eBay INC 2011 3rd Quarter Earnings Call Numbers Of Interest To Small Business Sellers 20 October 2011 EventHorizon1984
eBay INC CEO John J. Donahoe lead eBay's Third Quarter Earnings Call with the bold statement, "Q3 was another strong quarter for our company.", while the mood on Wall Street, "EBAY left investors unimpressed," was less energetic. Which leads to the routine question asked by small businesses on eBay, 'How did the Marketplaces section eBay.com do?'.
Numbers from eBay's 10/19/2011 SEC 8-K filing show net total Marketplaces quarter to quarter revenue growth essentially dead. Down from the previous quarter growth of "5%".
Marketplace revenues are principally generated through fees paid by users of eBay.com. The payees being the business who use eBay.com to sell products.
What of the number of products that eBay's less than 1% revenue growth came from?.
According to Medved.net eBay started the third quarter with over 138 million listings per day.
The third quarter ended with approximately 152 million products.
If you were selling on eBay.com, were you using PayPal?
The number of PayPal payments made was a health "6%", compared to the previous quarter's increase of "2%." The PayPal payment volume however was down to "2%", compared to second quarter's "5%" increase.
According the eBay.com numbers, the "Take rate" has remained stable for the past year. The third quarter "Take rate", that is the percentage of a PayPal transaction that Ebay INC keeps, stands at "3.78%."
eBay INC reports Bill Me Later losses decreased and increased. The Net charge-off rate has improved slightly to "4.3" from the second quarter's "4.4%." But the 90-day delinquency rate has risen to "2.6%", compared to the previous quarter's "2.2%."
With payment transaction losses remaining more or less stable, it remains to be seen why eBay INC continues to increase the amount of funds held from eBay's customers. Going from 2010 fourth quarter's $2,550,731,000 to this quarter's $3,295,115,000. Yes, that's 3.29 Billion dollars.
What about the continuing buyer and seller claims that there is less merchandise on eBay.com. How deep is eBay.com's product selection? Let's look at the value of merchandise sold.
According to eBay INC in their 8-K statement, Gross Merchandising Volume (GMV) represents the "Total value of all successfully closed items between users on eBay Marketplaces trading platforms during the quarrter, regardless of whether the buyer and seller actually consummated the transaction."
GMV quarter to quarter growth is essentially dead. Third quarter shows less than one percent movement, compared to second quarters "1%." And what of John Donahoe touting a GMV increase of 16%? It's the year to year increase. And this year's GMV, $14,666 million, is coasting downward off of eBay's record 2010 year end GMV of $15,039 million.
The GMV for vehicles decreased "-4%" quarter to quarter. A significant fall from the "9%" increase of the second quarter. Year to year Vehicle GMV growth is also essentially dead.
John Donahoe became eBay INC CEO in March 2008, and concluded his third year of CEO stewardship in March 2011. Has there been progress for eBay.com under CEO John Donaohe?
It appears from the above metrics that eBay sellers in aggregate have had their say in the matter.
Here's the non-seller stock market view.
At the start of John Donahoe's tenure, eBay INC's stock price was 29.84 (31 March 2008). Between then and now, the stock reached a top price of 35.35. It is currently trading at 32.14.
Trading was mildly frantic today with current volume at 25,643,763 versus the average daily transaction volume of 14,794,700 shares.
Which means for the average individual investor to materially benefit from eBay INC stock, they must sell and/or buy the stock. In other words, 'buy low, sell high', short, long, et al.
Over the three plus years the eBay INC Pop & Mom investor made $5.51 per share, or posted a 19% return on investment. Assuming they sold their shares when the stock peaked.
Then there's the competition.
Amazon closed at $71.30 on 31 March 2008. Amazon stock is currently at $233.61. Meaning the Amazon Mom & Pop investor would make $162.31 selling their stock now. If we have our sums right, that's a 227% return on investment.
$5.51 versus $162.31. Hmmm. The difference between buying a cup of coffee at Starbucks or an iPod from Apple. As a side note:
Starbucks
31 March 2008 $17.50
20 October 2011 $40.99
Apple
31 March 2008 $143.50
20 October 2011 $395.31
With the tepid response to eBay INC's stock price over the past three plus years, there is possible good news for CEO John Donahoe, regarding Amazon's Third Quarter 2011 Earnings Call scheduled for 25 October 2011. It may never happen.
This brought out a few collective chuckles, and remembering the quote by Edmund Burke (1729-1797) "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." (1)
Winston Churchill (1874-1965), "Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." (2)
George Santayana (1863-1952), "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
eBay Communications Nicole Birdsall Comments on Anonymous eMail Addresses 28
April 2010 EventHorizon1984
With another upcoming change to eBay's email system, we thought it would be prudent to post the official public writings of eBay Principle Product Manager Communications, Nicole Birdsall ( nbirdsall@ebay.com ), regarding this matter. As well as her past official public posts.
A short Nicole Birdsall biography follows these posts.
Smart FAQ is the next generation
of the existing eBay FAQ. We have identified the top 20 questions that
buyers ask sellers and with the information already available in
sellers’ listings eBay is able to pull that "live" information to answer
those frequently asked questions.
A seller only has to
opt-in to the Smart FAQ feature while eBay will handle the rest. Of
course if a seller would like to add additional questions and answers to
their FAQ page, they can do this as well.
Should a seller
already have questions and answers posted to the existing FAQ…not to
worry we will be merging those over to the new Smart FAQ page, so a
seller will not lose any current information.
As per the
announcement, the new Smart FAQs will be available as part of the June
15th Seller Release.
Just wanted to clarify, eBay has
identified the 15 top buyer questions (payment method is one of those
questions) and built an FAQ page that will populate the answers for
these questions by pulling information from your listings in order to
answer the buyer's question. So all you have to do is opted in to the
Smart FAQ feature.
The Smart FAQ is a
feature to help sellers manage their high volume of questions from
buyers and is completely optional to sellers. As a seller you will have
3 options:
Option 1) Ask Seller A Question Email Only
This is how the "ask seller a question" link works today. From the View
Item Page, the buyer will be taken straight to the Ask Seller A
Question form in order to communicate with the seller directly.
Option 2) FAQ and Ask Seller A Question From the View Item Page,
the buyer will be taken to an FAQ page in order to get their answers to
their questions immediately. Should they not find an answer to their
question, they can click "email the seller" from the FAQ page and go to
the Ask Seller A Question form.
Option 3) FAQ Only for Users
Before They Buy Users browsing your item pages who have not
purchased from you yet will be taken to the FAQ page without the option
to email the seller directly. If the user browsing is a customer, they
will have the ability to email the seller from the FAQ page.
Should you opt-in to either Option #2 or Option #3, you will also have
the ability to add your own FAQ questions and answers, so if you have
additional information that may not be available in the listing you can
add that additional information.
Regarding your Smart
FAQ question, this feature will be available in the June Seller Release.
Should you already have questions and answers in the existing FAQ
feature, those questions and answers will be available in the new Smart
FAQ feature.
Re: Several Questions
for Titanium Power Seller - brace yourself, it's lenghty
Apr 15, 2009 1:01 PM
Monstercellular,
Regarding your point
#5, we understand that high volume of ask seller a question emails is a
significant issue for sellers and will be addressing this issue with a
few features this year designed to help sellers manage these emails.
The first feature is the Smart FAQ which will be launched in the
June Seller Release. This is a seller optional feature that is designed
to automatically answer buyers' questions without sending an email to
the seller or requiring a response from the seller.
Here's
how it works:
We have identified the top 20 questions that
buyers ask sellers (which under many circumstances accounts for a
significant volume of questions) and with the information already
available in sellers’ listings eBay is able to pull that "live"
information to answer those frequently asked questions.
A
seller only has to opt-in to the Smart FAQ feature while eBay will
handle the rest. Of course if a seller would like to add additional
questions and answers to their FAQ page, they can do this as well.
Should a seller already have questions and answers posted to the
existing FAQ…not to worry we will be merging those over to the new Smart
FAQ page, so a seller will not lose any current information.
For more details about this feature, please review the information
about the Smart FAQ on the 4/14/09 Announcement pages.
Also,
please stay tuned for additional features to assist sellers with these
buyer questions in the near future.
Actually, email addresses will be kept anonymous until a transaction
takes place. However, the buyer id will be present in the Ask Seller a
Question (ASQ) and Reply To a Question (RTQ) emails, so you know who you
are communicating with. This provides two benefits for users:
1) Safely respond to ASQs by clicking the "reply" button in your email
client: By using an anonymous email address, users can communicate back
and forth through their regular email clients instead of clicking on the
yellow button to log back into eBay while still posting their emails to
their My Messages account.
2) Keep your personal email
address safe: In order to protect user email addresses from being
harvested for unsecure commerce off the eBay platform, personal email
addresses will be kept private until you transact with another user.
We
understand that some users (like yourself) prefer to response to ASQs
through eBay by clicking the yellow button while others prefer to manage
their emails in their personal Inboxes. Therefore, users will be able
to respond to member to member emails by either: • Clicking
“reply” directly from their personal Inbox • Clicking the
“respond” yellow button in the email from their personal Inbox •
Clicking the “reply” button in their eBay My Messages Inbox
Regarding the My Messages system, we understand that the My Messages
system has been slow in the past and we have just recently launched
performance enhancements to increase the speed of the feature. In
addition, we are looking into other enhancements to assist sellers with
response speed for the near future.
And last but not least,
photos. This is definitely a question that buyers could ask and this
release will provide a couple of options to help you respond:
1) If the item is fixed price, you will be able to edit your live
listing with additional photos. 2) If you respond to the ASQ by
clicking the "reply" button in your personal inbox, you will be able to
include an attachment (.gif, .jpeg, .tif, and .bmp formats are all
accepted)
We are also looking into other features to assist
with this question in the future.
Thanks for your feedback
and posting. We greatly appreciate it!
Countries are already
included in the ASQ from buyers. However, zip codes are not currently
in the email...this is a great suggestion and we will look into adding
this in the future.
Regarding only being able to respond once to a
buyer's questions...yes, you are correct the current limit is 1 response
per ASQ. However, you will not be restricted by this limit of 1 in the
next seller release.
Just to clarify, from the thread of postings, I
believe you are asking if Buyer Ids will be removed from Ask Seller a
Question emails.
If so, the answer is no. The buyer id will
be present in the Ask Seller a Question (ASQ) and Reply To a Question
(RTQ) emails, so you know who you are communicating with. However, the
email addresses will be kept anonymous until a transaction takes place.
This provides two benefits for users:
1) Safely respond to
ASQs by clicking the "reply" button in your email client: By using an
anonymous email address, users can communicate back and forth through
their regular email clients instead of clicking on the yellow button to
log back into eBay while still posting their emails to their My Messages
account.
2) Keep your personal email address safe: In order
to protect user email addresses from being harvested for unsecure
commerce off the eBay platform, personal email addresses will be kept
private until you transact with another user.
As you most likely know, all member to member emails are posted in My
Messages today. In order to provide this functionality, messages are
stored in My Messages so they can be displayed. The new functionality
does not change this behavior, but does provide the added benefit to
allow users to quickly and easily respond to a question without logging
back in to eBay through the ‘reply’ button in their personal email
inbox. Regarding the usage of this information, we do and will continue
to adhere to the eBay privacy policy rules. Regarding your question on
if we violate FCC rules, the answer is no, FCC rules do not extend to
email.
Re: Unclear on the
new: Ask Seller Question messaging system
Jul 28, 2009 2:40 PM
indiebiz,
Thank you so much for your
post. Hopefully I can clarify your questions:
1) Yes, your
email will be routed through eBay to be posted to recipient's My
Messages and then sent on to the recipient's personal inbox.
2) Yes, the email you sent will anonymize your email address and
therefore be hidden from the recipient.
3) Email body content
will not be stripped out and will be sent as you typed it. Please note
though that you will not be allowed to send any javascript or code that
may contain a virus.
4) Just like any other email in your
personal inbox, you will simply click "reply" in your inbox, type in
your response, and click "send". You do not go back to eBay and
therefore no login is required.
We made this modification a while ago and you
should be able to respond a maximum of 5 times to the same email. I
have forwarded the details of your situation to our product team just to
verify that there is not an issue.
Re: Will eBay be
policing anonymous email for off eBay offers?
Apr 27, 2010 10:24 AM
Off-eBay communications is a violation of eBay
policy as stated in the Member to Member Contact Policy (Link).
The Anonymous
Email Alias feature was built to ease the ability of responding to
messages from other users by providing the ability to leverage the
"reply" button in your own personal email client. This eliminates the
need to click on the yellow button, login to eBay, and then fill out a
response. All of these messages will be sent to the recipient's real
email address and to their My Messages Inbox to avoid potential spoof
concerns. In addition, sellers who have difficulties with getting emails
into various email client inboxes due to ISP filters, whitelists, or
blacklists can benefit from eBay's high inbox delivery rate.
This feature does not "anonymize" the buyer from the seller...sellers
can still get buyer contact information (including email address) post
transaction in the body of the email, through various locations on the
eBay site and PayPal, and through several post-transaction APIs.
The Anonymous Email Alias feature is not eliminating the ability
for sellers to retrieve buyer contact information post
transaction...sellers can still get buyer contact information (including
email address) post transaction in the body of the email, through
various locations on the eBay site and PayPal, and through several
post-transaction APIs.
This feature is providing the benefit
to all users to respond to messages from other users through their own
personal email clients without being required to click on the yellow
button, login to eBay, and then fill out a response. All of these
messages will be sent to the recipient's real email address and to their
My Messages Inbox to avoid potential spoof concerns. In addition,
sellers who have difficulties with getting emails into various email
client inboxes due to ISP filters, whitelists, or blacklists can benefit
from eBay's high inbox delivery rate.
The Email Intermediation feature is not removing the buyer's email
address from the site and you will still be able to retrieve the buyer
email address should you need it post transaction. This feature is only
modifying the "reply to" field in member to member emails. The "reply
to" field will be populated with an alias email address in order to
provide the ability for users to easily respond to member to member
emails by clicking "reply" in their email client. By replying through
this new feature, your email responses will not only go to the
recipient's real email address, but will also be posted to their My
Messages Inbox. This eliminates the need to click on the yellow button
to respond while maintaining compliance with the eBay Member to Member
Contact Policy.
The feature allows image attachments such as .gif, .jpeg, or
.bmp, but due to the significant virus risk and popularity of using .pdf
files as a means to spread viruses a .pdf file attachment is not
currently allowed.
I'm not entirely sure
what you mean in your first sentence. My understanding is that you
would like clarity around how you can contact another eBay member, how
you can respond to another eBay member, where will that response go, and
will this help when issues arise between buyers and sellers.
Starting with how you can contact another eBay member...nothing is
changing from the way you initiate conversations with other eBay
members. Today, you have the ability to go to a listing, My eBay, My
World, or other areas of the site to click on the "contact seller" or
"contact buyer" link to send the user a message.
Once the
message is sent, how can you respond to another eBay member? You have a
couple of ways to respond. The first, which is available today, is
through the yellow button in the email. You can click on the yellow
button, login to eBay, write your response and reply. With Email
Intermediation, you will have the second option to click "reply" in your
email client, write your response (just as you would when responding to
any other email), and click send in your email client.
So,
where will that response go? Regardless of if you choose to respond
through your email client or the yellow button, your response will go to
the recipient's email address and their My Messages Inbox.
And will this help when issues arise between buyers and sellers?
Absolutely. Even though it is against eBay Member to Member Contact
Policy (Link), some users take their email
conversations off eBay and when there is an issue (such as inappropriate
content) the complaining user has to provide proof of this behavior.
With email communications in My Messages, eBay will be able to assist
without the need for the complaining user to provide proof.
Re: email addresses
surveillance federal wire tap laws
Apr 27, 2010 10:11 AM
Thank you for your post!
The Anonymous
Email Alias feature provides the benefit to all users to respond to
messages from other users through their own personal email clients
without being required to click on the yellow button, login to eBay, and
then fill out a response. All of these messages will be sent to the
recipient's real email address and to their My Messages Inbox to avoid
potential spoof concerns. In addition, sellers who have difficulties
with getting emails into various email client inboxes due to ISP
filters, whitelists, or blacklists can benefit from eBay's high inbox
delivery rate.
This feature does not "anonymize" the buyer
from the seller...sellers can still get buyer contact information
(including email address) post transaction in the body of the email,
through various locations on the eBay site and PayPal, and through
several post-transaction APIs.
Re: Can members still
UNCHECK "Hide my email address" when sending a msg?
Apr 27, 2010 1:46 PM
buyalot!,
There is no need to have this
feature after Email Intermediation is wired-on.
The Hide
Your Email Address feature replaced your real email address in the
"reply to" field of the email to the seller with
"UseTheYellowButton@ebay.com". When Email Intermediation is turned on
the "reply to" field will always have your alias email address and will
never have your real email address.
The Email Intermediation System
will allow for image attachments. When this feature is available, you
will be able to click "reply" from your email client, attach an image
file (.jpeg, .gif, etc.), and click send.
"She started with eBay in San Jose in 2006, where she now has the massive undertaking of managing the 18 billion e-mails sent to consumers every year, which generate $250 million of direct revenue. This is all no small feat, considering eBay is the world's largest e-mail sender."
eBay wins e-mail bid
by Dianna Dilworth
October 27, 2009
"“We're very focused on e-mail deliverability primarily because, why send a message if it doesn't get into the inbox,” says Nicole Birdsall, group product manager, communications at eBay. “We want to make sure that we are a good citizen and sending relevant e-mails and getting important messages through to our customers who are expecting them.”"
"eBay sends about 25 billion e-mails per year and has a 98 to 99% deliverability rate. “We make sure that all of the expected information is put into the header and our SPF records are good,” says Birdsall. “We also make sure that our IP addresses are certified with white lists.”"
" Today, eBay works directly with the ISPs, as well as with e-mail deliverability firm Return Path, to monitor its sending. One of eBay's approaches is to separate transactional e-mails and marketing e-mails and then send them from different IP pools. “ISPs hold marketing e-mails under different rules and regulations than transactional e-mails, so we separate them,” says Birdsall."
"“Part of our strategy is to look at it before we actually put it into a production mode, by sending it to several different inboxes before sending it to the user,” says Birdsall. “We look at making sure that it got into the inbox versus the spam folder, how it renders and what it looks like to the user.”"
“We realize that users might not know how to unsubscribe because maybe they are not opening the e-mails. And we'd like to make it easier for them,” says Birdsall. Since the program launched Birdsall says complaint rates have dropped."
"“We realize that users might not know how to unsubscribe because maybe they are not opening the e-mails. And we'd like to make it easier for them,” says Birdsall. Since the program launched Birdsall says complaint rates have dropped."
//*
"Another way to make things here less human. I will give my email address
to my customers as soon as they win.
Why would you remove
the address but still give the access to their phone number? I see a big
increase in contact info requests in the future." oldklutz, Apr 27, 2010 3:22 PM
"eBay have identified a possible security flaw and are requiring all developers update their passwords."
"The developer blog reports that eBay have recently identified a means by which someone could have" "gained access to eBay Developers Program account information."
We're not surprised this happened. The surprise is eBay in public admitting a "security flaw".
Important Security Update: developer.ebay.com Posted by Laurel Kline in Critical Notes from Tech Support, Business News & Developer Website Monday, Aug.10.2009, 3:06 PM PT
This is Kumar Kandaswamy, and I manage the eBay Developers Program. I'd like you to read this important message about account safety.
The safety and security of the eBay Developers Program is a top priority. While we believe that people are basically good, we also must live with the reality that there are fraudsters out there who have made it their illicit "profession" to find ways to exploit others on the Internet.
Occasionally, fraudsters attempt to gain unauthorized access to the eBay Developers Program. eBay has recently identified a means by which someone could gain access to eBay Developers Program account information. This type of access DOES NOT allow the capture of financial or other sensitive information, such as credit card or bank account information or Social Security numbers. Fortunately, we have not detected any unusual activity with any Developer account.
Out of an abundance of caution and to help ensure the security of the eBay Developers Program, we are requiring that all developers take the following steps:
Take advantage of our new, stricter password standards and change your eBay Developers Program (developer.ebay.com) passwords. It is not necessary to change eBay (www.ebay.com) passwords.
If you believe you or your customers have been the victim of fraudulent activity, contact us immediately at developer-relations@ebay.com.
Sincerely, Kumar Kandaswamy
There's much unintentional eBay humor with the statement from Kumar Kandaswamy that "safety and security of the eBay Developers Program is a top priority." Because historically that has not been the case.
Follow us.
Once upon a time Sergiu
Daniel Popa was brought to the attention of the public by Dan Browning of the Star Tribune. As reported in his article "Suspect in 'phishing' scheme indicted":
"A Romanian immigrant was indicted Tuesday in federal court in
Minneapolis on charges that he operated a computerized "phishing"
scheme for several years that raked in financial records and personal
identification from thousands of individuals"
"Sergiu
Daniel Popa, 20, of Shelby Township, Mich., was indicted on three
counts"
Days later there would be a post about the article on the eBay Stores Forum. This was followed quickly by eBay user ID spopa2006 stating, "Listen guys. I am Sergiu D. Popa. I am that horrible guy!" and "I
will make your life a hell." And much much more.
When this activity and background was reported to eBay, their reponse was to delete the spopa2006 posts. He was able to keep his eBay account active. If you look quickly, you can view his Feedback Profile as of 11 August 2009 01:07 GMT.
"Hey there. I wrote a similar project in C++ by using pointers. However,
the implemented network interface i used in C++ is no longer supported
and I am not a C# guru as I am in c++. Tell me whether or not you got
your solution. You can email me at gam30v3r2007@yahoo.com"
The activities of a registered eBay Developer. You know the ones who work on the software that eBay buyers and sellers use.
"22-year-old Romanian national has admitted he participated in a
US-based phishing operation that raked in some $700,000 over a
three-year period."
"Sergiu Daniel Popa, who for the past seven years has lived in New
York and Michigan, pleaded guilty in federal court in Minneapolis to
two felonies related to the scheme. He faces a maximum of 10 years in
federal prison and a fine of $500,000."
"FBI agents began their investigation of Popa in early 2005."
Kumar Kandaswamy is crowing about protection from "fraudsters attempt to gain unauthorized access to the eBay Developers Program", but described here is a convicted hacker who eBay gave Developer Program access?
With spopa2006's regular eBay account active, you have to wonder if his Developer Program access remains active. And if he gave others access to his account, during his extended absence.
Kumar Kandaswamy said, "we have not detected any unusual activity with any Developer account".
Oh, Please!
How many times does a warning have to be given to eBay before someone listens?
And given the lax vetting process, one really has to wonder if there are other "Popa's" signed up to the Developer Program?
.
"So, people hire you to break into their places... to make sure no one can break into their places?" "It's a living." Martin Bishop, Sneakers (1992)
Within a span of another month things got interesting. This short article will cover the feedback portion of 'interesting'.
...
"When you argue, I have this compulsive need to argue back." Jack McCoy, Law & Order
...
The answer to the frequently asked question, 'was ideeli feedback removed?', is yes. We did not find everything, but what was found does support the "yes" answer.
