Sellers boycott of eBay extended into March

by Simon Kerbel Feb 28th 2008

Nobody really noticed when a group of eBay sellers decided to boycott eBay in protest of eBay's new fees and feedback policies. Not even the numbers seemed to notice, with hardly a hiccup in the volume of daily listings on eBay.

Rather than admit defeat, the same eBay sellers have decided to extend their boycott. Originally scheduled to end February 25th, the boycott will now continue to March 9th.

After all, boycotts work, right? Sure they do.

Like spray-on hair.

Like putting the Windows Vista logo on those "Vista Capable" machines.

eBay has yet to respond in any official capacity regarding the boycott, and it's hard to imagine it ever will. The bottom line is that eBay remains the dominant online auction space, and with no real competitors in the same space, it can do whatever it darn well pleases.

[via AppScout]

Tags: boycott, eBay

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Anthony said 4:16PM on 2-28-2008

That's funny. The organizers of the boycott must have a good PR firm on their side, as I recall reading about this in the USA Today a few days ago. That article claimed a 13% decrease in listings.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/corporatenews/2008-02-24-ebay-strike_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

With my 29 rating on eBay, I don't have a dog in this hunt, but I would be interested to see if there was any impact at all.

Peter said 5:47PM on 2-28-2008

I think it's great. Less competition for those of us who don't care. :)

I occasionally sell stuff just to get it out of the house and get a few bucks for it, so I don't really care if eBay takes an extra 30 cents.

I'm always amazed at people who act outraged that any part of their business model changes. What happens when the cost of shipping cartons goes up, are you going to boycott them too? If your entire business is hinging on that extra 30 cents per item, you might need to rethink your pricing.

Big John said 9:58PM on 2-28-2008

Boycotts have no end effect when you keep announcing an end date. That's the bloody point -- "we're not selling our stuff for two months!" isn't going to get their attention. They'll do without your (supposed) 13% of business those two months and survive.

Honestly, I barely use the site but I'm not seeing a massive shortage of products for anything I've searched.

Big John said 10:00PM on 2-28-2008

@Peter: Ding! If you're operating on razor thin margins and this kind of change in framework from eBay jepordizes your business, it's time to rethink how you're running your ship.

@Weblogs Inc. / Download Squad: How does this site not have a reply box / threaded comments yet?

Christina Warren said 3:51AM on 2-29-2008

Big John,
That's odd - a few days ago we had threaded replies. I'll ask around.

And I agree re: the uselessness of the boycott. If the margins are that thin that the increase in fees is going to be, as I read on one of the boycotting sites, "detrimental to feeding your child" -- you need to start dedicating your focus on a new business. Furthermore, unless this becomes a true boycott and more than just a few disgruntled sellers actually leave eBay for good, and it would require mass exodus -- nothing will change and the rest of us will continue to not care about the plight of the Amway-chotkes peddlers of the online world.

Hi Ebay Employee said 7:56AM on 2-29-2008

You can really tell none of these people have no idea what they are talking about. Actually you sound like you more than likely work for Feebay. Better be saving those checks....feebay knows its screwed up. Why else are they trying to pay people to shop there. Yea ..we have made some noise for them to be giving buyers coupons for 5.00 off to get them to shop.Plus them posting fake auctions listed as test auctions to keep there numbers from going to far under. GET THE REAL FACTS

vstar said 12:45PM on 2-29-2008

it looks like the ebay trolls are on every board or forum or blog these days...Throwing their negative info out for all to see...Most people can see right thru you negative comments...If you trolls think the strike is so stupid, why do you continue to post everywhere??? Seems like the trolls are the ones wasting their time venting about us...Go back under the bridge where you belong!!!
Strike Victoriously to Infinity and Beyond!!!!!

vstar-heaven said 12:48PM on 2-29-2008

we may not have won the 1st battle, but the WAR HAS JUST BEGUN!!!!! SELLERS UNITE!!!

cltd said 11:16PM on 2-29-2008

For those of you who think this boycott is simply a matter of increased fees, you need to read more. The fee increase is important, but is not the major reason for the outrage or the boycott. Final Value Fees are increasing up to 66%, Ebay store FVFs are increasing to 12% yet this was advertised as a fee DECREASE, many unaware sellers have yet to notice that they have been lied to and will have a rude awakening when they receive their monthly statement.

