I’ve noticed those TV commercials that eBay now has running, pitching the idea that it’s more fun to shop competitively, which is what an eBay auction is all about. I do indeed buy stuff there, but I certainly don’t find it fun to use eBay. You can save money on something you want if you play the game right, but you have to work at it. Ebay is hard work, no doubt about it. And it can be frustration too; you can put in a bid at the start of a 7 day auction and go most of the way as the high bidder, and then be outbid in the last 10 minutes. This has happened to me a number of times (and also to every other regular eBay user). In fact, it happened just last week; I noticed that eBay now sends out a consolation e-mail when you lose. How thoughtful.
It appears that eBay is a bit worried that people are getting tired of it. It’s actually not very hard to pay more on eBay; you can sometimes find something cheaper on a regular (non-auction) web site after maybe a half hour of searching. I have seen that a number of times (luckily I wasn’t the person making the sucker bid). And you have to be very careful about adding in the shipping charges. Admittedly, eBay is good for certain high-volume markets such as used home computers and other consumer electronics (although I had rotten luck on eBay with digital cameras; I found it best to just look around at the regular electronics sites).
But you don’t go to eBay for basic stuff like household items or food or clothes or books. Ebay is good for collectors items and hobby items, anything that you don’t really need and can walk away from if the price goes too high. With eBay, you either need patience, or you need to be so well off that you don’t really care about paying too much on something that you don’t really need.
I’m glad that I don’t work for eBay. They are one of the small handful of success stories from the Internet Revolution That Wasn’t back in the 1990s. However, eBay and the American economy have not gone through a serious economic recession since eBay started back around 1996. We may possibly be in for one if the current mortgage and real estate crisis doesn’t get better soon. If unemployment does increase and consumer spending finally starts to tank, eBay would not be in a good position. If families need get serious about spending within their means, spending on eBay is probably the first thing they will cut out. So eBay is perched for a big fall if the consumer spending blitz that has powered the American economy for the past 15 or 20 years finally stalls.
Ebay is a nervous canary in an economic coal mine right now, hoping that some creative advertising will keep people interested in “the eBay experience”. Unfortunately, that experience is much like the root-canal experience; you don’t do it because it’s fun, you do it because it might help in the long run. But unlike a root canal for a rotting tooth, most everyone can live without eBay. If you see eBay go down, you will know that something big is happening to the U.S. economy. It’s something to watch.
And while I’m thinking about trends, I’ve noticed lately that the word “foodie” has become rather popular in publications like the NY Times, Newsweek, Harpers, etc. So I looked it up. It turns out that “foodie” is a rather old term, coined in the mid-1980s. There is even a web site called foodie.com (but it’s only a link site, little original content). “Foodie” is more or less equivalent to “gourmet”, i.e. someone interested in experiencing fine food. But it owes its current popularity to the fact that it seems more informal and flexible than the stuffy, high-browed images that “gourmet” conjured up.
Given our modern consumer economy and the availability of a wide variety of foods through specialty shops, web sites, and mega-supermarkets, you no longer need to be a patron of the most exclusive restaurants to experience fine and once-rare foods. You can be a soccer mom and dad who get down to the local Whole Foods or other high-end supermarket to buy fresh buffalo mozzarella and fresh-grown fennel and stuff like that. Maybe you could even be a veg-head like me who patronizes four different local supermarkets and a couple of food web sites, who spends every Saturday morning and part of the afternoon cooking for the week, who looks out for new things to make and new ways to make old stuff, etc. I myself am certainly not a gourmet, but I might be a do-it-yourself foodie.
I will admit that it has been our “consumer paradise”, i.e. the same American economy that supports stuff like eBay, that has allowed “oddball foodies” (like myself) to find their way in the suburbs and exurbs. I don’t like the hustle and aggressiveness that seems necessary to support our economic miracle. It looks like that hustle is finally tripping itself up with the mortgage crisis, and I can’t help but laugh. Still, I’d miss being able to buy soy flour and steel cut oats and wheat berries and portabella mushrooms and decaf white tea within a mile of my house . . . foodie that I am.
Jim, I can’t say that I have EVER used eBay and cannot envision that I will use it in the future.
First of all, I don’t like the “bidding” thing combined with the “waiting” thing. Well actually I don’t like either the “bidding” OR the “waiting”–they don’t have to be combined. If I intend to buy something or am looking for something I need or want for some good reason, then I look around to find where I can get the best deal. A lot of the “bidding” is just to win out over somebody else for the sake of winning–or so it seems to me. I also don’t like the “waiting” to see if I can make the highest bid. No thank you; I figure out about what I’m willing to pay for something, try to find that price or lower, and get it.
Another thing I absolutely refuse to do is fight with other people over something I want to buy–which seems about the same when it comes to a bidding “war.” [I also cannot see the craze just recently exhibited by people who almost trampled others to get into stores on “Black Monday” for sales. As far as I’m concerned, they must be kidding. But I digress.]
