FAIR SHAKE

I am sorry that I got to the meeting too late to voice my opinion about a person sending their own personal email/letter to the media versus all of us sending the exact same official kit.

I believe there is a place for both, but I agree with ChristmasCruise that sending one's own communication to the media (if that person realizes how to write professionally) can be of great benefit and that sending the same kit by everyone could be a detriment in some cases.

I refer to my experience during the February boycott. At least three of us (not known to each other) and probably more contacted the Colorado NBC affiliate. The good that came out of this is that the station broadcasted a three minute segment on both the evening news and then also the nightly news. The one on the evening news was the most "touching". They showed an interview with a disabled older lady who made beautiful jewelry and sold it on eBay. It was a most heart renching feeling as we watched her attempting to hold back her tears as she showed her fine jewelry and did not know what she was going to do to continue to make a living.

Now, if instead of sending our own feelings to the local network, each sent the same press kit, they may have considered it spamming and also would not have known of the human interest story that I am sure caused many viewers to watch and to shed some tears ..

Please, I do not mean to offend anyone .. I just want to point out that both sides of the coin has its benefits.

If you would like to view the news segment that I spoke of, click on the following link:

http://www.9news.com/video/player.aspx?aid=48703&bw=

Thank you for "listening" to my 2 cents :).
Dee

(if that person realizes how to write professionally)

The press do not need writers they have their own, and in the media there is always one question, what is the human story? If there is none then there is no story. So I agree with trainsuniqu2

I am about to download the press release stuff and just hoping it is not all the same as I have read so far, as most of what I have read in this press release section, is just backing up ebay and giving them more add space, as from what I have read, why should the press care about your opinion when you do not have one.

Sorry just my opinion.

hotandvintage ...

Thank you for your understanding and support.
Fair Shake, thank you for providing for the opportunity for this correspondance.

Dee

Hotandvintage, I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to that you have read that you think is "backing up eBay"--but you do need to understand that a press release, while obviously written to stress a point of view favorable to the writer, is STILL supposed to be reasonably objective, as news reports are meant to be.

The Press release itself is meant to be written so that a publisher could use it as is, shorten it, edit it, and so on--but if they just wanted a "space filler" without much work, it would be convenient for them. Ideally, the entire press kit would grab the interest of a reporter, who would then make their own story of it. THAT, undoubtedly, would try to more thoroughly show "both sides" of the issue.

We are all learning as fast as we can, and doing the best we can. There were many obstacles to getting this press kit completed, but it was the best that we could do under the circumstances.

If there are others who would like to write their own, we would be happy to post them here as possible variations. I moved Trains' comments to this section, because I thought they were valid, as well. I think we need to continue our efforts at press coverage, from a LOT of different angles, as I have noticed that there seems to be a great LACK of coverage for this current boycott.

I believe someone is working on making a shorter version of the one we currently have posted, which may appear in the next day or two. But I really would encourage everyone who has an idea for a "slant" or a different presentation, to contribute their own finished products here for use by others. There has been a lot of work that has taken place in the Maple room as far as finding appropriate people to send them to at the various media outlets, so this should get easier as we all work at it, and understand how it all works.

FirmGrip ..

You summed it up very nicely ..

Thank you :),
Dee

The press release in my opinion has made just about every error it can and like I said has made life so much easier for ebay.

A few of them

When this all first started ebay wanted it to be a buyer seller row, using their stooges on the boards to promote that. But it failed as buyers and sellers began to make noise.

Now ebay are trying to make it all about the feedback, as then they can just say it is only bad sellers that are complaining and we want rid of them, so, so what.
To most of the people I have spoken to on this matter it is not just the feedback or the higher fees, it is more about the last three years of mishandling by ebay, where they have turned what was once a fun and profitable place to be into a place that has no or little security, even for sellers or buyers that have been on ebay for years and the most recent changes are just making that worse.
Most onetime proud ebay buyers and sellers are no longer looking at boycotting ebay but are looking to the alternative auctions, as they see ebays actions and misunderstanding of the current stagnation of ebay caused by the past three years of change, brought on by ebays ineptitude, as the last straw.
Long time sellers that have been with ebay from day one, and feel they have been part of the building process, are now too afraid to band together and move to a single auction site, in what they have said would be the creation of another ebay.

