True, eBay takes no risk when implementing any of these changes. Furthermore, it doesn’t appear that any of their data is investigated to see if it really applies to the well being of the marketplace or simply eBay’s bottom line.

I would really like to see a comparison of the fees collected vs. the reports filed, but I doubt such information will be forthcoming.

“The main problem with these figures is that it represents the money that eBay took in, but is that reflective of what sellers took in?
For instance, if a buyer pays for and receives the item, yet performs a charge back, the seller is out their money, yet eBay retains all of their fees collected.”

So true… they’ve got no skin in the game! And when Best Match assigns your item a %score it should adjust the listing fee that same % but again… no skin in the game.

Not sure if that was a pitch for ebid or not…?

In any case, my point about the split screen, if eBay actually does go to one (and some sources in the investor community seem quite confident they will) is that upon instituting the new eBay way of presenting products, the real future will be told.

I have heard from some very large powersellers that the split screen idea will not go over well for them. I have also heard from straight auction sellers that the split screen will end their involvement on the site. It seems to me that those who do take advantage of eBay stores should be pleased with the idea (if stores items are included in the split screen).

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a split screen format? If your selling a eBay stores product and your item is presented right next to a auction listing you will see the advantage quickly. If it is your auction listing presented next to a stores item, the disadvantages become quite clear. We simply do not know enough about how it will work to really speculate.

Split screen is a big risk for eBay, yet eBay seems to be saying “Damn the torpedoes – full speed ahead”!

When Stephanie Tilenius warned that eBay would not look the same in 2009, I took her seriously. So if this warning is not about split screen, then what? Amazon product reviews? More Yahoo advertising? Your guess is as good as any…

It appears to me that the investor segment may be split with many higly concerned about the devolution of core listings and ebay’s inability to retain user base and others happy with the bottom line, as you point out.

I’m missing the relevance of the split screen. You can only view one thing at a time – scientificallly, this is a fact, or why this should be such a hot commodity. Is it to spur people into snappy buys? I’m not thinking that will work… and look at all the other “bright” ideas they’ve had… the neighborhood, the playground, skype, donahoe, floating the idea of lower fees as a smoke screen for much higher final value fees, hiding i.d.’s on auctions -c’mon – these people are giving Ivy League schools a bad name.

I wish they would obviate the ebay seller…. then maybe everyone would do what is inevitable… MOVE ON ALREADY !!! How much abuse can you take? Let another site like us.ebid.net take the reins. Isn’t it time to make money and be respected again? You are business people, aren’t you?

eBay is present profits from all of it’s holdings, when all the numbers are lumped in together, as a stock it looks great.

As eBay grows with PayPal, Stub Hub, et al (Even Skype is showing a profit) is it any wonder that the auction market which started it all really is not the focus any longer?

eBay as a company no longer needs the loyal sellers in the auction marketplace as it once did. Moving towards fixed price is the only avenue for growth eBay can see. When eBay presents auctions side by side next to fixed price by the end of this year it will be a crucial juncture in the platform.

Earnings figures for eBay as a whole – do they really relate to the eBay sellers are concerned with, or are they more of a positive reflection of diversification?

Thanks for the link… this is what I was referencing and it exposes the truth behind the spin. Ebay hoped no one would notice that the user base devolved in light of the overall increase in $$$$$. What’s next for us? Totally free listings and 25% FVFs?

EBay shares fall on auction weakness
Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:19pm EDT

Citi analyst Mark Mahaney said internally generated growth in its U.S. marketplaces business was around a modest 5 percent, excluding recent acquisitions. He reiterated his “hold” rating on the stock and said a good re-entry point would be if it fell to $28.

Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Jeffrey Lindsay raised his price target on eBay to $38 from $36, but noted that the company had cobbled together “bits and pieces into a reasonable quarter.”

“EBay reported a good first quarter but analysis reveals that it was patched together out of better-than-expected performances at PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Classifieds and Advertising,” Lindsay said in a research note.”

Full Reuters article at link below.

http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idINN1745481420080417?rpc=77

So how have your sales been at other venues?

I’m been looking at a number of them too, but I haven’t listed on any. I don’t see the traffic, I don’t see any items being bought, and I don’t see the type of items I sell even listed there. So why would anybody be looking for them? The one site everyone raves about wants money up front for the privilege of listing. I can’t afford to throw good money out for bad, not even with an experiment.

Ebay has the same approval rating as George Bush about now. Many alternate auction sites are seeing unprecedented growth, yet Ebay blames their woes on the economy. If they do get with the program, they will still leech users as they have done nothing to garner loyalty and everything to destroy any iota of trust they might have had.