Why the feedback was removed is a question we'll leave to the readers.
This record covers the time period June 24 2009 20:08:30 through August 5 2009.
Except where attributed, screen shots were obtained from the Google cache. The link to the cache is provided as reference material, but keep in mind a Google cache does not exist forever. We anticipate that many of the links will be aged out by publication.
...
"I worry. I mean, little things bother me. I’m a worrier. I mean, little insignificant details – I lose my appetite. I can’t eat. My wife, she says to me, “you know, you can really be a pain.”‘" LT Columbo, Columbo
eBay buyer chatychik4887 bought "NEW Alexis Hudson Twinkle I (Mocha)" #170351642263 on 3 July 2009 15:36:46 PDT (22:36:46 GMT) from ideeli, and left ideeli a Negative feedback.
The indication was the Negative feedback had "DO NOT BUY FROM THEM".
A similar report was made by craftscraftsandcrafts and nostalgicthreads. The Negative feedback was something to the effect that the 'seller
refused to ship to a different address and refunded her payment'.
Sometime between July 7 2009 18:25:32 GMT and July 15 2009 22:02:45 GMT, Negative feedback was received by ideeli and removed by eBay.
Very briefly that Guide requires companies to identify themselves when commenting on their products. And people making comments about a product, that a company shows to the public, must be independent of the company. Or the person or company must provide to the public their relationship.
We use the term "Weed" to describe people paid to post. The term derives from how these individuals are viewed. For example the featured article notes, "company has policies to weed out suspicious reviews".
A Wall Street Journalposter provided a partial description of the tactics an eBay Weed employs. This edited version is similar to PowerPoint discussion points given by public relations companies to writers.
Blame the messenger.
Attack the messenger or message.
Downplay the message.
Twist what the messenger is trying to say.
Spin everything positive for Ebay
Never blame Ebay for anything
Tell users to go elsewhere if they don’t like it
For the Weeds that will use some of those tactics on this article, tell your supervisor to study a little history. Or actually read the various Public Relations text books. Some of us did.
Philip Morris Public Relations 1992:
Change the focus of the issue
Explore and exploit the opposition's weaknesses
Investigate legal challenges to opposition efforts
Develop alliances with other groups being attacked by the opposition
Begin large-scale program of journalism education (focusing on accuracy, accountability, objectivity, etc.)
Become a source of information and expertise
The above combined checklists sounds familiar doesn't it?
One persona missing from the public relations tactics is the 'friend'. A theatrical example is Security Officer Price from the film Stalag 17 (1953). This personae and it's subtypes are the hardest to detect, and we'll leave that for a future article.
Which brings us to the eBay Weed of the Day.
Disclaimer: We are commenting on individual(s) associated with the following posts, who may have attempted to influence public opinion through methods unsanctioned by the FTC. This opinion should not be taken as fact, and the reader should form their own unbiased opinion.
This part of a recent post was made on a recent article involving eBay.
#1 "Some people just can't handle change or changing markets. A handful of people have been complaining for more than a year now (mostly the same ones on every blog they can find in a day); they need to learn to move on."
Interestingly months earlier the following comment was made on a different article by another independent voice.
#2 "if you take out the 10 or 15 most vocal anti-eBay people blogging all over the place (sometimes with different names as well), you realize that the noise is pretty low if noticeable at all. Life goes on, adapt or die.
To be obvious:
"Some people just can't handle change or changing markets"
"adapt or die"
"they need to learn to move on"
"Life goes on"
"A handful of people have been complaining for more than a year now"
"if you take out the 10 or 15 most vocal anti-eBay people"
"(mostly the same ones on every blog they can find in a day)"
" blogging all over the place (sometimes with different names as well)"
The dissimilar writing styles 'sound' like two separate writers. Which begs the questions. Two different people stating near identical talking points months apart? Down to the parenthesis; "(", ")"?
We leave you with this thought. Those are not the only examples.
"Sure. Fine. Whatever." Dana Scully, X-Files (Syzygy)
The material in this article is provided to you free of charge, "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.
Basically talk to a attorney figuratively face-to-face when seeking legal advice. Not that we're dispensing any.
For covered claims that meet the conditions and are not excluded,
buyers are required to destroy an item if they claim it is not
authentic. Once a buyer confirms destruction of the item, eBay will
reimburse the buyer.
For covered claims that meet the conditions and are not excluded,
sellers agree to not hold buyers or eBay responsible for the
destruction of an item if it is not believed to be authentic
Looking at the California statutes, eBay INC being located in the State of California, this type of action is covered under "California Criminal Law", "Crimes Against Property", "Larceny", "Grand Theft", etal.
On May 15, eBay will be releasing a revised user agreement. This
revision will address the obligations of buyers and sellers in
transactions where a buyer has alleged receipt of a counterfeit item.
Under the revised agreement:
Buyers and sellers shall work in good faith during the resolution process to determine that the item is not counterfeit.
If
buyer and seller cannot determine that the item is not counterfeit,
buyers are required to send the item back to the seller. Cost of return
shipping will be paid by the buyer or eBay, unless both buyer and
seller have agreed otherwise.
Covered claims
that meet the conditions and are not excluded will count as a violation
by the seller of our prohibited and infringing items policy.
If
eBay determines the buyer is not acting in good faith, eBay may
restrict or eliminate their ability to return items or make future
claims.
Sellers shall not list, advertise, or
cause that item to appear for sale, barter or trade, on any eBay Inc.
web site or service.
These revisions to the user agreement are being made to:
Provide sellers protections against inaccurate counterfeit claims.
Provide buyers assurances about the authenticity of the item received.
Maintain integrity of the eBay marketplace.
The new User Agreement
is effective immediately for new members registering on or after today,
and on June 14, 2009, for current members. You don't need to do
anything to accept the new User Agreement. If you don't wish to accept
it, you can follow these instructions to close your account.
Sincerely,
Scott Shipman
Senior Counsel
eBay Inc.
For the casual reader, these are eBay User Agreement sections being referenced:
Buyers
agree to file claims in accordance with the conditions, exclusions and
coverage limitations as further explained in the eBay Purchase
Protection policy.
For
covered claims that meet the conditions and are not excluded, eBay will
reimburse eligible buyers by PayPal or by coupon redeemable on eBay, in
eBay’s discretion, based upon a number of factors, such as whether the
buyer has a PayPal account, the type of payment made to the seller and
the payment amount.
Buyers
who eBay believes are not acting in good faith, abusing the program or
a seller, attempting to commit or committing fraud, or trying to
unjustly benefit from the program may become ineligible for eBay
Purchase Protection. Buyers who become ineligible will be notified by
eBay prior to ineligibility. eBay reserves the right to temporarily,
indefinitely or permanently suspend the eBay Purchase Protection
program immediately if we suspect abuse, excessive claims, tampering,
or interference with the proper working of the program.
eBay
Purchase Protection doesn’t cover certain types and categories of goods
or services, false, abusive or illegitimate claims, or transactions
where you have been or may be compensated from another third party.
Please read the eBay Purchase Protection policy for more details.
Sellers agree to follow the program requirements as explained in the eBay Purchase Protection policy.
All
sellers with an open claim must work in good faith to resolve the
claim, refund money and/or provide a replacement item, and accept a
return of the item as explained by the eBay Purchase Protection Policy.
If
a seller doesn't resolve a claim, the seller agrees to pay eBay the
amount paid by eBay to the buyer in accordance with the eBay Purchase
Protection policy. eBay will invoice the seller for these amounts and
seller agrees to pay eBay in accordance with the invoice terms.
Sellers
shall work with the buyer in good faith during the resolution process
to provide buyer with appropriate documentation or other assurances to
satisfy the buyer that the item is not counterfeit, if such information
is available.
If
buyer and seller cannot agree that the item is not counterfeit, for
covered claims that meet the conditions and are not excluded, buyers
are required to send the item back to the seller. Cost of return
shipping will be paid by the buyer or eBay in our sole discretion,
unless otherwise agreed upon by the buyer and seller.
Covered
claims that meet the conditions and are not excluded will count as a
violation by the seller of our prohibited and infringing items policy.
Sellers
shall not list, advertise, or cause that item to appear for sale,
barter or trade, on any eBay Inc. (including our subsidiaries, joint
ventures, and other members of the group) web site or service located
around the world.
While
buyers are not obligated to provide third party confirmation that an
item is counterfeit in order to open a claim, in cases where there is
written confirmation from the manufacturer that the item is
counterfeit, or in additional circumstances where eBay elects to
exercise its discretion, eBay may request the destruction of the item
by an authorized third party and at eBay’s expense.
Let us briefly go through the new legalize. Keep in mind that legal documents are written to minimize, or eliminate, vague, and subject to multiple interpretation, language. At least that is the goal.
Condensing the above counterfeit section down to a more understandable form:
"If buyer and seller cannot agree that the item is not counterfeit" this "will count as a violation by the seller of our prohibited and infringing items policy", and "buyers are not obligated to provide third party confirmation that an item is counterfeit".
"or in additional circumstances where eBay elects to exercise its discretion, eBay may request the destruction of the item by an authorized third party and at eBay’s expense."
Read it very carefully. eBay can destroy seller property when "eBay elects to exercise its discretion". This part does not clearly explain "discretion". In less legalize, "discretion" could be very very very very loosely replaced with 'whim'.
This has a bit more clarity:
"eBay may request the destruction of the item by an authorized third party".
But lacks the explanation of what happens should eBay NOT request destruction. Because of the word "may", the statement can be interpreted as:
"or in additional circumstances where eBay elects to exercise its
discretion, eBay may or may not request the destruction of the item by an
authorized third party and at eBay’s expense."
Consider what happens in the event that eBay does NOT request destruction of the item? Do you know what happens to the seller's item? There are multiple possibilities, indicating that this part is vague, and NOT clearly written.
Eventually eBay's legal team needs to put in a list of authorized third parties that will be used for destruction. That is fairly minor though.
This part is not minor:
"at eBay’s expense."
This CAN be interpreted as, 'eBay will pay for the cost of destruction'. Fine, but incomplete. Remember IN CONTEXT "at eBay’s expense" refers to the cost of destruction PERIOD.
Lets revisit the original issue in the original User Agreement. eBay makes the buyer whole and pays for destruction of a seller's item, but THEN who ultimately pays for the money given back to the buyer? The rewritten user agreement remains ambiguous or missing in this matter.
Consider what happens when a seller resolves the claim in good faith, informs the buyer to return the item for a refund, the buyer maintains the item is counterfeit, and eBay chooses to "exercise its discretion"?
"If
a seller doesn't resolve a claim, the seller agrees to pay eBay the
amount paid by eBay to the buyer"
Is it likely that this provision, under Seller Obligations, would be applied whereby eBay unilaterally chooses to "exercise its discretion", declares the claim is not resolved, and eBay has the now seller's item destroyed?
"eBay will invoice the seller for these amounts and
seller agrees to pay eBay in accordance with the invoice terms."
Anyone notice there is more 'whim' in the new rewritten user agreement? Is this deliberate or an oversight?
And as William Cobb would put it, soooo Is there more? Yes.
Think it's time to hit to personally hit the word processor Michael Jacobson ESQ, and clean up this mess?
"It's sort of an obsession with me to do the best I can for a client. My clients aren't blameless. Many of them are crooks. Probably a lot of them are guilty. That's not for me to determine. That's for a jury to determine." Perry Mason
"The character of every act depends upon the circumstances in which it is done." Oliver Wendell Holmes JR, U.S. Supreme Court
// // //
The "DESTROY ALL COUNTERFEITS!" is homage to the Toho Company movie "Kaiju soshingeki" or "Destroy All Monsters!" (1968).
// // //
eBay Media Center - Senior Management http://news.ebay.com/team.cfm
Michael Jacobson Senior Vice President and General Counsel, eBay Inc.
As
senior vice president and general counsel at eBay, Mike Jacobson's
responsibilities include overseeing eBay's legal department, its risk
management program, and its policy group. He is responsible for
interactions with content regulators, law enforcement, contracts, SEC
compliance, and other legal matters.
Prior to eBay, Mike was a partner with Cooley Godward LLP where he
was recognized as an expert in securities law. His responsibilities
included corporate and securities transactions, including mergers and
acquisition transactions, public offerings, and venture capital
financing.
Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, in
1975 from Harvard College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He
subsequently received his law degree from Stanford University in 1981,
where he was a Nathan Abbot Scholar and a member of Order of the Coif.
He also received the Hilmer Oehlmann Jr. award as well as first and
second year honors.
// // //
Notable Comments
.
Questions over eBay's New Fakes Policy by: Grab your torches
Wed May 13 14:28:53 2009 Just calm down, you silly people When the smoke that you yourselves are generating clears, you'll see that a third party verification is needed. This system is already in place and has been used for a long time.
Well
fer sure...every buyer is a honest upstanding citizen of what ever
third world country they happen to be in..You should know that by now
world-secure....there never has been or ever will be a dishonest e-bay
buyer...they dont exist..not in this world or the next..just ask e-bay
they will tell ya...LOL>>>What a crock of sh*t e-bay has
created with this one..chalk up another one for the
lawyers...LOL>>>
Mark
May-13-09 15:27:25 PDT
.
Questions over eBay's New Fakes Policy by: Grab your torches Thu May 14 13:45:31 2009
So much hype here. Where
does this false info about mailing counterfeits come from? It is
illegal to sell them, yes. Illegal to use USPS to sell them, yes. NOT
illegal to use USPS to send them to be authenticated/destroyed. The
eBay UA only states that a buyer must "confirm" that a counterfeit has
been destroyed. It says nothing about the manner of that confirmation.
The current process for a destroying a counterfeit is not spelled out
either. Do you assume this means the buyer just has to say they did?
No, they ship it to Texas, where it is supposedly destroyed if
counterfeit, or resold if authentic. Is there any reason to believe
that this won't be pretty much the same thing?
Any idiot knows that
if all eBay will require is a buyer saying they destroyed it, then this
cannot possibly be legal. Why then, do you all believe this is what
eBay is going to do?
It seems much more likely that the user agreement is being left deliberately vague, for any number of reasons.
I
swear, Ina could tell you that eBay Singapore was adding a category for
human trafficking and you would all eat it up and repeat it everywhere.
Clowns, all of you.
.
Questions over eBay's New Fakes Policy by: Grab your torches Thu May 14 14:18:52 2009
Why
doesn't somebody here just go ahead and buy a fake purse? Do it. You'll
be making the world a better place removing a counterfeit. Much better
than reporting it, getting the listing removed so the seller can peddle
it somewhere else. Actually buy it and the fake seller is out the money
and the counterfeit. Now, tell eBay it's a fake and see what they ask you to do.
.
Questions over eBay's New Fakes Policy by: Grab your torches Thu May 14 15:04:12 2009
"If
ebay doesn't want incorrect information floating around about ANY of
its policies, then the policy should be completely transparent and 100%
of it posted."
Seriously? This is a defense? I would like a little more clarity over this policy as well, but that DOES NOT JUSTIFY MAKING THINGS UP!
.
Questions over eBay's New Fakes Policy by: Grab your torches Thu May 14 15:11:55 2009
Some secret policies are good. The
list of words in a title that restrict how many of a certain thing you
can sell, for example. Make that known and people selling counterfeits
know exactly what to avoid. Exactly how best match works also.
Remember when some unscrupulous sellers figured out to put NEW NEW NEW
in the title to push their items to the top?
While I do not see
the logic behind their vagueness in this case, I wont deign to say that
it does not exist. I can't say with any certainty that 100%
transparency wouldn't create an opening for the counterfeit sellers to
abuse.
eBay VP Dinesh Lathi did his usual, make a statement with technical
holes in it and correct the big gaffe the next day. Evidence that
Dinesh Lathi needs to listen to his fact checking team, or that he
needs a better fact checking team.
Now the previous seasoned and
battle tested PR hack Hani Durzy might have said, 'VP Dinesh Lathi
filled in perceived gaps in the third party checkout announcement.
eBay's third party checkout is not going away.' and let the matter drop
and be forgotten.
But eBay PR flack Usher Lieberman went above and beyond, stating "publishes something wholly misinformed and just plain wrong"
and "No one else here will work with you". Language not from a
professional corporate Public Relations person like Hani Durzy, but
language one might hear from a hormonal teenage boy with anger
management problems.
As can be seen by the chronology above and below, Dinesh Lathi made the error, not AuctionBytes. And in a very professional manner Vice President Dinesh Lathi corrected himself.
From a corporate stand point, something this minor should not have The Wall Street Journal taking an interest.
Maybe it's time for eBay Inc to announce that Mr. Lieberman will take extended time off for family matters.
The April 13th email from eBay regarding 3rd party checkout.
Other than the removal of personal data, no changes were made to the original email.
Update your checkout service by June 15
Dear *:
Our records indicate that you?ve recently completed selling
transactions through . We?re writing to let you know that as of June
15, will no longer be providing third party checkout service on eBay.
A big step toward reducing unpaid items for sellers is ensuring a
secure and consistent checkout experience for buyers. That?s why, in
the months ahead, we?ll be working to integrate key functions offered
by current third party providers into eBay checkout.
The ultimate goal is to have all checkout and payments take place right
on eBay--and to help you make a seamless transition to on-eBay checkout
that fully supports your business as usual.
In the interim, as of June 15, sellers will only be allowed to use eBay
checkout or third party checkout services offered by one of a select
group of approved Certified Providers.
This would be a great time to take a close look at your business needs, and if you haven?t already done so, switch to eBay checkout before June 15.
If you need specific functionality that is not yet integrated into eBay checkout, you can choose a solution offered by a Certified Provider approved for off-eBay checkout.
We?ll keep you updated as new functionality becomes available in eBay
checkout. We?ll also make sure you have the time and support you need
to make a smooth transition down the road.
Thanks for helping us keep eBay a great place to buy and sell.
Sincerely,
Dinesh Lathi
Vice President, Seller Experience
//
// 15 April 2009
//
Excerpts from "eBay Eliminates Third-Party Checkout, Impacts ProStores, Vendors" article.
Auctionbytes-NewsFlash, Number 2020 - April 15, 2009 - ISSN 1539-5065
eBay Eliminates Third-Party Checkout, Impacts ProStores, Vendors By Ina Steiner AuctionBytes.com April 15, 2009
"eBay will eliminate its Third Party
Checkout Redirect on eBay as of June 15, 2009. Sellers who use
third-party checkout solutions will no longer have the opportunity to
display branding, cross-sell, up-sell and other merchandising
opportunities at point-of-sale. This means a loss of sales for sellers
and lost revenue for vendors who collect commissions on merchant sales.
eBay will do away with third-party checkout completely next year."
"The elimination of off-eBay checkout is clearly part of the
company's move to try and become a marketplace that can guarantee all
transactions by collecting information about when buyers pay and when
sellers ship. On Tuesday, eBay Director of Seller Development Todd
Lutwak told AuctionBytes that, over time, eBay would roll out
additional tools and incentives for sellers to provide eBay with
shipping information. eBay is also moving toward capturing data from
payment services, including the ability to accept merchant credit cards
in eBay Checkout. "
//
// 15 April 2009, 9:25 AM PST
//
http://twitter.com/usherml/status/1526364771
No sooner do I give her props for solid sourcing that she publishes something wholly misinformed and just plain wrong: http://bit.ly/2iD3Pg
Update 4/15/09: I received an email from eBay spokesperson Usher Lieberman today stating: eBay
is narrowing access to third-party checkout to approved providers and
has asked these third-party checkout partners to update their user
interface or UI to conform with a set of guidelines provided by eBay.
This DOES NOT involve any changes to the third-party checkout
functionality consistent with eBay listing policies and existing legal
agreements, just to the user interface. Some of the approved
third-party checkout partners may opt out of these user interface
changes, in which case they will need to begin using eBay Checkout.
//
// 15 April 2009, 1:00 PM PST
//
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200904151259582.html
***Third Party Checkout: Clarification*** April 15, 2009 | 01:00PM PST/PT
Dinesh Lathi
Some blogs have incorrectly reported that eBay is doing away with
third party checkout. We want to clarify that this is not the case.
The facts: Beginning June 15, eBay will only allow third-party
checkout services from approved providers who have updated their user
interface according to a set of eBay guidelines. Our goal is to give
buyers a more consistent checkout experience. These guidelines do not
involve any changes to functionality that is consistent with eBay
listing policies and existing legal agreements.
Some of the current third-party checkout providers may decide to
begin using eBay Checkout instead of making user interface changes to
their own checkout system. In this case, sellers can continue to use
their services.
If you are a seller using a third-party checkout provider, we
strongly encourage you to contact your provider about their plans. Most
of our approved partners are planning to make the necessary changes to
their solution, including:
4Sellers
Afterbuy
Auctiva Corporation
ChannelAdvisor
Cultuzz Digital Media
Digital River
Kyozou
Sandbourne Systems
Vendio
To reiterate, we are not eliminating third party checkout on June
15, we are only asking third-party checkout providers to update the
user interface.
Please keep in mind that the definitive source of information about
eBay is eBay. You can find accurate information about any planned
changes through this Announcement Board and through emails, calls and
other official communications from eBay.
Sincerely,
Dinesh Lathi
VP Seller Experience
//
// 28 April 2009
//
Excerpts from "Spin City: eBay Struggles to Control the Message" article.
Spin City: eBay Struggles to Control the Message By: David Steiner Tue Apr 28 2009 11:00:25
"There was a palpable shift when John Donahoe transitioned into the
role of CEO and Jose Mallabo took over as Director of Corporate
Communications early last year. In one of his first responses to an
inquiry from Ina, Mallabo responded via email, "I will use this as an
opportunity to set some expectations moving forward. While we
appreciate that these glitches are of great importance to your readers
- and we certainly appreciate you drawing our attention to them, we
just can't guarantee you a response on absolutely everything. If they
are of a size that impacts a critical mass of the community, then we'll
put it on the systems board. If not, we will do our very best to track
down the answers for you in a reasonable time frame but often times
these glitches are so obscure and impossible to replicate that getting
answers can take a considerable amount of our team's time." "
"Interestingly, Mallabo posted a comment from a non-eBay IP address
in March of 2008. Shortly thereafter, another post appeared from the
same DSL IP address as Mallabo's, but using the name John Rathert (the
name of someone listed as a cofounder of his previous business),
criticizing another commenter and stating, "You and David are about as
big a joke as there is. Go write about the fuzz in your navels." "
"In an incident at last year's eBay Live, Ina was pulled aside by
Usher Lieberman, a member of eBay's PR team, and was told not to ask
about specific user's issues or else she would no longer be granted
access to eBay executives. "
"Ina told Lieberman that if he had a problem working with her, she
would happily work with someone else in the PR Department. His response
was, "No one else here will work with you, Ina." "
//
// 29 April 2009
//
Excerpts from "AuctionByte Bites Back at eBay" Wall Street Journal article.
