Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Gray Days - Is There Life After Ebay?

This time last year I was super busy. Had several commissions I was working on - plus trying to beef up my website plus trying to keep my store stocked on Ebay. I managed to save enough from my profits to get new windows put in the house, pay car insurance and other large bills as they came along plus squeezed in a much needed new bed and sofa and barely had to touch my social security or pension checks. Life was good. I didn't have much time to put my feet up and relax and reflect on my good fortune, but I was happy to be making the bills, putting something away and just being useful each and every day...again...Life was Good!

Then came the first of the year and things began to slowly grind to a halt. I decided to at least temporarily close my Ebay store. On January 28 - it became quite clear - the Ebay I knew was going to be killed off and what is emerging looks nothing like the site I had fun on and depended on to supplement my retirement, met new friends on. Well, multiply my story times thousands and that's how many sellers are walking around kind of dazed and depressed and not able to figure out the next step except to know deep down inside that the next step does not include their old friend Ebay. Other sites seem odd to me now and sales there are very grim. I figure its because buyers are also as used to Ebay as I was and so they just don't leave there. Most are aware that their favorite sellers are gone from the site, but do not realize why. The ones who find out how utterly callous and cruel Ebay is being to small sellers generally get mad about it. Eventually, buyers will leave when they can no longer find the unique and unusual. Let's face it - if you want something new and shiny you'll go to the nearest department store to touch, feel, smell and perhaps buy it. I'm positive this will eventually dawn on Ebay - I'm positive that its only a matter of time before they are forced to come to their senses due to failing revenue and listings. Unfortunately for small sellers like myself we will have either settled in somewhere else or given up on the idea of selling online.

We're witnessing the end of an era - it was fun and it was interesting and for some it became a way of life. Sad to see it dying like this. I'm sure there were other ways to spark interest in a site such as this but then it looks like nobody in authority has that kind of imagination or creative ability.

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