Comments on: eBay and New Coke – Lessons Lost http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost How to sell and what is selling online. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:55:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrea http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1508 Andrea Sun, 05 Apr 2009 08:26:53 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1508 I'm an Ebay buyer for several years, and I don't like Ebay today. I find a great deal smaller selection, and those "best match" searches irritate the daylights out of me. I find bigger variety of merchantise on Amazon now, which was not true when Ebay had so many sellers. Now Ebay gives me a general impression of a police-state...I can't fully explain this, but it's my gut feeling...and I don't like feeling it each time I'm on Ebay's site, so I don't go as often. I’m an Ebay buyer for several years, and I don’t like Ebay today. I find a great deal smaller selection, and those “best match” searches irritate the daylights out of me. I find bigger variety of merchantise on Amazon now, which was not true when Ebay had so many sellers. Now Ebay gives me a general impression of a police-state…I can’t fully explain this, but it’s my gut feeling…and I don’t like feeling it each time I’m on Ebay’s site, so I don’t go as often.

]]> By: vzaar Jamie http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1042 vzaar Jamie Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:42:19 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1042 Nice analogy. I think the move towards an Amazon flavoured eBay is what the execs think Wall St want to see but I'm not convinced that eBay can beat Amazon at it's own game. With Amazon you have a different (in the main) set of sellers working to a uniform path. eBay, and part of its initial charm, is that it's path to success is so so different. That's what made eBay successful in the late 90s and the strength that I think it needs to play to for future growth. The verb "to eBay" seems to be disappearing and that needs to be won back by appealing to the hearts and minds of the collectors and aficionados that are the underbelly of eBay's sales. Yet that has to be tempered with developments in the platform. When it comes to fraud, eBay was forced to be ahead of the game and streets ahead of the competition. The problems of rouge traders and the like will beset other sites if they grow and become beacons for commerce. I don't expect any to overtake eBay by any great strides. As for the MBA comment. Well as an ex eBay employee that did make me chuckle! Nice analogy. I think the move towards an Amazon flavoured eBay is what the execs think Wall St want to see but I’m not convinced that eBay can beat Amazon at it’s own game.

With Amazon you have a different (in the main) set of sellers working to a uniform path. eBay, and part of its initial charm, is that it’s path to success is so so different. That’s what made eBay successful in the late 90s and the strength that I think it needs to play to for future growth.

The verb “to eBay” seems to be disappearing and that needs to be won back by appealing to the hearts and minds of the collectors and aficionados that are the underbelly of eBay’s sales. Yet that has to be tempered with developments in the platform. When it comes to fraud, eBay was forced to be ahead of the game and streets ahead of the competition. The problems of rouge traders and the like will beset other sites if they grow and become beacons for commerce. I don’t expect any to overtake eBay by any great strides.

As for the MBA comment. Well as an ex eBay employee that did make me chuckle!

]]> By: Scott @ TradingAssistantJournal.com http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1041 Scott @ TradingAssistantJournal.com Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:19:00 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1041 Steve, Great article, very insightful and well thought out. I have always seen the parallel between eBay and AOL but this is a very good alternative history lesson. Keep up the great work! Scott Steve,

Great article, very insightful and well thought out. I have always seen the parallel between eBay and AOL but this is a very good alternative history lesson.

Keep up the great work!

Scott

]]> By: implog http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1032 implog Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:05:37 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1032 I'm not sure if there is a translation for "We screwed up." in Disruptionese. I’m not sure if there is a translation for “We screwed up.” in Disruptionese.

