We have to admit that we’ve been following recent events at eBay with a little bit of schadenfreude. We’ve always held the position that someone who sells on eBay isn’t an auctioneer. eBay is the auctioneer that outsources the work of listing items to its sellers. Over the last few years, we’ve seen eBay shift the priority from competitive bidding to its Amazon-like storefront model.
As eBay begins what many believe will be a long and drawn-out slide in favor of many more nimble competitors, we have to realize that there are many thousands if not millions of eBay sellers who make their livings from eBay transactions. The loss of the largest auctioneer in the world means that companies like traditional-auctioneer-focused Proxibid and up-and-coming Bonanzle will have a migration of sellers eager to find a seller-friendly space to set up shop.
One of the most visible sellers using Internet auctioneers has been Walt Kolenda. Unlike our Auction Podcast, which is focused on traditional auctioneers, his AuctionWally Show is a podcast focused on helping and education sellers who use sites like eBay and Bonanzle. Here’s the description from his Talkshoe page.
On the AuctionWally Show you’ll find comprehensive coverage of the auction world, online and off. Content includes niche antiques and collectibles education, interviews with leaders in the industry, and an off-beat humor.
Recently, in an effort to get to the bottom of why eBay hasn’t been more responsive and loyal to its seller base, Kolenda wrote a comment on the eBay Ink blog which he also ran in his column in the Examiner in which he publicly requests eBay CEO John Donahoe appear on a future episode of his podcast. We’re waiting to see what becomes of this challenge.
AuctionWally – http://auctionwally.com/
Auctions and Antiques Examiner – http://www.examiner.com/x-312-Auctions-and-Antiques-Examiner
Have you heard the AuctionWally Show? What do you think? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
