Ebay has been doing nothing BUT changing the interface - you can no longer
see email addresses unless the auction is closed and you are buyer or
seller - you go thru a "ask seller a question" interface. Also added is a
"signin/sign-out" system, background arrangements, links to relisted/like
item from a closed page, putting reason in early closure auctions, banned
list for people you don't want bidding on any of your auctions (up to 1000
usernames) as well as a pre-authorized bidder list for a specific auction
and a whole bunch of things - some helpful, some agravating and some just a
pain in the butt.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
[mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of John Foust
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 7:43 AM
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: Another Auction Site
At 09:34 PM 6/5/01 -0700, Marvin wrote:
> Cool, but I'm just wondering why anyone
in their right mind
would attempt
to
compete with eBay at this point?
I fully agree!!!!! Going head to head against ebay is the height of
stupidity at this point.
Adding features, having a better design, and especially appealing
to niche markets would be a great way to compete with eBay
but not a bad way to start a business. There are lots
of big, big companies setting up auction sites to move product
business-to-business, and I bet you've never heard their names.
I can't think of any significant change to eBay's UI in the
last few years.
They do have a private auction feature where the seller
pre-authorizes the bidders, don't they?
- John