If eBay offered an ecommerce website package, would you use it?

77 Responses

1. Without knowing the details I would initially say no, however, I loath eBay these days but I still use it because it makes money, if a package offered by eBay looked good value I would probably look at it as an addition, I don’t need to like something to use it, the kids have to eat, the wife has to buy shoes and I have no morals, eBay and I make the perfect partnership.

2. I think this is definately going to happen.

   I noticed the other day that in my list of sold items there are 2 new columns titled “Listed On” and “Sold On”. Both fields are filled in with “eBay” at the minute but this would suggest that in the near future we will be able to sell our goods on other channels.

3. NO, for a number of reasons. Firstly there’s no need for us to because our sites already run on Magento and have been heavily customised to do the job required.

   Also, knowing eBay, They will want access to all your data, sales, customers etc.

   You simply don’t need a 3rd party to manage your website, do it for yourself.

4. Absolutely,categorically no! How long before ebay do an Amazon and try to control the relative pricing, requiring ebay to be no more expensive than your website?

   If they control your website, they have total visibility.

5. I wouldn’t want to put all my eggs in the Ebay basket if I could help it. You’d be a fool to trust their schemes going by their track record.

   It might look generous in the short-term but they’ll milk you dry in the end LOL

6. They’re at least 3-4 years behind the market if/when it does happen. Places like EKM Powershop have taken this market already.

   I might have been tempted 4 years ago but for many more reasons as well no I wouldn’t, too much tied into one company isn’t good anyway.

7. Like Whirly and North, I would consider it as an additional revenue stream. However, I would be concerned as to how much linkage there was to eBay. A lot of stuff I sell on my website suppliers will not allow to be sold on ebay / amazon and I wouldn’t want to lose those products.

   Also I have for the most part given up with ebay due to the dsrs and trs scheemes giving me so many headaches I couldn’t get on with the business of running my business as I was constantly jumping through ever changing hoops – I would be concerned that sort of thing would be linked to the website.

8. Before eBay venture into this market they need to ask themselves why would a successful eBay seller want their own website?
   1. Reduced listing and selling fees
   2. No constant restructuring following the latest round of changes
   3. No being blackmailed by buyers with threats of Negative feedback

   Now I suspect that if eBay addressed these issues sellers would feel less inclined to open an independent website.

   If eBay intend offering the same nonsense we see on eBay within hosted website there is simply no point in opening a eBay managed website.

9. Potentially an option in addition to existing sites , but defintely not instead of them.

10. Another issue would be (VeRO)

    Over the last few years I have received two (VeRO) warnings from eBay which were both Pony and Trap. Both products are still regularly listed by other sellers. (The only constant with eBay is a reassurance that they will never enforce policy consistently.)

    These supposed (VeRO) products were then both listed on Amazon and my own website.

    Now if eBay are going to remove items which apparently but are never established if they breach (VeRO) from eBay will they let sellers list the very same product on their own eBay managed shop or will they remove it?

    I really wouldn’t want the eBay Police stumbling around in my own shop.

11. I wonder what payment methods they’d permit?

12. Why should they bother…concentrate on getting the eBay platform right that would make them more money!

13. At the end of the day, if you have a website then eBay are your competitor on all the search engines, and on all your sales of eBays 20% share of the internet. I can’t think why anyone would want to pay eBay for a website and then pay fees for your sales on this website. Surely its better to put all your fingers in all the pies instead of effectively being a slave to eBay. If your solely on eBay and something happens to eBay your business has gone and you’ll have to start again. Everyone who sells on-line should learn about SEO as part on their job. eBay is the best place to learn about the difference between a website and selling on eBay and once your ready to open up your own website, open one and make it work for you.
    I can see a lot of your points of view and I can see why most of you disagree with me, but your the ones who have been selling on eBay from the beginning and are well established and have an established customer base. Most newer sellers have not got this and so opening up to the whole of the internet is their best option.
    Once Google stopped eBay sellers uploading data feeds is when I should have opened my website, but I have only recently opened one myself. This last statement should tell you something about how Google views eBay and other market places and most of their sellers, and the way Google would like you to progress with your business. As Google has 80% share of internet searches in the UK, you should be working with Google. I also think Tamebay should expand into off eBay selling and do some features on SEO as well.

