Comments on: Paypal & Ebay To Rule The World: Part Three - Still Think Ebay Is Just A Venue?

By: » Paypal & Ebay To Rule The World: Part Four: Trust & Safety No Longer Exists. - Blogger News Network

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:41:28 +0000

[…] since my last part three article, Australia did win their case against a forced Paypal only World. Congratulations should be […]

By: Ebay gobshite

Ebay gobshite — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:49:02 +0000

New Ebay screwjob: Selling Adwords like google so people selling a completely unrelated item can now piggyback off your keywords & pay for the privilege. I await your column on this new tactic to screw the sellers.

By: Capt Sandy's Clinic

Capt Sandy's Clinic — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:33:35 +0000

Ebay lies, they pay people to trash sellers and I have no faith in them anymore. In over 20 years of selling WAY before Feebay even was a gleam in Pierre’s eye, I have only had one check bounce and never a problem EVER with a money order. Europeans sent cash or western Union, again never a problem. But with paypal, in 1 year 3 PITA buyers did unjust chargebacks on items clearly described, including one real winner that was too cheap to pay insurance, the item was damaged, I ate the entire sale, including shipping & fees (contrary to Paypal rules which state SNAD items DO NOT get shipping refunds)Then left an undeserved negative. I am searching out new venues and have registered for Amazon & Google payment, and am moving off Greedbay and onto Bonanzle. com & Ecrater.com

By: siggysworld

siggysworld — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:53:18 +0000

Hi I found this site through a post from o.c.d.collectibles on ebay’s feedback forum for beta testing.

It appears that there are alot of glitches affecting sellers on ebay, not only causing minor inconveniences but actually major errors that result in loss of revenue. Not only are ebay users triple charged for transactions as you mentioned in this blog but sometimes the invoicing system glitches up and undercharges shipping costs to a buyer for an item they are paying for. Just a few hours ago I had that very problem when a buyer was charged $7.60 for shipping rather than the $13.39 that it was supposed to be according to the USPS shipping calculator. I tried to get ebay representatives to fix the problem and refund me the difference and they refused. They said the best they could do was to refund my Final Value Fee (sales fee) of 92 cents. Who are they kidding? 92 cents is supposed to make me happy? I lost $5.79 on an item that sold for $5.99, you do the math! All because ebay’s beta testing caused an error. Well initially anyways. It appears now that it magically fixed itself after I yanked my remaining auctions and told the rep I was leaving ebay for good. Somehow the correct amount shows in my PayPal business account. Wow, I would like to get ahold of that magic wand they used, maybe I could make more money instantly appear.

By: o.c.d.collectibles

o.c.d.collectibles — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:17:34 +0000

Hiya! I’m posting here because I found this link from auction bytes, and I’m thrilled to see the interest taken in the business we all like to think of as our chosen “venue”.

I had something to post but not sure where I could post this comment, but it has to do with yet one more way ebay is engineering a way to force ebay members “out” whether by sabotaging their selling ability or by just causing enough sabotage that the seller often just leaves or stops listing as a a form of self-elimination.

Anyway, there is one more problem added to the list of this “comedy of errors”, and it relates to forced experimentation of a BETA version of the “MY EBAY” page for 4 weeks.

This was a test inflicted involuntarily on 5% of the EBAY membership, using a faulty, almost inoperable interface page that is fraught with mistakes and errors, along with a stepped procedural reply system (to all of our millions of severe complaints)BEFORE were even grabbed to do this test.

Now, the only thing I can tell you is this: you have to go to the MY EBAY discussion topic and look at the first pinned thread that was meant to be a “feedback” page to “CERIL” (or Renee, who I think it really is), and read the more than 1900 posts and complaints by members to see the magnitude of this issue.

There are no ways to even report this unless you post on Ina’s page, or any stock blog that many ebay investors go to.

I was just blessed that I didn’t start listing again, as I had some time off from work and I was gathering my bravery for 5 months now, by NOT listing after all the other changes were announced.

I feel sorry for those folks whose fancy selling management programs cannot be used, since they pay a fortune for those listing features and they are not compatible with the ebay test pilot that doesn’t work very well, if at all.

Please take a look, or have someone else take a look at this new problem.

Ebay does not want small sellers, I think this is step 3 in elimination of anyone not qualified to be a “power seller”.Per their standards.
I guess they have a right, and folks will just end up selling elsewhere…

what do you think of all this?

By: Former Ebay Seller

Former Ebay Seller — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:27:56 +0000

Paypal is going down!

