===ANNOTATED BILIOGRAPHY===
====Go to Research Proposal on ECommerce====
====Go to ECommerce Subtopics:====
ECommerce_-_Virtual_Communities
ECommerce_-_Legal and Ethical Issues
ECommerce_-_Business2Consumer
ECommerce_-_Benefits
ECommerce_-_E-Learning
BY: Melanie Mackrodt
STUDENT NUMBER: n5065534
DUE DATE: 13 August 2004
WORD COUNT(NOT INCLUDING REFERENCES): 1572 words.
Email Me!
Melanie Mackrodt 13:11, 11 Aug 2004 (EST)
===Online Auctioning: eBay - The New Way To Shop,
Buy and Sell===
=====Analysing eBay and its advantages and disadvantages in a new media world=====
1. Callagham, D. (2003, July 14) Bid for Enterprise: Online auctions eBay campaigns to corral business buyers and sellers. eWeek, accessed August 10, 2004, from
http://gateway.proquest.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqd&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&genre=article.
This news article focuses on how eBay has brought together corporate buyers and sellers. While discussing why eBay has become so popular, Callagham pays particular attention to the fact that while many businesses are intrigued by the possibilities eBay provides, these same businesses fear and find it hard to come to terms with selling their goods via the secondary market - also known as online auctions. By auctioning online, companies are able to sell their goods and products to a wider group of buyers. While eBay provides a legitimate source of opportunity for small businesses, many businesses are afraid of who will be seeing and buying their products as eBay is open to the world. Discussion is made regarding how eBay wishes to improve the services which it offers to its many users. By buying FairMarket Inc.'s intellectual property, eBay plans to offer services to run promotional campaigns and loyalty programs to its sellers.
2. eBay.Inc. (2004, August 5) Welcome to eBay. http://www.ebay.com (accessed August 6, 2004).
Being the official, number one online auction site, this new form of media allows people to buy and sell anything from toothpicks to cars. It is set out so that even first-time users will experience no difficulty when using the site. Sellers and buyers must first become registered members. This is done by simply clicking on the register section and following the easy steps. The 'Find' section allows the user to search or browse for whatever item they want to buy. If the search is successful, a list of items matching the description of the item will be presented. Next to each item is generally a photograph of the item up for bids. The current bidding price is displayed alongside each item, as well as the number of people who have placed a bid for the item and the time left until the auction for that particular item closes. To place a bid, the bidder simply clicks on the item of their choice and types in the amount they are willing to pay for that item. EBay will automatically contact the winner of the auction and it is then up to the seller and buyer to arrange payment. EBay deducts a small commission, usually somewhere between 1.25% and 5% of the final selling price. Likewise, to place an item up for bid, the seller simply clicks on the 'sell' section of the home page and follows the easy steps. This new media technology is a quick and easy approach to auctioning as it allows people to buy and sell items from the comfort of their homes.
3. Edvalson, R. (2003, July 21) Commentary: Online auctions offer much, require caution. The Idaho Business Review, accessed 10 August, 2004, from
http://gateway.proquest.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqd&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&genre=article&rft_dat=xri:pqd:did=000000373250761&svc_dat=xri:pqil:fmt=text&req_dat=xri:pqil:pq_clntid=14394.
Edvalson offers an in depth and detailed insight into eBay. This article particularly focuses on statistics and the issue of fraud regarding eBay. Edvalson makes it particularly clear that this new form of media technology, is a multi-billion dollar business. EBay alone transacted around $15billion in sales last year. People spend more time on eBay than any other site on the internet. On an average day, more than 12million items in 18 000 categories are up for sale on eBay. However, with such a multi-billion dollar business, one can only expect there to be some form of fraud. Edvalson claims that last year, over 75 000 complaints of internet fraud were made to the FBI and over 46% of these complaints regarded online auction fraud. The average dollar lost by fraud was $320. As with most forms of new media, eBay does all it can to try and prevent fraud from occurring. EBay believes that only 0.01% of all business transacted through its website is fraudulent. Edvalson states that a business named Squaretrade, has created a free online service which helps to eliminate fraud from online auction sites. The Federal Trade Commission has published some tips which help users of eBay have a good experience while using the online auction site. Edvalson has included some of these tips in his publication.
