posted on January 5, 2000 03:05:49 PM new
(E-mail sent to 20/20)
Re: 20/20 Story Internet Auction Snake Oil Sellers
Dear 20/20,
I see that you are running a story tonight, Wends. Jan. 05, 2000 Internet Auctions Snake Oil Sellers. Arnold Diaz investigates the wild world of Internet auctions — a place where some of the items being sold may not be all that they seem.
I am an internet seller. As in the past I would imagine that your story, as other media reports, will focus on trashing internet sellers as evil carpet baggers and snake oil
salespeople. It would really be nice if you could at least show a little true journalistic ability and show both sides of the story without the bias you report. Hmmm, who is
paying you to do this story? Some big retail chain?
I have found the risk of selling to auction buyers is quite high. International orders with the exception of Canada, is even higher.
Credit card fraud, credit card charge backs, NSF checks, fake money orders, stolen payment instruments, unauthorized payment instruments, customer claims never received package or package was empty, and the list goes on.
So the media seems hell-bent on making auction sellers look bad, but I have yet to see one story on the major risk and losses we take as sellers! I am just trying to earn
an honest living here, doing something I really like.
Please buyers and media, how about a little truth here looking at both sides of the coin.
posted on January 5, 2000 11:43:19 PM new
Alchemycht:
I missed the piece myself but from what I've read, they were judged by a fair number of folks to be "fair" or at least somewhat balanced.
Of course I was peturbed because they didn't mention auctions.com -- even after we were a sponsor on ABC's Century.com website. Heck, when talking about escrow and fraud and all, they certainly could have mentioned bidsafe, which gives buyers the right to a money back guarantee.
