Cutting the Ebay Apron Strings

I have spent so much time reading everything that I can find about the changes that ebay is making, and trying to find out about the latest alternatives to ebay. You can see by the links here on my website that I have set up stores with Bonanzle and Ecrater. You may notice new links to EBID. I had checked them out before all this ebay messiness really took off, but was reminded of them today in my auctionbytes newsletter (you need to sign up with them to stay informed on online selling).

• Auction Site eBid Runs Promo, Ad Campaign in US / By Ina Steiner / AuctionBytes.com
• Excerpt:
• International online-auction site eBid is giving the first 20,000 new subscribers a special rate of $50 for a lifetime subscription, which entitles them to zero listing fees and zero final value fees on their auctions for life. The promotion is part of the company's celebration of its U.S. launch and double digit growth. To support its growth plans, eBid is currently embarking on an online and offline radio and billboard advertising campaign in the U.S.

I paid my $50.00, signed up, and looked around. I haven't listed anything yet, but I definitely will. I think this sight looks good, and I think with this promotion, and the growing ebay defection, that this is the sight with the most potential to become the best online auction site.

My hesitation is that I have really enjoyed my 9 years on ebay, and enjoyed the good income. I hate to abandon my ebay-comfort-zone, all cushy with my power seller status, and my 3000+ feedbacks, and my experience with using the site, and having all my listing templates and invoicing methods all "dialed in".

BUT...

It is obvious that ebay is not-so-slowly killing off auctions, and going to an all BIN format. I just need to cut those apron strings, and cut ebay loose, as they are doing it to me anyway.

You can read several insightful articles and blog posts on the subject:

• The New York Times article about ebay vs. amazon:
• Amid the Gloom, an E-Commerce War
• excerpt:
• In a series of interviews, Mr. Donahoe acknowledged that eBay, based in San Jose, Calif., didn’t adapt fast enough to shifting e-commerce winds. He now embraces a “turnaround mind-set” and is refocusing its Web marketplace toward shoppers who don’t want to waste time in online auctions.
  “There are times when I wish we can close this store and just open a new store, but we can’t,” he said. “We need to make bolder, more aggressive changes to the eBay ecosystem even if they are unpopular.”

• Trading Assistant Journal's post titled:
• Reasons Why eBay is Walking Away from Auctions
• excerpt:
• The patient is not eBay as a corporation, that will survive for eons. The patient is eBay auctions which are travelling through the final chapter of an amazing lifetime. It is time to say goodbye.

• This post on Randy Smythe's My Blog Utopia!:
• Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!
• He reminisces about how he left ebay 3 years ago when they made fee changes that basically put him out of business, and the changes he made then vs. the new online selling tactics we have now that are much cheaper and more user-friendly. I think his positive new-beginnings outlook is a great way for us all to look at the recent developments, and the future ones.
• Excerpt:
• "Let me assure you, this is just a setback before your next opportunity. You will survive these troubling times and come out of them in better shape, than you can imagine."

My plan is to list for a bit more on ebay, until they enforce the paypal only rule (which may be any moment), and then to start putting things on ebid. I have to finish getting set up there, and get signed up with google checkout. And design my new templates, and figure out how to bulk list from a spread sheet (???). It might take a while. I will keep you updated.

" Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls, and looks like work. " --Thomas Edison