eBay UK & IE want the Cheap Charlies for Christmas

By Ed | November 16th, 2008 | Category: eBay IE, eBay UK | No Comments »

eBay.co.uk and eBay.ie have launched their Christmas marketing campaigns aiming to attract the “cheap charlies, pikeys, and penny pinchers” (UK slang terms) rather than promote the uniqueness and variety of items available on the sites.

Off-eBay blogs and discussion boards are already buzzing about the negative effects that a similar campaign had last Christmas season, and the sellers appear no happier about it this year – even the current economic climate is seen as no excuse for devaluing the eBay brand and the items offered for sale through it.

Sellers have posted on most sites I’ve looked at, that it’s the penny-pinchers and penniless that are delivering the worst feedback ratings – both in general feedback and in DSRs – due to having no concept of genuine product and shipping costs, and that as eBay’s “free shipping” brainwashing continues, the DSR averages for shipping costs and despatch time are continuing to fall.

I’m reckoning that the only useful purpose for UK & IE this Christmas season is as a channel for loss-leaders and warehouse clearance items, which will naturally cause slim pickings in the January sales – might as well list pre-Christmas for 50% of normal price, than wait until after Boxing Day and have to list at 10% of regular, in order to attract buyers – hmmm?