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EBay Is Shutting Down Its On-Demand Delivery Service

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the do-not-deliver dept.

An anonymous reader writes: It may come as no surprise but eBay made it official in a statement today; they are ending their on-demand delivery service eBay Now. The company also plans to end a number of mobile applications, including eBay Valet, eBay Fashion and eBay Motors. A company statement reads in part: "...today we are retiring the eBay Now service in the U.S., including the local Brooklyn pilot program. Last year, we retired our eBay Now app and brought the program's delivery capabilities and many participating merchants' inventory into our core mobile apps. This significantly reduced our dependency on a separate standalone service. While we saw encouraging results with the eBay Now service, we always intended it as a pilot, and we are now exploring delivery and pick-up/drop-off programs that are relevant to many more of our 25 million sellers, and that cover a wider variety of inventory that consumers tell us they want. We will continue to pilot scheduled delivery in the UK."

29 comments

  1. Give it a rest by notdsk · · Score: 2

    samzenpus combing the web- posting old news

    1. Re:Give it a rest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      samzenpus combing the web- posting old news

      Isn't that what Slashdot is about?

    2. Re:Give it a rest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The faster I go, the behinder I get. -- samzenpus

    3. Re:Give it a rest by nickweller · · Score: 1

      @notdsk: "samzenpus combing the web- posting old news"

      Meanwhile posts such as this don't get promoted. I'm all for free advertising for Ebay/Microsoft/NASDAQ, but come on slashdot - more real tech articles.

  2. So what you are saying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it wasn't worth it.

  3. No surprise? by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    It may come as no surprise

    In other words, this should be a non-news? Please tell me why I should have expected the demise of a service I did not know about.

  4. Meanwhile... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Dice holdings is shutting down its Slashdot service

    1. Re: Meanwhile... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This barely counts as a service anyways.

  5. Probably a miscommunication, but... by Zibodiz · · Score: 1

    This is probably just a mistake in the writeup or something, but eBay Motors closing is MUCH bigger news than eBay Now. I have a feeling, however, that this was just a mistake in the writeup, as I can't find any other reference to eBay ending that service.

    1. Re:Probably a miscommunication, but... by PastTense · · Score: 2

      They are not closing down eBay Motors; they are closing down an app for eBay Motors.

    2. Re:Probably a miscommunication, but... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      They are not closing down eBay Motors; they are closing down an app for eBay Motors.

      Not just that, an ad many people never realized existed to begin with. Would be nice if they would make it possible to sell multiple items from the Android client.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:Probably a miscommunication, but... by Zibodiz · · Score: 1

      That makes considerably more sense. I've never understood why eBay felt the need to separate eBay Motors from the rest of the website, but it would follow that they would create a separate app for it as well. Hopefully, this is a sign that they're going to end the unneeded dichotomy.

  6. Holy crap by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 0

    People still use eBay? Is this the same eBay that became a scammer's paradise where no matter what you do, you're screwed? As a buyer you can be screwed easily enough, but as a seller I wouldn't waste my time. The risks so far outweigh the benefits that it's more like legalized gambling with the loser being the highest bidder.

    (Yes, yes, I know some people do indeed make a decent living on eBay, but it's swimming against the tide to be sure.)

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    1. Re:Holy crap by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      People still use eBay?

      Yes. As opposed to what?

      I, for example, regularly buy cheap Chinese imported solder paste off eBay. It's about an order of magnitude cheaper than the "proper" stuff from Farnell/RS/etc and seems to work just fine. I think there's one or two amazon vendors selling it for a vastly inflated price, too.

      And etc.

      Ebay seems to be a great source of random bits and bobs, e.g. m3 studding cut to length with accompanying butterfly nuts, or a small hot air rework station. ebay seems to be by far the best source for such things.

      Some of the companies selling through ebay are getting quite sizable. Many of them are Chinese, selling stuff made probably in Shenzen to the wider world. There's a few which have got big enough to stock warehouses in the UK to reduce delivery times and shipping costs.

      eBay is like paradise for someone who likes making stuff.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    2. Re:Holy crap by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      People still use eBay? Is this the same eBay that became a scammer's paradise where no matter what you do, you're screwed? As a buyer you can be screwed easily enough, but as a seller I wouldn't waste my time. The risks so far outweigh the benefits that it's more like legalized gambling with the loser being the highest bidder.

      Despite what the guys at the bar down at the Legion say, there are actual stores run by actual business professionals on ebay. They've got their system pretty well honed to expose anyone who is a scammer. People and businesses I've bought from bend over backwards to keep you happy.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  7. No more on-demand delivery? by Desiree+Hindenburg · · Score: 1

    Never heard of eBay Now until today. Having hard time imagining on-demand delivery vs. what... by subscription delivery?

    Long time user, and eBay shareholder here; I guess I should have paid more attention to annual reports.

    1. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by Stewie241 · · Score: 1

      eBay Now was a service being piloted in the bay area and NYC where you could order merchandise from local merchants like Best Buy, Macys and Home Depot and it would be delivered within an hour.

    2. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a dumb service for eBay to create. When people think eBay, they think auctions (read: cheap), not "fetch me something at retail price and bring it to me for a fee." I could maybe see Grub Hub or Uber expanding into a service like this but it's no fit for eBay.