As ebay want to make it about this issue you have to make it different.

You read through that first press release letter and you go on about the American boycott just about that is only now bringing in the international ebayers.

That is another mistake to me, as people are already trying to say it is just the Americans, when people ask about the boycott.

Where is the emphasis on the alternatives and their increases during the last boycott and this one, what about the OLA rummage sale.

What about the sleeping giant Ebid that had its plans dashed by ebay in the past but is now thanks to ebays mishandling of their online auction are suddenly having a surge in new members .

The last thing I will mention is where is the story?

You have relisted what they will have in a file from the last one, and added nothing for them to write about.

You have to have something to release in a press release not just go over old news, or it will be ignored.

Sorry again but you are working against an ebay team that are putting out a ton of small stories to make this all look like nothing so you have to make it relevant, make it international and make it count, as they will only read it once and at the moment they will add it to the file as old news.

I appreciate your critique, and it is obvious you have thought this through a great deal. This press release was put together trying to pull together the ideas that came out of the meeting that was held here.

We are trying to encourage others to put together their own press kits; as was pointed out, it is quite possible that hearing from many people in different ways on the same subject might indeed help to grab some attention.

I look forward to seeing your version!

No I don't have the time to do it I'm afraid, just trying to advise from what I am seeing.

I tried to find time during the meeting but, too much on, and sorry I could not make it more presentable but I only had a few minutes before picking up the wife from her mothers.

But the basic point I was trying to get across is that someone has to try and look at the way ebay are trying to portray this, as what you have in that release is playing into their hands in my opinion.

You can see the ebay stories being trickled out all the time, they tend to be some obscure person, who has been an ebay seller for years and is offering false information, like the boycott is a one day boycott, in the last few I read. Then you have a couple of quotes from an ebay head of department that push the ebay standpoint.

One tip I would give you about that press release would be to print a copy and then strike out anything you can find that was printed before, either online or in/on other sections of the media, as that is what they have on file, so is not news to them.

All you have is that there is a new organisation called FaiShake that is bringing together all the groups and helping in the effort to promote online trading for those that wish to move on from ebay to the alternatives, and to try and offer ebay and its users a place to talk but ebay have so far not responded.
But that is being burried by all the back story you are offering.

I am not trying to pull apart the work that has been put into what you have, just trying to show that you may be missing a lot.

hotandvintage, I've just rewritten a new version of the cover letter and the press release, and both will be put up after final proofing. I realize you are offering what you feel to be constructive criticisms about our site and about the press release. Forgive what is obviously some defensiveness on my part for what I'm about to say.

This boycott is a grass roots effort, and so is the work that is done in regard to it. Many of us are NOT professionals, at least we do not have professional experience nor any previous background in boycotting. Those of us who contributed toward the writing of the release, and for that matter, those of us who founded Fair Shake, had had no prior experience in either starting or running a website or in writing press kits.

That the only existing press kit I've seen yet is the one offered here speaks volumes to me: it says that although there are several hundred, perhaps more like several thousand people involved in the boycott, many of whom certainly have professional backgrounds in writing, in working with or for the media, in mediation, in legal work, 4-5 people without any of the above experience are the ones who got one done. And now those who do have the above kinds of experience will undoubtedly tear it apart.

You say you don't have time to offer your help toward writing the kind of release you feel should be written and I understand that. I have very little time myself due to a chronic illness among many other things. I made time to rewrite the cover and release last night, between the hours of 7pm and 5:30 am last morning.

And I have no illusions that it will not fall short as well of so many people's expectations.

I have worked, like many, without pay for the last 3 1/2 months on this boycott, and like many, suffered many personal consequences for doing so, the least of which being that because I have been out front putting forth actual work I've been subject to much criticism, anger, and alienation, as have others who work more than they talk.

Had I spent all this time simply offering constructive criticism I could have avoided all risk to the quality of my work and to my character. I still have doubts as to whether it has been worth it and so I don't fault you one bit.
I only ask that you consider the position of those you are critiquing, their level of exhaustion and their current states of mind.

