FAIR SHAKE

Press Release, Contacts, and other information BELOW:
(rtf Document for download will be included at the end of each Page)
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[align=right]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE[/align]

Contact:
Fair Shake Buyers & Sellers Network
http://fairshake.freeforums.org
Laurel Skelton
“FirmGrip” at Fair Shake
firmgripfairshake@yahoo.com
See further contacts below Press Release
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[font=Arial Black]eBay: Maybe “not for you”[/font]
Sellers launch a worldwide boycott for May 1st - Band together to sell “Elsewhere”[/align]

May 5, 2008 – Eugene, Oregon, USA - The world-renowned auction venue known as eBay, whose business model is, "We listen to our customers," built both its reputation and its financial success as the world's largest marketplace on the backs of its core customers, the auction sellers, and the fees paid by them for multi-tiered selling and stores platforms, listing fees and enhancements, and a percentage of seller's profits.
Sellers were happy to pay. In return for their investment they were offered an opportunity to build a secure and viable home-based business limited only by their own imaginations and determination to succeed.

Buyers were happy as well. They were given the largest selection of unique merchandise on the planet, the excitement of the live auction experience and the thrill of "the hunt" for one-of-a-kind treasures at competitive prices.

Many of eBay’s sellers were content (perhaps much too content) with a platform based on community values still proudly stated on the eBay website as follows:

· People are basically good.
· We believe everyone has something to contribute.
· We believe that an honest, open environment can bring out the best in people.
· We recognize and respect everyone as a unique individual.
· We encourage you to treat others the way you want to be treated.

Since the inception of its new CEO, John Donahoe, eBay has developed a new approach, which redirects its focus toward high-volume retailers at the expense of their long-time core customers. While eBay advocates that these changes are for the good of all, those resisting the changes believe they are seriously hurting the businesses of all but the largest sellers. Judging by Donahoe’s comments in the media, "Mom and Pop" sellers will be a thing of the past on eBay after all his promised policies are implemented.

These policies include a loss of feedback privileges for sellers (they will be forced to leave “positive only” feedback for buyers, no matter what the circumstances of the transaction), punitive measures for a failure to achieve at least a 4.7 out of 5 star performance rating, increased commissions on sales, and possible 21 day holds on money received through its subsidiary, PayPal. While those are the changes being implemented so far in the United States, other countries are seeing changes such as a mandatory and exclusive use of PayPal for money exchange. Punitive measures include inferior placement in the eBay default search engine and a failure to qualify for discounts in listing fees.

Many eBay customers view the implementation of these policies as a complete contradiction to eBay's stated values. They feel eBay is trying to pit buyers and sellers against each other. Unbalanced feedback rules will commence soon, leaving buyers with opportunities to "renegotiate" completed transactions by threatening negative feedback, and leaving sellers with no way to warn others of bidders defaulting on payment or other terms of the auction. Another concern is the new across-the-board hiding of bidders' identities, which may increase the likelihood of shill bidding, and closes off helpful analysis of the auction process by both buyer and seller. Many sellers believe that the complicated new default search rules will leave them without the exposure they've paid for with their auction listing fees, thus erasing the possibility of success. Buyers are concerned, as well, that with eBay's new emphasis on promoting retail sales rather than auctions of unique items, eBay is chasing off shoppers’ favorite sellers, and those few remaining will have their items buried beneath massive listings of more ordinary, often imported merchandise.

Guardian.co.uk reports: “For its part, eBay is holding firm on the changes. Its spokesperson, Usher Lieberman, told guardian.co.uk there is no place on eBay for sellers who do not give buyers exceptional customer service and the ‘vocal minority' who are unhappy ‘will be routed off’ the site. ‘We have set the bar high,’ he admitted.” (Emphasis added.)

In a speech to sellers last week, Lorrie Norrington, President of Global Marketplace Operations, said, "If you cannot, or will not, change business practices to provide a great customer experience, then eBay is not for you. As I said before, sellers who do not make customer service a priority make it difficult for everyone and are not welcome on eBay,” reported AuctionBytes.com. (Emphasis added.) In Norrington’s final comments, she added: “Finally, if I can leave you with just one message from today, it is that you're not just an eBay seller, you are an eBay customer. This is a change in perspective at eBay and one that I think that will benefit both buyers and sellers.”

Comments in the media from eBay representatives have left sellers frustrated by what seems to be a conflicting message. As entrepreneurs, they understand well the need for quality customer service, and as customers of eBay, are left wishing eBay would take its own advice. Perhaps a part of the irony is that eBay seems to have forgotten that many if not most users of eBay participate in both buying and selling.

Viewed solely from a business standpoint, it is easy to see that the decisions of this company are a gamble, as they are abandoning their core business in pursuit of profiling itself on business models like those of Amazon.com, while turning a blind eye to the multitude of small businesses they once encouraged and helped create—now dooming them to failure.

From a humanitarian standpoint, eBay's actions will undoubtedly cause hardship for millions of sellers worldwide who depend on their few sales for support, at a time of global financial instability and U.S. economic recession. Many of those affected are handicapped, caregivers, disabled veterans, senior citizens, single mothers, students, and anyone for whom a traditional means of income is not an option. The direction eBay is taking heralds a loss of what eBay once offered: the hope of attaining the American Dream, even for those who live beyond its borders.

