Power Sellers Unite

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

Some sellers are angry after eBay removed auctions whose titles contained the words "Fee Hike" because, according to eBay, they violated listing policies. A small number of sellers had posted the auctions in reaction to eBay's announcement last week that it would raise Store insertion and commission fees

Jody, who owns an eBay Store called Beachcombers Bazaar, had posted a listing for "eBay Stores FEE HIKE spirit bangles." The auction had received 44 bids and was up to $160 by Sunday evening. On Monday, eBay removed the listing for keyword spamming (KWS).

Jody said, "The bangles are specifically created for the fee hike and to relieve fee hike frustration, so I don't know how that is KWS. We all know that is not why the fee hike auctions were removed."

When asked why she thought eBay had removed the protest auctions, she said, "Some of the fee hike auctions may have been inappropriate and some may have had violations, but overall eBay did what eBay does best. Shoot first and ask questions later. A low level Trust and Safety employee responded to received reports and rather than look at the auctions and use reason to determine if they should be removed or not, simply ended them. It makes eBay look petty. Censorship is never pretty."

Jody was not alone in questioning eBay's motives in taking down the listings. Another seller said, "I think, eBay pulled these auctions because they were MAD about it! They are a humorless bunch of money suckers!"
more.. link to news article

nopaypal · Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 2008

i just put a link to PSU on my "about me" page...wonder if ebay will have a hissy fit?
:lol:

Pipphoe

I don't know. If you look up my About Me page it's pretty blatant and it's been up for months. I'm Pipphoe there. With eBay you never know, though -- here today, gone tomorrow. Of course I used my website as the link in the middle of the page and that's where my links to other websites and PSU are. At the time I wrote my page I was trying to get a message across but still be able to buy there if I needed to.

This bangle auction was a funny read. It was the one I was talking about yesterday. What a hoot. Yes, censorship is an ugly thing, especially eBay style, especially so since it's unfortunately well-deserved criticism. If sellers weren't hurting they wouldn't feel compelled to list these auctions. And, wow, I should be only so lucky to put up an action for glass bangles and sell them for $160 for the buyer to do with as they please. Both fascinating and entertaining :lol:

nopaypal · Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 2008

they allow links on the "about me" page, pipphoe. i just dunno if they allow links dissing the fee hike!
:lol:

check it out:
The Erratic Attic
:D

Pipphoe

Then I'm safe. I haven't had a chance to put a fee-hike dissing page on my website :twisted:

*southie* · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 1728 Location: Sunny Florida

nopaypal wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")they allow links on the "about me" page, pipphoe. i just dunno if they allow links dissing the fee hike!
:lol:

Unfortunately Smortchantly - THEY DON'T!

Currently a couple folks I know have been sent to Aruba for awhile
by eBay.

Aruba - where eBay sends "bad people" (according to eBay) for suspension.

But - the fun has just merely begun ...

The Sister (another Power Seller) was so furious that her sister was
sent to Aruba - plastered all of her listings with protest and her
ME page with protest protest protest .... (and dang it - I wanted to
see them - :lol:)

It didn't take long for her to join with her sister in Aruba! According
to her email, she lasted about 5 and so hours before eBay sent her
on a 'vacation to Aruba'.

:shock:

Right now - Aruba's getting pretty full ...

:roll:

LurkeyLou

Ya' know what's freakin' amazing? They can find and take down these freakin' auctions, but can't/don't/won't police blatant copyright infringement (designer bags, jewelry, etc), inflated shipping/fee circumvention, etc. at the speed of light.

They're so freakin' transparent and smug. Feeling unstoppable will be their undoing. They're already 2 years into serious miscalculations regarding how far they can push sellers.

Sellers ain't askin' for an @$$ kissin'. Ain't askin' for an @$$ kissin', either. Asking' for fair play as opposed to 250% - 500% fee increases is reasonable. But hey, it's impossible to deal with the irrational in a rational manner and expect results.

I'm putting together a little something over the next couple of days...I hope PSU members will help me get it to pulse :twisted:

nopaypal · Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 2008

Quote: › docWrite("quote")Aruba - where eBay sends "bad people" (according to eBay) for suspension.
ooohhhh! i promise to be bad, puh-leeeze!
:lol: :lol: :P

actually, i was a bit sneaky about it...i didnt say "fee hike". i just said "tired of high fees?" & then included a link to PSU.
:twisted: :psulove:

and speaking of sneaky...cathy, you sneak!
:thumbsup: :wink:

LurkeyLou

Hey...let's push this guy to Pulse! There's soooo much "how to make $$ at eBay" stuff there methinks it needs some balance!

I also invited him/her to PSU: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270011815161

CrystalStar · Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 3571

LMAO......love IT....I want IT!!!

nopaypal · Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 2008

damn, i am getting laff face again!!
:lol: :lol:

GAELICTITCA · Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 1384

Pretty much says it all I think.....

Amazingly enough the image has been on display in the Ebay
Stores forum now for over a day and hasn't gotten canned.

LurkeyLou · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:13 pm Post subject:

That is amazing, GAEL.

I'm w/ you, CS. I'd love to have a great flaming "it"!!!

I have this item on 7 watches right now...two of which are "guest" 1 in FireFox and 1 in Explorer <subtle>

A *lot* of people check pulse...remember when we pushed stuff up during the 2005 eBay Fee Hike / WP Fisaco?!

2BOYSandTOYS · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 10095 Location: Kansas

Lurkey - thanks 4 sharing that auction....I can't beleive it's not yet been yanked....ROFL - !!!

Cathy - I've had a link in my about me page forever - it directs to my site as does yours....It's within the guidelines, as before I posted it, I asked ---

I was green back then and always comply!!! :oops: 8) :D

Roundabout926 · Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 2832

I'm surprised noone noticed this comment right here.

Quote: › docWrite("quote")And one seller wrote to AuctionBytes to say that, "Ebay is not only removing all auctions with the words "fee hike" in them, they are probing into the auctions and store listings of protesting sellers and removing items for sale that "violate" Ebay policy, as retaliation."

Now THAT'S scary. Durzy did a nice job of explaining how it is Keyword Spamming (I almost agreed), but eBay going through OTHER listings as retaliation can not be explained, since it's just not eBay's style to go so in depth to find listings that violate policy.

I wonder if they realize that those who charge $.01 for an item with $235 shipping are far worse for eBay the corporation (as well as the community) than 5 000 of these humourous listings.