posted on September 17, 2001 11:31:17 AM
AuctionPulse
I recall filling out the same survey quite a few weeks back... As a matter of fact, nearly all of the questions were very similar to the program eBay has now Instituted in "light of the events of 9/11" To "Honor the Victims"
AND... on one of the eBay boards this morning, a staff member was trying to answer our questions about the program, and was very, very evasive about it all. She did however, admit that the program has been in the works for weeks, but they decided to hurry it along and announce it, because of what happened.
What she wouldn't clarify is the one question that most folks have... HOW does volunteering to help people buy and sell on eBay honor the victims of the 9/11 tragedy??
I hate to put it in print, by I honestly think that eBay is taking advantage of the situation and is pulling on the heartstrings of their members to fatten their wallets.
posted on September 17, 2001 11:36:31 AM
The overwhelmingly negative comments regarding AforA I see posted in this and other threads are disappointing to me.
There is one thing that I am convinced of, which is that the AforA program allows me to contribute at a much higher level than if all I did was donate cash. Overall, I believe the program will raise funds that would not otherwise be raised, because the buyers are more likely to bid and buy, knowing where the money goes.
This is program is not about eBay nearly as much as it is about us, and what can can do to help.
That's just my take on this thing, and you can't talk me out of it.
I hope that any sellers reading these threads here at AuctionWatch are not discouraged from participating.
posted on September 17, 2001 11:42:18 AM
I think that the Auctions for America is a great idea to give people an additional way to contribute. I have signed up for the help program - presumably because many of the sellers will actually be selling for the first time and need additional support.
Since this board is so seller centered, some of the responses make sense. It is just as easy for me to sell an item and donate the proceeds to the Sept 11 fund as it is to get with eBay's program.
But, for buyers, many people have stuff around the house that they could sell through this program, and generate funds they wouldn't otherwise have been able to donate themselves. For $5 postage, people could generate $50 or more in donations.
posted on September 17, 2001 11:45:42 AM
Well, to put this into perspective, and despite the fact that the appearance of what eBay's doing here is pretty sickening (does Pursglove with his constant fabrications make eBay "Policy"???), if this Press Conference is spin control for the numerous expressions of outrage that I know they have received for even APPEARING to be taking advantage of this tragedy, they'll announce SPECIFICALLY what THEY (NOT us) are doing, and not just spin the Auctions For America program into MORE nearly-free publicity, that's all I or anyone else could ask for. Then, we may know whether we can embrace eBay in this, or reject them. No question, though, whatever the reality is, the way they've handled both the Auctions For America and Help Other Users program is grossly incompetent. As someone else pointed out, this "Help Others" program has been in the works for MONTHS, and to hear eBay claim or imply that it's the result of this tragedy is clownish; they wonder why their credibility is so low among users???? Heck, Pursglove claimed last month that even the NAME eBay came from the fact that a "Bay" is a "safe harbor" for shipping, and that's why eBay was named eBay. I won't even dignify that idiocy by refuting it with facts, but eBay has a serious credibility problem, and whatever they're actually doing in the wake of this horrid tragedy, they've sure not helped alleviate that problem up to now...
posted on September 17, 2001 01:15:40 PM
Yeah, and when eBay has the press conference to announce the charity auctions and hand over the 3 foot by 5 foot check it will say eBay and Billpoint all over it.
It is another example of eBay branding their "venue" by (ab)using the anonymous sellers. They are also exploiting the tragedy and its victims.
If you want to make a donation, sell the item as you usually do and pay the fees. Then make your own donation WITH YOUR NAME ON IT.
As far as helping "newbies" for free, do it if you think it might help your business.
I wish I could get people to work at my business for free. I wonder how many people eBay will lay off from customer service since you're willing to do it for free.
When you retire on your SS check, just remember all the free hours you put in for eBay, as Meg and Co are jetting around the world in private jets to their many homes and their exclusive health care services, and the exclusive schools their children will get to attend.
Free customer service...... you gotta be kidding me !! ROFLMAO
posted on September 17, 2001 02:10:59 PM
The last week has shown the faces behind the masks...and it is sad to see.
We have had people advocating the destruction of a religion, the destruction of an entire region of the world, the genocide of a large portion of the world's population.
We have seen raw hate. We have seen posters who have little or no knowledge of past or present world affairs.
We have seen people trying to seek solace in god at the same time as they are espousing hatred towards other human beings. We have seen people who claim to be Christians who are acting in a manner contrary to the tenants of that faith.
