Talk to the banana and tell me how it feels

Yesterday, at my son's graduation commencement, I listened to words of wisdom. Each sentiment was a carefully selected expression of the best advice intelligent people with vast experience might pass on to these young graduates – all full of hopes and dreams but with precious little life experience.

One speaker ended a wonderful delivery with this quote from Maya Angelou:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

A few days ago sellers at Bonanza were notified that the site had launched a new feedback feature they're calling "Transaction Impressions." In it's introduction on the company's blog, CEO Bill Harding remarked: "Of course, we've listened carefully to our seller community and understand that some sellers are wary of feedback systems that can be used against them unfairly.  Specifically, we know that there is a segment of our sellers that would not want Bonanza to introduce a system akin to eBay's "DSR" system...

Well, most sellers were not happy, and they felt management was not listening to their objections to the new feature.  Feeling frustrated and insulted, they offered many, many valid reasons why the feature might actually prove detrimental their businesses. In fact, you can read the comments that were left on the announcement blog here, although several comments were deleted by management so you won't see them. This is actually a common practice that Bonanza Management employs when "listening" to their membership. Had I written this piece on Friday I would also have been able to direct you to similar threads in their site forums, some several pages long, all commenting on the overwhelming dissatisfaction with the new grading system. They too have been wiped from the site. Again, the listening thing.

Leaves a bad feeling... every time.

It is important to note that checkout is still not reliable on the site. Management clearly does not believe their selling site needs a glitch-free system through which purchases might be made, and that is why I do not sell there any longer. And why my commentary is no longer appreciated...

And by the way, the picture cropper that was launched with the new star system was launched broken. The stars themselves do not stick and there are typos in the prompts. But this is typical bonanza style, the speed over perfection model.  A helpful seller pointed out some areas of improvement, but to no avail:

“Sellers communication was helpful & friendly”
please add an apostrophe “Seller’s communication…”
“Shipping time my met expectations”
 switch “my” and “met” to “Shipping time met my exp…”

But back to the issue of feelings.

The purpose of our feelings is so that we will know how to respond to an experience. Our feelings can tell us that a person we are relating to is unsafe, or that a situation is not serving our best interests. Our feelings are filled with important information; information about what is going on in our world and what our response is to those experiences. Our feelings can guide us toward securing our personal safety by getting the heck out of the situation and by setting appropriate boundaries. Feelings are five-star feedback.

So... as the sellers discussed their feelings, some were promptly discounted and deleted by management, such as this one: "I think we would have a better chance keeping buyers if checkout worked all the time and the offers got through to the sellers… buyers will not return when offers are ignored and a seller can not respond when they do not know they exist. I think these two things would do much more to keep buyers than stars.."

Another seller asked: "why? why bother. what’s wrong with the other? isn’t there enough to do or fix around here. most won’t leave feedback because it’s a pain in the rump; now it’ll be a bigger pain in the rump. I just think time and resources should be concentrated it better utilized areas of need..."

Management's reply: "The reason “why” is that it’s a lot easier to keep an existing buyer than to recruit a new one. Every time a buyer has a negative experience, that is a buyer that will probably never return to Bonanza again. In addition to spending money to recruit buyers, features like this will help us to keep the buyers we already have (by giving sellers feedback that let them keep their buyers satisfied)."

Another seller wrote in response: “Of course, we’ve listened carefully to our seller community…” Respectfully, that doesn’t seem to be evidenced today or lately. Of course it is your site and you will implement changes as you see fit. But, please don’t attribute changes to listening to your community."

And then Bill's avatar changed to the fruit picture. It seemed odd, felt "off" to the many who were trying to have an intelligent conversation. ‎This behavior from a guy with a dislike of urinal splashback which he feels the need to speak publicly about (see FB profile) a fondness for the acronym CHUBS (see my blog http://oshunspirit.blogspot.com/2011/04/exploring-core-values-of-ceo-club.html) and not one but two bananas for an avatar that his programmer "made him accept against his will" (see http://www.bonanza.com/blog/main/New_seller_tools__transaction_impressions_and_auto_crop)...

