“No less than 48 comments prior to me reading this and not a single positive note with regard to this policy move.” This is what I was thinking after less than 24 hours from the time I read the post that appeared at AustraliaIT.com.news regarding Ebay/Paypal’s announcement that would force all Australian Ebay account holders to use PayPal and no other choice of payment option starting June 17th 2008. Those 48 comments have grown quickly to a much larger number now and continue to grow everyday that passes. The Ebay account closures and boycotts will increase more now than ever. I can only imagine how much worse this will get if Ebay doesn’t wise up!
The first thing everyone needs to understand is that PayPal is owned by Ebay. That is not a candy coated statement, it’s a fact and it’s an important one to realize in order to understand the real motive behind Ebay/PayPal’s madness. Ebay/PayPal has become such an enormous force on the Internet in free trade that it is unreasonable to expect anyone to relate. They are that big. Nor is it reasonable in being a corporation as big as they are to expect users on their site to change in accordance with site policies when those policies change every 4 to 6 months. But whether or not policy makers at Ebay realize it, they have a responsibility to their users no matter what the polices that they implement may say! And no percentage of users should be thought of as expendable which is the impression that is clearly given by all reports. Ebay/PayPal undoubtedly know that an enormous percentage of the users on their site rely on the income they make there to survive. For Mr. Alastair MacGibbon, Ebay’s Trust & Safety Director, to publicly and recklessly state that a “minority” of users will be upset with the changes that are about to be implemented is to say that these people are in fact expendable. But if according to Ebay reports, you’ve got more than 210 million registered users on your site, even at a 1% clip, numbers in digits that pass hundreds of thousands can be considered what I would call one hell of a “minority!” These are peoples lives we’re talking about here, not numbers!
Fee increases are one thing. Taking away a person’s right to chose is completely another. And the last time I checked, Australia was a free country but make no mistake that we are talking about Ebay/PayPal’s idea of implementing this policy to everyone in the World, not just Australia. Australia is an obvious testing ground and just that fact alone says a lot about how they feel about that part of their market. If I lived there I would be completely outraged! The issues of concern are not so critical that the right to chose should be denied. PayPal is NOT the answer for everyone. PayPal is NOT a merchant account. According to NoPayPal.com, by signing to PayPal’s Terms Of Service, you waive your rights to credit card consumer protection laws. I urge everyone to read what NoPayPal.com has obviously spent much time in researching and find out for yourself. It is an eye opener!
Ebay/PayPal sees it’s customers as it’s buyers and disregards the important issues of it’s sellers for which the site would not be what it is without. There would be no Ebay without quality products and the people that back them. When Ebay/PayPal talk about why they make policy changes on topics such as this, you will always find the trend to be that the “Buyer is always right” even when they’re not. And while it is true that the buying customer is important and something that anyone would agree with, the idea goes overboard when it comes to agreeing with the buyer to the point of taking away a seller’s rights, those of which are even clearly stated in Ebay policy to begin with! And with that said, we come to the first real truth for the policy change at hand. Case in point, a clearly stated Ebay policy under the topic of “Rules For Buyers Overview” reads and I quote, “Buyer’s cannot bid on or buy an item when they do not meet the seller’s terms as outlined in the item listing.” If a seller has a term that states NO PayPal, it is clear that a buyer would be in violation of Ebay policy if they try to buy the item from that seller. But because this term by the seller is in direct conflict with the fact that Ebay wants to sell the PayPal service, then it is an unspoken rule that Ebay will take sides with the buyer even though the buyer is dead wrong. This is something that they won’t tell you. That is not concern for what is right or wrong and that is not defending the seller against what he or she has the right to be defended against according to Ebay policy. That is GREED! Greed by Ebay/PayPal based on the biased nature to sell the PayPal service. Further information In the post from AustraliaIT.com.news mentioned above, will also show the following quote…. “Internal data shows that those using PayPal are almost four times less likely to have a