AuctionBytes Bites Back at eBay By Geoffrey A. Fowler
"eBay is facing a spat with AuctionBytes, a trade publication about eBay and e-commerce that attracts about half a million visitors to its Web site each month. "
"In a post titled “Spin City: eBay Struggles to Control the Message”
on Tuesday, AuctionBytes president David Steiner wrote that after 10
years covering the company, he has felt a “palpable shift” in eBay’s
approach to communications since John Donahoe took office as eBay chief
executive last year. "
"The spat appears to have been most recently instigated by a report
that AuctionBytes posted last week about changes to eBay’s third-party
checkout system. Ina Steiner felt eBay’s public relations department
was unresponsive to her requests for clarification, resulting in a post in which she reported that eBay had “nothing more to say.” "
"EBay spokesman Alan Marks said his company could have done a
better job communicating with its sellers, especially in the first half
of last year. But he insisted “nothing has changed” about eBay’s
commitment to communicating with sellers since Donahoe became CEO. “If
anything, we have become more transparent,” Marks said "
"Finally those lovely people at eBay seem to have a few differences
with the time served Ina Steiner of Auctionbytes. If eBay UK PR are
reading this we promise to be nice (even when we disagree with you) in
exchange for free listing fees for life (ok I’m joking, fees are so low
these days it wouldn’t make much difference anyway, we’ll just carry on
saying what we think ) "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUy9ePyo6Q The Sounds of Silence Simon & Garfunkel Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again http://www.tamebay.com/2008/06/live-day-one-almost-alive.html Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping http://www.matthewbredel.com/207/ebay-live-chicago-day-1-peeved-powersellers.html And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_iW-krg-wI Within the sound of silence
http://blog.skipmcgrath.com/public/item/207156 In restless dreams I walked alone Narrow streets of cobblestone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXn32LcGPNA 'Neath the halo of a street lamp I turn my collar to the cold and damp http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/comments/2008/6/1213892402.html When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light That split the night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J75WaLKb2pk And touched the sound of silence
http://www.tamebay.com/2008/06/keynote-speech-pictures.html And in the naked light I saw Ten thousand people maybe more http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kIUyb0CeEo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8 People talking without speaking People hearing without listening http://www.tamebay.com/2008/06/live-from-the-live-keynote.html People writing songs that voices never shared No one dared http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieMBe1ZbrI Disturb the sound of silence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHY0r3Sn9rc "Fools," said I, "you do not know Silence like a cancer grows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBX4vRjPHXM Hear my words that I might teach you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cro1Gp5dTVA Take my arms that I might reach you" But my words like silent raindrops fell http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/comments/2008/6/1214065457.html And echoed in the wells of silence
http://pages.ebay.com/ebaylive/ And the people bowed and prayed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6BeMeF5yvs To the neon god they made And the sign flashed out its warning http://www.startupnation.com/blogs/index.php/2008/06/21/ebay-live-somebody-get-me-a-helmet/ In the words that it was forming And the sign said "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s4jMHe4zo0 And tenement halls And whispered in the sound of silence http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/comments/2008/6/1214089217.html
// // //
Footnote
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000722889&tstart=0&mod=1214242018164 eBay Stores Forum EBAY EMPLOYEES: What Do You Do For A Living?
The following was posted on the powersellers board. Just when you think it can't...it gets scarier.
fyatrading (5389 ) View Listings | Report Jun-22-08 14:40 PDT I
just returned from ebay live - lets see if they got the message - but
based on my 1 on 1 with Lorrie Norrington. _ they do not understand why
some of their best power sellers were telling them they have not had a
sale in 30 days - their respone - let us takke a look at your listiing
- not a clue BUT at the opening reception with FREE Pizza there were
no more than 10 people standing in each line where there should have
been thousands-
At the closing Gala featuring Chris Issaks - I
was able to sit at a front row table for 10 by MYSELF - all the tables
around me were occuped by only 1 or 2 people - They had seating for
over 10,000 maybe even 15,000-20,000 and when Chris Isaak was playing
there were only maybe 200 people in the house standing on the dance
floor in a hall that abou 30 big screens so the people way in the back
could see - but there were thousands and thosands of empty chairs
they
had so many tote bags left that every chair at the gala had a tote bag
- you got one at check in and were only supposed to get one - BUT they
had SOOOO many left they also just opened over 30 cases for people to
take what they wanted at the exits - in addition to the 10,000 Plus
that were on each chair - which most were empty
It was like having Chris Isaaks come to your house for a private show - great for me = BUt did ebay get the message
When
you walked into the gala all 800 ebay employees there lined a red
carpet and cheered you in and wanted to high five evryone - sellers
just walked past them and scowled refusing to high five
It was a sight to see - and Lorrie was asking why cant we have fun here - GEE you wonder why they have to ask
But
just Imagine a HUGE hall with tables of 10 for 10,000-20,000 people
with only 200 people in the room when the headliner was performing and
enough empty seats that every person or couple who wanted to could have
a table for them selves EVEN on the FRONT ROW.
// // //
Epilogue
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Dylan Thomas
//
"It means... I don't take shit from no one" Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield), Back to School (1986)
PILLAGER - Sheryl J. Williams, 55, Pillager, passed away on
Wednesday, May 28, 2008. She was born July 29, 1952, in St. Paul to
George and Eula (Weaver) Williams.
Sheryl attended Bethel
College and St. Cloud State University and received a degree in
journalism. She published Precious Insights, a magazine for collectors.
When she stopped publishing her magazine, she went to work for Office Max and later worked for Home Depot.
She
is survived by her mother, Eula Williams, Pillager; her brother, Mark
(Judy) Williams, Brookings, Ore.; also three nieces and one nephew, one
great-niece and two great-nephews; two aunts; and one uncle.
She was preceded in death by her father; and a sister, Marcia.
Services
will be held on Monday, June 2, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. at First Baptist
Church in Pillager with Pastor Robert Osell officiating. Interment will
be in Wildwood Cemetery in Pillager. Friends may call on Sunday from
2-4 p.m. at the Halvorson-Johnson Funeral Home and Cremation Services
in Brainerd and one hour prior to the service at the church in Pillager
on Monday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the memorial fund of the First Baptist Church in Pillager.
Arrangements are with the Halvorson-Johnson Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
Sellers also applaud software programs that help them with listings
and analysis. Ms. Williams, who specializes in items from the porcelain
collection called Precious Moments, said she is a fan of Sellathon, a
piece of software that, among other things, highlights which search
terms bring traffic.
Now when she writes descriptions for the
figurines of shepherds, she knows to include misspellings like
"shepard" and "sheperd" in her descriptions. She can't afford to miss a
potential buyer becaues her entire income is made on eBay; her elderly
mother lives with her and they both rely on it.
Allen Brisson-Smith for The New York Times
PACKAGE TRACKING - Sheryl Williams of Pillager, Minn.,
who sells porcelain figurines on eBay, says she will spend the next
several weeks "in a panic."
Precious Moments DEALER ONLY Angels on cloud - RARE!
Item number:
200221655376
This item has been added to My eBay for Guests. As a guest, you can: Track up to 10 items on this computer in My eBay Receive an email reminder for this item a few hours before it ends
BUT LOVE GOES ON FOREVER
RARE COLLECTORS' CENTER DEALER FIGURINE
click picture to enlarge
click picture to enlarge
This beautiful figurine is much sought after by avid Precious Moments
Collectors. The piece was given to Precious Moments Collectors' Centers
in 1984 as a gift from Enesco for their participation and sales of the
Precious Moments line. The figurine is approximately 9" tall, and came
with a walnut base and glass dome for protection. On each base, there
was an engraved plaque giving the name of the store which received it.
Unfortunately, this gorgeous, mint figurine does not have the dome
and walnut base with it, nor does it have its box. The piece is
immaculate. I have inspected it with a blacklight to see if there have
been any repairs made to it, and there are none - it is clean and
perfect. It will be packaged with the utmost care to arrive to the
winning bidder in excellent shape.
Enesco # E-7350
Title: "But Love Goes On Forever" aka "Dealer's Dome" or "Retailer's Dome"
Marking: Cross (only mark)
Market Status: 1984 GIFT TO RETAILERS - not intended for resale
Size: about 9" high
Description: Angel boy and angel girl seated back-to-back on a huge white cloud
PayPal:I accept all forms of PayPal payments. Please remit payment within 3 days of the end of the auction.
Money Orders, Cashier's Checks and Personal Checks: Payments must be received within 7 business days of the end of the auction.
I
am very happy to combine like items to save money in shipping to you.
If you are purchasing multiple items, PLEASE do NOT pay for them until
you have finished shopping. In that way, I can weigh the items and
combine the shipping for you.
USPS Priority Mail, Insured, with Delivery Confirmation for the
quickest shipping. My goal is to get the treasures you purchase from me
to you quickly!
I ship Monday through Friday and do my best to ship within 48 hours of receipt of PayPal payment.
ALL forms of mail payments will require 7-10 business days to clear the
bank before your items will be shipped. Due to so many fake money
orders, the bank will no longer accept them as cash - there is a hold
on funds until they clear. Your understanding is greatly appreciated!
Insurance is required on all fragile items, optional on other items.
Oh, my goodness - people, what do I do on this one? Last week I sold a
big figurine to a guy for almost $300. I packed it with great care and
shipped it to him, and just got an e-mail from him claiming I sent him
the little version of the figurine, NOT the big one - and I do not and
never had had the little version of it. This is a HUGE loss for me,
obviously he can zip the hell out of my feedback, and what do I do to
prove he didn't get the right thing.
God - I have lived in fear for 10 years that something like this would happen, and now it has, when I can least afford it!
Well, the timing is perfect on the piece, as I shipped it heavily
packed and insured, Priority Mail, from Minnesota to Wisconsin and it
left here on Tuesday. I think I will go check his feedback and see if
he has bought one of the smaller versions - might be a hint right there.
I
don't know how PayPal could deal with the situation, because he says he
has one thing, and I say I shipped another, and nobody was there to
verify from a neutral party on either side, but as the seller,
according to all the new eBay/PayPal rules, I lose this one big-time!
Oh, I love that! I was thinking since it is porcelain, that when the
crap hits the fan, I will tell him that my item is marked with an
invisible code where only I can find it, so when he sends it back, it
had better be covered by insurance, and that it had better have the #
E-xxxx and a correct marking inscribed into the bottom of it.
What
would be too funny is if he sends it without delivery confirmation and
actually sends the real piece back - my luck could NOT be so good!
Yes, you sure better - I am going to go order some as we speak - no more of this crap!
I
just went to Live Help and they suggested me to leave a detailed
message about what I thought was going on to forewarn Trust and Safety,
so I did that. Then I went to PayPal and emptied my account. The backup
credit card I have on there is maxed, so they cannot charge against
that, and it will be awhile anyway. Don't know what this clown is going
to do .. .
just looked at the text of the auction, and when I
listed the size I listed it as "about 9" - good for me - that might tip
the scales in my favor, since his bellyache was that it wasn't as big
as I said it was. The other one which is a dime a dozen sells here if
at all for about $10, and is about 3.5" high - a BIG difference!
I was thinking about being a real poop and telling them that I already
spent the money so cannot give them a refund (That is the truth - had
to cough up $450 for new glasses today, and that paid for part of it!),
so they should break it and claim the insurance on it, since it was
insured!
Wow this really sucks. Your buyer is a power seller and competitor,
also has a guide for the figurines. Probably knows the system and would
not doubt that you will soon be getting the "I don't want to leave you
a negative over this" message.
With
all these new rules and changes, its no longer going to be a win-win
situation for sellers, only for ebay and paypal that get the fees and
give away your hard earned money.
You know, that is precisely what I have always felt - I have met
thousands of PM collectors over the years, and 99.999% of them are good
eggs - never a problem - always good manners and very appreciative. In
fact, the dings I got on my star ratings NONE of them came from PM
buyers - all from jigsaw puzzles.
This
is really a first for me, and I hate the idea of having to mark every
d*mned piece, but it is just protection for me. AND, I am going to try
it when I get it, but I am going to mark one and then take a pic of it
with my blacklight I use to inspect figurines on so it shows, and keep
it in my archives for future reference.
Part of the problem now,
as I see it, is that there are people out there buying PM's with the
intention of turning right around and reselling them. I do that myself
if it is a BIN on something good and the price is right. Most of these
people I've watched, like this one, crash and burn over the years,
because they don't know what the heck they're doing. This will probably
happen to this one, although the sales they are getting seem to be
mostly HUGE size - like 7xl, 6xl clothing, which is hard-to-find. I've
been at this for 30 years, published a hobby magazine about it for 10
years, worked for Greenbook price guide for many, many years, spoke at
events all around the country - I know my stuff, so they're not dealing
with a rookie when they're messing with me. I never intend for that to
be a threat, and so far, after all these years, it hasn't needed to be
. . . until now.
I guess I should be happy that I've enjoyed
this monkeybusiness for 30 years without too many bumps in the road,
but this one took the cake! Half the people don't even read the
descriptions, and now I have one who is nitpicking this one to death,
because she claims the piece is 6" tall and I said "almost 9" - it is
so rare, who on earth would care?
So, I'm gonna take a nap on
it for the night, and then decide what to do about it next - she has
admitted in the current emails which came within the last hour or so
that she did get what I advertised - her only gripe is the size isn't
as big as she wants it. Well, last I checked, porcelain figurines are
not inflatable, or I could fix that in a heartbeat
Well, I decided, since she has said in the last two e-mails that she
has exactly the figurine pictured with exactly the same number on it,
and that her only complaint is that it is not exactly 9" tall, I have
the evidence needed to support me with PayPal and eBay that she got
exactly what she saw.
SO
- I decided enough was enough, and I emailed her and told her to
carefully pack the exact figurine back up in the exact same packaging -
the figurine was wrapped in tissue paper, then put in a big, heavy
clear bag, which was wrapped around it a couple of times with air in
it, then packed inside a box filled with styrofoam peanuts, then inside
yet another box. So we shall see what she (turns out to be, I guess)
says about that. I told her I would refund her when the figurine
arrived back in the exact perfect shape it was depicted in the auction.
I did not offer to reimburse her for shipping and insurance in either
direction, and if she decides to send it back, I will definitely deduct
that from the refund I give her.
Way I figure it, if she was
that darned fussy, she could have asked for exact measurements right
down to the 1/8" - the auction states ask questions, the auction also
stated "about 9" tall" - she has no excuses.
However, it is a
lovely figurine and it doesn't deserve to be in the hands of an idjit,
so better that I get it back and sell it to someone with a brain, who
will appreciate it than to leave it in the clutches of a dingbat!
Good idea - so far, no response, but I will ask the delivery person to
take it back to the po and give me a "hold" slip, and then will go down
there in the afternoon and we will open it in front of the postmaster.
As
luck would have it, the postmaster who we generally have is out on
medical leave, and we all have our fingers crossed that he will never
come back, and the gal who is running the place now is one sharp gal -
she will know exactly what to do with it!
I really appreciate
the advice and input, and I DO like the idea of MO on items over $100 -
great idea! I'm thinking that means that I can still do PayPal for the
smaller items, but just change payment formats on the big-ticket items
and insist on USPS postal money orders ONLY or they will be returned.
Help again - this jerk has now decided after two days of no response,
that she is sending back this item for a refund. I shipped it to her
via Priority Mail insured, and now she wants to return it to me via
UPS. Anyone know if this is against PayPal rules - must be returned in
the same manner in which it is shipped, correct?
I
haven't answered yet on this, but I am VERY upset with this whole
transaction, and I hate the way UPS handles small, fragile packages,
not to mention that it will take ove a week, instead of 2 days, to get
it returned.
I mentioned above that I had sent a message to Trust & Safety
explaining the matter, and it took a couple of days, but they sent me
back a very specific letter and told me amongst other things to file a
fraud case with the USPS, just like someone here mentioned before.
I
just e-mailed her and told her absolutely I would NOT accept anything
but USPS Priority Mail insured as a return, and if it came back any
other way, it would be refused, and there would be no refund.
Thankfully,
all the communications I have had with this one have been through the
eBay e-mail, so they can track each and every bit of this since the
onset.
This is going to drive me nuts before it is all done. I
have to go away for awhile - my John Deere is calling me to race up and
down the yard and mow some lawn!
Yes, it was in the listing. AND the buyer, who now claims she collects
ONLY figurines that are exactly 9" tall (which there is no such thing -
there are very few even close, and 9" is a category, and I did say
approximately 9") so this person if she goes by her very strict
standards, which she NEVER did e-mail and ask for exact measurements,
she doesn't even own any figurines!
I
have had two other PM experts who sell here look at the auction, and
both of them said I couldn't have done a better job of the description
if I had tried, and neither one of them would even offer her a refund,
because there was no excuse - she either had a change of heart when she
got it because of the cost, or she is doing what T&S suspects, and
a lot of other people do, as well - a bait and switch - she may be
planning on sending back the generic version of this piece which is
approximately 3.5" tall in lieu of the one I got.
I have a huge
e-mail with suggestions from T&S about this, and they include
insisting that she ship it back through the post office as it came to
her, having the PO keep it at the office, going down with camera in
hand (and our PO has one, as well) to open the box and take pics of
exactly what comes out of the box. If it truly is a switch, I will
immediately file forms for mail fraud, and have the USPS witnesses to
prove it.
done - and my UPS driver knows us well, so when he stops at the school
on Tuesday, he'll find me waiting, as I live right next door, and I'll
let him know what's up. I did demand that she send it back Priority
Mail insured, just as I sent it, to validate her PayPal transaction,
and told her that T&S had told me to tell her that, but so far, no
response.
I
also thought about it for awhile, and sent another e-mail telling me
that she needs to write down the exact height and dimensions of the
piece, the product number permanently marked on the bottom, and the
mark embossed into it. Also must be done before shipping so I know she
is sending the correct piece - or at least I have it in writing from
her thru eBay!
Well, just came back to my computer to find that this jerk has now
filed with PayPal an "item not as advertised" and has not answered the
last of my e-mails.
In
addition, I had transferred money out of my account today, but they
froze the transfer - it isn't a large amount of money, and will hardly
cover the $277 plus shipping/insurance fees, but nevertheless, even
with my 100% feedback and 10+ years on eBay, here we go - so much for
them telling the truth on freezing your PayPal account.
The
interesting thing regarding my PayPal accounts are that the credit
cards attached to it have very low minimums, and thanks to a few NPB's
from the last couple of weeks, are actually maxed out, including my
default card, so unless somehow they can deduct the money from my
checking account, I think I am safe until this gets to me from PayPal.
Then I am going to forward all of the messages I have received from
this creep, including the two that have gone unanswered, and I will
pursue the Mail Fraud to the hilt, because now I know for sure this one
is absolutely up to no good! If gas weren't so expensive, I would call
the cops in Wisconsin and drive over there and show up on the doorstep
and have them get the figurine back for me.
I really and truly
believe this will be the end of me and eBay - they don't do one damned
thing to stand behind the sellers, and you know my 100% feedback is
going to be trashed, if she hasn't done it already, and I am probably
going to lose $300 in the process.
I need this like I need
another hole in my head (but then, maybe I had one too many for even
thinking I could sell on eBay and have things go properly these days!).
Additonal note - I had twelve auctions running which were supposed to
end tomorrow night, all with PayPal as an option. I just went to PayPal
to read her complaint, and she is insisting that she ship it back UPS
and I refused in my comment. She will now probably escalate it to a
full-scale war, which is fine with me.
Meanwhile,
there is a $297 and change freeze on my PayPal account - therefore the
reason I cancelled all of my auctions for this weekend. There is no way
in H*LL that they are going to get their hands on any of my money until
this crook is found out!
I tell ya what, folks - you people can have this place - it is for the birds!
The customer will have to return something to you to get that refund. At the moment paypal just has it on hold.
and she is insisting that she ship it back UPS and I refused in my comment.
She
can ship in back any way she wants, she is paying for it. Paypal will
accept a UPS tracking number. Also if you refuse it you May well lose
the item & the cash. So Don't refuse it.
There is no way in H*LL that they are going to get their hands on any of my money until this crook is found out!
It sounds like a petty Snad complaint, I don't see how that makes the buyer a crook.
It's all part of doing business online occasional buyers remorse, damages & Snad complaints. _____________________________________
In a democracy it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your Count that votes.
Well, the way I figure it, PayPal cannot get any money out of me. The
credit card I have on file is maxed, and has a very, very low line of
credit. They already tried to do a chargeback against it, and it was
rejected. I have no more incoming payments, so they have "captured" the
$42 and change in my account as of yesterday, and it is no problem at
all to keep that little card charged to the max.
I
do not have to use PayPal, and I will not use it again until this
situation clears in my behalf. And if it doesn't, PayPal and I are just
plain done. I have had to file on items before where I didn't get it,
but PayPal cannot recover the money, and this might just happen again.
The
really stupid thing about this is that someone posted a note the other
day here how to generate a return shipping label and give the customer
the link so they can print it, attach it to the package and mail it. I
would have been more than happy to pay for USPS return postage and
insurance if she hadn't filed the PayPal against me, but now my PayPal
account is locked up, so I can no longer do that.
Also -
interesting thought chopsueysisters - buys and sells on the same
account, so I could become a buyer, then not be able to pay because my
PayPal account is locked up, so they will have to wait for their claim
to clear before I can pay. Granted, I don't want their junk, it is just
wasting more of my money, but the thought has crossed my mind!
I
actually went ahead and escalated this claim to PayPal myself
yesterday, as it seems that this person has disappeared into the
woodwork. I don't want this to drag out any longer than possible, and a
day or two days of not getting my figurine back is too many.
I
explained in some of the information on the PayPal file that this piece
is hard-to-find and very fragile, and I am not happy with the idea of
shipping UPS, because UPS tells you point-blank that your package had
better be done so well that it can withstand dropping from one conveyor
belt to another, and also must be strong enough to withstand crushing
when they drop a 70-pound package on top of it. With my dumb luck, that
is exactly what will happen - and even if they insure it when they ship
it, and it ends up broken - then we have another problem in the mix -
have to claim insurance and get repaid (is this the responsibility then
of the shipper? or do I get stuck with that PIA, also?)
I
provided scans of two books stating that the piece I shipped was 9". I
also provided the fact that this is the 2nd one I have sold, the other
being about a month ago, and this buyer had bid and not won the first
one, bid and won the 2nd one - multiple bids on both auctions, and
never once contacted me to verify that there might not be a typo in the
information.
I have not yet done it, but will do it today,
forward all of the e-mails prior to the filing of the claim with
PayPal, because in one of these messages, this buyer admits she has no
idea that there are books of information out there about Precious
Moments - he/she comes right out and says they are clueless about what
they are dealing with and what they are trying to collect.
As
for returning the money, I had already agreed to take it back and
refund the money before the complaint was filed, so other than the fact
that I was insisting on a USPS return, I cannot figure why they filed
the complaint. Up until that point, things were basically pretty
civilized.
I noted in my PayPal info that if he/she had not
filed the complaint with PayPal and locked up my account, I would have
provided a return shipping label with insurance so they could simply
have resealed the package, put the new label on it and shipped it back
at my expense. However, because my PayPal account is now frozen, I can
no longer do that, as far as I know. I don't think you can do that by
going directly to USPS and generating the label. There is another
thread here where someone posted how to send them the link to print the
label without letting them get any of your information, which was what
I was intending to do before the complaint was filed. So, this is noted
in my PayPal documentation.
