Comments on: Burn, eBay, Burn http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/ The random non-photographic musings of Augie De Blieck Jr. Sun, 03 Jul 2011 04:03:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Augie De Blieck Jr. http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/comment-page-1/#comment-167098 Augie De Blieck Jr. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:17:43 +0000 http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/#comment-167098 Amazon enforces a shipping price, which it sets for you. When I was selling dozens of DVDs last fall, it worked out very well for me. Katherine - I hope you're right, but the problem is that nobody's attracted the eyeballs eBay has. THAT'S why people go there -- more eyeballs means a better chance of fetching a higher price for the item. And until another site takes off, people won't get serious on it. Catch 22. We might need to break up auction sites. If certain corners of eBay go to certain new websites, it's probably do-able. I bought a lot of comic book original art on eBay. if all the sellers on there decided one day to start using OriginalArtAuctions.com (I made that up), then it would be easy enough to do that. It would be a lot easier than trying to convince everyone in the other 200 categories (guessing at that number) to do the same. eBay might have to lose its audience one niche at a time. The other problem with eBay is that nothing gets enforced -- not deadbeat bidders or sellers. And the categories are useless. So much junk gets posted in the wrong sections that the categories break down and become too much junk to filter through to find what you're looking for. Amazon enforces a shipping price, which it sets for you. When I was selling dozens of DVDs last fall, it worked out very well for me.

Katherine – I hope you’re right, but the problem is that nobody’s attracted the eyeballs eBay has. THAT’S why people go there — more eyeballs means a better chance of fetching a higher price for the item. And until another site takes off, people won’t get serious on it. Catch 22.

We might need to break up auction sites. If certain corners of eBay go to certain new websites, it’s probably do-able. I bought a lot of comic book original art on eBay. if all the sellers on there decided one day to start using OriginalArtAuctions.com (I made that up), then it would be easy enough to do that. It would be a lot easier than trying to convince everyone in the other 200 categories (guessing at that number) to do the same. eBay might have to lose its audience one niche at a time.

The other problem with eBay is that nothing gets enforced — not deadbeat bidders or sellers. And the categories are useless. So much junk gets posted in the wrong sections that the categories break down and become too much junk to filter through to find what you’re looking for.

]]> By: Paul C http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/comment-page-1/#comment-167030 Paul C Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:46:56 +0000 http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/#comment-167030 The thing is though that BIN prices are usually way over-priced so sane-minded people will just ignore them so eBay is essentially shooting itself in the foot. Amazon is pretty good especially for obscure things like textbooks and like Rob says, the shipping charges are at a fixed and reasonable price. The thing is though that BIN prices are usually way over-priced so sane-minded people will just ignore them so eBay is essentially shooting itself in the foot.

Amazon is pretty good especially for obscure things like textbooks and like Rob says, the shipping charges are at a fixed and reasonable price.

]]> By: Rob Postuma http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/comment-page-1/#comment-167026 Rob Postuma Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:47:46 +0000 http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/#comment-167026 Plus another annoying thing about eBay - is the CRAZY amounts that some sellers will charge for shipping, as compared to AMAZON sellers who tend to use a standard rate. Plus another annoying thing about eBay – is the CRAZY amounts that some sellers will charge for shipping, as compared to AMAZON sellers who tend to use a standard rate.

]]> By: Katherine http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/comment-page-1/#comment-167019 Katherine Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:58:00 +0000 http://www.variousandsundry.com/2008/06/05/burn-ebay-burn/#comment-167019 There are many alternatives to eBay out there on the web. Personally I prefer uk.eBid.net for auction action a decent and secure site for selling and buying. Auctions are not dead, they're just dead on eBay. There are many alternatives to eBay out there on the web. Personally I prefer uk.eBid.net for auction action a decent and secure site for selling and buying.

Auctions are not dead, they’re just dead on eBay.

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