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By Ina Steiner
AuctionBytes.com
August 30, 2006
The Managing Director of eBay Canada said it's getting "progressively more difficult" for Canadians trying to sell on eBay due to economic realities. Jordan Banks posted a message on the eBay Canada Announcement Board on Tuesday. Banks said "seller profitability" is top of mind with him and his team, and that "an immediate and clear focus will be placed on making selling on eBay a more compelling and profitable endeavour for Canadians."
Banks said eBay Canada will be implementing an information gathering action plan for the next 60 days to jumpstart the site's initiatives, including setting up a special email address for seller suggestions and phone interviews between sellers and members of eBay Canada management. Sellers have already begun reacting to the post in a discussion board thread set up to gather feedback (http://forums.ebay.ca/thread.jspa?threadID=500012348).
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/ca/200608291311302.html
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How about no fees?
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Shhhhh, there must be another fee hike in the making somewhere...
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A common theme in that thread seems to be the acknowledged difficulty of attracting American buyers. I fear that eBay, in its hamfisted way of dealing with such issues, will decide to promote Canadian seller listings over all others, in order to "even the playing field".
I haven't bought anything from a Canadian seller in six years and probably never will again. There's just no need. eBay, leave the playing field alone.
fLufF
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Might that explain why I get a good number of Canadian buyers?
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Not that I'm belittling the plight of Canadian sellers, but gosh, I wish someone among the powers that be would notice that "it's increasingly difficult" for US-BASED sellers to make a profit on eBay nowadays.
It just seems like we're the last ones that eBay ever thinks about.
And Maison, I get lots of Canadian buyers too. But then I get them from all OVER the world.
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As a Canadian seller, I received the email from Jordan Baker regarding the plight of the Canadian seller.
One of the first things ebay has to understand is the mindset of the Canadian buyer. As a whole, Canadians aren't big catalog and mail order shoppers. We tend to like to touch and feel what we buy. Heck, even I, who sell goods online, would never buy anything that wasn't standard, such as a book, cd, dvd, software, etc.
So Canadian sellers basically target US buyers.
Beyond the main plights that all the sellers have, the main hit Canadian sellers are taking has been the deep plunge sinking of the US dollar worldwide. Where we would get an exchange of $1.40 - $1.56 on our US dollar, now it is sliding down to par. My last withdrawal from Paypal I got $1.07.
That has been the main reason most Canadian sellers could compete with US sellers both on ebay and on websites. Now that the attractive low Canadian dollar doesn't exist, buying from Canada doesn't hold the appeal it did before.
And I don't know what ebay can do about that. It is beyond their control, as is Canada Post's exceptionally greedy domestic shipping rates, which is the other of a Canadian sellers woes. I can send something to California for $5 but if I want to send it to BC, its costs $10.
Listing fees suck, but they suck for everybody.
I really don't know what ebay can do to get Canadian sellers to list more. I am slowly abandoning ebay and heading out to live shows. Ebay is no longer a cost effective sales arena for me. I still do get sales and pick up show awards , etc, so will always have something listed, but most of the high end stuff will go as will the low end as well. Some mid priced stuff I can still make a bit of profit on and keep my name out there.
The ebay gravy train has come to a major halt.
Jill
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We tend to like to touch and feel what we buy.
Ohhhhhhhhh Gabsy!
Front & center!