Online Sales Are Down For Most

ACEO: Halloween Feast

This is a difficult period for many people. Lots of folks are watching their401K's decline, stocks are in the basement. Some say its a good time to pick up some bargains in stocks...maybe so but for those of us retired or nearing retirement that would be a big no-no. All we can do is try to keep what we have and keep it safe. I was lucky to roll my 401K over a year ago into an IRA. At least its safe even if it isn't making primo money for me.

In the same vein, internet sales are down. The few items I have on Ebay are stagnant with few hits and rolling off without bids. In Ebay's ongoing insanity, they saw fit to lower my standing in their search from "raised" to "standard" thereby kicking a seller when he's down even a seller who has never had a negative and has all 5.0 DSR's. They said I didn't have enough feedback in the past 30 days and failed to take into consideration the 30 items that I paid them to list that rolled off without bids. Its time folks...its more than time to put your Ebay money elsewhere. Even if you use it to advertise a website of your own. Nothing will change in Ebay's corner until their management changes and its like the old saying "it has to get much worse before it gets better."

This is a time when buyers will be looking for bargains. They'll search the web this holiday season because they simply won't have the money they had last year. Its a great time to get traffic to your other venues! I've written about Etsy, Bonanzle, Wigix and others. The problem with these sites lies with US...we go there, we list and we sit and wait for people to find us. We are spoiled by Ebay's past performance and expect the traffic to simply be there. No..WE are the ones who have to reach out to our buyers (past and present) and get them to these sites. I know if they bother to try they will probably stay. Since most of these sites are free to list or near free (Etsy is 20 cents per item for 4 months) we can afford to offer incentives for buyers to come and buy from us. Offer free shipping - offer a bonus gift, etc. Get them to come and see the site and see your offerings. In that way we can build these small sites into viable outlets for our items. Take the plunge and most of all TAKE INTEREST in building traffic.

Another Halloween offering today is an ACEO called Halloween Feast.

(ACEO is Art Cards Editions and Originals, an idea born and nurtured on Ebay. These cards are generally original paintings about the size of a baseball card. Exactly 2 1/2 X 3 1/2")

McCain Suggests Meg Whitman for Treasury Secretary!

Halloween Raven

I could not believe my eyes and ears while watching the presidential debate tonight. Good grief - just what someone who is trailing in the polls should do...shoot themselves in the foot! Meg Whitman???? At first I thought well - at least California would be safe from her running for governor - then I realized that Secretary of the Treasury is an even bigger job to screw up like she helped screw up Ebay. She will never be forgotten as the person who groomed John Donahoe and that Donahoe has almost single handedly brought the company to its knees in less than a year with his foolish "disruptive innovation" garbage!! He and Whitman have put thousands of small sellers out of business and they will both be known for that...forever! Among small sellers, ebay is no prize package - no salvation from poverty - instead, among most small sellers, it has become the most hated company on the internet with no end in sight! If McCain kept up on current events he would see that just yesterday Ebay slashed 1,000 jobs and about 600 temp positions and now I hear they will lay off a lot of workers in Germany! Apparently, McCain never bothered to look into what Whitman left on Ebay and, I believe she is still on the payroll!

Well, one thing it did was to convince me that McCain is totally out of touch and following right in Bushes' footsteps with handing out jobs to people who support his campaign....regardless of experience for the job!

That's my opinion....no rock throwing please :-)


Well, Halloween will be here before we know it. The artwork tonight is a miniature called Halloween Raven.

Watercolor - The Biker - by Patricia Ann Rizzo

"The Biker"

This is actually a watercolor I painted years ago. Its sold so I'm not trying to make a sale...but I am trying to inspire people to pick up a brush and do a little painting. Its a great stress reliever. Incidentally, I'm a retired lady living in Southern California - I paint anything and just about everything and enjoy it so much. give it a try

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PeSA Finally Tells it Like It IS!

Released: September 30, 2008


PeSA Official Statement on eBays Marketplace:
Deteriorating eBay Market Conditions Erode Seller Confidence
Members of the Professional eBay Sellers Alliance have been concerned with the vibrancy of the eBay marketplace for the past few years. In the first nine months of 2008, we have observed a substantial deterioration in the value of the marketplace for merchants. Broader e-commerce growth is in the high teens while eBay’s GMV has increased at low single digit rates; a clear sign that eBay is losing wallet share among online shoppers.

We were encouraged with the culture of change that swept through eBay during the past 12 months; however, we believe the flawed execution of change has accelerated the deterioration of the marketplace. Today eBay merchants have an increased level of business uncertainty due to eBay’s poor execution of changes in many areas including seller performance measurement, fees, site search, buyer activity, and seller communication. The result is that merchants are changing their behavior in ways that we believe is not beneficial to the eBay marketplace.

Merchants are pursuing alternate channels for their businesses which are more economical, including launching their own website, participating in other third party channels such as Amazon and Overstock, and even opening brick and mortar stores. Based recent feedback from PeSA members, merchants are focusing on other channels at higher rates than we have ever measured in the past. Prime products that used to find their way to eBay, are now being diverted to these new "premier" channels that are reportedly delivering higher margins with greater certainty and decreased overhead.

Merchants that used to prioritize the eBay channel now regard the marketplace as a venue of last resort used mainly for liquidation of product that doesn’t sell elsewhere. eBay has acknowledged that it may have an undersupply of merchandise on the site, however, they fail to recognize that the supply issue on eBay is a direct result of their relationship with their customers, the sellers. The lack of credible communication from eBay to its sellers about its strategy has resulted in a marketplace of skeptic sellers, which is bad for business. We would like to highlight eBay’s recent move to allow "big box" retailers free access to eBay, at a competitive advantage to its existing seller base, as an example of a decision that exacerbates the situation by threatening the diverse supply of merchandise that shoppers expect on eBay.

As PeSA has stated in its prior position statements, the real issue affecting eBay is buyer activity. We believe that issue still exists. According to eBay’s latest published results, eBay’s annual active user churn rate was close to 40%. eBay has discontinued reporting the data that allowed us to actively monitor the issue, but based upon the flat active user growth, we believe eBay is still seeing poor user activity.

Unfortunately, most of the changes at eBay have been focused on sellers, not buyers. We are proponents for measuring the performance of sellers and rewarding those sellers that provide positive customer experiences. The concept is used in other marketplaces; however, the eBay execution of that concept resulted in a Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) system that is substantially flawed both in its measurement and transparency. We understand that a new system will not be perfect and should be adjusted as experience builds. The real problem is that eBay seems to be building on top of a flawed DSR system that has not been adjusted to reflect true buyer experience.

At PeSA, our position on eBay fees has been that as long as sellers are receiving value, eBay is certainly entitled to share in that value. During the past few years, that economic balance has shifted dramatically to the disadvantage of merchants. In our opinion, eBay still does not recognize that their excessive extraction of value in the form of fees and other monetization techniques has resulted in dramatic underinvestment on improving the marketplace. Declining buyer activity also has a direct result on average selling prices and conversion rates on the platform. Thus the lower margins in conjunction with rising eBay fees, results in eBay taking more value while leaving less for merchants.

In addition, the diversion of traffic off the eBay platform in the form of advertising (run by Yahoo in the US) helps eBay monetize the marketplace, but leaves less buyer traffic for merchants that list on eBay. And, the greater compliance burden of operating on eBay combined with the risk that a merchant business will be shut down with little visibility creates an unworkable environment.

We embrace the effort that eBay has made to adjust fees to better align with the success of merchants. But, again, the implementation of the changes comes across as an effort to increase the take rate on merchants without really investing in the marketplace. While eBay lowered the upfront cost to list on the marketplace, they dramatically increased the fees on the back-end. We were disappointed with this approach and would have preferred that eBay show some commitment to increase value to the marketplace before raising final value fees on its customers.

We argue that the declining economics on the marketplace justified lowering front end fees without an associated increase on the backend. After all, less buyer activity means that the marketplace is not as valuable a channel for a merchant and the cost to list on the marketplace should be less. Unfortunately, eBay does not see it that way and the result is that eBay is placing the burden of all the changes on the marketplace on the backs of its customers, which are its merchants. We continue to experience one step forward on concept and two steps back with execution. We cannot find any other case where a company, with the desire to restructure and improve its business, places the burden squarely on its customer base.

