posted on September 19, 2001 05:16:42 PM
The poll just disappeared from the Community Page. Maybe they were afraid of even more bad press after so many AW users caught them manipulating the numbers?
posted on September 19, 2001 05:24:46 PM
ebaypowersellergold-
There's a thread on the eBay Soapbox about this. Maeve from ebay claims that the poll was pulled when they found out that users who disabled cookies could vote as many times as they wanted. The truth looks like the poll may have been pulled when the thread was started questioning the extreme swings, and someone on the thread posted the fact that with cookies disabled you could vote 1000 times... Coincidentally, of course, the posters on that thread were almost unanimously negative about AFA... Take your choice, what do you believe?
posted on September 19, 2001 05:40:18 PM
Yeah, they knew they got caught... Now they try to rid of the evidence. Bet there are "screen shoots" before and after. Same thing in the DNF board. Stuff get's Archived so eBay can't lie about it later.
posted on September 19, 2001 05:54:35 PM
Welllll, it appears the Disney results are in... Um, if you thought you were mad before???????? Do a search for "Classic Winnie" and see what you find.
I'm glad I didn't have my fudge cookies yet.
I'd be barfing them all over my monitor.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:03:50 PM
With all of the charities dumping money into various disaster funds plus the feds contribution, I am sure there's plenty of money to do what is needed by now.
Right now people should be concentrating on proping up an economy that is, IMO, on the verge of collapse. People are being layed off by the thousands.
Lets get the airlines running at full capacity!
[ edited by outoftheblue on Sep 19, 2001 06:07 PM ]
posted on September 19, 2001 06:15:33 PM
Microbes-
The situation is simple. Maybe both eBay and Disney are backtracking because they have been ummm busted, and that's why the link is dead... The Disney TOS is what I posted before. Buyers have to register a credit card SEPARATELY with Disney to bid. Payment can only be made THROUGH DISNEY'S SYSTEM by credit card. Payment apparently CAN'T be made through Billpoint. The Disney mouthpiece I talked to before didn't even know what Billpoint WAS. Buyer pays shipping AND handling AND insurance. AND, the auctions have the AFA banner on them.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:26:00 PM
I added it to my favorites the page so I could get back to it and check it every once in a while. I just checked it read 23240 waited a minute checked again it read 23246, refreshed the page and it was gone??????????? If I try to get to it now from the bookmark it wont pull up either, oh well.
from this end it looks like either with the exposure of the media it swung the other way, ebay fixed the numbers or a cheerleader for ebay with their cookies turned off cooked the poll.
I don't know about the poll at this point I don't care, my auctions are picking up, probably do to the fact of the extra media exposure.
am I celebrating for the fact that they are picking up?
NO NOT REALLY
last year Jan 01 to Sept 19 gross income from ebay 57,517.00 after fees and such net 26,316 ebay fees 4,366.75
this year same time frame Jan 01 to Sept 19 gross income form ebay 25,467.63 after fees and such net 11,894.80 ebay fees 6,068.66.
gotta love quickbooks, it's all here in black and white, ebay fees have cost me more because of the 20% increase in listing fees and the sell through has gone way down so we list more and sell less. this year to date I've spent about 40% more on fees and made 45% less for actually more work than last year. the savings is almost gone, so please all wish me luck when I go looking for a job next week. I was going to go looking this week but the babies room wasn't done and the type of work I'll be looking at will be about 60+ hours a week plus I'll have about an hour each way drive time.
I wish ebay hadn't looked so good 2 years ago I folded a company that put about 160,000 a year in my pocket, I did have to work about 80-120 hours a week but I didn't have to worry about paying bills.
anyway let them cook the books, my goose is cooked with ebay so it's off to find a JOB.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:39:54 PMBuyer pays shipping AND handling AND insurance. AND, the auctions have the AFA banner on them.
The auctions are not AFA auctions. They do not have the eBay AFA insertion. They are not listed under AFA auctions.
It might be possible for sellers who wished to participate on their own terms to do something similar to what Disney has done. Basically, they pledge to send the sales price to the relief effort, as their own way of joining the eBay AFA program.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:43:08 PM
Oh boy, the plot sickens... It appears that the Disney auctions are NOT AFA auctions, and that eBay has just allowed them to use the AFA banner on all of them to make them APPEAR that they are.... Who KNOWS after ebay and Disney get together and fiddle with them what they'll be? You think that if I promise to donate all my sales, but not accept payment through Billpoint, and charge the winning bidder shipping, handling AND insurance that Meg will let me have an AFA banner on all my auctions?????
