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While I don't know anything about Shopify, Jeff and I were discussing the future of eBay, considering they seem to be moving away from what made them a great auction and sales site.  eBay is trying more and more to be like Amazon, instead of eBay, and the new rules seem to really irritate everyone who uses the site to sell products.  We mentioned that it would not to be too difficult for a capable and trusted company like a Facebook or Google to develop the same exact platform as eBay and put a huge hurt on their wallets.  Shopify seems to be another place that takes some sales away from eBay and I'm sure there will be many more.  

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While I don't know anything about Shopify, Jeff and I were discussing the future of eBay, considering they seem to be moving away from what made them a great auction and sales site.  eBay is trying more and more to be like Amazon, instead of eBay, and the new rules seem to really irritate everyone who uses the site to sell products.  We mentioned that it would not to be too difficult for a capable and trusted company like a Facebook or Google to develop the same exact platform as eBay and put a huge hurt on their wallets.  Shopify seems to be another place that takes some sales away from eBay and I'm sure there will be many more.

I wonder if a more product centric site could start an auction site with a focus on a single product and then branch out to other ares. Oh wait...

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They have been around for a long time.  I looked into Shopify over 2 years ago, but never had the time to go beyond setting up a page.  I did it after reading this post on Lifehacker:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5796577/how-to-set-up-your-own-online-store

 

And they have very cool offices:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5934230/plenty-of-color-and-lots-of-personality-the-offices-of-shopify/

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While I don't know anything about Shopify, Jeff and I were discussing the future of eBay, considering they seem to be moving away from what made them a great auction and sales site.  eBay is trying more and more to be like Amazon, instead of eBay, and the new rules seem to really irritate everyone who uses the site to sell products.  We mentioned that it would not to be too difficult for a capable and trusted company like a Facebook or Google to develop the same exact platform as eBay and put a huge hurt on their wallets.  Shopify seems to be another place that takes some sales away from eBay and I'm sure there will be many more.  

 

Facebook is and will remain a giant fail as far as retail goes - social media is largely a bust unless you have a very successful and specialized niche product line, or you are already a big important cheese in the retail world.

 

Google, now, could make both eBay and Amazon sweat blood, and I'm moderately shocked they haven't made a competent run at doing so. They have Google Shopping, they've had a few minor and abortive ventures like Google Cart or whatever they were calling it, but if they made an actual large launch of a mall shopping site like eBay or Amazon they'd have something.

 

Right now, eBay is in no danger and Shopify won't be what puts them in any danger. Amazon is a great site, but there are problems with it, too - it's much harder to qualify as a seller there in most categories than it is on eBay, and Amazon is very happy to compete directly with their sellers.

 

I'm on a fair few forums and such with other eCommerce merchants and there are dozens of stories every month from a variety of them about a product that was going splendidly for them on Amazon, it got big enough for Amazon to covet it, and Amazon contacted their supplier or another of the same item and started offering it for a lower price directly, effectively putting the merchant out of business on Amazon for that item. eBay does not (yet anyway) maintain any inventory (which is why they are extremely profitable and Amazon is not) and doesn't pull that particular shenanigan.

 

Finally, don't put too much stock in the hysteria that ensues any time you get three or more eBay sellers into the same room.  :shifty:  Consider how people behave here when talk of "the bubble" comes up and you'll have a good general idea of the value of listening to eBay sellers kvetch and moan about the Evil Corporate Giant and Its Inevitable Demise Very Soon.

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