Just check this out and you will see how paypal is involded in the counterfeiting. Make sure to scroll down and read the comment by “say it ain’t so…” Incredible!

http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/comments/2008/7/1214969880.html#1215617189

By: koolrags

koolrags — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:16:33 +0000

I find myself on your page because of a very disturbing problem with eBay. I have become thoroughly disheartened with eBay. It is not any fun now. Everything has been changed AND not for the better. I have sold on eBay part time for almost 10 years. Fortunately, I do not need this income for everyday expenses. That is why this year will be my last. I am letting my listings run out.
How can eBay say they are are just a facilitator when they are imposing so many regulations on the seller and free the buyer of any obligation (other than to pay). Here are some real time expeiences in the last week;
1. I have been put on alert for my shipping fees.
2. I have been put on alert for word spamming.
3. I have been notified that my listings will be not available on some searches or at least not placed favorably.
4. AND the clincher……Today, I submitted a listing only to be alerted that I would have to offer PayPal as a form payment. I HAVE to register for PayPal services…….Guess what ?
5. This is in America. What happened to our freedom of choice. eBay has become a dictator.
I would like to join a class action against eBay. Can anyone give me direction ?
Thank you for listening, Ron

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:56:37 +0000

‘One’ of my ebay/paypal experiences: ebay says I should use paypal. Before I bid I question ebay who assure me in writing via online chat that I will be covered for up to $3000 and not only $400. Seller does the dodgy so I claim from paypal who then say I am only covered up to $400. Paypal don’t want to hear about my proof of assurance from ebay even though they are owned by ebay. ebay doesn’t want to know about it and send me to paypal. Convenient passing the buck within the one company. And of course no way of speaking to a ‘live’ person at ebay and the person you speak to at paypal either totally disregards their own ‘terms and conditions’ that you quote to them from their own website or hangs up. No answerability! And then they send you a feedback form to fill out… as if they give a sh*t! Just info collecting for them to better cover their a** in the future. Sheesh!

By: froliky

froliky — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:34:34 +0000

I am a powerseller with many years experience and over 20,000 items sold. Very serious problems mount at eBay with Paypal support - false Item Not Received disputes and Not as Described claims, and now the silencing of the seller in feedback. Paypal has become the riskiest of all payment forms by far. The combination of new rules has caused us to hold back 75% of our auctions.
Is there a rabbit in eBays hat? Is this a marketing or business arrangement experiment, or is this a very disturbing and sinister version of company value manipulation? Is there going to be yet another secretary document shredding investigation?
It may appear suspicious that eBay would form a business arrangement with Buy.com at the same time as the implementation of the controversial reputation and revenue damaging feedback policies.
Whether or not management is “padding the numbers”, (with questionable Buy listings and others), in a veiled attempt to keep up appearances, allowing time for new empowered buyers to gather is debatable. Whether or not there is a solid case against eBay for the Better Business Bureau, the FTC, the SEC, the Attorney General or a class action lawsuit, or even a criminal prosecution is a matter to be very seriously pondered. Whether or not John Donohoe will ever face justice, whether or not these policies constitute a criminal act, whether anyone is liable for irreparable harm is yet to be determined.
Seemingly beyond an attempt to “cook the books”, these combined policy decisions may appear to be the opposite of a “pump and dump” investment scheme, - a “bear attack”- (an attempt to drive down the value of company stock,) and bears close scrutiny.
If this is not a clumsily masterminded conspiracy, or misleading and deceptive practices, or some attempt to monopolize certain category sales for under the table profit, then what is it?
Is leadership on the line with an attempt to defraud investors while the company poses to repurchase an announced 1.9 billion dollars worth of company stock, and is this going to become headline news?
If there comes an announcement at the Live! convention of the cancellation of the questionable Buy.com agreement, if there is a sudden rollback of the feedback policies all this will just be coincidence and management comes out smelling like a rose, right?
Wrong.
When the gavel drops, company reputation, member trust and potential revenue have been wasted. The rising global flood of competition grows, steadily eroding this pathetic sand castle.
Obviously at the very least, these decisions will be the focus of investigation and study by students of economics and law, by business law specialists and by media now and for many years to come.
Until proper member safeguards are adopted, from the perspective of countless users, eBay company reputation is no better than that of their worst member.

By: Fairleigh

Fairleigh — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:03:49 +0000

Good Doctoral Thesis and good points…

Because Ozzies use PayPal much less than their US, UK, CA cousins, It could also help show why eBay is mandating first the Australians to use it’s 100% owned subsidiary PayPal (and most likely then the US, UK, CA will be next).

To see how much eBay and it’s PayPal subsidiary actually takes out of your wallet (out of your total profit), please see this new online eBay + PayPal Profit & Fee calculator.

http://pheebay.com/1/?eBayALTERNATIVESPheeCalculator

The calculator works for all English speaking countries US, AU, UK, CA, NZ. FYI: The Australian and Canadian dollars are all currently very close to American Dollars. The calculator will help show the profits eBay’s PayPal unit will make…

If you like it, please spread the word about it.

Cheers