(This month's) ebay rant

[Dave Brown]

I've pretty much given up on ebay, both as a buyer and a seller. Everything I've ever sold on ebay had to be re-listed at least once, due to a nonpaying bidder. And as a buyer, ebay has turned from the world's flea market to the world's garbage dump. Items that a reputable seller would list as "for parts/repair" or "ugly" are typically described as "excellent" or "like new" on ebay.

As for the "second chance offer", I received one once on an item that I had bid on but not reached the reserve. The seller offered to reduce his price to my bid amount, and it worked out well for both of us. If the offer is because the high bidder backed out, shouldn't you be able to negotiate to buy the item for your highest bid, as opposed to the deadbeat bidder's winning bid?

I was unaware that ebay had changed its feedback policy. Do I understand correctly that sellers are no longer able to leave negative feedback for bidders? If so, I can to some extent understand why; I once received "retaliatory" negative feedback from a seller, after I had left him negative feedback. In the end, it doesn't matter. My feedback is still high, and since I don't plan on ever using ebay to sell again, I wouldn't matter how low my feedback went.

[sgelb]

ebay is a crappy site with truly crappy non visionary management, interested in lining their pockets and not improving service to buyers or sellers.

the fee increase is what pisses me off the most. I think recently they raised it to 9% or so.. coupled with paypal (another poorly run overpriced service) my fees as a seller usually come out to 12% or so.. which is just outrageous compared to doing a transaction face 2 face or on a forum like this.

That said, when I need to sell something, I much prefer to do it through a forum like LF or LL and the like than the bay. I wish they would wise up ban the shell bidding and lower the fees.

[CP Goerz]

Perhaps the seller had two of the same item? I sometimes have multiples of some things and can offer a second chance right away.

[jnantz]

i haven't sold on ebay in a long time,
and tend to only buy from people i know
or have bought from before ( like dagor77 ).

j

[CP Goerz]

Mr Nanian that is certainly the kind of sound advice I can get behind! ;-)

[Charles Hohenstein]

Andrew, you must be gritting your teeth, now that you have to accept PayPal!

[CP Goerz]

Yeah, its a real bummer having to offer that nasty service but since I am forced to take it about 90% of people I sell to have used it. I of course add the paypal fees into the items shipping and refund the 'pad' if I get a MO but if paypal is used it goes towards the cost of doing business. It really adds up if you buy a magnesium 8x10 as an example ;-)

[TenOx]

The 2nd chance thing is bogus also. Case in point last week I was bidding on an older camera. The bidding was for $25 I placed a bid to go higher with a max bid of $40. I was then the lead bidder at $28 where I stayed until about 2 minutes before the aution ended when I was out bid. No problem not a big deal. The winning bid was $41. Then a week later I get a 2nd Chance notice that I could buy the item for $40. Why should it be $40 and not my bid of $28 which was the last legit bid on the item? This system just makes it easier to have schills, and get buyers to pay the max.

If they would cancel out the bad buyers bids and revert the price back down to the last legit bid that would get rid of the schills entirely

I would (and have) make an offer for the $28, and be done with it.
Just like in a market square, I feel ok making offers even if they are rejected while the seller looks down their nose.
They haven't gotten the best of you until you pay more than you think the sale is worth.

/..

[Steve M Hostetter]

My expericance has been that if your selling and you don't recieve the money right when the auction ends, you won't get it. Thats paypal only though.

People don't need time to push a button" pay now" they need time to think about what they had just done because 90% don't think before hand ... I've had my share of non-payers and second chance offers..

[eddie]

My expericance has been that if your selling and you don't recieve the money right when the auction ends, you won't get it. Thats paypal only though.

People don't need time to push a button" pay now" they need time to think about what they had just done because 90% don't think before hand ... I've had my share of non-payers and second chance offers..

i agree. i just had a guy complain for what i figure was buyers remorse.......i sold an old clock as....."parts only. repair! NOT WORKING! for parts and repair only" added 8 pictures and he complained that it was not going to "restore" well........