PeSA is focused on promoting professional and successful selling on the eBay marketplace and are actively working with all professional sellers to help them navigate the changes on the marketplace. We believe eBay still needs to better understand its customers and we hope that sharing our views helps highlight the most pressing issues. it is our intention to continue working with sellers and with eBay to effect positive change in the marketplace and will be publishing additional papers with more specific commentary in the near future.

Ebay Small Sellers - Let's BONANZLE!!!

ACEO Halloween Cat

I know the feeling...you've been on Ebay for years and up till this year you've been doing okay. You're paying your fees and trying to keep up with the latest policy changes and requirements. Even with all that effort your sales are in the toilet and you watch your items roll off with few views and no bids because you find your items smothered under tons of other items from other sellers...what to do? Its time to get proactive (that means get a move on!). One day while reading Auctionbytes.com (which seems to be my morning paper) I saw an item about a place called Bonanzle. Funny name - gotta check it out. I was floored! Its bright and colorful, its clean and uncluttered - a shop there is free - listing is free!.....AND they will import your Ebay feedback and your Ebay items! I suggest everyone get there and set up shop - then go thru your list of past buyers and invite them over! Give them an incentive like free shipping or a free gift - you can do it because you're not weighed down with fees! Bonanzle is growing by leaps and bounds. I am amazed to check the stats there each morning and see that they are, indeed, gaining more sellers. I also love Bonanza Days there. That is a day you schedule with Bonanzle and on that day you offer sales galore and Bonanzle will direct traffic to your shop for a few hours. Its a plus you aren't going to get somewhere else...so give Bonanzle a look and I think you'll like what you see!

My painting for today: The witching hour is on its way...Halloween Cat

From an Ebay Seller to Ebay Buyers - Can We Talk DSR's? (Detailed Sellers Ratings)

"Tree of Dreams"

My performance as a seller is being rated by you. You decide if sellers like me stay or go on eBay. Truth is, although Ebay tells you a 4.0 rating is good anything less than a 5.0 rating lowers my standings in search until I can no longer be found. If they dip below 4.3 - I could be suspended from selling.

Ebay has given buyers the power to hand out negatives without the fear of getting one in return...this leaves sellers vulnerable and is one reason why a lot of them simply left the site. As a seller, I would expect that if you the buyer finds anything wrong with your purchase from me that you will have the courtesy of contacting me...I stand ready to rectify the situation. Most honest sellers want to keep their good reputations and remain sellers on eBay. Without the cooperation of buyers - that will soon change and what will be left are big stores with the same merchandise you can find in any Walmart. Most of us try our best to describe an item properly, to package and ship it carefully. My items are shipped upon payment and at no more than a few pennies above actual shipping cost - yet my stars for shipping time and shipping cost have been damaged.

If buyers don’t begin to communicate their displeasure or the reasoning behind rating a seller at less than a 5.0 then soon all unique small sellers such as myself will be gone from the site. This is not a threat, it is a fact that has been happening since this DSR rating system was instituted. Many buyers are already complaining that they can no longer find their favorite small seller. So, I’m asking you to please either contact me with your complaints or rate fairly. Only 5.0 ratings can keep us on Ebay.

On shipping, you must rate me and not the post office. You are rating the time I send out the item - not how long the post office takes to get it to you. You are also rating what I charge you and not what the postal rates happen to be. A seller should be allowed to charge a bit more for the packing and materials needed to send out an item. Its unreasonable to expect it for nothing. I know in my case, when I send out a large painting it costs me over 6.00 in bubblewrap and clean cardboard and foam core board alone. I believe in using new packing material.

There is a lot to consider when rating a seller fairly. I know its an imposition but its not one the sellers are burdening you with. Ebay has lost a lot of good sellers who could no longer cope with this system....but its here and we need to discuss it openly so that buyers are aware of it - and have the correct information. I know if I were a buyer and never sold on Ebay I would think rating a seller 3 on DSR's was average - yet that would quickly suspend a seller! Ebay tells buyers a 4.0 is a good rating - yet will suspend sellers who fall to a 4.3. You can quickly see the problem here. Nobody seems to know why Ebay has done this - some think they are merely "thinning the herd" of sellers. Others don't know what to think.

Hopefully, this will give buyers an idea of what sellers must cope with in order to sell onEbay. I, myself, list very very few items there now and its because I have an unblemished 10 year reputation and I figure I'll keep it at that and also because selling there is no longer fun but is very very stressful.

I hope you will take this as informational. Buyers have been given great power by Ebay and sellers only hope they will use it correctly.

My painting for today is a 16 X 20" original that recently sold and is on its way to Great Britain. "Tree of Dreams"

Ebay - Who knows What Tomorrow Will Bring?

"I Dream of Flying"

Yes, tomorrow starts the 30 day 35 cents fixed price listings that were obviously designed to get items out of Ebay stores and into core. I can't help but wonder why they're doing this? Are they desperate? maybe so.... It seems Meg Whitman put stores in search a couple of years ago and then quickly took them out again, complaining that the site was becoming cluttered with junk! So, what's new this time? What's new? Just about everything. Far as I can see, sellers (who are also buyers) are leaving in great numbers. Their listings are being replaced by the likes of buy.com. Its rumored buy.com gets free insertion - but with only a 3 percent sell-thru rate, who is Ebay kidding? Is THIS really where they want to go?

It is now rumored that 1500 Ebay employees will be laid off shortly. This can mean one of two things. Either they are hurting and have to lay off part of their workforce, OR this was a planned lay off because they could see the droves of small sellers leaving the site. This may yet all be planned in Mr. Donahoe's plan to turn the site retail like Amazon. If I were him with those plans in mind, I'd try to keep most of the sellers for as long as possible...let them pay the fees while Ebay tempts big box retailers with free listings. That would be how I would plan it...and perhaps that's the way Donahoe is planning it too. Whatever, we will know which path Ebay is taking by the end of this year. I suggest that it can't hurt to start listing on other sites - especially those free to list.....AND DON'T FORGET TO TELL YOUR BUYERS WHERE YOU CAN BE FOUND.

As for me? After 10 years, I have just a few (3 right now) small listings on Ebay. I've switched over to Bonanzle and love it there and I'm hoping everyone will come and take a peek and perhaps set up a shop there. Free shop and free listing. Its all good.

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/misspatricia

Today's painting. Baby Pegasus "I Dream of Flying"

Auctions and Antiques Examiner: eBay - more changes, rumors

This article lays it on the line! If you really want to know about the crazy changes on Ebay this will tell all clearly and consisely. READ IT!

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Ebay - Are You Really Better Off Now Than One Year Ago?

ACEO - Jitterbug Mice

This morning I was sitting out on my little patio with my usual morning cup of tea. My thoughts wandering had somehow settled on Ebay and the utter mess its become for us sellers since the big announcement in January of this year. I think back to last year and had just come off a super summer selling season. I believe I probably made over 400 feedbacks last year alone - I'd have to check on that to be sure. It was a banner year for me and I still had the holiday season approaching. It was wonderful and I felt that retirement wasn't so bad afterall - I had plenty of change jingling around in my pocket for little luxuries and my ebay money was paying a lot of bills for me. What happened between now and then can only be described as bedlam! (hope I spelled that right). I now know the true meaning of Mr. Donahoe's "disruptive innovation". Believe me, if anyone in authority utters that to you - run for your life!!!

There's a backlash to all of this and it concerns my one-time pal Ebay. If all of us small sellers lost so much business and so much money....and the sell thru rates are now flat for most - and the sell thru rates for the likes of buy.com are downright dismal....how is Ebay making any profit? Truth be told...they aren't. Their stock is down, downgraded just yesterday to a forecast of 19.00 a share by the likes of Deutsch Bank. All is not rosy in the Ebay camp - top management is leaving...kind of like the rats deserting the sinking ship. One needs to wonder...where will it all end? Will Ebay become Amazon's cheap and cheesy third cousin? Ebay wouldn't or couldn't venture the capital to be anything more than that. In the end, when the present managment is swept out finally and forever, all I can hope for is that they leave enough of Ebay so that small sellers might once again venture in and clean up the mess they made! Then it can join the other small time venues who are trying to become the size Ebay once was!

