eBay Mess

[Matt]

Barry - you are correct as that has always been the issue with eBay competitors. But with people generally leaving eBay in chunks due to their decisions over the past year, and then sports-collectibles-specific folks leaving in droves over this mess, added with the fact that a significant percentage (vast majority?) of pre-war card collectors are already on this site, I think there is a good chance for success.

[barrysloate]

Matt- I agree that now would be an opportune time to start a new auction site. People are angry and looking for an alternative.

[tbob]

The only thing that ebay concerns itself with is money. Why should they care how we feel, as collectors, about this idiotic new move? I think the only thing that would make them change their mind is a boycott by sellers and buyers. Perhaps, as Barry says, the money derived is a drop in the bucket but 1% of ebay revenues is 1% of ebay revenues and some bean counter is going to notice. Maybe giving them a "Black October" for cards would do some good and convince the miscreants to change things back. Who knows?
In the meantime I have to shake my head at some of the responses on this board. It appears very obvious that each one of us who calls or writes is dealing with one different person each time. It's too bad they don't have a single person or group of people you can complain to who would see that the complaints are not singular in nature but shared by a large group of people.
It just p.o.'s me that I have a feedback of over 6500 and have made them a lot of money through the years (and Paypal too) and yet I am treated like someone who collects string.

[iggyman]

Originally Posted by Matt

Barry - you are correct as that has always been the issue with eBay competitors. But with people generally leaving eBay in chunks due to their decisions over the past year, and then sports-collectibles-specific folks leaving in droves over this mess, added with the fact that a significant percentage (vast majority?) of pre-war card collectors are already on this site, I think there is a good chance for success.

I don't think a vast majority of prewar collectors use this site. I have no idea what the percentages are, but I would bet it doesn't even reach the 50% plateau. No disrespect intended, this is just my personal opinion based on years of buying and selling on eBay. It doesn't make me an expert. All I know is that over the years a few of the buyers names have stayed the same, but (as Barry mentioned) most are constantly new.


At this present time, I would welcome any viable "baseball card" alternative to eBay. Actually, I'm jumping at the bit for it! To become really successful an ebay competitor would have to attract the hard core collector (easy to do) and the casual one (not so easy). I'm a small fish, especially when compared to Barry during his "heyday", but I've made a few sales to "whales" (which are always nice when they are biting). However, it has been the housewife purchasing an anniversary present, or the guy who just likes old stuff, or the collector in Japan.....these are the people who have consistenly given me the most bang for my buck. I'm not sure how you duplicate that?

Lovely Day...

[sagard]

I think adding a cards section to "Vintage Sports Memorabilia" might be the easiest solution for Ebay and the group here.

Ebay made the move because even though many browse the pre-1930 category, I'm sure VERY few browsed by the literally dozens of other categories and sub-categories in the main cards section.

[ibuysportsephemera]

I think that the problem with eBay wannabees was that they just imitated eBay and tried to pull off an identical site with tons of categories. The reason why I think that Leon has a chance (although a small one..I admit) is because it will be specific to one category and he has experience in the auction business already. JMO.

Jeff

[Potomac Yank]

If you don't stand together ... You get what you deserve!

See post # 146 .....