For those who may not know, eBay has extended its eBay Bucks promotion through November 14, 2008.  If you want to earn even MORE cash back when shopping on eBay (or 200+ other sites), click here and sign up for Bigcrumbs: http://www.bigcrumbs.com/crumbs/landing.do?r=rainmanesq&s=317

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

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