Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

[Michigan Badger]

Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

Everyone on the inside knows ebay was going down the tubes and in danger of a competitor taking over their online auction monopoly.

Just in, ebay's 1st step toward hopefully saving it's gluttonous status.

"List Auction-style FREE, any start price, all the time. Add Buy It Now FREE to grab buyers in a hurry.

Dear __________:

Just a reminder that starting April 19, Standard Auction-style fees will be changing and you'll be able to list FREE at any start price--up to 50 items a month. Plus, you can add the Buy It Now option FREE to grab those buyers who don't want to wait for your listing to end. In short, you can list even your higher priced items free and pay only if they sell.

Also, to encourage low-cost shipping, Final Value Fees for all sellers will be applied to the total amount of the sale, including shipping.

To get the lowest overall fees, just keep your shipping costs low and consider offering free shipping."

So now posting is free but they'll still burn us at checkout time. Oh well, at least this is a start. Thanks Craigslist and Amazon!

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

Listing fees are small to begin with. It's the final sale that gets you. And now the seller pays a % of shipping through final sale charges? All that does is cause the seller to charge more at the start. I mean, who wouldn't pay an extra 50 cents to make an extra 5 dollars?

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

Listing fees are small to begin with. It's the final sale that gets you. And now the seller pays a % of shipping through final sale charges? All that does is cause the seller to charge more at the start. I mean, who wouldn't pay an extra 50 cents to make an extra 5 dollars?

You're right but it does help those who post lots of items that never sell. Today with our bad economy, one is lucky to sell 10% of what one lists.

I've posted lots of items and by the time one item sold the listing charges for the other items ate up the profit. So while one is hit harder on a sale, at least one is looking just at that sale and not having to cover a bunch of loser items.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

Listing fees are small to begin with. It's the final sale that gets you. And now the seller pays a % of shipping through final sale charges? All that does is cause the seller to charge more at the start. I mean, who wouldn't pay an extra 50 cents to make an extra 5 dollars?

You're right but it does help those who post lots of items that never sell. Today with our bad economy, one is lucky to sell 10% of what one lists.

I've posted lots of items and by the time one item sold the listing charges for the other items ate up the profit. So while one is hit harder on a sale, at least one is looking just at that sale and not having to cover a bunch of loser items.

Yeah, every little bit helps.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

FYI Just heard on Good Morning America that the IRS keeps an eye on Ebay and does know when you sell something and expects the taxes on it. Craigslist on the other hand they never do know if a sell has been made as usually it is a cash only sell.

Yes, the IRS has been watching ebay since it's beginning. But the problem is, we're talking many millions of people. I know of whole businesses that have opporated off ebay for many years and none has ever been audited by the IRS in regard to ebay. I do expect this to change soon though. The program you saw is most likely a scare tactic. But the Feds lack revenue to police ebay and other such things.

However, with the economy getting worse by the day, this will change. I expect soon to see a hundred or so cases where the Feds bust tax cheaters. This will put great fear in about 50% of Americans who do ebay and the Fed will pick up billions.

Another reason (in addition to the limited staff and funds problem) I think the Fed hasn't done this yet is because any such move will most likely destroy ebay and increase unemployment. This will affect thousands of businesses who are in one way or another dependent on ebay.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

Listing fees are small to begin with. It's the final sale that gets you. And now the seller pays a % of shipping through final sale charges? All that does is cause the seller to charge more at the start. I mean, who wouldn't pay an extra 50 cents to make an extra 5 dollars?

You're right but it does help those who post lots of items that never sell. Today with our bad economy, one is lucky to sell 10% of what one lists.

I've posted lots of items and by the time one item sold the listing charges for the other items ate up the profit. So while one is hit harder on a sale, at least one is looking just at that sale and not having to cover a bunch of loser items.

I never did ebay much till we got the 2006 Rhino and it needed a few things. I have not had a hard time getting what I bid on and holy smokes have saved over retail...just on the owners manual itself...got it for $2.54. Now there is a minimum of $14.00 + shipping up to $45.00 + shipping on them. Ours turned out to be brand spanking new! Got a back canvas and plastic wind shield the other day from a fella that used it a couple of times and put it in his garage...amazing savings and just like brand new...boy did it cut down on the dust that came through the back. I can't even begin to tell you how many reposts I am seeing lately.

Never Pay Retail! If you are careful you will get free shipping, save a ton and have it delivered right to your home saving you a bunch in gas. For us so far so good.

Yes, online buying is the wave of the future (and now for that matter). This is exactly what's killing WalMart and other such large retail outlets. Gas is almost $4 a gallon now and they say will easily reach $5 very soon. Add to this the fact that wages are going down or at best staying the same---online buying makes great sense. The items you mentioned are in line with what people want today on ebay--very practical stuff. The days of buying crap are almost over. People are becoming more and more frugal.

