http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000721107&tstart=0&mod=1213944467557
| From aka Avery, Hello Community, You are Missed | |||
such_a_very_new_castle
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| Disclaimer: I am posting on this board because the topic is very much related to selling on eBay. Hello, Until the end of 2007, I worked for eBay. Many people knew me as [email protected]. It is with considerable sadness that what prompts me to post and say hello is primarily a deep sense of concern. I've watched the changes that have been made during the first half of 2008; I've watched the decline of eBay.com; and I've watched the erosion of respect by eBay for its Community. In 2008, it would be inaccurate to say that eBay cherishes its Community. Actions always speak louder than words. On the eve of eBay Live! 2008, I feel compelled to offer a few words to this Community that I served for 5 years with passion. I stayed for 5 years because I loved the eBay Community. I left for many reasons, but I still love this site and Community. And while I debated about saying "hello" to many of you that I miss and to many that I don't know personally, it is my love of the eBay Community that compels me to offer a few words. There are many labels flying around about people being negative, or being "anti-eBay", or being an "eBay cheerleader". Some wish to draw lines between buyers and sellers. Please don't. eBay Inc. is the one who has unwisely drawn a heavily line between buyers and sellers. This is not productive. The eBay Community needs to rise above this and make itself known again. eBay is now a very large company. And as is the case with many companies that grow into a large corporate structure, it is dangerously easy to forget the basic foundation that put a company "on the map" in the first place. I deeply lament what eBay has chosen to do in 2008, but this isn't the time or place for me to dwell on this. At the heart of my concern is the conclusion that the Community that made eBay great is not respected in the way that it once was. For many sellers, this has been a year of hard decisions. For those who are not happy with the changes made by eBay; who see it as far more than an issue of change itself; who recognize that some very destructive things are taking place, there are a number of possible directions. Some choose to boycott. Some choose to post on discussion boards. Some have stopped selling. Some have moved on to other sites. For those who feel torn between their love of eBay and disgust with the changes, many thoughts and emotions might be involved. In conclusion, the thought that I want to offer is this: when you are driven by passion, integrity, and conviction, it is your right to dissent, to push for change, to hope for a better place. One should never have to feel that "speaking out" in and of itself is a negative characteristic. My hope is that those who truly care about the future of this site will find ways to collectively organize, strategize, and work on a plan to help eBay realize that it is and never can be anything of significance without its Community. It's not too late for this Community to become truly relevant again. Sincerely, aka Avery This is just a one-time post on this thread. |
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softersilk
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| Hello! The poster is SAYING that he is Avery. However, it can be anybody. I'm sure that when "Pinks" leave, they sign some sort of contract agreeing not to come back to boards like this. | |||
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| such_a_very_new_castle
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| Hi Everyone, It is nice to see so many of you. I'm not here to cause a stir, so I don't plan to post much. I can't respond to anything sent to [email protected] because I don't work for eBay. Posting to the boards after employment does not violate any contract. I worked in policy - I read agreements  I do miss it here, but I am also not trying to focus on "being Avery" again. I've struggled with my own attitude, so my post was as much a reminder to myself of what is important. Finally, as a general principle I think it is good to "give changes a chance". However, change that is based on a foundation of disrespect doesn't merit tolerance. Such is not a question of flexibility and ability to adapt - it is an issue of cherished Community Values. |
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windorphin
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| Heh, found this from a while back... such_a_very_new_castle (0 ) View Listings | Report May-24-08 16:58 PDT 99 of 106 I'm sure he does miss being here. in response to... I miss Avery  He was nice. I bet Avery misses the nice people here too. The crappy job; not so much. Point Dog! |
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| shabbychicandpink (Private ) View Listings | Report | |||
| I doubted the authenticity of the OP when I first read the post. I'm not sure now. Regardless, his post is poignant and the sadness contained therein is a strong commentary. Even more so given that Avery has always been, well - Avery. I've never felt that the respect for the community that he speaks of, but maybe it was palpable before I got here about 8 years ago. |
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| such_a_very_new_castle
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| I added a ME page with a link and will try to answer some questions. I don't know if it will be feasible here. A few people mentioned that it doesn't matter if this is Avery or not. I think you're right on target. This isn't about me - it's about the future of something that was once great - and that I think can be great again with some collective effort. Thanks again for the thoughts. I do miss this. |
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| windorphin
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| No Tides, I don't think it means anything like that. Just that he has previously read about himself, and let us know without knowing who he was, that he missed this place. I wasn't trying to imply that this isn't Avery. Point Dog! |
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| jaysales
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| Avery and I have corresponded on our private email addresses. It IS him. I wish he'd come back to ebay, though. He's needed. The preceding post was approved by Mr. Winky. |
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| poison-2.0
(Private ) View Listings | Report |
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| I wish he'd come back to ebay, though. He's needed. Jay,you're entitled to your opinion but Avery was as a part of what was wrong with eBay. What's needed are unbiased, equally accessible individuals at eBay interested in fostering an environment of cooperation and understanding between eBay and eBay's customers that respects individuals equally while balancing the needs and purpose of a business. In his OP, Avery comes off as being more of a disgruntled employee interested in the popular vote than an individual concerned with any real issue facing eBay. His myopic OP is pedestrian at best and offers little more value than suggesting eBay users should "endeavor to persevere"....somewhere if not on eBay. |
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As of about 5 minutes ago, I decided to set up a website for "aka Avery".
