Real tech support

[unlistedmoniker]

The single biggest lack I've encountered is simple: the ability to pick up the phone or hit the live chat button, deal with a problem, find out if it's just my PC or if there's a system problem, and get on with business. Going to the forums and hoping some saint has an answer for you is not a reasonable answer. Wading through miles of FAQ's and previously asked questions is not cost effective on this end, although it may save on the other end. The site needs the real deal.

[astral276]

You pay for it and I'll use it.

[raindropsies]

The single biggest lack I've encountered is simple: the ability to pick up the phone or hit the live chat button, deal with a problem, find out if it's just my PC or if there's a system problem, and get on with business. Going to the forums and hoping some saint has an answer for you is not a reasonable answer. Wading through miles of FAQ's and previously asked questions is not cost effective on this end, although it may save on the other end. The site needs the real deal.

So is that you saying that you don't want help / advice on the forums then?

[cornishmaid1961]

Why not just email support ?
They usually get back to me within a couple of hours if not instantly. They are the best support team I have found on any site I have ever used !

If it's just a general problem then I look and see if anybody has posted about it on the glitches forum which is usually the case.

[TexasAda]

unlistedmoniker, you have no eBid feedback although you've been a registered user for over a year. That suggests you haven't bought or sold anything here although I realize some people don't participate in the feedback procedure.

I don't think eBid has the resources to provide a live chat facility. Can you imagine the manpower required for that? But you're right, "saints" here on the meetup area do provide excellent help to you in any situation. Also, by emailing support, you get quick answers, assuming your question is stated clearly.

I used live chat on the dark side and it was sometimes helpful, and sometimes maddening as it was obviously a robot "talking" to me, and I got nowhere. Live humans here in the forums, AND at the other end of eBid's email address, are infinitely more responsive.

[theretrotrader]

The support here is way beyond excellent.

As stated before on feebay you just deal with robots. And if you do get through to a human they're no better. They can all read from scripts but i'm pretty sure none of them have attended RADA.

[unlistedmoniker]

Unfortunately, like any other business, it takes investment to grow. The forums have kept me alive through the very earliest attempts to get a listing up and running, but the fact of the matter is: the forums are of and from the community. Businesses don't rely on people walking in off the street to direct their other customers to product or services. Businesses don't wait for growth. They pursue it. Would I pay for tech support - yes, because I do not have the time to chase answers through this maze. God bless those of you who do, and particularly those who have the time and inclination to help (got that Sarah - don't go getting a snoot on for no reason, now...) But that's not the basis for running a business. It's gravy - not meat and potatoes.

I left eprey when the last straw was reached - the feedback nonsense. I haven't left any here because I haven't bought anything here. The things I'm interested in have very small presence here - and will probably continue that way until the listings increase the buyers, and the buyers increase the listing in an upward spiral as they should with any growing business. Would I pay. YES! What I paid for a lifetime membership I'd pay for an annual fee and a small percentage of sales as well. To check in and find easy reference to doing things, and prompt fixes to problems would be well worth it. To have the growing hits per listing, to have numbers searching here that search there would be well worth it. As much as this can be fun, that's not why I do it. I do it to make money, and with rare exception, that is not a promising prospect here. The first listing I put up would have gotten more hits in a day on eprey than both the initial and second listing did here. I really don't have the time to ask a simple procedural question and then check back in an hour, two, three, four, etc. to see if it's been answered. I really wish I had that luxury.

In short, if a very low fee but very low investment situation works for you, go fer it. But don't go getting your nose outta joint when it doesn't work for everybody. What eprey really lost was it's sense of community when they got too high handed. Most of the decent people left, and were supplanted by the 'pure business' approach. But the pure 'community all working together' is not a successful business model either, and never has been. Some people clearly hit a niche here, and it worked for them. That niche is clearly not yet here for the types of items I buy and sell, Would I pay? - sure would - for a decent community - honest feedback - and adequate investment in the marketplace. 2 outta 3 is not good enough. I wouldn't go back to the hairballs at eprey for any price, including not doing auction business at all. But the direction here needs change as well.

[foxescome]

When I started selling on eBid in January I knew it wouldn't earn me a living but it has increased my earnings and already have my joining fee paid back and so everything else is profit now. I also didn't put all my eggs in one basket but put in a lot of work to get sales here.

I don't think that's too bad and believe things are getting better here.

I am a happy bunny

[youmeus]

I took a look at your Me page so I could see what you are sellling. There was nothing listed so of course you can't sell anything to me. What do you really want help with?

[lejoueurdepipeau]

I'm sorry OP - but I don't understand - how do you expect to sell anything on eBid when you have nothing listed ??