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Technology Stocks : eBay - Superb Internet Business Model -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Doug Fowler who wrote (4985)	8/21/1999 8:24:00 AM
From: Hubert Few	Respond to of 7772

Doug said: What is the harm in letting the buyers know the ballpark of the reserve? No harm whatsoever.....I rarely even use reserves. My objection to the policy change is less about the issue of reserves and more about how they (Ebay) will make a sweeping change with little if any consideration of their primary income producing customers. I have re-thunk some of my comments here. 1) I apologize to the group for my choice of words. (yes, believe it, it's sincere!) 2)I thought back to several examples of large store-front operations moving into categories where I am selling, taking out a $200 "featured" ad, and then putting a reserve item up with a 1 cent starting bid. Clearly such ads are not meant to generate business within Ebay, but to draw people to their own web site. I am thinking maybe the problem is not so much about reserves but using Ebay for "less than honest" practices. On Edeal.com, the buyer and seller are completely inaccessible to each other until the auction ends, except through Edeal. Also, if a seller wants to LOWER the starting price of an auction after it has begun, they may do so. These two features might be very helpful on Ebay. I would also consider it reasonable for established businesses who are using Ebay to supplement their brick and mortar sales, to be identified with some sort of designation. Some people would prefer to deal with them exclusively, others would prefer not to deal with them at all. (I fall in the last category) I know the level of service I give people FAR exceeds what they will get through a normal store or mail order operation. I would not mind at all being "labeled" as a casual seller, and even having my auctions removed from the larger sellers area (or vice versa) After the uproar on the chat sections, I reconsidered this whole issue. Many of the people who are screaming the loudest, and ARE actually leaving Ebay, will not be missed. I looked at some of their methods, and they do in fact seem to be in violation of the "spirit" of the auction agreement. (a general statement only) Maybe the Ebay experience will be enhanced in the long run, but there is still the nagging issue of their COMPLETE insensitivity toward their customers. If one single thing can bring Ebay to it's knees, that's what it will be.