Strongly considering removing the eBay section on home page

[Canoedad]

I didn't mind it before. In fact I used it regularly. But I'm sure sick of it now.

Poof!

[John Duncan]

I wouldn't miss it if it was gone. The classifieds here, at Acoustic Guitar forum, Unofficial martin guitar forum, banjohang, and craigslist are always more compelling.

Just my .02

[Jess L.]

WARNING! CONTRARIAN VIEWPOINT #2! AVERT YOUR EYES! ...

... OK, EBAY HATERS CAN RETURN TO THIS PAGE.

To paraphrase an old saying, I don't know eBay well enough to hate it, although I've bought a few items there over the years but only as a last resort if I can't find the items elsewhere (usually 1940s-early1950s car parts), and then only if the price is reasonable (many are not).

I've had an eBay account ever since eBay first started years ago, but I have never -- not even once -- bought any music-related items from eBay. Haven't had the need to.

So, it's not that I'm opposed to eBay mandolin listings here, but rather it's just not a feature that I would use.

My feeling toward eBay is simply neutral, I neither love nor hate it, it just "is". I regard eBay as a specialty tool in a toolbox, use it when necessary but the rest of the time the more-common tools are adequate.

That said, I have no objections to posters here informing us about amusing/silly eBay pages, hey it's free entertainment after all.

[mrmando]

if it's a widget (a block of code that you install on the page) that simply filters for mandolin listings (or certain parameters), and doesn't require extra time or maintenance on your part, I don't think you should get rid of it. It doesn't take up much real estate, and if I see a listing for a snakehead or something, I'm always curious. I don't have to buy it or bid on it or anything.

But if it requires you to actually spend time on eBay to manually put certain items in a list, then off with its head.

It's both. That is, it's a widget, but it keeps track of auctions that Scott is watching through his eBay account. So he has to scroll through all the eBay mandolin listings to find interesting stuff to watch. And often there just isn't much there.

I watch other auctions on eBay besides mandolin stuff, so if I had such a widget on my home page, I'd have to either (a) create a separate eBay account to feed it or (b) find a way to tweak the widget code so that it filters my watch list only for musical instruments, which adds up to more time and inconvenience for me. Then there's the question of whether, when I added something to the list, people would take it as an endorsement of the product or the seller because it appeared on my home page. Would that affect which auctions I chose to watch? Would it add up to even more time and inconvenience?

[Timbofood]

Let's face it, if there is something that is interesting to us "interested parties" someone will most likely share it. If it takes Scott more than five minutes a week, he has better things to do with his time than fiddle with that.
Next world dilemma please......

[journeybear]

I have no strong feelings either way. Fine with its presence; wouldn't mind its absence. Most of the time something interesting on eBay gets mentioned on the forum, which is good enough notice for me. There have been a few times I've noticed something mentioned on the home page, but that's rare. I typically start my visit to the Café by looking at "Today's Posts," which nearly always brings me notices of interest. I keep wondering whether notices regarding impending auctions may be counterproductive, generating more interest and interested bidders, driving the price up. I don't buy enough to be very concerned about this, but others might.

[Jeff Mando]

To be clear, the discussion is whether or not the eBay section should be on the Home page. NOT, whether or not eBay is a good thing. Obviously, second only to the internet itself, eBay has changed peoples lives by making selection and information available that did not exist before -- and amazingly this is very recent History. Before eBay a person was limited to the selection available in their own hometown. Think about it. Of course, mail order existed for years before eBay. In addition, people who traveled extensively got to see deals outside of what was available "back home". Ol' Bill wouldn't have found his F5 if he didn't travel for his job! But, for the average person, eBay put in all together in a usable package, despite its faults.

[Tobin]

To be clear, the discussion is whether or not the eBay section should be on the Home page or not. NOT, whether or not eBay is a good thing.

Eh? Didn't Scott's initial post express his frustration with eBay and then ask for thoughts? It seems to me like eBay's usefulness/value (or lack thereof) is sort of the whole point of this thread. Yes, the question was directly about the eBay listings on the home page, but the discussion itself necessarily revolves around whether eBay is worth the trouble.

Obviously, second only to the internet itself, eBay has changed peoples lives by making selection and information available that did not exist before -- and amazingly this is very recent History. Before eBay a person was limited to the selection available in their own hometown. Think about it. Of course, mail order existed for years before eBay. In addition, people who traveled extensively got to see deals outside of what was available "back home". Ol' Bill wouldn't have found his F5 if he didn't travel for his job! But, for the average person, eBay put in all together in a usable package, despite its faults.

All of that is true, but I think a lot of people are starting to realize that the honeymoon is over. Those of us old enough to remember pre-internet and pre-eBay life can easily see how things changed, and still remain somewhat amazed at how easily information is found now. Some of our younger members grew up with it, and never knew what it was like to have to shop for used cars via the newspaper classifieds, or buy from a mail-order catalog. Either way, the initial wonderment at the "information age" has finally been replaced by annoyance at the noise-to-signal ratio. Or as Scott put it, the wheat to chaff ratio.

It's happening all across the internet. Useful information is getting drowned out by infotainment, opinionated drivel, and cat videos. Auction sites are less about selling personal items and more about floods of cheap wholesale junk or outright scams. A lot of the antique dealers I know who used to love eBay are walking away from it now too, because of that. Its reputation has taken a serious nosedive in the last 5 years or so. eBay used to be the only place to go to find things that you couldn't find locally. But now, online classifieds and auction sites are everywhere. Buyers and sellers are going to specialty sites for quality, to avoid the shenanigans that surround eBay.