This is a major slap in the face to all eBay sellers. Except (of course) those in our "community" that are more "community" than others.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:47:08 PM
<<<It might be possible for sellers who wished to participate on their own terms to do something similar to what Disney has done. Basically, they pledge to send the sales price to the relief effort, as their own way of joining the eBay AFA program.>>>
No, Roofguy, according to the many sellers who have asked eBay that particular question, including a similar one asked in the "chat" last night on eBay, it's absolutely not (not my words).
posted on September 19, 2001 06:58:01 PM
Did they ask if they could use the "Disney solution", or did they ask if they could have a real AFA auction which was different?
Surely, there's no eBay rule which would outlaw an auction where the seller pledges to donate the sales price to charity.
Ebay could take a stand, but it's not easy to understand why, against sellers who added "as my way of supporting the eBay AFA program".
posted on September 19, 2001 07:02:44 PM
[quote]One more thing before its all said and done maybe some of us sellers that get put out of business will be eligible for some of that donated money! [/quote]
How in the hell can you possibly even make any sort of comparison, even through the most cynical of eyes, between going out of business and the needs of the victims of this tragedy???
That single remark repulsed me more than all of the WTC-rubble auctions and all the other related opportunism combined.
posted on September 19, 2001 07:10:07 PM
AND IT GETS WORSE AND WORSE, JUST LIKE I THOUGHT....
AS I SAID, and eBay below seems to agree, contributions are NOT cash contributions. And whose comment was it that ebay would issue receipts? In the wake of the below, how? And now tell me... Say you donate a widget. It grosses $50, You paid $10. You deduct $10. UMMM, who do you think gets to deduct the other $40 CASH contribution???? So much for spouses.
_____________________________________________________________________
Tax Issues
The IRS and eBay’s advisors have teamed up to provide Auction for America participants with the following general information concerning the deductions of contributions to the Auction for America efforts:
If you claim itemized deductions on your tax return, you may be entitled to a charitable contribution deduction for your participation in Auction for America.
<<<May if you donate to the tune of (if I remember properly) at least 15% of your Adjusted Gross Income...>>>
If you donate an item of tangible personal property, the amount of your deduction is limited to how much you paid for the item or its fair market value - whichever is less. You should describe the item being sold and include (for tax purposes) a good faith estimate of its fair market value as part of the description. Items of tangible personal property include personal effects (like a watch or furniture), collectibles (like an antique or sports memorabilia), or something you have created (like a quilt or a painting).
What this means under the tax law is that if you paid $10 for an item that you contribute when it has a fair market value of $25, your contribution deduction is limited to $10. You will be entitled to a deduction only if the item is sold, and the $10 limit applies no matter what the item is sold for.
<<<This is NOT true if you list it as capital gains property on the Capital Gains IRS form. THEN you can claim fair market value. And long term Capital Gains are generally taxed at a lower rate, so it could be worth it for some to claim the profit, then deduct it. Like I said, eBay is NOT the Government or the IRS...>>>
There are other rules to keep in mind. For example, if you donate property and you are claiming a deduction of more than $5,000, you need to get an independent appraiser to confirm that value. The appraisal must satisfy a number of specific requirements under the tax law. Also, there are limits on the total amount of charitable contribution deductions that can be claimed in any one year.
In general, if you purchase an item, you may claim a charitable contribution deduction equal to any excess of what you pay over the fair market value of the item you have purchased.
The tax laws for charitable contributions can be complicated. If you have any questions, we urge you to contact your tax advisors. For more information concerning the tax rules that may apply, you can also visit the IRS web site for further information on IRS Publication 526 (charitable contributions) at www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/pubs.html.
posted on September 19, 2001 07:10:10 PM
I just clicked on the Disney link and it worked fine. I actually don't have a problem with Disney saying they will do what they say they will. I'm sure that they have already contributed through other channels and have just decided to show their support to ebays "drive". will it get them exposure on ebay, you bet, but ebay is the monger on the first part, if Disney and some of their bigger companies they are in bed with don't jump on the band wagon, they will look like they don't have a heart.
as far as big companies getting a break on the rules if you have a minute take a look as [email protected] or [email protected] as far as I understand the rules these are publicly traded companies and you can post their names here. they still have LINKS back to their web site where they have items for sale on the first page, and some of the stuff is cheaper than in their auctions. they are not only in violation of the current rules, the last 2 rule changes that I know of, and also the first rule on this which was if you sell the same or like item on your site is has to be listed for more than on the auction, if even only a penny.
