Re: [MOPO] What's it worth? eBay lets users search prices

[JR]

eBay strikes another blow at the basic auction concept as it turns its back on what made it great and strives to becomes more and more just another massive retail outlet. (I received a glossy, full color 32-page "Holiday Catalog" from eBay IN THE MAIL yesterday... if you can believe it! Your listing fees at work...)   The type of information in this "price database" is only useful for identical, mass-produced items, like Pokemon cards.  It is useless to try and see what a particular vintage movie poster or any other vaguely unique item is worth. Now, if you were trying to find out what the "true value" of a ds 1sh  from THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW is worth, it would probably give you a fair accurate figure. But even then, I'll bet you can't search on a title... only on vague categories like: "Necklace, woman's, beaded, 21 inches" or "movie poster, one-sheet, original, mint condition, released 2004" and such.   I can see it now... a seller with a C-9 poster of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S getting all these irate bidder inquiries informing him that the "eBay price database" says that a "movie poster, one-sheet, original, mint condition, released 1961" is only worth $30 to $80 dollars... what fun.   By the way, this is one of the reasons eBay eliminated so many categories and tried to force people to list by filling in the item specifics fields -- so they could generate and sell this kind of data.   It's just another business-school graduate's idea on how to "maximize the value of eBay's assets for the shareholders."   I'll pass.   -- JR   ----- Original Message ----- From: Ed Klimczak To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Sent: Friday, November 11, 2005 9:22 Subject: Re: [MOPO] What's it worth? eBay lets users search prices In true eBay fashion, I can hear the "nickels and dimes" falling from this consumer's pockets at this moment! :-)    -----Original Message----- From: David Lieberman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Sent: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 08:52:07 EST Subject: [MOPO] What's it worth? eBay lets users search prices   By Eric Auchard Thu Nov 10, 8:47 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Online auctioneer eBay Inc. on Thursday introduced a new service that allows buyers and sellers to search the price history of any product on its electronic marketplace worldwide for up to 90 days. EBay Marketplace Research, as the new subscription service is known, gives buyers and sellers a view into millions of eBay listing, bidding, and pricing trends, in effect creating a constantly updated barometer of consumer shopping habits. The paid service gives subscribers access to data, charts and graphs, that show the prices eBay's 168 million users have paid in any auction over the past several months, which gives consumers a powerful way to find baseline product prices. "It does help you to get some idea of the true value of what you are selling," said Martin Pyykkonen, an analyst with brokerage Hoefer & Arnett in Boulder, Colorado. "With research, the informed buyer is going to be able to say, 'The item is worth about this,"' agreed Hal Varian, an economist at the University of California's Haas School of Business. Marketplace Research comes in three subscription levels, starting with a two-day pass for $2.99, a basic monthly service for $9.99 and a professional package priced at $24.99 a month. The first two services show pricing data going back 60 days while the professional subscription -- aimed at power sellers -- has a 90-day pricing history and international market data. Sellers can follow trends as they play out online, allowing them to adapt their sales strategies immediately. Pyykkonen said the service will help eBay's core base of existing auctioneers. "Ebay needs to do everything they can to help the seller community" by bringing more sellers online and converting them into veteran "power sellers," Pyykkonen said. Gartner Inc. analyst Allen Weiner said competition in the online auction market is heating up, both from start-ups and other major Internet players who are pushing their way into the classified advertising market, including Google Inc.. EBay is looking for ways to make it easier for new users to take part, Weiner said. "Part of the big mystery of online auctions is their inefficiency," he said. "By offering pricing history, eBay is making people's time online more efficient. "A lot of people are very inexperienced and really have no idea about how to set prices," Weiner said.         David A. Lieberman CineMasterpieces.com 602 309 0500 Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.