His reply to a seller who mentioned the sudden change: "I know, it’s awful, right? Christopher made me this profile icon and told me I had to use it. Please file your complaint with him so that I can get back to my usual human form."

How's that feel?

Another seller wrote: "Do you also believe that it is a lot easier to keep an existing seller than to recruit a new one… because many of your sellers (your customers) are not as happy as they use to be with a lot of the upgrades and with the way customer service has become.. many sellers who have been here for years have left for varying reasons.. all are dissatisfied with situations on the site… how are you going to help us.. what are you going to implement, or fix to keep your customers??? Many of the sellers who left were also buyers.. and many still here that are thinking of leaving are buyers.. if they leave as a seller you have also lost a buyer."

Management's response: "Your account has been censored on Bonanza for 7 days for expressing negative viewpoints in a non-constructive manner."

Then the blog was closed to all comments.

Talk to the banana...

How's that feel?

Feelings are wired into our most primitive and accurate defense system. They are neurological, biochemical reactions that happen on a cellular level in response to stimuli. They don’t require thinking... by feeling what you feel, you’ll know what you need to do in every situation. They are your guiding star, in fact, the only star you'll ever need.

May you be blessed!  

image credit: Bonanza.com

Speed Over Perfection... in an effort to make the product better?

I just spent a few minutes reading the last comments of my blog post dated Tuesday, March 8.
Thank you for the information. Am I surprised? No. I will accept that those actions are my reward for playing nice with Alex, and that the post created such a dramatic response carries its own message forward.

The unicorn thing was childish. If you visit http://www.facebook.com/oshunspiritstore there are some endearing comments posted about it. After over 900 hits, there is not one comment which supports the business model of degrading your customers. If it was meant to reflect poorly on me, it fell short.

But yesterday's news is today's fish wrapper. Today's news is that Bonanza emphasizes speed over perfection in an effort to make the product better. I can't let it go. They sent it to me. It is the answer to the question I asked time and time again. Thank you!

I will direct you to:
http://oshunspirit.blogspot.com/2010/07/bonanzlecom-launches-two-new-games.html

In Bill Harding's own words, he felt that I was "regularly being at odds with our prioritization. "Our" being Bonanzle Management's, and indeed that was true for him. What was true for me is that I wanted to understand why "selling" was not the priority of an e-commerce marketplace.

As a Premier member (in fact I was one of the first Premiere supporters, and I was first to sign up as a member of the BAC, first to hold a chat/auction on Bonanzle, yes I had a vested interest in the sites success) I had access to google analytics which I also had on my website oshunspirit.net, a mirror of the Bonanzle booth to which I directed my .com. Comparing apples to apples, the Bonanzle conversion rates were way, way off, month after month. I might add, I left ebay as a powerseller, so I hadn't just fallen off the turnip truck.

I had many customers emailing that they couldn't check out, and intuitively I knew there had to be even more that were having similar issues that I was not hearing about. So, because I was on Bonanzle to do business, a functional checkout system was a priority. I  admit it.

And I cared, not just for me, but because people were suffering. Really suffering, because of it.

Does anyone remember poor Razmear? I tried for 3 weeks to buy multiple items, a wholesale lot, from him and we finally completed the sale off site because he needed that money to keep his electricity on. Such sacrifices to personal financial stability were not unheard of... early adapters that stopped selling on ebay and had no other means would have starved had it not been for the goodwill of other members. I bought a lot of stuff I didn't need because I could. A great community, a bad business plan. Take the emotional component out and you've got dumb.

In April 09, after they introduced Bizzy, the rude robotic personal assistant, I begged that their next project might be to address the barriers to sales and our inability to complete sales on site rather than add further embarrassment to what was already an increasingly embarrassing situation – that is, constantly apologizing for customer's inconvenience. I got a really snarky answer, something about how hip and professional can go hand in hand.

My skin prickled and I knew there was a disconnect. Maybe generational, maybe deeper...

When Bonanzle added widgets instead of addressing the issues, I asked again. When they added syndication and affiliates, I asked again. When they added Twitter and Facebook integration, one more time I expressed that spamming the social networks would do little for the bottom line if the incoming buyers could not navigate the site. Games came and went, handpicked lists became a favorite pass time and then there was a constant stream of booth do-overs  to incorporate site upgrades which often upset the apple cart. Lots of busy work to do, games to play, chatty features to ensure stickiness. Of sellers, not buyers.