dispute over their purchase than someone who’s paid with bank deposit,” Mr MacGibbon said. That means nothing since no one will ever get to see this “Internal Data.” But even if that were true, what does that have to do with being given NO CHOICE how to make or receive a payment? What that “Internet Data” WON’T show you is that this “Four times less likely to have a dispute” is reserved for the BUYING community, not the SELLING community. And do you know why that is? Because for those sellers that chose NOT to use PayPal, buyers can’t buy the item if that’s all they want to use to make the payment. And if buyers get angry because of that, Ebay/PayPal sees it as a problem for them. And instead of coming up with a mutual solution to help those sellers defending their right to chose and upholding their own seller guidelines and at the same time educate the buyers with the idea that they need to READ basic seller polices before they make a purchase, Ebay/PayPal’s solution is to abandon the sellers that don’t want to use PayPal because they lose money when they don’t. Not because it’s a safer way to pay. They won’t even allow sellers the right to own a merchant account with this new initiative. They want to shove PayPal down everybody throats instead of supporting the sellers right to choose and educating the buyers to what their responsibilities are on the site!! After all, if Ebay/PayPal are so confident on how great PayPal is, then they should have no concerns over people making their own decisions on what payments to accept. But they want to take away from the people the ability to chose for reasons having nothing to do with protecting the community at all, and that’s just not right! Otherwise, they would chose to educate the community on what is right and wrong and allow the buyers and sellers to make up their own minds on what payments to use.
Policy changes have been slowly and meticulously carried out over time to take away a seller’s rights and ability to defend themselves on Ebay. First off blinding the seller by giving the buyers the right to anonymously leave “Star Ratings” by where sellers have no way of knowing who made the comments or if they are even true. And secondly by tying a sellers hands behind his or her back not allowing to give a buyer a negative for anything that they may do wrong. And finally, with all these anti-seller implementations, they give back nothing in return to allow a seller the right to defend his or her own selling policies even if they are correct and within Ebay policy! Buyer’s have been given free reign to do as they wish which includes breaking Ebay policy to the point of getting a seller thrown off the site! And now Ebay/PayPal want to say to those same sellers that they have no choice but to use Pay Pal as a means to accept payment!
Ebay/PayPal are in serious trouble whether or not they realize it. They’ve lost site over what is fair to the Ebay community and have come up with a one sided approach to implementing policies that of which seems to change quicker than Bugs Bunny goes through carrots. Until users on the Ebay site put their foot down, Ebay/PayPal will continue to push the envelope of GREED until someone stops them, it’s that simple. Some efforts are being made and if you are one of those being seriously affected, you can voice your opinion right here below or join any number of sites attempting to get the word out to this company giant that they need to do much better. Other sites in the fight include Power Sellers Unit as well as PayPalSucks.com.
Additional posts are being prepared to educate the public on how Ebay/PayPal have been taking advantage of the users on their site, some of which will absolutely amaze you in disbelief. Stay tuned!
9 users commented in " Paypal & eBay To Rule The World? Part One: Australia The Pawn For A One Sided Game Of Chess "
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GreedBay & PayPus revolt me. I have met personally with the Oz Directors of eBay Sales, Trust & Safety & Paypal and always thought that between them they had the business acumen of a singular gnat … this latest move merely serves to confirm my initial thoughts.
I had the dubious honour of being able to question them at length, present them with yet another members’ petition … could they answer a question honesty & truthfully …. absolutely not but they’re bloody good dancers in skirting issues!
That they should permit the powers that be (Greedy Yankee HO) to even attempt to do this in Australia shows their level of incompetency & lack of gonads.
I used to pay them $3k pm in fees but now I have the last laugh because I, and many others like me, got out when they shafted sellers by TREBLING, yes trebling their fees in one fell swoop.
So, they engage some high flying legal team to make an application on their behalf “after the media leak” … pfft, after the marketing scam they mean!
