This company is selling merchandise on eBay using the auction format and they have a link on their auction listing page that says "MORE ABOUT RETURNBUY" which takes you to a page that has a link which says "SIGN UP NOW TO BECOME A RETURNBUY MEMBER. When you click on that link the page says:
Bolding is mine
QUOTE
"ReturnBuy is currently posting merchandise for "resale" on eBay, and soon other popular shopping sites. Check back with our home page for where-to-shop links.
Later, when we're ready to handle lots of value-conscious shoppers, you will be able to purchase directly here at ReturnBuy. Leave us your e-mail address and we'll notify you when we're ready to sign-up ReturnBuy members. You can tell us about products or categories of special interest to you — and get first priority to purchase, before merchandise is posted for open sale."
END QUOTE
Is the email sign-up legal now on eBay even if it isn't linked directly from the auction listing page? Also, does their auction page abide by all of the new rules? If so, this is the way to keep your website presence in your auction listings. If not, then something needs to be done about it.
Since we can't post actual auctions here you can go to their website and follow the sign to their eBay auctions. http://www.returnbuy.com/consumer/ I don't know any other way to bring up this topic without mentioning the company and I think it NEEDS to be addressed.
I know this situation has been discussed in a general manner earlier but I think it's a good idea to be more specific. I would seriously like to know if the two-click rule still applies to the auction listing page in regards to a website and if an email sign-up is still allowed on ANY of the links since there has been some confusion on this issue.
posted on June 4, 2001 11:36:30 AM new
Blanche, thanks so much for posting this info. I think ReturnBuy will make an excellent "test case" for eBay's new policies. We all need to contact eBay about this and pin them down on a definitive answer.
eBay has said they won't police auctions, so unless we bring this issue forward (perhaps with the help of TAG and AuctionBytes), we will have only ourselves to blame.
The links you point to appear to be a flagrant violation of eBay's policies. Also, it was said that ReturnBuy is an eBay Gold PowerSeller, but it appears their negative feedback percentage disqualifies them for powerseller status. We need to pin eBay down on this.
posted on June 4, 2001 11:41:57 AM new
Hi twinsoft, Yes, I think this is an excellent test case especially since eBay has some ownership in this company. I intend to send off an email right away and will share my response if I get one. I hope others will do the same. We ALL should be required to play by the same rules!!
posted on June 4, 2001 11:42:51 AM new
B:
Shame on you for making me play activist so early in the week!
Your links definitely raise a few eyebrows here.
I'm not effected by the website linking, but let me know how you'd like me to help.
You know I'm into the "fairness thing"!
I hope you guys found your answer!
posted on June 4, 2001 11:54:06 AM new
Blanche, I'm also glad you brought this up. Are we supposed to assume that some eBay users are more equal than others? Sheesh.
posted on June 4, 2001 02:24:12 PM new
After reading a bunch of their negs it seems a big problem is they often use stock photos instead of a picture of the actual item. HMMMM Wonder if I could get away with that?
posted on June 4, 2001 04:21:41 PM newMartyAW, thanks for the clarification. I've been wanting to post this for a while but wasn't sure how to go about it and still abide by AW's rules. I finally decided to just give it a shot and hope it wasn't nuked.
posted on June 4, 2001 04:52:01 PM new
<After reading a bunch of their negs it seems a big problem is they often use stock photos instead of a picture of the actual item. HMMMM Wonder if I could get away with that? <
I dunno Joe, but we could not get away with the shipping & handling rates they charge!
And this part would kill us also....
"NO Checks. NO Money Orders. NO PayPal. Please Pay with valid U.S. bank issued Mastercard, Visa or American Express on our secure checkout site. (Billing address must be a valid U.S. address.)
Shipping Limitations: No International, Canadian, AK/HI, PO or APO/FPO Shipments. No combined shipments.
Terms: All sales are final. Winning bidder assumes all risk of liability with respect to the purchase of the product, buyer responsible for shipping charges. Payment expected within 4 days of auction close. "
posted on June 4, 2001 06:33:04 PM new
Hello Bhearsch,
Thanks for taking the time to write to us at eBlech!
The most common side effects with ReturnBuy occurred about as often as they did with a sugar pill, including headache, drowsiness, fatigue, and dry mouth.
Bhearsch, I appreciate this opportunity to be of assistance, and wish you the best in your future trades. Have a great eBlech day!
Regards,
Bleef
eBlech Customer Support
______________________________
eBlech
Your Personal Trading Community (tm)
posted on June 4, 2001 08:57:33 PM new
Thanks vidpro2. We need this info published and brought to the public's attention in order to put some pressure on eBay to straighten up.
posted on June 5, 2001 11:01:20 AM new
Just bringing you up to date on this issue:
According to an eBay spokesperson who spoke with AuctionBytes this afternoon, ReturnBuy's situation has been sent to eBay's "Powerseller's Team" for review.
