Jim "Griff" Griffith gave listeners some tantalizing hints on his radio show this week about some upcoming eBay announcements and the direction of the marketplace. He said, "This is a big month at eBay. We're working on some interesting things, and a lot of them will be revealed in the next 30 days."Mmm, do we really want to know? Why do I have this impending feeling of dread about this announcement? After everything eBay has done, which has supposedly been for the general good of people like me, why should I think that this big announcement will be good?
People are speculating about it. AuctionBytes quotes Griff as stating, "Advertising is a way of monetizing the site. Everyone knows that that's a way,..free services usually have some form of advertising... I'll let you draw some conclusions or maybe let that take your thought process. " An AuctionBytes reader suggests that eBay may be changing to free listings.
I'm not so sure that free listings would be a good idea. Wouldn't that increase the amount of junk on the site? Do we really need more junk on eBay? Also, I bet if the listings do become free, eBay will have strings attached to it, like how we have to be a new seller or have to have sold in the last month. You know...something that would prevent people like me from getting free listings.
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I saw an announcement like that yesterday from Jamie someone, a marketing person. For a limited time, your first 3 listings are free if you are a NEW seller. If they go to free listings, you can bet they will up their percentage take of the final value as well as Paypal fees. And if they add any more advertisements, I won't be able to access the site - it is SO SLOW for me now to go back and forth between the search list and the detail item descriptions. Even thought the search list is not changing, I think it is slow because they re-load the page to get new ads in.
I have to admit though that I do like the auction style listings, which I guess Bonanzle doesn't have. Do they say anything about possibly adding auctions to Bonanzle? It's the lure of finding something cheap and the "chance" that you might get the item for that price.
I can't believe how many new listings there are for Nancy Drew books EVERY DAY! Is it always like this on ebay or are they hot right now for some reason?
If they go to free listings, you can bet they will up their percentage take of the final value as well as Paypal fees.
That is exactly what people are predicting. If eBay goes to free listings, the final value fees will become even more prohibitive.
And if they add any more advertisements, I won't be able to access the site - it is SO SLOW for me now to go back and forth between the search list and the detail item descriptions.
Have you tried Firefox? It generally works better than Internet Explorer, although I'm having to use Google Chrome for my main saved searches list. I am having issues with Firefox these last few days, significant slowness, and I have to close out of Firefox often to speed it back up. I need to go to their forums and see whether it is Firefox or just eBay. I want to blame eBay, but I need to check into it first.
Do they say anything about possibly adding auctions to Bonanzle?
Not at this point in time, but you never know what could happen later. The site is still under heavy development, so we'll just have to wait and see. Auctions are not viable on Bonanzle right now, because there are not enough buyers. I'm just glad it is free, and I don't have to play eBay's mind games.
On eBay, I always start my auctions at what I want for the books, and I have found in the last year that I almost always only get one bidder. So for me, switching to Bonanzle gives me the same results, and I pay less. And again, no mind games.
I can't believe how many new listings there are for Nancy Drew books EVERY DAY! Is it always like this on ebay or are they hot right now for some reason?
I am not noticing anything different, but then I have a long list of blocked sellers - the diamond power sellers. I did notice back in the fall that the number of Nancy Drew listings had increased greatly, so I started blocking the sellers who listed large quantities of new books. So for me, I'm not seeing that glut of new listings.
My blocked sellers list removes over 1,000 items from my Nancy Drew searches, and it is all books that I don't want to see. I just don't think that Buy.com and all of their diamond power seller competitors are going to offer anything I want, like vintage books.
I need to go to their forums and see whether it is Firefox or just eBay. I want to blame eBay, but I need to check into it first.
I want to add to my last post that my problems with slowness were Firefox and not eBay. I checked Firefox's message boards, and the problems began with the recent 3.0.6 update. I downloaded the 3.1 beta 2 version. I think my problems may be solved, except, of course, for the continuing slowness of My eBay, which began when eBay first improved it. EBay is completely to blame for that.
Funny thing is today my ebay search list looks different - like things are not lined up right. If I wasn't familiar with it, it would be very confusing. BUT all of a sudden it is working faster! I got through items in at least half the time! The item listings themselves look the same, but load much faster also. I'm sure they'll "fix" it soon and I'll be drudging along again.
I've been buying some ND books on ebay - got what I consider a few deals. One item was lousy though - it was a tweed with DJ in a protective cover. When I received it I realized it didn't have the paper backing, but I figured no big deal, as I would just put my own jacket cover on it. Gave good feedback, etc., everything done. So my Brodart covers came in and I went to cover the book jacket today and - shoot - found out the "protective cover" was self-adhered directly to the dust jacket along a line of 3 inches! I tried to gently pull it off but some of the back of the jacket started pulling away with the adhesive so I stopped. Then I looked more closely at the cover from the reverse side and saw that it was taped all over the place. The tape is almost invisible though, so I am hoping at least that it might be a good quality non-yellowing, acid free tape. But in general, all my other buys were what I expected or better, and I am very happy with my new hobby!
There was a set of ten yellow PC's yesterday that had all mixed letters in the title on the spine. So learning from you and looking at the cover pictures, I was sure they were from the 60's which is the period I'm looking for to fit in with my own yellow books. I "needed" six of the ten. Unfortunately, I got outbid on that one. I was disappointed BUT I know other opportunities will come up and I will get them eventually for reasonable prices.
I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your expert knowledge with us. I feel like I have learned so much from your website and from your blog posts and I'm sure it is helping me to collect better items at reasonable prices. Tomorrow (oops! guess it's today now - 2/17) is my birthday, so I'm going to treat myself to something from your Bonanzle store. Don't get too excited, it won't be the Old Clock first true printing ;) but just a little something to wish you success on Bonanzle. Thanks again for all your help!
Funny thing is today my ebay search list looks different - like things are not lined up right.
I bet you have been defaulted into the "new and improved" search. I just read that the old search will be retired soon. I'm glad that search is loading faster for you; it sounds like it could be an improvement at least in your case.
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