Sorry I thought it was still open to group discussion but if it is set in stone then I will shut up and let you get on with it.

And like I said before I am not trying to put down the work put in by those who put their time and effort into it, just trying to list some of the problems, as I see them, that are often not clear when you are so close.

No sweat, hopefully, I'm wrong, and it all works out the way we all want it to in the end.

hotandvintage wrote:Sorry I thought it was still open to group discussion but if it is set in stone then I will shut up and let you get on with it.

And like I said before I am not trying to put down the work put in by those who put their time and effort into it, just trying to list some of the problems, as I see them, that are often not clear when you are so close.

No sweat, hopefully, I'm wrong, and it all works out the way we all want it to in the end.

Hot, Anything said here is always open to group discussion and nothing is ever set in stone. Please rest assured that my voicing an opinion doesn't mean that it isn't, and I honestly do appreciate that you care enough to voice yours. You had some very strong critisicm for the press release and I have strong feelings about why it is what it is. Please don't take it for anything more, and understand that there is a difference between not valuing your opinion and dissagreeing with it.

You ARE right, it IS flawed, and I sincerely hope the revised one is better. I like that word "we". I hope that we can get through this together, sincerely!

Sorry again if it seemed I was criticising, I was hoping for it to come across as advice but the written word could have me shot the amount of times what I mean and what I say never seem to be the same.

What I should have said was you have a lot of what looks like backstory and what I know of people in most forms of the media, they consider their time is as important as their money, if not more so, and that does mean they will drop anything that does not seem to come to the point fast enough for them.

I was wondering any of the people you mentioned any good with stats? Maybe it is time to start spreading out over the other forums to create some stats and start gathering some quotes from those people that have strong views on this subject.
The press will go for quotes so maybe if you can provide some that are more suited to our needs, then they will be used.

The quotes is easy either a selction of questions or let people tell how they feell or see this mess and use the best of it.

The stats will show what you want them to show but even though the press know they are all carp they seem to love them.

Like I say above just some advice, to use or not

Hot, excellent points. I am working on some quotes but could use some help with stats. I'd be particularly interested in the percentage of Powers Sellers qualifying for discounts tied to DSRs, as well as declines in sell-thru. Is there anyone you could direct me to for some numbers? If so, I'd greatly appreciate your PMing me here with any contacts. And again, all of us very much appreciate your activity on this forum! Best, Susie

Hot, I think many people feel in limbo right now, with the current boycott underway, and no end in sight. You are right in possibly needing to look more to the future, and I have been trying to consider what you are saying about providing NEW news. Apparently, for whatever reason, the press is not interested in covering what we have submitted, at least not so far.

And I would like to create a new press release, focused on what is being done in this changing climate of online marketing. But first, we need to truly make a commitment to generating effective influence on alternative marketplaces, and in joining together to make our influence stronger. It won't take hundreds of people to make that change, but it will take a lot of work from a lot of dedicated people who are interested in affecting the future.

Along with ideas, we need people who will be willing to work on acting on them, and also on recruiting others who are willing to put their skills and knowledge to work. Fair Shake is still a dream that has not fully been launched, but I feel that we have a good start with some intelligent and industrious people giving us support. If we can generate some real activity on this site (AND among the branch sites we are bringing together here), and pool our resources to get some real work done, I think we will MAKE the news we want the public to know about.

You've presented some good ideas, and I hope that along the way you and others will help to promote involvement here, and suggestions for what really needs to be done at this point.

Perhaps eBay IS becoming old news. But the change in the online marketplace is the NEW news--and it is change that we can all influence, if we put our energy together and make it happen.

Lets make some news!! :o)

I strongly agree - I think that the great news of the day is the way sellers have come together to help each other -even their competitors!

One of the nicest people I've met in my online travels has been another toy and model train seller. They have a link on my website and have given me good advice.

I have really been heartened by the fact that really large powersellers have taken the time to help mid-level sellers like myself and even very small sellers. There is no better advice than that tested through experience and I think these people have been absolutely wonderful.