Brain Drain Continues! Is It Time To Punch Out At eBay?
Just The Latest Loss
Eric Shoup is just the latest manager that we are aware of who has “punched out” from eBay in the past 8 months. As has been well chronicled by Scott Pooler of TradingAssistantJournal.com, Scot Wingo CEO of Channeladvisor.com and Randy Smythe of MyBlogUtopia.com among many others, it appears that there is significant change taking place at eBay. Scott Pooler wrote a blog regarding eBay’s loss of talent and his latest post today which asks the question
Is the management team forcing new and untested technical challenges down the throats of the engineers just to make changes in a panic?
On my ebay & Beyond: Basics to Business blog today I wrote about the 28 % internal approval rating of John Donahoe CEO of eBay. I have to question whether the number of managers “punching out” of eBay is directly connected to the concern over the rapid and drastic changes ebay is undertaking or if this is just normal attrition that occurs after a change at the top?
Based on the number of employees changing jobs and the rumored impending layoffs at eBay coupled with the significant drop in eBay stock, I feel the answer is clear. Staff, users and investors are not pleased with the the direction the company is taking.
What do you think?
Large eBay PowerSellers Getting Booted The Exodus Continues
PowerSellers On The Lookout
eBay PowerSellers are watching their emails and waiting by the phone for the notice that they have been suspended or placed on notice or restriction. Several very large (Top 25 in category) eBay PowerSellers are reporting that they have been suspended or restricted on the site. These PowerSellers are reporting that due to the increase in neutral and negative feedbacks from buyers who know that they are immune from negatives, they are being scrutinized by eBay.
What totally mystifies me is why eBay would do this without CALLING these sellers to discuss the perceived problems. What further just blows my mind is that according to the affected PowerSellers, their TSAM’s (Top Seller Account Managers) have NO CLUE as to what is going on, and worse yet no idea how to remedy the situation.
eBay vs Amazon
From the postings on forums by the PowerSellers I have seen, they report that they had moved a portion of their products to Amazon prior to the suspension, and there is some specualtion that the suspensions are a result of this move. One PowerSeller speculates that eBay determined the seller had opened and populated an Amazon Store, and is angry over the loss of listings on the eBay site.
Randy Smythe reported in his blog Tusday on the exodus from eBay. Based on the increasing number of seller accounts being suspended, I would imagine the number of exiled ebay sellers will increase dramatically in the very near future.
WSJ Article About Problems with eBay Spurs Large Response From Readers
An article published yesterday by the Wall Street Journal references Scot Wingo’s eBay Strategies blog as to some of the main concerns voiced by sellers on the eBay site. Scot Wingo is the CEO of Channeladvisor.com an ecommerce marketing solution provider, focused on increasing business using multi-channel marketing. Scot has indepth insight into the ecommerce marketing world and in his blog, highlights 4 main concerns for eBay sellers.
Tremendous Reader Response
The WSJ article focuses on the reasons eBay seems to be losing popularity amongst sellers and why the sellers are seeking addiitonal marketing venues. In response to the article readers comments are decidedly anti-eBay. When I reviewed the comments at 12 Noon today there appeared to be well over 40 comments, some long, some very short, but nearly all seemed to voice concern and displeasure with the direction the eBay site has taken in the past 12-18 months.
Related Story
In a related story, Randy Smythe author of MyBlogUtopia.com an ecommerce business blog, writes yesterday regarding the continuing decline in eBay sellers according to information published on the Seller Dome website and blog.
As sellers that no longer fit into the eBay business model seek other venues to market their products, sites such as Bidtopia.com, Onlineauction.com and others are seeing an influx of new members. The major hurdle that these other venues face is traffic, or rather the lack there of. As online marketing sites such as Onlineauction work hard to increase traffic, the users of the sites are demanding more be done to promote the sites. As website executives as well as members work hard to draw attention to these other venues I fully expect that we will see a new leader in the online auction format in the next year.
eBamazon?????
As eBay seems intent on creating a site to rival Amazon, ecommerce marketers are asking themselves “Does the ecommerce world really need another Amazon?” I really don’t know the answer to that question though I do believe that competition is a good thing.
I do know that when a business forgets it’s roots, and what made it strong, the mighty oak falters and falls.
Just food for thought!
Listen to ebay & Beyond: Basics to Business each Saturday 10 AM to Noon ET at www.basicstobusiness.com
eBay To Challenge ACCC PayPal Ruling
eBay has posted a response to the ACCC draft noice denying eBay the ability to require PayPal as the only payment option (with very few exceptions) on the eBay.com.au site.
The draft notice by the ACCC was posted yesterday, and according to an article on the Austrailian newspaper The Sydney Morning Hearld, though this is a draft ruling that must still be formally adopted, the ACCC rarely retracts a draft decision.
eBay contends it will fight the decision, and has rolled back the planned June 17th 2008 implementation of the PayPal only requirement until July 15th.
eBay has lost several judicial battles recently, and there is some feeling that eBay, known in some circles as the 800 pound gorilla, may be facing a battle such as the likes of King Kong. (Randy Smythe’s MyBlogUtopia) Previously thought to be invincible, little by little eBay is taking hits. In and of themselves these hits may not have much effect, but when these hits continue and build, the resulting cumulative effects may begin to weaken the gorilla allowing competition to build a formidable attack.
eBayLive 2008 is just 6 days away, and I look forward to hearing the sentiments of those eBay.com.au users that will be in attendance. We will search these members out and bring you live reports from the event live next week from our microphones of the ebay & Beyond: Basics to Business radio program.
August 30, 2008 ebay & Beyond: Basics to Business
ebay & Beyond: Basics to Business
Guests Doug Minnick of Overstock.com and Randy Smythe of MyBlogUtopia.com
[podcast]http://www.ecommerce-marketing-radio-network.com/Podcasts/08-30-08.mp3[/podcast]
-
Sponsors
New Page 1 -
-
Affiliates
-
Join Me on LinkedIn
