Is ebay about to end selling vintage and unique items?

[PrettySquareGal]

"John Donahoe, the new boss of eBay announced that he wants Ebay to work as a strip market and not as a unruly flea market. Amazon as of late has been taking over most of Ebay’s best buyers and sellers."

That was a quote from 2008 and I recall very well when he took over. That was the beginning of squeezing out little vintage sellers by upping fees, rewarding generous return policies and free shipping, making it overly complicated, and so on. I think his legacy is continuing.

Also from 2008:

SAN FRANCISCO — The golden era of the small seller on eBay, hawking gewgaws and knickknacks from the basement or garage, is coming to a noisy and ignominious end.

Consumers appear to be tiring of online auctions, and rivals like Amazon.com are attracting more shoppers with fixed-price listings, while eBay has been struggling for growth.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/technology/14ebay.html

 

[scottyrocks]

Consumers appear to be tiring of online auctions, and rivals like Amazon.com are attracting more shoppers with fixed-price listings, while eBay has been struggling for growth.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/technology/14ebay.html

I understand that last point. Online auctions have always been a PITA with me. I have never enjoyed having to wait 7 days, on average, to find out if I have won/purchased something successfully. Too much anxiety, but then, I have never been a gambler, anyway.

 

[Edward]

I can but hope this finally prompts someone else to step in with an alternative. Etsy is better than eBay within a certain narrow field, but there's still a gap in the market that none of the apps like Schpock or such can fill imo. I wish there were.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There is a thing called "ioffer.com," which is a bit shady -- bootleg/unlicensed video was a popular thing there when last I looked at it -- but I did get unedited television broadcasts of the 1975 World Series on there without any problems and at a good price, so it could possibly be an option for those given the shaft by eBay.

I've bought thousands of things on eBay over the last twenty years, most of them of no interest to anyone but myself, and I'd hate to see that outlet disappear, but if it does, there'll always be somewhere else to find what I need. I feel lucky that my buying patterns keep me insulated from the whole Deal of The Day mindset that eBay has adopted in recent years -- I never see any of that dreck, and I only know it's there when I read articles about how eBay's latest corporate nonsense.

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

I recently tried selling on Ebay and my items did not sell. And I was charged for the same price of the item I was selling to relist it. I was surprised since I've sold items on Ebay in the past.
Now I use Depop to list my items for free and they only charge a dollar and some change when an item sells.

 

[2jakes]

I used eBay to purchase a TOC bicycle in very fine condition.
I also have sold a couple of items without being charged a fee.
But this was a long time ago.
I would probably feel like the guy who pays a visit to his hometown and
does not recognize it anymore.

I mostly shop from the forums that specialize in the topics that interests me.
In the classified section, I get to know the people and we share information,
stories and we trade or buy on the subject we both enjoy.

 

[tonyb]

have any of you looked at 1stdibs? Higher quality of items and you can find some good deals.

I've noodled around some on 1stdibs and found that, yup, higher-end stuff there, but my observations as to prices are quite the opposite of yours.

A fellow who runs a vintage furniture store told me he was putting some of the merchandise on 1stdibs because it'll fetch more money there. Or so he hoped, anyway.

I got the sense that 1stdibs was conceived as a place where professional decorators and avid collectors could find the good stuff without having to dig through mountains of lesser stuff. Perhaps that's changed.

I pride myself on finding exceptional furniture and decor (and lots of other cool stuff) for a small fraction of the price others might pay. I often look for comparables before I buy, and sometimes I take a look at what stuff I've had for years might sell for today. I have a circa '67 Chromcraft dinette, a groovy mid-mod set with five chairs in five different "poppy" colors and cast aluminum bases, etc., a real solid, stylish set in real good shape. I paid less than $45 for it at a Goodwill store several years ago. At present there's a lesser Chromcraft set (only four chairs, all in black; smaller table, etc.) on 1stdibs listed at $3,495.

The only people who would pay anything approaching that price are people who are either quite well-to-do or people whose spending habits are such that they never will be.

 

[tonyb]

If Ebay is "successful" and it forces off what had been its core sellers (yard sale type of stuff), won't that open up an opportunity for another company to cater to them? I use Amazon and Target for the mass market stuff and Ebay for the quirky / vintage / old stuff. If Ebay pushes that stuff away, I have to believe some company will see it as an chance to build a business.

