A
Austin Shackles
Guest
Had this today from our "friends" at eBay. I've added below what I sent to
them just now on the contact form...
Basically, the gist is that eBay shops will be less effective and cost more,
AFAICS.
Anyway, here goes:
--------
From eBay International
-----
Changes to Shops Listings (SIF) Visibility
It's vitally important - to your business and ours - that we maintain a
healthy balance between listing formats on the eBay marketplace. From 2nd
August 2006 we will be reducing the visibility of Shops Listings (also known
as Shops Inventory Format Listings or SIF) in the main search results on
eBay.co.uk. As it stands at the moment, Shops Listings are displayed at the
end of all Search and Browse results. After the change, Shops Listings will
still be displayed in the main search results but only when the main site
has returned a small number of relevant items.
Fee Changes
From 22nd August 2006, we're also making some changes to Shop Inventory
Fees, Featured Plus! Fees and fees related to the Mobile Phones with
Contracts category.
Please read our Information Page for further information on these changes.
==> http://click3.ebay.com/145992669.64904.0.98596
Thank you for your Business
We recognise that these changes will impact many of you and will mean that
you'll need to make adjustments to ensure that you can take advantage of
these new circumstances. The changes we have announced today have not been
entered into lightly; we have taken time and effort to ensure that we are
making the right decisions to ensure the long term health and vibrancy of
the eBay marketplace. We believe that these changes are vital to ensure that
the thousands of sellers who rely on eBay for a living or a significant
second income can continue to prosper.
We know that as a seller you have a choice of outlets through which to sell
your products. We appreciate that you choose eBay.
----------------------
My message to eBay:
-----
I see there are impending changes to eBay shops. Despite the protestations
that our business is important to you, in my view the changes are all
negative:
1) reduced visibility of shop item listings. Since these listings were
always listed after regular auction items, the auction items already get
priority over shop items. So why the change? I see that shop items will be
listed if the search results show only a "few items". What is "few"? 10?
20? 50? 200? For any remotely common item, the shop item listings will
never be displayed.
2) Increased listing fees: e.g. for the items I typically list, the regular
listing fees are to be trebled.
3) Increased final value fees: a £50 item has its FV fee put up by just over
19%, plus an additional 0.25% up to £500. I would imagine that covers the
vast majority of shop items. If these changes only apply to shop listings
and not to every listing, that makes it even worse!
As a seller, all these changes are unwelcome. To cover the increase in
fees, I will have to increase my item prices, and even then my items will be
much less visible. I can't see how this will help me sell any more, and it
makes the whole eBay shop scheme less attractive to sellers.
As a buyer, I buy from both auctions and shop listings depending on what I
want and the relative prices. If the shop items are not visible, I'm not
likely to go and search for them specially. If there was a prominent "show
shop items" button, I'd click it.
------------
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"The great masses of the people ... will more easily fall victims to
a great lie than to a small one" Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
from Mein Kampf, Ch 10
them just now on the contact form...
Basically, the gist is that eBay shops will be less effective and cost more,
AFAICS.
Anyway, here goes:
--------
From eBay International
-----
Changes to Shops Listings (SIF) Visibility
It's vitally important - to your business and ours - that we maintain a
healthy balance between listing formats on the eBay marketplace. From 2nd
August 2006 we will be reducing the visibility of Shops Listings (also known
as Shops Inventory Format Listings or SIF) in the main search results on
eBay.co.uk. As it stands at the moment, Shops Listings are displayed at the
end of all Search and Browse results. After the change, Shops Listings will
still be displayed in the main search results but only when the main site
has returned a small number of relevant items.
Fee Changes
From 22nd August 2006, we're also making some changes to Shop Inventory
Fees, Featured Plus! Fees and fees related to the Mobile Phones with
Contracts category.
Please read our Information Page for further information on these changes.
==> http://click3.ebay.com/145992669.64904.0.98596
Thank you for your Business
We recognise that these changes will impact many of you and will mean that
you'll need to make adjustments to ensure that you can take advantage of
these new circumstances. The changes we have announced today have not been
entered into lightly; we have taken time and effort to ensure that we are
making the right decisions to ensure the long term health and vibrancy of
the eBay marketplace. We believe that these changes are vital to ensure that
the thousands of sellers who rely on eBay for a living or a significant
second income can continue to prosper.
We know that as a seller you have a choice of outlets through which to sell
your products. We appreciate that you choose eBay.
----------------------
My message to eBay:
-----
I see there are impending changes to eBay shops. Despite the protestations
that our business is important to you, in my view the changes are all
negative:
1) reduced visibility of shop item listings. Since these listings were
always listed after regular auction items, the auction items already get
priority over shop items. So why the change? I see that shop items will be
listed if the search results show only a "few items". What is "few"? 10?
20? 50? 200? For any remotely common item, the shop item listings will
never be displayed.
2) Increased listing fees: e.g. for the items I typically list, the regular
listing fees are to be trebled.
3) Increased final value fees: a £50 item has its FV fee put up by just over
19%, plus an additional 0.25% up to £500. I would imagine that covers the
vast majority of shop items. If these changes only apply to shop listings
and not to every listing, that makes it even worse!
As a seller, all these changes are unwelcome. To cover the increase in
fees, I will have to increase my item prices, and even then my items will be
much less visible. I can't see how this will help me sell any more, and it
makes the whole eBay shop scheme less attractive to sellers.
As a buyer, I buy from both auctions and shop listings depending on what I
want and the relative prices. If the shop items are not visible, I'm not
likely to go and search for them specially. If there was a prominent "show
shop items" button, I'd click it.
------------
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"The great masses of the people ... will more easily fall victims to
a great lie than to a small one" Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
from Mein Kampf, Ch 10
