posted on September 23, 2000 05:19:41 PM
I've been "eBaying" for almost 2 years now, so I feel pretty stupid asking this question.. but I want to know: Is there ANY way (via alternate websites or eBay itself) to find sellers or buyers from just their ISP (ie: @example.com)??? Every now and then I see sellers or buyers from my area and would like to see just how many there might be. I know this is probably impossible and perhaps unethical... but I'm just curious...
posted on September 23, 2000 08:36:50 PM
There probably isn't a way to do it, but it might be helpful to know fellow eBayers that live nearby. Why not send a suggestion to eBay?
posted on September 23, 2000 11:42:59 PM
i know that certain websites can set cookies on users browsers, connection speed, and other mundane techy stuffs. as for personal info, i believe its against the law to collect that kind of information without the consent of the user. the best way to user info is to actually have them fill out a form with an agreement. heck if it was possible, then all advertising and marketing companies would be rich!!!
posted on September 24, 2000 05:32:08 AM
Unless the person is sending email from a huge ISP, such as AOL or CompuServe, or a freemail account such as Yahoo! or Hotmail, it's often possible to tell the general area.
Let's say the email address is [email protected] (address invented). Go to www.xyz.com and see what the home page shows. Often there will be an address for the ISP, sometimes in tiny letters at the bottom of the screen, or on a "Contact Us" page. Sometimes, there will be a list of local access numbers. If you see dialup numbers for Baton Rouge and Bossier, you can be fairly certain that xyz.com is in Louisiana.
The email extensions are also often helpful in the case of international addresses. An email address that ends in ".jp" is located in Japan, as ".ca" is Canada and ".de" is Germany. There is a list somewhere of all the extensions; I don't have it handy but I'm sure someone could post a link to it.
posted on September 24, 2000 07:50:26 AM
I live in a fairly rural area and I would do searches for memorabilia from the nearby small communities. I noticed that certain sellers would always come up and their "location" would put them in this area. Sometimes I would go in and look at their feedback and it would say "Thank you Joe" or whoever, and I would know which local dealer it was. Then I would go in and search their auctions occasionally because I knew they were likely to have local memorabilia and I knew who I was buying from. But when I talk to other dealers, it seems like they are hesitant to admit they sell online. I suppose there are a myriad of reasons for that. Just thought I would add that some people may enjoy "thinking" that no one in their area knows what they are doing.
posted on September 24, 2000 08:47:15 AM
My main reason for wondering about this is that I've become pretty close to my Post Office workers. One of them mentioned that there are about 8 of us in my town that sell on eBay. I know who one is because I see them on their once a week trek to the PO with all their boxes to ship. I usually go everyday... anyway... I'm just curious what items the other sellers are selling.
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posted on September 24, 2000 11:05:52 AM
One reason they don't want local folks knowing they are selling on ebay may be that they don't want Mrs. XYZ, to see that they sold that .50 cent vase they bought from her last garage sale for $50.00 on ebay. If she did, the next time they go to her sale she would charge them as if everyting was worth a million dollars. I've noticed at our local fleamarket, once your pegged as a dealer, wheather online or in the malls, everything you look at goes up in price.
Once I was being dogged by a local want to be dealer at the fleamarket. I noticed everything I looked at and didn't buy, she came behind me and looked at it and about 50% of the time she bought it. When I notice this I started looking at only junk. Man she bought allot of junk that day .
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