posted on May 14, 2010 12:48:56 PM new
Just got my eBay call about the exciting news of the upcoming changes. Just another push for sellers to commit financial suicide and give eBay more power over us.
One thing I was made aware of is the new eBay stock photo incentive they are offering. If eBay chooses your photo (if you opt in), eBay will give sellers 5 free subtitle listings.
Before you decide to take advantage of such a promotion, consider this... you are giving other sellers the ability to use your photographs to promote the same items you sell. Obviously, eBay wants you to believe using stock photos are a good thing... but it is not.
I just received my 2nd reply from the Oregon Attorney General's office regarding my complaint with how eBay handled the transaction where the buyer switched an old broken camera with the brand new one I sent him. In this transaction, eBay was able to easily see that I sold other exact cameras (New) to other buyers. Before shipping each of these cameras I always notate each item in the notes section for the listing with the serial number, so that I know which customer received which item and to protect me if something like this was to happen. All other buyers received their brand new cameras with no problems, and left me positive feedback.
One paragraph from eBay's response reads as follows:
"We do allow the sellers an opportunity to provide documentation to refute the buyer's claim. However, in this case, Mr. XXXX used stock photographs on his listing. So although, he provided pictures of the item he received back from the buyer, we did not have photographs of the original item to compare it to."
In essence, eBay will be using their stock photo incentive program against sellers who use them if there is a dispute.
posted on May 14, 2010 01:42:21 PM new
I'll also add the following statement by Monica Hooper, eBay Fraud Investigation Team...
"Due to privacy policies, I cannot disclose specific information to the investigation done with this dispute, as it involves another member's account...
eBay works in tandem with Law Enforcement to investigate concerns of potential fraud. eBay will be pleased to work with your office (or any Law Enforcement Agency) to provide information available in our files to assist with criminal investigations.
In order for eBay to assist in a criminal investigation, a law enforcement agency must already be involved. It appears Mr. XXXX has already contacted law enforcement regarding this matter. Please have them contact our Fraud Investigation Team."
Geez, that statement is riddled with contradiction. We won't share information because it is private (forget the fact I'm the one who was the target of fraud), but we will share information, but only if law enforcement contacts us. So much for eBay being pro-active in investigating fraud. I already submitted the police report number to eBay immediately after I filed it. All eBay needs to do is request this information from the police department. The cops aren't going to call eBay, eBay needs to contact the police if they plan to take this seriously. It is really nothing more than a vicious circle.
I am going to follow up with one more response, again pointing out eBay's contradictions. I am also going to turn it over to an investigative reporter here. I was hoping eBay would further dig themselves a hole in contradicting their own policies.
