Author Topic: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.  (Read 11876 times)

*Yibida*

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Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« on: September 25, 2009, 11:20:41 PM »
Here is my story, first of all for the not so religious members you are probably wondering what the title means?...to save you Googling.... "Extreme Unction" in layman term is "Last rites" as in dieing...so the title sets the stage, I have spent the last two days searching for a very specific type of fishing rod with an unusual length and taper, and also a specific fishing reel that will fulfill the specification I need, I modified the search criteria a dozen times to minimize any product escaping my eagle eye, I managed to see every item that came vaguely close, all I came up with was Chinese / Asian products of substandard quality that would not last six months in the Australian outdoors....now my point...two years ago I would have found dozens of items to choose from, and the Australian and American content would out number the Asian content, the Oz and U.S quality was tenfold compared to the Asian content, I am sorry to say that Ebay have not made more choice for the buyer, Ebay has reduced the choice to almost zero for quality items, another search I performed of general fishing gear revealed every name brand product such as , Shimano, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Silstar, Shakespeare, Mitchell, Penn, and many others ALL had bids, the many Asian cheap products had none or 1 or 2 bids at most, even the second hand name brands had higher bids than New Asian products, If Ebay has all the sophisticated search engines it claims why haven't they picked up on the selling trends I've uncovered using nothing more than their standard searches?... I have come to the conclusion the reason for lack of quality fishing gear missing in action is Ebay has made it so difficult for the regular sellers from the U.S and Oz that most have dropped out, it is conclusive that Ebay for me is not an option anymore, I cant find what I want, I cant sell what I want because I refuse to use paypal, I cant speak my mind on the their forums, Ebay has nothing for me, I'm positive other seasoned anglers find themselves in the same situation I'm in, this is just one category I lurked in so how many other areas will this apply to?....so come forth any clergymen that can administer the last rite, Ebay is fading fast.    

*Brum6y*

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2009, 12:28:48 AM »
The spin I have heard that could "explain" your experience is that the new searches are being implemented and that some categories may take some fine tuning - which might take a month or two before things settle down...

Which I think is bogus. 

After nearly 30 years in the IT scene, it smacks to me of one (or both) of two things... 1. They implemented changes before proper testing   2. They built the software to do what you claim.

Either way, if I was in charge of their IT, day one I'd sack 90% of them - if I didn't slash my wrists first for making such a dumb career move.

*Brum6y*

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2009, 12:30:09 AM »
As for the last rites - I'm afraid my Latin isn't anywhere up to the mark.

tellomon

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2009, 01:49:18 AM »
I cant speak my mind on the their forums....

Don't take it personal, Yib.

NOBODY CAN!


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*smee*

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2009, 01:52:01 AM »

tellomon

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2009, 02:06:24 AM »
Not that one.

The OTHER one...without uglyboy......

Jeeeez, smee. That's a visual I didnt need so early in the morning...


 :'(

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*CountessA*

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2009, 02:12:29 AM »
Yib, I have found again and again the same sort of limiting pattern you describe - in the specific areas in which I have an interest.

This pattern has been continuing to develop for some time. It's not just a matter of "best match" wrecking my search results, but also increasingly bad policies that affect sellers both locally and overseas. The policies are both eBay- and PayPal-engendered, and they add up to convincing many a good seller that it's just not worth it to sell on eBay. Result? I as a buyer find far, far, far less choice.

Giving buyers page after page after page of the same item or similar (cheap) items listed primarily by Asian sellers (occasionally by Australian sellers who are drop-shipping or importing from Asian sellers and clearly either don't know OR don't care that they're selling junk) is not giving buyers more choice; it's just presenting the same choice again and again.

However many times a waiter presents steak tartare to Mr Bean's table, it doesn't give Mr Bean filet mignon... or boef bourgignon... or coq au vin...l It's still steak tartare. It will always be steak tartare.

eBay seem to be giving us nothing but steak tartare.
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tellomon

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2009, 02:17:41 AM »
....it's just presenting the same choice again and again.

Hell...is repetition.



Is it really 2 am in Oz?
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some_other_bozo

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2009, 09:35:35 AM »
Yep Yib

I got into a certain collectable item about 4 years ago...I wont say which for of appearing even mopre immature than i actually am.....tee hee. First thing i did at the time was check ebay. There were constantly 3 or 4 pages of these items with only 3 - 5 individual items being from asia. I started bidding on them and even got to know my enemies as at the time they werent hidden bidders. There were about 2 dozen of us bidding on the same items and there developed an almost friendly rivalry between us. It was fun.

Then early last year the changes started. Before the current round of changes these item had dropped from occupying 3 -4 pages down to just circa 25 items....of which about 20 were from Hong Kong. With adding in stores earlier this month the number shot up to 170 again, mostly asian, and mostly "accessories" not the actual collectable items themselves...and now even that number has dropped below 140.

These items sell in store for around $20 - $40 each. 2 years ago a 99cent listing would garner a final bid of $30 - $40...people were happy to pay this because some of the items were hard to get in Australia. And because we were involved in petty wars trying to outdo each other....yet again coz it was "fun". Last week one of the old guys listed 2 of these items for the first time in yonks....99 cent listings...no bids.

It would seem none of the old bidders are around anymore. There has been some popping up occassionally on oztion, but nowhere near like it used to be on ebay.

Now the asians hold sway on ebay. I noted one asian seller recently listed nearly 40 of these items...I added them all to my watchlist....not one sold!...how can the asian sellers survive like that???

Anyway thats my rant....have a fun weekend all.

BOZO

*CountessA*

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2009, 10:13:42 AM »
You might be interested in knowing the special conditions for Asian sellers.

Clue: not the same as for Australian sellers.
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tellomon

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2009, 10:39:29 AM »
That's Racist!
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some_other_bozo

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2009, 11:15:05 AM »
Yep countessa I sorta assumed there was a system of preferential treatment. And yes tello it could be deemed as a form of racism....

...financial racism?

BOZO

*Brum6y*

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2009, 11:35:00 AM »
Racism isn't the right word - IMO - but it is certainly discrimination.

Mind you, Financial Discrimination can be structured under a variety of guises that have gained legitimacy through concepts ranging from demographics to 'economies of scale' to market demands.


Whether fair or not - we are bound to live with it.

tellomon

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Re: Extreme Unction for Ebay ~ Clergymen wanted ~ apply within.
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2009, 01:57:24 PM »
Tello yields the Floor Of Great Debate to Brumby.

Ya got me on that one, Yo!


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