AuctionBytes was also asked to keep in mind that this review might take a little time and that, in fact, Kruse International, who eBay owns, was suspended (30 days) for feedback violations last September.
So that's where that stands, for whatever it's worth. It will be interesting to keep an eye on ReturnBuy to see if any disciplinary action is taken.
posted on June 5, 2001 12:20:15 PM new
Thanks, VidPro. eBay has made it clear they won't take action unless we bring it to their attention, so the ball is squarely in our court. Ignore the problem and it won't go away. Thanks again for posting this info.
posted on June 5, 2001 08:13:18 PM new
Thanks for the heads-up vidpro2. Please keep us posted when you hear the outcome. It should be interesting, to say the least.
posted on June 5, 2001 08:24:12 PM new
Thanks for the update! I predict eBay will stall ad-infinitum (read: do nothing). What is exactly is there to "review" anyway? ReturnBuy is clearly violating the links policy and clearly doesn't qualify to be a PowerSeller.
There. I finished reviewing the matter for eBay. Whew! That was tough.
posted on June 5, 2001 11:21:47 PM new
ReturnBuy has FIVE direct clickable links to their website in their eBay Auction listings:
1) "This is a ReturnBuy Auction Item" clickable logo (MUCH, MUCH LARGER than the maximum allowable 33 x 88 pixels, by the way)
2) "More About ReturnBuy..." clickable link
3) "....Customer Service" clickable link
4) "More About ReturnBuy" clickable link
5) "Frequently Asked Questions" clickable link
These are IN ADDITION TO the website link on their "About Me" page, which is the only one to be in compliance with eBay's rules.
If eBay doesn't enforce the links rules with every big company selling on their Auction (whether or not they have financial interest in those companies, as they do in ReturnBuy), but enforces the rules with small sellers, they're going to find themselves in court again. . .and lose the case this time.
Interesting. Man thats some LOTS 'o' Bad Feedback. My goodness. While we dont solicit feedback (after all, doesnt get ya a cup of coffee and over a certain point it becomes moot as people seldom look). We have 6800+ positives and 46 Negs.
We were informed last week of one of our auctions that had links to our site. One for support emails, One for the site and we were told to clean up all our auctions basically. I have yet to see one of our competitors do theirs.
With Neutral and Neg's such as that account whomever these folks are is apparently a bad investment ??? I can tell you for certain they'd be keel hauled off any B2C auction site we have ever attended and thats quite a few. I'd assume they dont solicit feedback.
If they do then its a horrid record, real bad bad. If they dont solicit feedback then its more than likely a 1-4 ratio. In other words their 6000+ is actually 20,000+ sales which makes that feedback look ALOT smaller. Still worse than ours by a long shot but not as "bad" as it presently appears.
Stock photo's are fine in ad's... as long as the ad says stock photo. There is no grey area there. If you buy a Ferrari online and you get a VW delivered then... welp.??? If its blatent its fraud. Otherwise, you'd see just that... Come to Josie AutoTown, Buy this vintage ferrari $15,000... When you get there you find a 4 year old Miata.
If this place is eBay owned? thats an issue. If eBay invested in them then they need to take a look at their investment or let the seller know, time to have a standard for returns, reponses, whatall. Accuracy?
Alot of buyers dont look at feedback... They see 6,000 and figure, well, 6000 positives cant be wrong. Sure it can!
posted on June 7, 2001 03:38:16 AM new
Thought I would let you know where this stands, so far...
This from AuctionBytes-NewsFlash:
June 7, 2001 - eBay Addresses ReturnBuy Policy Violations
In a previous NewsFlash, AuctionBytes reported that ReturnBuy was in violation of eBay's links policy and failed to maintain the required positive feedback ratio of 98% to retain Power Seller status. After looking into the situation, EBay spokesperson, Kevin Pursglove responded to AuctionBytes with the following information:
"When we look at a seller's record, we look at their entire record from the time they started. EBay has looked at ReturnBuy's entire record from the point they started and it is slightly under 98%. ReturnBuy will be treated like any other Power Seller that doesn't meet the minimum standards. They will be sent a notice advising them of their current status and will have 30 days to bring their feedback ratio up to requirements."
As for links within ReturnBuy's auctions, Mr Pursglove said, "A seller who has links within their auction pages will receive an educational email reminding them that email links are not allowed." According to eBay, a seller then has 14 days to comply with the "no-links" rule.
When asked if eBay's investment in ReturnBuy had any bearing on their treatment, Pursglove said no and reminded us that eBay had suspended Kruse Automotive for 30 days for violating feedback rules even though eBay owns it outright.
posted on June 7, 2001 11:46:13 AM new
Well, if his stint with eBay ever falls through, Pursglove can get a job with Riverdance ... because that guy can sure tap dance up a storm! And'a one, and'a two....
I hope others will do the same. We ALL should be required to play by the same rules!!
