Category change on eBay?

A few lampworkers have been discussing lately something which concerns
most of us here... the lampwork categories on eBay. We were talking
about how lots and lots of us emailed eBay and they gave us a new
category; lampwork handmade US. Unfortunately, that category is woefully
inadequate, as it really doesn't specify what we *need* it to specify,
which is whether it is artisan lampwork, and whether it's made in the US
is irrelevant. Narrowing it to US lampworkers only hurts non-US lampwork
artisans and the customers who are looking for good-quality artisan
work, regardless of counrty of origin.

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with
is the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This
was actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I
think eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a
category in paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by
emailing eBay and asking for it.

It wouldn't keep liars and scammers from posting their mass-produced
lampwork there, but it would at least be a more accurate category for
all self-representing lampwork artisans worldwide, and that would
benefit both sellers and buyers of lampwork. If anyone here thinks this
is a good idea and one that we beaders as a whole could benefit from,
please take a moment to email eBay and ask them to make this change.

Here's the link for making uncsolicited suggestions (they made it a bit
hard to find)

http://pages.ebay.com/help/welcome/suggest.html

This is what I said in my suggestion:

"Hi,

I am a self-representing lampwork artist selling on eBay, and I'd like
to suggest the addition of the category "Lampwork - Handmade -
Self-representing artists".

The current category, "Lampwork - Handmade - US" was a step in the right
direction, but unfortunately it excludes a great many of our
international colleagues and doesn't specifically narrow the offerings
to artists selling their own work. I think that the self-representing
category will make it easier for lampwork customers to find the kind of
work they want, and will exclude those reselling mass-produced, imported
(but still handmade) lampwork, while including exceptional talents
worldwide who are selling their own work.

Thank you for considering this suggestion."
--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay

Kalera wrote:

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with
is the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This
was actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I
think eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a
category in paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by
emailing eBay and asking for it.


I would love a category like that, it feels odd to put Mike's auctions in
'other' as it seems such a catch-all category and puts the non-US
lampworkers that are self-representing into a lesser category than the US
artists simply because 'other' seems so undistinguished.

I'll write to them today.

-Su

I woefully agree with you Su. I hate having non-US lampworkers in another
category. I think self-represented artists is much better and we'll get to
see more beauties from around the world in one category.

--
Starlia Klopman
www.klopmanstudios.com


"Su/Cutworks" wrote in message
...
Kalera wrote:

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with
is the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This
was actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I
think eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a
category in paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by
emailing eBay and asking for it.


I would love a category like that, it feels odd to put Mike's auctions in
'other' as it seems such a catch-all category and puts the non-US
lampworkers that are self-representing into a lesser category than the US
artists simply because 'other' seems so undistinguished.

I'll write to them today.

-Su

I sent my email!

Emma


On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:40:41 -0700, Kalera Stratton
wrote:

A few lampworkers have been discussing lately something which concerns
most of us here... the lampwork categories on eBay. We were talking
about how lots and lots of us emailed eBay and they gave us a new
category; lampwork handmade US. Unfortunately, that category is woefully
inadequate, as it really doesn't specify what we *need* it to specify,
which is whether it is artisan lampwork, and whether it's made in the US
is irrelevant. Narrowing it to US lampworkers only hurts non-US lampwork
artisans and the customers who are looking for good-quality artisan
work, regardless of counrty of origin.

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with
is the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This
was actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I
think eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a
category in paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by
emailing eBay and asking for it.

It wouldn't keep liars and scammers from posting their mass-produced
lampwork there, but it would at least be a more accurate category for
all self-representing lampwork artisans worldwide, and that would
benefit both sellers and buyers of lampwork. If anyone here thinks this
is a good idea and one that we beaders as a whole could benefit from,
please take a moment to email eBay and ask them to make this change.

Here's the link for making uncsolicited suggestions (they made it a bit
hard to find)

http://pages.ebay.com/help/welcome/suggest.html

This is what I said in my suggestion:

"Hi,

I am a self-representing lampwork artist selling on eBay, and I'd like
to suggest the addition of the category "Lampwork - Handmade -
Self-representing artists".

The current category, "Lampwork - Handmade - US" was a step in the right
direction, but unfortunately it excludes a great many of our
international colleagues and doesn't specifically narrow the offerings
to artists selling their own work. I think that the self-representing
category will make it easier for lampwork customers to find the kind of
work they want, and will exclude those reselling mass-produced, imported
(but still handmade) lampwork, while including exceptional talents
worldwide who are selling their own work.

Thank you for considering this suggestion."

Hooray! I am going to PM Lori over on WC and let her know folks are
taking action... maybe she can bring it up on WC again and we can get a
bunch of emails sent. Wouldn't it be lovely?!

