posted on January 9, 2001 11:16:14 AM
Hi everyone,
I am new to posting to this forum, though not new to eBay.
I am an eBay Power Seller specializing in selling Haviland. I am a member of HCIF, Haviland Collectors Internationale Foundation. I sell Haviland under one id, buy Haviland for myself under another id.
I have a substantial repeat customer base, something I've worked hard to build over the past two years.
What is distressing me now is that my customers are being emailed with offers to sell Haviland to them, identical to the Haviland they won auctions on from me. I have proof now of two different individuals who have done this, both individuals are HCIF members.
I make my money by selling Haviland that is scarce. I piece out the patterns slowly over time to get maximum dollar and build a demand for the pattern, to allow enough time for more buyers to recognize that is the pattern that they inherited from their great grandmother. All of my hard work dissolves away to nothing if I build a demand for a pattern then another HCIF member who has a tiny china replacement company makes contact with my customers and sells them the pattern they have in inventory.
I am getting frustrated. I think this behavior is unethical and probably against eBay rules and policies. However I don't know what to do about it. Send an email to eBay Power Sellers?
posted on January 9, 2001 11:27:36 AM
It is for this reason that some sellers resort to using private auctions. Prior to Christmas I bid on some wooden train accessories for my kids and I was trying to figure out why one of the sellers was using a private auction. Sure enough, shortly after the auctions ended I received an unsolicited email from a company that sold wooden train accessories. (The company was registered as an eBay seller but had no current or recent transactions. I suspect that they remained a registered user in order harvest emails from eBay.)
I am not saying that I think you should resort to using private auctions--I'm just throwing it out there as one possible option.
I would go ahead and contact powersellers & see what their thoughts are. I'm sure many of them have dealt with the same problem.
posted on January 9, 2001 02:21:08 PM
What you described is called BOTTOM FEEDING and SPAM... the other individual has been feeding off the bottom of your bidder list and spamming (sending unsolicited eMail offers to purchase) your underbidders in hopes of making a few quick bucks WITHOUT paying the associated listing and final value fees to eBay.
This activity is against the rules at eBay. You can forward the eMail (proof) to [email protected] for investigation.
Also, eBay is currently working hard to create a better atmosphere for sellers who play by the rules on their site by finding ways to minimize the occurance of Bottom Feeding and decrease the incidence of Spam.
posted on January 9, 2001 03:39:53 PM
I also buy and sell Haviland china on eBay. There is a site to post Haviland China wants for free. That way, eBay rules are not broken and free enterprise prevails.
I am afraid that people just do not pay attention to the agreement with eBay and let their greed take over.
I was hoping that eBay would offer more eBay University classes in more cities to help educate people about what they can and cannot do in terms of transacting business via eBay. Many have changed their eBay id to not reflect their e-mail to reduce the Spam. This is also one way bidders can protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.
posted on January 9, 2001 04:00:56 PM
RE: Dottie's post
I forwarded the email I received to safeharbor--they responded that they were unable to prove the email came from a registered ebay user. The email addy on the bottomfeeding spam was something like "[email protected]". The bottomfeeder was registered at ebay as just "mywebsite.com" with an email of "[email protected]" and apparently SafeHarbor was unable to draw a concrete conclusion from that. I couldn't really forward it to "[email protected]" since it would be going straight to the offender himself!
The bottom feeding term is new to me. I am finding this Auction Watch message center to be quite useful.
I sent eBay Power Sellers an email as suggested. I received a reply requesting copies of all the emails from my customer regarding the two parties he mentioned who had contacted him.
Power Sellers asked for the emails with all of the headers. I sent Power Sellers back what I had. I use Eudora Pro, Version 5. Evidently Euduro has a default for downloading email with minimal headers on a POP server. I can change the default if it is IMAP. But I'm POP. Whatever any of that means.
BTW, in my original message I had no intent to cloud the image of HCIF. It is a fine organization and I am proud to be a member of it. I am just surprised that two members would try to jeopardize the customer base of another member. The activities of those two members in no way reflect upon the organization as a whole. Many members of HCIF are my customers and friends.
I will update this thread when I know more. I thank all of you who took the time to respond to my plight.
For the rest of you who are sellers and who are reading this thread, it might be important to see if your emails show full headers or minimal headers. What I am saying is that something can happen to you and eBay wants to see full headers as proof of whatever you are reporting; it is better to look now and tinker with your system if you have to so as to avoid problems in the future.
Darcy
[ edited by darcyw on Jan 9, 2001 05:15 PM ]
posted on January 9, 2001 06:24:42 PM Another Update
Power Sellers sent me another email. I provided sufficient proof for them to investigate the matter.
For all of you who are sellers, if you have the opportunity to become a Power Seller grab the opportunity. The quick response time when you are having a problem is worth being a Power Seller versus everybody else who has to wait for days to get a response to an email.
posted on January 9, 2001 06:58:32 PM
darcy: I'm SO HAPPY that you are getting some assistance with this problem.
However, the difference in level of customer support has (sometimes) been a sore spot within the eBay community.
I'm a power seller also, but I've never displayed the logo because I am aware that SOME folks won't bid on Power Seller auctions because:
A) As a protest to the different level of support received between Power Sellers and (ALSO) Hard Working Sellers that don't happen to sell high ticket items or enough lower dollar items to meet the minimum requirements for Power Seller status.
B) Bidders feel that Power Sellers may not provide the level of service for THEM, due to their volume of sales - time divided among many winning bidders and maintaining "Power Listings".
I see no reason why the SAME level of support is not available for ALL Registered Members of eBay. It is something that eBay Support should strive to achieve and Power Sellers should not "flaunt" in the meantime.
Nobody "chooses" to have LESS support than others. I'm not trying to be a meanie... just point out that folks already KNOW there is a difference in level of support, and it's NOT FAIR. (ya know?) *sigh*
posted on January 11, 2001 12:20:10 AM Final Update
I heard from Safe Harbor this evening. The two user ids who contacted my buyer have been issued a warning.
Here are the steps to follow if the same thing happens to you:
1. One of your customers emails you and tells you that another user id on eBay contacted them to offer to sell them similar or equivalent merchandise to the items they won in your auctions;
2. You make a copy and paste of the email from the customer with full headers;
3. If you don't know how to get the full headers in your email program you can go to http://www.netzero.net/support/email/extend_headers.html;
4. Send your explanation and the copy and paste to [email protected], including your id, customer's id, ids of the parties who tried to sell to your customer.
posted on January 11, 2001 12:47:36 AM
Yeah and they will do absolutely nothing if the bottom feeder isn't emailing from a registered eBay email account. Obviously they have one, or else they coudlnt have gotten the emails. eBay needs to add the private option to dutch auctions, and soon, before sellers get pissed enough to revolt against this unfair policy
