22/11/2008 - He'd rather fuck a coconut?

19/11/2008 - Meggy Whitless - The Golden Shower Queen of Pee-Bay

15/11/2008 - Ebay scams the sellers...

eBay’s Christmas promotion pushes buyers to favoured merchants

eBays all over the world begin their Christmas marketing campaigns today. eBay UK put out an announcement this morning about theirs (though you read it here first) highlighting their message that

eBay is on average 25% cheaper than the high street on like for like new items

“eBay is cheap” was very unpopular with sellers last year; will this credit crunch Christmas be any different?

Meanwhile, over the pond, Greg Fant from the Marketing and Buyer Experience team has details of what eBay.com will be doing. “Millions of eligible customers” are to receive coupons for money-off their eBay purchases; the coupons will appear throughout the site and in buyers’ My eBay accounts. Presumably there’s some targetting going on, as the actual percentage discounts offered will vary; several UK members I know have received vouchers for 10% off in specific categories. The coupons will be valid for both auctions and BINs, “for a very limited time” to get shoppers out spending as soon as possible.

From top rated sellers

The Daily Deal will also highlight a deep-discounted product again with free shipping; a different product, available in limited quantities, will be featured each day. So far, this promo appears to be entirely of buy.com.

Frankly, Mr Fant’s AB post is, at best, disingenuous. These promotions are not for all eBay sellers: they’re of specific, selected sellers, whose IDs are coded into the links from eBay’s home page. Presenting this to eBay sellers generally as “special deals to increase excitement, drive buzz, and keep buyers coming back to eBay for more” is missing the point entirely: what’s being driven is buyers straight from the home page to the listings of eBay’s favoured merchants.

Comments

One Response to “eBay’s Christmas promotion pushes buyers to favoured merchants”

1. Richard on November 14th, 2008 10:34 pm

   Cheap, cheap, cheap, eBay’s beginning to sound like a budgie on acid.

   If sellers want to follow ebay on this race to the bottom that’s fine by me, but I wont be amongst those going bust.

15/11/2008 - Ebays policies against bid sniping - One company places up to 300 snipe bids a second.

http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m11/i13/s04

eBay Sniping Service Offers 'Stimulus Package' for Buyers
By Ina Steiner
AuctionBytes.com
November 13, 2008

eBay sniping service eSnipe is offering a "stimulus package" for buyers looking for a bargain on eBay. eSnipe will lower prices on its snipe-bidding service for 2 weeks, November 15 - December 1, 2008. The announcement said tongue-in-cheek that in the turbulent economic times with a lame duck president, "eBay users have been lost in the shuffle, despite their stout efforts to keep the economy humming," and that the sale was intended for "neglected eBay buyers."

The 2008 eSnipe Stimulus Package, available only from November 15, 2008 through December 1, 2008, allows customers to buy BidPoints (the internal currency used to pay for its services) at a discount ranging from 5%-22%, beginning at the $10 price point. "Savvy customers will spend only $9.50 instead of $10 for 1,000 BidPoints, and just $78 instead of $100 for 10,000 BidPoints. eSnipe has a sale about once every two years."

eSnipe launched in 1999 as one of the early eBay sniper services and placed over $400 million worth of bids on eBay in 2007. According to the company, Rovatron, eSnipe's automated bid-placing engine, places well over 12,000 bids a day on weekdays and more than double that on Sundays. At peak periods Rovatron places more than 300 bids per second. Former Microsoft program manager Tom Campbell made eSnipe one of the first pay sites on the Internet and devised one of the first working micropayment systems.

http://www.esnipe.com

Bid sniping is not supposed to be allowed by ebay? for like almost 10 years and billions of bids... they are still not allowed to be doing it?

Oh I forgot I was bidding on some of Ebays auctions - being some 30% of the worlds stolen brand name rip off fakes - that Ebay is just so "not into allowing" to continue either.

Maybe that has something to do with it as well.

7/11/2008 - Ebay Loves Shill Bidders - Why? Because Ebay makes more. That's why.

An undercover reporter last week taped one of the UK's biggest eBay sellers admitting that he was prepared to use business associates to bid on his goods for him.