I couldn't get a buyer to stick, not with widgets, not with Bonanzas, or coupons, or anything else. And I'm sharp.

All the while my website converted (even as I literally ignored it) and Bonanzle did not. Yes, I kept asking for functionality. And I received three answers in perpetual rotation:  I had "it" set up incorrectly, my customers were doing it wrong, or I needed to clear my cache.

No, I was not the only one. I am one of many whose voices were silenced for speaking out and questioning the site's prioritization, asking for clarification. But I suppose I was an influencer of sorts and I call it like I see it. And I usually see very clearly. In fact, my predictions about Bonanza run with 100% accuracy. I'm sure someone will testify to that.

In July of '10 I finally put my booth on hold and wrote the blog,  http://oshunspirit.blogspot.com/2010/07/bonanzlecom-launches-two-new-games.html. Bill said he was sorry to see me go.

What? I said I wasn't going anywhere, that I would wait for functionality and a return on my investment...

In hindsight I understand that was not what he was hoping to hear.

"They" offered to do a detailed analysis of my booth if I offered it up as a test case. From July 19 - Sept 1 my booth was closed while "they" worked on it to find solutions. I "lost" my images, attributes, traits, shipping, and prices. I was shocked, I thought it was all about the checkout, cart, and shipping profiles. I let them know my booth was GONE, that the fixes were generating unrelated glitches. I received emails that did not address the points made. Over and over again. Then I got it. Oops.

Trashed, not fixed. 

I posted in the forum about my experiences, just the facts, backed up by emails, and bmails, and I was censored til 2015. I examined my experience on my blog. Those who responded and shared similar stories were hunted down, suspended, and invited to leave as well..

Well, that's just nasty business no matter how you spin it.

On September 9, management announced that they had " fixed full page new item form zeroing out international shipping that was set as "see description" or "calculated" and fixed shipping profiles not being applied to new items on full page new item form. But there were still problems...

The real problem: They didn't know how to fix the problems.

Then, just a few months ago, Bonanza with a team of new programmers in place, renovated their checkout system because their research showed it needed simplification and buyers were having problems. Bada-bing!

Several weeks ago Bonanza merchants were all over the social networking sites frantic, livid, remarking about the ongoing site functionality issues. They received three answers in perpetual rotation: They had "it" set up incorrectly, their customers were making errors, or they needed to clear their caches. I've been there, done that, I have a point of view...

I wrote a blog. And here you are.

I now sport a Unicorn as an avatar, my booths sport red x's where they once were. And they will say to you through my example, "you may be next."

And I will say to you, may you be blessed!

From Alex' response: "We openly acknowledge that there are, from time to time, bugs on the site as we endeavor to quickly enhance the product. We do emphasize speed over perfection in an effort to make the product better." Speed over perfection... if haste compromises functionality,  many are left wondering how a product gets better.

Bonan'ZEN: One Last Story

In 2008 and into 2009, Bonan'ZEN was my weekly contribution to a forum on Bonanzle (recently re-branded as Bonanza.com) called "Inspire Simplicity." During the time I posted there my intention was to add a bit of perspective and wisdom, often peppered with a dash of humor and wit, to the community of online merchants there who were laboring to work around the site glitches of the newly launched start-up marketplace. 

In those days frustration ran high, although spirits could be buoyed with a kind word or two. Merchants bought and sold from each other to troubleshoot the issues their customers were having, worked along side management to develop the site, and promoted the fledgling venue on every blog, lense, podcast and portal that would stand for it.

Sellers were dismayed because nothing worked quite right, sales were hard to come by and then often had to be completed off -site because customers simply could not navigate the process. So the inspirational quotes, parables, wisdom tales and motivational fables Bonan'ZEN offered were deeply appreciated. Even Bill Harding said, "keep 'em coming!"


Well, all good things must come to an end. 