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


E J Ralph wrote:
I sent my email!

Emma


On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:40:41 -0700, Kalera Stratton
wrote:


A few lampworkers have been discussing lately something which concerns
most of us here... the lampwork categories on eBay. We were talking
about how lots and lots of us emailed eBay and they gave us a new
category; lampwork handmade US. Unfortunately, that category is woefully
inadequate, as it really doesn't specify what we *need* it to specify,
which is whether it is artisan lampwork, and whether it's made in the US
is irrelevant. Narrowing it to US lampworkers only hurts non-US lampwork
artisans and the customers who are looking for good-quality artisan
work, regardless of counrty of origin.

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with
is the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This
was actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I
think eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a
category in paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by
emailing eBay and asking for it.

It wouldn't keep liars and scammers from posting their mass-produced
lampwork there, but it would at least be a more accurate category for
all self-representing lampwork artisans worldwide, and that would
benefit both sellers and buyers of lampwork. If anyone here thinks this
is a good idea and one that we beaders as a whole could benefit from,
please take a moment to email eBay and ask them to make this change.

Here's the link for making uncsolicited suggestions (they made it a bit
hard to find)

http://pages.ebay.com/help/welcome/suggest.html

This is what I said in my suggestion:

"Hi,

I am a self-representing lampwork artist selling on eBay, and I'd like
to suggest the addition of the category "Lampwork - Handmade -
Self-representing artists".

The current category, "Lampwork - Handmade - US" was a step in the right
direction, but unfortunately it excludes a great many of our
international colleagues and doesn't specifically narrow the offerings
to artists selling their own work. I think that the self-representing
category will make it easier for lampwork customers to find the kind of
work they want, and will exclude those reselling mass-produced, imported
(but still handmade) lampwork, while including exceptional talents
worldwide who are selling their own work.

Thank you for considering this suggestion."

That would be great, Kalera.

As I stated in my email, I thought that complaints to eBay regarding
category violations would increase daily until they did something. Anyone
care to help me make good on that? Even though it's a PITA, I try to send
at least a few a day. There's not only mass produced, imported lampwork,
but also czech glass beads.

I could only find how to report actual auctions though.

--
--------------------------------------
Lori Greenberg
www.beadnerd.com
ebay:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...origre enberg


"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
Hooray! I am going to PM Lori over on WC and let her know folks are taking
action... maybe she can bring it up on WC again and we can get a bunch of
emails sent. Wouldn't it be lovely?!

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


E J Ralph wrote:
I sent my email!

Emma


On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:40:41 -0700, Kalera Stratton
wrote:


A few lampworkers have been discussing lately something which concerns
most of us here... the lampwork categories on eBay. We were talking about
how lots and lots of us emailed eBay and they gave us a new category;
lampwork handmade US. Unfortunately, that category is woefully
inadequate, as it really doesn't specify what we *need* it to specify,
which is whether it is artisan lampwork, and whether it's made in the US
is irrelevant. Narrowing it to US lampworkers only hurts non-US lampwork
artisans and the customers who are looking for good-quality artisan work,
regardless of counrty of origin.

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with is
the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This was
actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I think
eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a category in
paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by emailing
eBay and asking for it.

It wouldn't keep liars and scammers from posting their mass-produced
lampwork there, but it would at least be a more accurate category for all
self-representing lampwork artisans worldwide, and that would benefit
both sellers and buyers of lampwork. If anyone here thinks this is a good
idea and one that we beaders as a whole could benefit from, please take a
moment to email eBay and ask them to make this change.

Here's the link for making uncsolicited suggestions (they made it a bit
hard to find)

http://pages.ebay.com/help/welcome/suggest.html

This is what I said in my suggestion:

"Hi,

I am a self-representing lampwork artist selling on eBay, and I'd like to
suggest the addition of the category "Lampwork - Handmade -
Self-representing artists".

The current category, "Lampwork - Handmade - US" was a step in the right
direction, but unfortunately it excludes a great many of our
international colleagues and doesn't specifically narrow the offerings to
artists selling their own work. I think that the self-representing
category will make it easier for lampwork customers to find the kind of
work they want, and will exclude those reselling mass-produced, imported
(but still handmade) lampwork, while including exceptional talents
worldwide who are selling their own work.

Thank you for considering this suggestion."

Lori wrote:

As I stated in my email, I thought that complaints to eBay regarding
category violations would increase daily until they did something. Anyone
care to help me make good on that? Even though it's a PITA, I try to send
at least a few a day. There's not only mass produced, imported lampwork,
but also czech glass beads.

I'll be glad to help with that.