 

[TheRandyMan]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

My experience with Craigslist has not been good...there are trolls there who basically spend all day just flagging posts or if they post something similar to your item, they simply flag all posts in and around them so that they are the only listing left. There is no true moderation of anything, much less the trolls who spam for no good reason. Example? I put a truck up for sale and within 1 hour it was flagged. When I went to the forum and asked why it was flagged, the only thing any of them could say was the price was too high...and it was not, it was listed for $2,000 less than Kelly Blue book. And who the h*ll has the right to tell me what I can price my vehicle for sale at anyways??

I have since tried to post other items...every single one of them was flagged and removed within 4 hours. I know others have sold stuff on there and I have bought stuff off Craigslist, but its really going downhill in my opinion.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

I have since tried to post other items...every single one of them was flagged and removed within 4 hours. I know others have sold stuff on there and I have bought stuff off Craigslist, but its really going downhill in my opinion.

I haven't had the flagging problem but I have had the totally ignore problem (real buyers totally ignored my offers). I put a nice near mint Evinrude 1 1/2 horse outboard motor on there for about $100. It was on Craigslist for a couple of months and all I got were about 20 spam emails having nothing to do with my ad. One fellow did show up but he wasn't even interested in what I had. He used this meeting hoping to buy the stuff he really wanted for cheap (like pocket watches and fishing gear).

I got sick of it and put the outboard on ebay. It sold fast for about $175 plus shipping charges.

Up here selling to just locals is out of the question. Many are so rich they don't buy anything but new. So the only way I could buy or sell off Craigslist is via email and Paypal or money order. But like mentioned, very few will deal this way on CL. So Craigs hasn't done a thing for me really.

 

[cw0909]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

texastee

I might also add because of recent new cast is that if you are selling something on Craigslist...especially for expensive items....meet in some public are and not your home and never, never let anyone enter your home! If they are coming from far away warn them that your bathroom is being worked on and if they need to relieve themselves to stop at a nearby gas station first because yours is out of order....Best to meet in town at a bank parking lot where there are Surveillance cameras.

a friend let the women come to her home,hubby not home,kids not home, they had coffy on the patio,3 days
later house robbed, she thinks it was her because she mention, Ks vase collection,and out of all the glassware,
that couldve have been stolen, the vases were the only glass, and electronics,jewelry,$$, now they have adt

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

people have been murdered as well as raped...always be very, very cautious. My door doesn't open if I don't know you, if I am going over to buy something....I come packing. You might not see it...but I am.

Always if purchasing an item...check on google earth and see where you are going...make sure it is a real home and as described for directions. Be very careful with your cash...have a bill of sale typed up ready to go...always get one!

Very sound advice!
Lots of people today are very naive when it comes to the dangers in our country today. I still have direct connections with law enforcement and believe me, people in general don't have a clue. Most any town no matter how small has more than it's share of very bad people. Our prisons are full so we turn them loose.

A few years back a guy came to our door selling something. My wife wouldn't let him in to "demonstrate" his product and he grabbed the screen door knob which was locked. He cursed my wife and walked off. He was reported but usually these go nowhere.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

Annie knew how to handle that gun!

For years I collected antique posts and at one time I owned a very large antique postcard website. Museums and all sorts of people linked to it.

 

[Bum Luck]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay

FYI Just heard on Good Morning America that the IRS keeps an eye on Ebay and does know when you sell something and expects the taxes on it. Craigslist on the other hand they never do know if a sell has been made as usually it is a cash only sell.

I'd like to see the figures of how that's cost efficient. I'd guess the IRS agents make at least $60K a year plus generous bennies, so I'd expect them to at least 'make their expenses' plus another 100%.

They've spent years trying to get money from turnips and hassling little folks for what has been peanuts.

Most of what I sell on eBay, I've already spent more than that for it, so I sell at a loss.

 

[Digger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

I have a friend who is a avid/obsessed eBay'er who has been saying that eBay is dieing. He's been saying that now for several years. Personally I haven't seen any change in eBay use at all. Maybe it's just my perception based on what I buy and sell?

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Last Attempt To Save ebay + Craigslist & Amazon.com

I have a friend who is a avid/obsessed eBay'er who has been saying that eBay is dieing. He's been saying that now for several years. Personally I haven't seen any change in eBay use at all. Maybe it's just my perception based on what I buy and sell?

Yes, it's the types of things you're looking at.

I was a power seller for some time and got inside messages from ebay. They are hurting but not to the point of shutting ebay down...they'll probably never do that unless the government makes them.

People just aren't buying like they used to. If you watch general auctions you'll seen maybe 10 to 30% of the listed items sell and most just make minimum bid. This is what took me down.

Most of the sellers still doing well have a large following from years of satisfied sales in one or two main categories. There are guys doing extremely well selling Civil War relics. I tried it and couldn't get 1/5 the prices they were getting for the exact same types of items. I used to sell uncleaned ancient coins for suppiers in Europe and had to quit even though I had 100% feedback from buyers. The interest just went down the drain.

A few years ago ordinary garage sale junk sold well on ebay. Not today!

Today many antique dealers are leaving ebay and going to selling from YouTube.