redbaron

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  • What Happened to the American Dream?
    I should also add the political over-tones bother me with this article, as he promotes Ron Paul, and bashes Obama (before he is even in office), while completely overlooking the Bushies of the last 8 years.

    I find much to agree with in the analysis of the past, but that does not give a clear pathway for future economic decisions.

    I would prefer to give Obama a chance here in this situation, as he has Paul Volcker as an economic consultant here and now. As I see it, we Americans have very little choice now, but to put our efforts and our faith behind the new administration. To do less than what we have done in previous administration changes, is not right, fair, or in our national interest.
    Dec 25 08:13 am |Rating: +7 -7 |Link to Comment |View article
  • eBay: Stock Fully Valued at Current Price
    Well reasoned, and perhaps the correct position.

    I however, still consider eBay a short. My logic is biased, due to my thoughts on managements recent decisions, but it is strengthened by decisions such as spending additional funds on the purchase of BillMeLater. How management thinks they can make money on BillMeLater, when the credit card companies are tightening credit terms due to non-payments, is besides me.

    Ebay cannot succede when they are treating their long-time customer base sellers in the manner they consistently are now doing. These customers will continue to leave them, over time, for other selling options, and without a change in either management, strategy, or both, I can see only long term negative growth for the company. Sellers are the only players actually paying eBay and PayPal fees, and hence, they are the customers, IMHO.

    Disclosure: long term short.
    Jan 06 10:49 am |Rating: +6 -1 |Link to Comment |View article
  • eBay's Donahoe Has Crow for Thanksgiving
    Lenny, I repeat, take these complaints seriously. If you own the stock, sell it, and if you don't own it, short it. John D. has seriously screwed up the site for sellers, and sellers are the only ones paying the bills.

    Sellers are the real customers here, not buyers. Sellers are the only ones paying eBay fees. Buyers don't pay for anything except the merchandise.

    Nov 28 08:10 am |Rating: +5 -3 |Link to Comment |View article
  • What Happened to the American Dream?
    Great analysis, but very short on solutions.
    Dec 25 07:02 am |Rating: +4 -4 |Link to Comment |View article
  • What Will Become of eBay?
    Ebay, in my opinion, is broken, but not permamently. All they really need to do is get back to what worked before. I have sold there since the beginning in 1996, and the new management has alieneated both buyers and sellers with their 2008 changes. It is not too late to go back to the model that worked for the previous 12 years, but first one must admit that the most recent changes have been a mistake. One very basic mistake they have most recently made is forgetting that it is sellers who pay all the fees, which, IMHO, makes sellers the customers. Some communication with sellers would go a long way to improving the site, but first management must be willing to do that. Go back to your roots, Ebay, back to basics, and it is not too late to turn this all around.
    Dec 21 20:19 pm |Rating: +4 -1 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Paypal Holds Sellers' Funds Hostage
    Chitto: Not a clue to eBay happenings, so why post?

    We have been an eBay seller since the beginning, and we had some of our funds recently held as 'unclaimed' in what PayPal claimed was a 'glitch'. Dinah has it right, and it seems to me that holding these funds is close to illegal, if not outright illegal. It will likely take a court case challenge to get them to change their policies, and not many sellers will bother with that, as it is easier to just move to something else. Amazon is not the only challenge, however, as traditional bricks and mortar stores are also an option for sellers.

    Ebay continues to offer nothing but dis-incentives to sellers, and it seems to me that without sellers, Ebay is going to be toast. They can import big-volume corporate sellers, but buying new commercial merchandise on eBay, is not what made them great. It was the thrill of finding something that could not be found anywhere else, that made eBay work, and John Donohue just doesn't understand that concept. Without the 'thrill of the hunt', eBay is just another big-box volume discounter.

    Who comes after Donohue, is the question I think must be asked, as to continue to leave it in this guys hands is corporate suicide.

    I posted here when the stock was in the mid 20's, 'Sell the stock if you own it, and short it if you don't', and that advice stands today. Donohue will not go back to the core values that made eBay work in the beginning, and that flaw will be fatal.