My big issue is the fact that this
person refuses to tell me what they got - I have asked now four times
for the product number and the marking on the bottom of the piece, and
what they believe the size to be. I'm not sure how PayPal is going to
look at that, but it sure looks suspicious to me - that plus the fact
that they refuse to ship it back USPS. I do not have the smaller
version of the figurine, so there is no possible way I could have sent
them that piece. In addition, although they claim they don't collect
and don't know a thing about the small pieces in the collection, they
actually buy and sell on the same account, and right now they have a
very small piece from the Noah's Ark collection up for sale for nearly
$100 on a BIN.
There is a skunk in the woodpile here someplace,
and the bottom line here is a double-whammy, because I am convinced
that I am not only going to lose a very valuable figurine (in the price
guides at $750, although, as always, a lot less in eBay-land), but that
in addition, I will also lose the almost $300 that I was paid for the
item.
And, to comment about the credit card thing once again, it
is a little-known secret, but you can have your credit cards set so
that they will reject any and all charges over what your line of credit
is - and I have all of mine set that way. I try to be careful and not
run mine over, but every now and again I'd goof, and those over-limit
fees are a killer, so I have had all of mine fixed. PayPal has already
attempted to charge the card to get their money back, because there was
only about $43 in my account at the time the chargeback was filed, and
it failed. So my account is in a negative balance. As far as them
whupping my credit rating, it is in the tank anyway, so that is just a
good chuckle for the day!
Hope I covered everything - and as
someone mentioned 'way back in this thread, when I sell again on eBay,
from now on it will be USPS money orders only, or forget it. No more of
these people dinging around in my accounts. It will probably slow my
sales - what sales there are - but that's the way the old cookie
crumbles. eBay does not want us here any more, it is plain to see.
Funny
thing - had a nice chat with a gal at PayPal regarding this issue, and
she was absolutely floored that I cannot leave anything but a positive
feedback for this negative buyer! I imagine the people at PayPal really
don't have a clue what crap eBay is really up to, but she seemed
genuinely shocked that eBay would disadvantage their sellers, who pay
the bills (my words, not hers) over the buyers!
Well, as far as calling him/her - I still don't know, as they never
signed anything they ever sent - I am just not going to do it - even if
I do get the figurine back that I sent, which I am still in serious
doubt, it cost me ALL of the listing fees on eBay for every auction I
cancelled, which was a lot and over $50, then I lose all the eBay fees
because it was a high-ticket item and listing and FVF are not
recoverable when the item is returned. Then, of course, if I've got the
guts to do it, I have to once again list it and try to sell it, and it
will be awhile before I do that, because if you sell things that are
unusual like this, and people watch your listings, they get suspicious
that you really didn't sell it the first time, and they start to wonder
what you are up to. So there will have to be a waiting period before I
would even be able to relist it.
I
think, however, that I will pull the contact information, because the
few times I've ever done that, it is rather amazing how quickly people
respond when they know you know where they are, including the phone
number. So may try that as a scare tactic.
As far as not
accepting the package, however it might come back, I told him/her I
would refuse if it came UPS, but since I know my driver, I will talk to
him and have him make sure he sees the nose on my face on any package
he may deliver here.
Yes, I think it would be real nice if
this person would send back what I sent them, but they are playing it a
little too weird here for me to believe that is what they are up to.
As
an interesting aside to this, I have one of these figurines left - it
is piece signed for me by Sam Butcher himself, and I have had it stored
downstairs with the bulk of my collection for quite awhile. Not to be
whining, but I am handicapped to the point where climbing stairs is
next to impossible for me, but this morning, I managed to make my way
down those 13 stairs, very carefully, rescued this matching figurine,
and brought it upstairs to measure and see how far off my
"approximately 9" guestimate was. And they were right - I should not
have used what it said in the book, because I believe the number there
included the extra height for the dome and the base which it sits on -
it is probably more like 6 1/2" high. However, for them to not bother
to tell me what the size is after I asked that many times doesn't
strike me as acceptable, either. So yes, I goofed, I already said I
would take the thing back . . .
and so I have learned another
thing from eBay auctions - from now on, I won't list any approximate
height on the auction. It's obvious the books are wrong on this, I
haven't got time to approximately measure each of the 2000 pieces I
still have to sell, so I will just wait to see if there are any
questions about size and answer them as they arrive.
Thanks, tired-and-retired for all of that information. Will give me
some reading to do, but glad that you and Lisa corrected me on the
refund from PayPal - that is good news.
I
did pull the buyer contact information this afternoon, hoping that it
would motivate them into getting moving on this whole thing, but I
figure they are either gone or ignoring me at this point.
As far
as fixing my PayPal account, there frankly is NOTHING I can do about it
at this point, so it is going to have to sit until my disability check
arrives on the 3rd. I would hope if PayPal is going to have a hissy fit
about it, they would at least pick up the phone and call. I have had
reason this time, and one other time a month or two ago to actually
speak to people at PayPal, and frankly, they have both been very
helpful in each situation. I'm hoping their customer service extends to
situations like this, as well - and of course, because there is a
dispute with this, they certainly have plenty of information to read
regarding what has happened.
I have not gone back to e-mail them
again to tell them what the exact size of the piece is, because I
believe that PayPal, because they are claiming "item not as described,"
yet have provided no information other than that as to their thinking,
PayPal is probably at least going to try and find out what their beef
is - because they haven't given any reason for this at all.
Anyway
- one way or another, they will get their money back if I get a box
from them - and if it comes empty or otherwise, not a darned thing I
can do. If there is any truth to what people say about filing mail
fraud claims and that they won't even look at anything for less than
$10,000, I can kiss my fanny goodbye on the whole thing.
The
only thing I can do is hope and pray that they send the piece back that
I sent to them, and that it arrives in one piece as I sent it out.
No automatic withdrawal from eBay for their fees, besides which I don't
owe 'em any money at this point. I do have a negative balance on my
PayPal account.
I
think maybe this whole thing might be educational for someone besides
me. First of all, as I've mentioned a couple of times, my credit card
cannot be charged, because they have already tried it and it was
refused. I have it set up with the company - refuse even 1 cent over
limit, because I don't want to pay their overlimit fees.
The
interesting wrinkle for today is that I had about 8 packages to ship,
and I always go through PayPal to ship the items so I can get a packing
slip to print and write a thank-you note on - that sort of thing.
Went
to do the first label this morning, and got a message from PayPal that
my account was in a negative balance, so not only would they charge the
postage fees, but the rest of the balance, as well.
It took a
bit longer, but I have had an account set up with USPS online forever
and a week, so I just moseyed on over there and did my postage for my
packages, and that was the end of that. I printed out the page from
eBay to send with instead of the normal PayPal packing slip, and all of
my items, because they are Priority Mail, get automatic delivery
confirmation on them. So, other than the fact that it took a little
longer, the packages are done and ready to be picked up by my mailman
bright and early tomorrow morning!
Here's something I'm curious about, for those of you who have dealt
with messes like this before. I have just now found out, because I
actually sorted out the feedback and looked at the items recently
purchased and sold very carefully, that this seller told me a very
blatant lie - in a statement they sent through eBay, so therefore I
have copies in my file, they told me that they ONLY collect 9" pieces.
When I looked at their purchasing feedback, they have just recently
purchased several figurines which are not anything close to 9" tall -
an out and out lie.
Then,
when I look at their sales, they also are selling items which are in
the line which are even smaller than the ones they just purchased.
Now my question about this is - how much of this is worth my time to report to PayPal, if any?
I
did report today that as recommended, I had obtained the buyer's phone
number and had called several times without receiving an answer,
although I know they were home and/or at their computer, because they
listed a couple of items, and when I saw the listings go up, I called -
again with no answer. They also have not answered my very polite e-mail
asking the status of the figurine, and if they had shipped it today as
they had originally promised, and although I can see they are bidding
on things and are not too far from their computer, they have not
responded to my e-mails, either.
I might have bought into the 9"
stuff until I took the time to look at what they have been buying, but
no more. I think it will take divine intervention for me to get my
original figurine back - it is very, very depressing! I even ate
chocolate today and blew my diet because it was so bad, and I had a
wild cherry freezie from SA, as well and I'm having Subway for supper -
with all the trimmings, and to h with Atkins, I'm gonna eat the bread,
as well! Pfffftttttt!
Suzi, I didn't want to say anything about that, but I"m going to say it
anyway because I've been thinking about it all day long. I believe that
her trouble with paypal and that recent problem ebay transaction with
the figurine did play a role in her death. How much of a role, we will
never know.
Sheryl
was the perfect seller, look at her feedback! I think the recent
changes and the stress of what paypal did just was too much for her
heart to handle. She was so stressed out, we all read it in her posts
here. And, all of it was not necessary, thats the worst part of all
because she did nothing wrong!!!!!!!!!!
But, I believe that if she hadn't been so stressed out about this ebay and paypal stuff she might be alive today.
Let
this be a warning to all of us. When we are getting too stressed out
due to ebay or paypal, then it's time to leave. It's not worth risking
your life over.
By Event Horizon 1 May 2008 Edition Revision: 2 May 2008 12:21 HST
This is a short follow up to our previous articles about the faux sdc_prod listings.
The eBay Shopping.com Affair 15 March 2008 http://eventhorizon1984.typepad.com/event_horizon_1984_blog/2008/03/internet-transa.html
From eBay Seller Central - Ebay is padding their listings 1 March 2008 http://eventhorizon1984.typepad.com/event_horizon_1984_blog/2008/02/from-ebay-sel-1.html
Our research indicates between 161 thousand and half-a-million faux listings were posted on eBay, by eBay, that Leap day weekend.
eBay's official statement regarding the faux listings of 29 February 2008: "Some
Shopping.com listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past
two days. This system issue has been resolved. We apologize for any
confusion or inconvenience this may have caused." eBay, 2 March 2008
Apology accepted, BUT sorry eBay. Those listings appear to be making a comeback.
Or never left, since we've been receiving regular "eBay Item Ending" emails for all sdc_prod* listings we put on a watch list.
Since March 2008.
1 May 2008
There are 10,001 fake listings for seller sdc_prod_9074_35 http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewListedItems&userid=sdc_prod_9074_35&sort=3&page=40&rows=50&since=30&rdir=0
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There are 754 fake listings for seller sdc_prod_9391_43 http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewListedItems&include=0&since=-1&rdir=0&rows=25&userid=sdc_prod_9391_43
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There are 10,001 fake listings for seller sdc_prod_442675_57 http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewListedItems&include=0&since=-1&rdir=0&rows=25&userid=sdc_prod_442675_57
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There are 10,001 fake listings for seller sdc_prod_90076 http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewListedItems&userid=sdc_prod_90076&sort=3&page=1&rows=25&since=-1&rdir=0
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Apparently if one uses a non-eBay expected method to obtain a product list, you'll see the faux listings.
And do keep in mind that this method used to print out products has a limit of, you guessed it, 10001. It is highly probably that the sellers showing "10001" have more than ten-thousand-one items.
For perspective, here are the fake listing counts taken during the Leap Day 'test, accident, glitch'.
21,481 - sdc_prod_9074_35
11,102 - sdc_prod_9391_43
4,702 - sdc_prod_442675_57
unknown - sdc_prod_90076
There are three interesting points about all this.
These products are hidden in a standard search. But show up as valid listings using different methods.
The number of listings or count is obtainable, and presumably ends up in various auction count tallies. By inference, listing counts eBay included in their report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Has anyone given any thought to how much each faux listing adds to eBay's GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) total? Ten's of millions of dollars? Hundred's of millions of dollars? Enough to show a significant quarter to quarter increase?
Final questions. Are there more of these? And how long before eBay hides them even better?
Here's a list of the sellers reported to have faux February 29th listings.
sdc_prod_301013_74 The Twister Group
sdc_prod_305839_99 BargainBasementBatteries
sdc_prod_310426 ANTOnline
sdc_prod_409455_97 Sababa Shopping
sdc_prod_434012 SpectrumSuperStore
sdc_prod_442675_57 Boyne & Kelly L.L.C.
sdc_prod_9021_2 Buy.com
sdc_prod_9055 Focus Camera
sdc_prod_9074_35 pcRUSH.com
sdc_prod_9074_47 pcRUSH.com
sdc_prod_9090 CompSource Inc.
sdc_prod_9124_14 TheNerds, Inc.
sdc_prod_9352_67 Digital Foto Club
sdc_prod_9391_43 Adorama
sdc_prod_9452 eTronics, Inc.
sdc_prod_90076 OnlineSports, Inc.
Have fun looking.
But be quick, because eBay or that nasty eBay Glitch will hide them again.
The eBay Shopping.com Affair aka "The eBay Leap Day Auction Count Affair" aka "The eBay SDC_PROD Affair"
By Event Horizon Ides of March Edition, 15 March 2008 Revision: 2 April 2008 00:01 HST
"It's always difficult to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. And
wherever you run into it, prejudice always obscures the truth. I don't really
know what the truth is. I don't suppose anybody will ever really know."
Juror #8, Twelve Angry Men (1957)
The Leap Day weekend brought with it an extra day of buy and selling on eBay. It
also ushered in an
interesting event. A number of listings from Shopping.com, an eBay company, ended up on eBay.com. Counted in the hundreds of thousands
these product listings were viewable on eBay.com, but not buyable.
This was an event that had ample room for opinions. Aside from the
fact that the average eBay buyer could not buy these products, there was the question
of did these listings affect the auction counts? An important question as eBay
provides those listing counts in their many
reports to the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Opinions ranged from an eBay Forum poster describing the event as "Ebay is padding their listings",
to Randy Smythe ofMy Blog Utopia!stating "this padding of listings is a non-starter."
All this would definitely pique the curiosity of anyone interested in eBay. For about 5 seconds. Because all the relevant data is spread across Google, or deleted, archived, horded, and just plain not in one place for quick perusal. End 5 seconds.
We're going to attempt to put a smidgen of all that happened in this article. And over time expand the article slightly to accommodate new found pieces.
Before we begin, changing the subject slightly, you're wondering why the style of the title sounds oddly familiar? We were inspired by eBay, with their one mini-smidgen contribution.
"Agent Sent Message", ebay Customer Service, 1 March 2008
Prologue.
Internet transations are perishable and human memories short.
"people simply remember a version of events which makes as much sense as they
require it to make" Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987)
This article should not be considered a complete rendering of the Leap Day
(2/29/2008) weekend events or a tome with all the available data. It is meant to
give a relatively quick overview of the situation, and provide leads for those who wish to pursue more in depth study.
I. How many listings were involved?
"It was an accident" Captain James Kirk "You seem to have a lot of them." Captain John Christopher Star Trek, Tomorrow Is Yesterday (26 January 1967)
Do Listing Counts Matter?
Let's start with the simple matter of, does it matter at all? The answer is,
Yes.
Listing counts are important to eBay, as the figures are reported to the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
In the "Unaudited eBay Marketplaces Supplemental Operating Data" section
is "Number of New Listings (2)" with the definition "(2) Listings on eBay
Marketplaces trading platforms during the quarter, regardless of whether the
listing subsequently closed successfully."
Listing counts are important to eBay, as they are mentioned in the report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Reference the "29-Feb-2008" "Form 10-K for EBAY INC" "Annual
Report".
In the "Key Operating Metrics and Financial Information" section (emphasis ours) eBay states , "Members of our senior management team regularly review
key operating metrics such as active users, listings".
Further, "These financial measures allow us to monitor the profitability
of our business and to evaluate the effectiveness of investments that we have
made (and continue to make) in the areas of marketing, product development, international expansion, customer support and site operations. We believe that an understanding of these key operating and financial measures and how they
change over time is important to investors, analysts and other parties analyzing our business results and future market opportunities."
In the "Financial Summary" section (emphasis ours) eBay
states, "we face challenges in the U.S., U.K. and Germany, which are our three
largest markets, as growth of listings, active users and GMV on
the eBay.com platform in those countries has slowed."
In the "Results of Operations" section eBay has the metric "Number of
listings (3)" with the definition of the metric being "(3) Listings on eBay Marketplaces trading platforms during the period, regardless of whether the
listing subsequently closed successfully."
The fact that eBay has the subject of "listings" in their official reports, belies pundits claims that the listing counts are of no concern.
Those who proffer the specious argument that the amounts involved are small and therefore inconsequential, must not deal often in large real world real time computer systems.
Let's propose the scenario that someone or some group accidentally dumps a quarter million to a half million database TEST records into a PRODUCTION system. This same person or group then tells people in authority nonsense such as 'it's 35 thousand Usher'.
This is what those people would hear in the real world:
"You're Fired!", Donald Trump
eBay's official position on the number of listings.
eBay - Listings erroneously placed on eBay.com: 35,000
"An eBay spokesman told PC Magazine at the time that 5,000 shopping.com
listings were erroneously placed on ebay.com. After sellers expressed doubt
about that number in the comments section, eBay was asked to again confirm that
it was indeed 5,000. The same spokesman responded Friday that he had originally
told
PC Magazine that eBay pulled 35,000 listings, but a review of the
interview confirmed that he said 5,000." PC Magazine, 10 March 2008
4 March 2008 - "5,000 shopping.com
listings were erroneously placed on ebay.com"
7 March 2008 - "eBay pulled 35,000 listings"
10 March 200 - "a review of the interview confirmed that he said 5,000"
Usher Lieberman is eBay's Spokesman, and is not an integral part of eBay's
programming departments. He reports to the press what he's told. In the
matter of contradictory statements or "false and misleading statements to the press" [SEC], the original source of the "5,000" and
"35,000" counts should be investigated.
Our research regarding the listing counts during the February 29th
Leap Day weekend.
Total Listings, Hard Count:
161,358 to 192,966 (161,358 + 31,608) to 241,368 (161,358 + 80,000)
Total Listings, Soft Count:
271,280 to 302,888 (271,280 + 31,608) to 351,280 (271,280 + 80,000)
Estimated Listings Count: 500,000 (rounded)
Total Listings Hard Count Methodology.
The "Hard Count" represents the total number of auction listings confirmed by screen shots, archives,
and reported by AuctionBytes. In theory the Hard Count should equal or be close to the Soft Count. But in practice it is not an easy task to collect hard evidence, from multiple witnesses, after the fact.
The 31,608 figure derives from the
AuctionBytes observation that "indicated the seller had over
80,000 listings on eBay.com."
AuctionBytes does not reveal the identity of that seller. Making it
possible that the seller with "80,000" items is part of the list of
observed sellers. The 31,608 figure is derived from taking "80,000"
and subtracting the largest listing count reported, which is 48,392. In
this way listing counts are not added in twice.
In other words, if the seller with item count of "48,392" (part of
the observed list of sellers) actually has "80,000" items, the total
should be 161,358 + 31,608. The 31,608 being the uncounted part of the
"80,000" (80,000 - 48,392). The 31,608 can increase to a maximum of
80,000, depending on who the seller is or is not.
For instance in the case of this seller not being on the reported
list of 14 sellers, the soft count would be 161,358 plus
80,000 or 241,368.
There is also the case of the count from AuctionBytes being completely wrong; 0 items.
The Hard Count ranges from a minimum of 161,358 items, to a maximum of 241,368 items.
Total Listings Soft Count Methodology.
The "Soft Count" represents the total number of auction listings
reported, but not necessarily verified by screen captures, etc.. The
figure of 271,280 is the lower limit of those reported observations.
As in the Hard Count, the 31,608 figure derives from the AuctionBytes
observation that "indicated the seller had over
80,000 listings on eBay.com."
The observed Soft Count ranges from a minimum of 271,280 items, to a maximum of 351,280
items.
Estimated Listing Count Methodology.
Using the Medved "EBay Auction Counts: February
24, 2008 to March 1, 2008" chart, an estimate can be made as to the
number of listings removed.
Logically we're looking for an increase and subsequent rapid decrease of at
least 161,358 (Hard Count) listings and up to 351,280 (Soft Count), during the
weekend time frame.
As it turns out there is just such an occurrence. There is an auction count
spike in the auction count beginning at about the "2/29" (09:00 PM PST, Midnight
EST) line and ending at about the "3/2" (09:00 PM PST, Midnight EST) line. From
a graphing standpoint this increase conveniently begins after a
relatively flat period of auction listings.
That would be approximately 13,900,000 (peak) - 13,400,000 (base) = 500,000 listings
13,393,000 28-FEB-2008 04:30 AM PST, 07:30 AM EST. Initial low point;
base.
13,910,000 29-FEB-2008 10:00 AM PST, 01:00 PM EST. Peak
13,454,000 01-MAR-2008 07:00 PM PST, 10:00 PM EST. Lowest point of the
day.
Using
Randy Smythe's 13.5 million average daily auction listings as a measure, the
half-a-million auction
listings represents 3.7% of the daily total. A significant amount as
far as the report by eBay's Accountants to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
is concerned.
Is There More?
The question arises, were there more "test" listings. Our answer is, you are free to ponder this question.
But think about this. eBay held a
listing special beginning on March
1st. Historically auction counts rise during a listing special. Typically a
million or more. How
many listings would have to be removed to not only negate the expected
listing count increase, but cause the count to fall?
And ponder this too. As a matter of good business, eBay does put
back listings removed in error. Such an increase due to putting back
deleted listings would show up much later on Medved ("EBay Auction
Counts: March 2, 2008 to March 8, 2008"). Abet buried in subsequent listing
specials and promotions.
eBay's 2008 Q1 (1st Quarter, January 01 to March 31) report to the U.S.
Security and Exchange Commission should be interesting.
II. SDC_PROD Seller List and Counts
"The world isn't run by weapons anymore, or energy, or money. It's run
by little ones and zeroes, little bits of data. It's all just
electrons." Cosmo, Sneakers (1992)
We believe that none of the Shopping.com sellers were aware their items were
being transferred to eBay.com. As stipulated by eBay, "Shopping.com
listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com". It would be an
interesting exercise to find out if the involved Shopping.com sellers were
billed eBay.com listing fees at the time, and then credited afterwards.
SDC_PROD Seller List
This is a list of the fourteen (14) "sdc_prod" (shopping
dot com) seller accounts that were located and reported, 29 February to 1 March 2008. Plus additional sdc_prod sellers that were located post event.
This list contains:
A brief description of the seller.
A link to the seller's eBay.com Feedback page.
A link to the current number of items by the sdc_prod seller.
A link to search Google for the specific sellers.
That link can help you perform a search of the Google archives for sdc_prod related
material. Use the "repeat the search with the omitted results included" option to maximize the available data.
On
Google links to eBay.com or ebay.auction.co.kr use the "Cached" link to obtain the archived data.
Because this issue involves eBay.com, ignore eBay Express references.
And be quick
because the Google archive cache data is dynamic; changing from day to day.
The "reported listing count" of items by sdc_prod name seller on eBay.com.
As reported 29 February to 1 March 2008.
And where available.
Links to screen captures of these auction counts. Where available.
The total count from the screen captures, 161,358, is evidence that eBay Spokesman Usher Lieberman made a number of "false and misleading statements to the press" when he said on multiple occasions that "5,000 listings" or "35,000 listings" were involved.
