We all know that eBay has ended the digital download, except that you can sell your digitally downloaded items in their classifieds… for $9.99/month.

Check these out and then use your imagination (all quotes from the article);

EBay makes public its complaint against Craigslist

• “Craigslist considers eBay’s new site Kijiji a competitive activity that nullifies some shareholder rights eBay won when it bought a 28 percent stake in Craigslist in 2004, according to the complaint, which eBay made public on Wednesday.”
• “eBay contends Craigslist went too far in interpreting what rights eBay should lose. And it’s suing Craigslist for allegedly diluting its stake unfairly.”
• “Craigslist said Wednesday in a blog posting on its site that eBay is intent on dominating the classifieds business.”
• “EBay’s lust for acquiring the rest of Craigslist is blatant throughout the complaint. EBay says industry analysts believe the online classifieds site is worth several billion dollars, and in July, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman told Craigslist she’d ‘welcome the opportunity to acquire the remainder of (it).’”

How many Craigslists are there? Is it an anomaly? Honestly, how many of you know anything about Kijiji? Then - how many of you have been around long enough to know how diluted and powerless classifieds have become online? Ah - the good old days :) Craigslist truly would have been a powerhouse in the late 90’s!

In the natural course of human events…

You anger your customers long enough and loud enough and they will rebel! Competition that you never heard of will also spring up out of nowhere. No one is immune to the forces of folks who want a different way to live and are willing to go to whatever lengths to find (or create) what they want.

Even if, in the past, you have altered your policies and gotten past those uproars. Even if you’ve been able to weather the loss of both sellers and buyers previously, there comes a line in the sand. If you cross that line you will pay the price. The trick is to make the determination where that line is and that is usually not to be done.

So, the comment arrives here and we discover new competition in an old suit;

Read more

If you’ve given consideration to the production and sale of physical digital products to maintain your business in light of eBay’s Digital Download ban, here is a resource for your serious consideration. And it’s Free!!!

CDBurnerXP Pro

CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface. Everyone, even companies, can use it for free. It does not include adware or similar malicious components.

Key Features

• burn all kinds of discs
• audio-CDs with or without gaps between tracks
• burn and create ISO files
• data verification after burning process
• create bootable discs
• multi-language interface
• bin/nrg → ISO converter, simple cover printing and much more!
• Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista

H/T - Both John Thornhill (PlanetSMS) and “Cybamart.”

Technorati Tags - CD Reproduction Resources Digital Download Ban eBay CDBurnerXP Pro eBay Sellers

Unless and until eBay changes their now current policies I’m deciding that the shipment of a physical product is allowable and correct, as evidenced by some posters online…

The Warrior Forum (again).

Wherein we find links to a few excellent resources I’ve had the pleasure of discussing elsewhere :)

One is CafePress. From their Audio and Data page;

Read more

Digital Downloadable Goods in Classified Ads Format Only

Brian Burke, Director Global Feedback Policy, says;

Hello…This is Brian Burke, Director Global Feedback Policy. Digital goods are often reproduced at little to no cost to the seller. On eBay, this creates the potential for Feedback Manipulation (both real and perceived). To preserve the integrity of the Feedback system, effective March 31 all goods that can be digitally downloaded or transferred electronically must be listed using the Classified Ads format.

Using the Classified Ads format, sellers receive a 30-day ad at a fixed price. This solution enables sellers to continue to market their digital goods on eBay; however, because Classified Ad listings are a lead generation tool and do not result in transactions that go through eBay, Feedback cannot be exchanged between buyer and seller.

Sellers who wish to continue to offer digital goods can do so by selecting the Everything Else>Information Products category in the Sell Your Item form and choosing the Classified Ads format (not auction-style or fixed price). For more information about the Classified Ads format, please read Advertising with Classified Ads.

Sincerely,

Read more