Comments on: Not everything needs to be auctioned http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2008/06/03/not-everything-needs-to-be-auctioned/ ... at the intersection of media, technology, business and the web Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:18:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: hello9999 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2008/06/03/not-everything-needs-to-be-auctioned/#comment-341070 hello9999 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:31:01 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/?p=2463#comment-341070 Auction isn't dead...but honestly, it's so difficult to sort through all the items on ebay. You need alot of time to browse, but it is still fun to think you are the only one that has found that special item! Auction isn't dead…but honestly, it's so difficult to sort through all the items on ebay. You need alot of time to browse, but it is still fun to think you are the only one that has found that special item!

]]> By: Maggy Young http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2008/06/03/not-everything-needs-to-be-auctioned/#comment-341069 Maggy Young Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:59:30 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/?p=2463#comment-341069 If you want to buy something, the facility to buy it now helps a lot. You can decide & just buy it. Users can get bored & frustrated with messing around with auctions for ordinary things & leave it instead. <br>Another reason why people have become disenchanted with Ebay is the common practice of sellers making false bids. If you want to buy something, the facility to buy it now helps a lot. You can decide & just buy it. Users can get bored & frustrated with messing around with auctions for ordinary things & leave it instead.
Another reason why people have become disenchanted with Ebay is the common practice of sellers making false bids.

]]> By: Stuart MacDonald http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2008/06/03/not-everything-needs-to-be-auctioned/#comment-341068 Stuart MacDonald Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:57:46 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/?p=2463#comment-341068 'thewie:<br><br>I think you, um, nailed it with the "not everything is a nail" comment, and I for one am not surprised that they are seeing huge growth in the "But it now" service. In fact, we can see similar trends in other - big - categories. For instance, Priceline has become much more successful after their near-death experience that helped drive them to offer fixed-price travel services in addition to the auction style. When I was running marketing at Expedia, we wondered whether it would be successful, especially given that PCLN had invested so much in teaching their customers that they were an auction site, as well as the the hoo-haa about their "business system patent" or whatever. Personally, I liked their odds - they could draft on their huge reach and supplier relationships to offer "good enough" pricing without the hassle of the auction.<br><br>The flipside is that when <a href="http://Expedia.com">Expedia.com</a> in the US tried to offer auction-style pricing for flights it flat-out did not work. Now there could be lots of reasons for that, but basically Expedia customers weren't interested. Which in part led to the acquisition of Hotwire. Different problem - different solution.<br><br>- Stuart 'thewie:

I think you, um, nailed it with the “not everything is a nail” comment, and I for one am not surprised that they are seeing huge growth in the “But it now” service. In fact, we can see similar trends in other - big - categories. For instance, Priceline has become much more successful after their near-death experience that helped drive them to offer fixed-price travel services in addition to the auction style. When I was running marketing at Expedia, we wondered whether it would be successful, especially given that PCLN had invested so much in teaching their customers that they were an auction site, as well as the the hoo-haa about their “business system patent” or whatever. Personally, I liked their odds - they could draft on their huge reach and supplier relationships to offer “good enough” pricing without the hassle of the auction.

The flipside is that when Expedia.com in the US tried to offer auction-style pricing for flights it flat-out did not work. Now there could be lots of reasons for that, but basically Expedia customers weren't interested. Which in part led to the acquisition of Hotwire. Different problem - different solution.

- Stuart

]]> By: mathewi http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2008/06/03/not-everything-needs-to-be-auctioned/#comment-341067 mathewi Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:12:08 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/?p=2463#comment-341067 That's a good point, Brendan. Thanks for the comment. That's a good point, Brendan. Thanks for the comment.

]]> By: Brendan Kirk http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2008/06/03/not-everything-needs-to-be-auctioned/#comment-341066 Brendan Kirk Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:01:43 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/?p=2463#comment-341066 An additional problem with eBay is that it has become overwhelmed with knock-off products and counterfeits. As someone who buys and sells on eBay, it makes it difficult to ensure that what I'm buying will be what I'm expecting, and it reduces customer confidence, thus reducing the amount people are willing to pay for an eBay item, and reducing the number of bidders. There simply aren't enough checks and balances in place to keep the quality of the average listing up, and therefore people start to move away in favor of something more stable. An additional problem with eBay is that it has become overwhelmed with knock-off products and counterfeits. As someone who buys and sells on eBay, it makes it difficult to ensure that what I'm buying will be what I'm expecting, and it reduces customer confidence, thus reducing the amount people are willing to pay for an eBay item, and reducing the number of bidders. There simply aren't enough checks and balances in place to keep the quality of the average listing up, and therefore people start to move away in favor of something more stable.

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