again ebay doesn't care about the little people, the your's and me's in this world. the fed has been reducing interest rates to stimulate growth in a tough economy over the last year. at the same time ebay was raising their fees and tightened up the rules on the little guys(notice it is only the little guys that the rules have changed for) and all this on the heals of record breaking quarters for ebay.
eBay doesn't care about the little guy, they never will because it's not in their interest to do so, there hundreds of people that start selling every day, and there are hundreds of people that stop. If I stopped listing next week, which I hope to, do you think ebay would call and see if I was OK? NO if the card didn't clear this month for the 600-700 and up bill I get you can bet they will call. if I just drop out they could care less. NEXT!
posted on September 19, 2001 07:15:02 PM
<<<Surely, there's no eBay rule which would outlaw an auction where the seller pledges to donate the sales price to charity. >>>
Actually, there IS an eBay rule prohibiting some of that, and auctions have been cancelled for violating it... I don't remember exactly what it is, but it may be that you can't put any indication that you're running a charity auction in your title.
posted on September 19, 2001 07:34:53 PM
The Disney Link is working again. I did get to look at their auction TOS's, and it wouldn't "qualify" as a AFA auction, but right on their home page they say they've joined eBay's "Actions for America".
Yeah, some members of the community are more equal than others.
posted on September 19, 2001 08:12:30 PM
In their eagerness to attract traditional businesses to the site I suppose that ebaY is more than willing to let Disney dump on this program and insult every other participant.
posted on September 19, 2001 08:15:57 PM
I'd like to know what E-bay will do to help the rest of us who went broke and went under while they were having their Lets Make E-Bay look good drive.Yes I know this is a good cause, but a person can only give so much and most of us have done that already.When these auctions are over are these Sellers going to keep running them until Christmas.Alot of people are soon going to be facing the fact they are no longer employed anymore and they are not going to have anyone help them at all.I'm not trying to sound cold hearted,but I don't think the whole picture is being viewed here.This country is being bombed finanial right now.
posted on September 19, 2001 08:39:40 PM
What a SHAME!!! Shame, Shame and Shame...
Can't believe these bunch of blood suckers (Ebay executives) have the guts to try to profit from this unspeakable American tregedy. This act of irresponsible and misleading is worse than the act of terror itself. Maybey Ebay executives are behind attacks and this so call "Auction For America" is a follow up plot. They are trying to maximize the damage to America, at first they shorted and bought Put option on airlines stocks, then attacks WTC and Pentagon, and now the "Auction For America", very well planned. As an American, we are responsible to take this moronic Executives to justice. We need to tell their stockholders what kind of social responsibility this deep pocket corporation has, let's bombard Ebay's yahoo finance message board with messages.
posted on September 20, 2001 03:37:14 AM
Since eBay has shown they're willing to manipulate numbers on a harmless survey, what's to keep them from manipulating the amount collected, amount kept, amount donated, etc, etc. There's NO ONEwatching over their shoulder here, and (quite honestly) I don't trust them at all.
I think an independent auditor should be involved. Way too much money at stake...
It would be interesting to compare "completed auction" page totals with what they report they're donating. Hmmmmmm..... If their 3rd & 4th Quarter numbers look good (when we all know they shouldn't), you'll at least know where it came from...
posted on September 20, 2001 04:24:29 AM
Wait until next April when buyers and/or sellers get "pinched" by the IRS for claiming the donations from AFA.
The way it is set up, AFA appears to be a cash donation by the sellers.
That means the buyers can not deduct the amount they pay above Fair Market Value for the items.
There will be some unhappy buyers that bid well over Fair Market Value thinking they are making a charitible donation and will get a deduction.
If it is found otherwise, there will be some unhappy sellers that may only deduct FMV, while the buyers can then deduct whatever they paid above FMV.
If it is determined that the sellers "donated" the items, what do you do with an item that doesn't sell ? Do you send it to eBay or the United Way ? Under this determination, I would think that ownership of the item transferred to ebay/United Way as soon as you listed the item.
posted on September 20, 2001 04:39:55 AM
The way they manipulated the poll, reminds me of the way yahoo auction try to play "lip service" on their bogus auction numbers to the press. Perhaps some yahoo executives gotten seats in ebays?