Bonanzle and I eventually parted ways and I am no longer compelled to offer weekly words of wisdom in that direction.  I do, however, watch and learn and I do keep in contact with many sellers there, wonderful people whom I care about deeply. I do on occasion, express my gratitude for those friendships, and for those experiences which have made me a savvy seller on-line and a wiser woman all-around. 

Recent events have placed Bonanza back on my radar screen. And a storm is brewing.


So today, as I see the merchants upset and frustrated, posting on Facebook and Twitter and the Bonanza Forums I am compelled to offer one last wisdom tale. But it's not for the sellers. It's for my one-time "partners" in hopes they catch the spark of insight offered and start looking out for their customers, my seller-friends.


This is a true story, taken from my own life. We all make mistakes.

Someone once gave me a little Bonsai tree. Because I was good with plants I took the snippers to it immediately and started shaping –  excited to create something new and wonderful!

Soon the ends began to wither so I snipped a little more. I tweaked it and I tweaked it until I finally tweaked it to death. 

It wasn't until I had an empty pot that it occurred to me that I should have consulted someone with experience instead of imagining I was already an expert...

May you be blessed!

Business as usual on Bonanza: the gift that keeps on giving

As many of you know, I once had an Oshun Spirit storefront on Bonanzle (since re-branded as Bonanza.com). I no longer sell there because I cannot support the aura, or energy, that surrounds the venue. To make a long story short, their business values and ethics are simply not in alignment with my own. Just as I purchase Fair Trade chocolates and coffee (among other products) to provide a fair wage, a quality working environment, a valuing of identity, and a desire to care for and empower people and their communities in developing nations, I cannot support any organization, or developing venue, that degrades and manipulates their own community and its members. 

But the purpose of my blog today is not to tear down Bonanza or list their failings. Yesterday, through their actions and reactions they proved once again that with their heads in the sand,  they will be the masters of their own demise. In fact, I will take this time to bless my experience with them and thank them for the lessons they have offered me. I am truly grateful for the unfolding of events which prompted me to look closely what is really happening there, and in the world market at large. 

Yesterday, for me, watching the events of the day play out was like receiving a gift of comfirmation. It was the redemption of my intuition and my knowing that if I continue to follow my heart and don't fall prey to what others might want to convince me into thinking, I am, and will continue to be blessed with abundance and joy.

In hindsight I believe that my higher purpose there was not to help build and sell on their new ecommerce venue at all... rather it was to gain an understanding of what my business values truly are, and to evolve my own business "consciousness." Perhaps, so that I might have an understanding to offer to my own clients who wish to evolve their passions and dreams into spiritually aligned, service-oriented businesses... experience is the best teacher after all. Because my clients and customers are in a process of shifting their worldview to a more spiritual and ethical one, they naturally, eventually, shift the way they look at doing business, too. 

We know the world is changing in many ways. There is great suffering, but there is also great joy in the wake of these shifts. Many people are waking up and reassigning meaning in their lives. Beyond earthquakes, volcanoes, and solar flares, the electro magnetic fields which sustain all activities, including business and personal relationships, are changing. I recently read a quote that sums it up quite succinctly:

"Practice business as usual and you will likely have no business to speak of in the new era of authentic business."

Indeed. Now, there is nothing intrinsically un-spiritual about making money. An adventurous, creative, and self-reflective approach to business can have benefits all-round. Believe me, I enjoy the fun things that money can buy! But, both success and failure can lead to self-awareness, spiritual growth and wisdom... which money cannot buy. In fact, I believe that "business" can be, and should be, a deeply moving spiritual practice.

 
I know that people and organizations with higher thoughts and vibrations stimulate others to higher thoughts. That's how we facilitate positive change. It starts with you... but it goes on forever... you know, the ripple effect.

I came, in part, to work on the Bonanzle marketplace because I have long embraced the idea of "giving before receiving" as part of my approach in compliance with the Universal Law of Compensation. But now, I blog.  This simple act gifts prospective clients and customers with ideas, information, and inspiration which they are  seeking, and at the same time helps them feel comfortable about my ability to serve their needs.

But what's really "spiritual" about this approach is that it puts my business in harmony with my soul's divine design for my life. Running around after a buck doesn't sound like a life plan to me. Getting in tune with my inner purpose and making it work to improve the lives of people around me, does. And remembering that helped me to move forward.

