eBay (EBAY) sellers already planning next boycott
Posted by: in Companies Competitive StrategyFiled under: Rumors, Products and services, Consumer experience, World wide web, Competitive strategy, eBay (EBAY), Marketing and advertising
If nothing else… eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) users are a feisty bunch. After just coming off a multi-week sellers strike, they’re already planning their next revolt, tentatively set to launch Might 1.
The most recent strike was orchestrated in reaction to current changes made on the site and lasted from the week of Feb. 18 through last night. While eBay is steadfast that the recent site boycott had no effect on its business, not everyone is buying that, and are expecting hitting the site again come May.
Some statistics have shown that eBay witnessed a 13% drop in its on the web listings, but eBay denies any impact. The site claims that the statistics out there are not taking into account a 20-cent listings promotion that it had launched just prior to the boycott that temporarily inflated its auction listings.
We have looked a lot at the eBay boycott over the past couple of weeks, and we have repeatedly pointed to a couple key factors that are infuriating eBay users. These include increased final listing fees, removal of seller feedback, and changes that could result in some PayPal payments being held up to 21 days.
While all of the above were enough to ruffle some feathers, I’ve to believe that the ultimate “slap in the face” to sellers was the removal of the option for sellers to leave negative feedback on the site. Rate increases are nothing new to the site, which had to raise its rates as recently as 2005 and 2006. While sellers did not like seeing the rate hike, they ultimately accepted it as a cost of business. The feedback system however, seems to be a little too much for some to bear.
While it is still debatable what effect the most current boycott had, organizers of this next boycott are hoping to accomplish larger and better results from their actions. By taking around six weeks to get mobilized they expect a greater effect, and they are going so far as setting up “state leaders” and looking to form a better organized approach to this upcoming boycott.
So far, the sellers that are joining up have claimed to be 1,000 strong and looking to attract a much broader base of users.
For all you eBay users out there… did you participate in your the most recent boycott? Will you join the next sellers strike? As for the impact on the site, do you feel the strike had any impact what-so-ever on eBay? And one final topic of interest… which change made the site upsets you the most? Fee increase, feedback change, or PayPal change? Let us hear from you!
Michael Fowlkes has worked as a stock trader for seven years and spent the last four years working as an analyst for the online investment advisory service Investor’s Observer.
Entries (RSS)