    Nov 10 10:58 am |Rating: +4 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • eBay: The PayPal Factor
    It occurs to me that with credit card companies having increased trouble collecting payments from card holders that was just recently announced, that perhaps eBay might also have increased trouble with collecting payments made through the BillMeLater option. Credit card stocks are down, and that to me would seem to be a negative for eBay and BillMeLater. Why would eBay be immune from this trend?
    IMHO
    Dec 31 07:02 am |Rating: +3 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • What Will Become of eBay?
    What happened to Dianah's eBay post on SA? Is SA allowing eBay to delete posts here? And if that is indeed what is happening, where is free speech and dissent going next? Anything negative to eBay has been deleted on their boards for years, but deleting it here in the public arena is something new, at least to me. Perhaps I've not been watching close enough, but I hadn't seen this before. With all the dumb and uninteligent posts that SA allows, it would seem only proper that someone with inside eBay experience should be allowed to post thoughts on what is actually happening within the company. SA, are you listening. IMHO
    Dec 22 09:44 am |Rating: +3 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Aid for the Automakers? You Decide!
    I don't like it, but I agree with the author's stance, i.e., some aid, but with lots of provisions that would come with a cost to management, unions, debtholders, and of course, shareholders as well.

    To not do anything, is to risk something dark and deep, and I don't want to go there.
    Nov 20 08:43 am |Rating: +2 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Trust: The Biggest Casualty of 2008
    I certainly agree that trust has been seriously erroded in 2008, but at the same time I also remember that a similar situation existed in October of 1987, when the Dow declined 23% (or so) in one day. At that time my long time friend and broker told me that he had customers that had lost so much trust in the stock market that they would never again invest in stocks. We Americans recovered from that situation to see the Dow move up many fold over the next two decades, and it is my thought that we will recover again from this current situation. When that will happen is a larger question, and I am not wise enough to predict the future.

    At the same time, I can see that some of the small cap value stocks that I follow have already doubled from their lows in November, and one or two nearly tripled. One could argue that the recovery is already underway, but there is so much negativism in the press today that I am afraid to try to make that case. A real contrarian would not hesitate to go ahead and make that case, but I will refrain. Regardless, I for one believe that sentiment will recover, and trust restored, at some point soon. When that does happen, no doubt the value stocks I follow will be considerably higher than they are now, and way off their lows in Nov.
    Jan 02 10:04 am |Rating: +1 -2 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Why Does Cramer Have a Beef with Leveraged ETFs?
    I agree, and could not see the logic in Cramer ragging on the leveraged ETF's. To me, this is just a leveraged short, and is a nice tool to have for the average investor, especially so in this market.
    Dec 24 07:06 am |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Eight Stocks to Benefit from Increased Water Infrastructure Spending
    My favorite is Layne Christensen, LAYN, which is in 4 different buisnesses. Not only is it the largest water well driller in the US, it is also in enviornmental remediation wells, and mineral and energy exploration well drilling (and related businesses). Layne Christensen is big in the western US, and one would think that with water there in scarcity, it would be in a position to benefit. I have bought it on similar down-turns many times in the past, and it has never disappointed me with significant returns. I own LAYN.
    Dec 21 11:23 am |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Sector Overview: Internet Stocks
    The eBay model is broken, and current management has made it worse. The stock has bounced up a little currently, and this should be used as an opportunity to sell. Again, short this stock if you don't own it, and sell it, if you do. The bottom is not yet in sight.

    No company can succeed using a strategy like they have now implemented, treating their customers like they are now treating theirs.
    Dec 14 06:40 am |Rating: +1 -2 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Poor Performance Often Linked to Excessive Executive Pay
    AI, as I recall, it was the CEO of P&G, who was so outspoken about the need for a new generation of American workers who were better educated and more flexible, during the down-sizing that happened during the 1990's. While I haven't tried to research the individuals involved, either then or now, one now has to wonder if the need for change might have been slightly mis-placed. What goes around, often comes around again, but with a slightly different emphasis.
    Dec 09 13:10 pm |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • eBay Buyer Incentives Are Not a Good Bargain
    Hope one of the new sites works out for sellers and buyers alike. I add my voice to those above who think that Donohue has killed this company, investors just don't realize it yet.

    Has anyone else noticed how few buyers are bothering to post feedback, now that only they can post negatives (and sellers only positives). My total feedbacks posted, as a percentage of total items sold, is now about 1/2-1/3 of what it was previously; for instance, only about 20-30 per month, where before it was 60-90 per month. Buyers just aren't bothering to post FB any more. Those changes killed FB, IMHO. Previously, feedback had some problems, and it was some times used improperly, but it did work. Now, it just doesn't work at all, and is totally meaningless.
    Oct 31 09:40 am |Rating: +1 -1 |Link to Comment |View article

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