tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post5475839597162409554..comments2008-10-24T13:17:42.561-07:00Randy Smythehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271958472975660101noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-17124141835582311012008-10-24T13:17:00.000-07:002008-10-24T13:17:00.000-07:00The bashers no more hate ebay than a libertarian hates his country. It's that damn <I>government</I>...<BR/><BR/>They <B>adore</B> the original idea of ebay, before favoritism and dishonesty were introduced. In many businesses those traits are necessary, in ebay's model they proved toxic.<BR/><BR/>Actual ebay bashers are the ones who never even gave ebay a try, dismissing sellers as trailer trash. The ones who have sold here only to have our dreams perverted and subsumed have the <B>right</B> to criticize.<BR/><BR/>Small sellers didn&#39;t build ebay so much as Democracy did. A seller lived or died depending solely on their value proposition.<BR/><BR/>Those of us who used the platform as intended really believed that the days of being pushed around by big business were over-- and preached ebay to anyone who would try it. <BR/><BR/>How stupid we were, to think that what happened in other spaces wouldn&#39;t happen here.<BR/><BR/>Don&#39;t peg us as bashers, anon chris &amp; paul. we introduced our girl to ebay- <BR/><BR/>and Ebay Stole Our Girl.permacrisishttp://bonanzle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-52580303952852455172008-10-24T10:05:00.000-07:002008-10-24T10:05:00.000-07:00Gee, I hope my cheerful post didn't produce all this Randy-bashing. :)<BR/><BR/>Like da man said, this ain't an investment blog. At least, not in the strict sense of "stock" blogs - more about ecommerce seller "investment".<BR/><BR/>All I'm interested in is/was Amazon's "transactional" business. I do want them to make a profit (I'm long Amazon), but that isn't my focus on their recent numbers.<BR/><BR/>If their Operating Expenses had been 110% of revenue, they'd have been in a real pickle. I'd have felt bad (really!), but brushed right by that number to see how much BUSINESS they had done.<BR/><BR/>Their customer base grew, their revenue grew and they predicted growth for 4Q08. That's all I needed to see.<BR/><BR/>I don't give a flying-rats-ass about EPS, data crunchin' the metrics, Jim (Bear Sterns is AOK; subprime is AOK) Cramer. I follow Mr. Buffett's advice: invest in the company, not in the numbers.<BR/><BR/>Amazon grows with the economy - when (if?) the economy recovers, they will grow. <BR/><BR/>Ebay? ????????????????Tony P.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-30479595096922188692008-10-24T06:47:00.000-07:002008-10-24T06:47:00.000-07:00Chris,<BR/><BR/>Just post the other blogs here in the comment section. I'm always interested in new perspectives.<BR/><BR/>I would prefer you continue to read my blog and tell me specifically where I'm wrong, so we can have a debate.Randy Smythehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271958472975660101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-37642706243094259442008-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:002008-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:00Paul I also have started to read other blogs. Randy was one of the best blogs to read but all he does now is bash Ebay all day long and tell everyone that Amazon can do no wrong. If you post your e-mail address I will send you some blogs that I have started to read.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-7596893597299368682008-10-23T14:54:00.000-07:002008-10-23T14:54:00.000-07:00I think your blog is great Randy. Its not our fault if the majority of vocal sellers are frustrated with Ebay...I'd say that's Ebay's fault.ms.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09605816120834631344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-749568152745044242008-10-23T10:42:00.000-07:002008-10-23T10:42:00.000-07:00Paul,<BR/><BR/>OnlyeBay does a great job on the positive side of eBay but he doesn't post much anymore.<BR/><BR/>Remember, I'm not really an investment blog. My perspective is that of an online sellers, so that will color my opinions a little.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous, I am always open to discussion so why not use My Blog Utopia to give me your opinion of Amazon.Randy Smythehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271958472975660101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-15800499403121683842008-10-23T10:31:00.000-07:002008-10-23T10:31:00.000-07:00Hey anonymous there are other blogs that are not so negative about Ebay that I read. Try onlyebay.com He has not written much lately but when he did it was fair and balance reporting. Randy is the only one that I kanow that writes about Amazon. Good luckpaulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-10901302461480671382008-10-23T09:55:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:55:00.000-07:00Anonymous, I am sorry to hear that. Amazon is not perfect but the issues I see with them are not as concerning to me as eBay's issues.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure what you expect from the blog. I just write about what I see in the marketplace and what my personal experience is.<BR/><BR/>I will start writing critical posts about Amazon when I see they are making the wrong moves and conversely I will start writing positive posts about eBay when I see they are making positive changes.<BR/><BR/>I hope you will keep reading.Randy Smythehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271958472975660101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-7558018366695038142008-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00Randy: this is your blog and you have the right to write what ever you want. But if you would like to expand your blog and get new readers you have to stop writing only great things about Amazon and negative articles about Ebay.You have grown your blog with angry Ebay sellers. This will only take you so far. Good luck with your blog but you have lost 1 of your blog readers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-86699277009903118042008-10-23T09:24:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:24:00.000-07:00Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>The consensus is roughly $500 million not a billion and most of that ($400 million) is the result of FX. So while Amazon will be affected they are still the place for ecommerce on the web this Christmas. <BR/><BR/>BTW, I do not hate eBay. I want them to change direction, there is a big difference between the two. <BR/><BR/>I own no stock in either eBay or Amazon and this blog is purely my opinion. I've looked at Amazon's numbers and their very conservative guidance for Q4 and believe they are still the place to sell this Christmas.Randy Smythehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271958472975660101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-78618992585063033482008-10-23T09:18:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:18:00.000-07:00I read your blog everyday. But Amazon lowered their numbers up to 1 BILLION dollars. You can be a cheerleader for Amazon all you want but lets look at the numbers and tell it like it is. I know you hate Ebay since your business failed. But Amazon is projecting a very bad Christmas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35530817.post-80243541857407180312008-10-23T08:31:00.000-07:002008-10-23T08:31:00.000-07:00Yeah, what Jeetil said!<BR/><BR/>"<B>Amazon's domestic revenue growth rate was 29% and came in at 4x the industry.</B>"<BR/><BR/>Irony: ebay helped Amazon look *really* good here.<BR/><BR/>ebay's "boat anchor" metrics brought down that 'industry' figure, which propelled Amazon's number above the waterline.<BR/><BR/>Just color me vindictive. :)Tony P.noreply@blogger.com