The Sunday Times said it found evidence that a number of businesses — from overseas property agencies to car dealerships — have placed bids on their own items using fake identities.

The cases raise questions about whether eBay, the world's biggest auction site, is doing enough to protect consumers.

Shill bidding is against eBay rules and is illegal under the 2006 Fraud Act. However, the resulting higher prices on the site boost the value of eBay's share of the sales.

Last November eBay changed its rules to conceal bidders' identity — making it even more difficult for customers to see whether sellers are bidding on their own lots.

Since its launch seven years ago, eBay's UK website has attracted more than 15m customers. It sells more than 10m items at any given time.

1. This was something that was discussed on a car form to which I belong, last year sometime. An e-bay car dealer actually admitted to doing this on the discussion thread on the forum! He was trying to put his argument forward that it was hard to make money on e-bay, unless he did this. The amusing thing was that he was not out-bid, so he actually had to buy his own car back! Personally I have been what I considered to be defrauded to the tune of £10 on e-bay. This was annoying, but a warning. It seems to me that the scammers keep the scammed amounts low so that it is not worth complaining. I did make a complaint, but e-bay make it so difficult to go through the procedure, I didn’t persue it. In the end I considered it money well spent as a lesson not to use e-bay, so I don’t think I will be using it again, it seems to be a minefield for the unwary of scammers and the like.

- Simon, Exeter Posted: 28 January 2007, 7:07pm

7/11/2008 - This is just soooooooo fucking typically Ebay:

7/11/2008 - Hows this for an Ebay Suspension?

7/11/2008 - How Much Money EBay Stole From Me In The Last Week!

“Mad As Hell” EBay Sellers Do Not Need To Put Up With It Any Longer.

Charleston, SC (PRnine - November 6, 2008) - This past 7 days I did an experiment. I had not listed on eBay in over two months so I really never had any idea what I was truly spending per item in listing and final valuation fees… until now… My account was paid up and I was beginning from ground zero.

Well I put on 182 items of good to very good antique and vintage costume jewelry with most under $10.00, a number of them under $20.00 and a few under $40.00. None of my auction listings had any extra “bells and whistles” so that most listed for $.35 - $.90. I sold 55 auctions for $1,105.00… not bad for a week’s work? Can’t beat it huh!!! Well the week has ended and let me give you the total breakdown of my costs.

With the cost of 182 auctions’ listing fees, 30 items relisting fees and final valuation fees I owe eBay $305.55. So that means I now made $799.45… still not bad for a week’s work… right? Oh I forgot ebay buyers can now only pay with paypal and this is any estimated $133.99 in Paypal charges (remember this is still going into eBay’s pocket). Well that now brings me down to $665.46… okay not as good as I had hoped… but, oh I forgot the cost of my merchandise which at the low end is about $455.00 and which I also bought through eBay so they made more money from me when I made my bids to win it … now I made $210.46 … well now we are down below minimum wage for my 40 hours of work. And it gets worse, I offered FREE SHIPPING as eBay really like to get buyers and this will be about another $100.00… which leaves me with a grand total for the week of $110.46 divided by a 40 hour week makes my hourly rate $2.76 an hour.

So as you see between eBay and Paypal my original $1,105.00 income was reduced by 40% for their fees. This is higher than the highest tax bracket… this is higher than what an auctioneer would have charged and they would have actually worked for the money and probably sold everything.
Throughout the annals of time, I am sure that Ebay along with its subsidiary Paypal are the greediest two companies to have ever graced the face of the earth. One more point about eBay… when listing an auction, eBay would like to see you contribute a percentage of your sales to a charity from 10% to a whopping 100%. I really hope no eBay seller is under the delusion that eBay is sending a check to your favorite charity with your name on it… wrong …eBay is taking your hard earned charitable contribution and writing it off against their corporate taxes thus lowering eBay’s tax liability. EBay sellers fill eBay’s pockets with tons of cash and then eBay turns around and expects eBay sellers to pay their taxes!!! This is unfathomable greed and eBay continues to get away with it!!!
Now along with all of this, as a seller I have to worry that someone will leave me negative feedback and I have no recourse, or God forbid someone reverses their payment to me on Paypal and I am out those additional funds, or that my Power Seller (what good is it anyways) will be dropped or the ultimate I will wake up one morning and across my screen in big yellow words “YOU ARE SUSPENDED FROM EBAY” for something inane and trivial.