The painting for today? Well, you might call it...when the cat's away the mice will play :-) Have a Super Sunday everyone!

Forget Ebay Today! Life is Waiting!!!

Blue Doggie Sharpener

I've just been out on my patio enjoying the coolness of a southern california morning and drinking my morning cup of tea. Look around, the birds are flying and singing, my hummingbirds are coming in to feed on their sugar water (and dive bomb me for being in their territory) my roses are blooming and all is right with the world. What more do I need past that glorious moment. It was unmarred by thoughts of how I'm going to make sales on Ebay now that its totally messed up or even about the fact my car insurance bill will be in any day now. No....it was just about the great outdoors and how darned lucky I am to be alive and seeing and feeling and smelling all this beauty. Sometimes we have to rein ourselves in and look at the basics. I'm sure all of you have benefits in your life you never really counted before. The mere fact of living is a great benefit on its own...perhaps the greatest of all!

That's my message for today and I'm sticking to it!

Today's painting...for those artists who say "I ran out of ideas and don't know what to paint" - paint what's in front of you and that scene of my pencil sharpener and pencils happened to be in front of me. :-)

How About Overstock.com?

Birches in Autumn (ACEO

Years ago I had high hopes for Overstock as a viable auction venue in direct competition with Ebay. Their first TV ads mentioned "taking on the big boys" and I rubbed my hands together thinking "this is it...finally". I was vastly disappointed because although Overstock kept advertising its retail site it kept failing to mention it had auctions at all - and most people didn't even know auctions existed there. A succession of managers were brought in who were going to get the auction portion of the business off the ground...all to no avail. I've heard rumors on what held back auctions...I will not mention any of that here. Today, I heard a radiocast with an interview of Doug Minnick from Overstock.com who gave a glowing report on where the site wants to go. They WANT SELLERS and they want them now! They'd be foolish NOT to want sellers since Ebay has been disillusioning sellers both large and small and causing them to wander the internet in search of a good place to sell. Overstock, with its huge retail business already has an good influx of traffic - they just need to make the fact that they have auctions known! Well, I'm always willing to go back and give something another try...how about you? I'll be listing on Overstock.com today and have my fingers crossed. I'm hoping this time they mean it!

New Merchant Directory for Online Sellers! - Its a Good Thing

Auctionbytes.com has come out with a new merchant directory called, EveryPlaceISell.com. You can register there and once you are approved you can list every venue you sell on, including your own website(s). This will, hopefully, be a directory where your buyers can go to see where else you are listing your wares. Its a good thing! Here's mine:




Watercolors by Patricia

Above, my ACEO "Butterfly & Flowers"

A Letter From The Heart Of One Small Seller to Mighty Ebay

I roam Ebay's discussion boards and was really taken by this posters offering. It came directly from the heart and so I asked this seller, Ebay ID subay, for permission to publish it here:

Dear eBay,

I know you probably don’t want to hear this. I mean, you don’t really like to talk about our relationship. Not anymore, anyway. But things have been happening lately – things have changed. YOU’VE changed. And after this last incident, I just can’t keep on going along as though everything is still fine.

We’ve been together for, what, over ten years now, isn’t it? I remember those early days so well. Even way back then, a lot of people were talking about you, and you sounded so cool, I decided I had to introduce myself. It was love at first sight. We had so much fun back then, didn’t we? You opened up a whole new world for me. And you were so talented! A little rough around the edges, sure, but right from the start it was clear you’d be a star someday. But I didn’t love you just for that, not just for what you did. I also loved you for who you were. Or who I thought you were. You seemed to care about people, about bringing them together to create something new, something amazing! You had a gift and you shared it. It wasn’t all about the money, back then. And I felt like we were a team, you and me, building this world together. We did, you know… build it together. These days I think you forget that.

I guess I should’ve expected it. What a cliché, right? “Fame changes people.” You’re a really big deal now, a household name, even. And while you became a big star, I just stayed the same person I always was. I was enough for you, back at the beginning. But now you think you need to be with someone flashier, someone who can doooo more for you. Even though you’re supposedly committed to me, nowadays you’d rather be with other celebrities, and you haven’t exactly been discreet about it.

I know, I know, you say that’s not true, that you still care about me. That there’s still a place for me in your world. But we both know that’s not true. That might be what hurts the most, that you can’t even be honest with me about it. You’re doing that thing, that coward’s-break-up thing. Maybe you’re too uncomfortable with the awkwardness, or maybe you’re afraid of what your public will think of you if you unceremoniously dump the person who’s supported you for all these years. For whatever reason, you can’t bring yourself to end it cleanly. Instead, you’ve just started mistreating me, making me work harder and harder to be with you, and then blaming me for every little thing that goes wrong when I do. And finally you’ve spelled it right out… you tell me that from now on, even when everything I do is “Satisfactory,” you will not be satisfied. Technically, you haven’t broken up with me. But how could anyone stay in a relationship like that?

So I guess what I’m saying is, it’s time for me to move on. Not today… honestly, I’m still sort-of reeling from your latest “announcement.” I don’t know where I’m going yet. Maybe I’ll have to go it alone for a while. You know I’ll miss you terribly. We’ve been through so much, and you’ve been an important part of my life over the last decade. But somewhere out there, there’s another auction site who will appreciate me, and who'll treat me the way a seller should be treated. And we both know that I deserve that.

Take care of yourself. And try not to forget who helped you become a star. As for me, I will always remember the good times,

Fondly,

subay

Above is an ACEO of a thoughtful cat.

Ebay: The Small Seller's Opinion

Betty the Bidder

I read countless articles and blogs every day concerning Ebay. For the past 10 years I've been selling on Ebay and selling pretty well up until January of this year when all seemed to turn upside down. Make no mistake about it, when you come here and read what I post it is the small seller angle you're going to get and not the big powerseller's angle.

My view on the elimination of paper payments is that it will ban a lot of the elderly and low income folks from buying on Ebay. Hidden on a thread somewhere on Ebay's boards they are discussing just this problem. Ebay says we can receive payment by check or moneyorder....as long as we don't receive too many of them! To me, they aren't concerned with the buyer or enhancing the buyer's experience. They ARE concerned with fee avoidance because if the buyer choses to send a moneyorder Ebay does not get that Paypal fee! Is this concern about the buyer's experience...or is it concern about their own revenue. I'm betting its the latter and because of that sellers must weigh each and every change Ebay makes to ensure that continuing to sell there will still be profitable for them. Don't just take the changes - "think" about how they will effect you and your business in particular. Small sellers are easily overwhelmed by changes and at some point they cease to garner any profit from what they're selling. I think its sad when the service you pay to merely provide you space ends up taking over almost every aspect of your business and squeezing most of the profit from it.

Just my small seller opinion.

Ebay Changes Fee Schedule - Favors Fixed Listings

ACEO "Kitty Kat Heaven"

I've read and seen all the changes Ebay is coming out with on September 16 and beyond. Well, after mulling over the changes I see some sellers may save money and other sellers will see a sharp increase. I do see the site becoming glutted with listings - and still no effort to bring in buyers. I won't go over the specifics here - other articles have gone over and over them. I'll simply give my opinion of Ebay (who is still not listening to its customers - the sellers):

I am really beginning to think that Ebay feels all they have to do is look as much like Amazon as possible and everything will come to them. I also feel they are doomed to failure with this plan. As a long time ebay seller I know demand, in general, has gone down and there is no excitement in the site to pull buyers into it - and certainly no advertising - when was the last time you saw an Ebay ad on TV or heard one on radio? New fees have turned off potential sellers who may also become buyers. Ebay sees none of this. Now they are going to eliminate a segment of buyers who only use cash, check or moneyorder. These are mostly the elderly who will never trust the internet enough to put their credit information on it and the the low income people who save to make a purchase. Sellers will now have to tell these buyers they can't sell to them!

