Zine-X

eBay Magazine Revisited

eBay Magazine: Where's the Catch? 12/10/99 Not that I'm complaining, but why isn't my name on the free issue list for eBay magazine over at Krause publications? I've been running auctions on eBay since February of 1999, my feedback for two IDs is a combined 250+, I'm a regular contributor to the Discuss New Features chat board and I pay my fees on time. Maybe I am complaining after all. My father, who browses eBay infrequently, maintains a feedback rating of zero, and has never bought or sold anything on the site, got his free copy of the January 2000 issue just the other day. Maybe they want him to buy something, or sell something. I think the message is clearly, "DO SOMETHING!" Well, that's not going to happen any time soon, because I took possession of his copy last night and started reading ... ahem, browsing it, this morning. Right from the start, I do not understand the reasoning behind the cover, which portrays a supposed scam artist peeking from behind a mask of Michael Jordan and the headline (which I found rather gauche and insensitive) "Fake Jordan". Apparently, according to the blurb, "scam artists are making millions by faking celebrity autographs..." Well, who came up with the brilliant idea to plaster that information all over the cover? Krause, eBay, Meg Whitman? Maybe PR guru Kevin Pursglove? In any case, I'm sure the majority of honest sellers are overjoyed that this brain-trust has decided to point out - dead in the heart of the holiday season - that a good number of people are being scammed on eBay. Now, that surely must be good for business! Since I was not hooked by the cover story, I decided to see what other information might be gleaned from this 112-page manifesto. It took me about five minutes to find an article that concerned itself with the auction business. After wading though "The Buzz" articles on Andy Kaufman, MP3, celebrity feuds, and other general nonsense, I was greeted by columns on investing, computing, travel, blah, blah, blah, and more non-auction-related stories (features on: a timeline on inventions from the 1900s to the present, CNBC, Peter Max, technical innovations in cars?). Finally, by page 78, I started seeing articles about auctioning online. They weren't that good, or interesting, but at least they covered what I thought was the supposed focus of the magazine. There are a couple of sections in the back which piqued my interest a little - Trend Trackers and the eBay Barometer - which give a capsulated view of what's hot and what's not. There are more "quickie" pieces about Elvis, smart toys, hippie clothes and more, but generally, as a serious online trader, I found nothing in the magazine to be even mildly informative or groundbreaking. There weren't many ads, either, which is probably a good sign that eBay magazine may not last long. The appeal here is for newbies without a clue, or trendies with extra cash. This magazine contains much more fluff than substance, most of the ads are for companies which compete with eBay for a slice of the e-commerce pie, and the design is marginally appealing. I found most of the writing able to hold my attention for about three seconds. Like everything else eBay, the magazine is a hodge-podge of questionable information, glitzy images and dubious integrity. If you're looking for information that will make you a better seller or a more informed buyer, look elsewhere. Meanwhile, I'll give thanks that I'm not on the mailing list and return the magazine to my father. I'm certain he'll find sufficient space in the recycling bin for this unnecessary publication. --Fearless Rick

The current isssue of eBay magazine. My advice: Don't touch. (see article below)