Ebay Live 2008 Shows Stock Holders that Ebay's Seller Community Has Definite Impact

"Ebay Live 2008 has shown Ebay's total loss of touch," stated one seller on a message board for ebay sellers. "It was definitely weird. There weren't crowds at the booths. The giveaways were pathetic. Ebay is just a shell." So was the typical sentiment after Ebay Live 2008 in Chicago. Some sellers commented that even the staff seemed worried though seasoned Ebay execs shrugged off criticism and tried to turn the blame to sellers. The event, which typically boasts at least 10,000 Ebay fans, welcomed approximately 4000. The economy was blamed along with the price of gas, but attendees knew the truth in the matter. "It's a sad day for Ebay," noted buyer Kathy Baker. "We all knew the buzzards were circling. It's time to figure out what to do next." Others were enthusiastic stating that (name witheld) "Now Ebay can finally listen to the community. We've waited to see if we were really making an impact. Now we know the truth and Ebay can't deny it.

You Tube was abuzz with videos showing seller angst at Ebay Live 2008. One of the most popular shows a gentleman's complete outrage at the belligerence of the company he and many like him had built. "Ebay live's empty. The sellers are leaving . . . There's not even a line for registration. Look at the empty seats in this room. The sellers are leaving because you're putting them out of business overnight." The camera pans around showing the empty seats as the ebay rep scrambles to calm the anger and disgust. Another popular video shows a seller who has 4.5 stars for shipping costs when she offers free shipping. 4.5 stars by Ebay standards is an indication of poor performance though Ebay tells buyers 4 means good 5 means excellent. This mentality is only part of what sellers are struggling with.