The obvious next step for ebay?

missbishi

Who is panicking and about what?

And how on earth does mere speculation on the possibility of a different postal service indicate that the OP is running a bad business - that's if they even run one at all!

StaffsSW

RHemmings wrote: »

I'm interested in what's best for ebay, because that's the way you have to think if you want to predict what they might do next. Ebay have effectively established a monopoly, and can do more or less what they want. See free postage on books and media as an example.

Nail, meet Head.

For the couple of years that I have been on here, I've seen countless people complaining about changes, myself included. However I have learnt for myself how to forward plan a business strategy, and I too look at hypothetical changes that ebay could impose for their own revenue, and how it would affect me. It's not easy to second guess all the time, but at least a little forethought can lessen the impact of any sudden changes.

It 's obviously different for private sellers clearing out their personal belongings, but by the same token that means that they are not adversely affected by changes - it may cost them more in the pocket, but it's not as if their liveilhoods, or that of their employees, depended on it.

The other thing that I have realised is that when ebay makes a change, it does for it's own benefit. It is not a charity, it owes nobody any favours, but as long as it continues to make money for the shareholders, that is all that matters. they are too big to just push the self destruct button, but they are certainly big enough to be able to sacrifice a large cross section of their membership, and still retain profitability.

I work with ebay, not for them, nor constantly in defiance of them. They are a useful platform for advertising and niche marketing and as it provides me with a very comfortable standard of living, so it is in my own interests to contingency plan and hypothisize. Likewise, I'm not blinkered enough to never expect a change that will adversly affect me, therefore I ensure that ebay is not my sole source of income.

Back on topic though...

Logistically, I don't think that ebay would ever create their own postal service, or even buy into one, as the costs involved and ROI would be immense, but I do think that they will expand further into partnerships, much in the same way that they did during the recent postal strikes.

martindow

I believe quite a lot of changes happen on ebay.com before they come to ebay.co.uk so looking there might help your crystal ball work!