And now we have posts that are filled with hate towards ebay. The post that started this thread was not one of asking ebay questions and calmly and rationally discussing the merits or lack of merits of the program. It was posted WITHOUT knowing all the facts and then proceeded to defile ebay.
posted on September 17, 2001 02:20:38 PM
Naivette produces even worse.
It strange some people will mention everyones hate and shortcomings except for those responsible for flying a passenger aircraft into 2 office buildings and the Pentagon, and killing over 5000 people.
These same type people made the same arguments in the 1930s and watched as Hitler rolled over Europe.
posted on September 17, 2001 02:58:06 PMThese same type people made the same arguments in the 1930s and watched as Hitler rolled over Europe.
And many of the sentiments that have been stated over the past week about leveling a region and wiping a religion off the face of the earth are no different than what Hitler did in the 1930s and 40s. And for the same type of reasons too.
What I have seen on these boards in the last week has more similarities with Hitlers agenda than many of you want to realize. We not only didn't learn from history, we seem to want to repeat it and emulate the most evil man the world has ever brought forth.
[ edited by amy on Sep 17, 2001 02:58 PM ]
[ edited by amy on Sep 17, 2001 03:00 PM ]
posted on September 17, 2001 03:34:12 PMeducating other members about bidding and listing has absolutely nothing to do with helping the victims. This looks like a plea to help eBay
It's customer support. They want their customers to provide their customer support. ROLTFLMAO
Auctions for America to Make eBay Look Good at No Cost to eBay
No Cost? If billpoint registrations go up, they will show a PROFIT on this venture, particulary if they convince there customers to provide customer support.
eBay is waiving listing fees and final value fees,
And what is that costing them? Server Space? The pictures in auctions take more server space than the rest of the auction page put together. I know what server space costs, and it isn't that much.
I am so naive I have been waiting for eBay to step up and write a check for a few million out of the corporate coffers with no strings attached.
Did we learn something about eBay today?
I've always studiously ignored BillPoint so I am not sure about the ramifications of that
Once you sign up for billpoint, any action a buyer wants to pay you for with billpoint, there goes 2.9 % off the top. YUP, they will show a PROFIT on this venture.
My God what a cynical group here.
Dealing with eBay you HAVE to be cynical.
The eBay Foundation is also making a cash contribution.
For how much. A few bucks? NO other multimillion dollar Corporation has made LARGE donations without "bragging" about how much it is.
No doubt, the auctions that run under this program will generate some money for people that need it, but eBay isn't GIVING a nickle, they will SHOW A PROFIT the way it's set up, and have the CORPORATE bragging rights to a Hundred Million Dollar donation if this thing flys the way they want it to.
posted on September 17, 2001 03:45:28 PM
Microbes- some corporate shills and folks with cheerleading/pep rally complexes don't know the difference between skepticism and being cynical.
A sheptic will pierce the surface and when he notices and dicusses a problem, he/she is not a cynic, but a realist and logical positivist.
What do we label someone who when faced with the truth adopts bizzare mythology and name calling-- Pollyannish and wrong.
posted on September 17, 2001 03:53:26 PMcorporate shills and folks with cheerleading/pep rally complexes
I don't think so - I'm about as far from a corporate shill as you can get.
Sure, eBay wants to get their name out about this - just as others have mentioned - ALL corporations look for recognition for their donations and good works.
eBay is as greedy as the rest.
Getting volunteer customer support is a great idea, since they probably anticipate being overwhelmed with the response to this offer. Where else would they find a trained base of people than among powersellers?
Why don't we all just row in the same direction. I'll list my charity auctions, you send your Paypal to disaster relief, and quit fighting about the 'right' way to do it?
posted on September 17, 2001 03:55:07 PM
I don't know, like everyone else, I need a good laugh because of the past nightmarish week. I might've gotten one... Did I hear someone on this thread correctly when they implied, heck, almost came right out and said that posters who disagreed with this eBay "Program" could be compared to Hitler in their ummm posting tone? Was this perchance the same person who attacked and insulted another poster who had said nothing derogatory to them before THEIR little sortee??? Someone set me straight- couldn't be, right? Say it ain't soooooo....
posted on September 17, 2001 04:02:34 PM
"Getting volunteer customer support is a great idea, since they probably anticipate being overwhelmed with the response to this offer. Where else would they find a trained base of people than among powersellers"
What would be a great idea would be for eBay to hire some of the laid off airline workers for customer support, they're already trained for customer support, and this would help us all.
But eBay won't hire anyone when they have people to work for free.
posted on September 17, 2001 04:05:33 PM
[i]Getting volunteer customer support is a great idea, since they probably anticipate being overwhelmed with the response to this offer. Where else would they find a trained base of people than among powersellers?