I honestly have to ask why do people put up with this greed and craziness. Why do eBay sellers struggle to keep eBay’s pockets over brimming and their stockholders fat!!! Ebay is not the place it used to be or is it really even an option as a place to make money. Actually most could work at McDonalds and make twice as much and get a free burger in the bargain.

The problem is that people who love auctions and buying and selling vintage and antique things can’t get it out of their blood. Well there is a true alternative to eBay and it is especially for the small boutique and specialty store buyer and seller of vintage and antique things. I along with three others have started VirtualShops.biz and it is the umbrella company for a series of new and exciting auction boutiques for antique and vintage merchandise to be opened over the next 14 months. The premise of our business is three fold. First is to have auction boutique venues for specialty antique and vintage merchandise. Second is to be the least costly venue on the internet. And third is to provide the best customer service available anywhere.

The first auction boutique, opened in October 2008, is Virtual Gems Emporium at www.virtualgemsemporium.com. This is an exclusive auction venue for antique, vintage and new costume and fine jewelry. For example if I had listed the above 182 auctions on Virtual Gems Emporium with the many free upgrades VGE offers, my total cost to list and relist would have been $74.20 and this is because THERE ARE NO FINAL VALUATION FEES!!! Yes that is right $74.20 as compared to $305.55 at eBay. Also since Virtual Gems Emporium does not require the buyer to pay by Paypal (this obviously is still an option along with many other payment options at VGE) I could save the additional $133.99. My sales of $1,105.00 would have only been diminished to $1,030.00 and that is if everyone would have paid by check or money order. Now if all had chosen to use paypal or comparable online payment, my total proceeds would have been reduced to around $896.81 at VGE as compared to the above $655.46. This is a huge savings of $241.35. The point here is that buyers and sellers now have options.

Just to show you how generous we are at VGE you can list as much as you want for FREE throughout the month of November. Hopefully you will get that extra cash needed for Christmas and the holidays. We want as many jewelry lovers to come to get to know us and test drive our site… and we want to see you make money for the Holidays. So get going and enjoy a wonderful and exciting month of making some extra money without worrying about listing fees and NO Final Valuation Fees!!! The free listing feature is for all types of auctions, fixed, buy out, or reserve auction and will include:

1. FREE SUBCATEGORY
2. FREE PHOTO UPLOADS (up to 7 photos)
3. FREE SUPERSIZE THUMBNAIL GALLERY PHOTOS
4. FREE BUY IT NOW
5. FREE RESERVE
6. FREE DELAYED AUCTION START
7. FREE LISTING (no matter what the starting price is AND no matter how many)
8. FREE BOLD

The only things not included in this free offer will be HIGHLIGHTING, HOME PAGE FEATURE, CATEGORY FEATURE and MEDIA (movie) UPLOAD which are all still available but at the price indicated in our site fee section to be found at the bottom of the home page.

REGISTRATION IS FREE !!! NO FINANCIAL INFORMATION IS REQUIRED!!!
LIST FOR FREE THROUGHOUT NOVEMBER
IMPORTANT KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS ON THE SITE and GETTING YOUR VGE BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND!!!

This is a new site since only being up just a little over a month and I just want to remind you that this site is YOUR site. As with starting any new business endeavor you will need to work to contact friends, family and other auction buddies you may have in your email address book and let them know where you are. This is good for everybody. In my first month on VGE, many of my previous buyers from eBay signed up and my income barely skipped a beat and actually probably did better since I paid no Final Valuation Fees!!! If you want more than you will be expected to work to make VGE better than eBay and with the opportunity to make tons of money with more of it going in your pocket.
I have read many blogs and forums over the past year and a half and the complaints about eBay continue to mount. But the overriding comment has always been “why doesn’t someone else start an auction site for the small boutique seller”. Well that is what gave birth to the idea of Virtual Gems Emporium and IT IS FOR YOUR USE TO MAKE TONS OF MONEY!!!.