I really do believe Ebay trips from quarter to quarter and when a quarter looks bad they simply squeeze more out of sellers...believing sellers are a bottomless pit. I don't feel the new fees are going to do much more than glut the site with anything and everything - buyers will pick over it but it won't end in any more sales because sellers are so strapped now that they can't afford to offer bargains! Now I hear ebay will tie free shipping to standings in their listings! It never ends!

Ebay continues to clutter the site, make it almost impossible for buyers, especially, newbies to navagate. Generally, when a smart company sees things going bad they are willing to take a hit in revenue in order to try to make things right again. Ebay, simply tries to squeeze revenue out of sellers and at the same time are oblivious to what those sellers need in order to sell. They can't see past their assumption that they are the only game in town.

Maybe I'm just a pessimistic old curmudgeon but I see failure in these new fees and further selling restrictions!

A little humor mixed in with the news always helps. So, I put a new little painting at the top of this article.

Auctionwally-examines-eBays-case-of-I-told-ya-so

If eBay would listen to it's veteran sellers a little more, it could be a much better place to do business.

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Selling Online - Make the Most of Your Website

Enjoy your Sunday...take the dog to the park :-)


Well, my website has been up and running since 1996. Originally it was started to sell handmade clay angel pins which later had to be molded from resin as the demand for them increased. For several years they were used for wedding, christening and party favors and came on personalized cards. Business was good....but then the angel fad faded away. Now the same site is broken up into three distinct pieces...one is a catch-all for angel type things (magnets, notecards, etc.) the other is for my artwork and a third is for my long time hobby of tatting (making lace with a shuttle). The whole thing works nicely with a Paypal shopping cart. However, in times of low sales...such as it is now, its nice to fall back on Google ads to at least pay the website expenses. For those who think they look tacky - I say no, they are unobtrusive and they get enough click-thrus to pay for the room they take up. You see, every time someone clicks on a Google ad, Google pays me money. They don't have to buy a thing - just click on the ad....and if they're not interested in my site then I might as well make a bit of change on their exit from my site ;-) Google ads are just one of the ways to get extra mileage out of your website.

Happy Sunday :-)
The artwork is a 2 1/2" X 3 1/2" painting titled "Frisbee Westies"

Art in America

Hello again everyone. At this point, I don't know who reads my posts or whether I'm just spitting into the wind. It would be nice to get a comment...like "hey, I'm here and reading." Doesn't have to be anything more than that.


I want to speak today about Art in America and mainly about Art on the internet. In the past, THE place for art on the internet was Ebay but with its new wacky policies it has caused many artists (myself included) to lose pretty lucrative sales on that site. Going to Etsy and Art by Us is great - they're both wonderful websites...BUT...its awfully difficult to get buyers to follow. Like rats on a treadmill they go back to Ebay and fail to realize less and less good artwork is there. This is a post beggin people to stop in to Etsy.com - where all items are handmade in art, sewing, soapmaking, you name it....and Artbyus.com the dedicated art place that has been around for so many years. Its run by two fellow artists who keep the site going to keep art alive on the internet. So, if you haven't yet, please visit:

www.Etsy.com

My two shops there are:
www.misspat.etsy.com
www.tinypainter.etsy.com

www.artbyus.com

My ID there is misspatricia



If you're looking to buy any art at all...or if you just feel you'll go to Walmart and pick up a print or two PLEASE look in on these sites. Its very important to keep art going on the internet. Without buyers, it will die.



I hope you enjoy my pastel above. "The Pastel Unicorn"

Its Been Awhile

I've had some construction done on my little condo - actually had the adjoining wall soundproofed. I like quiet to the point of being fanatical about it. This will allow the neighbors to make noise and I can make some too and no hard feelings :-)

Ebay is running a 25 cent insertion fee for fixed price items (I believe it ends on 7/29) so I put up a couple of my larger paintings just to see how they would do. Oh my...the results so far are dismal to say the least. I would say the listings aren't worth 25 cents at this point and I feel certain neither painting will sell unless some miracle happens. The whole first 24 hours I only got one hit on one painting and nothing on the other. In the meantime I got plenty of views on my Etsy items and sold two small paintings off my website. This doesn't speak well for Ebay. They're blaming the slowdown in sales on the economy - yet Amazon is laughing all the way to the bank. No slowdown there. I know Ebay is headed in the wrong direction and like a derailed train it seems none of us can stop it. I'm sad to see it go like this, yet in getting rid of the big monopoly we may end up with many different sites instead of just the one. In that respect I feel kind of relieved that I no longer have to jump thru Ebay's hoops just to keep selling there. In effect, they forced some of us to leave the nest and venture out to new venues. I believe that will be very good, especially for small sellers. We'll build other sites the way we built Ebay...only several of them instead of just the one :-) The biggest task will be getting buyers to try other sites....but I think more and more of them are doing just that.

Some sunny sunflowers for everyone.

Rate My Drawings....Please

A little diversion from online selling. Rate My Drawings is a site that is truly addictive for most artists. If you have ever thought of dabbling in digital painting this is a good place to try your hand. You can use your mouse to paint with but the ultimate way is with a Wacom tablet and pen. I assure you it gets easier with each and every drawing....its only tough when your fellow artists come in and rate what you've done (just kidding).

The site is

http://www.ratemydrawings.com

and if you go there and look up Patty013 you will see over 65 drawings by yours truly :-) You also get to see just how I did each one. Go...try something new and most of all...ENJOY!

In Spite of Ebay, Things Are Looking Up :-)

The Pretty Pig
Available at
http://www.MissPat.etsy.com


Well, since the initial shock of January 29 and the announcement by John Donahoe that he was about to turn my world upside down...first, there is disbelief, then there is anger, then acceptance and finally you dig in, grit your teeth and prepare to pull yourself out of the mud and move forward. I'm very happy to say I have two shops on Etsy.com, one under the ID of tinypainter and the other under MissPat(come visit) I'm getting sales once again...AND my own website is making sales as well. I'm finally beginning to feel like a human being again instead of like some scourge that all buyers have to watch and have the right to rate me right out of business.

For any of you sellers out there who can't make it on ebay anymore, Etsy may not be your cup of tea but there are plenty of other venues that might do you. I suggest you go list and support them. Many are free to list - iOffer, eCrater to name just a couple and the radical new wigix.com. For you artists, Etsy.com (only 20 cents for 4 months) and Artbyus.com (free to list)are great! What do you have to lose? Don't become down-hearted because in the end of all of this I feel Ebay is going to be the ultimate loser.

Happy Independence Day - Life After Ebay!

What a wonderful day! Our country is 232 years old - we're in the midst of a presidential election year - the promise of new change for the better. Except for gas and food prices, the war and healthcare... things could be much worse.

I guess this is a year of change in most of our lives. Many of us are feeling the loss of Ebay. I know I am and several of my fellow artists are in that same boat. I am putting more and more effort into sites like my own website and Etsy. I think for an artist, Etsy seems to hold more promise than the other sites. In the past, I'd put a few things up, hope for the best and not visit Etsy again until the listings ended. Lately, I've been really checking out the site and found the chatrooms and they are WONDERFUL! You can chat with other "Etsians" and see their work pop up on the side of the screen and you can even flood the room with chocolate chip cookies (I don't know why but its fun). Its such a lighthearted site after the heavily restricting Ebay that I expect Etsy to be THE site for art and handmade items. For those who haven't scooped it out, please go and have a look - there IS life after Ebay and its looking pretty good!

Above - The Iris Bed - at a special price on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/tinypainter
http://www.watercolorsbypatricia.com
http://www.ACEOart.net
http://www.tattingjustforyou.com

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.

www.ACEOart.net
www.watercolorsbypatricia.com
www.tattingjustforyou.com

Wigix - eBay's Competition

eBay's competition - -make money buying or selling items. Make money without buying or selling any of your merchandise. Make money with referrals.

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Life Beyond Ebay - ArtbyUs.com!