]]> By: Shari Monetta http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1031 Shari Monetta Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:38:46 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1031 I was one of those people that wrote Coke a letter, I didn't rant or rave about the loss of my favorite soft drink. I just said, my coffee has to be perfect, fresh ground and old fashioned drip, my tea has to be brewed in a teapot with loose leaves, and my soft drink has to be coke. Please do not take away one of my favorite drinks. They sent me a very nice reply, telling me that my grocery store will still have the coke syrup and can serve the old coke in the deli, and they sent me a years supply of coupons for the classic coke when it comes out. I call that class, it only took 85 days for them to realize a grave mistake, the nuts at eBay, will never admit to making the biggest mistake in E selling history. I was one of those people that wrote Coke a letter, I didn’t rant or rave about the loss of my favorite soft drink. I just said, my coffee has to be perfect, fresh ground and old fashioned drip, my tea has to be brewed in a teapot with loose leaves, and my soft drink has to be coke. Please do not take away one of my favorite drinks. They sent me a very nice reply, telling me that my grocery store will still have the coke syrup and can serve the old coke in the deli, and they sent me a years supply of coupons for the classic coke when it comes out. I call that class, it only took 85 days for them to realize a grave mistake, the nuts at eBay, will never admit to making the biggest mistake in E selling history.

]]> By: AuctionInsights » eBay: Long Tail Marketplace or Commodity Exchange? Part 1 http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1030 AuctionInsights » eBay: Long Tail Marketplace or Commodity Exchange? Part 1 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:11:58 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1030 [...] They think that's what the consumer wants. (Didn't Coke make the same mistake 25 years ago?) [...] [...] They think that’s what the consumer wants. (Didn’t Coke make the same mistake 25 years ago?) [...]

]]> By: Robyn Volker http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1028 Robyn Volker Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:27:35 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1028 Great post. Thanks for encapsulating the zeitgeist with a spot-on analogy that sparks an "a-ha" moment. "eBay the brand" is much bigger and more valuable than current revenue trends would suggest. Yes, the brand still has to grow and adjust, but all the B-School formulas in the world can't replicate the magic of the simple notions that started eBay and led consumers to love the brand. Back to basics, eBay - and watch the brand equity and stock price go through the roof! Great post. Thanks for encapsulating the zeitgeist with a spot-on analogy that sparks an “a-ha” moment.

“eBay the brand” is much bigger and more valuable than current revenue trends would suggest. Yes, the brand still has to grow and adjust, but all the B-School formulas in the world can’t replicate the magic of the simple notions that started eBay and led consumers to love the brand.

Back to basics, eBay – and watch the brand equity and stock price go through the roof!

]]> By: Lisa Suttora http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1018 Lisa Suttora Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:06:15 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1018 Great post Steve! eBay was always more than a place to buy and sell, it truly was a social phenomenon. For years whenever people found out that I taught entrepreneurs how to build a business on eBay their response was always the same "I LOVE eBay!" Not "I shop on eBay" or "I buy things on eBay" but I LOVE eBay. What other company inspired that kind of reaction? But it was the individual buyers and sellers collectively who made the magic of eBay happen. eBay shouldn't be Amazon. We have an Amazon. eBay should be the best IT can be and take what has always been special about the site and embrace and enhance it. Great post Steve!

eBay was always more than a place to buy and sell, it truly was a social phenomenon. For years whenever people found out that I taught entrepreneurs how to build a business on eBay their response was always the same “I LOVE eBay!”

Not “I shop on eBay” or “I buy things on eBay” but I LOVE eBay.

What other company inspired that kind of reaction? But it was the individual buyers and sellers collectively who made the magic of eBay happen.

eBay shouldn’t be Amazon. We have an Amazon. eBay should be the best IT can be and take what has always been special about the site and embrace and enhance it.

]]> By: tula http://www.genuineseller.com/ebay-and-new-coke-lessons-lost/comment-page-1#comment-1017 tula Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:39:07 +0000 http://www.genuineseller.com/?p=1407#comment-1017 You know, this is probably the single best analogy I've seen for the whole "New eBay" situation. One can only hope that eBay sees the light before it's too late. You know, this is probably the single best analogy I’ve seen for the whole “New eBay” situation. One can only hope that eBay sees the light before it’s too late.

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