14. To me the whole point of having a website is that it is independent. I own my content. I make policy decisions and I succeed or fail by the choices I make.

    A site hosted on an eBay package might start out relatively independent but you can be pretty sure it wouldn’t stay that way.

    Look at the new PayPal regs for websites and alternate venues as a concrete example. PayPal wants to enforce eBay return and refund policies on independent sites and other venues. I am not saying they are bad policies per se, but where does PayPal get the right to turn my site, Bonanza or Etsy into the eBay nightmare for sellers complete with INR and SNAD?

15. Didn’t they already try this with Prostores?

16. I’ve not got Paypal on my website because Nochex and Google checkout do it cheaper. If customers ask for it I might add it or I might tell them to buy from me eBay shop instead. All payment gateways seem to have a similar policy to Paypal anyway so if a customer feels hard done by and complaints to the payment gateway you’ll have to act accordingly. All payment gateways see buying customers who use their service as their customers so they’ll want you to act properly.
    I can’t see eBay doing SEO for this webesite service, but I bet they will take a fee from any sales, on top of a hosting charge. I’d rather listen to Lonnie Donegan than have everything with eBay.

17. As Google like positive comments about websites, having buyers leave positive comments about you with Google Checkout would proberly improve your page rank.

18. Paypal definately still has that lower market image, however there is a lot of money sitting in Paypal accounts waiting to be spent.

    We have it for that reason but don’t push the fact due to the image issue.

19. I’m with Safebuy because its free at the moment and Google like them as a backlink because I think of the third party comments. You can also get a verisign free for three months as well and get a little norton virus scan symbol with your search results.

20. Henrietta, I agree, to get a better working relationship with Google, offer Google Checkout and any feedback from buyers can only improve your ranking with Google.
    I’m looking for more payment gateways with no monthly fees but I can’t seem to find any.
    If you use Googles products they give you free Adwords vouchers as well. If you cut your teeth with the voucher money, you can get results when you spend your own.

21. Agree with most comments but for me selling cosmetics i would worry it would have ebay stamped all over it.
    Ebay is a complete no go to get beauty brands.

    Also ebay beauty sells for so much less than anywhere else (yes i am having a website made no just moaning)

22. Strange – you ran this same survey a week or so ago did you not.

    Why would any ebayer not do it if it were free?

    Any cost implications will raise a whole host of other issues most of which are not asked in this survey.

    The fact that ebay will want to make paypal either the only payment provider or at least the default payment provider is not mentioned.

    The top answer at present – No, I want my website kept independent from eBay. (38%, 47 Votes) surely does not take into account that you could still keep your independent website in any event and why wouldn’t you if it works?

    Basically it is a crap survey – who set the questions?

23. Agree with Jimbob I think it was.
    If you want to pay by card and you have a balance in your pp acccount it is a pain in the nethers. I usually empty the account first but sods law by the time you pay you get some more funds in.

    Also disagree with the general notion that buyers like paypal. Sure on ebay it makes sense and for those who buy only and don’t use paypal to receive e-commerce payments it may be convenient. But, I know I get a lot of dropped baskets because at the moment I am only offering paypal on my website while I change from sagepay to barclays. I know people are dropping because they don’t want to use paypal – they tell me.

24. re; 22.1
    ‘just another one of these self serving fake trade organisations like the guild of master craftsmen’

    Bloody cheek!!…..I was a member for many years & served our customers prperly & professionally….If you had a prob with some member, report them….

    It WAS a good organisation then, (1990’s)… but haven’t been in manufacting for some time now.

25. Even if they paid me to use it, I wouldn’t go anywhere near an eBay ecommerce system. They all too often struggle to get their own site to function properly, and every time they make a change, they fluff it.

    I shudder to think what would happen if I let ebay anywhere near my website.