[Tom Sanderson]

Do it. We don't need no stinkin Ebay.

[Timbofood]

Geez Tobin, I really feel old now! I remember getting jobs, cars, and instruments through the newspaper, friends being people you have shaken hands with PHYSICALLY!
As for eBay, I was able to get some interesting things years ago but, as you clearly state, the preponderance of cheap junk is making the search for quality goods overwhelming. I don't look much anymore, just not worth the time to end up only finding crap.
If something interesting turns up(Beadazzled F-4 ) it will be brought to light here, no need for Scott to have to deal with it.

[plinkey]

I also see no need to keep the fleaBay on the MC home page. When mandolin related stuff considered interesting, worthwhile or merely entertaining shows up there, we have other ways to post and share that within this forum.
Incidentally, I feel that the increasing volume of overpriced, trashy and/or misrepresented mandolin stuff on eBay makes its tracking a boring chore.

[bbaker2050]

I never really use it. I glance at it occasionally. If you can use that space for a paid advertisement, I say go for it.

[Mark Wilson]

I keep wondering whether notices regarding impending auctions may be counterproductive, generating more interest and interested bidders, driving the price up.

There you go. So if Scott takes it down the link he risks causing a market crash of mandolin resale values.

[Timbofood]

There you go. So if Scott takes it down the link he risks causing a market crash of mandolin resale values.

OH MY GRACIOUS! Is Scott going to be accused of manipulating the market and running the risk of being one of the Koch brothers red headed stepchildren! This thread is cornering a lot more real estate than I had ever dreamed! As my Mom used to tell all the kids, "Use your own good judgement!"

[WW52]

Thanks for making me aware of the ebay section. I... uh... hadn't noticed it was there. Sorry.

[Jeff Mando]

I've often wondered if the mention of a mandolin for sale on eBay on this forum increases the sales price or not. On one hand, I figure most of us check eBay anyway, but I may be wrong. Also, sometimes our discussions will bring to the surface faults a buyer may not have otherwise noticed, which might result in more cautious bidding. For what it is worth, when I see something on eBay that I want to buy, I hope nobody on MC has noticed it yet......and it has a reasonable Buy It Now.

I should add that most of the various guitar brands have their own forums, Alembic, Electra, Univox, of course, Fender & Gibson. Some of these I've noticed have taken nitpicking to a fine art and sometimes to the detriment of eBay sales. Many of these sites I've visited promote a lot of misinformation, I might add. To the credit of Mandolin Cafe, I think everyone here tries to be helpful with the most accurate information available to us.

[ollaimh]

I've picked up a few gems on Ebay that I saw being discussed on the forum, actually being dissed on the forum... one man's junk is another's treasure...

yeah i agree with eddy. i have made great finds on ebay. mostly odd ball stuff. everybody knows a gibson martin or fender guitar. but the wierd can be still underpriced. i also play harp. a couple of harp auctions were a third of the new price for same conditon. items came in perfect condition is what i am saying. same for wierd octave mandolins, sazi, etc they are often not bid on.

but i did find a beat up A 4 mandolin for under 600, which looked bad in pictures but was much better in person and didn't need much set up. it's my favourite player right now. so there are good things. but the side bar isn't necessary here. people who troll e bay are going to go there anyway.

[Dale Pauline]

I open to the Café home page every time. I scan most of what's there including the few ebay listings. I've enjoyed it, but that said I probably wouldn't miss it. Just won't look at items for sale on ebay as much as I don't search their site myself at all.

[zedmando]

Never used it here--but then I am interested more in buying what I can touch & play first.
So I'm good either way.

[mrmando]

I've often wondered if the mention of a mandolin for sale on eBay on this forum increases the sales price or not. On one hand, I figure most of us check eBay anyway, but I may be wrong.

FWIW, if I post one for discussion, it's a good sign that I am not seriously considering bidding on it. I keep quiet about the ones I am interested in, unless someone else starts a thread.

[MikeEdgerton]

FWIW, if I post one for discussion, it's a good sign that I am not seriously considering bidding on it. I keep quiet about the ones I am interested in, unless someone else starts a thread.

Yup. That's pretty much the logical thing to do.

[Tobin]

It appears that the eBay listings have indeed been removed from the home page.

[Mark Wilson]

There you go - didn't miss it already

[Colin Lindsay]

I use eBay a lot, mostly to watch instruments that I never buy or bid on then feel great that I've resisted temptation. I don't have a good musical instrument shop anywhere near me, not within miles ( a few totally totally crap stores that think Ozark are the pinnacle of Country and Irish strumming for the local young farmers) so need some kind of outlet to purchase from. I find the classifieds full of hopefuls selling vastly overpriced instruments at a fixed price, whereas eBay is the amateur site for sellers who have no idea of the value of instrument that their dearly departed uncle left behind and so are happy with a few quid, as opposed to a few hundred.... and I've been ripped off with complete tat from supposed 'restorers' who you'd think were reputable, while my eBay purchases - seven of which adorn the walls in my study - just keep on playing and sounding beautifully no matter their price...

[Paul Kotapish]

FWIW, I never look at eBay for instruments or anything else, so it's not a useful feature for me.