Not sure if this has been posted yet - but eBay plans to initiate a points program -

***Coming Soon: eBay Anything Points Program***

Soon we will be introducing a new program: eBay Anything Points. Anything Points members will be able to convert or exchange their "loyalty points" (such as airline miles or hotel points) from certain partners into Anything Points, which will be stored in your PayPal account. Anything Points can then be used to purchase just about anything on eBay!

Some of the key benefits are below.

For Buyers:

*Increase your spending power on eBay by converting, earning and spending Anything Points.

*Initially, convert your airline miles and hotel points into Anything Points, and earn Points through special offers.

*Use Anything Points via your PayPal account to pay for almost any item purchased on eBay.

For Sellers:

*The Anything Points program will help you grow your business by bringing new members and spending power to eBay

*No extra effort is required to participate in Anything Points. Simply accept PayPal as a payment source and receive one cash payment as always.

To learn more about eBay Anything Points, please click here.

Regards,
eBay

Welcome to FT, cabinboy !

There is also additional info on e-bay (see http://anythingpoints.ebay.com)

Well, today is May 15 and official ebay time shows 00:19:03 PDT... Maybe I have to wait until they wake up... :-)

I hope this isn't a program that lets you accumulate points and then use them to get % off purchase...If anyone is familiar with iwon.com they did that...you accumulate points and then can use them to get 10 or 20 percent off some item...all in all it isn't worth the trouble...

I hope this program lets you turn in points and get something for no additional cash!

I think you can use the points for the whole purchase ... but the exchange rates are pretty horrendous:

http://anythingpoints.ebay.com/pointsxchange.html

http://anythingpoints.ebay.com/hhonors/

1 eBay Anything Point = One Penny to spend on Ebay

.

[This message has been edited by sunil (edited 05-15-2003).]

It's no surprise that the exchange rates are poor - this is yet another program powered by the folks at points.com.

What is of note is that this can be used to convert miles into cash. Just have a friend set up an ebay auction for a toothpick for $100. Convert your 13,889 AA miles into 10,000 to pay for it, and after ebay fees, you'll get $94, or about 2/3 of a cent per mile.

I sell a lot on eBay and play the FF game at gold or plat level annually and would have to say that this looks like a real turkey. Mightn't they have avoided it by having Randy consult on it and listening to him?

Lots of people will be confused and disappointed by the conversion rates (13,889 Aadvantage miles for 10K anything points? 20,202 (!!) Midwest miles? And HHonors points might as well be redeemed for AOL trial discs!)

At less than a penny per airline mile, it's subpar compared to redeeming for things like gift certificates through Amtrak Guest Rewards, or to Membership Rewards.

It'll also be an administrative mess that could fall down on customer service. I don't know if eBay will try to do anything in-house, but given how they hate to do business over the phone, they're in for a rude awakening with a program that'll create situations that people will want to talk to a person over the phone to untangle (eBay wants to know everything about YOU but doesn't want you to even find out a phone number for THEM).

What they really need to do is give out points for every dollar spent on eBay and PayPal fees! But it'll take meaningful competition to pressure them into that.


[This message has been edited by RustyC (edited 05-15-2003).]

I would rather EARN points on E-bay that could be transferred to FF rather than use FF or Hotel Points to buy some of the c**p on ebay.

mapsmith,

that is what I hoped for when I read the title here.
Why not give miles for the volume ($ amount) one buys/sells on ebay to get new customers or at least more of my fun-business.

Exactly my thought. If I could earn airline or hotel points from my Ebay purchases I'd be a happy camper. What do you think the chances are that we (the FT community) can start our own point sale/exchange/whatever that wouldn't be such a raw deal?

Competing auction sites are you LISTENING?



[This message has been edited by swflaboy (edited 05-18-2003).]

what competing auction sites???i use ebay too.....i havent found anything else...

thanks

This program was covered in the San Jose Mercury News this morning.
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercuryne...ss/5901537.htm

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View from the Wing: A blog about Free Miles and Free Markets

[This message has been edited by gleff (edited 05-20-2003).]

http://news.com.com/2100-1018_3-1003891.html?tag=cd_mh

I completely agree with the general consensus. In 5min cursory review, I caught the exchange ratios (horrible) and thought this program was stillborn.

Major benefit to eBay and inducement for ebat community members to become [rabidly] interested and involved would have been for eBay to OFFER miles and points, not merely be a conduit for a horrid ratio exchange program. Would have made eBay even 'stickier", like they need the help.

Unbecoming to a e-commerce entity like ebay to be involved in such a poorly-designed program. Almost reminds me of the joke of an auction Continental puts on through eBay.

eBay blew it here. Just doesn't know it yet.

[This message has been edited by ILUVCITIBANK (edited 05-26-2003).]

Yeah, kinda like Auction for America (however well-intentioned it was). You can see in their promo material for this program that they expect it to drive lots of additional traffic to their site. Sometimes even when you're a monopoly customers will balk.