Another suggestion that doesn't stand a chance of being implemented but which just might solve some of the issues that have been mentioned frequently in previous replies.
The Search, its inadequacies and ebay's manipulation of the results.
& Business Sellers operating on Private Accounts.
I think one solution might be for ebay to re-examine "Ebay Express" and split the site into two parts again, as it tried once before. "New in the box" for businesses and "Classic" for collectables / antiques, used goods and unwanted presents. It would mean ebay dusting off its software from the previous attempt.
The search as it is cannot work for both private and business sellers when businesses are selling goods they hope will sell quickly, in multiples, regularly and at fixed prices to guarantee their margins and sellers of used goods are offering items that may take longer to sell, usually as single items in variable condition and at more fluid prices. The two are in many ways diametrically opposed to each other. All too often helping one group, disadvantages the other. Pulling them apart just might help both and ebay longer trem.
While the Business site could carry on with all the bells and whistles that they need in a highly competitive market, the Classic site should revert to the earlier software, Key-Word and Category oriented which worked so well in the less competitive, mainly private selling environment which ebay was at that time
If ebay were to think about doing this they could take the opportunity to lay down a few rules for the Classic site to help business sellers.
Such As.
Re-introduce a minimal listing fee for Private sellers in return for getting back a site where they are not competing with businesses with a search that often works against them.
Single listings only, with perhaps sets exempted.
A basic "List it, Sell it" service with no enhanced options used by businesses.
No free listings, at least to start with.
Without any of the enhancements used by businesses available on the site it would be cheaper to maintain, so FVFs should return to something like the level of years ago (10% or less).
But with no free listings or auto re-listing it would be far less attractive to businesses pretending to be private sellers.
Perhaps it would also be a way to abolish the distinction between business and private sellers altogether? Just use the different functions to differentiate?
The basic "Classic" site only of use for non-business selling and Businesses willing to pay higher fees for enhanced functions, stats. and services exclusive to the "New In The Box" site.
At least both types of seller would feel that ebay is working with them, by leveling the playing fields to improve sales, rather than just dreaming-up ever more ingenious ways of increasing their fee percentages.