When you think about it, there is a tremendous amount of time, energy, money, and effort that goes into pretending that things are one way, when they are actually completely different. If your model is efficiency and sustainability, that old model of manipulation and "smoke and mirrors marketing" and endless self-promotion is insanity. Raising the vibration of yourself and your business might prove better marketing. 

If you want your business to make a difference in the world, simply find ways to raise your own vibratory energy, as individuals and in your groups. You already know how: prayer, meditation, service, giving, time spent in nature, making love... being loving, having fun! Your customers cannot help but to get an energy boost too. They might not know why, but they'll feel lighter, happier and more at ease. They will want to be around you, and use your products and services because your energy feels so good! 

I know that once I remembered the vision I held for my "divine" life, and started to follow it in my everyday business dealings, I found that my business decisions became easy and intuitive, heartfelt, and clients were magnetically attracted to my sense of "sureness of purpose."  I immediately began reaping abundant rewards from the higher energy seeds I had sown. Simply by leaving Bonanza I stopped the bleed of the tremendous amount of time, energy and effort that went into pretending things were different that I knew them to be in my heart. Once I got heart-centered again, I started making money again, effortlessly.

I must say also, that like any spiritual pursuit that leads to growth, having a transparent, service-oriented,  and authentic business model will challenge you. Synchronicity and it's inspirational lessons would lead to my booth's functionality being manipulated for almost two months, limiting my ability to do any business at all. I was censored, and finally suspended from the Bonanza forum because I spoke the truth about the experience on behalf of the community of sellers there who remained unaware of the business practices they too were immersed in.

But it is difficult to unsettle the wise man or woman. The ethical maturity of one who approaches life and business with a spiritual perspective is likely to make him/her more settled, confident, and detached than the typical ego-centered, profit driven businessperson. This detachment is not apathy, but the relaxed mindfulness of a person who is able to see that regardless of the ebb and flow of life, and the up and downs of business, that there is something behind it all that is unmoving – the Spirit. 

And, in the end this is the greatest asset for us all as we go about doing business in the marketplace.

May you be blessed!

image credit: mousemusings.com

5 booth SALE April 30 and May 1 on Bonanzle.com: Coupons, Auction and Bonanza brought to you by Sofy and Oshun, Joey, Duke and Harley!

Mark your Calender!  

Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1

It's the "Kiss the Family Jewels Goodbye" Sale Event

Preview the sale today via the video above!

SAVE 20 - 35%
• Spa and Boutique

• European Beads

• Pottery and Glass

• Vintage Collectibles

Oshun Spirit Sweet Water Spa
http://www.bonanzle.com/oshunspirit1
Save 25%  both days with coupon code OH NUTS!
Progressive Auction Friday, May 30, 6 pm EST

Journey Beads http://www.bonanzle.com/JourneyBeads
Save 20%  both days with coupon code  OH NUTS!
Bonanza Friday, May 30, 7 - 8 pm EST  SAVE 30% for one hour only
Door prize drawing, all Journey Beads Sale Event purchases eligible to win a 2-tone bracelet

Sofyblu2 http://www.bonanzle.com/sofyblu2
Save 25%  both days with coupon code  OH NUTS!

Sofy's Choice http://www.bonanzle.com/Sofy_sChoice
Save 25%  both days with coupon code  OH NUTS!

Sofy's Seasonal http://www.bonanzle.com/Sofy_sSeasonal
Save 25%  both days with coupon code  OH NUTS!

Why the Celebration? In every community there are animals sitting in animal shelters waiting for homes. Only about half of those dogs (and cats) will ever get one. The other half will be euthanized.
I know that making the decision to neuter or spay a pet means fewer pets… pets as sweet, loving, healthy, and deserving of companionship as my own… will be euthanized for lack of a home. Harley and Duke are purebreds, but that is not an excuse not to be proactive, many purebreads are given up as they were.

So it IS a celebration of Joey, Harley and Duke (all rescues) becoming good, model citizens and an opportunity for us to all blog, support, and speak positively about stopping pet overpopulation proactively!