Turmoil 

There is a great deal of turmoil emanating from within the ranks of eBay sellers since the numerous and ominous recent announcements and changes in the eBay policies and fee schedules. Some of this consternation is worthy of serious consideration.  Changes in feedback and seller ratings criteria, changes in fees and significant changes in the eBay consignment requirements have all caused quite a stir.

Fire Storm 

While within eBay management it seems the powers that be feel they will weather this fire-storm just as they have every other major upheaval from sellers due to fee hikes in the past, this round of announcements seems to have salted some very old wounds.  Sellers this time around seem to be more genuinely ready to look for alternatives to eBay.

Mistake? 

I will say that I personally agree with many of the sellers' viewpoints.  But alternately, eBay has its goals as well.  It seems that eBay is working hard to play catch up with Amazon, which in my mind is a mistake.  eBay is not Amazon and should never try to be Amazon.  Buyers go to each site for different reasons.  When a buyer lands on an eBay page they are aware of what eBay is, they are somewhat excited by the bidding process and exhilarated when an item they won at auction arrives at the door as promised.  eBay is - and always was - a scavenger hunt destination.  People enjoy the hunt and even though they do like to complain about this or that, they always come back because of the hunt.

eBay has been slowing morphing into a new version of Amazon with more new fixed price items than ever before.  This may seem like a good thing to eBay executives and board members because the major players in the fixed price market pay eBay fees on time and without complaint.  But what happens to those sellers when the buyers stop coming to eBay? When eBay is no longer a scavenger hunt, a place to find interesting or weird items and/or great deals, why will the world flock to its portal? 

If we want a new product and we want it delivered tomorrow, as a group of educated buyers we go to Amazon or Buy.com or one of the many hundreds of other new merchandise sites.  If eBay changes are meant to morph the site into another Amazon.com, why will anyone go to eBay?  It will simply become one of a hundred other sites and will diminish in stature over time.  Amazon has the lead in new merchandise sales and will probably retain that lead.  eBay should concentrate more on its core sellers and its original reasons for success.

Loyalty Shift 

Recent news articles and comments from the sellers themselves on eBay's own discussion boards may prove that this upheaval is different than recent similar outbreaks of revolt.  Talks of seller strikes may sound silly to the casual observer since they have been tried before without much success.  The real proof of a possible shift in loyalty comes from reports of an influx of new sellers on eBay alternative sites. 

Fortune CNN Reports 

Fortune Magazine reports in this article eBay rivals circle an influx of new sellers to multiple alternative eCommerce and auction sites.  We will review these and many more online selling sites for you in this publication in the coming weeks. 

Our view is:  check options, be open to change, evaluate inventory and costs and try new ideas.  I would never recommend leaving eBay altogether as other have openly demanded.  eBay still is a powerhouse of traffic generation and will continue to be a part of our business and a recommended tool for any business we work with.  But options are out there to explore and from our initial evaluation, some of these options may just be a viable alternative. 

Eggs 

I have always preached that no business should depend completely upon one outlet for sales.  There is no real reason to place all of your eggs in the eBay basket.  But do not abandon eBay completely because of some sort of seller upheaval.  Take a wait-and-see outlook and check your options.  Change, in the end, is almost always a good thing.  But change just for the sake of change can be dangerous.  Keep your eBay account, keep your customers happy and keep selling...

If you're considering operating an eBay consignment store...or if you have a Drop store franchise already, you may want to read this... 

Running an eBay consignment business can be complicated, time-consuming and nerve- wracking…

As a business, selling on eBay is not the easy get rich quick scheme some would have you believe.  Initially setting up an eBay consignment business may sound like a ticket to easy street… 

• What's better than selling other people's stuff and making a 40% commission from the sale? 

• Having a retail store without owning inventory…

When one gets right down to the facts, its not that simple…

Read More on the Trading Assistant Journal

This morning, in my Google Alerts inbox came a question from a small business owner about eBay...

This is not unusual because while eBay wants to create the impression that the entire process of setting up an eBay selling account is a simple 123 affair, in reality it can be a challenge. There are numerous decisions to be made and each one is important.

Nothing could be more important as an initial decision for a small business when setting up an eBay account,than the choice of a name for your eBay ID.

Plan ahead and think about this vital decision.

The eBay ID name can be changed at a later date, but for the sake of continuity and because when you change your name, you lose links and possibly your customers, it is best to research and select the name you will stick with.

I hope I answered the question adequately for crhodes113 on the Marketing Profs Know How Exchange... (See text below)

Selecting a good eBay name is an even more important decision than selecting a corporate or traditional business name.

Remember, no matter what neighborhood or town your retail store may be in, you usually do not have to consider the search capabilities, whims and trends of 225 million buyers looking for your products. (eBay.com).

I am beginning a business on ebay and trying to decide on good name for it. I want it to be attractive, classy and now. I will not be selling only one line of merchandise. I will have mostly new and very slightly used clothing. They are primarily designer labels or high end manufacturers. Other items will be antique linens, glassware that is vintage or very nice later date. I think I will consider this a boutique so that I have room for various items. Can someone suggest some names that are appealing?

I replied:

Names on eBay should be more than just unique or interesting. You must consider many aspects of your business and your customers.

Think about who your primary customers are?
What words would they use to search for your primary products?

How will they best remember your name to return again and again?

What name will instill trust and confidence in first time buyers? Trust is huge in online sales...

Remember that your business name and your eBay name should be close to the same thing but they do not have to exactly match.

You should also remember that your eBay stores name can be slightly different if needed but should use very similar words (keywords preferably). And for your business model you really should look into using an eBay store...

If you use more than a single word in your eBay ID you should use a hyphen between the words.
example: Beauty-Boutique or Baudy_Boutique

Once you have landed on a theme of names (write every one down as you think of them). Check google's keyword tool for confirmation that these search terms are used by people looking for your products. You could also look on eBay based research tools like Terapeak or Hammertap to be sure your market niche is good for your business plan.

Then when you have narrowed your list of names down, look on eBay to see if your favorite name is available.

Good Luck!

If you need any more information or help with eBay stores or stores design you may contact me through my blog:

http://www.allbusinessauctions.com/blog

Scott Pooler
eBay Certified Education Consultant - eBay Stores Certified Designer & Powerseller.