The Passage of Time
Since my online sales are predominantly in art I am always looking for those sites that have good art categories where I can see some sales happening. Art by Us is a wonderful site that is totally dedicated to art. Its run by the Togels who are artists themselves. Listing is free with a small charge if you wish to feature your work and you can relist indefinitely. The site is beautiful and the listing pages are clean and uncluttered. This site has been around for years and I cannot for the life of me understand why serious collectors don't flock to it. I keep some things on this site almost all the time. Little of it actually sells but then if artists don't support the site it will disappear one day forever. Hopefully, serious buyers will browse thru it and decide to give it a try.

Stop by www.artbyus.com today and take a look.

The above painting is available on my website at:
http://www.watercolorsbypatricia.com

Ebay - There's Life Beyond Ebay - ETSY.COM!

Pronounced "etsy" as in Betsy. Etsy has been around for awhile now and is a haven for anyone who creates what they sell. There is a multitude of handmade items on Etsy and most reasonably priced. Listing, incredibly, is only 20 cents for 4 full months and the FVF is very low. I love Etsy. It has a way to go as far as traffic is concerned but with all the turmoil going on at Ebay Etsy is the recipient of refugee sellers AND disgusted buyers. Stop in at Etsy.com - visit my little shop there (yes, that's free). You might want to stay and list there for yourself.

http://www.tinypainter.etsy.com

Above is a special flower squirrel print I just put in my shop. It from my own original watercolor and would look great in a child's room or nursery. These prints are 8 X 10" or smaller on Epson Heavyweight matte Paper.

Ebay Aside - Let's Talk Art

LuLu by Patricia Ann Rizzo

An exciting new collectible was born on Ebay several years ago. There have been artist's trading cards, small paintings that were traded among artists much like baseball cards. Well, an Ebay artist said why not make these art cards and sell them to the public? Novel idea but would anybody want to buy paintings that are only 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches (the one solid requirement)? We started making them and put some up for sale and wham - started the ACEO craze! ACEO (art cards editions and originals) took off like a house on fire and are still a hot category on Ebay even with the downturn in sales in most other categories. People found new ways to present them - in albums, in groupings on walls, even in mobiles. Stores are beginning to realize there is a need for frames that hold 2 1/2 X 3 1/2" paintings and now you can find them in Walmart, Aaron Bros, just about any larger store.

ACEO's became popular not only for their size but also for the fact that now collectors can purchase these tiny artworks from many artists. They are affordable - though some of the most popular and talented artists' works can go for as high as $500.00. The majority are still under $10.00 and there is always that chance that one of the artists in your collection reaches fame thereby increasing the value of the artwork.

Some artists have a particular topic they love to paint. Cats, dogs, horses, and birds are quite popular - floral gardens and tiny landscapes. Some just paint skeleton people and there seems to be a large following of collectors for those - and ravens are quite popular now. I've even seen ACEO's in glass and metal, as well as collage. I, myself, have a character who has become fairly popular with some ACEO collectors. Its a tiny "over-the-hill" gray haired chubby woman who has no inhibitions! She thinks she's beautiful and flaunts it. Her name is LuLu and that's her at the top of the article and posing with me in the thumbnail along with her friend LiLy.

Where can you find some of these pieces of art? Well, my artsite has a section dedicated to them:

http://www.ACEOart.net

and Ebay has a large assortment of them all the time.

Take a peek in both places and I promise you that with your very first piece of tiny artwork you will become totally addicted :-)

Patricia Ann Rizzo
http://www.watercolorsbypatricia.com

Ebay! Can This Be True???

I picked this up on one of Ebay's boards the other day. I offer it simply for your interest and for you to read it and notice whether or not this is the path Ebay eventually takes. I neither agree or disagree with this post. What's your opinion of it?

I've edited out names, URL's etc.:


FROM A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF EBAY:

I posted this at the feedback forum at eBay but it was killed by staff less than a minute later. I should have known. My ID will be toast soon anyway. This was the only other place I thought where my statement might have an impact. Do with it what you will. After Chicago, my only desire is to be heard.

There will be those who will not believe me and I sympathize. I wish the facts were fiction but to deny what I know would be to live in a fairyland of make-believe. I understand that the bulk of this “manifesto” reveals a plot so against the spirit of eBay that it will be dismissed as lie. So be it. I cannot force the world to accept it. All I can do is state the truth as I know it and leave it to you and to your common sense and experience to judge.

The deck is stacked against me. Aside from the natural resistance to believe I know that the boards are stocked with eBay’s tools. Their goal will be to discredit me. I will be accused of being a “disgruntled”, “paranoid”, and “emotional” seller. Their words will be specially chosen for effect. That is part of the function of the tools and I am not fazed by it. However, to protect my own identity within the corporation, I cannot be too specific lest the details single me out to the powers that be.

What I intend to reveal is common knowledge to many in the management division behind the scenes.

By the way, the tools are not only the mouthpieces that promote the policies. The psychological tactics employed by the powers that be are far deeper and grander than that. The subtlety of the method is remarkable. The tools come in a wide range of flavors with their own, individual “characteristic” rhetoric. From those who are “for” the policy - and spread various degrees of hostility toward the sellers - to those who are “against” the change - and spread panic and further the divide with the buyers. Both serve the same exact purpose: a manipulation designed to remove the more involved and savvy small to large sellers who will not fit into eBay’s future business plan.

First, let me correct the record regarding the concept of sellers extorting positive feedback. While the violation was known to happen, the activity amounted to less than a tenth of a percent of the yearly transactions. Further, it involved sellers whose feedback percentages were below 80%. The absolute majority of sellers did not engage in such practices. Nevertheless, the powers that be could not resist the fact that promoting this notion of feedback extortion as a wide-spread phenomenon would be the perfect cover with which to hide the true intentions of the policy.

The powers that be want to transform eBay into an overstock warehouse venue. A kind of outlet store for the internet much like a cheaper and streamlined version of Amazon. From a strictly business point of view, given the size of eBay and the growing costs of doing business, it makes a certain kind of sense to shift gears. Think about it: when eBay started, sellers were about rare and unique items but here and now the majority of items are common, used counterparts of what can be found new online at retail sites. Truly rare and unique items are sold at real auctions; the “stuff in your attic” isn’t glamorous enough and won’t keep eBay afloat any longer.

The trend away from the rare and unique to the big box retailer is not new. Several years ago the powers that be noticed that the big “powersellers” were simply listing items that existed in their retail stores or inventories. Thus the concept of “buy it now”, “best offer”, and “eBay stores” were created. It was the nascent stage of the plan yet to be. Little by little, without the population noticing, the mechanisms required to replicate the average retail storefront were already in place - and with its rise came the slow, steady downfall of the auction format.

Yet outright pursuit of a retail venue would have led to a major problem that at the time could not have been surmounted. The vast majority of people, on and off line, know eBay as precisely the place for auctions of rare and unique items. The sellers and buyers held onto that perception too but in truth their opinion even involvement in new and improved version of eBay is irrelevant by a certain Machiavellian calculation made by the powers that be. As part of the plan, eBay calculated thus: even if they lost the sellers as part of the change, the buyers will be coming back to buy regardless of who or what operated within the retail-outlet venue.

No, it was the stock holders who the powers that be feared.

Only the stockholders had the power to change the direction set forth by the CEO and the board. So it became imperative to change the equation. Part of the plan is to devalue the stock gradually so that investors merely dumped the stock as opposed to wanting managerial change ala Yahoo. Then to buy back the stock at lower cost and to such a volume that no rebellion against the powers that be were possible.

By the end of July that phase of the plan will be successful and there est of the plan will be revealed without fear of backlash from those who otherwise would have had the power to pull eBay back from the brink.
Indeed, if you believe the current changes are obvious signals that small sellers are not wanted - be prepared - you have seen nothing yet.

So far what have they done? All they have managed to do is silence a seller’s ability to warn others about buyers (half of the purpose behind the original idea of feedback), burden you with higher and higher fees, dangle “treats” like discounts while setting the bar of eligibility so high that the rewards cannot be reached. and, by the way PayPal deals with “complaints” leave you vulnerable to fraud. What if worse was yet to come?

