One member's "Voice" Heard in San Jose
by chelle9851
eBay Member

It was a dark, scary night when 10 strangers slipped unnoticed into the little town of San Jose, California in August of 2004. The target in their sights was eBay headquarters. They all had the same secret mission (shhhh) to gather information about this industry giant and the people who run it. All 10 have a story to tell, and this is mine. Ok, so it wasn't a dark scary night – it was sunny California, and I am not Dick Tracy. I am chelle9851 and this secret mission was actually a “Voices” invitation. I was introduced to eBay by my husband who works in computer systems for a major corporation. I started poking around, and then in February 2004 I made a decision. I could do this. In March 2004, we (my husband and I) attended eBay University in Cleveland, Ohio and met with Griff. Our instructor, Patti Ruby (many may know her as "Aunt Patti") was entertaining and informative. She helped me lose the fear of starting. I went home armed with knowledge and listed my first pair of earrings that week (I mainly sell jewelry).

Prior to the seminar, our local newspaper had run a story about eBay University, and my husband and I were interviewed for this piece. A week after the seminar, the newspaper called with news that someone locally wanted us to sell her items for her on eBay. I agreed to give it a try. We ended up selling all of her vintage camera equipment.

We were off. I waited anxiously while I collected enough feedback to open an eBay Store. Mesmerized by this new concept of marketing like none other I had seen, I was anxious to see just what made this bird fly, and I couldn't wait to go to eBay Live! 2004.

At eBay Live!, I learned that eBay is interested in me and you. I am a small business just getting started in the eBay world, with 29 feedback to date. I have not had a major impact on eBay's financials; however, at eBay Live! and again at Voices, I learned that my experience and ideas are valuable to eBay staff. I represent a growing group of “new” users and eBay wants their experience to be more user-friendly. No one is perfect, and a quest to make a usable platform that meets the needs of a very diverse crowd of 105 million people is a daunting task. However, eBay has an on-going policy of keeping its fingers on the heartbeat of the people who make it great: you and I. Voices is a major part of that, a coming-together of a diverse group of people from various backgrounds, businesses, needs, and skills armed with wish lists. eBay comes to the people who use it daily, both larger and smaller, new folks and experienced members and asks, “How are we doing?” and “How can we be better?”

Voices is used to test-drive new ideas created by the Community, and give feedback to eBay about how new ideas will impact the Community at large and our businesses at all levels. It's about eBay wanting to have us participate in the process of making eBay a safer, easier, better place for us to reach our goals and dreams. Voices is you and me.

The 10 of us who came together in San Jose recently to take part in the most recent work (and believe me, it was gratifying, but it was work) in the two days were like family. We had meals together, worked intensely during the day, and came to know each other and listen to the concerns of the others. It took me personally to a different level. I began to see that what works for me and my business might not be a good idea for everyone's business. I spent time after hours talking to the others, asking questions of the old-timers who have been very successful for a long time. Questions like: “How can I duplicate your success?” We also got together each morning for a less formal breakfast and talked about our families, our businesses, and our goals and dreams.

The eBay staff was very focused as nearly 100 people from various departments came through our meeting room in just 2 short days, each with a new idea to share and to get our feedback. All eBay staff members made us feel that we were the heart of eBay and that they were privileged to work with us. It was a fabulous experience that I feel privileged to have been a part of, not because I am just a cheerleader for eBay. I am an eBay member like you and eBay was interested in knowing what you and I think.

I want to share my personal thoughts on the Voices program at this juncture. On the second day, after our working lunch, (eBay brings a whole new meaning to that term!), I was getting another soda when I paused for a moment of reflection. My thought was of you. Those of you I don't know but who I wished could have been there. I had such a fabulous, informative, hard-working, mind-bending, exciting experience that I wished you could all have been there. If every one of the 105 million-plus eBay buyers and sellers had the opportunity to see what I saw and hear what I heard and feel what I felt at eBay, you would understand just what a wonderful possession we have in eBay. After talking with nearly 100 people, listening to their presentations, explaining our views on each item offered to us – after brainstorming with the group of members and spending a very intense couple of days with all of the people involved – I wished you could be there to be a part of it all.

The message prevails, “No one is an unimportant member of eBay.” If I could have changed anything about my experience, I would make it longer to involve everyone. Overall, on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best, this experience was a 12.

Who is eBay? eBay is the sum total of all of us. eBay is the nostalgic collector of his youthful toys to buy that unusual game made in 1962; the stay-at-home mom who needs to make some cash while putting her family first; the business person who needs a new profit center to reach his/her goals; the grandma wanting a special toy for that little one; a teenager who wants to make enough money to go to college. eBay stands apart from other industry giants in offering people a way to make money from the comfort of their own sofa. We are eBay.

Respectfully Submitted,
Chelle9851

To read more about the Voices progarm please read Inside eBay: eBay's Voices Program published in the April 2003 Volume 2, Issue 6 of The Chatter.