A simple, cursory survey of online auction industry member comments, and more importantly behaviors, reveals the undeniable groundswell of dissatisfaction buyers and sellers are feeling toward policies and procedures seemingly blindly implemented by some online auction sites. However, as the leading eBay alternative, eBid is actually raising industry customer service standards as evidenced by their recent unveiling of the largest update initiative in the companys history.
With the novelty of internet shopping long faded, no longer does the convenience of anytime anywhere shopping trump service. And considering the additional complexities with buyers and sellers involved in the online auction industry, exemplary online member service becomes absolutely critical. No longer is hiding behind the anonymity of e-commerce acceptable to an overwhelming majority of buyers and sellers.
Recent research by Harris Interactive and IMShopping revealed that 77% of adults who have purchased items online in the past six months say they would be interested in getting help from a real person before making certain online purchases. However, 82% say there have been times when they have not been able to get the help they sought. 52% of those who have not been able to get the help they needed say it has affected their decision not to purchase the product.
What eBid is doing to Raise Industry Customer Service Standards
The recent roll out of the largest update initiative in the companys history, which included member-focused updates like the convenience of eBay, Amazon, and Etsy items now importable to eBid allowing members the freedom to enjoy eBid's great value fee structure without the hassle of re-writing all their product information and pricing again.
Their attractive fee structure allowing free listing and sales fees of between just 0% and 3%.
Their many payment and shipping options available to sellers as requested by sellers, like PayPal, Google Checkout and Amazon Payments for accepting payments, and USPS, FedEx and UPS for shipping.
Their robust Help Desk center featuring an exhaustive list of Frequently Asked Questions, DIY-FAQ system to allow other users to create new FAQs, How-To Videos created by eBid's own members, extremely active eBid Forums, and yes, the ability to have your email answered by a real person.
Buyer and Seller Trends Are Clear
It seems that some online auction sites have difficulty wrapping their thinking around the idea that the online world still represents real people. These members could represent a woman in her fifties in New York, a farmer in Idaho or a fisherman in Maine. These are real people with real needs. Thats central to our member-focused culture at eBid, remarks eBid Co-founder, Gary Sewell.
Member Services have traditionally been viewed as a cost-center, having relatively nothing to do with increases or decreases in sales or member longevity, and I believe this is especially true with our industry, where the lack of face-to-face interaction can create a disconnect between members and e-commerce managers, adds eBid Co-founder, Mark Wilkinson, and thats why youll find eBid leadership on the front lines.
A commitment to member services is all too easy to discuss endlessly, but actually exiting the world of theory and delivering on these commitments is all together another issue. In other words, dont just tell me, show me. At eBid, this is demonstrated in a number of critical areas of their operation.
About eBid (http://www.ebid.net)
eBid has seen a 111% growth in new buyers and sellers who have become members during the first quarter of 2011, and has now topped a record-breaking 4 million live auctions. This type of growth in the face of a declining economy is evidence of the rewards that come with taking care of your members.
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