eBay please change the term "seller" to supplier.

[jason_incognito]

When will "sellers" on eBay realize they are not independant businesses, but that in reality, they are suppliers for ebay? 

Suppliers are interchangeable. eBay tells you what they will take, and you will either supply them or you don't. You aren't in control, eBay is.

How long until eBay sets the price? Instead of taking a percent of the sale, eBay just pays you a price for the item?

They already have the catalog, stock photos and their terms? But so many fight and actually think they have a "store" on eBay!

[duggmills]

This is an interesting thread  and unexpected take on eBay that I might take exception to however, I think it best if I were to reserve comment for now and see how this unfolds.

I've turned on the seat belt sign again. Hang on folks, we might see a little "mod turbo".  (moderate turbulence)

[dhbookds]

Frankly, I'm here to make money.........you can call me whatever you want.......as long as that continues......it works for me.   Just my opinion, but arguing about stuff like this is a waste of time.....

Ask a buyer where he bought something, he will say "ebay".

[jason_incognito]

I do searches at least daily looking for specific things. I never find them. I look and look, but the person who has the stuff I want, isn't on ebay any longer.

4 million copies of Harry Potter dvds, but nothing I might want? That's the reality of the catalog. Make it easy for too many people to list the same thing and make it hard for people to sell the rare or one of a kind things.

[jason_incognito]

ask me where I bought something and I will tell you "online"

I only seem to do that with eBay stuff........

[orangehound]

I hear you ... but I think it is more accurate to say that we are businesses that outsource a lot of key functions.  We outsource shipping to USPS/FedEx ... international shipping to Pitney Bowes (GSP) ... postage purchasing to Pitney Bowes ... marketing to eBay ... returns processing to eBay ... and, payment processing to PayPal.

Until eBay tells us otherwise, we still do catalog management, sourcing, warehousing, fulfillment, customer service, accounting, and ... of course ... fraud acquisition.  🙂

[chipper01work]

Interesting subject and I suppose many sellers are interchangeable but many are not. Suppliers of new items mostly are. Suppliers of true vintage/antique/ooak not at all. Cookie cutter items and suppliers for sure. The good stuff (IMO), not EVEN remotely close. Thankfully I buy very little new stuff and sell even less of it.

[slippinjimmy]

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@jason_incognito wrote:

When will "sellers" on eBay realize they are not independant businesses, but that in reality, they are suppliers for ebay? 

Suppliers are interchangeable. eBay tells you what they will take, and you will either supply them or you don't. You aren't in control, eBay is.

How long until eBay sets the price? Instead of taking a percent of the sale, eBay just pays you a price for the item?

They already have the catalog, stock photos and their terms? But so many fight and actually think they have a "store" on eBay!

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Maybe you have a special deal with eBay but I don't. eBay is just a service provider as far as this independent merchant is concerned. They are no different than my ISP or my shipping company, they provide me with a service which I use (or not) as I wish. Like all service providers they have some basic rules which I need to follow but they do not control what I sell or how much I charge for the items I'm offering for sale.

I have NEVER had a "fight" with eBay!

[thallidguy]

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@chipper01work wrote:

Interesting subject and I suppose many sellers are interchangeable but many are not. Suppliers of new items mostly are. Suppliers of true vintage/antique/ooak not at all. Cookie cutter items and suppliers for sure. The good stuff (IMO), not EVEN remotely close. Thankfully I buy very little new stuff and sell even less of it.

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I would agree with that.

The OP reminds me a little of the people who complain about San Diego Comic Con: that it's not what it used to be, it's all about Hollywood and not comics anymore, etc. There is some truth to it, but if you look hard enough you can still find the heart of the old SD Comic Con because there are still vintage comic dealers and artists who have their own booths. They've been swamped to some extent, just like eBay has been swamped by millions of Harry Potter DVDs, but they're still there if you know where to look.

[luckythewinner]

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When will "sellers" on eBay realize they are not independant businesses, but that in reality, they are suppliers for ebay?

Never, because that simply not true. 

How long until eBay sets the price?

That will never happen. 

Instead of taking a percent of the sale, eBay just pays you a price for the item?

That will never happen. 

Like the "imminent demise" of eBay , all this stuff has been regularly predicted over the past decade and none of it has come true. But then again, an occasional diversion into delusion is pretty harmless. 

[best_vintage_photos]

"But then again, an occasional diversion into delusion is pretty harmless. "

Correct. The key or vital word: 'occasional'. 😉

[ed8108]

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@jason_incognito wrote:

When will "sellers" on eBay realize they are not independant businesses, but that in reality, they are suppliers for ebay? 

Suppliers are interchangeable. eBay tells you what they will take, and you will either supply them or you don't. You aren't in control, eBay is.

How long until eBay sets the price? Instead of taking a percent of the sale, eBay just pays you a price for the item?

They already have the catalog, stock photos and their terms? But so many fight and actually think they have a "store" on eBay!

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Sellers/Suppliers & their Buyers may come and go, but EBay is almost too big to fail

[d-k_treasures]

But then again, an occasional diversion into delusion is pretty harmless. 

Unfortunately, it's all too frequent at ebay HQ. And certainly not harmless.

[cashvaluerecovery2011]

Sorry Im a seller on ebay. I will be a supplier to ebay when ebay packs and ships my items for me and handles my customer service and returns for me and sends me a check every couple of weeks instead of the other way around. All ebay is right now is a platform that does some advertising to bring buyers to look at my stuff..........occasionally looks at my stuff and occasionally I sell it.