Perhaps the real story here is that this resistance effort is different from past boycotts, as it is the beginning of a new era of entrepreneurship. No longer will sellers put all their eggs in one basket. Sellers and buyers alike are joining various boycott groups which have sprung up across the internet and around the world. Fair Shake Buyers & Sellers Network (fairshake.freeforums.org) is a relatively new forum networking the efforts of individuals and groups, and is taking the issue beyond the boycott to help people build a web presence and coordinate their efforts with other sellers. Volunteers are making plans to offer technical help on building websites and online stores, select appropriate sales venues, and make other informed choices to help them succeed in their online business. For consumers, some sites offer links to aggregated search engines for locating items sold by former eBay sellers in their new venues.

Never before have people joined together en masse from all corners of the globe to offer help to their fellow merchants, even their competitors. A new day is dawning for online sellers and it does not bode well for eBay.[align=right]

Reporter Contacts For Further Information:



Fair Shake Buyers & Sellers Network
Link for Reporters - Post A New Topic In "Media Personnel"
With questions or contact information, and someone will respond
http://fairshake.freeforums.org/the-news-room-c4.html

Publisher, eMail Underground Boycott Newsletter
Name: Mrs. Beth Smith
eMail: bmarcus-smith@comcast.net
Phone: 508.807.1465

Bi-lingual international correspondent
Name: Paula (Anonymous)
eMail: gymquail@aol.com
Phone: (Phone interview by email request)

Administrator, Fair Shake
Name: Laurel Skelton
eMail: LaurelSkelton@comcast.net
Phone: (Phone interview by email request)

Administrator, Fair Shake
Name:
Phone: (Phone interview by email request)

Administrator, Fair Shake
Name: Debra Thoreson
eMail: D_Thoreson@comcast.net
Phone: (Phone interview by email request)

Internet Links for Further Information



NEWS ARTICLES

TIMES ONLINE - SILICON VALLEY CULTURE CLASH AS eBAY SUES CRAIGSLIST
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b ... 821507.ece

GUARDIAN.CO.UK - AUCTION SITE EBAY DEFIES BOYCOTT THREATS
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008 ... ay.boycott

TIMES ONLINE UK - SELLERS REVOLT AS EBAY GOES CORPORATE
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 779829.ece

TODAY TONIGHT REPORT - EBAY AND PAYPAL
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KAlM0E-zrhM

CNN MONEY - EBAY’S NEW SEARCH SLASHES SALES FOR SOME SELLERS
http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/18/smbusin ... /index.htm

STREET INSIDER - STIFEL NICOLAUS DOWNGRADES EBAY (EBAY) TO HOLD
http://www.streetinsider.com/Downgrades ... 68654.html

CNBC - EBAY SUES CRAIGSLIST OVER ALLEGED STAKE DILUTION
http://www.cnbc.com/id/24260181/for/cnbc/

CNN MONEY – CRAIGSLIST FIRES BACK AT EBAY OVER LAWSUIT
http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/23/technol ... ney_latest

REUTERS – EBAY’S MEG WHITMAN TO CO-CHAIR MCCAIN’S CAMPAIGN
http://www.reuters.com/article/politics ... liticsNews

AUCTION BYTES - IS EBAY MOVING TOWARD A FREE LISTING MODEL?
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m04/i22/s04

AUCTION BYTES – eBAY TELLS SELLERS, SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m04/i24/s02


SONGS & VIDEOS

THE RAIN HAS COME.mp3 by "Balzenawe"-Song inspired by and written for eBay protesters
http://boxstr.com/files/1577453_yak7d/T ... 20COME.mp3

DEATH OF EBAY VIDEO by thch123
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs3o3Ed3Rog

THE RAIN HAS COME MUSIC VIDEO by "Gymquail" featuring photos of eBay protesters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQWU_ge42oU


ALTERNATIVE SHOPPING PROMOTIONS

AGGREGATED SEARCH ENGINES FOR SHOPPERS in development
(On Private Website):
http://pennsylvania-antiques.com/services.html
(On Forum, at Bottom of the Home Page):
http://www.pheebay.com/forums/index.php


COMPETITION PUBLICITY EFFORT BY EX-EBAY SELLERS
http://www.squidoo.com/olarummagesale


CORRESPONDENCE WITH EBAY

GRIEVANCES & TERMS AND DISCUSSION DOCUMENTS RECEIVED BY EBAY
http://fairshake.freeforums.org/officia ... -t317.html

ALTERNATIVE SALES VENUES


AUCTION SITES

iOffer
http://www.ioffer.com/

Bidville
http://www.bidville.com/

eCrater
http://www.ecrater.com/

eBid
http://us.ebid.net/

CQout
http://www.cqout.com/

blujay
http://www.blujay.com/

OnlineAuction
http://www.onlineauction.com/

ePier
http://www.epier.com/

specialishauctions
http://specialistauctions.com

tazbar
http://www.tazbar.com

wagglepop
http://www.wagglepop.com/bin/Auction

Webidz
http://www.webidz.com/

AuctionQuests
http://www.auctionquests.com/

PlunderHere
http://www.plunderhere.com/auction/cgi-bin/Auction

HiBidder
http://www.hibidder.com/

Wensy
http://wensy.com/

Overstock
http://auction.overstock.com/

UBidRight
http://www.ubidright.com/

SPECIALTY (non-auction)

ETSY.com (Handmade items and artwork)
http://www.etsy.com/

LOCALIZED (non-auction)

Craigslist
http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html

NON-AUCTION FORMAT

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/

INTERNATIONAL

Auxion.com (Global)
http://www.auxion.com

eBid (Global)
http://www.ebid.net/

AUSTRALIAN

Oztion.com
http://www.oztion.com.au/

GERMAN

Hood.de
http://www.hood.de

Auvito
http://www.auvito.de

amprice
http://www.amprice.de

UNITED KINGDOM

Link to 44 U.K. Auction sites:
http://tinyurl.com/6aqf2l