Comments on: eBay needs to increase focus on their core collector audience

By: TDavid

TDavid — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:00:27 +0000

That totally blows, Wayne Seems like our fears are being realized with eBay.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:39:38 +0000

Well…over 4 years of selling and 100% positive feedback on over 300 transactions I am through.

Not even 2 weeks into the new feedback system and a buyer has left negative feedback for an item that hasn’t arrived.
I have proof of postage being purchased on Paypal and the transaction was only for $7.98 plus shipping…yet he accuses me of being a liar.

He left negative feedback and filed a Paypal claim before ever contacting me to offer resolution and continually mentions the fact that he can
leave negative feedback without worry of me doing the same for him.

And so it begins…

By: MathiusM

MathiusM — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:36:10 +0000

Yes ebay needs to focus on thier core “galaxy collectors” market, as this ebay sale for Galaxy M81 clearly shows. I would say this is stupid, except i think i’m getting a little jealous. I’m curious to see how much it fetches…

By: TDavid

TDavid — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:16:54 +0000

Derrick - one thing I’ve learned about numbers of members at a site is change is inevitable. Today’s Facebook and MySpace traffic will ebb and flow elsewhere tomorrow. Remember Slashdot? They took a hit when digg came to town. eBay might have the numbers now, but let’s go back to 1998 when nobody knew who Google was in search. It’s still possible for a couple people in their garage to build something to not only compete but become #1 in the marketplace. eBay’s userbase isn’t guaranteed.

Wayne - I find a lot of classic videogames and systems on eBay and yes, the whole auction system can be addictive.

Jack - that’s why I think they should target the more active auction categories first rather than all niches. Roll out some systems to build bigger communities around these collections/collectors. Once they have/see some success they can expand to the less active niches. eBay has become too rigid like a lot of corporations. They need to emphasize and spend $$$ on their strengths and be willing to adapt and change (quickly) their weaknesses.

By: Jack Jeffries

Jack Jeffries — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:31:44 +0000

I definitely see where you’re coming from, and I’m a big fan of the “collectors” approach to marketing Ebay. One of the problems I always wrestle with is that yeah, the products are well-suited to Ebay, but the potential for use outside Ebay is a bit weak. You have a site selling just yearbooks, and your linkbuilding/exchanging potential becomes fairly limited. It’s the flip side of getting something fairly microniche (relative to other industry streams). You’ll do well with Ebay, but not with much else. Depending on the niche, though, that could be just fine!

By: Wayne

Wayne — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:19:24 +0000

I remember when I first discovered Ebay.
I spent hours buying things I had wanted for years and ended up with a lot of useless junk.
The only thing I bought during this period that still remains is a plush character that I had as a child called Mr. Tastee from Tastee Freeze.
I think the onion article “Man With Complete Mama’s Family Video Library Never Going On eBay Drunk Again” sums up the early days for everyone.

The feedback system needs to be restored and there needs to be A LOT more policing of the shipping policy.
It does not cost someone $6.99 to ship a DVD via USPS 1st class or media mail…even with supply costs.
Too many people use this a way of pocketing a few more dollars on each sale.
Unfortunately it continues because people either don’t know or care about it.

Otherwise, I like Ebay and still use it, but for different things.
I love finding a something I want and camping out during the last few minutes to outbid and win at the last second.

By: Derrick Kwa

Derrick Kwa — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:11:17 +0000

I think what’s going to make it hard (though not impossible) for other companies to eclipse eBay is eBay’s user base. They are more or less the de facto place for online auctions already. They’ve got the largest user base, with the most buyers and sellers, and the most items. It’s come to the point where people (at least in my circle) say “to eBay an item”. It’s become that synonymous with online auctions.

And that’s their strongest point at the moment, I think. That’s the dip (to use Seth Godin’s phrase) they’ve established, that other companies have to cross in order to compete and/or surpass eBay. But agreed, there are ways they can make that dip wider, and I do agree that focusing on their core collector audience will do that.