I was just talking with my competitive friend in Botany. She and hubby have a website and also sell on eBay. The only change on their website is seasonal and it's up nicely. eBay though is a disaster. They are down almost two thirds and for the past few weeks have only been selling to regulars who know how to find them. In 24 days she's only had two sales to newcomers, whereas before this figure would be every day. That's how dramatic it's been. The email traffic between her and eBay is enormous.

She's a real metrics person and is sending me up some stats that she says clearly identifies almost to the hour, when this all started. She's very clever, I wish I was half, and she 'knows' something has been 'tweaked.' All her stats n stuff by the way are provided by a very expensive, in my opinion, third party provider, but she reckons it's a lifesaver and proves when eBay has switched to 'big porky mode.' They're a pretty big business.

We've had two complaints now from overseas buyers about the shipping bungle. They're both okay, but it's all extra work and now we need to re-jig our listings and get postage policy's back in order.

It all upsets me really. Being in bed with deliberate deceitfullness and dishonesty is really unsettling - like and unfaithful husband I reckon. Once trust is gone,mthetes nothing left and that's how I'm feeling about eBay, even though as I've said, we've always enjoyed good service. But, it's what they're doing to others.

prattle, prattle, sorry!

Melina.