Beginning March 14, 2008, the PayPal User Agreement is being amended to include a new section 10.4 as follows: PayPal, in its sole discretion, may place a hold on a payment you receive for an eBay transaction when PayPal believes there may be a high level of risk associated with the transaction. If PayPal places a hold on your payment, it will show as "pending" in your PayPal Account. Release of eBay item hold. PayPal will release the eBay item hold after 21 days unless you receive a Dispute, Claim, Chargeback, or Reversal on the transaction subject to the hold. PayPal may release the hold earlier if either of the following applies: (a) The buyer leaves positive feedback on eBay, or (b) PayPal can confirm delivery. PayPal will confirm delivery if you use USPS or FedEx to ship the item and (i) use PayPal shipping labels, or (ii) upload tracking information to PayPal via the transaction details page. This applies to US domestic transactions only. Additional hold period. If you receive a Dispute, Claim, Chargeback, or Reversal on the transaction subject to the eBay item hold, PayPal may hold the payment in your Account until the matter is resolved pursuant to this Agreement.

In May 2008, the mutual feedback system will be drastically altered. Buyers will continue to be able to leave positive or negative feedback on transactions; sellers will be restricted to leaving only positive feedback for their buyers, regardless of the outcome of the transaction. The role of feedback has consistently been to protect buyers and sellers. Many of us do not believe this will protect sellers. We believe this new policy will increase fraud and feedback extortion on eBay. It will increase non-paying bidders and lead to an overall unwarranted increase in negative feedback for sellers, which will in turn make more buyers reticent about buying on eBay

Best Match/Detailed Seller Ratings - eBay tells it's members (both buyers and sellers) that 5 stars is the highest rating and 1 is the lowest, and also tells buyers on the Feedback/DSR form - when buyers are choosing the star ratings that 5 is very good and 1 is very bad and encourages buyers to rate sellers based on these assumptions. eBay says to sellers, that the stars are a "relative measure of how a seller is doing compared to other sellers", and that listings will be displayed in the new Best Match default search based on where the seller's stars fall according to this "relative measure". Also, on the new layout design for the listing pages, if a sellers DSR stars don't measure up to eBay's relative measuring system, they will get a red warning on the listing, telling potential customers that eBay says there is something wrong with this seller, such as "This seller has low ratings for shipping" even though that seller has a 4 rating, which buyers are told means ships quickly.

And finally, my personal reason for boycotting ebay is because I am insulted by Mr. Donahoe's remark that a flea market is something to be ashamed of. The items I buy on ebay would all be considered to be flea market items. They are the treasures that wonderful sellers bring to us on eBay, from their grandmother's attic or the estate sale down the street, from the neighborhood thrift shop or a public auction. I've bought wonderful items from all over the world on eBay's giant international flea market. If only Mr Donahoe would wake up and realize that this is what made ebay great and it's nothing to be ashamed of! He's insulted me and I believe his plans are to take away something that has been very enjoyable to me and many more people like me. I won't be buying or selling on eBay as long as Mr Donahoe is in charge.

Janet said 4:44AM on 3-01-2008

cltd,
Thank you for clearing up the ebay problems for those who've commented out of ignorance. I was fuming when I began reading comments here about Americans crying!

Like you I felt equally insulted by the flea market comment. Even more than the increase in fees, I find denying the seller the ability to leave negative feedback for buyers most concerning. Many of the sellers I know have run in to several troublesome buyers...non-payment, not what they wanted, etc... other sellers should be able to know of these people and given the choice to block them.

