As a dispute resolution guy, I keep my ear to the ground on any developments in the world of online conflict management. And it appears there's been a mini-boomlet in innovation as of late. First came the launch of peoplescourtraw.com, which enables people in a disagreement to upload short video clips stating their case, which is then put to the site's visitors to decide. Then a few weeks later came AllRise.com, an Israeli startup that looks quite a bit like the Community Court eBay UK announced last fall (but subsequently canceled) in that panels of online juries decide cases submitted on the site.
The question these sites raise for me is how applicable these models would be to eBay and PayPal. A little while ago a friend sent me a post by Zac Bissonnette on a stock discussion board that suggested Judge Judy would be an ideal solution to eBay's problems with sloppy sellers and fraudulent buyers. The post included a link to a widely circulated YouTube video taken from a Judge Judy episode that dealt with a dispute between two eBay members. From the post:
"Kelli Filkins appeared on Judge Judy to defend plaintiffs' claim that she had defrauded them on eBay by sending them a picture of a phone they paid $240 for. She claimed that the ad said it was for a picture only.
What ensued is possibly the greatest smackdown in the history of Judge Judy -- who told Ms. Filkins that she is an "outrageous person." The sharp-tongued judge went on to say: "If you live to 120, you're not gonna be as smart as I am in one finger. You may weigh more, but you're not gonna be smarter than I am in one figure." Burn sauce!
Given Judy's reputation as a no-nonsense judge who will crack down on shenanigans, eBay could work out a licensing deal to brand its complaint resolution system as "Judge Judy" -- and run an ad campaign where she talks about her commitment to making eBay a safe place for buyers and sellers."
Objection sustained
Now as a dispute resolution guy, watching Judge Judy gives me hives. It seems less about resolving the problem between the two parties than about providing an excuse for Judge Judy to indulge her rage-a-holic tendencies by belittling and abusing the people in front of her. For some reason, people like to watch this kind of thing. I also think that because Judge Judy uses the trappings of the judicial system (big wooden desk, robes, etc.) people think that what she's dishing out is justice. She may "tell it like it is," (a la Simon on American Idol) but I think the "burn sauce" mentioned above is unnecessary and inappropriate.
All rise for Judge Griff? That said, maybe members of the eBay Community would like to be able to bring their disputes in front of a forum like AllRise, the People's Court, or Judge Judy. Well, not Judge Judy, necessarily -- but maybe Judge Griff? If both the buyer and seller agreed to resolve their dispute that way then I don't see why eBay should prevent it. Maybe we could make it transparent and let others in the community come and review the processes as well, like this Judge Judy video.
I'd be interested to hear what readers of the blog would say about this idea (you can leave your comments on the Chatter blog discussion board). Personally, I think that resolving disputes by mutual agreement is the best way to go, because it builds trust and the members involved are much more likely to abide by a decision that they personally approved. But the judicial model does have a long track record of success, and it might be useful in some cases -- especially if it was a way for the Community to enforce the standards instead of eBay and PayPal employees.
It's Bike to Work Day today and eBayers are enthusiastically putting their mettle to the pedal. Employees have been riding in to work from far and wide, even though temperatures are predicted to hit 100 here today. (Last year a few employees actually biked all the way from San Francisco, a whopping 50 mile ride!).
Actually eBay's campuses have always had a healthy (pun intended) share of people who bike in to work regularly, thanks to the Bay Area generally having pleasant weather all year round. You can always count on seeing a few bikes parked by the stairs on the first floors of most buildings on campus. And more and more people have been getting on their bikes lately. After all, it's healthy, it's good for the environment, and it saves you money (with gas prices these days, filling up might be more painful than a visit to the dentist!).
One of eBay's regular bikers is our very own Griff, who has a "weighty" message for you delivered with the usual Griff enthusiasm. Check it out in this video.
If the recent cyclone in Myanmar wasn't enough proof of Mother Nature's power, this week's 7.9 earthquake in China certainly is. The latest death toll is an incredible 15,000 people, with many more thousands missing or buried under rubble. Rescue and relief efforts are underway, with many aid agencies from across the world rushing to help.
Similar to their move to help the Myanmar cyclone victims, the eBay Giving Works team has set up a page to support the relief efforts in China. You can help these efforts by visiting www.ebay.com/chinaearthquake
and buying or selling to benefit these organizations, or donating cash directly
to the China Earthquake Relief Fund.
I want to follow up on my call for new seller stories by sharing a few of them with you over the next few weeks. I received nearly 200 (and they are still coming in!) and I hope to feature some of the best here starting with April Puchala, owner of The Toy Bakery.
