Seller Boot Camp?

[penguins_dont_fly]

I ran into this in the Seller Center just now (I was looking for something else)

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-boot-camp.html

"Get 4 weeks of free online training on how to run a profitable business. The first lesson starts March 5!"

Whatcha think all?

[umie11752]

I’m amused because Amazon is doing one in Vegas next month. I believe that’s why ebay is too Lololol.

[kathieskorner]

I'm afraid I'm not that optimistic.  I keep getting these selling tips from ebay on my new account.  If the people who write these emails have anything to do with the Boot Camp - it may do more harm than good. 

Selling on ebay is not a one-size-fits-all - much depends on what you sell and the competition out there so I don't see how a Boot Camp is going to benefit very many. 

Personally I am very concerned about the direction Weing is taking eBay with the intermediary payments process, increasing returns,  and the attempts to meddle in pricing so I won't waste my time on Seller Boot Camp.  Weing may succeed where the others have failed - to drive me off ebay. 

[mr_lincoln]

@zzydny, @penguins_dont_fly  First of all let me start by saying my post here is not bashing the idea of the Boot Camp but looking at it from a purely business standpoint.  In reading the Boot Camp announcement it does not sound like it is geared for new Sellers trying to get rid of things around their house nor the collectibles sellers who buy and resell antique, vintage things from local thrift stores, auctions, consignment shops, etc..  It reads like it wants to reach the big US eBay Sellers who are basically trying to compete with China.

Any new Seller who wants to create a business like the Boot Camp seems to be reaching out to can't because of Selling Limits ... they can't hit the ground running with a Premium Store and all that goes with it because they can only list say 50 items and no more that $ 500 - $ 1000 per month dollar volume.

I think after your posts someone posted that eBay's main competitor is doing a boot camp thing too.  If that is true then eBay is still playing follow the leader and not making any real moves to regain the leading position in the online sales market place.  One thing eBay has that their main competitor doesn't have is the venue for antiques, vintage and collectible items.  This I think is where the real opportunity lies for eBay to "one up" the competition.  They really DO need to split in to two venues ... one being growth and development of the Collectibles market and the other competing with new products that you can buy in WalMart ... to me they are trying to become the online WalMart which is what their main competitor is doing too.  That's a dog eat dog proposition and profit is based solely on sales volume not price because price keeps getting driven down.

[tunicaslot]

But we won't know until we try it! As someone else said - as much of a "rah rah" as I am - it's been pretty depressing the past few months. I'm doing all the things that we routinely get told to do - but see no improvement. 

I'm starting to switch things up and see if doing something outside the box will get things moving. It can't hurt and I may just get some more insite on these algorithms they use.

[readabouthorses]

And once you all go through the Boot Camp and finish it all up you will be the perfect candidates for Ebay to include in the 5% who will be "testing" the new payment processor.

[where*you*crowin]

---

@gracieallen01wrote:

Reading along, and seeing that the article for the 'Boot Camp' is written by their 'Verified Blogger' who did the first (I think) article in the "Modern Buyer" series, I would suspect that the program is full of ebay pricing guidance, free shipping, guaranteed delivery, free returns, etc., etc. - everything ebay wants sellers to do to conform to their new idea of the 'New ebay' - sort of like a new tutorial for a new age, and more like something one had best consider doing, rather than being optional. 

I'm not sure us dinosaurs are going to get much help from it, however, the new generation(s) of sellers may do quite well by it, as it possibly may well be a part of the 'our way or highway' attitude.  I find it interesting that it is a 'Boot Camp', rather than a 'Learning Center'.  For some of us, 'boot camp' has a different connotation than for those of 'polite society', for whom it is frequently meant to be as 'an adventure'.

---

Do you really believe that the new generation of sellers who live in the world of want it now, sell it fast, and get it yesterday are going to sit through 4 weeks of this?  Silly girl!

[newview]

I signed up ... who knows, I may learn something.

At the first sign of rah-rah ... I'm gone.

[mr_lincoln]

@tunicaslot

---

@tunicaslotwrote:

But we won't know until we try it! As someone else said - as much of a "rah rah" as I am - it's been pretty depressing the past few months. I'm doing all the things that we routinely get told to do - but see no improvement. 

I'm starting to switch things up and see if doing something outside the box will get things moving. It can't hurt and I may just get some more insight on these algorithms they use.

---

Very true and at the end of the day I am pro eBay too but I will add that I get passionate at times about issues that are so blatantly wrong that I may come off as being negative or bashing Home Office.   Now, in Rah-Rah mode, I will say that I have shipped 1 or more items to 49 states ... all except Alaska ... I could NEVER have sold items like that without eBay.  I may or may not participate in the Boot Camp, I have not looked at the timing of it yet. 

[tunicaslot]

You're going to get rah rah! They aren't going to say anything neg - no business would and there are thousands of sellers who have great experiences with there businesses here. Most if they have problems realize that there are hills and valleys in every facet of life - you either go elsewhere or believe your business will weather the storm.

Being in the new test group - whether I'm in the 1st 5% doesn't matter as eventually we'll all be in it - if I decide it's not for me - there are other places to go. I'm not going to keep the negative attitude some have - as I realize I have to do what's best for me. Either Ebay works for me or it doesn't - I accept it's faults if I decide to stay or I move on. Too many sellers here are afraid to move on - or they actually know the grass isn't always greener on the other side!

[tev4all]

I just read the announcement of the "boot camp"

IMO, Sounds more like a "re-education camp" for currently established listers.

like readabouthorses said, Those that pass all the weekly tests  will become excellent candidates for selection into the beginning phase of the intermidiating process.

Those that don't remember the past are doomed to repeat IT. 

[sockmonkeydave]

@readabouthorses

---

@readabouthorseswrote:

And once you all go through the Boot Camp and finish it all up you will be the perfect candidates for Ebay to include in the 5% who will be "testing" the new payment processor.

---

You may be on to something there.

It does make sense, you have a group willing to jump through the ebay hoops.

Go through Boot Camp... and deploy to the 5% Beta test.

When I read about the 4 lessons, my first thought was this is the blog girl's 4 part series.

Only with homework and a quiz.

I still may give the camp a try.

[lloydsteventaylor]

just google Etsy boot camp and you will find that this is an old idea that Ebay is copying

[hioctane62]

After reading some of the other posts here, I did go ahead and sign up for it. If I take anything positive for my business away from it, great. If not, I'm sure the chuckles I get from it will be worth the time.

[the_fancy_fox]

---

@tunicaslotwrote:

 Being in the new test group - whether I'm in the 1st 5% doesn't matter as eventually we'll all be in . 

---

except I don't want to be the guinea pig they test on and foul up my buisness on because they can't get the programming right.

 I don't have hours to spend on the phone trying to get their glitches fixed, if your volunteering for it, bless you for taking one for the team!

when it comes to eBay,  "the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior"  and it's been a true statement for over a decade. I keep hopinging they prove me wrong but alas, they keep confirming it.

[tunicaslot]

---

@the_fancy_foxwrote:

---

@tunicaslotwrote:

 Being in the new test group - whether I'm in the 1st 5% doesn't matter as eventually we'll all be in . 

---

except I don't want to be the guinea pig they test on and foul up my buisness on because they can't get the programming right.

 I don't have hours to spend on the phone trying to get their glitches fixed, if your volunteering for it, bless you for taking one for the team!

when it comes to eBay,  "the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior"  and it's been a true statement for over a decade. I keep hopinging they prove me wrong but alas, they keep confirming it.

---

I know exactly where you are coming from - but any glitches I may endure as a guinea pig - if that's the case - according to past history - will not be fixed before they roll it out!