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?
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