Why do you think sellers willingly paid Omidyar his percentage of the final sale price, without enforcement of this rule? Would you give him his share?
I think they willingly paid Omidyar because he was providing a great service for them to sell their products. Giving him a percentage of the final sale price was acceptable, considering they would be making no money at all if it wasn't for him. I would give him his share, for those same reasons, as I would not have a convenient service if it was not for his creation.
I believe that they were willing to pay Omidyar a percentage of the sale price because they found value in his service and wanted to support its creator. I would give him his share because if I found value in the service I would want it to stay afloat.
I think his implementation of an honor system just increased his reputation as an owner of the company. Of course, he probably had the ability to ban people from the site if they didn't pay, but he didn't do so because he believed that his community would be trustworthy to not abuse the resources of the site.
Good point that he could ban people from the site if they didn't pay up. It's interesting that Omidyar had all the power of the company and its users, but yet he chose to create an honor system within the community instead of strict rules.
I think that the sellers probably thought it was only fair to give the creator of the platform a piece of the profit, considering the fact that these are people who developed a community that was built on an honor code. If I was a seller I think I would because I wouldn't feel right if I didn't.
I think everyone was in the same boat with technology being a new thing and they were willing to trust in each other because that meant they trusted in the internet. There was definitely a community formed and not only was it a personal burden if you didn't pay up, but with the new ratings system, you could get bad reviews and lose business. I would definitely pay him his share, but definitely wish that I had come up with the idea for eBay first.
I agree with you for the most part except that in the beginning there was no rating system and people had to pay or not pay with no consequences. I don't even know if Omidyar kept track of which transactions the money was coming from.
That's so true. During this era, people trusted the Internet a lot more than we would today. I guess that's because we have more of a reason to distrust. I also think that the idea for eBay was a great one.
I agree with this. I don't think sellers necessarily enjoyed paying him his share and wishes that they had come up with the idea, but it was only fair considering he was the creator.
What would be the problem with creating your own version of eBay with a lower price for sellers? Why not steal the idea, as it wasn't licensed and it could work out well for you?
I think that sellers paid Omidyar his percentage of the final sale price because eBay was such a community-oriented platform at the time. People who sold items on eBay were basically relying on the good-will of others. With the creation of ratings for sellers and buyers, paying Omidyar his share definitely became more important. I think that I would give Omidyar his share of the sale price because I would be making money that I wouldn't have without his idea.
That is a good point. People who are in a community feel inclined to be involved and active. If that means giving the money to Omidyar like they are expected, users will want to do their part.
I think because there was such a strong community on eBay, sellers wanted to keep being able to sell using the website. I think it is sort of a bad idea to put that much trust in the seller, but eBay was founded on community. I would give him his share purely because I would feel guilty otherwise, but I understand how others did not.
I also thought there should have been more enforcement in place, but I suppose that the people using eBay at the start were honest and new to the internet...for the most part they didn't think to swindle him
I think people really were honest at this time with the internet being so new and no one realizing that internet police didn't exist and maybe thought there would be negative repercussions if they didn't pay up. I would give him his share, I think I live a pretty honest life in that respect.
I don't think so. You need money to run a business, as simple as that, and they had no way to make money any other way and they didn't initially have investors.
I think sellers willingly paid Omidyar his percentage because it was fair considering that it was his service and they relied on it in order to earn money themselves. I would pay him his share considering that it was his idea and he deserves to be paid for it. That's just how business works.
i think the sales tax was a social experiment about the integrity of people online, that ultimately turned out really well because buyers and sellers online were nervous, and this worked to his advantage. they wanted a good experience so they were more likely to follow the rules and give others a good experience. i would totally give him this share, its a lot better that the percentage redbubble takes out of sales and i still support them so :/
They weren't paying sales tax, they were paying him a percentage of the profits. Back in the day, you only paid sales tax if you lived in the state where the website had a physical presence (that has since changed).
Now that I think about it, it seems sketchy. I feel like today people would not be willing to send money because the web does not seem like it can be as trusted as it could back then. I think sellers paid Omidyar because the web was built on trust. Sellers probably thought that it was only fair to give the company the money in order to continue business. If customers like a service, they will be willing to do their part to keep it running. I would probably give him his share because I would feel guilty if I did not.
I just think the thought of random envelopes of money from sellers showing up is sketchy. But it's also kind of nice to think that there was a time when strangers were able to trust each other enough to do that
They were probably willing to pay Omidyar his percentage of the sales price because his service gave them something valuable and they had never seen it before. I would definitely give him his share because eBay is a great service and provides access to a lot of thing I may have never seen again.
I don't, but I have a distinct memory of my sister and one of her friends wanting to make one when they were younger so they could sell watermelon and cinnamon bun earrings made out of sculpey. They didn't get very far.
I think they willingly paid Omidyar because he was providing a great service for them to sell their products. Giving him a percentage of the final sale price was acceptable, considering they would be making no money at all if it wasn't for him. I would give him his share, for those same reasons, as I would not have a convenient service if it was not for his creation.
ReplyDeleteI agree that people appreciated the honor code system, and felt it was fair to give Omidyar his share of the profits for his efforts.
DeleteI believe that they were willing to pay Omidyar a percentage of the sale price because they found value in his service and wanted to support its creator. I would give him his share because if I found value in the service I would want it to stay afloat.
ReplyDeleteGood point about keeping the business going.