4. McMillan, J. (2002) REINVENTING THE BAZAAR: A National History of Markets. USA: W.W Norton & Company, INC, pp.19-21 & 76-80. ISBN 0393050211
Chapter 2 of this book provides the reader with a basic, yet important understanding of how new media has created the ability for anyone to set up a website on the internet and sell to the world. McMillan focuses on online auctions, in particular eBay and how this new form of media has created global markets for goods which previously only had local markets as well as goods which had no market to begin with. This chapter provides a rundown on the history of online auctioning and eBay. It includes when eBay began and who created the first online auction site. It discusses factors such as how much eBay's stock market value is worth, how many registered users it has and how many auctions are running on any given day. EBay is described as a 'high tech flea market' (2002, p.78) in which people sell anything from junk to valuables. This chapter covers the fact that through online auctioning, buyers and sellers can easily get together and sell things without having to worry about the distance between them. This reading allows readers to gain a better understanding of how online auctions work and its connection to the rise in new media.
5. School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, Faculty of Business - QUT. (2003) Marketing. NSW: McGraw-Hill Australia, pp.6 & 27. ISBN 7777774271
While this is a marketing textbook, it does however contain relevant and detailed information regarding online auctions, particularly eBay. It focuses on how new media online auctions are run in comparison to normal auctions. The book discusses online auctions as being silent auctions in which no face-to-face communication is involved. The advantages and disadvantages of online auctions are also outlined. One of the major drawbacks of eBay is that the bidding process can go on for several hours or even days. If a bidder of an item is not around to frequently check the current bidding price of that item, they can easily lose the bid with the item being sold to a higher bidder. However, one main advantage is the fact that people can browse items from the comfort of their homes at anytime they wish to. A comprehensive description of how eBay works is also provided. All eBay does is simply maintain the site, provide minimal customer support and collect a commission for every sale made. This book also offers an insightful account into online auction abuse. Many people have previously won bids and then had no money or credit to pay for the item. Likewise many stolen items have shown up on eBay.
6. School of International Business, Faculty of Business - QUT. (2004) Introduction to e-business. 3rd ed. NSW: McGraw-Hill Australia, pp. 25, 188 & 273-274. ISBN 7777772570
This book provides a broad and comprehensive evaluation of the new media technologies surrounding e-business. Particularly relevant to my subject area, is the discussion on online auctions, particularly eBay and how it has changed the way in which we shop, buy and sell. This book discusses how eBay.com acts as a meeting place and creates communities of people who find each other to buy and sell whatever it is they have in common. Between these communities of people, prices are negotiated on the goods being sold. This book offers an insightful account as to why eBay is so popular and the fact that its positive reputation provides confidence to buyers and sellers. Sellers place their items on eBay, confident that the high volumes of user traffic will lead to a higher probability of selling their items on eBay. Similarly, buyers feel confident in knowing that high volumes of user traffic is more likely to increase their chance of finding what it is they are looking for. Introduction to e-business informs readers that the eBay business is a Consumer-to-Consumer Supply Chain (2004, pp.188). EBay acts as an intermediary. It mediates between millions of consumers who want to buy or sell items.
7. Sinclair, J.T. (2003) eBay Business: THE SMART WAY: MAXIMISE YOUR PROFITS ON THE WEB'S #1 AUCTION SITE. USA: AMACOM, pp.29-30, 71-87 & 139-163. ISBN 0814472028
This book is a complete guide to using eBay. Walking the reader through each step, it provides very up-to-date and precise information which even someone using eBay for the first time, will have no difficulty in understanding. It begins by discussing what eBay is and how to set yourself up legally. It provides a list of what equipment is required and then goes on to discuss how to go about doing business via eBay. This book also provides handy tips for beginning and seasoned sellers as well as business buyers. Sinclair reveals how to create an intelligent eBay business plan and discusses how products should be displayed to their best advantage. Tips such as these are extremely important to eBay users. First time users of eBay will find this book extremely helpful as it will allow them to understand how eBay works from the moment they enter the website. By having a greater understanding of how eBay works, users are more likely to have a better shopping, buying and selling experience online.
8. Snyder, I. (2002) Silicon Literacies: Communication, Innovation and Education in the Electronic Age. London: Routledge, pp.7-25. ISBN 0415276683
Snyder has dedicated a whole chapter of this book to eBay. Like most of the other authors, Snyder provides an insightful account as to what eBay actually is. However, Snyder goes beyond the basic introductory topics and discusses what's new about eBay. EBay has created some new, social practices and new literacies. For example, Snyder talks about the fact that nobody using eBay sees or handles what is being bought or sold. Nobody tells people where to go to find what they are looking for. Instead, users must navigate themselves throughout the site. An explanation is provided about the importance of eBay ratings. Many users go to great lengths to obtain positive ratings. This feedback rating system allows eBay to establish its mission and identity as a helpful broker. Knowing that a seller has a positive and high rating, buyers are more likely to trust the seller and buy items from them.
Melanie Mackrodt 17:18, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
