eBay, just a few short years ago, was an unfathomable concept. Born in the 1990's, along with just a handful of other Internet marvels, eBay started as a simple forum for Pez collectors.
It wasn't supposed to be for you and me (unless you happen to be a Pez fanatic) but it eventually grew into a place where any John or Jane Doe could auction off the entire contents of the garage. And it was a blessing for any collector who suddenly had access to his perception of the Holy Grail, whatever that may be.
For a while, eBay could do no wrong. That was when it was fun. That was when it was a good time. That was then. Now eBay has "jumped the shark".
Today, I have mixed feelings about eBay and I'm pretty sure those feelings are mutual. I used to think (maybe falsely so but who cares?) that eBay truly valued their multitude of small time sellers....the ones who helped put them on the map. But in the last few years, it has become clear that eBay wants to fit in, rather than stand out.
Rather than continue the natural progression of its own unique destiny, somewhere along the line, eBay took a 180 degree turn towards a more traditional business model. It's pretty obvious that eBay, catering now more to big box sellers, wants to be another Amazon.com. With this ambition, eBay has lost its charm.
I miss the eBay of yore. I still buy and sell on ebay but unlike before, I don't always have good things to say. It is still good for finding bargains if you can stomach the hunt. For sellers preferring the auction format, there is no eBay alternative. No other venue gets as much traffic, so eBay maintains it's stranglehold on those of us battling inner auction demons.
Of course, there are worse things than eBay... like famine...and flooding.
Wanna discuss the good, the bad and the eBay? Leave a comment!
Because every little bit helps,
Carole Tee
No comments:
Post a Comment