Analyst: eBay Is Turning Itself Around
Critics have blamed eBay (NSDQ: EBAY) for failing to make improvements to its site, and questioned whether it can remain an e-commerce leader. The company has stumbled somewhat as of late — revenue declined 7 percent and 11 percent, respectively, the past two quarters. But Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal believes the company is starting to turn itself around, citing a number of improvements in an analysis of the site released today:
–Improved search functionality: Aggarwal said the company had improved its search algorithm to better highlight products sold by members with the highest seller ratings, which he believes could lead to more sales and a better consumer experience (buyers want to be matched with the highest-quality sellers). In addition, Aggarwal noted that search helps customers looking for a fixed price versus an auction because it is moving more toward emphasizing seller ratings in its results versus the time remaining in an auction (which is not included in listings for products with fixed prices).
–Better selection: Aggarwal believes that by lowering its listing fee and allowing up to five free listings under the auction format, eBay will get more sellers to list products, which will lead to better selection on the site.
–More free-shipping listings to entice buyers: In the past, buyers at eBay have complained about excessive shipping fees (sellers who often profited by charging more than it actually cost to ship). Aggarwal said the company has been encouraging and incentivizing sellers (he did not provide specifics) to offer more free-shipping deals, and an analysis of the site indicated as much as half of eBay’s listings offer free shipping versus single-digit numbers in 2008.
Improved search? You got to be kidding……..Better selection? Nothing left on Ebay but dollar store junk………Free shipping? Out of the sellers pocket ? With Ebay and Paypal goobling up in fees…..The whole picture of Ebay's future is very mudded.
Hopefully, all of these changes will work out fine. No catch at all like issues cited above.
ebay will defo do somethin seriously to improve their current position
Do this guys actually use their own product? They should stop looking at spreadsheets and start eating their own dog food. They might learn something from the experience.
Ask the dealers selling on Ebay how they're doing. Ebay is still losing sellers at an extremely fast rate because of the feedback and DSR mess. They force sellers to get paid with PayPal only and then lie and say it's for safety while it's actually about more money for Ebay because of the fees involved. The changes coming out this June do absolutely nothing to help sellers. Free shipping is a joke because the fixed price is just inflated to cover the cost of shipping and handling. Another Ebay smoke screen. Get rid of Donahoho and maybe something will improve.
Last year it looked like eBay was going to sink to the bottom of the pile. This year there is a glimmer of hope. eBay is doing things right for a change and maybe just maybe they can keep up the momentum. Fixed price is the way to go. Sellers know how much they want or need for an item, and buyers know how much they want to spend. Five Free listings every month is the icing on the cake. I love it! I also love the 35 cent listings for 30 days no matter how many same items you list. You only pay for the amount sold! After eBay sells Skype and puts a few more billion into them eBay coffers maybe eBay will start paying their stock-holders a dividend. Stock holders also deserve a profit. I would like for eBay to tripple in the next five years like the good old days. They need to start nurturing what they have and it will build bigger than life! JMHO!
Aggarwal is paid by ebay.
He does not sell on ebay and has no clue.
I've been selling on ebay for many years. I like the feedback forum at this point in time, June 2009. The fees are a business buster for every seller except ebay selling it's service to us. They are f'ing us running, no doubt. They force sellers to get paid with PayPal only and then lie and say itâs for safety while itâs actually about more money for Ebay scouping up our money in fees, and bopping us on the head yet again. The changes coming out this June are pretend, just hipe and jive. The usual make a big deal out of doing nothing so you sound and look like a good kind loving company who cares about the people who are using your service and giving you their money. When will companies become real, and make changes that really help people financially and give people a respectable chance to succeed? When will they stop being so crass, and treating people like a herd of money lumps? We are not real to them, that's the problem with many things that have been going on in this real. We have no faces, we don't have real names, and they are another corporation that will live forever, and isn't real. Just another group of thugs moving through a job programmed to find ways to get more money and keep more money for the fantom immortal individuals, in this case, eBay. Nothing is ever really done to help sellers. Laws that protect real people from gimicks and false claims businesses make, with real money penalties that go back to the people that get ripped off would stop this mentallity, because it has become a way of treating people, badly. Sellers have used shipping as the only way to actually make a fair amount of money without being charged to death. Ebay demanding free shipping out of sellers helps ebay get more business from buyers. Sure isn't a compromise for them since it's the one thing they don't take a cut of off the poor sellers. How the hell can anyone ship for free, seriously, the Fed Ex is going down even charging for it, the rates everywhere have gone up, packing material is expensive. Clean up the laws for individuals who are not corporations. Let them have some protections to make some money in this down economy. Ebay is a great idea, but it's got to really give and compromise if it is going to help it's loyal sellers and buyers. We aren't in it for charity, seriously, how are we supposed to eat, we are real people! If ebay says free shipping eBay should send sellers the packaging, put gas in the eBay vehicle and come deliver these sales for us.
Ya, like since eBay is a pretend person (corporation) that lives forever, and does not need to eat, or crap, and doesn't need to sleep or take care of any children maybe we could just send them a picture of some money as payment, lets campaign for that. How's that for a way to sound like were doing something when we're not. He eBay were going to start a new thing, we're going to send you selling fees in the forms of pictures and utube videos of money. We could make a big deal out of it you know and you might start to think it's something that's going to improve your eternal life.