So Averybay.com - coming soon.
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http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000721107&start=120
rendezveous
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| How can this be Avery if he said something in a different tense about himself here?: http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1013172319&forumID=107&x#1013172319  |
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| kelley*green
(18 ) View Listings | Report |
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| ke6hts, all I'm saying is that the warm-and-fuzzy eBay never existed! We, and I include myself in this, created it. We were warm-and-fuzzy about eBay, we loved it, we believed in it. But it was always a business, it was the users who created the Community and all the feelings that came with it. There's no doubt that upper management don't get this at all. They weren't around then, they have no history, no experience with eBay. They are looking at this as a commercial site, which is accurate. I am not apologizing for them, there are a number of things they could have done better. But I think it may help to understand what is happening. Truthfully, I think we users need to do what we've always done: figure out how to use eBay to our own advantage. If that isn't possible, then we need to move on, perhaps look elsewhere. But historically, it has been possible and perhaps is now. Additionally, we may remember that change is constant - because the system works this way today is no indication that it's going to be the same in three, six, nine or twelve months from today. |
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| kelley*green
(18 ) View Listings | Report |
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| kittytiamaria, I do not work for eBay now, as you can see by the lack of a pink stripe on my post. However, I did work for eBay for over nine years before I retired a year ago April. I was at eBay as a member in 1996, then as an employee and member in 1998, and now just a member since 2007. I am sorry that you think I was condescending. I certainly didn't intend to be. But I do have opinions and they aren't exactly the same as Avery's -- who really is Avery, BTW. I guess what bothers me a bit is the outrage at eBay for behaving like a business. I don't know about you, but I came to eBay originally to sell things and make money! I found a community of other members here for the same purpose and I have really enjoyed and benefited tremendously from this community. But I don't think it was ever eBay's intention to start or maintain a Community -- it's something that just happened. For the record, I don't agree with all the recent changes. I think they have some really serious problems. But after all these years, with all the changes that have taken place, I still have faith that members will continue to make eBay work for us - as sellers and as buyers -- and that nothing done by management is carved in stone. It's rare, true, but they have backed off on some things in the past -- though usually by introducing a "new" program, feature, or other bit that just leaves the mistake behind. |
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| kelley*green
(18 ) View Listings | Report |
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| Several of you have been around since 1999, at least, or your current User ID has been. You remember when they started with User IDs, then blocked email addresses as IDs. Then they set up email through eBay. They made all feedback transaction related, unlike the way it was before when you could give someone feedback for just being helpful on boards. They stopped people from registering a web address as a User ID -- but grandfathered a few of those in. When the fee for Reserve prices was instituted, people were up in arms. How about Checkout? There have been other changes as well. With each of these, it was the end of eBay. There were boycotts, there were complaints, there were predictions of doom. But we've survived. We've even survived the constant tinkering with the SYI page, expanded from one page to .. how many now? We loved MisterLister - it's gone. We loved the Live Support Boards - they imploded. We loved having Pinks on the boards - there were fewer Pinks all the time, as there were more boards, so that now a Pink sighting is a phenomenon. I am more concerned about the end of the level playing field. I think feedback should be two ways, and I don't agree that volume sellers should get a discount. If anything, it's the small seller who needs one. But buyers are ecstatic about the feedback change. Buyers who don't sell, that is. |
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