Time permitting, this section will be updated.
* sdc_prod_301013_74 Shopping.com seller The Twister Group Member since Oct-18-06 in Illinois, United States
"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity."
Robert Heinlein, Time Enough For Love (1973)
There are two basic explanations.
eBay deliberately elevated auction counts, in effect producing
"materially false and misleading statements" to improve their stock
price. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission violation. A simple plan based on
the simple but stupid premise that 'no one will find this.' Orange
jumpsuits all around.
Human (Computer) Error. A cadre of programmers are allowed to run large scale tests on a live system. And goofed.
We had planned to explore and write about each possibility, but we'll leave
that for another time.
IV. "THIS IS NOT AN EBAY LISTING"
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George
Santayana, The Life of Reason (1905)
Event Timeframe
Like many incidents, there are events that lead up to it, follow it, are
associated with it, or
simply happen in the same time frame.
Ebay Inc's (NASDAQ:EBAY) listing numbers have demonstrated dramatic volatility during the 'Vladuz' security scare. Some Ebay users have suggested that the millions of fraudulent listings are significantly inflating Ebay's listing numbers.
In response, an Ebay spokesperson claims: "there just isn't enough information there to tie the swings in listings that they show to any one cause". They declined to comment as to the number of accounts that may have been compromised.
It is also suggested that Medved's calculations for Ebay's total of listing numbers are overestimated too. As the Ebay spokesperson confirms, the Medved statistics used to quantify Ebay's listing numbers "far exceed our real activity in this area".
"The
bug was related to the gallery feature that allows users to place a
small photo of their item on the initial search returns page, a
spokesman said. EBay traditionally charged 35 cents to include a
gallery photo, but as part of the policy changes that went into effect
February 20, they are now free of charge. However, "the code
actually rolled out three hours late, so there were a certain number of
listings ... that didn't get gallery free"
Usher Lieberman eBay Spokesman to PC Magazine, 4 March 2008
It is unclear from the
PC Magazine article, if the "bug" was implemented on
February 20th, the day of the "policy changes", or on February 29th.
When I search ebay or via google for test listings I only find a few hundred yet total ebay listings are now running at or above Feb 12th numbers of 12.4 m (before 20 cent listings and boycott) so I fail to see the importance of test listings in inflating numbers.
28 February 2008
04:30 PM PST, 7:30 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time)
eBay Auction count at lowest point of the day; 13,393,000 items.
Coincidentally, or not, at about the time many of eBay's employees head for home, the auction count begins to rise. Did some programmer turn something on, and leave for the day, intending to check on the code's progress the following morning?
Auction count rises to 13,405,000 by 07:30 PST, 10:30 EST.
"eBay is running a marketing campaign to encourage buyers to shop on its site by offering them coupons. One buyer sent
AuctionBytes a
coupon he had received (pictured) that offered $5 toward shipping on any one item. Part of the terms and conditions follows:
This Offer is valid only when you pay with, and seller accepts, PayPal. This Offer is intended for the recipient whose eBay User ID is printed on the Offer and purchase must be made on eBay.com with that eBay User ID. This Offer is not transferable.
This Offer is for one-time use. It may only be redeemed on the total shipping cost of an item or items on one purchase from a single seller, using a single method of shipping and single currency, in a single transaction. This Offer expires February 28, 2008 at 11:59:59 PM (PST)." AuctionBytes, Wed Feb 27 2008 18:04:36
The above statement is in response to the earlier part
of the thread:
ExcludeSellers Issue
Posted: Jan 10, 2008 11:40 AM
Is there a limit on the number of Excluded Sellers that can be specified in a
GetSearchResults call? I have several excluded sellers that keep returning
search results. I have checked the XML for the call, and it looks correct.
Also, is it a problem if entries are duplicated? (I will be correcting this in
any event.)
Re: ExcludeSellers Issue
Posted: Jan 10, 2008 12:12 PM
After further research, it looks like there is a limit of 100 excluded sellers.
Can this limit be raised? stsi.com
Re: ExcludeSellers Issue Feb 29, 2008 4:27 AM
"Also, is it possible to use wildcards for excluded sellers? For example, I'd like to exclude the various iterations of sdc_prod_*, instead of having to type in all the numbers that this seller uses...."
stsi.com
. 29 February 2008 10:00 AM PST, 01:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Medved
"EBay Auction Counts" reaches maximum for the day of approximately
13,900,000 items. The previous low count was 13,393,000 items on February 28th at 04:30 PM PST,
7:30 EST. An increase of about half-a-million listings in 16.5 hours.
Coincidentally, or not, during the time many of eBay's employees show up at work, the auction count abruptly stops rising.
One scenario:
07:00AM (10:00AM EST) - Programmers apply brakes to sdc_prod application.
08:30AM (11:30AM EST) - Or so they thought, sdc_prod application continues to add listings.
A case could be made that by 10AM eBay applied working corrective action on the sdc_prod listing problem. Because at this point the auction count drops.
. 29 February 2008 01:00 PM PST, 04:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Medved "EBay Auction Counts" drops slightly approximately 13,875,000 items,
from 13,900,000 items. Last count of the February 29th chart.
.
29 February 2008
Regarding the events of "Friday night" 29 February 2008.
eBay's statements:
1)
"a "bug" in its system had
accidentally placed listings from eBay-owned shopping.com onto eBay.com late
Friday night."
However,
"the code actually rolled out three hours late, so there were a certain
number of listings ... that didn't get gallery free, so we were going
back and fixing that" on Friday, the spokesman said. "What happened
was, when we wrote the code to implement that fix in the database
table, there was a string that was left on there that populated and
sent shopping.com listings onto ebay.com that it shouldn't have."
Approximately 5,000 listings were pulled from shopping.com, but they have since
been removed, according to eBay."
PC Magazine, 4 March 2008
2)
"eBay
spokesperson Usher Lieberman initially told AuctionBytes they appeared
due to a test, but on Monday, said he was incorrect and that the
listings were the result of a glitch.
On Tuesday, Lieberman explained the nature of the glitch. Programmers
rolled out code on Friday evening that was meant to credit certain
listings that were eligible for free Gallery. The credit was due to
them because eBay had promised sellers Gallery would be free for
listings started at a certain time of day, and the code had been rolled
out 3 hours past the deadline.
Lieberman said the programmers inadvertently caused the Shopping.com
listings to appear on eBay.com when it created and launched the script
to credit the sellers' accounts for Gallery fees.
Lieberman said fewer than 35,000 listings were affected by the glitch." AuctionBytes, 5 March 2008
3)
"An eBay spokesman told PC Magazine at the time that 5,000 shopping.com
listings were erroneously placed on ebay.com. After sellers expressed doubt
about that number in the comments section, eBay was asked to again confirm that
it was indeed 5,000. The same spokesman responded Friday that he had originally
told
PC Magazine that eBay pulled 35,000 listings, but a review of the
interview confirmed that he said 5,000." PC Magazine, 10 March 2008
4) "Editor's Note: The eBay spokesman confirmed Monday that
the number of postings pulled from shopping.com was indeed 35,000." PC Magazine, 10 March
2008
. 29 February 2008 06:41 PM PST
First responders to Shopping.com listing anomaly.
By this time, the Medved "EBay Auction Counts" are somewhere between 13,875,000 listings (29 February 2008 01:00 PM PST) and 13,502,000 listings (1 March 2008 08:30 AM PST). "Between" as the Medved chart is blank between those times.
A possible scenario would be that eBay has been deleting listings since 10:00 AM; at least 8 hours. Or we should say an eBay application has been deleting sdc_prod listings.
eBay's March 1st Listing Special begins in 5 hours 19 minutes.
Sounds more like a conspiracy to me. 30 of these kinds of ID's with 35K listings is 1M items. Imagine the kind of volume drop you can hide with 30, 60 or 90 or whatever number of these IDs.
cmiprch (1732 ) Feb-29-08 21:19 PST 48 of 418
So "sdc" = shopping dot com?
Nice listings boost if eBay injected everything on shopping.com
I have been collecting all ebay's padded listings and forwarding them to the FTC so they will investigate them. Everything you can do will help.They should not get away with the crap they are doing.Im going to do my best to make sure they dont.
windorphin (31 ) Feb-29-08 21:40 PST 4 of 273
Don't waste your time. They aren't fake listings. They are your replacements. They're bringing in the big guns now. Huge retailers to compete with.
you would think they would at least use different user names. SDC_prod....I guess that is easier to keep up with. SDC = shopping dot com.....brilliant. haaaaa
I think the API developer angle is probably where the answer lies. Someone is clearly testing auction formats and listings, and these are not meant to be bid on.
.
29 February 2008 10:31:50 PM PST, 12:31:50 CST &1:31:50
AM 1 March EST
12:31:50 AM CST "I
see. Actually, this is not an eBay listing, the problem is it's a
Shopping.com listing that is showing on our site by mistake."
Evan M. A., eBay Live Help Customer Service
12:32:25 AM CST It is a current issue, yes, we have a bug
on it. These are meant to be on shopping.com only but due to some reason are
showing on eBay as well and can't be bought through the site."
Evan M. A., eBay Live Help Customer Service
.
29 February 2008 10:35 PM PST
eBay user comments, edited.
badmomster (Private) Feb-29-08 20:35 PST 68 of 521
It seems to me that if Ebay is boosting their numbers with bogus auctions, that's an issue for the SEC.
Just curious, exactly what FTC code violation are you reporting them for?
And the SEC? It's an auction listing, not stock manipulation.
Going crazy will not help your cause.
aenthal (2243 ) Feb-29-08 23:04 PST 34 of 273
These bogus auctions are not a violation of anything. EBay has a right to put anything they wish on their web servers, and they apparently wish to use space up with displays of auctions that don't exist.
"He said he had made a mistake when
he called the Shopping.com listings a test on Saturday morning. He was
trying to track it down and after talking to a few people, felt
comfortable saying it was a test, and subsequently found out the
listings had appeared accidentally. Usher said it was his fault for
initially getting it wrong."
Ina Steiner, AuctionBytes, 4 March 2008 04:02:46 AM PST
AuctionBytes does not report this fact, "80,000 listings," for 4 days.
.
1 March 2008 12:00:01 AM PST, 3:00:01 AM Easter Standard Time
eBay listing upgrade special, "2 days only March 1-2", begins. eBay sellers can list products at reduced prices. Historically the auction counts rise
significantly during these eBay specials.
There is no 12:00:01 AM count per sec, as there is a gap in the record from 01:00 PM PST (04:00 PM EST) February 29th to 08:30 AM PST (11:30 AM EST) March 1st.
Here is a copy of the list again for those that missed it. sdc_prod_434012 # of listings 35002 sdc_prod_9124_14 # of listings 48395 sdc_prod_9074_35 # of listings 21401 sdc_prod_9452 # of listings 24501 sdc_prod_301013_74 # of listings 27291 sdc_prod_9352_67 # of listings 30278 sdc_ prod_ 9055 # of listings 1925 sdc_prod_9021_2 # of listings 12233 sdc_prod_9391_43 #oflistings 11100
moopy_inc (5562 ) Mar-01-08 00:17 PST 459 of 786
well, we all saw it, others on powersellersunite.com has seen it. I just wish these were found during the day. So many more people could have seen them.
O.K. they are right back at it. I was double checking the Ids and these 4 have auctions listed again. Take a look. sdc_prod_301013_74 sdc_prod_310426 sdc_prod_9352_67 sdc_prod_9452
"Mystery listings are appearing on eBay that don't allow shoppers to bid or buy. The listings appear to be feeds from Shopping.com sellers. A look at the User ID sdc_prod_301013_74, for example, shows the seller has 27,076 listings - but the ones we clicked on did not have bid or buy buttons."
Considering eBay does not report figures, it seems kinda like the conspiracies are rampant again. Because 3rd parties out there attempt to circumvent and create programs to provide folks this, it is just not logical for eBay to gain anything from this.
I agree with thizzwear completely on this. And Thizz, does not matter what date they were doing this testing, all the chicken littles will make that date fit into the agenda which they have. There is no winning for eBay for anything they do, the Chicken Littles of the world will use their twisted logic to make it appear they did this for some adverse reasoning.
The more these chicken littles talk, the less eductated they look. It has really become a joke to read all these things that are being said now.
"I'm betting Murphys Law is driving this event rather than any evil empire."
"For me this isn't a significant issue in isolation but there is a potentially more worrying aspect to this story. Many readers will share the belief of many that eBay has never been good at introducing new or changed code leading many users to feel like Beta testers all too often. With the amount of changes planned for the coming months I have a hunch today is just one of a string of "cock ups" we will be reading and reporting in the near future."
I don't believe ebay has done anything with the intent to manipulate or deceive. The point is that IF whatever sort of glitch this is has mistakenly over inflated the numbers, then eBay is responsible for making the shareholders aware of the accounting errors IF the mistake has an impact on the stock values and/or IF the errors impact the financial reports to the shareholders. I don't know about the whole casino scenario you've got going, I was thinking more along the lines of Enron and such.
eBay cannot be held accountable for any errors if they can say that they didn't know, which is why someone must have proof that an officer of eBay or PREFERABLY THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR EBAY has been made aware of the possibility of a considerable accounting error in the financial reports to the shareholders.
shwp1 (1919 ) Mar-01-08 07:03 PST 681 of 878
I asked this earlier and it's still nagging at me.
Someone...[forgive me but I have forgotten who], posted a link to another forum where one of the sdc###### was inquiring how many id's they could have... The were told 100....how many did they need? sdc###### responded 400 or 500
soooooooooo
If sdc= shoppingdotcom and shoppingdotcom is owned by Ebay
Isn't that like asking yourself a question...and doing it where everyone can hear [read] you ask?
the*katy*workshop (1468 ) Mar-01-08 07:11 PST 683 of 878
27076 items found (Save this search) Show only: Items from seller
sdc_prod_301013_74
The absolute ONLY way for these items to show "by accident" is if the eBay techs included them in the database. If this was done "on accident" then those tech should absolutely be fired, because they are mixing two different databases and that is potentially a MAJOR screwup.
It seems that they probably have done this on purpose, because it's highly unlikely that the two different databases share the same table titles and attributes. Meaning that the SDC listings would have had to have been converted to fit the eBay database before they would show up, otherwise they would just error out and potentially bring down the whole eBay database.
Something is not right with this...you cannot just have stuff appear "on accident"...not when you're dealing with databases.
19808 items found (Save this search) Show only: Items from seller sdc_prod_9452
.
1 March 2008 08:10 AM PST, 16:10 GMT
200k Shopping.com items appear on eBay TameBay
Author: Chris Dawson Posted at: Saturday, March 1st, 2008 at 4:10 pm Tags for this post: eBay.com, shopping.com, Snafu
Excerpt:
"User names such as sdc_prod_9124_14 with some 48,000 eBay listings appeared, although currently all the listings appear to have been removed. SDC is the acronym for shopping.com, the shopping comparison site owned by eBay.
sdc_prod_9124_14 The listings had no bid/bin links, simply a link to add to watched items leading so speculation that eBay are using them to increase listing numbers. A more rational explanation is that some one made an error in launching Shopping.com listings onto eBay and the error was swiftly reversed."
Just like they were nailed cold with the "shipping stars" snafu, they are nailed cold with this one. Of course they will announce it was a simple mistake, and get rid of the fake listings.
.
1 March 2008 08:30 AM PST, 11:30 AM EST
Medved "EBay Auction Counts" approximately 13,502,000 items. The auction count was previously 13,875,000 listings (29 February 2008 01:00 PM PST)
Eight and a half hours into eBay's listing upgrade special, "2 days only March 1-2", and the auction count is falling.
I
read an article recently that Ebay (who owns Shopping) was going to
start having some of the Shopping feeds shown on Ebay. That was one of
the reasons I signed up for Shopping but then found that all my Amazon
listings were already on Shopping. So no point in competing with my
self and using my own money to be seen on Shopping when Amazon pays and
does it for me.
Chris, it’s likely that it was a slip-up. There have been discussions about integrating SDC listings into to eBay for awhile. These listings would not have shown up on eBay.com in the form that they did if eBay hadn’t set them up this way. So I would say it was a slip-up before a test. Eventually we will see SDC listing on the main platform.
I agee with you that it wasn’t eBay trying to inflate listing numbers.
I don't know if it's a glitch, hack or purposeful deception. However, what makes it curious is all the auctions I looked at started last Thursday the day after the listing sale ended.
I must have missed that one. These are the ones I found, with last night's and this morning's results shown. That list you have only shows 10,000 counts ... could have been much more than that:
ID found:...............first shot..... Now sdc_prod_9452...........19808....still there sdc_prod_30103_74....27076....still there sdc_prod_9055............1925.....zero now sdc_prod_442675_57...4702.....zero now sdc_prod_9124_14.......42578...zero now sdc_prod_9090............ 24501...zero now sdc_prod_434012..........35000...zero now
. 1 March 2008 01:02 PM PST, 03:02 PM CST
eBay Customer Service Agent (Lanie R.) and an eBay customer: 15:02 Agent Sent Message: I'm sorry for the inconvenience.This is actually an issue on the site right now I'm afraid. This is actually a Shopping.com listing that's appearing incorrectly on eBay. 15:03 Agent Sent Message: Our Technical team is working on getting resolved though, and I had this reported for you so we can add your account to the list. 15:03 Customer: Do these incorrect listings show up in ebays total listings/ Wouldn't they scew the listings totals? 15:04 Agent Sent Message: Oh, no it shouldn't though. 15:05 Agent Sent Message: The team is checking on the accounts of the sellers you reported as well for further investigation. 15:05 Customer: Shoudn't or absolutely doesn't? 15:05 Agent Sent Message: Absolutely doesn't.This is only a glitch on the search pages. 15:06 Agent Sent Message: You can check it from time to time to see it not on the eBay pages, only on Shopping.com 15:06 Customer: can you explain that a little further? 15:08 Customer: I'm not familiar with shopping.com. Why would their listings show up on ebay. Anf the one I mentionaed has ebay seller feedback. 15:08 Agent Sent Message: Sure! In the eBay account of the seller for items sold at eBay, it shouldn't get reflected, but if you were referring to the "items from seller" link for all items he is selling, I'm afraid the Shopping.com items will also appear and is confirmed as a tec 15:08 Agent Sent Message: hnical glitch. 15:09 Customer: can you respond to my last question also? 15:09 Agent Sent Message: Sorry for the confusion, Shopping.com is a specialty site owned by eBay but we handle separate accounts. It's similar to Express or Half.com
3/1/2008 15:10 Agent Sent Message: Ah, okay, Here's what happens, this
particular seller has an account with SHopping.com to sell items, which is a
different one as an eBay seller.
Cyoung 67- Another poster and I caught that auction in the act last night. OP did a “snapshot” when it was at 35,000 listings and sent it to ABC NEWS. I was watching it around the same time and the listings went from 37,000 at the first point. I checked in on it 4 more times, 2nd time I think it was 17,000 auctions, then 7,000 and then 5,000 and finally in went to 536. Now it is at zero. OP and I both posted our findings but cannot find it this morning. Surprise, Surprise!
Would it not stand to reason, that if some deal was worked out, with say Shopping.com and premier members that pay to Shopping.com get free exposure listings with eBay, that in fact it is not costing them anything to have these listed in an eBay store account? That would make sense. . I do not profess to know what arrangement that Shopping.com merchants have, but it seems I read something to that effect somewhere.
Well on Monday the Expanded Seller Protection enrollment link showed up for a period of time before getting removed.
Maybe this was some sort of a test like that where it went "live" and then was taken down.
On one hand I would think if it were a test, they would have used a much smaller amount of listings so it wasn't so visible and on the other hand maybe they wanted to see how large a volume they could handle for sellers as a means of luring users back from amazon or not lose them to amazon.
And then also maybe they wanted to see what current, knowledgeable users would say about the listings to quickly find out what "goofs" there were.
"Today the Blogs and eBay Finance forums and eBay Seller forums are buzzing with examples of mysterious listings of items on which you cannot bid or which you cannot buy. These number in tens of thousands on seller accounts that were located today."
sdc_prod_301013_74 has been a member since Oct-18-06.
If you view the Text-format only page for their listings, it's very interesting. I am viewing it with 200 items per page. - there are 27076 items found (but only 10000 can be viewed in the Text-format list) - The first page of listings were started Jun-04-07 and ended on Nov-01-07 (why are they still listed in Text-format only? The item #s are invalid.) - On the 15th page of listings, approx. half were started Apr-19-07 and ended Nov-15-07 16:19:44 PST. That's approx. 2900 listings that ended before Nov-15-07, and should no longer be on the site. - All the rest of the listings (approx 7100) were started on Feb-25-08 and will end Mar-26-08, between 14:22:26 PDT and 14:32:16 PDT. They are 30 day listings.
There's been a lot of this going on this past month. Thousands of listings within weeks or even days and about 20% FB, if any. Odd times.
username: sdc_prod_301013_74 has 27291 listings. username: sdc_prod_9090 has 32601 listings. username: sdc_prod_9352_67 has 30278 listings. username: sdc_prod_9074_35 has 21481 listings
You want them to let you know every time they do tests? You think other sites let you know when they do test? You're dreaming!
sojo2004 (2698 ) Mar-01-08 18:23 PST 78 of 333
OK, this is what ebay says about test auctions:
Guidelines for Test Listings
Listings in the Test Auction category must be clearly labeled as a ’test’, both in the listing title and description. No more than 10 test listings should run at once by a single account. Accounts
that leave or receive feedback in the Test Auction category must be
used for test purposes only. This means that members must use a
different account to leave or receive feedback for test purposes than
is used for buy or sell on the site. Accounts found to be in violation
of this guideline will be subject to immediate suspension.
Any Feedback left on test listings should be clearly labeled ‘test’.
All ’test’ feedback is subject to removal at any time, at eBay's discretion.
Normal listing fees will be charged when listing in the test category.
But I guess that just applies to members, not the management.
But
in answer to pepin -- yes, if we have to clearly state a test listing
is a test listing, then I DO think ebay should have to do the same.
sojo
Things are going swimmingly, thank you for asking.
. 1 March 2008 07:00 PM PST, 10:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time)
Medved
"EBay Auction Counts" approximately
13,455,000 items. Auction count at the lowest point of the day.
Comments please? Just saw this at the very tail end of a thread in the Feedback Forum. Thought it was appropriate to mention here. (They had a different item number from this seller posted, but I'm not sure I can do that.)
No price, no way to bid on it (I tried $30 just to see what would happen - it said transaction blocked, cannot bid on this kind of item) and if you click on see sellers other listings he has 35K+ others. And it's a zero account. Location - CA. Website in auction too.
How the heck would you even list something up with no way to bid on it? This is either just leading to their website and bigtime circumvention or it's eBay themselves inflating the numbers. Interesting either way.
What do the experts think?
. 1 March 2008 08:30 PM PST, 11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
Medved "EBay Auction Counts" approximately 13,460,000
items. Last count of the March 1st chart.
Note auction count spike beginning at the "2/29" (09:00 PM PST,
Midnight EST) line and ending at the "3/2" (09:00 PM PST, Midnight EST) line.
