posted on August 10, 2002 11:46:05 PM new
I noticed that OfficeMax is running test auctions on eBay. Would someone please explain to me how they've managed to build up their feedback to (10) without actually selling anything?
Does eBay really allow users to leave feedback for "test auctions? " You tell me ...
posted on August 11, 2002 12:32:42 AM new
Employees put up test auctions. Using other IDs, Employees bid minimum amounts and <gasp> wins a big boxes of nothing. Employees leaves feedback for, well, themselves, and Company builds up enough "feedback" to look like it actually has some (at least until someone actually reads the comments) and qualify for Dutch Auctions. Company pays minimal fees to eBay. Everybody's happy.
posted on August 11, 2002 05:28:21 AM new
Actually, that isn't Office Max, it is Market Select, which is apparently testing a new listing format for Office Max. Office Max isn't padding their feedback.
Besides, Office Max already has 78 feedback, and none appear to be "test" feedback.
posted on August 11, 2002 08:07:06 PM new
Looks like the Fb reflects the same problem we've had at their B & M. They frequently don't have what is advertised, and in many cases, never did.
posted on August 11, 2002 09:20:19 PM new
Yes that is the way it is at the store also. They advertise, no product and try and sell you another one, more expensive, because they don't give rain checks. How can you sell something you don't have is that considered Fraud?
Isn't that against eBays rules. You are not supposed to sell something if you don't have it in hand.
posted on August 11, 2002 09:55:00 PM new
Thanks, revvassago.
With nine unique negs vs. 88 unique positives, that is a terrible feedback rating! And now they have no current auctions running.
I wonder if they have thrown in the towel. For a long while I've had my doubts about big businesses succeeding on eBay. Even liquidation/closeouts.
For the time it took OfficeMax to create the listing, pack and ship the item, and then provide support, they probably could have found a simpler way to get rid of their closeouts.
That is some awful feedback ratio. Even some of the positives are not all that positive.
posted on August 12, 2002 08:18:54 AM new
"Yes that is the way it is at the store also. They advertise, no product and try and sell you another one, more expensive, because they don't give rain checks. How can you sell something you don't have is that considered Fraud? "
My husband HAS accused them of fraud and has occasionally been able to force them to provide a more expensive substitute because they do this every, single time. One time they forgot to take the "we substitute" sign off shelf. He grabbed the sign with the item# on it, walked up to the counter and they had to substitute.
Even if you go within minutes of the opening day of the 1st day of the sale, they are "sold out, blah blah blah." They love to recommend you go chasing around their other store locations for the item. AND they refuse to call the other locations for you to find the item. They already know it is NOT there.
Their fB also shows that even when they did substitute, it was NOT acceptable.
posted on August 12, 2002 10:38:23 AM new
I have heard that the reason that the test auctions have feedback is that they are used to test tools that other companies build. This is just an example, but if OfficeMax wanted to build/buy a custom auction tool to list or manager auctions, they would need auctions to run the beta testing. That is why eBay has the test category.
OfficeMax may just be trying out the software they bought to make sure it works in a variety of circumstances (i.e. Dutch, non-Dutch, with BP, without BP, etc). They probably do not want to use the tool on their real auctions just in case it sends out the wrong messages or has incorrect info.