They know if you do not feel safe that you will not use eBay. The changes that have been enacted only eliminates the small sellers. Meanwhile they want to eradicate the mid-sized seller too. And they want to ensure that both do not return.

For the mid-sized seller the DSR became the tool of choice. The powers that be raised the level of what is a good seller artificially high. No manipulation is required; they know exactly the effect of the policy. This is why buyers are told that 4 is a good score and sellers are told that 4.9 yields discounts and higher listing placements. As long as that fractured point of view exists, eBay does not need to interfere with the DSR as has been suggested, the buyers will be killing the sellers naturally.

By August there will be no pretense and the intentions of the new and improved eBay will be clear. The following is only a partial list of the rules that will be imposed. It comes from a memo that circulated within my corner of the managerial department the week before Chicago. I cannot be too specific about certain items and I cannot reveal details of the latest additions without endangering my anonymity.

1. Neutrals will be converted to negatives complete with red icons and reduced feedback scores. Afterward neutrals will not be offered as a choice of feedback.

2. The entire process of feedback will be automated. Buyers and sellers will chose standard feedback from a list. For sellers this operation will be performed automatically upon the buyer winning. For buyers there will be an extra free line with which to add a few comments about the seller without restriction to content. Replies will not be allowed.

3. The implementation of a stricter rules regarding shipping. From the boxes, packing, labels and tapes to where you can buy postage. Orders have been placed for prototypes of “eBay” boxes. UPS and FedEx will be instructed not to accept “eBay” merchandise if it’s not inside “eBay” boxing. They will know, of course, because when sellers buy the “eBay” postage from the “eBay” source, a detailed list of contents with item numbers will be available to the shippers upon scanning a bar code. As for those who continue to use USPS, another level of quality control will be implemented - buyers will be asked, upon confirmation of delivery, if the seller used “eBay” standard shipping items. Naturally, no verification of the buyer’s truthfulness will be attempted, and continued ‘infractions’ will result in suspension. eBay will have other ways to check if a seller is not using the “eBay” equipment - as they will be required to buy at cost the supplies immediately after items are listed. (This is such a large scale operation behind the scenes that I feel comfortable sharing as much of it as I know.)

4. Sales taxes will be included automatically; shipping cost and sales taxes will be used to determined FVF.

5. Item descriptions will be “standardized” with templates which include the posting of a new, universal return policy. Only yearly subscribers to the retail-outlet venue can opt out of these universal return policies but even they cannot alter the template structures being devised.

6. Strikes against buyers will be eliminated as the whole concept of a buyer and bidding will be altered. FVF will be calculated when payment is submitted.

7. Time to Close will be eliminated entirely. Best Match will be the non-alterable default. Best Match is a system that caters to the needs of shoppers not bidders.

8. Placement within Best Match will be determined by several factors, the most important of which will be the extra display features added onto the listing.

9. DSRs can be removed by retailers and powersellers who pay a certain yearly fee.

10. The end play itself which consists of four phases:
a) the main focus shifts to retail sellers whose fees are on a per listing basis
b) stores will be replaced by a classified section, fees will be based on yearly subscriptions and FVFs
c) occasional auctions will be conducted for unique items (celebrity auctions, items that have been featured on the news, etc.)
d) total elimination of auctions for regular sellers.

From the point of view of eBay’s agenda to change gears these alteration make sense. The powers that be want to turn eBay into a retail venue format. Therefore the “buyer” must be changed - bidding and commitments to buy are part of the past. In a retail venue, the item is either in your cart or not and you only commit to buy when you pay at checkout. The seller is also redefined in the way they will be required to do business. They will be forced to copy the methods of retail stores.

The goal is to become Amazon Lite. Unlike Amazon the merchandise will be stocked by the retailers in their warehouses, eBay will be just an electronic centralized venue for outlet sale - a “trusted” name with a wide customer base and popular name recognition.

That is the future and as I write this I know that it cannot be stopped. There are no investors with enough clout and will to challenge the CEO. Stock holders will simply walk away. eBay will not sink, however, it will be exactly in the position its rulers intend it to be at.

Sellers, my advice is simple. You are not wanted. Leave. If you stay, you will be crushed. Leave. Go away. You cannot win.

I am sorry because for too long I have been a complicit tool behind the scenes. I was part of those teams and think tanks that spearheaded many of the “innovations” you know very well and which will be used to destroy you. I know I will not be believed. I will be mocked and ridiculed by the tools and even those who are real, actual people will be hesitant to accept what I have to say. What has been done to this community, the plots and schemes hatched in meetings and across memos, is far, far worse to endure within my soul than any treatment I will receive at the hands of the tools by posting this. You do not know how much they hate you. It is my conscience that I want to clear going forward. Again I apologize. There should have been a better way for the powers that be to effect the change they wanted for eBay - instead they succumbed to cloak and dagger deception.

RIP eBay

eBay Live! 2008 disaster sellers upset over policy change

Man blows up during an eBay Live! talk session. Recorded on 6/19/08 in Chicago. eBay sellers are upset over eBay policy changes that have put many ebayers out of business. Movie was made on a jailbreak iPhone. Sorry for poor quality.Finally, I'm seeing some proof of Ebay's utter and ridiculous failure! Its something I've felt in my business and now I'm seeing it firsthand - the empty seats at Ebay Live tell volumes more than even the irate seller who had the guts to stand up and tell them all off! If Ebay management isn't replaced soon with some good, solid business minds then all is lost. This ship is sinking!!!www.ACEOart.net

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Ebay Aside - Sellers - Look to the Future

Sellers made Ebay what they are today. For years it was a mutual business with much give and take (Ebay mostly taking while sellers gave). Still, thru all of that there was some respect for sellers - we weren't all just "noise". We're coming to a rude awakening now. Ebay is telling me in so many ways they aren't going to need me anymore. So I need to move on and build for my own future.

I go to Ebay less and less these days and mostly just to keep up with friendships formed with other sellers on their boards and in their groups though I still keep a few small listings up in order to drive some traffic to my website. Most of the ebay groups now seem to have a thread that focuses on other ways to market our items and other sites to sell them on. Its a perfect opportunity for sellers and they need to make the most out of it while they can - while the opportunity still exists. Auctionbytes.com too, has come out with a column on various "storefronts". I thank Ina Steiner. She seems to understand the plight of small sellers and wants to help.

Nothing stays the same and though last year was a banner year for me on Ebay - one in which I was able to pay some bills and put new windows in my home all on ebay earned money. Now, since January, the writing is on the wall loud and clear and so, in order to keep my business, my sanity and my self respect I am pulling away from Ebay. I hope to cut them off completely before its necessary for them to do it to me. ;-)

to all small sellers - you really must consider moving on. Sitting and waiting for things to change is simply spinning your wheels and making life more stressful than it needs to be. I wish you all great great good luck...go out and build more ebays - but not just one, build a bunch of them so that this kind of monopoly can never happen again!

Patricia013
www.ACEOart.net

Why Auctions Are Dying on Ebay

Auctions are NOT dying - Auctions on EBAY ARE dying because EBAY has slowly been killing them. Thru its own greed over the years it has milked sellers and ignored fraud and scamming and now thru its rigid, one-sided policies, it is driving small sellers away. Small sellers are what made Ebay and its auctions so exciting. Now, with fees sky high and small sellers' profits down to almost nothing there isn't much in the way of bargains that can be offered buyers. Instead of offering small sellers the same benefits offered to their powersellers, they have imposed even more rigid rules on them. For example, a buyer has to wait 7 days before he can give a powerseller a negative - small sellers can receive negatives immediately with no chance of trying to right whatever went wrong with the transaction. One negative can put a small seller so far back in the listings that he'll never be seen. I am a 10 year ebay seller with a perfect feedback record. I stopped listing on that site in an effort to keep my untarnished reputation in the hope that logic and sense might return to that site. Maybe some miracle that will sweep out a management who practices "disruptive innovation".