And when I “figure out the price” I want to pay, I always factor in the delivery charges for sure–they can count up. For instance, it may be possible to get a book for $1.99 at Alibris and end up paying $7 for shipping and handling. Might as well go to B&N; where I can add another book I’m going to buy anyway, buy at least $25 and get free shipping; add to that the “member discount” (which is absolutely well worth the price if one buys a lot of books over a year–of which I am one), and in the end you have the book from B&N; at a much better deal than from Alibris, even tho on the face of it Alibris has the cheaper price.
Second, a lot of the things on eBay, if I understand correctly are used. I do not like somebody else’s rejects. Perhaps it’s that I feel that some of the other person’s aura or whatever clings to the “used” thing; I have no intention of using somebody else’s things. Perhaps it’s just that I’ve never been poor enough to be glad for somebody else’s things–that’s a possibility.
As to collecting, I really don’t understand the need to “collect.” Although I must say that I have gone through an Alexandrian library of books in my day. I may keep some books for years, even as long as 20 years; but eventually, they get thrown out. When I realize that a book I thought I’d never throw out because it was so precious to me has run its course in my life, I end up throwing it out. I have to admit that there are just one or two authors who have “persisted” throughout my life as wanting their books handy.
I can see “collecting” as an investment, where one invests a lot of money in something that will almost surely increase in value–like real estate. But there again, I don’t have the money for that. And as to other objects that increase in value, art, coins, jewelry, etc., I don’t have the money for those things. I have seen people who collect such things as beer cans or bells or dolls. This concept simply escapes me.
So that leaves me with books all over my house but none really “collected”; and otherwise, “collecting” escapes me.
And as to “foodie.” I must say as I read your description of “foodie” as a RATHER OLD TERM, I fully expected to read that it was a word used back in the eighteenth or nineteenth century. I have to admit that perhaps my age is showing, but 1980 was just 25 years ago. I realize that many people out in the netherworld of the internet are not that old; (well, probably most of them). To some people, 25 years ago is one of the shorter periods one can look back upon.
But the language is truly changing, that’s for sure. In perhaps 2107 or 2207 they will be saying “foodie” is an “old word that harks back to the twentieth century.
And I guess the whole thing with fussing about food is beyond me also. I can enjoy a good meal, but I definitely tend not to go out of my way about one. Never have. But I do think yo
Comment by Anonymous — December 2, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Jim, I can’t say that I have EVER used eBay and cannot envision that I will use it in the future.
First of all, I don’t like the “bidding” thing combined with the “waiting” thing. Well actually I don’t like either the “bidding” OR the “waiting”–they don’t have to be combined. If I intend to buy something or am looking for something I need or want for some good reason, then I look around to find where I can get the best deal. A lot of the “bidding” is just to win out over somebody else for the sake of winning–or so it seems to me. I also don’t like the “waiting” to see if I can make the highest bid. No thank you; I figure out about what I’m willing to pay for something, try to find that price or lower, and get it.
Another thing I absolutely refuse to do is fight with other people over something I want to buy–which seems about the same when it comes to a bidding “war.” [I also cannot see the craze just recently exhibited by people who almost trampled others to get into stores on “Black Monday” for sales. As far as I’m concerned, they must be kidding. But I digress.]
And when I “figure out the price” I want to pay, I always factor in the delivery charges for sure–they can count up. For instance, it may be possible to get a book for $1.99 at Alibris and end up paying $7 for shipping and handling. Might as well go to B&N; where I can add another book I’m going to buy anyway, buy at least $25 and get free shipping; add to that the “member discount” (which is absolutely well worth the price if one buys a lot of books over a year–of which I am one), and in the end you have the book from B&N; at a much better deal than from Alibris, even tho on the face of it Alibris has the cheaper price.
Second, a lot of the things on eBay, if I understand correctly are used. I do not like somebody else’s rejects. Perhaps it’s that I feel that some of the other person’s aura or whatever clings to the “used” thing; I have no intention of using somebody else’s things. Perhaps it’s just that I’ve never been poor enough to be glad for somebody else’s things–that’s a possibility.
As to collecting, I really don’t understand the need to “collect.” Although I must say that I have gone through an Alexandrian library of books in my day. I may keep some books for years, even as long as 20 years; but eventually, they get thrown out. When I realize that a book I thought I’d never throw out because it was so precious to me has run its course in my life, I end up throwing it out. I have to admit that there are just one or two authors who have “persisted” throughout my life as wanting their books handy.
I can see “collecting” as an investment, where one invests a lot of money in something that will almost surely increase in value–like real estate. But there again, I don’t have the money for that. And as to other objects that increase in value, art, coins, jewelry, etc., I don’t have the money for those things. I have seen people who collect such things as beer cans or bells or dolls. This concept simply escapes me.
So that leaves me with books all over my house but none really “collected”; and otherwise, “collecting” escapes me.
