Have you heard about World of Good?

I was reading an article in Fast Company about a company that is trying to develop a unique partnership with eBay. Their goal is to give the world's poorest artisans the ability to sell to the same group of obnoxious, greedy and deceitful slobs that you and I have to deal with on a daily basis. Does that sound sound unfair? Maybe. But that represent the reality of selling on eBay. Buyers in the current environment have been given too much power over the transaction. So you think the same people that try to scam you and I will not try to scam the 3rd world?

After reading the article a little deeper I am hearing that all this company is doing is taking products on consignment from these poor people, post on eBay, then collect payment if it closes successfully. I'm not sure how this is any better or worse that major corporations out-sourcing and/or taking factories off-shore. Other than that they don't have the "big company" stigma and they give a percentage of their profit for to a sister organization which promotes socialism worldwide I see no difference.

I am all for free-trade, our-sourcing and off-shoring because it generates more wealth on the whole. What I am suspicious of is companies who claim to have a "social conscience" but when you look at their business model it is not very different from those whom they claim are "bad". I'm sure I can hear their defense already, "But we care..."

Check them out and let me know what you think: World of Good

Find the Positive in Negative Feedback

Negative feedback on a transaction is not easy to take. It can be taken quite hard, even physically. I know that I feel it in the back of my throat and get a sinking feeling in my stomach.

At the same point it is not easy to give - you feel bad - no matter how poorly you may have been treated. Of course we would all rather get, and give, positive feedback. Yet feedback, regardless of what it is, is very important for properly growing your eBay business.

The next time you get neutral or negative feedback take a second and think about it. Instead of immediately deciding, "That buyer was a nut and there is nothing I could have done for that weirdo!" Think about what you could learn from the transaction. Often the negative isn't so much for if their was a problem with an item or the transaction but how you handled the problem.

One of the most important jobs of an eBay business owner it to keep your eyes and ears open to all feedback. If you do not pay close attention to your bidders and buyers you will be missing out on future opportunities. If you really desire to be successful on eBay then listen to all feedback you get from your buyers: positive, neutral and yes, even negative.