Back in 2004 Ebay actually started killing off the auction excitement when it ended the feature "Going, Going, Gone"...when did you ever hear of an auction that didn't use that wording. It was a listing of everything due to end so that bidders could jump in and grasp that item at the last minute. From then on it was all downhill on Ebay's site. The site became confusing, convoluted, full of ads and glitches due to constant changes. Those constant "improvements" turned into higher and higher fees for sellers while it turned off buyers and traffic fell off. Now, they are coddling mega sellers and powersellers and shoving small sellers to the back page in listings that are so manipulated that the buyers sees, basically, only what Ebay wants them to see....yet all sellers pay the SAME FEES. Buyers don't want to bid on items they can buy at Walmart! They want the unique rare, flea market finds that the small sellers offer. Ebay is responsible for shoving small sellers away and killing the excitement of an auction format...more than any other factor. Most sellers are leaving and starting elsewhere - trying to build new sites the same way they built Ebay. I only hope its not too late.

Ebay is turning into a retail site - much like a cheesy Amazon clone. I say cheesy because Ebay will try to do it without any real customer service - customer service costs them money that they never wanted to spend - they will be using bots instead of hands on manpower. It won't work and in the end I see them becoming a boring and untrustworthy online retailer in a lineup of very competitive and solid online retailers, in fact most of the major retailers are already online! So...as far as auctions are conserned - well run auctions on sites where sellers can still give buyers a bargain will be around for awhile - but don't think Ebay will...

www.ACEOart.net

Extortion on Ebay?

Can it be true? I sure hope not...but then Ebay left sellers kind of wide open for this kind of scam. You can stop by Auctionbytes.com and read all about it. A seller posted on ebay's Seller's Central that he received an email from the winner of one of his auctions. The email said he and five of his friends won auctions from this seller and they would each give the seller a negative if the seller didn't cough up 20.00 per auction for five auctions. Unreal! I don't think ebay saw something like this coming. Whether its true or not - it IS spreading because I hear there were similar letters posted on the Powerseller's Board but I can't check on that. I have checked the one on Seller Central and there were already almost 400 posts from worried sellers!

Ebay - what next? I expect perhaps the FBI might step into this one if there is any validity to it.

www.ACEOart.net

Life After Ebay - Is it Possible to Break the Ebay Habit?

Well, my last three auctions are winding down and I do not intend to list anymore of them. I think I'm still in shock over what ebay has done to a lot of good sellers. They are sweeping them out right along with the bad sellers - and they are giving OUR buyers the power to do it for them. I can't think of a lower operation right now...so I try NOT to think of them.

However, I could use some help in breaking the Ebay habit. This blog is one of the ways I am trying to reach out to the buying public to let them know that my website is fully stocked and I stand ready to bend over backwards to please my customers. Its what I've done for 10 long years on ebay - the only difference is on my website there is no bidding. You even get to pay with Paypal if that's how you want it.

I have no idea if anyone is reading - I rarely see a comment. I don't know how to market this site - if anyone stumbles by and reads this and has suggestions, please leave them for me. Help me break that ebay habit. The way I see it every sale made off ebay is money that will not reach the monster's pockets.

Thanks for reading.

Another sample of my ACEO's above

Hey Ebay - Its Time To Pick Up My Marbles

This year has been a nightmare for sellers on Ebay - just yesterday as I watched my listings roll off without bids and few views I sadly decided it was time for a change. Oh, I'm listing on other sites but its so hard to break oneself of the habit of ebay. It was grand while it lasted and for me, it lasted 10 years. I don't know what Mr. Donahoe is doing. Hope he knows because nobody else does and all they can do is guess. In the meantime, life goes on and since those ebay sales were supplementing my retirement I have to find other ways to make up the loss. I've been working hard on my own website. You can find it at:

http://www.watercolorsbypatricia.com

I've also put in a section for hot new ACEO collectibles. I've always sold so many of them on Ebay but...nevermind...that was a different time and place and I must move forward. My new ACEO section:

http://www.aceoart.net

a sample:


Come by and take a peek. I put in a Paypal shopping cart so it won't seem so alien to me afterall.

Patricia

From an Ebay Seller to Ebay Buyers

Can We Talk?

My performance as a seller is being rated by you. You decide if sellers like me stay or go on eBay. Truth is, anything less than a 5.0 rating lowers my standings in search until I can no longer be found.

Should you find anything wrong with your purchase from me...I stand ready to rectify the situation. Most honest sellers want to keep their good reputations and remain sellers on eBay. Without the cooperation of buyers - that will soon change. Most of us try our best to describe an item properly, to package and ship it carefully. My items are shipped upon payment and at no more than a few pennies above actual shipping cost - yet my stars for shipping time and shipping cost have been damaged.

If buyers don’t begin to communicate their displeasure or the reasoning behind rating a seller at less than a 5.0 then soon all unique small sellers such as myself will be gone from the site. So, I’m asking you to please either contact me with your complaints or rate fairly. Only 5.0 ratings can keep us on this site.

Please remember, you are rating ME and not the post office. You are rating the time I send out the item - not how long the post office takes to get it to you. You are also rating what I charge you and not what the postal rates happen to be.

Thank you so much for your understanding,

EBAY...EBAY...WHAT HAS BECOME OF YOU?

I started selling on Ebay back in 1998...yeah...10 years. In all that time, Ebay became a good solid part of my life. I listed with pleasure always looking for new things to put on auction and making sales was like hitting a win on the slot machines. It was fun and it was so exciting. I met other ebayers - most good people and many I still keep in contact with years later.

My old friend, Ebay, has been slipping for the past few years. A lot of the magic left and Ebay managed to stamp out a lot of it. We could all tell Ebay made some wrong turns and started to become...more and more intrusive. Sales started to slide...listings started to slide, fraud and scamming are rampant. We began to believe Ebay didn't care, they were raking in the money and so they looked the other way. Well, this year things abruptly changed. I can honestly say that since Jan., 2008 my old friend, Ebay, has turned into some kind of huge callous and unfeeling monster. Some sellers will tell you they're getting rid of us all...some sellers will tell you, no they're only getting rid of the bad sellers. Whatever in the world they're doing they sure are keeping it to themselves. Hardly anybody believes the rhetoric coming from management. Ebay has become the 800 lb bully because they say they want to "enhance a buyer's experience"...there are just too many con's to make this a valid reason. They have come out with one rule after another and those combined rules are pushing small sellers into a corner. One negative...one neutral can kill a small seller and ebay has made it known to the buyers. Even going so far as to put a banner up when a buyer gives a seller feedback - letting the buyer know that the seller cannot give them a negative and they should be honest in their feedback....yeah - like that's not a blatant invitation to make sure a buyer knows he can neg a seller with virtually no repercussions. Ebay's buyers will now be Ebay's sellers' executioners! Ebay has effectively driven a solid wedge between buyers and sellers.

On May 19, 2008 the most dreaded change took place. Sellers can now only give buyers positive feedback no matter what a buyer does to them. May 19th will go down as a bloodbath where buyers negged sellers all day long. Some even saying they waited for this day so that can do so without retaliation. The end result - bad buyers are in heaven - wielding that axe against sellers, many times with no good reason...GOOD buyers are appalled - and rightly so. Where does ebay stand in all this? They seem to be becoming the most hated company on the internet. I know of no other with ebay's reputation or their recent cruely to their customers (the sellers who pay them fees in order to list their wares).

Where will it end? What is YOUR opinion - give it here and lets discuss.

Ebay!

I am one of the sellers who will boycott Ebay from Feb 18 to Feb 25th. I am hoping that all who read this will boycott along with me - be you buyer or seller...BOYCOTT EBAY!

I picked this up on another blog and it said it all so I'm hoping whoever posted it won't mind if I post it here:

Worldwide eBay Boycott February 18th through February 25th, 2008.

We the concerned buyers and sellers on eBay are protesting eBays announced new fee increases and feedback policy changes. We do not believe that these changes will have any positive affect for buyers or sellers and will result in increased prices, less choices and disharmony within the eBay community.

We also are in complete agreement that eBay's policy of allowing dogs and cats to be sold on eBay in China for slaughter purposes is both cruel and inhumane and must be stopped immediately.

