I’m Highest Bidder Now*
Posted by Hazel Stone | Filed under Nanny Business
eBay is pretty much indispensable in our household. Ted has a gold habit…I have a camera lens habit…and buying these things through eBay has always been generally a better deal than shopping locally or through an online retailer. Until now:
Online auction site eBay has said it plans to overhaul its feedback system and will ban sellers from leaving negative comments about buyers.
EBay said problems were occurring, and slowing down trade, when buyers left negative comments about sellers who then retaliated with their own views.
We’ve sold a few things here and there in the 7 or so years we’ve been eBay members, and as those of you who also use the service know, feedback is indispensable. It allows you to prevent shifty buyers from leaving bids they have no intention of honoring, and warn others when someone attempts to burn you, as in the case of the guy who claimed the gold coin we sold him was a fake. A perusal of his feedback showed he had tried this on a number of other buyers in the past year, all who left negative feedback to that effect (yah, we didn’t dig deep enough before accepting his bid).
But now, due to some measure of whinging, eBay is going to do away with this valuable seller’s tool completely, in the name of speeding things up? I’ve noticed no particular lag in completing transactions due to feedback. In fact, there is no lag whatsoever, as feedback is only given/received after the transaction is complete.
So, it really sounds like what eBay is actually trying to avoid are all the sales they are losing through sellers’ unreasonable desire to avoid getting screwed by unscrupulous buyers. Selfish bastard sellers.
(Via Dropsafe)
Tags: appeasement, corporate dishonesty
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February 6th, 2008
I’m seriously thinking eBay has such a high level of stupidity that another online auction system could easily take root.
One, the whole “No firearms” thing frosts my ass like a 3 foot high snow-cone. Now this.
There’s a better way, all it takes is someone with a little drive an a metric boatload of capital.
February 6th, 2008
Thanks Robb, that was something I forgot to mention…with so many disgruntled users (not just from this but from the rate changes they’re implementing, as well) the market is RIPE for a serious competitor, indeed with an arseload of venture-cap behind them.
February 6th, 2008
Hazel, that is exactly what I was thinking… And after looking at Overstack.com’s website, I might give their auctions a try.
February 6th, 2008
I love eBay also and used to sell quite a bit until I ran out of stuff and I got tired of the fees, which I thought were too high. I still do quite a bit of buying from them and have had mostly good experiences.
I’m really surprised to hear that negative Seller feedback will no longer be allowed. I can’t see it lasting very long. There were a few of my buyers that other sellers needed to be warned about.
February 6th, 2008
Whining buyers, huh? How about whining sellers?
Let’s see,
Seller puts on item:
1) buyer is honest and legit -> no problem
2) Buyer vanishes -> seller is out time and trouble, no money. Try again.
Buyer buys item and PAYS FOR IT:
1) Item arrives, works, is as advertised -> no problem
2) Item never arrives, doesn’t work, was misrepresented -> buyer is out money and has the trouble proving his side. And gets retaliatory neg feedback to boot.
Whose position is the better one??
Happened to me several times to the tune of over $1000. Not to mention the scam “second chance” offers etc. or that many items go for such ridiculous prices that I’m not sure who is bidding here, perhaps the seller or his buddies? Who knows.
Good bye E-bay, I’m out of here.