posted on September 10, 2005 04:41:49 PM
***Responding to Hurricane Katrina***
September 09, 2005 | 02:51PM PST/PT
Like many of you, people here at eBay have struggled to comprehend the crisis that’s unfolding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This disaster is upsetting for all of us – millions of lives have been affected, including many thousands of eBay Community members in the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
We’ve given a lot of thought to how eBay and our Community can make an impact on relief efforts in the affected areas. I want to give you update on what we’re doing, and how you can join in.
To assist the eBay Community directly, we’ve set aside $1 million which we’re putting into the hands of eBay business owners in the region. From talking with a number of them, we know that some were very fortunate and suffered minimal impact, while others were devastated. Within the next few days, we’ll deposit $1,000 into the PayPal accounts of our top 1,000 sellers who reside in the affected areas. They can either use these funds to help get back on their feet or – if their needs are met – we’ll ask them to share this money with others in their local community, either directly or through local or regional charity organizations. They know best what their community needs, so we’ll rely on them to make these dollars work as hard as possible. And we believe that getting these funds to them via PayPal will enable evacuees to access it faster.
posted on September 10, 2005 06:11:14 PM
well that just made my day -
I can tell you if somebody put $1,000 in my PP account I think I could find a good use for it (other than my local community). Especially when they lost everything already!
posted on September 10, 2005 08:25:31 PM
It's a great gesture, but I wish that they had spread it out a bit more. The top sellers probably have a few bucks in the bank, while some of the lower-down ones might have nothing.
posted on September 11, 2005 07:29:20 AM
I agree, Claude, again the rich taking care of the top.
A more even playing field may be to give sellers in the affected area a month or two of listing for free.????
posted on September 11, 2005 11:30:47 PM
I doubt my transaction was a "gift", but TWICE in the past week my ATM transaction withdrawal from PAYPAL account has been REVERSED!!??!!? The first time was bad, they took the money out in TWO different transactions then reversed one of them. Yesterday, a ATM withdrawal from the 7th was reversed...what is going on???? Anyone else having problems with ATM transactions and PAYPAL debit card?
posted on September 12, 2005 03:55:05 AM
Exactly how many of these 'affected' ebay sellers still have computers, electricity or the knowledge that ebay has done this. The money will roll back, unclaimed, to paypal while they bought themselves all this good press for much less than $1mm. JMHO.
[ edited by chathamsue on Sep 12, 2005 03:56 AM ]
posted on September 12, 2005 05:29:51 AM
Chathamsue,
My guess is that the top 1000 sellers DO have access to a computer; it's the middle and bottom that don't, and could really use a few bucks to get access.
By the way, is that Chatham NJ is your name? My shop is in Millburn, and my son and his mother live in Chatham.
posted on September 12, 2005 02:47:58 PM
Hi Claude-
It's Chatham as in Cape Cod Massachusetts. I love it there - spend all the time I can there. We bought a small vacation house there about 9 years ago.
I still think there are plenty of ebayers who may not be accessing this $$. Some won't have access to ebay & others will be trying to rebuild their lives & homes, even if they evacuated. It is cheap advertising for ebay to spend this money & possibly recoup a fair portion of it.
