At this time last year, I was, along with many of my colleagues, preparing presentations for eBay Live! in Chicago. That has been my experience for the past six years as a speaker at the annual event. So this year seems odd. Last year, eBay's Lorrie Norrington announced that there will be no eBay Live! in 2009. She said eBay planned to go to the people, meeting in small groups around the United States.
In hindsight, canceling eBay Live! was probably a good idea. Changes since eBay Live! 2008, a falling stock price, a soft economy, and the fact that Amazon is stronger than ever would probably make for a very different experience than past eBay Live! events.
I've tried to imagine what some of the class topics would look like, along with a potential agenda - in light of all that's happened since last year. This year's theme would be a twist on previous themes. Instead of The Power of All of Us, for 2009 it will be The Power of Some of Us.
Here are a few class titles you may have enjoyed...
- Coping with eBay's 2008 Changes - This workshop will be in the special padded room. Attendees will form break-out groups and work on problem solving skills. Topics include:
- Removing References to Paper Payments from 2000 Listings Overnight
- Adding a Return Policy to 1800 listings in one week
- Anger Management
- Improving Visibility in Best Match Results - This class has been canceled.
- How to Effectively Market Your eBay Store - This is a carry over from last year's agenda. Since eBay doesn't market your eBay Store - you'll learn why it's pretty much up to you.
- Transitioning Your eBay Hobby into a Business on Amazon - This class will deal with the difficulties of getting started on eBay and the ultimate disappointment and migration to Amazon.com
- Keep Shipping in Mind - Thinking End to End - Attendees will learn how eBay promotes free shipping, and how, in the end, you should expect no profits.
- Disruptive Innovation and You - Due to security concerns, this class will be presented in the form of a video by eBay CEO, John Donahoe. Mr. Donahoe will explain how, using the theory of disruptive innovation, he took eBay from a successful global online marketplace to a shining example of irrelevance.
- eBay Isn't for Everybody! - Air your complaints to the eBay executive staff. This session is in a game show format with eBay executives as contestants. As you present your suggestions or complaints, the first executive to buzz in and shout, "Hey! eBay isn't for everybody!" will gain a point. The game is over when there are no complainers remaining.
- Understanding eBay Fees - This class discusses category-based insertion fees and final value fees. Emphasis will be put on the topic of insertion fees due to the low number of final value fees since summer 2008.
- Diamond Powerseller Orientation - The six invited guests will be given instruction on how to interact with "regular" eBayers. Topics covered will include:
- Small Sellers Pay for Listings
- What is Feedback? and Why it Doesn't Matter
- Successfully Hiding Your Conversion Rates
Those would be just some of the classes. Of course there would be the usual collection of booths, and the pins. The pins this year would be based on eBay's new strategy of becoming a marketplace for overstock and liquidated items. There will be a set of ten, each with a second-market item. Just a few examples of the illustrations on pins this year are:
- Dented Barbeque Grill pin
- A pallet of Windows XP software pin
- A Buy.com Logo pin
That's just a few. Since the event (was supposed to be) in Atlanta, the pins will be given away when attendees hear a clip from the song Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. who originated in Georgia.
For the closing gala, things will be scaled back a bit this year due to the economy. Word is the party planning committee has found an awesome deal on a Karaoke machine on Amazon.com.
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As an Atlantan, I’d like to welcome everyone to join us this week for our pollen fest. EBay picked our most beautiful week to have you here! We got a fresh 1/8 inch overnight to add to the previous 1/4 inch, so you will be slipping down the side walk and rubbing your eyes. Just another irritation thoughtfully provided by ebay. Oh – and it’s supposed to drop below freezing & snow. Yep, hell, um, spring is freezing over!
Anyone want another bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch? Some of us are out here for three months or more with it! We probably won’t be back!
I’m hoping to find the Griff pressing DELETE and SUSPEND buttons while being ridden by a bear pin.
Brilliant post!
Priceless!!!!
I have attended the last few eBay Live events they all went straight downhill after the Las Vegas. Attendance was way down and so was enthusiasm. I really enjoyed this article, as well as your sense of humor and writing style!
I tried to subscribe to your newsletter without any luck.
Stephanie