Power Sellers Unite

psunite · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 6213 Location: Columbus OH

Rob Chesnut the head of head of eBay's global Trust & Safety organization posted a message on ebay's general announcement board that the second phase of My Messages (available in My eBay) will be launching in late June

link to announcement

puddin26 · Joined: 19 Feb 2005 Posts: 122

As so often happens with this company, the future use of a new and unique feature can only be bragged about after it's been used by it's cutomers...not BEFORE! The general consenus among the crowd here is that all of these new, upgraded, and complicated features are bewildering and confusing to most users...will this be another gimmick that will benefit eBay, and eBay alone?

History would make my point. When input from a powerseller has been offered, it's always tempered with eBay's advantages. Case in point: eBay invoices that are sent to the buyer. The fields that are featured are confusing to the average buyer, and the default settings reveal Paypal...front and center. In my case I only offer Paypal relunctatly, on higher priced items, and I make it clear on my auction and my own emailed invoice. When the buyer sees that feature, he will use it, naturally. After that happens, it will take an act of congress for eBay's crack staff to correct, what is essentially their problem! Any of you experienced this little train wreck?

Has the fraud/scam hype (both real and imagined) left the common seller open to legalized fraud/scam by eBay? By the way, as the conduit for buyer and seller, and nothing else, how do you justify your third party role? I suppose the old fashioned email by the seller invoicing the buyer, is a thing of the past, because fo the far-reaching interference of eBay.

After ballyhooing the virtues of how sweet this gizmo will be in handling your seller's account, it will no doubt, stop short of offering a readable review, or someone with authority to correct a problem, or any other feature that will truley benefit the seller, count on it! The deeper into the tech bog eBay goes, the muddier I feel!

knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

I'm with you puddin26.

I'm afraid that eventually eBay will try to implement their message system like iOffer does. At that point they will not let you directly contact the buyer until the sale is completed. That way they don't have the risk of losing FVF because of off E sales.

Just another way they are trying to be like "Big Brother".

Carol

galsypalsy · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 25

eBay's "new and improved" eMessages internally generated have opened another catch 22 for me.

I'm currently being harrassed by a seller who didn't ship, who claims I didn't pay, that is until I included the PayPal Tranny # in my "item not recieved" dispute process.

Then guess what:
eBay's inferior customer service rep who shall remain nameless, writes me and says" You may want to consider blocking this seller's email."

I wrote back and said, I'd LOVE to, but..... how do I do that when the emails are coming through your internal system. No way to block those, now is there. Why don't you guys tie into the blocked bidder system...if I put'em in there, I don't want to hear from them in any way, shape or form!"

Well, well, well...you'll never guess what happened next!!!!!!
Would you believe this same lil darlin' wrote back and said that was a terrific point, BUT...ebay doesn't accept unsolicited suggestions from the public because it creates complicated legal issues as to whether it was eBay's idea originally or not FORM LETTER!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?????????????

puddin26 · Joined: 19 Feb 2005 Posts: 122

For a real treat try to use eBay's check out without using Paypal. Most niave buyers see the form as a validated way of processing Paypal...which I won't use, but low and behold here it comes anyway!
Result is, the buyer is confuse, eBay/Paypal have coerced another fee, and left the seller out in the cold. I've objected to the default settings on their checkout ( btw some buyers want that form, so they can verify me), but all to no avail. Deaf ears to those can't see! Of course it takes eBay's crack staff many weeks to get around to correcting a VERY simple, self contrived problem. THE IDOTS ARE RUNNIN' THE ASYLUM!!! Dan.

puddin26 · Joined: 19 Feb 2005 Posts: 122

Post script.
If their emessage program assured all concerned a body of evidence in a dispute, it could have some minimal value. ( And that ain't gonna happen!) The only possible value that this feature holds is that eBay gets to head off any off-line sales. Another too complicated feature that tends to get in the way, in my opinion.
The message system as it worked on eBay was much more effecient in the nineties, but alas, spam filters/junk bins gave way to this latest "improvement". But not to worry, eBay will fix it. Dan

galsypalsy · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 25

Here's another irritating eBay application of the "new & improved eBay messages" expansion...

You know that little notes thingie in "MY EBAY" which allows any of us to make notes about sales we've made and track our progess with the new customer? These are touted as "USER SEES THESE ONLY"...well bah HUMBUG.

I found a note in mine POSTED BY EBAY no less. and I couldn't alter it nor remove it in any way shape or form, so I had to delete the customer record alltogther to make it go away.

Now, will someone please explain to me how a feature that only I'm supposed to see gets messages inserted by ebay that I can't get rid of?????

What's next? I shudder to think!

pinecone64 · Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:44 pm Post subject:

puddin26

I agree with you on all counts.
Why does ebay over charge me every invoice by $1 +- and never tries to correct the problem.
I will be so glad when I can say good bye.

HAPPY PATHS TO YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN!
pinecone64