Reader comments
Computer central: Changes by eBay fuel backlash

Megan Whitman quit to join McCain's campaign? That is interesting. Maybe she is going to be in McCain's cabinet if he does become President...

Ebay has been lackluster for some time. Used to be a place where you could find deals on items but now it's not worth the hasle of sorting through all the knock-off garbage and businesses who have found an inexpensive store front.

I'm taking my modest fees (ranging from $200 - $500 per month) elsewhere. That's not much, but multiply that by the other thousands disenchanted sellers and eBay will go down.

What are they thinking? If eBay's goal is to rid itself of the "flea market" atmosphere, they are unfortunately ridding itself also of it's uniqueness which brings buyers and sellers.

EBay doesn't seem to understand that:
1. Sellers are also buyers
2. Sellers bring eBay's revenue

Ebays been down the path of self destruction for a while. I started with ebay a few years after it first started and they lost me as a seller and now a buyer after years of repeated bad moves. Removing price sniping, opening a no-auction storefront, fee gouging sellers, essentially turned it from a buyers market to a sellers market flooding it with wholesellers and back-alley foreign importers.

I remember when I could save 25%-50% on anything on ebay, even turn a profit selling myself, now its flooded and most things I look to buy cost more on ebay than in a retail store. Its only good for the odd rarity now or for idiots who dont know what they're buying, Ebay's competitors have taken up all my disposable income years ago.

Every day we read about how eBay Power sellers are going to strike in May? lol.

Where will they all go? To Amazon? lol. No way! Amazon can't hold a candle to eBay. They charge twice what eBay charges, and have limited catagories.

Who are these so called Power Sellers? Name them! What do they sell? Why are they sooo unhappy? Could it be the press just needs something to talk about?

Give it a rest already!
eBay is doing what they have to do to clean up eBay. They are doing a good Job!

Anyone striking in May should strike forever! Stay off eBay, lol.

Go somewhere else. I like the new rules! And so do millions of others! They protect everyone! Buyer and seller alike!

I was a "Silver power seller" under ve6nap - Bought and sold over $40,000 in the last 9 years - So I am both a buyer and a seller..... The last few fee increases reduced my listings of smaller unique items - These have moved to other venues.. The biggest beef I have is the proposed one sided feedback system.......I was upset over the fees but
that only affects th prices which would overall just go up to cover them and the smaller unique items that made ebay what it was have to drop off the sales listings as they are no longer worth listing,let alone selling. The requirement to maintain a 4.5 or better in each of several rating catagories to avoid a red tag warning when a rating of 4 is supposed to be good to excellent is a travisty as well as the poposed destruction of the balanced feedback system - There are a lot of buyers who have no patience - do not communicate - and will black mail sellers - or cancel payments

The changes are long overdue. Sellers frequently lie in descriptions and then threaten retaliation if a buyer leaves the negative they deserve. Never buy from a power seller with a score of "only" 99.2%. Once more seller feedback scores drop below 80% perhaps more buyers will return.

I am thankful for the changes too. If I hadn't of followed one of my favorite ebay sellers to Etsy I never would have known about it. It's now my favorite browsing site. Stopped buying books, cds and movies on ebay ages ago when I found out I could do better on Amazon price wise and with less hassles. If I want a cheap knock off designer handbag I'll go to the local flea market. I am now finding just what I want for cheaper and not having to scan thru 15 pages of carp on ebay. Thanks for sending my favorite sellers to smaller places! People who still shop on ebay must have more money and patience than I do.

Now ebay has a NEW policy they are inflicting on HONEST ebay sellers! I sell craft patterns in PDF format...meaning you buy the pattern and instead of waiting for it to be delivered in the mail I just send you an email with the pattern attached! You download and print! As of March 31st ebay will no longer allow electronically transmitted items (ie, e books, recipes via email, e patterns, graphics, and auction templates) to be listed as auction style or buy it now format. Instead they have so graciously let us list these items in their Classified section (in which NO ONE can even FIND!) and it will only cost $9.95 for EACH item! Now when I sell my e patterns for $6.00 each, this is NOT a viable option for me. I have been forced to close my ebay store and move my inventory to another site. There are a LOT of people in the crafting community that rely on this extra income from patterns, graphics and auction template sales to help out their families!

eBay need to concern themselves with decent communication with Sellers and Buyers instead of their Canned Responses and 'we know what is best' approach which should not be questioned. The more I read about PayPal the more I realise that it is unsafe for Sellers in particular and you can wake up one morning to find your money is frozen, gone, deducted from your Credit Card or Bank Account. Not being in control of your account and your business is intolerable and the backlash for eBay is going to be huge.

not only is it feedback. they have this new best match system where everyone is paying the same fees but getting different levels of placement. discriminated against their record of stars yet paying the same fees.it's all not fair..the new ceo is a crook!!!

it may already be to late to save them. they have caused so many bad feelings within the community. the only way i can see people having a change of heart is if donohoe is fired Tuesday!

SELL YOUR STOCKS PEOPLE IT'S OVER!!!