eBay CEO Meg Whitman resigns!

Well this is the day that many many people have been called and or praying for. Meg Whitman has officially resigned as CEO of eBay (USA).

Whitman has come under fire many times over the last few years with the main criticism being that fees are too high, customer service is non existent and that nothing is being done to clean up the "shonks" from the site.

Replacing Meg is John Donahoe, "During the last three years, John and I have worked very closely together to arrive at this day," Whitman said in a prepared statement, "and we'll continue to work together through the transition. I'm extremely confident in John's skills."

To be honest I don't know huge amounts about John Donahoe, but I am happy to hear of some of his immediate plans for the site. Tops of the list will be a fee decrease, to lower the costs of selling on the site. EBay USA, has intense competition from other huge hitting sites like Amazon.com, who doesn't charge their sellers to list an item on their site, only when it sells. This model, as seen on Oztion.com.au here in Australia, works to reduce the risk to sellers when listing their items, as they are only charged when their items actually sell.

Also on the agenda is eBay's antiquated search engine. The clunky system currently in place has long been condemned by sellers and buyers alike, for the fact that they "know" there is more items available but they aren't finding them.

The proposed search engine, will be intuitive and will take into account the buyers past purchases (since ebay own Paypal, this type of info is readily available). It will also give preference to sellers that match the buyers "preferred seller profile". For example if the buyer only buys from high feedback/low negative sellers, or sellers that offer low postage, then these sellers will have priority in that buyers search.

While some sellers may cry foul at the very thought of it. It will be a good thing for sellers who work hard to offer a heightened buyer experience, but it will be a great thing for buyers who have long wished for filters to get rid of the sorts of sellers that don 't wish to buy from.

What does this mean for eBay Australia? Well if this works on it's American cousin, then you can be assured that it will be brought in for our site as well. I for one can't wait, for some positive changes within eBay - the site used to be the absolute best auction site around which benefited, buyers, sellers AND eBay, it could easily get back to it's former glory!

Happy eBaying,
Amanda Callbutt
www.helpmyauction.com

I have my reviewers!

Thank you to all of the people who put forward their name to review my latest course - "get started selling on eBay".

This new book/course will be the most comprehensive, clear cut and easy to understand eBay selling guide written to date and I have thoroughly enjoyed writing it. At this stage the book is due for it's official on 6th February 2008, that's if I can stop myself from adding more and more great tips and hints to it!

To the people who have been selected to review the initial copies of the course you be be receiving your copy within the next week or so. Your review will be due back to me within 1 week of your receiving the course.

Happy eBaying,
Amanda
www.helpmyauction.com

Two new newsletters have just been added to the archives

The newsletters have been coming thick and fast in the new year. Who says new year's resolutions can't be kept!

Newsletter #6 features a great article on how to take stock of your eBay business, while Newsletter #7 will help get your eBay sales ready for Valentines Day.

Both of these Newsletters along with several more can be found at http://www.helpmyauction.com/newsletterarchive.html

Happy eBaying!