Once you have registered I will be sending you an email for you to send to your friends, family and auction buddies. This letter should be emailed as a blind copy (BCC) to everyone in your email address book. Just as with any new business venture you need to get your leads for sales and this will help to bring those who love you and your things to the site. Think about business associates, church members or anyone else who you might know and make them aware of where you are and that they might find some really great Christmas or Holiday Gifts for those on their lists.

The great news gets even greater. Before the end of 2008 two more new sites will be opened and each will again be vintage and antique boutique auctions like Virtual Gems Emporium. And guess what, if you are signed up on Virtual Gems Emporium you will have a “VIRTUAL SHOPS PASSPORT” to shop and sell in any and all boutiques that are opened.

The next auction boutique to be opened will be Virtual Collectibles Shop and will be for all of the vintage and antique things that collectors love. You will find stamps, coins, toys, comic books, dolls, sports memorabilia, snowglobes, Disney, paper ephemera and so much more.

The third auction boutique will be Virtual Arts and Antique Gallery and will be all about fine vintage and antique pieces for the dealer and collector. You will find paintings, limited edition art pieces, sculpture, vintage and antique porcelain, glassware, art glass, pottery, art pottery, Asian Antiques, antiquities, furniture, and so much more.

In 2009, other fabulous boutique auction sites will be opened and will include Veranda and Patio, European, African, Far East, Gourmet, Kitchen, Bed and Bath, Pet and more!!! So hold onto your hats because this is where the future is going and just think you are all in on the ground floor of this very exciting endeavor.

Unlike EBay, VGE has many buyer to seller payment options and include personal check, cashier’s check, money orders, Western Union, Paypal, Google Check Out, Authorize.net and even more so you now the FREEDOM and OPPORTUNITY to conduct your business the way you want to.
To summarize, build your business on VGE as quickly as you can so you can make a ton of money especially with the holidays coming.

We want you to be successful and we want our site to be the best ALTERNATIVE out there.
Thank you and welcome to your future!!!!

Registration to sell or buy at Virtual Gems Emporium is free and easy. To sign up today visit http://www.virtualgemsemporium.com.

About Virtual Gems Emporium

Virtual Gems Emporium was founded by Candace Daugherty, a 13 year veteran of eBay who has a Retail Design and an MBA degree in Marketing and a 40 year passion for collecting antique and vintage jewelry. VGE is a subsidiary of Virtual Shops.biz and over the next months other auction boutique for antique and vintage merchandise will be opened and include Virtual Collectibles Shoppe and Virtual Arts and Antique Gallery.

For more information about Virtual Gems Emporium and its marketing and future growth objectives please contact Candace Daugherty at candy@virtualgemsemporium.com or 843-735-9930 or at http://www.virtualgemsemporium.com .

###

Media Contact Information:
Candace Daugherty
Virtual Gems Emporium LLC
candy@virtualgemsemporium.com
Cell Phone 843-735-9930
http://www.virtualgemsemporium.com

7/11/2008 - Meg Whitman wants everyone else's "Meg Whitman" domain names

(Hint HInt - there are some really good places to run out too right now and register a heap of cheap domain names)

http://www.itexaminer.com/ebay-boss-wants-her-names-back.aspx

Ebay boss wants her names back

Political ambitions

By John Oram @ Thursday, November 06, 2008 5:09 AM

7/11/2008 - Ebay takes over "Bill Me Later Inc" - borrows $1 billion.

EBay gets antitrust OK to buy Bill Me Later

EBay had announced plans for the acquisition in mid-October, saying it would pay about $924 million for the company. EBay has borrowed $1 billion under its revolving credit facility to finance the transaction, and other general corporate services, the company said on Oct. 17.

News that the deal was approved came in a listing of approved deals that the FTC issues several times a week.

U.S.-based Bill Me Later offers consumers deferred payments and financing promotions. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)