ebaypowersellergold
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posted on September 20, 2001 05:05:39 AM new
BTW, does anyone here buy the "cookie explanation" that eBay says is the reason for the poll disappearing? I don't. All of the weird activity came on the "I will use it" side, and would have stood had the folks not caught it...
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tiggressoflove
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posted on September 20, 2001 05:42:12 AM new
The search engine now has a box to check where bidders can search for stuff only in the Auctions for America program. Didn't know if this had been previously posted or not, 300 messages to go through...
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tree411
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:12:18 AM new
I was searching closed auctions and noticed that the flag icon was still showing. I clicked on the auctions #'s and at the top of the auction is a shaded are announcing the winning bidder of the AFA auctions and thanking them for threir donation. Also on the closed AFA auctions that the bidder hadn't paid yet is a big yellow PAY HERE button. I wonder how the bidder/donor/ is going to feel about their loss of privacy when donating to charity !!!
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naru
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:16:49 AM new
I have been worried about putting all my eggs in eBay's basket for some time, that they would start to through their weight around, but I never imagined they would stoop so low.
I have been enraged (mostly over the Billpoint issue as the shaming people into giving to charity is not the brain child of eBay) for days and had made up my mind yesterday not to participate.
I watched CNN last night and a man who had lost 700 ALL of his employees a previously hard bitten financial mogul reduced to tears, talking about how he could not pay the survivers, that his dead employees had collectively over 1000 children. I am now back to considering participating in AFA although I hate the idea of enabling eBay in their most disgusting move ever.
My thought now is to do it and then explore every avenue of disengaging myself from this dispicable organization.
If it would not ruin me financially, I would stop listing on eBay today. Cooking the poll is the last straw.
If I accept Billpoint, can I just do it for the AFA auctions or will I be tied to it for all auctions?
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nedtrader
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:30:42 AM new
Will you believe this?
FROM EBAY's ANNOUNCEMENT BOARD:
"
***Community Poll***
Our Community Poll changes every week and addresses a variety of
topics of interest to our community. Though not in any way scientific,
it is a fun barometer of the eBay community.
Unfortunately, this week's poll on the Auction for America program has
not been used as the poll has intended. Because the program allows
users with cookies disabled to post as many times as they wish, many
users began skewing the voting on both sides to the point that the
poll became too unrealistic to continue.
We have removed the poll for now. This was a difficult decision,
because it has always been eBay's policy to allow users to speak their
minds. We invite you to join the discussions on our Auction for
America Discussion Board, or the Chat or Discussion Board of your
choice, to give your opinion on this issue.
We regret that this action was necessary, and we hope that all of our
members will remember why Auction for America was created in the first
place: those victims, families and communities affected by September
11th.
Regards,
eBay "
It is patently obvious that the eBay community hated the Auctions for America idea, and they removed the poll.
[ edited by nedtrader on Sep 20, 2001 07:33 AM ]
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doroncj
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:35:48 AM new
Like many, I'm very upset over the Billpoint issue. If there is a Billpoint account set-up especially for A4A, why do the sellers have to sign up? Why can't the buyer's payments go directly to Billpoint without involving the seller?
And yes, It is my understanding eBay has a "default" setting for Billpoint once you have signed up so that it will appear as a payment option in your regular auctions. You can change the default & set your preferences, but eBay has been known to change their default settings with no notice.
Also, I believe you should be able to donate to the charity of "your choice".
Unfortunately, the general public will never know what goes on behind the scenes. They view this as a generous offering by eBay.
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LaneFamily
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:46:11 AM new
I am buying Cheese as fast as I can for all of you. Main problem is there is not enough of it to cover everyone.
Jim
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ashlandtrader
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posted on September 20, 2001 08:08:25 AM new
Jim,
Do you have some whine to go with it?
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nanandme
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posted on September 20, 2001 08:11:41 AM new
and....Another small seller who will not be listing in the AFA. I have already donated both money and blood.
It is none of Meg's business how, what, when, or where any of us sellers choose to make our donations.
It is utterly disgusting that eBay cannot come up with a better marketing tool for Billpoint. How about revise some of the policies and lower the fees, for a start - what a novel idea! Can't imagine why THEY haven't thought of that...
By the way, since Meg is feeling so philanthropic, what exactly is half.com doing?
nan
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amy
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posted on September 20, 2001 08:17:49 AM new
Jim,
Do you have some whine to go with it?
He doesn't have to supply the whine, there is plenty of it in this thread...probably enough to get everyone quite tipsy!
[ edited by amy on Sep 20, 2001 08:18 AM ]
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LaneFamily
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posted on September 20, 2001 09:41:46 AM new
Thank You amy for getting my point. I only get to stop a couple times a day so you all are lucky 
I wish so much energy as you all spend arguing and pointing fingers here was spent on something good.
