Chinese New Year’s Eve tomorrow, so please accept advance greetings and best wishes from both Gaz and myself, we hope to see you all here regularly through a prosperous 2009 and Year of the Ox.

The Ox characterises a dependable, patient, methodical, calm, hardworking, materialistic, and ambitious character.  I guess that pretty much summarises BuildaSkill readers and members too?  It certainly describes what each of us will (or should) be doing after the eBay Annus Horriblis of 2008.

However there are a few negative traits associated with the character of the Ox that are also reflected through the people born in the ox-years (1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and now 2009).  Attributes like being narrow-minded, stubborn, low public relations skills, and also very far from being emotional, are generally associated with people born in these years according to Chinese belief … when was John Donahoe born?

Bloggosphere

There’s a couple of new bloggers in the bloggosphere, whose blogs I was introduced to, this week.  The first, CreativeDisposal, is from BuildaSkill member Madelaine Kirke and is aimed at providing advice for decluttering your home and your life.  Apparently Madelaine has been using online venues to dispose of large inherited collections for years, and has learned a thing or two – in particular, that not everything you want rid of, has to be sold.  The other is former eBay addict turned eBid enthusiast Kim Andrews, known to many as byKimbo.  Her Kimblog had a long post recently explaining why she prefers eBid and explaining the basics of how it works.

Blog quote of the week

The pick goes to ex eBay-Pink (now of vzaar) Dan Wilson, this week, even though it’s from a post made last week that I somehow missed.  Dan’s “eBay in 2009: Boom or Bust” is a must read post -

eBay should be able to prosper and flourish in the bad times. But I’m not certain it will. The new interventionist streak exposed by the executives in 2008 (DSRs, compulsory Free P&P in some categories, Best Match) means that sellers have less flexibility to make eBay work for them. Nanny doesn’t necessarily know best and I generally have more confidence in the collective wisdom of eBay sellers over that of staff at eBay central.

When former prominent eBay staffers (who left during the “good” times) make such statements, then surely it must be a wake up call for the Head Office and shareholders?

Discussions & Forums

In the BuildaSkill Forums this week -

• In the USA, USPS and UPS applied their new rates this week, and USPS introduced a new smaller flat rate box
• eBay.com also introduced year-date Item Specifics in a short list of categories – is it a trial for a broader implementation later in the year?
• eBay.com.au announced 4 major policy updates – Pre-sales Policy, Postage & Handling Pricing Policy, Handling Times Policy, Returns Policy – expanding eBay’s reach and control over how sellers conduct their online sales on the platform down-under.
• European Commission Interim Economic Forecast for 2009-10. GDP growth in the European Union is expected to fall by 1.8 % in 2009 before recovering moderately to 0.5% in 2010

Looking Ahead

I’m just on my way to the airport – off on assignment again – so unfortunately it’s a very brief Sunday Papers this week.  Should be back to normal next week though.

Ed