Do You Think You Can Run eBay?

• Report this Comment On September 22, 2010, at 2:16 PM, Patricia013 wrote:

  I have no idea how Donahoe is running Ebay - he changes his goals as often as he changes his socks. He let go of a successful business model that merely needed tweaking. Hence, stagnant sales, stagnant stock prices and a tarnished reputation. I believe a panel made up of a good mix of buyers and sellers along with a CEO who understands online sales could run Ebay efficiently...and throw the majority of the draconian policies that have put a roadblock into sale right into the trash where they belong! Never have so many suffered so much loss at the weird idea of one CEO! Nobody should be treated like criminals - as the sellers are treated now and NOBODY should have to gamble on losing their item, their money and their selling account on the say so of a scammer buyer as is happening now! Nuff said!

• Report this Comment On September 22, 2010, at 9:17 PM, ValleyGeekGirl wrote:

  If I was Donahoe I'd sack half the exec and slim down the company. Like the previous comment above, apart from treating customers like criminals, it should treat its employees better. The company has a habit of losing its key staff - particularly women as result of diversive management treatment - and believe me there has been a looong list of women leave over the last 2 years, and many equally talented men. People leave because of the sour ethos in this ailing company.

• Report this Comment On September 23, 2010, at 2:00 AM, Castlerock wrote:

  I am both a seller and a buyer on Ebay and have never felt like a criminal. I've had people claiming that the item was not delivered but with a simple delivery confirmation number it has been enough to r4esolve the issue on my favor. Delivery confirmation is bought at a discount for only $0.19 when creating the USPS label on line. To me the problem is that the service nikel and dimes you to post your listing i.e. Price over 1 dollar you pay $0.25, you want a subtitle then you pay $0.50 etc... I think th service needs to evolve in an even more personalized way. I am sure theres lots of stuff out there that I need to buy and just don't know it yet :)

• Report this Comment On September 23, 2010, at 2:16 AM, dgmennie wrote:

  The basic problems with eBay over the past decade are its increasingly harsh and stupid policies that (now) prevent easy, unfettered communications between buyers and sellers. I'm going to assume this was initiated to prevent the growth of "off eBay" transactions. But as enforced policy it has expaned beyond reason. Yes, there are certain basic operating procedures that must always be in place. They still remain recognized as necessary and ethical by almost everyone. But when creativity is abandoned, there is NOTHING that can be done by fiat to stuff ever more money annually into the coffers of eBay management.

  The best thing that could happen now is for eBay to return to its business model of the late 1990s. But since entrenched special interests will no doubt block any such action, the marketplace will have to speak by removing business from eBay until the entire structure implodes. Meanwhile, I am hoping that someone with deep pockets, faith, and integrity can develop a competing auction site that brings back the best of the original eBay, albeit updated for the 21st century. Lets not sweat the small potatos of buyers and sellers getting together directly on occassion, especially when the ultimate price is to turn a fun marketplace into a police state or gulag.

  Where in today's overcompensated CEO universe is the fabled "vision" of business leaders when you really need it?

• Report this Comment On September 23, 2010, at 6:36 PM, Patricia013 wrote:

  @ Castlerock as a seller you've had almost every single right taken from you. You can no longer give negative feedback to a buyer no matter how bad the transaction. You can be negged by a deadbeat buyer who does not pay. You may be forced to refund a buyer who still has your item! The solution to the majority of transactions gone bad favor the buyer and the seller is often left without his item, his money and with a negative by a scam buyer. Read Ebay's discussion boards, read the many posts on Seller Central go over to auctionbytes.com and read those articles and comments....while your at it read the lawsuits, of which there are many. I'm happy to hear you have not had a problem but that doesn't mean the problems do not exist.

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