I had so much of it from reading what you all are saying that I mowed my neighbors yard, just for the hell of it and to be nice.
Instead of complaining all the time and setting waiting to jump on someone here go bake something and give it to a friend or help in their yard or something. That would not cost you a darn thing and you would not have to worry about paying shipping on it or what charity it went to, you would know.
Jim
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joanne
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posted on September 20, 2001 10:52:15 AM new
I've read on several boards how small sellers don't feel they'd be able to donate much to the relief effort if they didn't participate in AFA.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - list your auctions as usual and simply set aside the final value amounts, earmarked for donating at a later date. You won't be out the shipping and you'll still be able to contribute to this more-than-worthy cause.
Additionally, you'll be able to contribute to the organization of YOUR choice.
[ edited by joanne on Sep 20, 2001 10:53 AM ]
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doroncj
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posted on September 20, 2001 11:33:56 AM new
The issue isn't with donating...the issue is how eBay went about setting up & implimenting the A4A program.
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ashlandtrader
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posted on September 20, 2001 12:00:26 PM new
Jim,
With all due respect I think you have missed what some of the posters here have been expressing. Some of the points made have been very good ones.
Who cares if some argue, let them. Maybe it makes them feel better?
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GreedBay
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posted on September 20, 2001 12:08:37 PM new
Ashalndtrader said-
<<<Who cares if some argue, let them. Maybe it makes them feel better?>>>
(In best NY accent)- Ya tawkin ta me?????
(then) I resemble that remahk
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uaru
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posted on September 20, 2001 12:52:57 PM new
Lanefamily I am buying Cheese as fast as I can for all of you.
I find it humorous that you should ridicule others for "whining". Seems to me I can find "someone" that has taken great pleasure in "complaining" over a single issue for months.
Obviously the difference between whining and complaining is which side of the issue you are on.
Pot/kettle/black
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Dawna34
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posted on September 20, 2001 01:05:30 PM new
<<I wish so much energy as you all spend arguing and pointing fingers here was spent on something good.>>>
I don't look at the posts here as arguing, pointing fingers, whining, complaining as I see it as a way for people to vent their concerns, their frustrations, their fears or anything else that may be on their mind. Many sellers work at home doing this full time so we don't have that office comradeship where we can perhaps vent to other coworkers that are in the same boat as we are. on the other side we also don't have the comradeship of fellow coworkers or even bosses giving us that sometimes needed pat on the back. We don't have that well known water-cooler, so many come here to find that. since we are sellers and buyers in the same arena by coming here to post we can find that camaraderie, if we didn't do this what need would we have for these boards? Yes, they could be here for everyone to support another by only cheering them on and only expressing positive emotions but that would only be one sided and as everyone knows life has its ups and downs not everything is rosy all the time and not everyone feels optimistic all the time and everyne is not going to agree with others all the time, yes sometime by venting or debating our concerns or whining as some people put it does make some people feel better & if you look at that in another light isn't that positive???
[ edited by Dawna34 on Sep 20, 2001 01:22 PM ]
[ edited by Dawna34 on Sep 20, 2001 01:24 PM ]
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wildboy847
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posted on September 20, 2001 01:15:58 PM new
Well, I am going to donate my two cents to this post as it is all I can afford right now. I for one am tired of every organization in America trying to raise money for the relief efforts. If people are going to donate to the cause they will find a reputable organization such as the Red Cross to do so. I dont trust Ebay. How do we know the money they claim will be donated to the relief cause will actually get there?
I agree with all the other users who have said Ebay is out of control with the A4A drive. It is another way for Ebay to brainwash people into signing up for Billpoint. Bottom line is that if Ebay wants to donate toward the relief efforts they, as a company, should donate whatever they want. They should not be forcing people to participate or be making people sign up for other services (ie Billpoint) just to contribute. Hopefully more of you will open your eyes and see that Ebay is constantly doing whatever they please. They are never consistant with their rules. A good example of this is the Ebay/Disney partnership in A4A. If Disney wishes to participate let them follow the rules set up Ebay or start their own Auction program. Ebay will bend the rules just to add more $ to their pocketbook.
I appauled the sellers that are going to other auction sites. They have "seen the light". I for one am not listing any more auctions on ebay because of their inconsistant policies and policing of auctions. Hopefully ebay will end up going out of business soon.
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daleeric
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posted on September 20, 2001 01:46:29 PM new
I have read through a number of pages and comments but not all of them. If sellers feel that E-Bay is ruining their auctions by giving free shipping for Auctions of America, why doesn't someone contact an attorney and see if it is possible for sellers to get a class action lawsuit against E-Bay.
Obviously, E-Bay has their own agenda and doesn't care about our input. Offering free shipping to draw people to those auctions will hurt our business. If I had the choice between a similar item and free shipping and I would help a charity, certainly, I would go with that auction.