Send me links if you have particular auctions in question, otherwise I'll
just shoot for a random selection. I have tons of practice sending
complaints about scanned photos and copyrighted artwork being sold as cross
stitch charts converted by computer, including Disney and other such
*gagging* ... well, let's just say I wouldn't call it art after it's been
through a lazy person's cross stitch program and sold as a chart.

-Su

I read that part of your letter and thought, "Hmmm, is that an
obsrvation or a promise?" LOL! I would be glad to pitch in with
reporting a few miscategorized auctions per day... it only takes a few
minutes, and if nothing else it may help reduce the bog of
miscategorized crap in the handmade lampwork categories.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


Lori Greenberg wrote:
That would be great, Kalera.

As I stated in my email, I thought that complaints to eBay regarding
category violations would increase daily until they did something. Anyone
care to help me make good on that? Even though it's a PITA, I try to send
at least a few a day. There's not only mass produced, imported lampwork,
but also czech glass beads.

I could only find how to report actual auctions though.

Hee hee.

I'm a bit leery of just posting lists of links to be reported so let's just
say I'll ask the question:

Do you think these are handcrafted lampwork auctions?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...3023 016&rd=1

What about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...3003 504&rd=1

Govern yourself accordingly. ;o)

--
--------------------------------------
Lori Greenberg
www.beadnerd.com
ebay:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...origre enberg


"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
I read that part of your letter and thought, "Hmmm, is that an obsrvation
or a promise?" LOL! I would be glad to pitch in with reporting a few
miscategorized auctions per day... it only takes a few minutes, and if
nothing else it may help reduce the bog of miscategorized crap in the
handmade lampwork categories.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


Lori Greenberg wrote:
That would be great, Kalera.

As I stated in my email, I thought that complaints to eBay regarding
category violations would increase daily until they did something.
Anyone care to help me make good on that? Even though it's a PITA, I try
to send at least a few a day. There's not only mass produced, imported
lampwork, but also czech glass beads.

I could only find how to report actual auctions though.

This is a good idea. I have reported listings for category misuse a few
times, but nothing really worth taking notice of. If a bunch of us do this
(legitimately of course) maybe ebay will notice.

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

That would be great, Kalera.

As I stated in my email, I thought that complaints to eBay regarding
category violations would increase daily until they did something. Anyone
care to help me make good on that? Even though it's a PITA, I try to send
at least a few a day. There's not only mass produced, imported lampwork,
but also czech glass beads.

I could only find how to report actual auctions though.

--
--------------------------------------
Lori Greenberg
www.beadnerd.com
ebay:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...origre enberg


"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
Hooray! I am going to PM Lori over on WC and let her know folks are
taking action... maybe she can bring it up on WC again and we can get a
bunch of emails sent. Wouldn't it be lovely?!

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


E J Ralph wrote:
I sent my email!

Emma


On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:40:41 -0700, Kalera Stratton
wrote:


A few lampworkers have been discussing lately something which concerns
most of us here... the lampwork categories on eBay. We were talking
about how lots and lots of us emailed eBay and they gave us a new
category; lampwork handmade US. Unfortunately, that category is woefully
inadequate, as it really doesn't specify what we *need* it to specify,
which is whether it is artisan lampwork, and whether it's made in the US
is irrelevant. Narrowing it to US lampworkers only hurts non-US lampwork
artisans and the customers who are looking for good-quality artisan
work, regardless of counrty of origin.

The thing this dedicated focus group (HAW) of lampworkers came up with
is the category "Lampwork - handmade - self-representing artists". This
was actually Lori Peterson's brainchild, if I understand correctly! I
think eBay would be amenable to that because they already have a
category in paintings for self-representing artists... which they won by
emailing eBay and asking for it.

It wouldn't keep liars and scammers from posting their mass-produced
lampwork there, but it would at least be a more accurate category for
all self-representing lampwork artisans worldwide, and that would
benefit both sellers and buyers of lampwork. If anyone here thinks this
is a good idea and one that we beaders as a whole could benefit from,
please take a moment to email eBay and ask them to make this change.

Here's the link for making uncsolicited suggestions (they made it a bit
hard to find)

http://pages.ebay.com/help/welcome/suggest.html

This is what I said in my suggestion:

"Hi,

I am a self-representing lampwork artist selling on eBay, and I'd like
to suggest the addition of the category "Lampwork - Handmade -
Self-representing artists".

The current category, "Lampwork - Handmade - US" was a step in the right
direction, but unfortunately it excludes a great many of our
international colleagues and doesn't specifically narrow the offerings
to artists selling their own work. I think that the self-representing
category will make it easier for lampwork customers to find the kind of
work they want, and will exclude those reselling mass-produced, imported
(but still handmade) lampwork, while including exceptional talents
worldwide who are selling their own work.

Thank you for considering this suggestion."