    3. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by bobjr94 · · Score: 1

      Same for me, didn't know ebay was even trying anything like this out. How would they pick up items from the seller and get them delivered to a buyer ? Seems problematic, Ive ordered things from best buy for pickup and got an email later saying they didnt actually have it.

    4. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When I hear eBay, I think "idiots sending free money to people selling fake things."

      I've never purchased anything from eBay, and I never will.
      (In 1999, one of my college roommates got ripped off twice in a single semester, but he kept going back. Moron.)

    5. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      When I hear eBay, I think "idiots sending free money to people selling fake things."

      Out of the dozens of eBay purchases I've made, that's happened to me once. And I got my money back. Polish up your fake teeth and get ready to join the internets.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    6. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Based on your comment history, I know: (a) I'm younger than you, and (b) I've been on the internet longer than you.

      Therefore, I can only conclude that you just admitted to having false teeth.

    7. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by GLMDesigns · · Score: 1

      I used it once. It was actually fun. I got a french press coffee maker for my desk at work. I selected the product, the store and two hours later someone delivered it me at the store price plus $5.00 (if I remember correctly).

      It was a blast to order something and have it delivered like a pizza.

      --
      If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
      Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
    8. Re:No more on-demand delivery? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      When I hear eBay, I think "idiots sending free money to people selling fake things."

      I've never purchased anything from eBay, and I never will.

      Grandpa! Good to hear from you! Still have your AOL account and your 386 running Windows 3.1?

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  8. Opposite by ArchieBunker · · Score: 4, Informative

    No its really the opposite. If you sell something and someone files a complaint you automatically lose. People won the auction but don't feel like paying so they file a complaint and you're on the hook for a refund even if they're wrong.

    What eBay needs is competition.

    --
    Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    1. Re:Opposite by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      What eBay needs is competition.

      True, and the problem is eBay has critical mass. Everyone knows about them and they're the de-facto place to sell your stuff.

      Which poses a problem for a new site that wants to compete - they need to get word out, and they need to attract buyers and sellers. Attracting sellers is easy - you just make it so your fees are a lot lower than eBay (not hard). Attracting buyers, though, is a lot harder.

      First, buyers know what eBay pricing is about, and if they're coming to your site, they need a hook. One common hook is cheaper prices - why pay $100 for this item on eBay when you can pay $75 on our site! That attracts buyers quite easily.

      However, then you have the opposite problem - sellers know what they get on eBay, and they want eBay pricing because well, why should they get $75 from your site when they can get $100 from eBay? Only if the eBay fees make it so they get less that way than through you would they want to go through you.

      And buyers, no they won't pay eBay prices on non-eBay sites because they made the effort to come - if they're going to pay eBay pricing, they'll return to eBay.

      Perhaps you'll try the payment angle. The fact is, if you're Joe Random selling stuff, Paypal is the only way to go in the internet era. Otherwise you're going to have to accept money orders sent through the mail, which is a huge PITA and a general annoyance Why would anyone bid on an item, then line up at the post office to buy a money order then a stamp to post it? That's so ... 80's mail order. Buyers want to whip out their credit cards, click "pay" and enter those details in, and boom, payment done in a few seconds, not hours. So maybe you'll try being the middleman, which might work (if you can deal with all the payment card stuff).

      So the crux of it is - your new site must sell stuff below eBay's prices or buyers won't come, it must give sellers more money than eBay would, and it must make it as frictionless as possible with easy payment systems designed for modern ecommerce.

      And I've heard plenty of buyers who complained about alternative sites - not worth visiting because it's the same prices as eBay. And I've heard sellers complain buyers lowball them - they get more money from eBay. So the deck is stacked against you - buyers want to pay less, sellers want at least the same.

  9. If only by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now if they would do something about their hopelessly unbalanced buyer protection (basically inviting buyers to scam sellers) program...

  10. Selling a car on eBay is different by sjbe · · Score: 1

    I've never understood why eBay felt the need to separate eBay Motors from the rest of the website, but it would follow that they would create a separate app for it as well.

    Because selling a car is different than most other merchandise. I used to own an auction company and made much of my living selling through eBay, including cars. For merchandise eBay can enforce a contract to sell. For cars transfer of ownership comes with transfer of title and eBay cannot force you to sell the car for the auction price. In essence it is a glorified classified listing. If you decide not to sell the car you merely have to refuse to sign over the title and there isn't anything eBay can do about that.

  11. Yes eBay still matters by sjbe · · Score: 2

    People still use eBay?

    EBay apparently had $17 billion in revenue last year so I'm guessing the answer is yes.

    Is this the same eBay that became a scammer's paradise where no matter what you do, you're screwed?

    It's not quite that bad but you do need to be careful.

    As a buyer you can be screwed easily enough, but as a seller I wouldn't waste my time. The risks so far outweigh the benefits that it's more like legalized gambling with the loser being the highest bidder.

    That is why I no longer own the auction company I held about 10 years ago. It was basically impossible to deal with eBay. They would raise fees every 6 months like clockwork. Any buyer could simply invoke the magic words "not as described" and get their money back. You couldn't defend yourself against unjustified bad feedback. Makers of luxury goods (like Louis Vuitton) could simply shut your auction down with a strike against you even if the merchandise was 100% legit. (and yes this happened to us regularly) The amount of labor in running an auction is ludicrous.

    Buying on eBay has risks but generally manageable ones. Selling on eBay has risks that are not really manageable if you are doing more than selling some chotchkies.