As you can tell by some of my previous articles, I have been quite passionate about my concern over the recent major changes that eBay has introduced. The concerns I have are for the entire community including eBay itself. As a seller on the site for over 10 years and one of the original eBay University instructors, I have a deep sense of pride in the fact that in 2000 and 2001 I had a small part in helping users gain strength, self sufficency and profit in their life and business.

I guess mine is sort of a tough love situation. I love the freedom and independance that eBay has given me, allowing me to run my own business from home and be with my family. As in real life, though I love the site, sometimes I don't like "them" very much. The site and "them" are synonymous.

I remember the early days, there were no listing tools, you had to know HTML to put pictures in your listings, sellers were allowed a maximum of 20 listings per day and it took all day to get 20 items up because the eBay servers could handle only 7000 items per hour, and in approximately 30 minutes each hour the servers were maxed out so you were dead in the water for about 30 minutes of each hour! Those were the days!

It's amazing where this phenominal experiment has taken all of us!

Now like I said, I have been passionate about voicing my concerns regarding the changes on the site. I have not lost that passion! I still believe that eBay members need to be critical when wrong decisions are made.

I have said in previous posts that eBay needs to rethink their decisions about some of the changes, and I still FIRMLY believe that. As I have been reporting on my blog and website, there is a tremendous voice rising from the ranks, a voice that in sheer numbers is screaming for boycotts and strikes against eBay. We have heard these before, and they had did not materialize, had no effect on eBay and only those that stopped selling on the site lost,,, MONEY! The result of a strike or boycott will be those participating will lose money. There will always be someone to to fill the void. As one PowerSeller I spoke with today said " I hope every damn seller of shoes on eBay strikes! I'll make a killing!" This PowerSeller does not like all the changes, just like the majority of us. He also knows that eBay is listening to the voices of the members who are willing to enter into a civil and honest discussion of the problems. I trust this man and totally respect him. If he says eBay is listening, they are!

I have thought long and hard about this and reached this conclusion,,, eBay has in the past admitted bad decisions, and in some cases rolled back changes that didn't work or were bad for the entire community. This is because they listened to us. I think that eBay is making changes to the community in an effort to create a safer trading place for all. I think some of the changes are bad choices, but instead of stiking or boycotting will continue to sell AND continue to voice my concerns to all that will listen, and my sources assure me that eBay is infact listening.

The changes eBay has made are NOT CAST IN STONE! They can be, and I believe, with our united voices will be heard and modified to make a better and safer trading community for all. If not, then time will prove the demise of eBay. Humans by nature are not a loyal lot! They will migrate to wherever the grass is greener!

eBay is not naive! They understand that we as internet marketers have a choice in where we sell our product. eBay knows that sellers on the site sell in other venues. I think we should sell in other venues! Remember, never put all your eggs in one basket! I remember the site crash of "99"!

Maybe, just maybe cooler heads should prevail.

This is not a change in my attitude! I firmly believe stiking or boycotting is not the answer! The roar of our voices will bring about the changes we all need to once again make the site strong and robust!

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