The price of "progress"?

[retromedia2]

There was once a simplistic auctioning platform - that favored no-one. It was called eBay! You listed  something......didn't matter WHAT it was.....all things were created equal back then.  "Then" being early 2000's thru maybe 2014/15. Views appeared literally within minutes of listing......sales eventuated (more often than not) within a week or so. Bids appeared very early in the listing cycle. The last few minutes of the auction would see four to five bidders desperately fighting it out....often more! - the seller was always the winner.  No-one had to "promote" anything!  There were "millions of buyers" by 2004 and all of them could see EVERY listing which is why stuff sold so easily. The other major plus - funds were deposited in your PayPal account immediately - no waiting 2-3 days to receive YOUR OWN MONEY, (which Ebay has created earnings for itself with, by leaving it in the money-market for a couple of days)  less eBay's massive chunk which they insist is 13% but ISN'T!

A small proportion of items were listed as "Buy it Now" but most sellers did not have (or want) that option. Auctions ruled! These today, are dead in the water - buyers look primarily to "Buy it Now" items. To be honest I cannot remember listing ANYTHING 15-20 years ago that recorded "no views" in the first few days....let alone after two to three weeks.

Experts advise now that sellers "prioritize customer services," "observe niche-appropriate price models," "optimize their listings,"  "Buy a professional top of the range Nikon camera with zillions of pixels, ultimate zoom etc....to ensure their images are of cinematic flawless merit," "guarantee delivery ....and if you really want to sell that Picasso....offer a return option and of course free shipping - doesn't matter that it's going to cost you $160 to get it there,"

WHY THE HELL should the seller be obliged to do all this? - simply to circumnavigate a situation that Ebay itself has created to increase its bottom line underpinned by the huge selling groups that dominate the scene these days.  

Truth is....the little people - you and I, simply don't matter any more to Ebay. If you have no views and no sales.....Corporate Ebay couldn't care less.  Hopefully you'll go away.  That's only going to matter to them when ENOUGH customers take that option.

Am I alone in this thinking?  Do I care?

[rckr43]

LOL!

Here's another:

You do wash the clothes you sell, right?

Anyway.... there's a thread about AI killing eBay. No **bleep**

[sakic92710]

It's like the word "groceries." It's an old-fashioned word.  No one uses the word 'groceries' anymore.  I wonder if he can bring back the word 'snookered' again?   🤣  "I snookered 77 million people!"  lol

[sakic92710]

I remember when eBay was fun & productive.  Sales almost every day.  Several a week.  After a weekend, 7-12 items to ship.  My first 20 years were like that; more or less.  Then, BANG!  The door slammed shut.  Double-digit sales a month became impossible.

[chapeau-noir]

Like everyone wouldn't be jumping onto the bandwagon?  No door slammed shut, it was just inevitable growth.

[mam98031]

@retromedia2 

Ebay has around 2 Billion active listings now vs what was active on the site 30 years ago.

Auctions on Ebay now are only around 15-18% or the active listings.  The rest are fixed price listings.

Much changes in 3 decades.  😍

[sakic92710]

What do you call it when you go from 8-20 sales a week down to less than 10 a month, month after month after month after month for 3+years & counting?  Does it sound like a natural ebb & flow to you?

[mam98031]

Yes it is ebb & flow coupled with all the things that are going on around you.  Both politically and a weather.  Ebay has likely issues some weather event email close to weekly this year.  It has been one thing after another.  There is a whole lot going on this year in the world outside of Ebay.

[chapeau-noir]

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@sakic92710 wrote:

What do you call it when you go from 8-20 sales a week down to less than 10 a month, month after month after month after month for 3+years & counting?  Does it sound like a natural ebb & flow to you?

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I can't sell what I sold three years ago. I've changed my line-up I don't know how many times since I started selling. All to try to stay ahead of the game.

[bellelinens]

Ah, the good ole days…waiting a week for auctions to end and then another week (or more) to get a check/money order in the mail.  Don’t miss that or the sloooow dial up connection that loved to kick me off when listing.

I agree that is was exciting watching the bids roll in the last few minutes of the auctions.

[powell-collectibles]

I think that you are ignoring individual seller performance, what he sells, what he charges, etc. in this one.  The market has been telling you what you need to know for years.

[conservitvs]

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@oldwestgold wrote:

Could you imagine eBay today without tracking? No way............ Good point.

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@oldwestgold 

I’m trying to remember the number of times I lost my money back then… once that I recall clearly; perhaps, two or three more. I was probably fortunate. 

I had one poor fellow who had purchased a pricey historical combat helmet from me. Three months or so after the sale, he wrote to tell me that he had not received it. In response, I mailed him a photocopy of the post office receipt (proof of mailing) and a check for his refund. 

He was very happy. 

Almost one full year later, I get a package. It’s the helmet. No idea where it was all that time. Mailing box and helmet were still perfect. It was unopened. 

I wish I had tracking for that one. 

So, I re-listed it. 

Same guy bought it. Paid. He got the helmet without incident the second time.

[pikabo-icu]

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@rckr43 wrote:

LOL!

Here's another:

You do wash the clothes you sell, right?

Anyway.... there's a thread about AI killing eBay. No **bleep**

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@rckr43 

ROFL

Ok ok...  Point taken.

There are a few things I'm willing to change..

I have no attachment to dirt. 😜

Oddly I do have an issue with changing my hairstyle.

My hair is down to my knees but I have bangs that I trim, so the attachment only goes so far. 

As I said; I have issues. 😂

[pikabo-icu]

@conservitvs 

I enjoyed that story. Thanks for sharing.. 

[conservitvs]

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@pikabo-icu wrote:

@conservitvs 

I enjoyed that story. Thanks for sharing.. 

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@pikabo-icu 

Oh… I’ve got stories. 🙂

Another flashback to the “good ol’ days.”

Way back then, when all this started, there were no photos in listings.

Seriously; a seller had to describe what was being sold. No, “see photos.”

There were sentences. Sometimes, paragraphs!

Eventually, eBay gave us the ability to embed HTML code. 

I had done well enough to invest in a digital capture system. This hooked into our small VHS camera. I’d set the camera up on a tripod, blast bright lights down upon the item I wished to sell, then move it around until I could “capture” (screenshot) a good, clear image. 

Well, this was a game changer back then. My auction bids went through the roof.

I sold every item I listed, and I used to get 30 to 50 checks/money orders per week. Deposit day at the bank was always fun. 

The local PO hated me though.

There was no prepaid shipping, so I took totes full of packages to the PO. The clerks had to weigh and print postage for each, which tied up the line for a bit. 

[pikabo-icu]

I remember the very first thing I bought online.

I don't remember if it was eBay or not but it's likely it was.

I was on old AOL dial up...  You've got mail  LOL

I needed a Furby (yes one those annoying little gremlins) 

I had stood in line on Black Friday and got ONE at 4 am but I had two children so off to the Net I went.

I found one, it was about two & a half times the price. No photos just text description. 

I was terrified of getting scammed but again, I had 2 boys and could NOT disappoint one so I took a chance.

I sent my check & said a prayer..

Well about 2 weeks later my Furby did indeed arrive, exactly as described.

The boys had a great Christmas and I've been hooked on Internet shopping ever since.