GreedBay & PayPus, pi$$ off back from whence you came & send our Aussie Troops home whilst you’re at it … they are dying in support of your illegal greedy oil war … there is no room in this country for the likes of you lying cheating swine super-power mentality!
A protest that really hurts …
I would like to continue to use Ebay but not be compelled to use Paypal as my payment method. So although I’ve signed the petitions floating around I’m also going to ‘vote’ by using the only method that Ebay has made available to long term customers like myself to really weigh in on this issue – I’ve just closed my Paypal account.
If Ebay reconsider this anti-competitive, disingenuous policy change I’m still available as a long term buyer and occasional seller – as I haven’t yet closed my Ebay account.
I suggest everyone else concerned about this issue do likewise, if you’re wanting to make a protest that really counts, but hoping that Ebay will reconsider before we buy and sell elsewhere.
F@$% PAYPAL, you have no buyer protection as stated, I bought an IPod for my wife it was listed as 100% Working & with warranty replacement if ANY issues happen with the unit!, it was also listed with minimal dings & scratches so I bought it with no worries,,, right???? WRONG…..
I got this ipod what had Major damage to the bottom of the unit that made it not connect to the charging cable & my Ipod IHome, so this was MORE damage than it was listed with, So I contacted the seller for replacement and he replied” didn’t you read that it had minimal damage to the unit?” .. I get no replacement… I file with paypal… for not as described,,, Then after I filed with paypal I found that the headphone jack didn’t work, Now it’s really 100% NON-WORKING, they file on his behalf,,, paypay stated to me “because I only mentioned one time in my compliant that this unit is completely unless and NON-Functional that my concerns where more with the scratches & and smashed end of the unit and not of the working condition of this unit!” THIS IS BULL$&#@!!!!!!
I filled appeal and was told the same thing….. Now If I had bought this with my Credit card I would of just done a chargeback and got my money back,, but now paypal F’ED ME and this guy is still selling crap, I have a NON-working IPOD @ lost 65Bucks…….
Protect yourself and DO NOT USE PAYPAL’s System for payment on your items, instead only use them as a clearing house,,,, I mean don’t keep money in your PayPal account, just pay with it and have PayPal take the money out of your bank account! This way you could do a chargeback on BUNK A$$ STUFF you buy off of EBAY!
eBay CEO Donahoe ex WALMART executive had succeeded in making WALMART Americas biggest employer who pays its staff aproximately US$10 an hour. In the 1950s this role went to General Motors who paid their staff then the equivalent to US$50 an hour! Spot the difference.
This form of capitalism gives great returns to shareholders and bargain prices to buyers and everyone else in the middle is squashed.
This is what Donahoe is trying to do to eBay but he did not realise the Australian backlash and underestimated the difference between US retailing and Australian consumerism.
Should his grand plan to turn eBay into a super eretail business succeed, he will eventually move on from eBay with a multi million dollar package having wrecked a once loved auction site and many many peoples incomes/business.
Sites like http://www.bidmate.com.au and http://www.aussiebuyers.com.au will step up and accept the thousands of users leaving ebay.
What’s happening is not a bad thing… it’s a call to a new start. We should vote with our feet and walk away from ebay.
Go Away ebay – You have had your day!
@ dig
Donohoe does not understand US retailing, believe me. Whether it is US retail or Australian retail it all comes down to one thing, your overhead has to be lower than your selling price, the difference is profit. Sellers of low cost items on eBay are earning less per sale than eBay. We in the USA pay PP 2.9% plus 30c per transaction.
You might be surprised how many have walked away from years of trading on eBay. Yes it is going to be tough for a while but it would be a lot tougher to stay and let them run YOUR business into the ground.
Just say NO
I became a refugee from Greedbay when they decided to force ( paypal , not my pal ) in my grill.I felt bad for the sellers with all the policy changes and bullying. I closed my account and I found other places to shop. They are scary and out of control. I hope all the decent people will migrate away from that site!
Can’t stand PayPal or eBay. Used to use them, but I stopped after I realized how corrupt they are.
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