Yup. There are already numerous alternatives to eBay for even the relatively obscure stuff that weirdos like us are drawn to.

I've found good stuff at good prices on Craigslist and Facebook's Marketplace and the Nextdoor app. A friend swears by Offerup. Antiques. Vintage. Collectible. It's all out there, on numerous platforms.

It wasn't so long ago that people feared that Microsoft's market dominance rendered it invulnerable. But that was then. These days it's Amazon wearing that mantle. No one stays on top forever. Hell, even GM went bankrupt.

 

[2jakes]

Yup. There are already numerous alternatives to eBay for even the relatively obscure stuff that weirdos like us are drawn to.

I've found good stuff at good prices on Craigslist and Facebook's Marketplace and the Nextdoor app. A friend swears by Offerup. Antiques. Vintage. Collectible. It's all out there, on numerous platforms.

It wasn't so long ago that people feared that Microsoft's market dominance rendered it invulnerable. But that was then. These days it's Amazon wearing that mantle. No one stays on top forever. Hell, even GM went bankrupt.

One of my hobbies is driving my ’46 to the surrounding small towns on weekends or whenever I’m
off during the week. Like you, I have found good stuff at good prices. It’s still out there, the fun is in the search.

 

[tonyb]

One of my hobbies is driving my ’46 to the surrounding small towns on weekends or whenever I’m
off during the week. Like you, I have found good stuff at good prices. It’s still out there, the fun is in the search.

I wouldn't want to rely on whatever I might make buying and selling interesting old stuff, as some people of my acquaintance do, but I believe I could if I had to, seeing how I know to be receptive to what's there, and to walk away if it ain't, or if it is there but not at a good price.

Like you, I enjoy the hunt, even when I come home empty handed. At the very least, I get a bit of continuing education out of it.

 

[Edward]

Yup. There are already numerous alternatives to eBay for even the relatively obscure stuff that weirdos like us are drawn to.

I've found good stuff at good prices on Craigslist and Facebook's Marketplace and the Nextdoor app. A friend swears by Offerup. Antiques. Vintage. Collectible. It's all out there, on numerous platforms.

It wasn't so long ago that people feared that Microsoft's market dominance rendered it invulnerable. But that was then. These days it's Amazon wearing that mantle. No one stays on top forever. Hell, even GM went bankrupt.

Even Bill Gates said as much himself.

 

[Zombie_61]

I understand that last point. Online auctions have always been a PITA with me. I have never enjoyed having to wait 7 days, on average, to find out if I have won/purchased something successfully. Too much anxiety, but then, I have never been a gambler, anyway.

Except for the anxiety, this is true for me as well. I've participated in a number of auctions as a buyer, and always preferred the "Buy It Now" option if the seller's price was reasonable. EvilBay was never perfect, but it really started circling the cess pool drain after Meg Whitman stepped away in 2007 and nearly every policy change since has been idiotic at best.

 

[SmilyMJ]

I like buying stuff using OfferUp app. It's a service for local buyers and sellers. Here is the description of all its features. The prices are the same as eBay, sometimes even lower. Sometimes one can find really cool stuff there. I've found a vintage pocket watch there for $20 only.

 

[MissMittens]

I think eBay tried to become a corporate outlet. It's failed. Most of the corporate sellers moved to Amazon. So now eBay has a difficult choice - either continue it's decline, or bring back mom and pop sellers. They'll probably choose to continue their decline into eventual oblivion if they don't change their leadership.

 

[MissMittens]

I like buying stuff using OfferUp app. It's a service for local buyers and sellers. Here is the description of all its features. The prices are the same as eBay, sometimes even lower. Sometimes one can find really cool stuff there. I've found a vintage pocket watch there for $20 only.

OfferUp can be cool for local finds, but as with places like Craigslist, you never know what you're getting yourself into because most of the listings around here are for "pick up" so it's not exactly the safest option of buying things. There's also not the same financial guarantees as other sites if you do buy something from "shipping" and the seller walks away with your money or sends you something other than what you paid for. All they really do is stop them selling, but they don't try and make good the damage done. If they fixed that, and made it a site where you HAVE to ship everything so it can be tracked, I think it would be a great alternative though

 

[2jakes]

This morning a seller from eBay sent me text that without
PayPal it would be impossible to buy an item.
In the past, I've had great success in bidding/buying
vintage items for my bike projects using PP / credit.
There are still available many items which I consider vintage
or antique.

