As with nearly every eBay change, eBay’s introduction of DSRs and feedback changes has created a stir among eBay sellers.  Interestingly, the changes eBay’s made to feedback (and tying search placement to seller performance) are quite similar to Amazon’s feedback rules, yet you don’t hear or see Amazon sellers complaining about the rules.  One has to wonder whether eBay sellers would be as up in arms if there were no ‘seller discounts’ tied to DSRs.

The Internet Merchants Association has decided to “educate” buyers about eBay’s new rules and has created these links to do so.  I’m curious as to what eBay sellers and buyers think of this site.  If you’re a seller, would you send it to your buyers?  If you’re a buyer, would you find this site useful?  Do you think this site will have any impact and if so, will the impact be positive or negative?

http://www.leavingfeedback.com/

http://leavingfeedback.com/page2.html

As most buyers and sellers know by now, eBay's rolling out some changes...lower listing fees (counteracted by higher final value fees), lower search placement for sellers with low DSRs, discounts for Powersellers who have 4.6 (5% discount) or 4.8 (15% discount) DSRs in each star category, more stringent requirements for the Powerseller program, and perhaps more controversially, removing the ability of sellers to leave negative feedback.  While I'm not enamored with all of these changes, I can understand eBay's reasoning for many of them.  Over the years, fraud has become more rampant on eBay- fake second chance offers, counterfeit items being sold, sellers taking buyers' $ and not sending items, etc.  Not only has this negatively impacted buyers (who may leave eBay entirely after 1 'bad apple'), but it's impacted the 'trustworthiness' of eBay and sellers.

As with changes made in postal rates and eBay stores in search, sellers have to learn how to adapt to the changes.  Some sellers vow to leave eBay all together, but for now, few alternative selling venues have the large # of buyer 'eyeballs' that eBay does.  While some sellers may own a retail store or have another 'offline' means of selling (ex., I travel the US setting up at sports card shows) or their own website, it's not clear how many sellers can and truly will leave eBay.

If you're an eBay seller, how are you reacting to eBay's upcoming changes?  Are you changing your business model because of eBay's changes or are you going to 'keep on keeping on?'  What other changes would you like eBay to make?

If you're an eBay buyer, are you in favor of eBay's upcoming changes?  Will knowing that sellers cannot leave you negative feedback starting in late Spring 2008 change the feedback you leave for sellers?  What other changes would you like eBay to make?

http://www.bigcrumbs.com/crumbs/landing.do?r=rainmanesq&s=317

This might sound too good to be true, especially because it's FREE and easy. But you have to give it a chance. It's very real and it's based on a sound business model.

This new site I found, BigCrumbs.com, let's us save cash when shopping at places we already shop (think eBay, Gap, Old Navy, Circuit City, Target and more).

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Even better: Whenever anyone referred by our referrals shops, we can also get paid. Matter of fact, we can get paid on referrals up to 5 generations away.

It's not a pyramid because it's free and based on a real service that helps you save when shopping.

There's also no mystery to how it works. BigCrumbs.com is paid a marketing commission by retailers and they use that to pay cash back and referral commissions to us. Everyone wins.

Ok, so bottom line: I tell you about this site, you shop just like you usually do, and you save cash (you can thank me later). I also get a little cash for telling you about BigCrumbs.com. Of course, I'm telling you because I care about you, not for the cash. :)

Then, you tell more people and YOU get paid when they shop (and so do I). So, we can actually earn real cash each time thousands of people shop.

The sooner you join, the better. Just use the link below to check it out.

http://www.bigcrumbs.com/crumbs/landing.do?r=rainmanesq&s=317

For years, I’ve heard people selling products (usually books) write their own reviews on Amazon and/or have their friends “help them out” with reviews regardless of whether they’ve owned or used the product.  At the time, I didn’t think much of it because I didn’t place much weight on reviews.  What one person finds great may be seen as horrible by another and sometimes “hidden gems” don’t get heavy airplay or press.

Since eBay raised its fees and removed Stores from search, more eBay sellers have finally discovered the wisdom of a “multichannel selling strategy.”  Amazon has been one of the more common and popular sales venues for eBay sellers.  As more and more eBay sellers flock to Amazon, categories are becoming more crowded and competition is becoming more prevalent.  As a result, Amazon sellers are scrambling to find ways to increase their profits- whether by offering new products, trying to enter less crowded selling categories, etc.

Competition can be beneficial because it helps sift the “wheat from the chaff” and because it often lowers prices for buyers.  However, in the haste to chase the almighty $ or to get placement in Amazon’s prized “buy box,” Amazon sellers have started reviewing their own products and are seeking as many reviews as they can, regardless of whether the reviewer has ever owned or used the product.  On Amazon, apparently the QUANTITY of reviews matters more than the QUALITY of reviews.  Amazon sellers are also exchanging reviews with each other even if the reviewers have never owned or used the product.

Sellers engaging in this “review pimping” call it a “smart business strategy” because it boosts their frequency in Amazon’s buy box that they believe has resulted in increased sales.  Sellers equate "review pimping" to "item descriptions" on eBay, but seem to forget that "item descriptions" on eBay have NOTHING to do with giving sellers higher placement in search like reviews do on Amazon.  Critics of “review pimping” argue that reviews should only be done by people who have owned or used the product.

Personally, I think that just because you can do something does not mean you should do something.  As a buyer on Amazon, I like to think reviews are by people who OWN and USE the product and thus, the reviews are HONEST and IMPARTIAL.  Now that I know more sellers are “gaming the review system” on Amazon, I'll give reviews even LESS credibility than I already did and I will NOT buy from certain sellers with “questionable reviews.”  Once more buyers learn about the “gaming the review system,” Amazon’s credibility is going to go downhill just like eBay’s has and sellers may find that their "smart business strategy" ruined the legitimacy of Amazon as well as hurt their sales.

What do you think? Does knowing that Amazon sellers are "gaming the review sytem" change your opinion of Amazon?  Will it impact your buying behavior?