To pursue a lawsuit you would have to prove that E-Bays actions hurt their sellers capability to earn a living and the economy was not at fault. Perhaps an atty. could take it on a contingency basis. Just a thought.
[ edited by daleeric on Sep 20, 2001 01:48 PM ]
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tree411
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posted on September 20, 2001 01:52:38 PM new
I wondered about that Atty. thing myself. Any Attys. out there... HELP !!!!
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icyu
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posted on September 20, 2001 01:56:02 PM new
What attorney in his right mind is going to want the negative publicity associated with suing a company that is generating $100M for charity??
Sorry, but Elvis has left the building on this one.
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Dawna34
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posted on September 20, 2001 02:04:21 PM new
<<<What attorney in his right mind is going to want the negative publicity associated with suing a company that is generating $100M for charity?? >>>
I agree total on this one, I don't think anyone would touch it
<<<To pursue a lawsuit you would have to prove that E-Bays actions hurt their sellers capability to earn a living and the economy was not at fault>>>
I think in this case they would also have to prove that ebay did this intentionally to hurt their sellers, and since they did this for charity you will not be able to prove that. Ebays answer would simply be that they had no intention of hurting sellers and that they did this because there was a need for it.
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LaneFamily
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posted on September 20, 2001 02:19:56 PM new
uaru Well you would not believe what I thought about saying to you but in best interest of this thread I took my own advice.
Hope you and your family are doing well.
Jim
Edited to add.
P.S. Don't worry we will go head to head about paypal again some time, just not today.
[ edited by LaneFamily on Sep 20, 2001 02:21 PM ]
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daleeric
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posted on September 20, 2001 02:47:50 PM new
I am sure you don't want E-Bay to cease their charitable activities, just alter the way that they are doing it. For example, let the buyer pay the shipping instead of it being free. I think then both auctions would be equal. You would be surprised what some attorneys will do and won't do! I think anyone with deep pockets is fair game to them.
I didn't notice if there was any antique furniture on auction for America. There isn't any way that I could donate the item and pay $250 for shipping. That would really hurt us.
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jake
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posted on September 20, 2001 05:49:16 PM new
Some lawyers will stoop pretty low. I just saw an ad on tv today encouraging people to file for bankruptcy!
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Dawna34
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:05:47 PM new
<<Some lawyers will stoop pretty low. I just saw an ad on tv today encouraging people to file for bankruptcy!>>>
Well if the economy keeps going the way its going some people will have to and between the poor economy and the added competition from the AfA auctions maybe some ebay sellers too
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junquemama
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posted on September 20, 2001 07:59:15 PM new
I did it.
[ edited by junquemama on Sep 21, 2001 08:48 PM ]
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jake
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posted on September 20, 2001 09:38:21 PM new
I can see why Pierre got out, he admits that he didn't know anything about running a huge business. I wonder if he realizes though that the small sellers that made him rich are no longer happy with the way the site is run. And now it sounds like he is trying to do the same thing in Europe as he did here...getting the small sellers online.
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MAH645
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posted on September 20, 2001 09:56:46 PM new
Just think,if nobody had complained in this thread E-Bay would have thought they had done the greatest thing in the world, and we all could have all stewed silently and thought we were rotten for even thinking such a thing.
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granee
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posted on September 20, 2001 10:19:54 PM new
"If there is a Billpoint account set-up especially for A4A, why do the sellers have to sign up? Why can't the buyer's payments go directly to Billpoint without involving the seller?"
That is a VERY good question!
Since the **entire** Billpoint payment for an AFA listing goes straight to The Fund, rather than to the seller's Billpoint account, WHY IS IT NECESSARY FOR THE SELLER TO REGISTER WITH BILLPOINT??? Only the BUYER needs to provide CC or bank information to Billpoint for the payment to be made, since the money bypasses the seller.
Ebay can generate an income tax charitable-donation receipt (for what it's actually worth) to the seller WITHOUT THE SELLER SIGNING UP FOR BILLPOINT. The only information eBay **technically** needs to report to the IRS (for tax 'donation' purposes) is the seller's name, address, Social Security number, and auction information. Ebay would need the seller's email address (which he already has) to send a tax receipt (by email) to the seller.
Ebay could just ask for the Social Security number when the seller starts to list an AFA auction, and if the seller doesn't WANT to provide eBay with his SS number in exchange for having his donation reported to the IRS, he can simply **decline** to do so, and list the item knowing he will NOT get an 'official' eBay receipt for his contribution. There is no need whatsoever to involve Billpoint on the seller's side of the transaction.
Except, of course, to change the seller's default and put Billpoint in ALL his listings. 
[ edited by granee on Sep 20, 2001 10:33 PM ]
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