Can Ebay Be Saved?
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Can eBay Be Saved?
By Shelly PalmerThere was a time, not too long ago, when you could post an auction on eBay and have a reasonable expectation that the person buying from you was a vetted member of the eBay community. Much more importantly, there was a time when you had a reasonable expectation that sending money to someone with a bunch of positive feedback was a good idea. You could reasonably expect to receive the merchandise within a reasonable period of time. And, for the most part, the goods would be more or less what you were expecting.
That was then.
Now, there seem to be three categories of vendors on eBay: full-time eBay merchants, normal people, and scum-sucking pigs. Feedback (wonderful, utopian concept that it is) is all but worthless. Hijacking someone's eBay account is child's play. PayPal offers no version of customer service and, truth be told, neither does eBay.
Of my 10 most recent transactions (all purchases), two were scams. And, I'm pretty good at spotting fraudulent auctions. These were sellers with 98 percent positive feedback, and the transactions were under $50 each. I paid via PayPal using buy-it-now and never received the goods. The PayPal system for handling such matters sucks and, as I said earlier, eBay's customer service is even worse. Just how much time will you spend filing and tracking rip-off artists through their pathetic reporting system? Everyone places a different value on their hard-earned money, so I suspect that the answers are as varied as the individuals involved.
That being said, do you have a reasonable expectation that the Mac G5 you are bidding on is going to be shipped to you? How about the Sony Plasma 60-inch monitor? Or, the Sony PSP for $50 to $100 over retail? No, you don't. Now, you might say, "Hey, moron! Why are you bidding on stuff like that on eBay? Don't you know that 95 percent of those auctions are fraudulent - especially the ones that only accept payment via Western Union?" Of course I know. But what about all of the people who don't?
My armchair research has the number of fraudulent auctions on eBay at about 25 percent and the number is growing fast. So the question is: How long can eBay sustain the platform-only business? At some point, using eBay is going to be as dangerous as downloading a file without virus-checking software.
Of course, sellers are having a pretty hard time of it too. Here's a quote from one of my favorite eBay/PayPal e-mails to sellers: "We regret to inform you that you received funds from an account with reports of fraudulent bank account use. In accordance with PayPal's Seller Protection Policy, the following transaction involving unauthorized funds has been reversed." Ouch! Sounds more like PayPal's screw-the-seller policy, than a seller protection policy to me.
Is eBay going to collapse under its own weight? Can something this big and this unregulated evolve into a healthy marketplace? I'd love to hear your thoughts and solutions.
Shelly Palmer is president and CEO of Palmer Advanced Media .
- JazX0
ok
- todelete__20
hahaha. shelly PALM-HER.
- shellie0
Ive never once used ebay to buy anything.
- canuck0
...Now, there seem to be three categories of vendors on eBay: full-time eBay merchants, normal people, and scum-sucking pigs. ....
____
I believe I fall under the scum-sucking pigs category.
- todelete__20
she wasn't talking about your life outside canuck. just ebay.
- Lesk0
I was thinkin in getting a pair of K-Swiss fo myself on ebay...
- kld0
f*ck 'em, after two interviews and a "project" to see how I would treat an assignment, they didn't hire me. wasted like 35 hours and two unpaid days off work.
rant over.
I've had good luck buying on eBay though.
- ricstultz0
never had problems with ebay.
I always get my shit, always.... even if it takes a Glok 9 and some gasoline.
Ok, I went too far.
- e-pill0
i never used ebay but i get ebay junk mail daily, like someone is using my ebay creditials and they need me to email them my ss# and bank records and so they can confirm it wasnt me.
blah!
who cares about ebay anyways!
- ricstultz0
there's some cool stuff on ebay... I tend to buy LP's cuz they can be hard to find.
I get the junk mail too.
- gpop0
me as a bmx lego star wars buying porn dvd music selling time wasting user!
i care!!
evertime i spend over £50 i get worried in case! the last felt bmx i got was a sweet transaction from london - nice guy - id buy him a pinnt for sure, now this felt bike i bought a week after im waiting on their dozy response - after reading im sending a cheque me thinks no matter what they say!
- Nairn0
We're just looking at getting tickets for Glastonbury, probably for between £200-400 a ticket...
...a scammer's paradise!
*fingers crossed.
- prophet0NE0
i was perfectly happy with my snoopy sno cone machine purchase on ebay.
- aveeno0
hey, i got one of those too...
- MLP0
i pay the rent with ebay. paypal's policies are jacked, i'll agree with that. they can take the money from your account for any little reason... if the buyer complains, etc., but never make the buyer send back the goods.
- Hans0
like ehh you know found this G5 you know om E-bay right 4 gig ram and shit 100 bucks right you know sent the dude 100 bucks you know right yeah and the doode right has the nerve to send a g4 you know yeah thats right G4 foockin beatch
pfffftt G4 white trash computa right.
well i'm off t the mirror to look at myself and spank the monkey
YOU KNOW RIGHT YEEEEEAHHH
- ricstultz0
hahhaaa, spankin the monkey in the mirror. Thats class.
- e-pill0
is the snoopy sno cone maker the one with the red or black snow shovel? and the maker was a dog house?
i think i had that when i was a kid.
:)
- tonx0
why would anyone pay $50 over retail for ANYTHING? Save the $50 and go buy it at the retail store...