<VV> More on the eBay bum

[kaczmarek at charter.net]

Friends
Since I handle the eBay online store for Steele Rubber, process the orders and handle all the questions and problems that occur, allow me to interject a few observations for the overall general welfare of the group. 

I project that by the middle of next year, my company will no longer have an eBay online store. Going into eBay was an experiment that started not long after I came to work for Steele, and we didn't know how it would work out.  At best I figured we'd make some money, and get another presence on the Web. 

Just like the .com bubble, the housing bubble, and the auto auction bubble, the eBay bubble is broken and we're on the downslope.  Never done better than 4000.00 in sales on eBay, and that was the best month in 3 years.  In comparison, I sold 2,972.30 in parts just yesterday, Monday of Christmas week in a depressed economy.  Total eBay sales for dec to date is around 1700.00, and I'll probably do that before lunch today. 

 It's just not working out.

The whole PayPal thing is a PITA too.  And the comments that Alan has related are by no means the exception.  Everybody's getting hosed, sellers especially. 

All good things must come to an end, and eBay will likely be one of them. It's not about cleaning out your basement or trading in collectibles anymore....and it's not nearly the fun that it once was. 

Just a .02 from someone who deals with eBay every day. 

Hank