Do eBay Sellers Really Want to Ship Orders to a Chainstore?

by: Philip Cohen

More "spaghetti" marketing ideas from Johnny Ho. Who's paying for this service, not Johnny Ho! Where is the catch? Are the retailers doing it for free because they are desperate to get you into their store instead of you buying something on eBay? Too funny ...

Only at eBay can they think that cutting their own throat could be such a brilliant idea; like advertising off-site links for similar products on a sellers' listings—brilliant!

The eBay executive suite—where the incompetent mingle with the disingenuous, the malevolent and the outright criminal, and the just plain stupid ... http://bit.ly/11F2eas

by: Ming the Merciless

This absurd concept is so ridiculous that even ebafia's C- management cretins should see the numerous pitfalls.

No seller in their right mind should opt in to this defect trap     if given a choice.

by: pace306

That BS may work over in the UK, but theres no way (and I mean NO WAY) that SNADbay can force sellers in the USA to ship to anywhere else besides what they themselves have been harping on for years - the address on the buyers CC.

How many times has Paypal and SNADbay put sellers money into their own for JUST such a reason.

Sellers could then turn it on its head and get Visa/Mastercard to enforce such an edict.

Why fight it?

Besides the stores stealing your customers, why help SNADbay at all?

What has the Devil Wenig and JD the wonderyutz done for small sellers.

SNADbay me now failed - simply because %75 of the people - from the CEO on down have ANY clue on how ecommerce works.

Dont believe me - GOOGLE thier resumes!

by: comet

Not going to happen HERE--not mailing to ANY third party who can steal or hide or damage the goods.

Really--how stupid IS this????

by: val2525

This makes no sense for independent eBay sellers, nor buyers. I buy from RETAILER sites all the time and have the items shipped to the store when it's an option, but that is because I need to try on the item. If it doesn't fit, I'm already at the store and can return it without making a second trip. But I don't use this service when I know the item will fit, or is non-clothing…I have those orders delivered to my house as it's more convenient.

Gotta wonder what they're smoking in the head office at eBay these days.

by: bb6

I believe this would be a burden to the customer. They now have to go pick up the item. It reminds me of when a mailman leaves an orange slip in your mailbox because you were not home. It is a PITA to then go get it at the post office. You then have to figure out what hours the place is open and where the place is. Once there you have to stand in a long line to pick up your package. Honestly I don't see why there needs to be a middleman. Most people are not concerned about having a package mailed to them. If a customer is concerned about their home address then they most likely already have a PO Box.

Maybe Ebay sees that Walmart has a ship to store option that is very popular. If so Ebay is missing the point. The reason people get items shipped to the store at Walmart is not so they can go pick it up. It is because when you ship to store you get free shipping! Walmart already has trucks going to stores each day so it doesn't cost them any more money to add a few items to their truck.  

Does ebay have a meeting every Monday morning where people in a conference room throw ideas against the wall for more things to change? This sounds like another half thought idea that was shot from the hip but not thought all the way through in an actual situation. "How about ship to store?"  "GREAT IDEA CARL, make the change, but don't announce this to the sellers though!!"

by: DonC

Sounds like an sissy idea guaranteed to fail.  

by: DonC

Lets make that silly idea guaranteed to fail.

by: angryllama

O M G .. I would move Heaven and Earth to stay out of this New-ish FUBAR idea. On what alternate universe would it be intelligent for me to Ship a NIB CrockPot to TARGET where the buyer can walk past the Target kitchenware department and see it for a much lower price (in the store NO shipping) and then Intelligently buy THAT one and ''neglect'' to pick up the one that same buyer bought from ME via eBay? Ditto for Sealed recent release DVD/BluRay movies, or an ''Uncle Si Chia Pet'' that just sold overnight.  eBay deliveries to Brick/Mortar stores defeats the whole concept. This is an even worse ''fix'' for the silly Silly idea of Same Day delivery. Catalog Sale Stores like Dolgins' and W.Bell Failed and Closed 20 years ago. They Failed even though they initially built up their business, had attractive stores and loyal customers.  Why would an upstart ReJigger of this failed marketing concept work today? FUBAR squared.

by: Rexford

What a shame that the eBay MBAs are constantly trying to insert and involve a 3rd party on a site that is supposed to be "just a venue".

by: Dragonfyree

The only way I see it would be helpful to a buyer is if they live in an area where packages are stolen off their front porches or mailbox.