Yesterday, I tried to bid on one of the SDC listings. And, this was not an eBay Express listing. It was one of the active auction format listings. And, the page would not accept my bid.
I put the item in my watched items, and it's still there. But now, when I click the item, the auction has been pulled. And when I search those listings for that seller, they are showing no auctions- so all 27K of the auction format listings have been pulled.
.
2 March 2008 08:26:53 AM PST
Comment, edited.
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2008 08:26:53 -0800 (PST)
The evidence is consistent with that conclusion, but is not yet proof of that. This could yet be hacking, or API/server malfunction. It could also be an unannounced "test" that accidentally had the "unintended" side effect of inflating traffic, right, sure.
In any event, there clearly are "fake Ebay listings", and in large numbers. Large enough to materially affect traffic count? I suspect we'll know in a few days.
The interesting thing to watch here is whether or not this phenomenon continues, and if it stops, what happens to the traffic reports. -- Regards,
Bob Niland
Let's revamp this weekends events. 1. at 18:41 pst Friday evening a thread was started about listings that could not be bid on or bought. 2. between 12 am pst and 3 am Saturday these listings were being pulled. 3.
These so called TEST listings if they were only TEST listings would
have no reason to be pulled and some of the sdc_prod_### id's narued. 4. Then the thread of these findings is removed along with any that mention it. 5. why please tell me why, if this was only a TEST has it become an issue to remove them and the threads discussing them.
markd13 (84 ) Mar-02-08 11:19 PST 38 of 432
I see the Conspiracy Nut Jobs are out in full force.
And
then we have the Free Speech nut jobs who have never read the
Constitution or Bill of Rights and yammer on about something they have
no knowledge. They don't seem to understand it doesn't cover entities
like eBay.
But then again when have facts every stopped a nut job from their ranting.
.
2 March 2008
02:31 PM PST, 05:31 PM Easter Standard Time
"if they were using these thousands of test listings to skewer 3rd party listing stats generators like,Medved
Charts and
PowerSellersUnite.com it is outright fraud!"
.
2 March 2008 02:32 PM PST
eBay System Status Announcement Board
***Resolved: Shopping.com listings on eBay*** "Some
Shopping.com listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past
two days. This system issue has been resolved. We apologize for any
confusion or inconvenience this may have caused."
That was ebays pathetic excuse for 400,000 listings that all appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared almost as quick and looked nothing like any other ebay listings and if thats the case...then ebay is a very unsafe place to shop! How in the hell do 400,000 listings "accidentally" appear? That means that your private information on this site is no longer safe if stuff from any other site can just somehow magically appear on this one!
magisterrex (6944 ) Mar-02-08 15:54 PST 170 of 418
I don't know why so many people are quick to ASSume that eBay is an evil corporate entity that wants to steal their souls and use them as currency whilst dealing with the Devil.
When I last checked, you were supposed to be INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty. From the bizarre, over-the-top posts on this thread, I have no idea why some of you even sell here.
I know that if I felt that strongly about eBay, I would do what Bruce is doing, and exit, stage left.
"If the hundreds of thousands listings you cannot Buy Now or Bid on on eBay site are just an innocent mistake / glitch or have a legitimate reason to be there, why would eBay moderators be so diligent in removing posts from their forums discussing these? Although the eBay forum thread has been removed by eBay Moderators, Google cache still has some of the posts"
By the way, at the moment, I don't believe eBay did this on purpose to inflate listings. While it's a possibility, I would hope eBay's not that stupid. I really can't see it happening as there are just too many people who would have to have been involved to do that.
in-weave (7349 ) Mar-02-08 16:56 PST 197 of 418
Some Shopping.com listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past two days. This system issue has been resolved. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
I don't think we've seen the end of this....and, in some ways, I don't want to know what carp is coming. There's a reason they "accidentally" appeared. eBay may not have wanted anyone to notice them so that may be the accident but I'll be very surpised if we don't see something relating to shopping.com listings/eBay by the middle of the summer.
. 2 March 2008 8:30 PM PST, 11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
Medved "EBay Auction Counts" approximately 13,330,000 items. Last
count of the March 2nd chart.
Why don't you start your own auction site posseauctions.com and make it perfect ...
I.E. the first website ever that has no glitches, and we'll all use it! Be sure to make a possee discussion board too!!
Remember it has to be perfect just like you, and never have any issues/glitches at all, even if millions of people are all using it at once.
Especially be sure to make a perfect message board! So we won't run the risk of not getting your daily/hourly/minutely/secondly words of possee wisdom!
Let us know when its ready possee!
.
2 March 2008 11:59 PM PST, 2:59 AM 3 March Eastern Standard Time
According to the Medved "EBay Auction Counts", at the time the listing special ended
the count was approximately 13,355,000
items. The count at the start of the listing special was about 13,502,000 listings.
An overall decrease.
Regarding the events and comments of Monday March 3rd.
"I
spoke to eBay's Usher Lieberman during the IMA conference on Monday. He
said he had made a mistake when he called the Shopping.com listings a
test on Saturday morning. He was trying to track it down and after
talking to a few people, felt comfortable saying it was a test, and
subsequently found out the listings had appeared accidentally. Usher
said it was his fault for initially getting it wrong."
Ina Steiner, AutionBytes, 4 March 2008 04:02:46
"they apparently choose to take this action in an effort to reduce the
visibiltiy of the test or accident, whichever it was.........eBay
needs to get their stories STRAIGHT!
My Opinion If it really was a test, eBay should have announced it before they ran it, on
the system announcement board. This was no accident. eBay rarely does anything by accident, but if they do, it is corrected very quickly, not 2 or more days later."
lol we wanted ebay to acknowledge the glitches so we would know about them and wouldn't run around trying to find out if there was something we were doing wrong. Now people are using the notifications to complain that there are glitches?
"In fact we recently saw Shopping.com listings on the eBay.com site, which
gives you an idea of their plans. eBay's response to the SDC listings was;
"Some Shopping.com listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past
two days. This system issue has been resolved. We apologize for any confusion
or inconvenience this may have caused." Notice it wasn't an error, it
was accidental. Believe me, the accidental part was, that they showed up now,
before they were supposed to. I have a hunch we will see SDC listings on the
eBay platform sooner rather than later; first as a test and if that goes over well, they will roll them out site wide."
It now has been about a week that the PAID BASHERS community has been busy polluting our beloved board with sorry comments about how eBay has floated or artifically increased its listing. Maybe one day these PAID BASHERS who are PAID money to spread lies and misinformation can discuss the matter with their boss and get an answer for us all. Question: How can you accuse eBay ...
I
spoke to eBay's Usher Lieberman during the IMA conference on Monday. He said he
had made a mistake when he called the Shopping.com listings a test on Saturday
morning. He was trying to track it down and after talking to a few people, felt
comfortable saying it was a test, and subsequently found out the listings had
appeared accidentally. Usher said it was his fault for initially getting it
wrong.
I asked Usher if he could tell me more, and he could not. I asked him if we
might expect to see Shopping.com listings on eBay in the future, or eBay.com
listings on Shopping. He said eBay is looking at a lot of different things and
can't speculate on anything.
"Lots of things are on the table," he said.
. 4 March 2008 04:02 AM PST
Regarding events and comments taking place on Tuesday March 4th.
"On Tuesday, Lieberman explained the nature of the glitch. Programmers
rolled out code on Friday evening that was meant to credit certain
listings that were eligible for free Gallery. The credit was due to
them because eBay had promised sellers Gallery would be free for
listings started at a certain time of day, and the code had been rolled
out 3 hours past the deadline." AuctionBytes, 5 March 2008
"When the bug first emerged on Friday, the spokesman told a reporter that it was actually a planned test.
"But it wasn't a test. It ended up being a bug," he said. "So I ate a little bit of crow on that.""
"EBay denied that any forum deletions were intentional. If any posts were taken down "it was accidental," the spokesman said. "We're not afraid of hearing from our community and allowing them to post and discuss things and be angry on our boards.""
It is quite possible that the messy matter is approaching a large fan
Approximately 5,000 listings were pulled from shopping.com, but they have since been removed, according to eBay. (from the PCMAG article)
That is so far from reality that it is ludicrous -- Not only ludicrous but so easily shot through of holes that it borders on management malpractice -- and when it is shown to be GROSSLY understated will invite ever more scrutiny --
We may be seeing a company beginning to circle the wagons and the result will be downright ugly --
If only companies that make major goofs would read the Johnson and Johnson Tylenol Story -- It is a roadmap to not just successful damage control but also to public trust --
Although public trust is at risk -- eBAY is taking an even larger risk with shareholder trust -- A trust that if lost will lead to the dissolution of the company -- an extreme that is unlikely to be sure -- but a needless exposure non the less
Continued pressure here would be far more effective than any boycott in bending managements will -- This misstep is an opportunity that the dissenters will be foolish to waste
I would start by looking for deleted in threads on the net and follow with screen shots of them and the 5000 listings -- followed by 5000 more a day later -- and on and on --
There are now at least two main stream media giants with interest -- an opportunity that is priceless
The eBay owned Korean website often mirrors ebay.com auctions. Many of these sdc_prod_ listings are still live on their website. If you want to find them, go to Goog and enter the specific sdc_prod_ number, leave a space, and then enter site:ebay.auction.co.kr
When the results are shown, click on "repeat the search with the omitted results included."
You
can find the sdc numbers on various websites/blogs. The eBay Korean
website only shows the listings that are currently active and not the
ones that have scrolled off but there are still quite a few.
.
5 March 2008
Regarding the events and comments of Wednesday March 5th.
AuctionBytes releases the
"80,000"
figure to eBay and the public. They first observed this
figure on March 1st. Four days earlier.
"However, he had no explanation for the fact that when AuctionBytes looked at
one Shopping.com selling account on Saturday morning, it indicated the seller
had over
80,000 listings on eBay.com." AuctionBytes, 5 March 2008
AuctionBytes becomes the first large news organization to report a
count from direct observation of the situation. However
AuctionBytes
has not substantiated their claim with screen shots.
"Of the accusations of listing count manipulation, Lieberman said, "To think that we'd do that now is outrageous."" AuctionBytes, 5
March 2008
"When Shopping.com listings appeared on eBay.com last week, sellers pointed to it as an example of eBay attempting to boost listing numbers."
"AuctionBytes previously reported that several discussion threads had been removed, including one linked to in the original blog post published on Saturday.
Most sellers are likely taking little notice of the dust-up. Those who are suspicious may be unlikely to be satisfied with eBay's response."
Approximately 5,000 listings were pulled from shopping.com, but they have since been removed, according to eBay.
From the AB article
Lieberman
said the programmers inadvertently caused the Shopping.com listings to
appear on eBay.com when it created and launched the script to credit
the sellers' accounts for Gallery fees.
Lieberman said fewer than 35,000 listings were affected by the glitch.
I am going to start a lottery methinks --
Whoever gets closest to the next eBAY estimated number of misplaced SDC listings will receive --
An
all expense day trip to Leavenworth with full visitors passes and
change for the vending machines -- While there they can visit the eBAY
Exec of their choice
If both "buy" the explainations will likely go no where.
Should the SEC investigate there will be no buying of stories -- IMO
They
are probably one of the scariest Regulatory bodies that Wall Street
deals with -- They have teeth and are not at all shy about biting --
They are also pretty straight forward and fair without leaning in any
particulat direction to meet an agenda
My attorney and
accountant are also preparing letters to be sent to the State Attorney
General requesting a watch on the situation with some of the "facts"
that have surfaced attached as an addendum -- In that the Street is
located here many a firm has been put in the hot seat through that AG
Office even though technically domocilled elsewhere.
I am still jumping to no conclusions -- BUT -- The more the story changes the antsier I become --
jake-deals-4u (700 ) Mar-05-08 08:16 PST 213 of 333
preparing letters to be sent to the State Attorney General requesting a watch on the situation with some of the "facts
Too bad im sure the facts are' Everybody uses eBay at their OWN RISK via a user agreemant that is NOT compulsory, its voluntary.
And
im sure theres probably an 12th grade HS kid that could explain that
its eBays business & they can do as they dang well please with
their OWN SITE + if someone doesnt like it, they are FREE to leave!
OTOH
i havent quite figured out why someone who is a stockholder ( at their
own FREE WILL & PROFIT ) would bad-mouth & spread bad-will at a
company that they have a personal financial stake in , far & above
the average site user.
If i was so upset at a company that i held stock in, i would sell that stock ASAP reguardless of P/L
pepins4b8e (21 ) Mar-05-08 08:41 PST 217 of 426
Carl, I own stock myself (although I'm sure not to your big wig level
).
I fail to get a wedgie about this because while I see the listing
numbers as an indicator, it is of small importance to me compared to
the quarter-end results.
I guess we'll see if shareholders
tend to think like me, or like you on this. I'm not criticizing your
position. I just think that the press much prefers to follow Scarlett
Johansson selling an evening with her on eBay versus some nebulous
conspiracy about the number of listings on eBay.
La huelga de eBay ha sido más que un éxito. No fue sólo una caída del 13% de los artículos listados. Como sospechábamos eBay ha estado inflando artificialmente el número de artículos listados por 2 razones:
1) Para que los huelguistas nos desanimáramos haciéndonos creer que nuestra huelga era una huelga que llevábamos a cabo sólo unos cuantos vendedores.
2) PAra engañar a la bolsa.
La noticia acaba de salir en la propia CNN de EE.UU. Si se confirma la estafa en bolsa por parte de eBay estaría violando una Ley Federal muy seria y la multa que les caerá será de espanto, con el añadido de la mala reputación internacional que se producirá en el mercado financiero mundial de esta empresa y efectivo negativo en sus acciones.
Como véis, compañeros, cuando planatamos cojones y ovarios unidos, incluso podemos enfrentarnos contra las multinacionales y pisarles el cuello como ellos nos lo pisan a nosotros. Mis felicitaciones a todos los currantes vendedores de eBay y la solidaridad y apoyo de muchísimos compradores. Lo estamos consiguiendo. Van a venir más huelgas. Y vamos a seguir dándoles caña hasta que nos quiten el pie del cuello. Si tratan de hundirnos se hundirán ellos con nosotros.
"But could there be something a little more sinister taking place on the
site? Rumors are definitely swirling that the site has actually been padding its
numbers with fake item listings. eBay wouldn't dare do such a thing, would
it? It has already admitted that a "bug" in the system did in fact insert some fake listings into the site's database. The question is, was this really a bug, or did the site knowingly inflate its listings?"
Why don't they do it on there stupid playgroud thing they set up?
ALL
companies I know of have a test bed server to try out new things. They
don't want to risk problems on the servers that make them money or are
mission critical.
I spent 23 1/2 years with HP working with high
end servers before retiring so I'm absolutely certain that a company
would not risk problems running tests on a live system.
In my opinion, eBay is padding their listings.
vik*nan (33 ) Mar-05-08 23:25 PST 48 of 70
ALL companies I know of have a test bed server to try out new things.
a "sandbox" --- system or network to try out new software and equipment before deploying them to the production network.
Tests are never made on a production network even in smaller companies
aenthal (2241 ) Mar-05-08 23:59 PST 54 of 70
I don't care if eBay pads their listings. What will it get them? A larger count on their server? And what will that get them? More space used up on their server. And what will that get them? Nothing. Fake auctions don't bring in money, even if you put up a million of them.
I tend to agree that this is technical phenomenon, not a Pinocchio problem. But yes, they also have a Pinocchio problem, and an ostrich problem, and a robot problem (se habla Fortran because there are no humans behind that curtain, working the strings).
Let them tell all the Pinocchio versions of reality that they want. You can't turn a delusion into reality, no matter how many times you repeat it, no matter how much fake evidence you create to support it. Sometimes karma is sleeping. But in eBay's case it is hungry, and it will bite them in the butt eventually.
But don't worry about how they expose that butt before karma gets them. Just be glad that it eventually will.
windorphin (31 ) Mar-06-08 06:15 PST 61 of 70
They use the numbers to show their stockholders that listings are
not decreasing. Therefore they are lying and manipulating stock prices.
The
analogy drawn about a restaurant filling their seats with mannequins
with stockholders driving past is a good one. It is just as
meaningless, and nobody will get in trouble for it.
It would only be a violation if they somehow cooked the books to show that those mannequins had eaten and paid.
Current Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC. IP Address: 66.135.194.100 (ARIN & RIPE IP search)
shopping.com's provider is pnap.net
NS2ANY.SHOPPING.COM NS1ANY.SHOPPING.COM
Current Registrar: MARKMONITOR INC. IP Address: 64.94.186.80 (ARIN & RIPE IP search)
uplatewhattodo (18 ) Mar-06-08 21:18 PST 11 of 31
AS a techie myself, I do have to disagree with this analysis a bit. Everything about DNS and IP's etc has to do with how eBay and shopping.com provide the informaton out to the world. It says nothing as to how that information is stored in the database or databases. If they are sharing databases distributed across their internal networks, or even storage arrays are being shared by the two systems then it's possible.
They did say they were running a script that caused it which means they were running data directly into the database system(s) and bypassing all the interfaces.
A very bad idea to mess with a database that way if you don't know what you are
doing, but it does make it possible. And it would violate
Sarbanes Oxley if they didn't cross their t's and dot their i's, which they apparently did not do.
.
6 March 2008
Despite eBay's announcement of March 2nd, that "system
issue has been resolved", 'accidental' auction listings can still be found.
think the whole thing was filed under rumors speculations
these links that ur bringin here they are written by a bunch of nobodies ur credibility is in the drink, u believe everything u read, u realy expect us to believe this junk i think what's goin on here is worse than what is goin on at ebay. too bad too a shame this forum is wrecked
"I complain about eBay as much as the next guy and they certainly need to
revamp their whole PR department and communicate better with sellers but this padding of listings is a non-starter."
"An eBay spokesman told PC Magazine at the time that 5,000 shopping.com listings were erroneously placed on ebay.com."
"eBay was asked to again confirm that it was indeed 5,000." "The same spokesman responded Friday that he had originally
told
PC Magazine that eBay pulled 35,000 listings"
"a review of the
interview confirmed that he said 5,000."
"Editor's Note: The eBay spokesman confirmed Monday that
the number of postings pulled from shopping.com was indeed 35,000."
The eBay computer engineers do give us software which has glitches and bugs, so I can see someone making a colossal error. But technically, can this error even be caused?
"Lieberman said the programmers inadvertently caused the Shopping.com listings to appear on eBay.com when it created and launched the script to credit the sellers' accounts for Gallery fees."
It sounds as though they would be working with accounting software, not launching listings. Very bizarre.
"Die Stellungnahmen der amerikanischen eBay-Sprecher trugen auch nicht unbedingt zur Erhellung bei. In sich widersprechenden Statements war von Tests, Versehen oder Irrtümern die Rede. Ähnlich verwirrende Auskünfte gab es auch für Kunden, die sich bei „Live-Help“ direkt informieren wollten."
"Last weekend, first rumours, then facts, emerged regarding the mass insertion of listings
with no bid or buy-now button, which many speculated were deliberately
added to mask the effects of the seller boycott. Throughout the
bloggosphere, bloggers dependant on eBay for their content, and
ad-click revenues, gave San Jose the benefit of the doubt. Ina Steiner
of AuctionBytes even interviewed a senior eBay bod, and both Randy Smythe and eBay UK’s tame bay
gave reasons why it had to be a glitch or site test, rather than
something from the dirty tricks department. First eBay spokesman Usher Leiberman said it was a test, then said it wasn’t, and then declined to comment further. Posts appeared on eBay announcement boards, and have been all over forums on both sides of the Atlantic."
.
10 March 2008
Despite eBay's announcement of March 2nd that "system
issue has been resolved", 'accidental' auction listings can still be found.
Trotz der Ankündigungen seitens vieler US-Verkäufer, während des
Streiks vom 18. bis 25. Februar keine Angebote zu listen sind die
Angebotszahlen bei ebay.com im fraglichen Zeitraum fast nicht gesunken.
Eine genauere Erklärung dafür findet sich natürlich nicht im ebay-Forum sondern extern.
A: We've altered the title to avoid being labeled as SPAM. Apparently Google considers variations of "sdc_prod" and "Shopping.com" to be SPAM, and removes direct links to such articles and items. Apparently late last year eBay began flooding Google with Shopping.com and sdc_prod* "advertising". Google's standard reaction to advertising SPAM is death by link removal.
// // //
The right to publish this news article - U.S. Supreme Court - 1988
At the heart of the First Amendment is the recognition of the
fundamental importance of the free flow of ideas and opinions on
matters of public interest and concern. "[T]he [485
U.S. 46, 51]
freedom to speak one's mind is not only an aspect of individual
liberty - and thus a good unto itself - but also is essential to the
common quest for truth and the vitality of society as a whole." Bose
Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc., 466
U.S. 485, 503
-504 (1984). We have therefore been particularly vigilant to ensure
that individual expressions of ideas remain free from governmentally
imposed sanctions. The First Amendment recognizes no such thing as a
"false" idea. Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418
U.S. 323, 339
(1974). As Justice Holmes wrote, "when men have realized that time has upset many fighting
faiths, they may come to believe even more than they believe the very
foundations of their own conduct that the ultimate good desired is
better reached by free trade in ideas - that the best test of truth is
the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of
the market . . . ." Abrams v. United States, 250
U.S. 616, 630
(1919) (dissenting opinion).
The sort of robust political debate encouraged by the First Amendment
is bound to produce speech that is critical of those who hold public
office or those public figures who are "intimately involved in the
resolution of important public questions or, by reason of their fame,
shape events in areas of concern to society at large." Associated Press
v. Walker, decided with Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts, 388
U.S. 130, 164
(1967) (Warren, C. J., concurring in result). Justice Frankfurter put it succinctly in Baumgartner v. United States,
322
U.S. 665, 673
-674 (1944), when he said that "[o]ne of the prerogatives of
American citizenship is the right to criticize public men and
measures." Such criticism, inevitably, will not always be reasoned or
moderate; public figures as well as public officials will be subject to
"vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks," New York
Times, supra, at 270. "[T]he candidate who vaunts his spotless record
and sterling integrity cannot convincingly cry `Foul!' when an opponent
or an industrious reporter attempts [485
U.S. 46, 52]
to demonstrate the contrary." Monitor Patriot Co. v. Roy,
401
U.S. 265, 274
(1971).
15 March 2008 - Please read our followup article "The eBay Shopping.com Affair". And do share it with others. http://eventhorizon1984.typepad.com/event_horizon_1984_blog/2008/03/internet-transa.html
//
Updated 05 March 2008 19:10 HST
By the time you read this, eBay will have removed 100's of thousands of auction listings from eBay.com. This took place between 29 February and 1 March 2008. Many of these listings eBay apparently inserted during the February 18-25 boycott.
Also by the time you read this, as 3 March 2008, eBay removed the larger eBay forum threads documenting these questionable activities. Use Google to obtained archived copies of the original threads.
More details regarding the above sellers are available farther down in this article.
Prior to Midnight 29 February 2008, the above list of "sellers"
(the sdc_prod names) had over 200,000 lets say interesting (bogus)
auction listings on eBay.com.
