8mm Forum: EBAY BOYCOTT!!

This is topic EBAY BOYCOTT!! in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on February 16, 2008, 04:44 PM:

There is a boycott against eBay for Feb. 18th through 25th. No buying or selling. This is to protest the lastest fee increase and unfair feedback policy changes. Buyers and sellers are participating. [Eek!]

The link below is to the eBay discussion board.

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000636290&tstart=0&mod=1203201013553

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 16, 2008, 05:08 PM:

Sounds good. I'm just pissed because I got yet another film print with faded color that was advertised as good color.

I'll wait a few weeks until I list something again.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on February 16, 2008, 08:15 PM:

Yes this new thing is absolutely crackers with sellers not going to be able to leave feedback, what tit thought that one up!!!!!! just loopy and is going to lead to allsorts of goings on and more bogus " I didnt` recieve it in the post " etc goings on.
As if the fees weren`t enough already plus the paypal % as well for so little effort they should be less not more.
Crikey the amount of trade keeps on going up so they are making even more hand over fist both Ebay and Paypal " Greed " !!!
Best Mark.

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on February 17, 2008, 10:25 AM:

Ebay ... the company who is not interested in new 8mm releases.
.... the company who destroyed structure of old commerce, ....the company who is responsible that the last 8mm retailer, companies bringing out much less new 8mm releases ....

I boycott this company now two years, opened my own
"store" and auction web site. I saved hundred of Euros fees.

be independet, create your own shop
http://www.oscommerce.org/

nice pictures
www.fotolia.com

you can be independet.

I am independet
http://www.mediavana.de/
no fees, no fees, no fees ...
Everybody is welcome.

Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on February 17, 2008, 11:54 AM:

I have found out that for most things I sell I try to sell locally as opposed to Ebay unless its something I don't get hits on. All the Ebay sales are done AFTER I try locally. I use an Ebay calculator and find that after fees I end up with around $50 less or more for higher priced items. The boycott sounds good to me!!!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 17, 2008, 01:20 PM:

Boy! Not being able to leave feedback would be disastrous. I know that I do tend to gauge who I buy from partially on an ebayer who is tried and tested. After all, if a person has, say, 200 feedbacks, and he still has a good 97 -98 percent rating, he is pretty reliable to buy from.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 17, 2008, 03:08 PM:

Osi,

Buying will not be a problem. Sellers will no longer be able to leave negative feedback for buyers, and, that is unacceptable.

Mike

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 17, 2008, 03:50 PM:

I agree Micheal, completely unacceptable. People need to know when a seller is bad. How will we have an idea as to who is good or not? This will open the door to endless "shysters" on ebay!

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on February 17, 2008, 08:25 PM:

The boycott is taking effect. Ebay stock is dropping. Meanwhile, recent interviews with Ebay CEO reveal a lack of concern on Ebay's behalf or is it just a poker bluff? Like the song says, "that's all in the past now, money changes everthing". [Wink]

Here is a link to Seeking Alpha printed Feb. 17th/08

http://seekingalpha.com/article/64903-ebay-boycott-shows-lack-of-trust-between-buyers-and-sellers?source=reuters

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on February 18, 2008, 02:43 AM:

Very interesting read that Dan.
Ebay is gradually turning into the most unpopular place to buy and sell. I was talking to film collectors at a recent film event and all had been caught at one time or another. Why do we use it? I think if something is out there long enough it becomes a part of life, bit like words that find space in the English dictionary. Fuck found its way into it the dictionary a few years ago because the word was used enough for instance.

Ebay is one of those businesses which had its peak but the decline is in motion I feel as of summer last year, and certainly the majority of films I purchased on it last year were in a very poor state. If I lay my cards on the table I can confirm I have more or less gone back to buying privately and from people known to me.

The ebay system is badly flawed and they seem incapable of making any improvements to it on the behalf of the user. I can certainly live without ebay in my life now and found a better way to spend my time meeting film collectors and exchanging niceties face to face rather than key tapping feedback.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on February 18, 2008, 07:41 AM:

Same old story with a good working thing, it wasnt broke but now they are trying to fix it and they will be sorry i think. I'll stop using it if icant do the feedback thing,

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 18, 2008, 07:58 AM:

Show me a viable alternative in the UK for selling 16mm prints!!!

Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on February 18, 2008, 09:18 AM:

Hi,

quote:
Show me a viable alternative in the UK for selling 16mm prints!!!

That's the problem: the alternatives (hood.de, qxl.co.uk, ...) are good for buyers (as you're most likely the only one interested in film-related articles), but bad for the sellers as nearly all items will go for the minimum price (if ever).

Nevertheless for me eBay isn't a place for buying film-prints, cameras, ... any more as in 99% of all cases there is a "no money back"-clause and a seller that hasn't got any clue (or at least claims so). And of course there are those ten to twenty traders that always outbid me (at ridiculous prices) and that are doing to re-sell the same items a few weeks later (for even higher prices).

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 18, 2008, 09:42 AM:

Speaking for myself, I always offer a return policy on prints when I sell on ebay - but, I understand your point, Joerg.

The fact remains, there is no alternative for 16mm print sales. Not everybody is a member of a forum such as this one, where minimum sales exposure is possible. And, events such as BFCC are only a couple times a year.

In order to keep my film collecting hobby going it needs to be , by and large, self funding. There has to be occasional turnover of prints - only Ebay provides the means!!

Mike

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on February 18, 2008, 10:41 AM:

Michael, you obviously have never used the free lists which go round the UK to sell films on?? I get one here every month or so and have purchased from it. If it helps anyone I will scan and post the next one which is due shortly.

All that is asked is that some stamps are sent to the guy who puts himself out to do and post the lists. It works very well, and until ebay killed them off there were many others!!!

Lets see more of this helping each other again and sack ebay.

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on February 18, 2008, 11:22 AM:

Check this link periodically and you can monitor the drop in Ebay listings. Last night(02/17/08) they were down 3.50% today they are down 12.65%. That's a big drop. [Eek!]

http://www.powersellersunite.com/auctionsitewatch.php

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 18, 2008, 02:05 PM:

Hi Lee,
I would be very much interested in that list you describe. Just point me in the right direction, sir!!

Mike

Posted by Stewart McSporran (Member # 128) on February 19, 2008, 05:17 PM:

Hi Lee,

I too would be interested in such a list.

Stewart

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on February 19, 2008, 07:11 PM:

Here's an interesting segment from Fox News today(02/19/08). You have to watch the 30 second commercial before the piece starts:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/251.7/popup/index.php?cl=6508571

See my new post "New Film Auction Site"

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on February 25, 2008, 04:09 PM:

An article today said the Boycott is being extended another week and that Ebay listings are down 13%.

"The strike, which started last week, has had a couple of impacts on the e-commerce world. One result that I examined last week, was the increase in traffic and users to some smaller e-commerce sites that historically have had a hard time breaking into some of eBay coveted traffic. Now we are starting to see just how hard the strike has been hitting eBay itself. According to reports, the site has seen a 13% drop in its auction listings."

Link to article;

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/25/ebay-ebay-sellers-extend-strike-to-march-3/

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on April 08, 2008, 06:51 AM:

So, can anybody tell me how to obtain one of these "lists" of films for sale that Lee mentioned above. I would be happy to pay whatever charges there are.

-Mike

Posted by peter booth (Member # 242) on April 08, 2008, 11:55 AM:

Hi Lee,I would also be interested in these free lists,thanks,Peter.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 09, 2008, 10:17 AM:

Lee ...

The List Please!

Posted by peter booth (Member # 242) on April 12, 2008, 11:06 AM:

Hi,for 16 and 8mm sales there is The Debonair Film Collectors list.run by the TUA FILM SERVICE who took over after Gill Saunders died.Run by Rob Foxon,a very nice chap.The booklet costs £9 for 12 issues and like Debonair he charges commission on film sales.It is free to list your films for sale.The April list had 18pages of films for sale.Give him a ring or fax to 01162890531.All the proceeds from sales commission he ploughs back in to the film archive,regards,Peter.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on April 12, 2008, 12:57 PM:

Is this UK based?

Posted by peter booth (Member # 242) on April 12, 2008, 02:07 PM:

Hi Michael,yes,the address is 17,Kingsway,Leicester,LE3 2JL,regards,Peter.

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