[/i]
If I read everything right (I've been over on the DNF board for a couple of hours today) THIS PART of "the plan" was in the works WEEKS ago.
posted on September 17, 2001 04:11:41 PM
Moderators, why do you allow references to Hitler this after you cautioned the individual? Specifically, the individual who attempted to equate non-support of this eBay marketing effort with violent actions taken out of hatred. In a later posting, the same individual went on to bring in thinly-veiled allusions to Hitler.
posted on September 17, 2001 04:32:50 PM
I got an email back from ebay asking me to fill out an online form to be a community helper, but when I click the link, a blank page comes up, does anyone have the correct url and can they send it to me at [email protected]
posted on September 17, 2001 05:04:45 PM
"girls...girls....please...." (lol, ok, now I KNOW you both have to have a sense of humor...I hope...lol).....
Look, I too am a Powerseller (big deal huh?) and got "the email...", as well...I immediately smelled scam or something not right, because how does it help the problem (and I asked several Powerseller customer service reps-none who could answer the question), or how does my time and labor answering eBay email questions (god knows we have enough emails already...lol)....relate to 9/11/01? I was disapointed to find that for such a large scale undertaking (and highly publicized...PR for eBay...)that the author of the promotion wouldn't have spent more time to clairfy the message/request for help. Advertising/Marketing 101 Rule #1:"You only have once chance to make a 1st GREAT impression. Once the curtain is up and the show has started....if you don't have your "shxx" togehter, people will start heading for the exits...." One last note and observance regarding this fine forum of debate and expression-remember that at the end of the day, no matter what...NONE of this discussion would be taking place today if it wasn't for the FREEDOM our country stands for and provides. ....as for the whole Ebay deal....I think it's rather obvious that in their haste to react, that perhaps in retrospect, they should have fine tuned/clarified their pitch a little before emailing the world. S'funny to note that so far I haven't seen one Powerseller who thought this was a good idea. Peace, love, and understanding....
NP:THE YOUNGBLOODS/"Get Together"
"Come on people now, everybody get together, and love one another right now...., right now..."
posted on September 17, 2001 05:07:05 PM
As the owner of a brick and mortar for over 20 years, and one who has very recently been researching how large corporations operate, I would like to enter my two cents. Please take it as you see fit.
First Penny:
What eBay is doing right now is finding a way to make themselves look good by using this horrible tragedy. They have shown a way for each seller to list items and ship them and pay for them through their own services, without adding costs normally associated with the transactions. The money that is collected will be given to the charity under the name eBay. That will make eBay, as a company look very good. Everyone will look how much eBay donated, and never think that the majority of the work (let's say 95% of it) was done by individual sellers, not by the corporation known as eBay.
Second Penny:
Many other corporations, both large and small, have donated huge amounts of money to this cause without any publicity, without any major notice. No major press conferences were scheduled. The powers-that-be merely wrote the multi-million dollar checks and signed them. They never expected anything in response other than the love of their country.
Now, if Meg announces at the press conference that eBay is matching the donations received through this program I will be incredibly happy. Sure, in that instance they can use the promotions they get ... because they, too, will be helping the people affected thru this event with money from their own pockets.
PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG EBAY AND MATCH THE AUCTIONS FOR AMERICA DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR!
posted on September 17, 2001 07:04:34 PM
No mention of eBay matching anything. There was a blurb in the PR Newswire story (in a Press release issued by ebay, of course), that the ebay Foundation is kicking off the 100 million campaign with a donation of 1 million.
I have been around for a long time, pre IPO as a matter of fact. I remember reading about Pierre setting up the ebay Foundation and to my knowledge it was and is funded with ebay stock from inception.
So from inception ebay issued stock to it's Foundation and has sold some, issued more, had it split, etc., The 1 million is not out of corporate coffers, that is profits. The 1 million is from stock that ebay issued to the Foundation ,and money it distributes is from the sale of this stock.
But hey...I am not turning my nose up at a million dollars for the cause....I just want to make sure no one loses sight of the fact that eBay corporate profits don't seem to have any relationship to anything in this magnanimous program.
Something else I don't get....in the verbiage of ebay's Press Release about how wonderful it is, there is a statement that EBAY was approached by the Mayor of NYC and Gov of New York to help.
Anyone know what this is about?? I could have sworn I read on ebay that ebay approached the Mayor and Gov with this program.
if this is true we will never know if ebay would have done ANYTHING on its own, (other than list addresses for "members" to send contributions), if it was not approached by the Mayor of NYC and Gov of NY state.
Cynical about the motives of ebay in any circumstance? ...you bet I am. Like I said I have been around for a long time.....
