 Another sign eBay wants rid of the small fish
eBay is finished with the Live Auction format soon, another sign that eBay only wants big corporations and a select few sellers not the "small fish". The smaller sellers are being slowly phased out.
A Message from Jim Ambach – Live Auction Format Being Retired End of 2008
Hi everyone...As of December 31, 2008, eBay will no longer offer eBay Live Auctions. As we work to improve the buying and selling experiences which you've heard our leaders talk about – including significant investments in Trust & Safety and customer support – we need to make sure our resources are aligned with our priorities. In the case of Live Auctions, maintaining and improving this platform falls outside our immediate focus, and will, therefore, be retired at the end of the year.
Many members may not be aware of Live Auctions – these are differentiated listings linked to physical or virtual auction houses, and moderated by a live auctioneer. Furthermore, these listings are not subject to a specific end time; Live Auctions conclude when there are no further bids.
Before I continue, let's be clear: eBay will continue to offer auction-style listings which constitute the majority of items on eBay.com.
Over the years, eBay partnered with a very small number of service providers who in turn worked directly with the live auction houses to supply merchandise and auctioneers for eBay Live Auctions. In addition, several hundred sellers list their items directly using the Live Auction format.
This announcement will represent a significant change for the small number of partners, buyers, and sellers involved with Live Auctions, which is why we're giving eight months notice. We've been in touch with each of our service provider partners, and between now and the end of this year, we'll continue to work with our Live Auction partners and sellers to ensure a smooth and seamless termination of this aspect of our business.
Sincerely,
Jim Ambach
Vice President, Seller Experience
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Not Just Big Fish 
