The winds of change have been blowing...

We all know eBay is moving to a more retail like atmosphere. If your niche or business model does not fit into a retail like experience for the new eBay buyers, as a seller you will soon find it very difficult to survive on eBay.

This is a good thing for a majority of the large titanium PowerSellers now found on the eBay site. It may not be the roots of eBay and it may not be what eBay has promoted over the last 10-12 years, but this is the climate of change you have been hearing about. Big corporations change, evolve, morph themselves into entirely new entities all of the time.

This most recent movement by eBay to a more retail like experience should not be a surprise to anyone. In fact, I have preached here and elsewhere that all sellers on eBay should become more business like and find sources of supply outside of Garage Sales and Church Bazaars...

To survive in business, you must have a plan. eBay seems to be working towards shaping every eBay sellers' business plan to fit a model which will help eBay as much as it helps the majority of sellers they want to keep. One does wonder...what will happen to those sellers they are no longer interested in retaining?

Free Shipping is part of eBay's plan to attract buyers (see Randy Smythe's Blog post today in My Blog Utopia) they plan on encouraging sellers to join with them in this plan by advantaging those sellers who offer free shipping in the Best Match results for search.

If this type of "encouragement" does not fit into your business plan - either because you do not have products which can be easily shipped for free - or simply because you see no margin after offering free shipping after raising your price to accomodate the higher cost, then you may be looking for alternatives to selling on eBay...

Read More about the other options available to sellers here:

eBay Flea Market Closed - Sellers Look for eBay Competition - Where to Sell Now?