The credit accts. that I recently closed,I had set up
"auto pay" so that basically these companies were able to
withdraw from my bank on the amount which we had agreed.
When one withdrew an amount to which I had not authorized,
I went to my bank and they were able to retrieve the amount.
I closed my bank accts. and opened new ones with instructions
that no one was to withdraw from my accts. without my consent.
I was not comfortable that these companies had my S.S. and bank
acct. numbers. It was my fault for providing them this information.
They still have my S.S. number but not my new bank acct. numbers.
I'm at that stage that if I want an item, I will pay cash. Luckily there
are many places which I can go and see the item I like firsthand.

 

[Old Mariner]

I realize this thread is a bit dated, but I am responding because I had wondered what happened over time (I have only sold very little and so never kept up with the seller end of things). I have realized that "something" changed but could not figure out what it was.

I mostly use ebay now to buy my essential oils. I do remember the old days though, and I am guilty of employing a sniping program to help me after being fed up - if others were going to fight dirty, fine. I really don't miss any of that stress though, but I do miss the more "flea market" atmosphere which made it fun to search through things using a general search as others have mentioned.

If I find and buy any vintage items on ebay, it is an extremely rare occasion, but the same can be said for etsy too - as now I am mostly on the look out for more "customized" and "original creations" types of items. (By original creations, I mean, something like an oil blend created by the seller, to wear.) I recently created an account to buy from sellers on Zazzle for this purpose.

 

[belfastboy]

I realize this thread is a bit dated, but I am responding because I had wondered what happened over time (I have only sold very little and so never kept up with the seller end of things). I have realized that "something" changed but could not figure out what it was.

I mostly use ebay now to buy my essential oils. I do remember the old days though, and I am guilty of employing a sniping program to help me after being fed up - if others were going to fight dirty, fine. I really don't miss any of that stress though, but I do miss the more "flea market" atmosphere which made it fun to search through things using a general search as others have mentioned.

If I find and buy any vintage items on ebay, it is an extremely rare occasion, but the same can be said for etsy too - as now I am mostly on the look out for more "customized" and "original creations" types of items. (By original creations, I mean, something like an oil blend created by the seller, to wear.) I recently created an account to buy from sellers on Zazzle for this purpose.

I was involved in the buying and selling of vintage bicycles for a while but that has tapered off in the last 5 years. Recently I sold a few more of my collection and it was pretty much the same except that the fees for the sellers have increased dramatically. ….,at least for people like me that only sell odds and ends ...once in a while.

 

[Old Mariner]

I was involved in the buying and selling of vintage bicycles for a while but that has tapered off in the last 5 years. Recently I sold a few more of my collection and it was pretty much the same except that the fees for the sellers have increased dramatically. ….,at least for people like me that only sell odds and ends ...once in a while.

The fees were one of the main things that did it in for me. Sometimes I would be lucky to break even. The last decent thing I can remember selling (years ago), was a bakelite solitaire vase. I at least made some extra on that.

 

[Nobert]

I only started Ebaying in any real capacity last year. I find plenty of vintage stuff, but I imagine it depends on what you're looking for. I pretty much only go fo the Buy It Now sales, lacking either the scratch or the time to sit around competing with a bunch of professional Snipey McGrabbies (especially when it comes to vintage clothing, which has gone the way of all collector markets and been ruined by people with too much money and a fetish).

Even before I lost my income due to the recent developments, I was pretty much trying to ramp back my online impulse buying. Ebay is great for something like finding a filter rod for your Silex coffee maker, or fleshing out your R.C.A. Encyclopedia of Jazz set, but it lacks the personal touch. There's just not much of a story behind the things you get. For example, I broke my Watt mixing bowl a few months back, and was able to find a replacement on the Bay of E, in better condition, even. But it doesn't have the memory of "I was in that little antiques mall in West Farmington, found it for seven bucks, and thought, 'What the Hey?" I'd rather save my money for poking around in thrift, antique and junk stores, and go online only for the things I just can't find locally.