But don't fret. The above list may represent only "a small percentage" of the sdc (Shopping Dot Com) sellers who eBay posted auction listings on their behalf.
// // eBay Customer Service Transcript - 29 February 2008 //
As a matter of privacy, we've edited out the email address. Otherwise the transcript that follows, a conversation between eBay Customer Service and joelycra, is unedited.
And joelycra please forward your eBay Customer Service transcript to the news service(s) of your choice.
From eBay Seller Central Forum Ebay is padding their listings http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000527614&start=40 http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=78886&p=3&topicID=15720025
OK... Just got out of live chat also. They told me these are Shopping -
com listings that are somehow appearing on eaby by mistake... here's
the transcript:
12:17:09 AM CST System Initial Question/Comment: Other 12:17:14 AM CST System Thank you for contacting eBay Live Help! 12:17:14 AM CST System You are successfully connected to eBay Live Help. Please hold for the next available Live Help Agent. 12:17:35 AM CST System Evan M. A. has joined this session! 12:17:35 AM CST System Connected with Evan M. A. 12:17:40 AM CST Evan M. A. Hello,
thank you for waiting and welcome to eBay Live Help! My name is Evan.
If you're a registered member, may I please start by having you confirm
your User ID and first name? 12:17:41 AM CST zz***@bellsouth.net hello 12:17:57 AM CST
12:18:09 AM CST Evan M. A. Hi, Joe. Thanks! How may I help you? 12:18:32 AM CST zz***@bellsouth.net I have a question about an auction listing 12:18:58 AM CST zz***@bellsouth.net item 310025758222 12:19:10 AM CST Evan M. A. Thanks again. And I'm willing to help as much as I can. 12:19:19 AM CST Evan M. A. And may I have your concern about this listing? 12:19:51 AM CST zz***@bellsouth.net look at it.... it's not a real item, you can't bid on it 12:20:15 AM CST zz***@bellsouth.net these listings are in every category.... on the last page of listings 12:21:40 AM CST Evan M. A. Oh, okay. I understand what you mean. And let me try to look up on this listing. 12:24:19 AM CST zz****@bellsouth.net some of these SDC sellers have 30-40 thousand listings, and who knows how many SDC sellers there are 12:24:20 AM CST Evan M. A. Please give me another couple of minutes to look in to this for you. 12:26:10 AM CST Evan M. A. Oh, I see. I'm still looking this up for you, okay? 12:26:16 AM CST zz****@bellsouth.net ok 12:27:40 AM CST Evan M. A. Thank you. 12:30:15 AM CST Evan M. A. Thanks
for patiently waiting. I see that the listing is listed under the eBay
Express. What I can do is to redirect you now to our eBay Express chat,
for more assistance about this listing. 12:30:29 AM CST Evan M. A. What
IÃUlike to do is connect you with our eBay Express chat, for help with
this. There may be a wait time to speak to someone after I? transferred
you, but it shouldn?be too long. In case this chat disconnects please
feel free to come back into eBay Live Help by clicking on our link on
the eBay homepage. May I go ahead and do that now? 12:30:51 AM CST zz****@bellsouth.net these are not ebay express listings 12:31:03 AM CST zz****@bellsouth.net these are auctions 12:31:50 AM CST Evan M. A. I see. Actually, this is not an eBay listing, the problem is it's a Shopping.com listing that is showing on our site by mistake. 12:32:25 AM CST Evan M. A. It
is a current issue, yes, we have a bug on it. These are meant to be on
shopping.com only but due to some reason are showing on eBay as well
and can't be bought through the site. 12:33:32 AM CST zz****@bellsouth.net ok... that's what I needed... Thanks 12:34:25 AM CST Evan M. A. You're most welcome. Do you have any other concerns, Joe? 12:35:29 AM CST zz****@bellsouth.net no, thanks 12:35:35 AM CST Evan M. A. Thanks for using eBay Live Help! Once youËà ready to close this chat window, please feel free to click on the ºâit?utton. 12:35:40 AM CST Evan M. A. It's a pleasure chatting with you. Have a good night!
There
could be millions of these listings.... just go to the last page of
items in any category sorted by "ending soonest" and you'll find them.
// // eBay Customer Service Transcript - 1 March 2008 //
From the eBay Feedback Forum Is Ebay Creating Listings To Boost totals Look http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000527568&start=1080 http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=78886&p=3&topicID=15720025 http://www.google.com/search?q=Is+Ebay+Creating+Listings+To+Boost+totals+Look
All right you guys. I went to live chat today to try and see what their story was on the inflated listings. I'm going to post the transcript. I don't see how it infracts the guidlines, but in case it gets pulled and anyone else wants it, email me. This is long and kind of disjointed, but this is the way it came to me. I had to request a transcript because the copy feature wouldn't work.
Dear eBay member,
Transcript of Session Number: 9852546 3/1/2008 14:35 Agent Sent Message: Hello, thank you for waiting and welcome to eBay Live Help! My name is Lanie. If you're a registered member, may I please start by having you confirm your User ID and first
name? 3/1/2008 14:35 Customer Sent Message: idee99555 3/1/2008 14:36 Agent Sent Message: Hi there! 3/1/2008 14:36 Agent Sent Message: Thanks! How can I help you? 3/1/2008 14:37 Customer Sent Message: there are some wierd listings that have no opening bids and you can't bid on them. Thousands of items. What's going on? 3/1/2008 14:37 Customer Sent Message: for instance 3/1/2008 14:38 Customer Sent Message: Item number: 150217971814 3/1/2008 14:38 Agent Sent Message: I would gladly look into this for you. 3/1/2008 14:38 Agent Sent Message: Kindly give me a moment to check .
3/1/2008 14:41 Agent Sent Message: Hi. Kindly check again the item number. I can't seem to pull up a record on file. Thanks. 3/1/2008 14:41 Customer Sent Message: Item number: 150217971814 i'll get you the name also 3/1/2008 14:42 Customer Sent Message: Meet the seller Seller: sdc_prod_9452( 76) 3/1/2008 14:42 Customer Sent Message: eTronics, Inc( 76 3/1/2008 14:44 Customer Sent Message: 19808 items found 3/1/2008 14:45 Agent Sent Message: I appreciate your patience. Kindly give me a moment more. 3/1/2008 14:48 Agent Sent Message: I saw the item and this is indeed strange. I'm having this reported for you for investigation.Please stay
with me. 3/1/2008 14:51 Customer Sent Message: There are many others. does the sdc_prod_#### seller designation have a particular meaning? 3/1/2008 14:54 Agent Sent Message: Hmm, for the seller's ID though, it
reads : sdc_prod_9452 3/1/2008 14:54 Agent Sent Message: I'm still coordinating with the team as we speak. Please give me a few minutes more. 3/1/2008 14:55 Customer Sent Message: I meant as an example. There are
others with thousands of similar listings and they have the same sdc_prod_ and a number for seller name. 3/1/2008 14:58 Agent Sent Message: Ah okay. Thanks. The team would reply momentarily, please continue to hold. 3/1/2008 14:58 Agent Sent Message: I appreciate your effort to let us know about this problem. 3/1/2008 15:02 Agent Sent Message: Thanks for patiently waiting! 3/1/2008 15:02 Agent Sent Message: I'm sorry for the inconvenience.This is actually an issue on the site right now I'm afraid. This is actually
a Shopping.com listing that's appearing incorrectly on eBay. 3/1/2008 15:03 Agent Sent Message: Our Technical team is working on getting resolved though, and I had this reported for you so we can add your account to the list. 3/1/2008 15:03 Customer Sent Message: Do these incorrect listings show
up in ebays total listings/ Wouldn't they scew the listings totals? 3/1/2008 15:04 Agent Sent Message: Oh, no it shouldn't though. 3/1/2008 15:05 Agent Sent Message: The team is checking on the accounts of the sellers you reported as well for further investigation. 3/1/2008 15:05 Customer Sent Message: Shoudn't or absolutely doesn't? 3/1/2008 15:05 Agent Sent Message: Absolutely doesn't.This is only a glitch on the search pages. 3/1/2008 15:06 Agent Sent Message: You can check it from time to time to see it not on the eBay pages, only on Shopping.com 3/1/2008 15:06 Customer Sent Message: can you explain that a little further? 3/1/2008 15:08 Customer Sent Message: I'm not familiar with shopping.com. Why would their listings show up on ebay. Anf the one I mentionaed has ebay seller feedback. 3/1/2008 15:08 Agent Sent Message: Sure! In the eBay account of the seller for items sold at eBay, it shouldn't get reflected, but if you were referring to the "items from seller" link for all items he is selling, I'm afraid the Shopping.com items will also appear and is confirmed as a tec 3/1/2008 15:08 Agent Sent Message: hnical glitch. 3/1/2008 15:09 Customer Sent Message: can you respond to my last question also? 3/1/2008 15:09 Agent Sent Message: Sorry for the confusion, Shopping.com is a specialty site owned by eBay but we handle separate accounts. It's similar to Express or Half.com 3/1/2008 15:10 Agent Sent Message: Ah, okay, Here's what happens, this
particular seller has an account with SHopping.com to sell items, which
is a different one as an eBay seller. 3/1/2008 15:10 Customer Sent Message: Ok. Well there are numerous "glitches" out there and they are causing major confusion and conjecture. YOu guys need to clean 'em up. 3/1/2008 15:11 Agent Sent Message: The items listed under Shopping.com
site should only be seen in that site and not on eBay. 3/1/2008 15:12 Agent Sent Message: Yes, we truly appreciate your help on this one and the team is on it as we speak . We do hope we can have this resolved asap. 3/1/2008 15:12 Customer Sent Message: Should . . . there they are. 3/1/2008 15:12 Customer Sent Message: you've been a wealth of information Lanie 3/1/2008 15:12 Customer Sent Message: Thanks 3/1/2008 15:13 Agent Sent Message: So nice to hear that from you. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding as well. 3/1/2008 15:13 Agent Sent Message: Is there anything else I can help you with? 3/1/2008 15:13 Customer Sent Message: bye 3/1/2008 15:13 Agent Sent Message: All right! Once youâre ready to close this chat window, please click on the âExitâ button. Take care! =)
3/1/2008 15:16 Customer Sent Message: I don't seem to be able to use the copy function 3/1/2008 15:16 Agent Sent Message: You can copy or print this chat for
your reference or I would gladly send you a chat transcript,I'll just need your email address. 3/1/2008 15:17 Customer Sent Message: I've tried copying and I get nothing. idee99@yahoo.com 3/1/2008 15:17 Agent Sent Message: No worries. Processing it now,you'll have it in a few minutes. 3/1/2008 15:18 Customer Sent Message: thanks again
Sincerely, Lanie R.
eBay Customer Support
// // AuctionBytes - Response from Usher Lieberman, ebay - 1 March 2008 //
Mystery
listings are appearing on eBay that don't allow shoppers to bid or buy.
The listings appear to be feeds from Shopping.com sellers. A look at
the User ID sdc_prod_301013_74
A discussion about
the listings began Friday night on eBay's Feedback board. Some posters
believe it is a sign that eBay is trying to inflate its listing numbers
to mask any effects of the seller boycott. Because of the dearth of
data from eBay, Wall Street analysts put a lot of credence on listing
numbers to gauge the company's marketplace performance. This month,
everyone studied listing numbers to try and measure the impact of the
seller boycott. And sellers have been prowling the site looking for any
evidence of manipulation.
Others believe the "sdc" mystery is a test eBay is running or may be a glitch.
Update 3/1/08:
eBay spokesperson Usher Lieberman responded by email on Saturday, "This
was a limited test that has run its course." I appreciate the update on
a weekend and, if I learn more next week, will update this post.
Update: 3/2/08: eBay posted on
its Systems Announcement board around 5:30 pm Eastern, "Some
Shopping.com listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past
two days. This system issue has been resolved. We apologize for any
confusion or inconvenience this may have caused."
Update 3/4/08: On
Monday, eBay spokesperson Usher Lieberman said he had made a mistake
when he called the Shopping.com listings a test on Saturday morning.
// // Response from eBay Customer Service - 2 March 2008 //
This is an interesting announcement (below). Ignores the fact
many of the "accidentally" appearing items were showing 25 days
remaining out of 30 days.
http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:nGCP4ib50X4J:search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsdc_prod_301013_74+sdc_prod_301013_74 "This page was last updated: Mar-01 19:00"
Let's see, 30 day listing - 25 days remaining = 5 days run, as of 3/1/2008 5 days before 3/1/2008 is 2/25/2008, give or take a day.
Guess 5 days in the real world is "two days" in eBay days.
From eBay System Status Announcement Board http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200803021430071.html
***Resolved: Shopping.com listings on eBay***
March 02, 2008 | 02:32PM PST/PT
Some
Shopping.com listings appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past
two days. This system issue has been resolved. We apologize for any
confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
// // AuctionBytes - Response from Usher Lieberman, eBay - 4 March 2008 //
Update to Shopping.com Mystery Listings on eBay By: Ina Steiner Tue Mar 4 2008 04:02:46
I spoke to eBay's Usher Lieberman during the IMA conference on Monday. He said he had made a mistake when he called the Shopping.com listings a test on Saturday morning. He was trying to track it down and after talking to a few people, felt comfortable saying it was a test, and subsequently found out the listings had appeared accidentally. Usher said it was his fault for initially getting it wrong.
I asked Usher if he could tell me more, and he could not. I asked him if we might expect to see Shopping.com listings on eBay in the future, or eBay.com listings on Shopping. He said eBay is looking at a lot of different things and can't speculate on anything.
"Lots of things are on the table," he said.
// // AuctionBytes - Response from Usher Lieberman, eBay - 4 March 2008 //
However, "the code actually rolled out three hours late, so there were a certain number of listings ... that didn't get gallery free, so we were going back and fixing that" on Friday, the spokesman said. "What happened was, when we wrote the code to implement that fix in the database table, there was a string that was left on there that populated and sent shopping.com listings onto ebay.com that it shouldn't have."
Approximately 5,000 listings were pulled from shopping.com, but they have since been removed, according to eBay.
Sellers pointed to the listings snafu as evidence that eBay was inflating its numbers to make up for losses sustained during the boycott. When the bug first emerged on Friday, the spokesman told a reporter that it was actually a planned test.
"But it wasn't a test. It ended up being a bug," he said. "So I ate a little bit of crow on that."
// // AuctionBytes - Response from Usher Lieberman, eBay - 5 March 2008 //
eBay Calls Claims of Manipulation 'Outrageous' By Ina Steiner AuctionBytes.com March 05, 2008
On Tuesday, Lieberman explained the nature of the glitch. Programmers rolled out code on Friday evening that was meant to credit certain listings that were eligible for free Gallery. The credit was due to them because eBay had promised sellers Gallery would be free for listings started at a certain time of day, and the code had been rolled out 3 hours past the deadline.
Lieberman said the programmers inadvertently caused the Shopping.com listings to appear on eBay.com when it created and launched the script to credit the sellers' accounts for Gallery fees.
Lieberman said fewer than 35,000 listings were affected by the glitch.
// // From the eBay Developer Forums regarding the "sdc_prod" name - 29 February 2008 //
eBay Developer Forums Technical Questions: eBay Shopping Web Services http://dev-forums.ebay.com/thread.jspa?q=sdc&forumID=1007&threadID=500004459&messageID=600012983#600012983
Replies: 4 - Pages: 1 Last Post: Feb 29, 2008 4:27 AM by: stsi.com »
stsi.com Member Since: 1/10/08
Read ExcludeSellers Issue Posted: Jan 10, 2008 11:40 AM
Is
there a limit on the number of Excluded Sellers that can be specified
in a GetSearchResults call? I have several excluded sellers that keep
returning search results. I have checked the XML for the call, and it
looks correct.
Also, is it a problem if entries are duplicated? (I will be correcting this in any event.)
Thanks.
stsi.com Member Since: 1/10/08
Read Re: ExcludeSellers Issue Posted: Jan 10, 2008 12:12 PM
After further research, it looks like there is a limit of 100 excluded sellers. Can this limit be raised?
rekha.developersupport@ebay.com Posts: 2,035 Member Since: 6/30/05
Read Re: ExcludeSellers Issue Posted: Jan 14, 2008 3:42 PM
Hello stsi.com,
Yes the limit is 100, which most users have found sufficient for their use case. How many IDs do you have?
Best Regards Rekha Patel eBay Developer Support
stsi.com Member Since: 1/10/08
Read Re: ExcludeSellers Issue Posted: Feb 29, 2008 4:23 AM
Because of the wide variety of searches that we do, we could easily use 200 to 400 ID's. 500 would be a good number for us.
stsi.com Member Since: 1/10/08
Read Re: ExcludeSellers Issue Posted: Feb 29, 2008 4:27 AM
Also,
is it possible to use wildcards for excluded sellers? For example, I'd
like to exclude the various iterations of sdc_prod_*, instead of having
to type in all the numbers that this seller uses....
// // Reaction snapshot excerpts from eBay PowerSellers - 1 March 2008 //
Is Ebay Creating Listings To Boost totals? Strange listings... http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=2000527597&start=40&anticache=1204400261806
also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002
and commonly called SOx or Sarbox; is a United States federal law
enacted on July 30, 2002 in response to a number of major corporate and
accounting scandals including those affecting Enron, Tyco
International, Adelphia, Peregrine Systems and WorldCom. These
scandals, which cost investors billions of dollars when the share
prices of the affected companies collapsed, shook public confidence in
the nation's securities markets. The legislation establishes new or
enhanced standards for all U.S. public company boards, management, and
public accounting firms. The Act contains 11 titles, or sections,
ranging from additional Corporate Board responsibilities to criminal
penalties, and requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to
implement rulings on requirements to comply with the new law. The
Act establishes a new quasi-public agency, the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, which is charged with overseeing,
regulating, inspecting, and disciplining accounting firms in their
roles as auditors of public companies. The Act also covers issues such
as auditor independence, corporate governance, internal control
assessment, and enhanced financial disclosure.
djc*** (3827 ) Mar-01-08 09:04 PST 88 of 110 Doing a little cleaning up, maybe?
djc*** (3827 ) Mar-01-08 09:46 PST 93 of 110 I don't know if it's a glitch, hack or purposeful deception. However, what makes it curious is all the auctions I looked at started last Thursday the day after the listing sale ended.
cmi*** (1712 ) Mar-01-08 09:52 PST 94 of 110 I don't know if it's a glitch, hack or purposeful deception.
However, what makes it curious is all the auctions I looked at started
last Thursday the day after the listing sale ended.
I noticed that too, 9 days ago they started. Awfully peculiar timing considering the "boycott" and all.
nan*** (9616 ) Mar-02-08 07:38 PST 133 of 280 Also Most if not all keep you from purchasing the items.
They are c&P all the auctions they can before they disappear.
Many are notifying all the media sources they can.
vq5*** (1072 ) Mar-02-08 09:04 PST 138 of 280 Update 3/1/08: eBay spokesperson Usher Lieberman responded by email on Saturday, "This was a limited test that has run its course." I appreciate the update on a weekend and, if I learn more next week, will update this post.
dar*** (369 ) Mar-02-08 09:06 PST 139 of 280 Why did they have to "Test" THAT MANY AUCTIONS during a boycott week?
avi*** (3794 ) Mar-02-08 09:10 PST 140 of 280 Why did they have to "Test" THAT MANY AUCTIONS during a boycott week?
Exactly.
And if it were a legitimate test, there would be no reason to pull the listings.
vail*** (9944 ) Mar-02-08 09:22 PST 141 of 280 "This was a limited test that has run its course."
Such HOGWASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gui*** (2168 ) Mar-02-08 09:38 PST 143 of 280 "This was a limited test that has run its course."
Now that sounds like hogwash. There is a category just for test auctions, designed just for that purpose Everything Else> Test Auctions
If eBay wanted to do test auctions they would have put them in there
with a disclaimer not to bid. IMO that takes credibility away from this
being a real test. I may buy a glitch, a hack, or a seller that has no
idea what they are doing, but a test that is listed in the wrong
category. And they yank it as soon as it is reported, come on, that one
isn't believable.
avi*** (3794 ) Mar-02-08 10:47 PST 152 of 280 And eBay is sweeping the threads about this, the big one on the Feedie board is gone. SSDD.
Yep, the big one's gone and so is a much smaller one started after the first one disappeared. The big one at Seller Central is gone, but another with a vague title remains. A short thread at Trust and Safety is still there.
emo*** (20315 ) Mar-02-08 11:23 PST 156 of 280 "I think it might have been a test of dumping SDC items into Ebay."
Gee, what an AMAZING coincidence they picked the exact time the boycott was started, when the ENTIRE world was looking at the listing totals to see if the boycott was actually working!
Hmmmm.....
sno*** (12648 ) Mar-02-08 15:03 PST 166 of 285 Post #138 wrote that Ebay responded with: "This was a limited test that has run its course."
So, did Ebay actually ADMIT to involvement in those listings? They obviously are not test listings, we all know that.....But if they were performing some "other" form of test - perhaps - let's see...could it be inflating the number of listings test? What limited test are they talking about?
mag*** (6913 ) Mar-02-08 15:54 PST 170 of 285 I don't know why so many people are quick to ASSume that eBay is an evil corporate entity that wants to steal their souls and use them as currency whilst dealing with the Devil.
When I last checked, you were supposed to be INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty. From the bizarre, over-the-top posts on this thread, I have no idea why some of you even sell here.
I know that if I felt that strongly about eBay, I would do what Bruce is doing, and exit, stage left.
djc*** (3828 ) View Listings | Report Mar-02-08 17:24 PST 205 of 286 It's inconsistent statements like these that leads to speculation.
Update
3/1/08: eBay spokesperson Usher Lieberman responded by email on
Saturday, "This was a limited test that has run its course." I
appreciate the update on a weekend and, if I learn more next week, will
update this post.
Update: 3/2/08: eBay posted on its Systems
Announcement board around 5:30 pm Eastern, "Some Shopping.com listings
appeared accidentally on eBay.com over the past two days. This system
issue has been resolved. We apologize for any confusion or
inconvenience this may have caused."
gir*** (305 ) Mar-02-08 18:09 PST 217 of 286 ok the difference would be this if it was a test then ebay has comtrol over its website..the only question would be what type of test and why...this is feel ok with..............now if not a test but rather an accident then this is more of a problem...an accident is an event in which you have no control over..that would mean some one some where and some how was able to get control of the ebay computers and put all those listings on..using the same technology someone could put what ever they wanted on a millon pieces of porn or a millon pages of mad magazine etc....and also if they can control they ebay computers to do that copuld they also not use them to harvest your personal finnancial info?
oke** (1560 ) Mar-02-08 18:11 PST 218 of 286 I don't think it was an accident, do you?
abr*** (5774 ) Mar-02-08 19:37 PST 272 of 287 If they choose to give 30 day auction style core listings numbering in the MILLIONS FOLKS, then that is perfectly legal for them to do. eBay has rules by which its members must operate, but these may be members of a DIFFERENT eBay club, and their rules may be much different than ours...
fre*** (6704 ) Mar-03-08 00:12 PST 323 of 367 I found something unusual. A new wrinkle. If you go to some of the big categories and show listings, select ending soonest and at the bottom you see, say, 7575 pages total for listings, if you type in assorted numbers HIGHER, say for example, 7578, 7586, etc you can find more of these 20-day listings which are still up but if you click them they say they are ended. However, they are still there! Also, the page numbers higher than the ones indicated are do not all appear. For example, say there is a 7592, 7593, but no 7594, no 7595, then there is a 7596, and so forth. It is very wierd. It looks like there are still thousands of such listings hidden or disguised. The "ended" listings still appear in search if you find them.
mis*** (1530 ) Mar-03-08 08:31 PST 341 of 367 You have to stop and think allot of people don't want to believe ebay is capable of wrong doing because they are afraid if they are that ebay will cease to exist soon. I don't blame them, allot of them have there life dedicated to ebay and the sales. I would be terrified as well if my bread and butter could soon evaporate and I really don't have a back up plan.
djc*** (3828 ) Mar-03-08 10:33 PST 363 of 368 Somebody made a comment on that auctionbyte blog about pages of no listings yesterday.
