The recent decision by eBay to restructure its fee structure for sellers is getting mixed reaction among many long-time users and well as potential new users and much of it is not good. Many sellers, some who grudgingly but quietly accepted eBay's changes in the past are no longer willing to stay silent. And a new rule which eliminates negative feedback on buyers is adding to seller frustration. All this is leading some to take action.
A seller revolt is brewing and attempts are being made to muster support for a boycott that will coincide with the February 20th launch of the new policies.
CNN.com recently posted a number of articles surrounding the changes and the impact they're having. One of the more interesting articles profiled five former eBay sellers, all of whom have moved on from doing business with the giant auction site.
These five sellers were varied in their geographic locations, business size and seemingly, their personality. However they did strike a common theme: After a lengthy period of ever-growing frustration with eBay's pricing policies and bureaucratic difficulties, they've decided to take a different road. More are likely to follow them out the door, though like some of the five sellers, they won't be going it alone.
As is often the case in business, as in life, one man's trouble is another man's opportunity.
Many current and former eBay clients are being heavily courted by other auction sites and third-party stores. Amazon in particular is making headway into the third-party store arena with success and at least some of that success is coming at eBays expense.
One large former high-volume eBay seller, Bargainland, has even started their own auction site, Bidtopia.com. What originally was expected to be a "side project" is turning out to be much more as heavy interest from the public is causing Bargainland to commit significant resources to it's auction site's development.
It would seem those who use online auctions aren't waiting around for anyone to roll out the welcome mat. They're taking matters into their own hands and seeking out other venues on which to ply their trade.
However, eBay is not circling the wagons just yet. They state that 70% of sellers will benefit from the new fee structure and they can take comfort in the fact that many of their PowerSellers are not on board with the boycott. These sellers feel that boycotting hurts their business. Some are professional sellers with a lot to lose and have even expressed a desire to work with company executives on this and other issues. Many have built significant businesses on eBay and feel they have much to lose if eBay falters.
For those sellers, supporting a boycott would be akin to holding a gun to their own business' head and doing so simply doesn't make good business sense.
So, what is the right thing for your home based or internet business? If you're selling a unique, high profit margin product or have affiliate marketers doing the same for you this current situation may not have a significant impact. The same may not be true for businesses that require a high volume of sales to remain profitable. Low margins may well force many of them elsewhere. It also remains to be seen what if any impact this will have on eBay's fortunes.
Yet not all of the effects of the current and previous problems have been negative. One of the former sellers profiled by CNN.com even gave credit to eBay. Robert Tucker of KratomCafe.com thanked eBay attributing their current success to their willingness to leave eBay behind after finding the auction site too difficult to do business on.
Not all change is bad but only time will tell where the chips will fall on this one.
First let’s clear up a common misconception of what a “Brand" really is. A brand is more than just your company’s name or logo. It’s more than just a particular type of product you offer such as Q-tips brand of cotton swabs. It’s more than just the look of the packaging of your product. In a nutshell your "Brand" is the culmination of everything your prospect’s 5 senses can pick up on about you.
It’s the image you present at all times. From the company’s logo and color scheme all the way to the manner in which your employees dress.
It’s what your prospect hears from and about you. From what they hear about you in the media to how your customer service team handles incoming complaints.
It’s the feeling your prospect gets in all their dealings with you. From their satisfied or unsatisfied interaction with you to the relationship building activities you carry out.
It’s the pleasant or unpleasant scents that get associated with you covering everywhere from the scent of your product or facility, to even your employees.
And lastly it’s also the tastes that get associated with you. From the taste of your product (if it’s a product meant to be tasted) to the quality of coffee or tea you serve.
As you are probably beginning to see the picture I am painting for you, your brand encompasses everything about you. Hence you can see why it’s important to always put your best foot forward.
Let’s take this one step further. Even more important than being perfect in your eyes, is being consistent in the prospect’s eyes.
Consistency is the key to branding. It is terrible branding practice and just plain unacceptable to offer great service one day, and bad service the next. You are better off being consistently mediocre. Then at least the customer knows what to expect and is generally more satisfied. Another example of bad branding is having a different look and feel for your website as compared to your other marketing collateral (e.g. business cards, brochures, etc.). Ultimately, your prospect should be able to recognize you at a quick glance – just by colors, design style, logo, etc.
For instance, let’s take the fast food retailer McDonalds. They have done a spectacular job at branding. Their food tastes consistently the same no matter which location you eat at – essentially around the world. What you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste are pretty much consistent and acceptable across the board.
Bottom line, branding is essential to establishing your identity in the marketplace and consistency is the key to effective doing that. Prospects want consistency! Consistency breeds comfort and comfort is an aspect of relationship building - a key marketing strategy.
Both Thomas Schaffer & Dean Mercado are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Thomas Schaffer has sinced written about articles on various topics from Affiliate Programs, How to Sell on Ebay and Personal Finance. Thomas Schaffer is a successful internet entrepreneur and affiliate marketer who has recently escaped the bondage of the corporate world. Get his ebiz newsletter at