a great day my friends! 😀

---

Dear mg,

I heard that same message from several eBay employees (not customer service reps just reading from a script) over the period of a few years. Thing is, it just is not true. At least there is absolutely no evidence that it is true.

Ebay policies have been basically a slow motion eviction process for all small and medium sellers over the last four years and there is no tangible evidence that anything is changing. When an eBay manager says that the site values small and medium sellers the best reply is that you will believe it when they start acting in accordance. Judge a person (or a corporation) based on how they act, not what they say. EBay takes small and medium sellers for granted. I think that attitude has been killing the site for years.

[nawlinsron2]

Can anybody list ONE POSITIVE ACTION ebay has taken in the last 5 years directed at small/medium sellers that would enhance their profitability WITHOUT directly enhancing ebay's?
Something like a measly 1 or 2% FVF promotion?

[rockz1101]

I tend to roll my eyes when auto-correct isn't working, correctly. I think more and more misspelling is just passed off as a "o well" and the author or the person that re-posts, doesn't care. I've seen mainstream news articles. editorials, along with blogs and tweets, etc. with misspellings. It's all an interesting evolution with texting and shortcuts. I only mention because correct spelling used to be expected and required, and a benchmark for credibility, but now, not so much.

[missjen831]

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@jamesquinn-half wrote:

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@mg152 wrote:

We had a very pleasant chat yesterday with eBay executive Sarah Brubacher. Very nice person BTW. She has assured us that ebay values & wants to keep small/part time sellers around. I’ve always believed that long time sellers of any volume are the backbone of eBay & according to what Sarah said EBay recognizes that.

This post is for informational purposes. Some will believe it & some won’t.

Have a great day my friends! 😀

---

Dear mg,

I heard that same message from several eBay employees (not customer service reps just reading from a script) over the period of a few years. Thing is, it just is not true. At least there is absolutely no evidence that it is true.

Ebay policies have been basically a slow motion eviction process for all small and medium sellers over the last four years and there is no tangible evidence that anything is changing. When an eBay manager says that the site values small and medium sellers the best reply is that you will believe it when they start acting in accordance. Judge a person (or a corporation) based on how they act, not what they say. EBay takes small and medium sellers for granted. I think that attitude has been killing the site for years.

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I completely agree. Many of ebay's policy changes over the last 2-4 years are, by design, eliminating small sellers. Unintended consequence? Probably. But I think ebay either didn't think about them or just didn't care enough.

[tomuchstuff5]

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@nawlinsron2 wrote:
Can anybody list ONE POSITIVE ACTION ebay has taken in the last 5 years directed at small/medium sellers that would enhance their profitability WITHOUT directly enhancing ebay's?
Something like a measly 1 or 2% FVF promotion?

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Nope. Getting my questions together for tomorrow's chat , if they will seriously consider doing something about small entrepreneurial sellers. My main interest being the original vintage antique categories. Not that I don't care about all small sellers, just happens to be my niche.

[tomuchstuff5]

Tommorrow's speaker job title? 

Evangelism marketing is an advanced form of word of mouth marketing in which companies develop customers who believe so strongly in a particular product or service that they freely try to convince others to buy and use it. The customers become voluntary advocates, actively spreading the word on behalf of the company.

[tomuchstuff5]

more from wikipedia on corporate Evangelism

As they act independently, evangelist customers often become key influencers. The fact that evangelists are not paid or associated with any company make their beliefs perceived by others as credible and trustworthy.

Evangelism comes from the three words of 'bringing good news', and the marketing term draws from the religious sense, as consumers are driven by their beliefs in a product or service, which they preach in an attempt to convert others.

[tomuchstuff5]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@jamesquinn-half wrote:

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@mg152 wrote:

We had a very pleasant chat yesterday with eBay executive Sarah Brubacher. Very nice person BTW. She has assured us that ebay values & wants to keep small/part time sellers around. I’ve always believed that long time sellers of any volume are the backbone of eBay & according to what Sarah said EBay recognizes that.

This post is for informational purposes. Some will believe it & some won’t.

Have a great day my friends! 😀

---

Dear mg,

I heard that same message from several eBay employees (not customer service reps just reading from a script) over the period of a few years. Thing is, it just is not true. At least there is absolutely no evidence that it is true.

Ebay policies have been basically a slow motion eviction process for all small and medium sellers over the last four years and there is no tangible evidence that anything is changing. When an eBay manager says that the site values small and medium sellers the best reply is that you will believe it when they start acting in accordance. Judge a person (or a corporation) based on how they act, not what they say. EBay takes small and medium sellers for granted. I think that attitude has been killing the site for years.

---

I completely agree. Many of ebay's policy changes over the last 2-4 years are, by design, eliminating small sellers. Unintended consequence? Probably. But I think ebay either didn't think about them or just didn't care enough.

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DON'T FORGET

Please join us (go to main list for link) on October 17th at 1pm PT for an eBay Executive Chat with Brian Burke.

Brian's current role is Seller Evangelist. Brian has held a variety of roles during his eighteen + years at eBay. He first joined eBay in June 1999 as the Community Development Manager, similar to the role I have today. 

As a Seller Evangelist, Brian is focused on engaging with our seller community through the Community and social platforms ensuring that the seller's voice is heard internally and supporting the multiple Meetup programs run by sellers across the country.

Over his eBay career, Brian has spent time in Trust & Safety as policy manager, including Feedback policy, Merchant Development and Seller Communications. Prior to eBay, he spent time at Apple Computer, Inc. and 3Com Corporation.

Please join this 'Ask Me Anything' hour-long chat session to get to know Brian, ask questions and share your insights about selling on eBay. 
 

Brian is looking forward to answering your questions!