Since ebay began I've seen gustapo type tactics.
I've moved my new home to onlineauction.com (OLA), where they run it as a REAL auction site and treat all customers as a friend. At just a flat fee of $8.00 a month, no fvf's, one can list as much as they want. You ARE allowed to advertise your website with your listing. They also have e-stores, chat forums, o-mail, etc.
OLA can do all this for 8.00 a month, but ebay has to increase their fees!

OLA is starting off with sudden surges, yet keeping up and willing to please. Once everyone catches on, this site shows more promise than ebay!

Barry said 8:05AM on 3-03-2008

As a light user of eBay (approx 90 buys and 30 sells) my personal experience is limited. However I have never left negative feedback on a bought item for fear of reprisals by the seller. Also as a seller I have experienced a couple of scam type approaches in getting the price reduced by the winning bidder based on the threat of negative feedback. Ebay have never responded to any reports I have made, never taken down an auction that breaks their rules. I have decided not to use eBay to sell in future.

There has to be a market for someone offering a fairer and more customer focussed approach. (I am in the UK).

Dan said 10:31AM on 3-03-2008

Its sad when America starts to cry and complaign over paying a little extra for service. No matter how you look at it Ebay is a business, it has expenses to cover for providing their service. With such a business I'm sure they have their fair share of expenses to cover, payroll for every single department, online hosting costs (could only imagine), insurance costs, corporate taxes, and much more. Also as every business owner knows, expenses always goes up, and to deal with that change so does your cost of business/service provided.

Ebay isnt some charity site working for free. Hell if we all did work and provide service for free even this site wouldnt be up right. Their just a bunch of pennypinching babies that need to grow up and learn how the real world works.

bc said 4:19PM on 3-03-2008

It would seem to me that a majority of people commenting on this would be working for Feepay or are just a bunch of scammers that like the new rules instated so that they can rip off the honest sellers out there that work so hard to keep their good reputation. If you want to look at the latest results about this not affecting them then take a look at the latest. http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2923696420080301?sp=true[/url]

Donahoe is starting to squeal like a stuck pig and I will not be surprised to see him resing before the end of the year.

vstar said 5:44PM on 3-03-2008

we may not have won the 1st battle, but the WAR HAS JUST BEGUN!!!!! SELLERS UNITE!!!

thevirginmarypretzel said 3:31PM on 3-04-2008

The BOYCOTT has been very effective for me! I have not bought or sold on FEEBAY since it started and never will again.
Anyone that would align themselves with this dishonest greedy company needs to get raped just a time or two more and maybe then they'll learn.
Things will change. I think feebay is a thing of the past

Me said 4:25PM on 3-06-2008

True it is that big business is big business. Ebay is not a charity, but they are GREEDY and the fact that their methods of doing business are NOT dragging them into federal court yet is a sad reflection of our society's insatiable greed and willingness to have low expectations. We LET the Enron's or Microsofts of the world exist. Bill Gates very simply is a crook. By monopolizing his software market (illegally squeezing out Netscape, Compaq and any other vendor with a better browser, open source software or other innovative idea) to reflect HIS visions or MICROSOFTsS narrow view of software design (which we ALL know is severely flawed, case in point windows VISTA or MS Outlook etc etc...most of their software doesn't even work correctly...). Or is he?? We allow it. We are just as to blame. The fact that 50% of ebayers AREN'T up in arms over the new rules just shows 1. the ignorance out there 2. the greed 3. the lack of moral fortitude or business ethics in our society today. Many newer or larger ebayers only care about money. Trust me, as a 10 yr honest and loyal ebayer who not only boycotted but will NEVER use the site again out of principle (something many people on this messageboard obviously lack) it saddens me to see this cool website turn into a large corporate monster with a completely different seller base. I have seen this site morf and mark my words. The changes made in Jan will be felt by EVERY seller eventually. Once you newbies get 2-3 months or years into using ebay and start getting a few unfair feedbacks or get your account suspended for something you didn't even do and know what it feels like to be attacked when you did nothing wrong you will change your cocky tune....buh bye

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