posted on December 6, 2001 12:18:29 PM
As Kiara said, I don't think anyone here is really very happy with ebay. I would love for other sites to succeed, and that there could be real competition. Consolidation is a bad trend. Try going to a bank these days. There really are only 3 mega banks on the West Coast, and several independent that will probably be consolidated. All offer poor customer service. I would love to see someone give Ebay a run for their money. I remember the early days, when there were other auctions sites worth selling at. I think for anything to succeed, they would need to have a LOT of money to attract bidders somehow, sort of like Paypal and giving away money. The problem is that this is almost 2002, not 1999, and there is just not that type of money out there on such a high risk operation.
posted on December 6, 2001 12:48:49 PM
"... just make sure you bow down and face Meg at the beginning of each day " Now thats funny, I don't care who you are..... LOL
posted on December 6, 2001 12:51:28 PM
I think ahc3 said it all, no seller is really happy with ebay, but until another venue comes along that can compete. Most sellers are stuck with ebay. Which means playing by there rules. Even if it means bow down and face Meg at the beginning of each day. LOL......
posted on December 6, 2001 09:56:09 PM
RB, I'm somewhat at a loss. Aren't you the same poster who complained long and bitterly about your suspension from eBay for selling promotional videos?
At any rate, I think you fail to see the reason behind eBay's rule(s). It is a fact that many sellers use eBay's ads only to promote their own business sites. There have been enough posters in these forums to verify that, and I do remember one who claimed to have drawn 90% of the bidders in a certain category off eBay.
Like it or not, the rules are the rules. You agree to abide by eBay's terms when you become a member. eBay's rules serve both to protect members and promote the site. It's like an opt-in/out mailing list. If you don't like the material, don't subscribe. But why subscribe to the list, and then complain about the content? Nobody is forcing anyone to sell on eBay.
posted on December 6, 2001 10:00:59 PM
I am amazed that you got in trouble at all. You must not be a Gold power seller. I turned in a guy 10 times over a 1 month period and Ebay did nothing to him. Actually I did that to several guys and nothing was ever done. I follow the rules and expect my competition to. The Ebay rule now is that you are not allowed to have a link at all to a web site that sells anything no matter what the price. That girl did the right thing. You have to be pretty bad for Ebay to get rid of you. I have tried. It is not wrong to turn people in. If we did not nobody would and Ebay would be a very unfair place. Or much more unfair than it already is.
posted on December 7, 2001 05:02:11 AMRB, I'm somewhat at a loss. Aren't you the same poster who complained long and bitterly about your suspension from eBay for selling promotional videos?
Close, real close, but no cigar ... sorry!
[1]It is a fact that many sellers use eBay's ads only to promote their own business sites[/i]
It is also a fact that *all* sellers pay a fee for this priviledge whether their item sells or not ... no different than paying a newspaper to place a classified ad.
and I do remember one who claimed to have drawn 90% of the bidders in a certain category off eBay
That person was obviously doing something right ... gotta love competition and the Free World eh
Like it or not, the rules are the rules. You agree to abide by eBay's terms when you become a member
Yes, I agree. In my case, I just didn't have the time (desire?) to wade through pages and pages of rules and visit the venue everyday to check up on the changes and addendums to these rules. My bad eh!
posted on December 7, 2001 05:38:36 AM
You know, I never understood this perception that an auction listing is an ad that can be used in whatever way the seller sees fit. I always thought the intent was to auction off whatever item is advertised specifically in the auction listing. Before ebay changed the rules and cracked down, I saw some pretty flagrant violations of links in auctions as a way to avoid paying final value fees.
Ebay auctions are not merely online classified advertisements. When you place a classified in a newspaper, the paper generally doesn't collect a commission on whatever you sell. Their only revenue is the listing fee. Ebay's final value fee is a major source of income, frequently being more than the listing fee. I dare say that if any one of us was in charge of ebay and saw some of the blatant fee avoidance tactics being used, we'd do the same thing to clamp down.
Besides, they still have the "two-click rule." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out a way to drive traffic from an ebay auction to your own site.
posted on December 7, 2001 07:10:11 AM
the sad thing is whether you are a rocket scientist or not,it is hard to convince ebay bidders to leave ebay and visit a private website.
they dont visit ebay stores,they dont click on me page,they could not care less the url you give in item description.
why waste time leaving ebay,ebay is the place for them,they do this every nite,lots of old time customers ,just like folks who always go to one neighborhood bar after work
posted on December 7, 2001 07:32:37 AM
RB, you've got no understanding of how the rules protect eBay and other sellers. "I pay my fees, so I can do what I want" just doesn't work. And I do remember your story very well. You claimed your videos were legal, eBay disagreed and suspended you. How could I forget, you complained about it here for six months. eBay offered to reinstate you if you would just provide the papers you claimed to have, but you declined. Why in the world are you still hanging out, complaining about eBay, and now with a new story about why you were suspended? Something obviously doesn't add up.
posted on December 7, 2001 08:45:39 AM
Ruben - I understand what you are saying - Of course you did a naughty, but some of the competition on eBay will stop at nothing to get another dealer suspended. I call it a "flea market" mentality - but as long as eBay allows members to act as the Gestapo this will continue. EBay is creating this problem by allowing members to turn in other members, and I would imagine they lose some good sellers in the process.
I see tons of auctions with web site names, links, etc. Ebay's elimination of this is ridiculous.
Your major problem is having such a distinctive product - I could think of a number of ways to solve the problem, but with a unique product - don't think I could help - how can you not know who the complainer is? How many people are selling this item? If this particular person wrote you more than once, wouldn't you recognize their name, ID or something if you went through a list of sellers of this item?
Of course I have no idea what you could do about it even if you knew who this was - turning them in for something or even having them suspended isn't the answer, and they will then retaliate again.
