posted on April 7, 2001 10:15:35 AM
Does any one remember last year on the eBay community boards when Pinks rewarded contributors with $6 curtesy credits?
Does anyone know why this seems to have stopped? It seemed like a good idea to reward those who gave much of their time & energy to helping others.
posted on April 7, 2001 12:23:18 PM
I really don't know why they stopped but since I'm always willing to use any opportunity to beat up on eBay and soap box my "anti-management" agenda I won't let not knowing stop me from posting.
In the early days eBay sometimes thanked community members for helping on the boards by crediting their accounts with money which offset fees.
These became known as "Skippy" credits as it was suggested they were started by the founder of eBay who was reported to share on the chat boards with the ID "skippy" so as not to intimidate people.
Even when "Skippy" was no longer very active the "Pinks" gave out credits to individuals and later to everyone who shared during randomly choosen half hour periods.
Usually on the Q&A board, occasionly on other boards but never on the DNF board where all the trouble makers were rumored to hang-out.
There were boards available at that time where "pinks" answered questions, in live time, for concerns expressed by users.
Some users suggested the credits showed eBay's as cheap and uncaring as they seemed to encourage volunteers to do the work eBay claimed they offered.
That opinion was reinforced in some peoples mind because there was a shortage of staff, they were often woefully ignorant of how things worked, had not been adequately trained in the rules they were commenting on and would sometimes completly disappear when an eBay screw-up brought a large number of complaining users to the boards. (Some things never change.)
eBay eventually changed the boards from live time interaction between staff and users to summary staff postings and eventually added the threaded areas which are so very, very helpful.
I only personally received one credit. The fact I responded to it with an email demanding that it be reversed from my account and that all I wanted from them was a stable site and truthful answers and not any of the (blank, blank) penny anti credits may contribute to the fact I was never included in even blanket, everybody who shared in the last half hour, credits giving in later months.
An interesting side note is that my email and follow-ups demanding credit reversal were never acknowledged. But so much email to eBay goes unanswered that no specific conclusion can be drawn.
So the awards went from individual recognition to group recognition and then to lower amounts and now have seemed to have all but disappeared.
Some might say that they are no longer needed as eBay is providing prompt and knowledge responses in all areas of customer service. You, of course, are free to have your own opinion.
posted on April 7, 2001 04:48:10 PM
businesses with a business plan usually give out credits and perks when business is bad to sweeten up their customers/clients/partners(sellers).
Now, I realize that ebay, like everyone on the stock market, is way down, but it is still the most successful online business and it has a broad customer base. It doesn't need to hand out as many of the candies as it did in the old days, because nowadays the idea has already 'caught on' and there is no shortage of sellers, and hence no special incentive for them to try to keep you.
it's business.
never try to teach a pig to sing, and never ask/expect a business to be your friend.
posted on April 8, 2001 05:12:06 AM
I've gotten a couple $10 credits in March so I think they are still doing them. You have to be courteous and helpful and not rock the boat to get them (LOL). I've really enjoyed them as it allows me to post a few more auctions than I would normall do and thus makes money for Ebay in the long run. I personally think it is a nice feature and hope they don't stop it.
posted on April 11, 2001 11:58:35 AM
Wow! Thanks for all the replies and differing opionions - they make interesting reading. I'd really thought eBay had stopped their credit policy - nice to know i'm wrong