We urge all people's to not shop or sell on eBay during this worldwide boycott.

Please spread the word.

Thank you.

I checked into it, and the post is 100% valid. And yes, the part about Ebay allowing dogs and cats to be sold as food is shockingly TRUE. It's amazing to see Ebay kowtow for the almighty Yen.

In the past there's been talk of Ebay boycotts and they didn't pan out well. Some sellers said it would only hurt them and impact Ebay little to nothing at all. However, that's assuming that there aren't going to be enough pissed-off sellers to make it effective.

This time, I'm betting there are.

Yes, the boycott will hurt sellers for a week. But it's only a week! How many of us have taken vacation or had an illness that prevented us from listing for a week? And yet we survived it! We can do this.

And during that time, perhaps we will start selling on Amazon.com or Ebid.net and we'll do ourselves a favor by working with an ethical company who charges considerably less! After all, if the buyers know the sellers are elsewhere, they will surely follow.

I learned something new yesterday. Ebay's claim that they're dropping fees is deceptive. They'll actually be increasing their final charges, which will more than make up for the fee drop they're trumpeting. That means that not only will sellers be treated as garbage, but they'll also be charged more for the privilege.

Thanks, but no thanks, Ebay. I'm joining the boycott.

Holiday Season?

Yes....I'm one of those people who sells during the holiday season and hopes for a really good one season. For me, these little sales supplement my retirement...for others, their life for the coming year is dependent upon it. This has not been the best year for online sales but I keep hoping things will pick up.

I have not seen the madness begin...the whipping by of cars on the streets and the overfull parking areas outside the stores. It always brings a special feeling...one of seeing humanity on a good mission for a change. People wandering the stores with the same look of concentration. Once can almost hear their thoughts: "is this something Jane would like?" "I hope this is the right size for Jim." I know people love to talk about the commercialism and forgetting the true meaning of Christmas...but let's face it, not all are religiously inclined but almost everyone feels that spirit of giving to loved ones that starts right around this time of year. This is the one season when people are united in one cause, that being a display of love and caring for someone else just by remembering them with a gift. I love it...so much so that in my younger years I thought nothing of going out shopping on Christmas Eve - diving in to the mass of people and waiting patiently in long lines at checkouts. I struck up some of the most interesting conversations in those lines. I know it sounds crazy but I enjoyed the mass of people who were feeling that holiday spirit. Its a wonderful aspect of our lives and should never be pounded on by calling it "commercialized".

I Know Why Dracula Covers His Mirrors!

I lead a fairly busy, though kind of isolated, existence. I'm a painter and often get caught up in long days of painting. I sometimes paint 10 to 12 hours a day and just about every day. The few times I do go out I'm kind of shocked. I'll purchase a hamburger and automatically be given the senior discount. I'll come out of the market with bags and someone will ask to help me to my car. Why all this attention? I don't feel any older than 30 and I can probably help that nice lady with HER bags to her car. Well, when you take a close look in the mirror and the face beaming back at you is one of a tiny, gray haired and slightly wrinkled senior well past 60 it is quite a shock! Like "who is that"? "can't be me"....."oh...it IS me". :-(

So, I can kind of see why old Dracula covers his mirrors. Your outside should always be neat and presentable to the public....but your INSIDE has to stay young and fun-loving and caring. War paint will only go so far...then its personality that counts! I've seen some absolutely gorgeous people - beautiful on the outside but very old and very very ugly on the inside. Think about it and I bet you can come up with a few names of people you know who fit that description.

Happy September everyone :-)

Life's Little Wonders

As an artist, form, contrast and color always attracts me. I can find beauty in the smallest things and even in the ugliest things. One day I was sitting on my patio enjoying the evening breeze and watching the setting sun. I turned and spotted this:





I ran in the house, got my camera and captured the sun setting on this pale lavender rose. It was so breathtaking in person. Since then, I've painted this image many times, even in pastel, watercolor and acrylics. Everyone who bought one was happy with it...but I retain the original of it in my memory. A quiet evening with the sun setting on a pale lavender rose and yet another pleasant memory filed away for future rememberance... Don't just glance and quickly forget. Some things are worth saving and savoring over and over again.

Grannygoodpaints Place

Grannygoodpaints Place



What a wonderful world! Have you ever stopped and just breathed in the air and enjoyed the fact that you live here on earth? I know, I know, the world is full of worries and troubles and horrible things...its totally depressing! BUT, do you ever stop and breathe and revel in life itself. We only have so many days here on earth and nobody (no matter what your religion) really truly knows what comes next...if anything. I figure that we need to count our benefits once in awhile and just plain enjoy the earth around us and the fact that we are alive. At times like this, I love to sit on my patio but you can go to a park a church or wherever you feel comfort and just think about the basest things you own. The most basic is your life itself. Don't go thru it without even an acknowledgement of it now and then. Someone put it perfectly: "Stop and smell the roses."

Grannygoodpaints Place

Grannygoodpaints Place


Where do artists get their inspiration? Various places. I recently was in line at the supermarket and noticed the line of people and saw only their faces. Most were animated and smiling. Later that evening while watching TV I sketched some faces - cartoonish but all laughing. That began my series called "Happy Faces" and I'm pleased to say every one I painted sold and sold well. The last one was actually three paintings and was commissioned by a clinic in Seattle. I hope many spirits will be lifted by looking at those happy faces paintings. The first couple I finished were all faces, but then I decided to paint pets for the people and since there was no real place for them I mostly painted them on people's heads! Chickens, dogs, cats, turtles, birds, squirrels - you name it - even fishbowls with goldfish were all painted on happy faces heads. This is but one inspiration out of millions that an artist can get and run with and build on.


Inspiration is so abundant - not only for artists but for every living soul. Everything you do throughout the day could be inspired by something in your life or something you found in the world. Make the most of it.

Grannygoodpaints Place: Grannygoodpaints Place: Memories of the Distant Past

Grannygoodpaints Place: Grannygoodpaints Place: Memories of the Distant Past


The city park that was next to my home...how it looked almost 60 years ago:



Painted by myself last year. The tiny girl center left is my younger sister who is now in her sixties.



I'm pretty lucky in that I can remember the world the way it was before TV, before indoor plumbing and before all the bells, whistles, noise and stress of today's society. I can remember growing up in NJ right next to a city park. The family would walk up to the main street on friday and saturday nights to watch TV in the appliance store window...yes...many people did that because TV's were far too expensive to buy. I can remember things like walking in the yearly Halloween parade with my dad because I was too young to walk it alone. I can remember when soft serve ice cream hit town (then called frozen custard) and we so enjoyed this new treat. I can remember icy winters when our street was closed down with old tires and sand spread out at the bottom (we lived on a hill) and us kids were allowed to sleigh ride the street until it got dark. Its kind of sad that families just don't get together like we did during my childhood. I may not have had a fancy computer, electronic games or cellphone....but I had sooooo much more!

Won't you post your distant memories here. All are welcome.

Grannygoodpaints Place

Grannygoodpaints Place - Even More

I guess what I'm doing here is putting parts of myself into print. Yes...guess that's what it is. There's no real reason for it and hardly anyone gets to see this or answer it.

In school I was always the tiny timid child. Forced into school at a very early age because mom had to work. All the other children were always two years older than I was. I didn't do very well in school because of this...in fact, it was really a living hell for someone like me. Any way, one day I was out in the schoolyard - which was just packed dirt. I picked up a stick and began doodling. The older kids wanted nothing to do with me so I learned to be alone...to this day, I enjoy being alone. So...I doodled until the bell rang and we all went into class. My teacher picked me up and took me to the window...she said "look what you did." I looked down and saw animals in the dirt...elephants, horses, giraffes, etc. I was dreaming of the circus and that's what I doodled in the dirt. It was then that they discovered my talent for art. A blessing and a curse. Dad encouraged it, mom discouraged it...saying artists go mad and she would have none of it in her house! Art was always my comfort - even though any of my early work that mom found got tossed in the trash. Still, I persisted. I was later to discover that anyone with deep creative urges can really be miserable if they are not allowed to create.