“Selection Buyers Expect on eBay” seems to be the latest BaySpeak catch phrase. I have noted it in different announcements from Dinesh Lathi in the last few months.
Earlier this year in March News for Sellers in Books, Movies has this simply lovely piece of RahRah right below “the selection buyers expect”.
“We’re pulling out all the stops to make eBay a top shopping destination for books, music, movies and DVDs, and video games. That means giving you the pricing and exposure you need to succeed, so your buyers can get the deals and selection they demand. Watch for an all-out campaign to drive buyers to eBay – and to your listings.“
What is it about the phrase “get the deals and selection they demand” that rubs me the wrong way? The dictionary says : To demand is to ask in a bold, authoritative way, to claim as a right.
When I shop I don’t demand, I request, politely. I say please and thank-you. Is this a cultural difference or am I simply hopelessly old fashioned?
In the May 12th announcement about not neccessarily free listings which I wrote about here, Dinesh urges sellers who “ …offer the kind of unique and hard-to-find inventory buyers expect to find on eBay” to get busy listing.
BaySpeak
It is a fact that we can often learn more from the way eBay communicates and more importantly what is not said in announcements than by examining the wording of the announcement.
Are buyers failing to find the selection they expect and demand on eBay today?
Attitude
- The eBay buyer is not at all hesitant to expect and demand.
- They expect and demand all sorts of things that are not even offered in the listing.
- Thanks to Dinesh, who has been actively campaigning and not to put to fine a point on the matter, demanding, ‘free’ shipping, that too is now a ‘right’.
I am not an indentured (def.# 3) servant or slave. I am a self employed independent retailer offering a product or service. My products and services are superior and are offered with an unconditional guarantee, if you don’t like what you have bought, for any reason, you may return it for a refund.
My goal is a mutually (def.# 1) pleasant transaction. My dictionary defines pleasant as “pleasing, agreeable, or enjoyable; giving pleasure; polite; amiable; agreeable.” In kindergarten language, everybody happy. Happy customers come back, repeat customers tell their friends.
I do not want a demanding customer. My days of dealing with childish temper tantrums and oblique (def. # 5, 6 & 7) blackmail ended the day I chose to end my relationship with eBay.
Less Selection
There came a time when the Return On Investment (ROI), of my time and effort required to attain a mutually pleasing transaction plus the cash return (profit) on eBay was inadequate to warrant gritting my teeth and soldiering on. At that point in time my unique ‘new old stock’, hard to find long discontinued items available in limited quantity was no longer part of the selection on eBay.
I am not alone in this decision, many sellers who had survived years of quixotic (def.#3) and nugatory (def.# take your pick) policy changes and reversals said “enough” and quit in 2008. Others are finding profitability to be increasingly elusive (def.#2) and exploring other venues.
Each seller who decreases their listing volume on eBay, for whatever reason, diminishes the selection available to buyers.
Here is an example, this is an item I collected for years, when the price was right. I can not recall ever seeing less than a hundred of this (mass produced between 1936 - 1947, ) not very rare teacup and saucer set on eBay, today there are two, both well priced, neither has a bid.
As the selection decreases, buyers get into the habit of searching elsewhere. If finding the item becomes too difficult they loose interest.
Collectibles are what grew eBay, not “books, music, movies and DVDs, and video games”. Sellers of pre-owned books, music, movies and DVDs, and video games operate on ultra low margins, consequent to the high cost of selling on eBay the vast majority of items in these categories are not competitively priced. When a seller can ship inventory to the Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) program the profit potential increases and the hassle factor is lower.
Is there a message here?
Y’all come back!
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Henrietta - you make such a good point - er, points.
I, too, have often been disappointed in my ebay searches lately - when I see that the item I am considering listing goes begging with only a couple listed, it is obvious there is less demand for the item ON EBAY.
Your point that the shoppers are elsewhere is well-made. I guess they are following the sellers, but with selling now so fractured — how many sites are there? countless! How can the buyers keep up?
Perhaps they will give up (a little) on the internet hunt, and focus on the few venues on which they feel comfortable. Maybe they will also increase their real world buying — which will help antique shows and shops.
Thanks for your insightful comments. –Marianne Dow msdowantiques.com
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Posted by Marianne Dow on May 25th, 2009.
You are right on point with this article!
There was a time when I remember eBay customers as being the most wonderful people I could imagine. However, over time, it seems to me that the customers who have reasonable expectations have found that shopping elsewhere online provides them with a better experience and they have gravitated away from eBay. Yet those customers who are demanding and have completely unreasonable expectations still shop on eBay because their attitudes and behaviors are supported on the eBay venue. Buyers’ bad attitudes and extortionist ways are not simply tolerated on eBay, they are actually supported. I sometimes wonder… if it weren’t for the “bad” buyers who find eBay so welcoming to them, just how many buyers would there actually be left on eBay?
Posted by TheBrewsNews on May 27th, 2009.
Hi, TheBrewsNews.
I just want to publicly thank the over 500 wonderful buyers we’ve had on eBay. In years of selling, we’ve only had a couple of problems.
Your blaming exodus on ebay is misdirected. Direct it a some ebay policies perhaps, but not the buyers. Yes there are some bad buyers, and also many bad sellers. I believe eBay is trying to weed out both. Their approach may not be perfect, but whose is?
This reminds me of the antiques show down the road, dealers grumbling before noon about bad sales, blaming buyers, asking “why aren’t they buying, what’s wrong”.
We normally made our best sales at end of day at these shows.
Treat your customer right, and the chances are pretty good they’ll respect you back. That is our experience.
And yes do, please leave ebay for greener pastures, As the grass shortens at ebay, my stuff shines brighter in the sun and is actually seen better and bought.
Posted by vince jelenic on May 27th, 2009.