DeleteI think his implementation of an honor system just increased his reputation as an owner of the company. Of course, he probably had the ability to ban people from the site if they didn't pay, but he didn't do so because he believed that his community would be trustworthy to not abuse the resources of the site.
ReplyDeleteI would pay him because I would want to be a respected seller, and I also respect him for using an honor system.
DeleteGood point that he could ban people from the site if they didn't pay up. It's interesting that Omidyar had all the power of the company and its users, but yet he chose to create an honor system within the community instead of strict rules.
DeleteI think that the sellers probably thought it was only fair to give the creator of the platform a piece of the profit, considering the fact that these are people who developed a community that was built on an honor code. If I was a seller I think I would because I wouldn't feel right if I didn't.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the right thing to do would be to give a percentage, because the creator provided us with a wonderful platform.
Deletei think the early community was a really important part of this yeha!
Deletethe key in your statement is community - if you want the community to thrive, you have to support it
DeleteI think everyone was in the same boat with technology being a new thing and they were willing to trust in each other because that meant they trusted in the internet. There was definitely a community formed and not only was it a personal burden if you didn't pay up, but with the new ratings system, you could get bad reviews and lose business. I would definitely pay him his share, but definitely wish that I had come up with the idea for eBay first.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you for the most part except that in the beginning there was no rating system and people had to pay or not pay with no consequences. I don't even know if Omidyar kept track of which transactions the money was coming from.
DeleteThat's so true. During this era, people trusted the Internet a lot more than we would today. I guess that's because we have more of a reason to distrust. I also think that the idea for eBay was a great one.
DeleteI agree with this. I don't think sellers necessarily enjoyed paying him his share and wishes that they had come up with the idea, but it was only fair considering he was the creator.
DeleteWhat would be the problem with creating your own version of eBay with a lower price for sellers? Why not steal the idea, as it wasn't licensed and it could work out well for you?
DeleteI think that sellers paid Omidyar his percentage of the final sale price because eBay was such a community-oriented platform at the time. People who sold items on eBay were basically relying on the good-will of others. With the creation of ratings for sellers and buyers, paying Omidyar his share definitely became more important. I think that I would give Omidyar his share of the sale price because I would be making money that I wouldn't have without his idea.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good point. People who are in a community feel inclined to be involved and active. If that means giving the money to Omidyar like they are expected, users will want to do their part.
DeleteI think because there was such a strong community on eBay, sellers wanted to keep being able to sell using the website. I think it is sort of a bad idea to put that much trust in the seller, but eBay was founded on community. I would give him his share purely because I would feel guilty otherwise, but I understand how others did not.
ReplyDeleteI also thought there should have been more enforcement in place, but I suppose that the people using eBay at the start were honest and new to the internet...for the most part they didn't think to swindle him
DeleteIt makes me wonder if people did steal from him.
DeleteI'm sure there were some people that didn't follow through, but I think they would just get bad ratings and be banned
DeleteI think people really were honest at this time with the internet being so new and no one realizing that internet police didn't exist and maybe thought there would be negative repercussions if they didn't pay up. I would give him his share, I think I live a pretty honest life in that respect.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that if people didn't give Omidyar a percentage of their sales that eBay would still be around today?
DeleteI don't think so. You need money to run a business, as simple as that, and they had no way to make money any other way and they didn't initially have investors.
DeleteTo Hannah's question- no. I think that was what got the business up and running in the beginning, and they wouldn't have gotten far without it
DeleteProbably not, I think it helped keep the business going and kept him afloat.
DeleteI think sellers willingly paid Omidyar his percentage because it was fair considering that it was his service and they relied on it in order to earn money themselves. I would pay him his share considering that it was his idea and he deserves to be paid for it. That's just how business works.
ReplyDeletei think the sales tax was a social experiment about the integrity of people online, that ultimately turned out really well because buyers and sellers online were nervous, and this worked to his advantage. they wanted a good experience so they were more likely to follow the rules and give others a good experience. i would totally give him this share, its a lot better that the percentage redbubble takes out of sales and i still support them so :/
ReplyDeleteThey weren't paying sales tax, they were paying him a percentage of the profits. Back in the day, you only paid sales tax if you lived in the state where the website had a physical presence (that has since changed).
Deleteoh shoot im osrry i misunderstood
DeleteNow that I think about it, it seems sketchy. I feel like today people would not be willing to send money because the web does not seem like it can be as trusted as it could back then. I think sellers paid Omidyar because the web was built on trust. Sellers probably thought that it was only fair to give the company the money in order to continue business. If customers like a service, they will be willing to do their part to keep it running. I would probably give him his share because I would feel guilty if I did not.
ReplyDeleteI just think the thought of random envelopes of money from sellers showing up is sketchy. But it's also kind of nice to think that there was a time when strangers were able to trust each other enough to do that
DeleteThey were probably willing to pay Omidyar his percentage of the sales price because his service gave them something valuable and they had never seen it before. I would definitely give him his share because eBay is a great service and provides access to a lot of thing I may have never seen again.
ReplyDeleteI would give him his share because he provided a service, and the fee isn't a surprise, it's something you're aware of as a seller going in
ReplyDeleteDo any of you use ebay?
ReplyDeleteI don't, but I have a distinct memory of my sister and one of her friends wanting to make one when they were younger so they could sell watermelon and cinnamon bun earrings made out of sculpey. They didn't get very far.
DeleteThat's the best ebay story I've heard in awhile - what a really niche market that would be!
Delete