If it's delivered to a store they go by on the way home from work, it might work for them.

As a seller, I don't see any advantage to this.  I'm sure Ebay would have to pay the stores to do this, which would mean a raise in rates for the seller.  I don't see anyone doing this for free, even if it gets customers in their doors.

They would have to have one of their people deal with the packages, store them somewhere.

It's so crazy, it could only come from Ebay.

by: FREDDY

I thought the whole purpose of online shopping was to avoid going to the mall or strip centers. Have it delivered right to your door.

If you don't feel it is safe to have a package dropped of at your house, there are many options already there.

Who will pay to go to a store to pick up????

by: RCL

Poor eBay was once a unique sales venue. Now it's a bottom feeder trying to get a percentage of all the business they can. Trying to be Amazon bass-ackwards. NO. People do NOT want to go to stores. That IS why we shop online. They are so STUPID.

by: RCL

What is to be gained by having a seller ship to a store nearby rather then my own address?? I just don't get it. I pay for postage because of the convenience and conservation of my own time!!

by: frustrated

No they don't.

by: minibeesknees

Storing some package, then going through some process to pick it up is going to cost time, and take up space.  Who is going to pay/reimburse some chain store (read that as Walmart) for that?  What about the buyers (read that as me) who boycott Walmart?  What about all the elderly or handicapped folks who buy online because they can't get to some 'chain store'?  What happens if the buyer just doesn't pick something up and just does a credit card charge back? As a seller I'll ship anywhere the buyer wants some package to go, as a buyer I want them delivered to my door or I won't buy the thing.  Today I get a new $350 graphics tablet delivered, and within a week a new 27" monitor.  So I'm of the older generation and picking up things that weigh a lot can't be done...40 pound bags of dog food in the back of my Blazer are an issue.  What about all the folks who don't drive, or don't have a car, or who are bus riders?  I can't be the only one who buys online because stuff comes to my door that if it was easy to get to the store, I wouldn't.  

by: Mr. Me

Stupid idea on all sides.
So Target and Home depot are supposed to have dedicated secure space and employees to handte the ebay crap ? really
Ans sellers are going to have another weak link in the chain, poorly trained , minimum wage employees handling their merchandise, and customers are going to put up with holida traffic, parking, waiting in line ?
Hey, you're at the store, go in and buy the stuff yourself, withoue ebays gouge!

by: MostlyArt

The reason I would buy something off of eBay rather than just going to a local store for the item is to get it delivered to me.  If I'm going to have to go pick it up myself, why would I bother with eBay at all?

by: iheartjacksparrow

This is a ridiculous idea. Seller ships to a chain store, thereby losing PayPal seller protection. Buyer has a week to pick up the item. What if they don't make it in a week? The article states it will be returned to the seller (in the U.K.) at no cost. So eBay is going to pay for the return postage? How is there going to be proof that a buyer actually picked up the item? Are they going to videotape every pick-up? Are they going to have the buyer sign, give a fingerprint, and take a photo? What happens when a buyer says they never picked up the item and someone stole it? What if a chain store employee steals it? What if the item is damaged? Does eBay reimburse the seller for the damage? I could go on, but I think I've made my point.  

by: gutspiller

I'm not from the UK nor the Us. In our country we have this kind of service (not on Ebay) and it's quite popular.

It has it's positive sides and negative sides. First of all if it's just a small parcel/envelope that fits into your mailbox sending it by regular mail will be a lot faster and cheaper.

However it's a good alternative for the more bulky items. It's cheaper than regular mail and you can go and collect after office hours when post offices are already closed.

Shops hardly make any money on it. They offer the service because it attracks extra people and they hope when they come to collect their parcel they will buy other stuff.

I know of several small shopkeepers that stopped doing it. It wasn't worth the effort. Most people come to collect their order without buying something else.

Theoretically it's a good idea but Ebay shouldn't force you to use it. I never used this service when I was still selling on Ebay.

As with everything Ebay has done for the last couple of years. Basically the idea is good, but we all know Ebay will make a hell out of it.