We had the pleasure of meeting April and her husband Danny last week when they visited San Jose as part of the latest group of members in the Voices of the Community program. Despite some apprehension about air travel, April agreed to fly to California with Danny from their home base in Florida in order to participate in Voices. Here is her the gist of her story:
Hey Griff :)
My name is April. I'm a stay at home mom in my late 20's. I've known my husband since we were kids. When we got out of high school he joined the Marines. After serving and coming home, we got married. Since then he's served a tour in the Army and even the Coast Guard! After living in New Orleans during and after the infamous Hurricane Katrina, he decided after 12 years of service, it was time to move our 2 girls into a more structured environment.
However, it has been at a cost. Last Christmas, we purchased a new home in a small town north of where we grew up. No longer able to depend on the benefits of being military and now my husband starting all over at a new position in a civilian job, our finances started to feel a weight we've never known.
So what else could I do to assist my family as a stay at home mom?
During the Christmas season, I had purchased some lovely play foods on eBay for our daughters as presents. After seeing their love for the newfound toys, I decided to start selling them myself. I anticipated our tax return which came the 2nd week of February and carefully spent every penny on getting this idea in the works.
I decided on a very original idea that I had been thinking about since I was a child and enjoyed my own play foods. I named my store "The Toy Bakery." Our motto is "Get the Baker's Best without the Mess!" I package all of my play foods in real gourmet boxes and wrappings. It's a very cool idea that the kids and parents seem to really love. I get compliments in my feedback and in emails a lot from my new customers.
Marketing has also been quite easy even inside of eBay. From my monthly coloring contest, to my 100% to charity auctions, I am trying hard to utilize all eBay has to offer me AND my customers. I held my first coloring contest my first month in business and sent a coloring page to my customers with their orders. To my delight, I had several entries and I named 2 grand prize winners! I had to put off my contest for April to finish working on my store, but I am already getting submissions for my May contest!
It was scary at first. Families come to rely on tax returns quite heavily and ours was no different. I really put our money at risk trying this new endeavor. But honestly, It's been about 2 months since I've been listing on eBay and I'm actually making money... already! I even have my first import coming in from overseas for some great play foods. Not only that I have made countless sales internationally to places I had to look on a map to see where it was! It's amazing how this has changed me, educated me and given me a feeling of self-accomplishment beyond the joy of being a mother and wife. I feel so blessed to be able to express myself, make money AND still be able to take care of my children and husband without leaving my home!
What other job in the world can a mother fill her orders in her PJs and stop to change a diaper than to be an eBay-mom? I have high expectations for my business, I truly believe my brand name will be known and I can say it all started right here on eBay!
Thank you for taking the time to read my family’s story. I wish you all the best!
Baker April The Toy Bakery "Get the Baker's Best without the Mess!"
Big and small sellers; full and part time sellers; high and low volume sellers; commodity and unique item sellers; every single one is an integral part of eBay's extraordinary marketplace of sellers. April is a perfect representative of the single-owner, small businesses that bring an unequaled selection of unusual and rare merchandise to eBay. They play an integral role in the eBay marketplace. Without them, there would be no eBay.
In the weeks leading up to eBay Live!, I will be celebrating and championing small start-up sellers like April for the inspiration and delight they bring to everyone on eBay, buyers and fellow sellers alike.
Here's a short video interview I did with April during her visit to San Jose.
If you've been to eBay Live! in the past few years, you've probably heard (or heard of) the eNotes. Made up of our Dispute Resolution guru -- and very own Chatter contributor -- Colin Rule, cross-border trade expert Sarah Brubacher, and Larry Friedberg of PayPal fame, they're well-known for entertaining crowds in the Community Lounge with their a cappella versions of classic love ballads modified to have an eBay twist.
But this year, we were treated to a sneak preview. We hosted a Voices of the Community group last week, and Colin and Sarah were guests at our dinner at Left Bank (Larry unfortunately couldn't make it). After some cajoling, the two agreed to do a few of their hits....well, ok, it didn't take much cajoling. We were on an outdoor patio, and I think we shattered the restaurant's record for "strange looks from pedestrians wondering what those crazy people were singing about." But at the very least, I think we entertained our fantastic server Milena and David, the restaurant manager.
Because we didn't want to limit this treat just to Voices, we did an impromptu taping of the session, so check it out below. It's a little grainy because we were using a handheld camera, and there's some lead-in to get through as they gather up their courage. But they end up doing a great job, and if you're with us at eBay Live! in Chicago this June, you might get lucky and be treated to the real thing.