And as to “foodie.” I must say as I read your description of “foodie” as a RATHER OLD TERM, I fully expected to read that it was a word used back in the eighteenth or nineteenth century. I have to admit that perhaps my age is showing, but 1980 was just 25 years ago. I realize that many people out in the netherworld of the internet are not that old; (well, probably most of them). To some people, 25 years ago is one of the shorter periods one can look back upon.
But the language is truly changing, that’s for sure. In perhaps 2107 or 2207 they will be saying “foodie” is an “old word that harks back to the twentieth century.
And I guess the whole thing with fussing about food is beyond me also. I can enjoy a good meal, but I definitely tend not to go out of my way about one. Never have. But I do think you are on to something about making your meals for the week on one day (Saturday). Good idea when you are working. As I look back on my life, it has somehow always boiled down to somebody else doing the cooking while I was out working. So I was just grateful when food was put on the table. If it was delicious, it was great; if it was good, it was a bonus; if it was only OK, then OK, I ate that too. Never did get into the food “appreciation” business. Another thing about food is that in general I simply refuse to spend major bucks on it. As far as I’m concerned, the milk labeled “Country Delight” or the milk labeled “Fieldcrest” most likely came from the same diary, put into the same bottle, and then a different label was slapped on the bottle. But I say those who do enjoy special foods should certainly give it their best shot.
I also refuse to believe that certain diets will save one from this or that disease. My attitude is be sure you eat from the major food groups in moderation. If you have a craving for a particular food, eat a little more of it as your body probably need some of the vitamins or minerals in that particular food. When you are hungry and don’t know what you want to eat, you absolutely need green vegetables–eat them. So ends my rant tonight.
MCS
Comment by Anonymous — December 2, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Jim, I can’t say that I have EVER used eBay and cannot envision that I will use it in the future.
First of all, I don’t like the “bidding” thing combined with the “waiting” thing. Well actually I don’t like either the “bidding” OR the “waiting”–they don’t have to be combined. If I intend to buy something or am looking for something I need or want for some good reason, then I look around to find where I can get the best deal. A lot of the “bidding” is just to win out over somebody else for the sake of winning–or so it seems to me. I also don’t like the “waiting” to see if I can make the highest bid. No thank you; I figure out about what I’m willing to pay for something, try to find that price or lower, and get it.
Another thing I absolutely refuse to do is fight with other people over something I want to buy–which seems about the same when it comes to a bidding “war.” [I also cannot see the craze just recently exhibited by people who almost trampled others to get into stores on “Black Monday” for sales. As far as I’m concerned, they must be kidding. But I digress.]
And when I “figure out the price” I want to pay, I always factor in the delivery charges for sure–they can count up. For instance, it may be possible to get a book for $1.99 at Alibris and end up paying $7 for shipping and handling. Might as well go to B&N; where I can add another book I’m going to buy anyway, buy at least $25 and get free shipping; add to that the “member discount” (which is absolutely well worth the price if one buys a lot of books over a year–of which I am one), and in the end you have the book from B&N; at a much better deal than from Alibris, even tho on the face of it Alibris has the cheaper price.
Second, a lot of the things on eBay, if I understand correctly are used. I do not like somebody else’s rejects. Perhaps it’s that I feel that some of the other person’s aura or whatever clings to the “used” thing; I have no intention of using somebody else’s things. Perhaps it’s just that I’ve never been poor enough to be glad for somebody else’s things–that’s a possibility.
As to collecting, I really don’t understand the need to “collect.” Although I must say that I have gone through an Alexandrian library of books in my day. I may keep some books for years, even as long as 20 years; but eventually, they get thrown out. When I realize that a book I thought I’d never throw out because it was so precious to me has run its course in my life, I end up throwing it out. I have to admit that there are just one or two authors who have “persisted” throughout my life as wanting their books handy.
I can see “collecting” as an investment, where one invests a lot of money in something that will almost surely increase in value–like real estate. But there again, I don’t have the money for that. And as to other objects that increase in value, art, coins, jewelry, etc., I don’t have the money for those things. I have seen people who collect such things as beer cans or bells or dolls. This concept simply escapes me.
So that leaves me with books all over my house but none really “collected”; and otherwise, “collecting” escapes me.
And as to “foodie.” I must say as I read your description of “foodie” as a RATHER OLD TERM, I fully expected to read that it was a word used back in the eighteenth or nineteenth century. I have to admit that perhaps my age is showing, but 1980 was just 25 years ago. I realize that many people out in the netherworld of the internet are not that old; (well, probably most of them). To some people, 25 years ago is one of the shorter periods one can look back upon.
But the language is truly changing, that’s for sure. In perhaps 2107 or 2207 they will be saying “foodie” is an “old word that harks back to the twentieth century.
And I guess the whole thing with fussing about food is beyond me also. I can enjoy a good meal, but I definitely tend not to go out of my way about one. Never have. But I do think yo
Comment by Anonymous — December 2, 2007 @ 7:11 pm