In the war of the online sales channels, there are only two sales channels that have stood out over the last three years that are consistently rated as the top websites of our time, namely, Amazon.com and eBay.com. Both Amazon and eBay are the forerunners of the most innovative internet companies today by offering their customers not only a wide selection of products and services, but also their ability to involve their customer’s into their websites.
These days, the sign of a good internet company allows their customer to interact with their website from everything from the products, services, or overall experiences. Both of these companies conceptualized from the very beginning that customers who express their opinions about products and services not only empowers these customers but attracts other customers based on previous experiences.
Additionally, the difference between Amazon customers and eBay customers lies on the basic foundation of each website. On Amazon.com you should expect to find a variety of name brand and quality products coupled with great customer service and well-qualified merchants as well as registered users with payment information on file. Yet on eBay, most sellers and buyers can be anyone from a Senior Executive at a giant cooperation or a teenager who has an after school job that can pay either with cash or credit card.
From the merchant’s point of view, it is much easier to start business eBay providing that you control listing fee costs and you list enough products that can be seen by your customer. Merchants should caution however, that eBay buyers do not have the a great reputation in completing the order even if they were the highest bidder. Buyers could opt-out of any auction and only receive a non-threatening email from eBay. However, Amazon provides the merchant with a pool of registered customers that have valid credit card numbers on file and ready to be charged. Yet before any sale can be made, merchants must be authorized to sell on Amazon and must also pass Amazon’s seller criteria having very few negative feedback per feedback received.
Also, the culture of Amazon and eBay is entirely different. On Amazon, you get the experience that what you order is what you should get. There should be no doubt in the customer’s mind that if they purchase, an item, as advertised, it will be as they ordered.
If you purchase a 7pc Westminster Old West Style Dining Table & Chairs w/Black Leather Seat Set on Amazon.com, 99.9% of the time you will receive 7 pieces (one table, four chairs, and two arm chairs). However, on eBay you must read ever single inch of the listing so that you know what you are purchasing. For example, this NEW FORMAL 7pc DINING ROOM TABLE SET CHAIRS FURNITURE from another competitor has made his pictures SO big it’s hard to load the web page and difficult to determine whether or not the buffet and hutch is included with the auction. The description is quite clear, but for the customer to sort through all the information to make a buying decision is more complicated.
The bottom line is Amazon customer and eBay customer will have very different expectations on the type of service and quality they receive from their sellers/buyers. Since everyone has their own personal experiences with each site, it’s entirely up to you to decide who the real winner is.
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