I may have eBay's ear for a moment, what would you like to ask them?

[Auctionwally]

Hey everyone, I was on the phone today with a PR firm rep that works for eBay. He contacted me because of recent articles that I've published about eBay at the Examiner.com.

He thinks I have some good insight into things going on at eBay, and claims he can get me an interview with an eBay executive in the next couple of days.

As I am preparing the outline for this interview, I thought it would be wise to ask my audience to submit questions they'd like to have answered.

Of course I won't be able to use every question, but I'll take which ones I think I can use, and put them in the interview. (If I am indeed get granted an interview)

Please submit your questions to [e-mail] or enter them here.

I talked with this gentleman for about a half hour and he seemed to have genuine interest in what I had to say, AND claims that eBay realizes they need to reach out to users in a more productive ways. His contacting me seems to be a sincere effort by eBay to do that.

He said that he reached out to me because although I was critical of eBay in the past, I've been fair and evenhanded, and that eBay wants the input from people who are more than just cheerleaders. Are they ready to hear us?

Here's your chance to do a little more than bitch about eBay's problems, (I'm as guilty of that as anyone.) and become part of a solution. Send in your questions.

Thanks for reading,

AW.

[Carla]

Hi Wally,

Glad to see that eBay has your ear for the moment and I would sure like to submit a question.

With the state of the economy we can polls and surveys are reporting that on-line sales are going to be on the increase. I know you are aware of some of the reasons but mostly shoppers are looking for that special deal and unique item and eBay sellers have and will provide that platform for that specific niched buyer.

My question ....

What is eBay doing moving forward considering the economy and the recent holiday shopping, to position themselves in a more visible advertising arena to attract more buyers to the site?

Thanks Wally will be awaiting the interview. Good Luck! :0

[Cliff Aliperti]

Hey Walt,

Very interesting. Well besides the obvious ones, which I'm pretty sure are all non-starters (bring back negs for buyers, do something about shipping DSR, lower fees on front and/or back end, repeal Best Match, etc.), I'd say the best idea I think I've had lately for reviving the auction format is to allow Best Offers on Auction items, allowing for buyers to make an offer in excess of the minimum bid on an auction before that auction receives any bids.

I went into detail on that in a recent blog post.

I'd like to know what they're doing to get new eBayers -- the old ones are too pissed off to come back anytime soon. That's why, as antiquated an idea as it appears to be today, I was very disappointed that they skipped over television commercials this holiday season. Everyone seems to be saying TV is dead, but I can't think of a better way for an established and large online company like eBay to get into the ears of people who actually haven't tried them yet. The old customers ain't coming back, eBay's popularity has peaked, so how do we get new buyers on the platform? If not TV, then how?

Thanks, Cliff

[Ron Clawson AKA Oldsaltsailor]

Walt, Good Luck with Ebay meeting. Someday I will tell you the rest of my experiences with them. Sounds like they are starting a promotion to kiss and make up program with the frustrated Ebayers. Read Ina Stiener's
article this AM.
Ron Clawson

[Renagade]

I am glad to hear that you have yet another great interview coming up!

I would like to know why when they did have such a good format that they changed it, and even after all the negative reviews have kept it?

I can understand trying to improve a site....but when it cost you your long time sellers/buyers and the press is so negative on it, wouldnt the easy solution be to do a rollback?

I also fully agrees with all the posters here ...good points made all!

[Auctionwally]

Thanks for the question. I hope they'll actually grant me the interview. We'll see.

AW
Renagade said:

I am glad to hear that you have yet another great interview coming up!

I would like to know why when they did have such a good format that they changed it, and even after all the negative reviews have kept it?

I can understand trying to improve a site....but when it cost you your long time sellers/buyers and the press is so negative on it, wouldnt the easy solution be to do a rollback?

I also fully agrees with all the posters here ...good points made all!

[Auctionwally]

An update on this, I've had about 3 email back and forths w/ the PR firm and they want me to narrow down the topic I interview about. It can be any topic, but they want me to niche down. It's a VERY controlled process. Hopefully it will go down soon!

[Cliff Aliperti]

Well, hopefully it can be one eBay interview/column which concentrates on vintage goods -- that's what gets me excited about you getting the opportunity here. I don't need to know strategies for selling iPods.

Thanks for the update, CLiff

[Auctionwally]

An update on this. The PR guy has gotten back to me, (3rd time) and eBay wants to niche down the subject matter. He says nothing will be able to move fast, and that it looks like we'll be doing the interview after the 1st of the New Year some time.

Anybody see a pattern? ;)

Walt