I'd talk to eBay about this problem. IF you have been on eBay for a goodly time, with good feedback, and lots of sales, most likely you will not be suspended permanently...
posted on December 7, 2001 08:48:54 AM
Like I stated twinsoft, you're close.
Here's a hint:
A PC can be used by more than one member of a family. Just so happens that the "RB" who was suspended by eBay last year for selling (sorry, listing, not selling) what eBay perceived as being illegal tapes (which they weren't) is not the same "RB" who registered on March 21, 2001, got fb up into the high 60's from strictly buying, and was subsequently suspended for 15 days on October 14, 2001 for "bid manipulation".
Kinda like Father and Son, if you know what I mean.
AuctionWatch is like a box of chocolates - you never know which "RB" you're gonna get
Anyone that is on ebay for anytime soon realizes that the rules differ depending on how much clout the seller has with them.
There are probably lots of little sellers just doing their own thing, some of it against the rules, but they haven't been caught yet. Some of them may not even know that they are doing anything wrong.
But to say you don't have time to read the rules and changes is no excuse at all. You can check the announcement boards at ebay, you can come here or go to other message boards. Most new rules are posted very quickly. Some people just don't have the time or good sense to heed the rules.
posted on December 7, 2001 11:19:47 AM
JWPC - I know who reported me, I know here username, and I see she is still selling, and making a kiling since I am not around to compete against. The problem is that when she sent me emails threating me, I did not think any thing of it, so I deleted the emails. I wish I would have save them now. They would have really been helpful. At least I would have had something to fight back with. Now I am just screwed.
ecomputeremporium
You keep believing that it is all right to report your competion, eventually they will turn around and get you....
posted on December 7, 2001 01:51:11 PM
Well, after reading all your comments, I guess it's worth a try to contact ebay by phone. I tried to contact them by email, but that is useless, all they can say is that they acted accordinly, with the evidence that they have.
posted on December 7, 2001 02:11:48 PM
The fact that eBay has their thumb on us sellers is, in fact, what makes them successful. Us sellers are in the unenviable position of needing eBay and that is how and why they make money. It's a beautiful situation for eBay and I wish I had this same unique business positioning, as I would run my business exactly the same way that they do.
There are many sellers who would argue with the above statement and say that they don't need eBay to sell online, but these folks are living in denial. eBay is in a unique space and has captured an enormous share of online commerce.
If you can't beat them folks, join them. Buy their stock and sell on their website. It's what I've done over the years and its worked out quite well. For those on the sidelines, the game is much more fun when you're on the field.
posted on December 7, 2001 05:26:51 PM
computerboy, you are so right, those sellers that say they don't need ebay would be lying. I am still selling and making money without ebay, that is because I worked hard to keep all my customers happy, now I am reaping the rewards for that. I am getting lots of repeat customers, I know that will not last for ever, but for know I will continue to enjoy it. Hopefully i will be able to get back onto ebay on the 15 of this month... here's to hoping I can get back, since originally i was only suspened for 30 days.
posted on December 7, 2001 10:07:52 PMtwinsoft says, Yeah, right. What are the odds? Unfreakingbelievable.
I am wondering if he means what are the odds that ebay will let ruben sell again or what are the odds that RB aka RB is really his own father's uncle's brother's son or whatever?
posted on December 8, 2001 12:18:14 AM
This is only a little bit off topic. I don't know that what I'm saying is a fact, I am only repeating what I heard.
A friend of mine attended one of those computer conferences last month. I think they call them technology fairs, I'm not certain since I've never been to one. My friend met some high ups at eBay at this conference, the programming end of eBay, not marketing or finance or whatever. They all chatted about eBay. One of the conversations was about how Safe Harbor finds ids that are in violation of rules and policies. The eBay people said that eBay users always think that someone reported them but mostly that isn't the case. It is the eBay boards. Ebay has a program that runs the ids of everyone who posts to the boards and the program examines closed and current auctions, and other stuff, then spits out a list of the violations for each id. Eventually someone at Safe Harbor gets the list, verifies the information and based on the user's history of behavior, feedback and other criteria will send off whichever form email fits the bill, from change your listing now to total and permanent suspension.
In a way I think it makes sense, so I think the story is believable. There are a lot of boards and some of the boards get a lot of postings from anti-eBay users on hot topics like Auctions for America and Checkout. At the beginning the AFA Board was inundated with posts, then users started getting suspended. The same is true of the Checkout Board. If you take a few minutes and pretend you are high up at eBay, responsible for public perception of your company, how do you go about refusing service to those whom you perceive to be the rabble? Ebay isn't a store, so the company can't post a sign refusing service to those who don't wear a shirt or shoes or who picket on the sidewalk. For an internet company, the solution is more computer programming, set the stage that will draw the rabble out, in this case specific Boards, and run the posting ids through the program, find the violations, get rid of the ids.
If the story is true I don't have a problem with what eBay is doing. My sales are real strong, my profits are high, I am getting new repeat customers, so eBay must be doing something right.
posted on December 8, 2001 05:52:07 AM
I don't post to the eBay boards, but if I did I would probably worry more about other posters than eBay Pinks. Percentage-wise you're dealing with a lot more loonies. I certainly wouldn't post under my selling ID.
I remember back during the "only a dollar" fiasco and the ensuing rush to Gold's auctions. Some guy posted on the Live Support Board asking for folks to join him in a class-action suit. Claimed to be a lawyer. The next day the board closed for "repairs" and didn't open again for a year.
There are plenty of problems at eBay, but eBay owns the boards and they aren't obliged to let everyone air their dirty laundry. After all, eBay still has to run a business. So many posters think that just because they pay their listing fees, eBay owes them a living. It doesn't work that way.
