Give eBay Enough Rope & They Will Hang Themselves

Are eBay too Clever For Their Own Good?

It is certainly beginning to look that way! Some years ago when I was actively bustin' butt selling on eBay I received some advice on the Answer Center that made a lot of sense, and I took it. I set up a buyer ID so that a diligent buyer would not be able to find what I had paid on an item I was reselling. Feedback built, slowly, most wholesalers at that time didn't give a rip about feedback, and I also used it as a personal buying ID after a fellow seller got a neg from a newbie seller from buying on her selling ID. My alternative ID sat, mostly unused as I worked my exit strategy and built my website, making new baskets to put my eggs in.



Earlier this year I bought a plate & paid for Priority shipping which takes about 4 days. It never arrived. I communicated diligently with the seller and got three different stories: it had been mailed one day last week she couldn't remember which; she states clearly in her listing that items might not get mailed for ten days (this is a PayPal TOS violation Sec.11.3.g which invalidated Seller Protection); she had been out of town for a family emergency. Remember this is a very low feedback ID, says noob in big green letters. I had too many red flags waving in my face & filed NPS with Paypal. She never responded and about a month later I got a refund. She got a negative stating, "never arrived filed PP disp /date /invol.refund /date". On the 19th I got a negative too. Since I have exactly 4 transactions this year, on that ID, I am clearly an undesirable bidder with 75%. Because I filed a dispute I am screened out from a lot of sellers (which is very understandable).

Meanwhile back at the ranch, what do we have?

We have an apparently newbie buyer, who can't buy on that ID. When I bid my bid never registers. Since I am not a crook I wouldn't know to just get a nice new ID. I couldn't sell on that ID to build my feedback, so I am effectively off eBay and MAD because I really wanted that plate. Would I buy again on eBay? Hell NO!

Add this to mixture and stir vigorously

PowerSellers who thought they were insulated from all the dwama and flea market noise are feeling a little draft in the nether regions. Somebody bit them in the biblical donkey, there is a large rip in their pants and they are feeling very vulnerable. eBay sales are flatter than a pancake. They are just dolphins caught in the net.

Garnish with a cherry on top

To top it off many eBay Education Specialists are in danger of losing their qualification. The program retention criteria specifies

"You may use this title as long as you are a member in good standing in the program. maintain an eBay Feedback rating of 98% or higher and continue to pay the yearly renewal fee and meet the minimum Instructor Rating."

Sigh. What goes around, comes around. Some call it karma. Karma is a lovely lady dog.

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