3 days into the eBay seller buyer boycott

While there is little to no actual proof that anything has actually happened, the news is keeping up with what is happening on eBay and how the boycott is working out. Initial returns are showing that there is not a whole lot of action on this one.

You can grab the news headlines on this here. (Via Google News)

You can also read an interesting thread on Amazon Sellers board about the eBay Boycott here. It is not very unusual that Amazon sellers also sell on eBay and that the active community boards for sellers at Amazon would be talking about this.

Wired reports

Meanwhile, eBay’s total listings have apparently increased. Global listings for the quarter-to-date are up 13 percent, year-over-year, according to American Technology Research analyst Tim Boyd. (By contrast, U.S. listings, are down 5 percent for the quarter to date.) The company implemented a promotional discount on listing fees on Feb. 13, which could explain the listings boost, but the trend also suggests that it isn’t so easy for sellers to give up their eBay businesses. Source: Wired

In contrast to the Digg Uprising over posting of the AACS key, the eBay boycott seems remarkably low key. Not that it is not visible, but that the head to head conflict between eBay and sellers right now looks like it is fizzling, which in the longer run is both fortunate and unfortunate.

It is fortunate for eBay because the sellers can not become a cohesive block, meaning eBay has an absolute free hand to run its business how ever it wants to, and will not be held hostage by the people that use the service. Unlike the Digg uprising back in march, which did alter how Digg did business, eBay can now go forth and do what it wants to do. Without coherency in the boycott, there is little ability to influence change.

It is unfortunate for eBay because the trickle effect is now in place, there will be defections, and this will give excellent marketing ideas and abilities to their competitors. Not just Amazon, but the host of other eBay like sites (covered here). Defections are slow, and only over time will the trends become apparent. The PR nightmare of trying to get back sellers and buyers in this kind of situation will be much more difficult. It is hard to get people to change unless there is an obvious compelling reason.

For people and companies that are developing web 2.0 type systems that are dependent upon their users, you should be watching this. Depending on how your company works, you can either be like Digg or like eBay, an active participating audience that can and will effectively coalesce around an idea, or like eBay, with users fractured and unable to effect change as a coalition.