If you've seen the news, you're probably already aware of the tragic aftermath of the cyclone in Myanmar. We know that a lot of people will be looking to help, so our eBay Giving Works team has set up a special page at www.ebay.com/myanmarrelief to make it easy for you to buy or sell items, with some or all of the final sale price going directly towards the relief efforts. You can also read more about it on their WhatGives?! blog as well.
Have you ever been driving down the street and see something that makes you do a double take or drive around the block one more time to validate what you thought you saw? Such was the case when I saw a certain diesel Ford truck. I just had to ask, "Where'd you get that truck?" (and for those that know me, I can talk to the wall if I think there's a chance of it talking back).
I was (pleasantly) surprised when when the driver of the pickup responded with 'eBay.' Now, most of us know that eBay Motors is a great place to buy a vehicle. But this was a really nice (read: expensive) truck, and buying a vehicle is a major purchase. I wondered what he thought about buying it from someone he didn't know, so I had to follow up with "why did you choose eBay and not go to one of the local dealerships?"
(By the way, If you've never used eBay Motors, it's the place to find the exact vehicle you want -- easily. Whether you know the exact make, model, and year of your dream collectible car, or you’re just starting out and still haven’t decided between a car and a truck, we have the tools and features to help you find the right vehicle.)
That's how I met Wyatt Bodray (wbodray on eBay) and learned about his Ford Diesel pickup. He even agreed to let me film his answers to my questions, although I've transcribed much of them below.
Me: What made you chose eBay over local dealers when looking for a vehicle? wbodray: Price, selection-what they had to offer, you can search from your home…you can find what you want, you just have search for it. Me: How do prices compare shopping on eBay to say, shopping locally? wbodray: They're great! There are so many sellers/businesses out there willing to give you a good deal. Me: How does one get their vehicle, I mean, due to the size, you can't ship it FedEx, UPS, or USPS wbodray: Right. I actually flew to Weslaco,Texas. The seller met me at the airport, we went back to the dealership where I paid for the truck, signed the papers, and drove home. Me: If someone were looking to buy a vehicle on eBay, do have any tips for the buyer to make that process a little easier? wbodray: I think good communication is key! You have to talk to the seller, you have to keep the communication between one another going. You tell them what's going on, they tell you, When you communicate, things turn out – it's great! Me: Hey, I've got about 50K miles on my vehicle and maybe that's where I'll get my next one. wbodray: eBay's the place to do it! Me: Hey, thanks for your time!
When speaking with Wyatt, I asked him what his favorite eBay moment was (aside from buying the truck). Without hesitation, he replied, "When I received the forks for my bike from howlingwolfntx64, there was a thank you note from the seller included with the purchase. I still have a copy of the note."
And because I'm the curious type, I asked Wyatt what he typically looked for in a seller, to which he responded, "The biggest thing on eBay is the shipping. I look at what sellers are charging for shipping and if it's way too much, I keep on searching. I also look at their feedback. I have a hard time buying from someone with a 90% feedback. But you also have to consider the number of items they've sold in relation to their feedback." He went on to say one of his better buys were the oil filters for his pickup."Napa charges $75 per oil filer. I can get a set of 3 for $59 on eBay."
Before I sign off, here's a bit of trivia - Did you know a passenger vehicle sells every 56 seconds on eBay Motors and that on April 17th, we announced that the 3 millionth vehicle was sold on eBay Motors!?! This is a testament not only to the site, but also to the Motors Community that has made eBay Motors the #1 automotive destination on the Web. My apologies in advance for the video quality - the wind was howling, camera battery was low - in spite of the technical difficulties, Wyatt remained a rock star. Now here he is to tell us (in his own words) why he chose eBay as the place to shop for his dream truck...
Live help
As a dispute resolution guy, I keep my ear to the ground on any developments in the world of online conflict management. And it appears there's been a mini-boomlet in innovation as of late. First came the launch of peoplescourtraw.com, which enables people in a disagreement to upload short video clips stating their case, which is then put to the site's visitors to decide. Then a few weeks later came AllRise.com, an Israeli startup that looks quite a bit like the Community Court eBay UK announced last fall (but subsequently canceled) in that panels of online juries decide cases submitted on the site.
Now as a dispute resolution guy, watching Judge Judy gives me hives. It seems less about resolving the problem between the two parties than about providing an excuse for Judge Judy to indulge her rage-a-holic tendencies by belittling and abusing the people in front of her. For some reason, people like to watch this kind of thing. I also think that because Judge Judy uses the trappings of the judicial system (big wooden desk, robes, etc.) people think that what she's dishing out is justice. She may "tell it like it is," (a la Simon on American Idol) but I think the "burn sauce" mentioned above is unnecessary and inappropriate.
