Ebay has rate changes just about every year, and as antiques and collectibles dealers, we have seen a dramatic increase over the years as their slice of the pie gets bigger when we sell something.  In addition, we have also seen a glut in certain areas and therefore prices are depressed for certain items.   This cuts even deeper into our slice of the pie.  However, like most people who sell on Ebay, this isn’t even the crux of our dissatisfaction with Ebay.

Ebay announced a policy that would dramatically change the way business is conducted by making changes to the ratings.  The change means that buyers would be able to still rate a seller for items purchased on the auction site, but sellers would no longer be able to rate buyers.  In other words, sellers would no longer be able to “out” non-pay bidders, rude and nasty customers or the chronic merchandise “returner.”   Many of us feel this is unfair and a boycott of Ebay was organized.

What effect this will have on the giant of online auctions no one will ever know.  However, many people that we have talked to have made decisions to either open their own online storefront, look at alternative online auction sites and in some cases, the combination of higher fees and changes some people have told us that they are leaving the business altogether.  This is a shame, because some of these people have been with Ebay for a long time.