I didn't think much about it figuring it didn't mean anything. Today I started thinking about the actual item numbers and went to look around.
This is the sub categories in Clothing, Shoes & Accessories 2463944 items found in: Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
This is a live
screen recording of actual events on the ebay website, with altered
vocals. The video portion is uncut with watermarks added, and otherwise
unretouched. The vocal audio portion of this video is my opinion, based upon & validated by the facts.
This
curious situation has come about on ebay. here is some background and
commentary. This is still very fresh. One thing clear, ebay seems to be
acting to cover this up right now. This description will be updated with more info soon.
It
appears as though ebay has been caught padding the listing counts with
lots and lots of fake listings from questionable accounts. Many of the
se accounts are showing as "Not a registered user" or NARU. Many of the
listings show as not having any detals, and the format of the listings
is different Some are showing as disney listings. All sorts of strange
things are going on. And of course, the censorship. Captured live here on video.
Related threads on ebay forums: from the Feedback board: "Is Ebay Creating Listings To Boost totals Look"
from Seller Central: "Im reporting ebay's padded listings to FTC for investigation"
From Seller Central: "Ebay is padding their listings"
from the Auction Listings bd: "E-bay is padding their listings"
From the so called "Trust & Safety" board: "Zero FB seller has 35000 Listings with no way to bid on them - VERY ODD"
Here are a few of the alleged fake names as reported and observed so far: sdc_prod_434012 = SpectrumSuperStore sdc_prod_9021_2 = Buy.com (who is NARU!) sdc_prod_9124_14 = TheNerds, Inc. sdc_prod_9452 = eTronics, Inc. sdc_prod_409455_97 = Sababa Shopping sdc_prod_9090 = CompSource Inc. sdc_prod_310426 = ANTOnline (who is NARU!) sdc_prod_9074_35 = pcRUSH.com (who is NARU!) sdc_prod_9352_67 = Digital Foto Club sdc_prod_301013_74 = The Twister Group sdc_prod_305839_99 = BargainBasementBatteries sdc_prod_9391_43 = Adorama (who is NARU!)
I
am using firefox 2.0012 browser with Adblock Plus NoScript Super
DragandGo 0.2.6 Image Zoom 0.3 and SlimSearch 0.1.8 extensions and my
"bumped" SpoofStick 1.06 among others. My skin is miniFox 0.8.2. The
small magnified window is a function of microsoft wireless intellimouse
explorer 2.0 model
(less)
Added:March 01, 2008
//
// eBay filings to the United States Securities And Exchange Commission (SEC) //
Form 8-K for EBAY INC 23-Jan-2008 Results of Operations and Financial Condition, Financial Statements and Exhibits
//
// eBay stock price - 29 February 2008 //
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=eBay
EBAY INC (NasdaqGS:EBAY)
After Hours: 26.180.18(0.68%) on 02/29/08
Last Trade:
26.36
Trade Time:
Feb 29
Change:
0.91(3.34%)
Prev Close:
27.27
Open:
27.01
Bid:
N/A
Ask:
27.27 x 3000
1y Target Est:
35.22
Day's Range:
26.17 - 27.08
52wk Range:
25.64 - 40.73
Volume:
17,475,127
Avg Vol (3m):
15,744,000
Market Cap:
35.66B
P/E (ttm):
104.19
EPS (ttm):
0.25
Div & Yield:
N/A (N/A)
//
// Detail data on "sdc" sellers. //
This data is not meant to be all inclusive. It does provide a means to verify facts, and generate leads to more information.
Listing counts are from the eBay.com site. I.E. these are not counts from eBayExpress.com nor Shopping.com nor Half.com nor any site but eBay.com.
For some Google archive data, see the date the item was archived.
Use the Google "cached" option.
To see more Google archive use the "repeat the search with the omitted results included" option.
News publication AuctionBytes stipulating on the record verification of at least 80,000 listings for one eBay.com seller.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m03/i05/s03 "the fact that when AuctionBytes looked at one Shopping.com selling
account on Saturday morning, it indicated the seller had over 80,000
listings on eBay.com" Ina Steiner, 05 March 2008
sdc_prod_301013_74 aka The Twister Group (27,291 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_301013_74&ftab=AllFeedback 505 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Oct-18-06 in Illinois, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_301013_74 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:nGCP4ib50X4J:search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsdc_prod_301013_74+sdc_prod_301013_74 "27076 items found" http://pages.suddenlink.net/docswife/Fake_eBay_Listings2.htm http://www.companyexposed.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ebay-seller-sdc-prod-301013-74-a-v-accessories-cables-desktop-laptop-accessories-items-on-ebaycom.png http://www.companyexposed.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/olympus-260302-evolt-e-10-starter-kit-ebay-item-200203133477-end-time-mar-26-08-14-35-44-pdt.png http://www.companyexposed.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/place-a-bid.png
sdc_prod_305839_99 aka BargainBasementBatteries http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_305839_99&ftab=AllFeedback 7 positive feedback, 148 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Oct-30-07 in California, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_305839_99 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:QpM59pR2JdMJ:cgi.ebay.com/RBC7-for-APC-Smart-UPS-1000XL_W0QQitemZ220205254001QQihZ012QQcategoryZ44963QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_305839_99 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:DS3GG6zXiPoJ:cgi.ebay.com/GP388-Two-Way-Radio-Battery-7-2-volts-Li-Ion-1400-mAh_W0QQitemZ220206831899QQihZ012QQcategoryZ35165QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_305839_99 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:noDieNpXPuoJ:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D220206820744%26ih%3D012%26category%3D46706%26ssPageName%3DWDVW%26rd%3D1+sdc_prod_305839_99 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:13lDN7y4IHAJ:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D220206840342%26ih%3D012%26category%3D31513%26ssPageName%3DWDVW%26rd%3D1+sdc_prod_305839_99 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:MVdOb-vVDPoJ:cgi.ebay.com/Aspire-1301XV-Laptop-Battery-9-6V-Ni-MH-4000mAh_W0QQitemZ220206826809QQihZ012QQcategoryZ50390QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_305839_99 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:9hMQHjW-HvgJ:cgi.ebay.com/Aspire-1307LC-Laptop-Battery-9-6V-Ni-MH-4000mAh_W0QQitemZ220206826435QQihZ012QQcategoryZ50390QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_305839_99
sdc_prod_310426 aka ANTOnline (21,798 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_310426&ftab=AllFeedback 0 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008, Not a registered user Member since Feb-15-08 in Georgia, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_310426 [Google archive, use cache link] 395 pages, with 25 items per page. 394 x 25 = 9,850 items http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:79FfxT1PdwsJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/List.html%3FUserId%3Dsdc_prod_310426+sdc_prod_310426&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:nPDK_hOHHnYJ:cgi.ebay.com/Revlon-MoistureStay-Fast-Heat-Paraffin-Bath-RSV1212_W0QQitemZ120227712889QQihZ002QQcategoryZ33163QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_310426 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:h1d5zecY9ugJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120225811907%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_310426 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120225811907%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=6&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_310426%26start%3D30%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:VjhJfZtF7sAJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120225360950%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_310426 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120224895939%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=9&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_310426%26start%3D30%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:-gm9kAaw7xoJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120224930838%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_310426 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120224930838%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_310426%26start%3D70%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN
sdc_prod_409455_97 aka Sababa Shopping http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_409455_97&ftab=AllFeedback 104 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Jul-16-07 in New York, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_409455_97 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:wdbbmSkSv5YJ:cgi.ebay.com/Joe-Frazier-Signed-Everlast-Boxing-Shoe_W0QQitemZ310025760330QQihZ021QQcategoryZ27272QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_409455_97 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:RS6-QlnYA2sJ:cgi.ebay.com/Streamlight-Jr-Luxeon-LED-Light_W0QQitemZ310025774047QQihZ021QQcategoryZ106987QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_409455_97 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:oJ62cj__odoJ:cgi.ebay.com/Doh-Doh-Doh-Doh-Bushings-Red-95_W0QQitemZ310025775386QQihZ021QQcategoryZ11740QQcmdZViewItem+Sababa+Shopping
sdc_prod_434012 aka SpectrumSuperStore (35,002 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_434012&ftab=AllFeedback 0 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Apr-11-07 in California, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_434012 [Google archive, use cache link] http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj179/thevirginmarypretzel/paddedlistings.jpg http://www.companyexposed.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ebaycom-seller-list-sdc_prod_434012.png http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:xMl5SZU-ESsJ:cgi.ebay.com/Hybrid-Series-76-Key-Keyboard-Case-EA-BGHB-76_W0QQitemZ320222873077QQihZ011QQcategoryZ85858QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_434012 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:XcX-QQRk69EJ:cgi.ebay.com/WB700-ALUMINUM-WORK-BENCH-1_W0QQitemZ320222203965QQihZ011QQcategoryZ67719QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_434012 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:ie1RFfPfftoJ:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D320199419130%26ih%3D011%26category%3D41424%26ssPageName%3DWDVW%26rd%3D1+sdc_prod_434012 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:kFB33ls7-SwJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D320220845477%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_434012 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D320220845477%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_434012%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN
sdc_prod_442675_57 aka Boyne & Kelly L.L.C. (4,702 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_442675_57&ftab=AllFeedback 0 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Oct-25-07 in New Jersey, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_442675_57 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:eJS01HGdc2MJ:cgi.ebay.com/7-Wonders-of-Ancient-World-PSP_W0QQitemZ120214123226QQihZ002QQcategoryZ378QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_442675_57 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:W2o81DDL3EEJ:cgi.ebay.com/Luxury-Paraffin-Bath_W0QQitemZ120227861327QQihZ002QQcategoryZ33163QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_442675_57 http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html?itemNo=120227877849&FeedBackPercent=0 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120227877849%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_442675_57%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:RdTfjWou1rQJ:cgi.ebay.com/Widepath-Tempo-Upright_W0QQitemZ120213667347QQcmdZViewItem%3Fhash%3Ditem120213667347+sdc_prod_442675_57 Widepath Tempo Upright - eBay (item 120213667347 end time Mar-21 ... http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:RdTfjWou1rQJ:cgi.ebay.com/Widepath-Tempo-Upright_W0QQitemZ120213667347QQcmdZViewItem%3Fhash%3Ditem120213667347+sdc_prod_442675_57 1GB 1066MHZ DIMM DDR3 - eBay (item 120224872850 end time Mar-21-08 ... http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:3hWj_pz6kVQJ:cgi.ebay.com/1GB-1066MHZ-DIMM-DDR3_W0QQitemZ120224872850QQihZ002QQcategoryZ111425QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_442675_57 2GB KIT 1333MHZ DDR3 - eBay (item 120226065068 end time Mar-24-08 ... http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:k-5_eMw0X4kJ:cgi.ebay.com/2GB-KIT-1333MHZ-DDR3_W0QQitemZ120226065068QQihZ002QQcategoryZ111425QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_442675_57
sdc_prod_9021_2 aka Buy.com (12,233 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9021_2&ftab=AllFeedback 0 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008, Not a registered user Member since Feb-22-08 in California, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9021_2 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:QAXuEnq4G4wJ:cgi.ebay.com/Spalding-79465-NBA-54-Inch-Basketball-Backboard-and-R_W0QQitemZ110228789630QQihZ001QQcategoryZ21196QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9021_2 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:Yd2XfmHiLA8J:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D110228791004%26ih%3D001%26category%3D306%26ssPageName%3DWDVW%26rd%3D1+sdc_prod_9021_2 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:5MkhNRgk0uYJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D110228785954%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_9021_2 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D110228785954%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=10&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9021_2%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html?itemNo=110228785954&FeedBackPercent=0 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:8N4t76pH5uIJ:cgi.ebay.com/Fraudulent-and-Exaggerated-Claims-in-Pi_W0QQitemZ110228803086QQihZ001QQcategoryZ378QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9021_2
sdc_prod_9055 aka Focus Camera (1,925 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9055&ftab=AllFeedback 235 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Oct-30-07 in New York, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9055 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:vL_bdzKpE-wJ:cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Printer-Ink-Canon-PGI-9-Yellow-Ink-Tank_W0QQitemZ220206475064QQihZ012QQcategoryZ51292QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9055 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:OK3sbJCL5p0J:cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Printer-Ink-Canon-PGI-9-10-Color-Pack_W0QQitemZ220206475061QQihZ012QQcategoryZ51292QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9055 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:Xkp36kduKuAJ:cgi.ebay.com/Kenwood-Alpine-in-Dah-CD-MP3-WAV-CD-IPOD-USB_W0QQitemZ220206476932QQihZ012QQcategoryZ307QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9055 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:IbN3pjB5bN0J:cgi.ebay.com/SDI-Ihome-IH9B6R-Alarm-Clock-Radio-for-Ipod-Black_W0QQitemZ220204798292QQihZ012QQcategoryZ84082QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9055
sdc_prod_9074_35 aka pcRUSH.com (21,401 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9074_35&ftab=AllFeedback 0 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008, Not a registered user Member since Feb-28-08 in California, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9074_35 [Google archive, use cache link] "21481 items found" http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:egtfB3spkuwJ:search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsdc_prod_9074_35+sdc_prod_9074_35 860 pages, 25 items per page. 859 x 25 = 21,475 items http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:8kcIgg6TBCwJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/List.html%3FUserId%3Dsdc_prod_9074_35+sdc_prod_9074_35 http://www.suspendedfromebay.com/postings-archive/sdc_prod_9074_35-1.jpg http://www.suspendedfromebay.com/postings-archive/sdc_prod_9074_35-5.jpg Canon 3708A005AA - eBay (item 120227783548 end time Mar-29-08 :39:34 PDT) http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:t83ZZsaKUBoJ:cgi.ebay.com/Canon-3708A005AA_W0QQitemZ120227783548QQihZ002QQcategoryZ61673QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9074_35 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:4VE7CCkI4fMJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120227765257%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_9074_35 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120227765257%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=10&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9074_35%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html?itemNo=120227765257&FeedBackPercent=0
sdc_prod_9090 aka CompSource Inc. (32,601 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9090&ftab=AllFeedback 206 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Mar-26-07 in Ohio, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9090 [Google archive, use cache link] "32601 items found" http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:fVmNW6F5irIJ:search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsdc_prod_9090+sdc_prod_9090+-product.express.ebay.com+-ebay.auction.co.kr 1301 pages, 25 items per page. 1300 x 25 = 32,500 items http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:FxeShIuGsq4J:ebay.auction.co.kr/List.html%3FUserId%3Dsdc_prod_9090+sdc_prod_9090 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:p2cKr5hg4-cJ:cgi.ebay.com/Lenovo-3000-N200-Notebook-Intel-Core-2-Duo-T5250-1_W0QQitemZ370018138633QQihZ024QQcategoryZ140083QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9090+-product.express.ebay.com http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:SLywt4rdRRYJ:cgi.ebay.com/Luxury-Paraffin-Bath-Revlon-MoistureStay-Fast-Heat-U_W0QQitemZ370027698377QQihZ024QQcategoryZ33163QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9090+-product.express.ebay.com http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:6UblAGIUYPwJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D370027703589%26FeedBackPercent%3D93.2+sdc_prod_9090 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D370027703589%26FeedBackPercent%3D93.2&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=9&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9090%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN HON Mentor Series Single Pedestal Desk - Rectangle - - eBay (item 370016020192 end time Mar-21-08 23:28:22 PDT) http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:eENzLiVfg80J:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D370016020192%26ih%3D024%26category%3D11832%26ssPageName%3DWDVW%26rd%3D1+sdc_prod_9090
sdc_prod_9124_14 akaTheNerds, Inc. (48,392 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9124_14&ftab=AllFeedback 259 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Dec-12-07 in Florida, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9124_14 [Google archive, use cache link] INDEX,LTR,#376-400,25,WE - eBay (item 120213499957 end time Mar-21-08 09:18:05 PDT http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:7uI-xsGbWrcJ:cgi.ebay.com/INDEX-LTR-376-400-25-WE_W0QQitemZ120213499957QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4203QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9124_14 NOTEBOOK,5SUBCLG,11X9,AST - eBay (item 120213501400 end time Mar-21-08 09:19:12 PDT) http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:L-FmypDv-oAJ:cgi.ebay.com/NOTEBOOK-5SUBCLG-11X9-AST_W0QQitemZ120213501400QQihZ002QQcategoryZ60271QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9124_14 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:ZzyC1hqSDe0J:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120213540500%26FeedBackPercent%3D97.7+sdc_prod_9124_14 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D120213540500%26FeedBackPercent%3D97.7&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9124_14%26start%3D60%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html?itemNo=120213540500&FeedBackPercent=97.7
sdc_prod_9352_67 aka Digital Foto Club (30,278 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9352_67&ftab=AllFeedback 922 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since May-28-07 in New York, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9352_67 [Google archive, use cache link] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:9TJtexR6ptsJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D270214141173%26FeedBackPercent%3D98.7+sdc_prod_9352_67 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D270214141173%26FeedBackPercent%3D98.7&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9352_67%2Bitems%2Bfor%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:xtXD8nksrckJ:cgi.ebay.com/Crosley-ST73-CH-Richmond-Entertainment-Center-Stereo_W0QQitemZ270214141288QQihZ017QQcategoryZ20488QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9352_67 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:rs5hKtPhMu8J:cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Printer-Ink-Canon-PGI-9-Red-Ink-Tank_W0QQitemZ270214133563QQihZ017QQcategoryZ51292QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9352_67 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:9x61N_X0Qf0J:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D270214140109%26FeedBackPercent%3D98.7+sdc_prod_9352_67 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D270214140109%26FeedBackPercent%3D98.7&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9352_67%2B%26start%3D490%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN
sdc_prod_9391_43 aka Adorama (11,102 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9391_43&ftab=AllFeedback 0 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008, Not a registered user Member since Feb-22-08 in New York, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9391_43 [Google archive, use cache links] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:4OzbhDP_92QJ:search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsdc_prod_9391_43+sdc_prod_9391_43+%22items+for+sale http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:VU7vSCdRVFQJ:cgi.ebay.com/CTA-Digital-Grand-Scale-iPod-Home-Theater-Speaker-Sy_W0QQitemZ110227893470QQihZ001QQcategoryZ1499QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9391_43 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:WghAkj7ZI3cJ:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D110227905896%26ih%3D001%26category%3D111650%26rd%3D1%26ssPageName%3Dmem_guide:5+sdc_prod_9391_43 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:BgHMQo9x8vAJ:ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D110227897474%26FeedBackPercent%3D0+sdc_prod_9391_43 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html%3FitemNo%3D110227897474%26FeedBackPercent%3D0&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsdc_prod_9391_43%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN
sdc_prod_9452 aka eTronics, Inc. (24,499 listings 2/29/2008) http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=sdc_prod_9452&ftab=AllFeedback 78 positive feedback, 0 listings 3/2/2008 Member since Jul-25-07 in New York, United States www.google.com/search?q=sdc_prod_9452 [Google archive, use cache links] http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:PLDjjwBGjLoJ:cgi.ebay.com/Vicks-V965-Comfort-Flex-Digital-Thermometer_W0QQitemZ150220736330QQihZ005QQcategoryZ117026QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9452 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:jOwntMKvykgJ:cgi.ebay.com/WaterPik-WP-65-Dental-System-Blue-Reservoir_W0QQitemZ150220273422QQihZ005QQcategoryZ108691QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9452 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:pekb_zdKSwsJ:cgi.ebay.com/WaterPik-WP-65-Dental-System-Blue-Reservoir_W0QQitemZ150220447075QQihZ005QQcategoryZ108691QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9452 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:RBjV6gcI01EJ:cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D150220157214%26ih%3D005%26category%3D47092%26rd%3D1%26ssPageName%3DWD3+sdc_prod_9452 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:HhCV1-Eh8yAJ:cgi.ebay.com/Bogen-3156-Folding-Autodolly_W0QQitemZ150219029808QQihZ005QQcategoryZ30080QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9452 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:0ibMKyEJt9QJ:cgi.ebay.com/Kicker-06ZX7501-750-Watt-Mono-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ150220613724QQcmdZViewItem%3Fhash%3Ditem150220613724+sdc_prod_9452 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:cuW0f2sePQAJ:cgi.ebay.com/Back-to-Basics-SE2000B-Smoothie-Elite-Smoothie-Maker_W0QQitemZ150219799501QQihZ005QQcategoryZ20668QQcmdZViewItem+sdc_prod_9452
//
// Complaint about the accuracy of the data in this article - 1 March 2008 //
I don't need permission to print a link. In regard to the information on that link. Well, it is not me and if the information is correct or incorrect that would be up to eBay to decide and for them to take action against or toward the person posting on that website. If it is incorrect then I hope eBay does go after that person. I was giving a link hopefully shed some light on eBays innocents. Merry Christmas
// // The right to publish this type of report - U.S. Supreme Court - 1988 //
At the heart of the First Amendment is the recognition of the
fundamental importance of the free flow of ideas and opinions on
matters of public interest and concern. "[T]he [485
U.S. 46, 51]
freedom to speak one's mind is not only an aspect of individual
liberty - and thus a good unto itself - but also is essential to the
common quest for truth and the vitality of society as a whole." Bose
Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc., 466
U.S. 485, 503
-504 (1984). We have therefore been particularly vigilant to ensure
that individual expressions of ideas remain free from governmentally
imposed sanctions. The First Amendment recognizes no such thing as a
"false" idea. Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418
U.S. 323, 339
(1974). As Justice Holmes wrote, "when men have realized that time has upset many fighting
faiths, they may come to believe even more than they believe the very
foundations of their own conduct that the ultimate good desired is
better reached by free trade in ideas - that the best test of truth is
the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of
the market . . . ." Abrams v. United States, 250
U.S. 616, 630
(1919) (dissenting opinion).
The sort of robust political debate encouraged by the First Amendment
is bound to produce speech that is critical of those who hold public
office or those public figures who are "intimately involved in the
resolution of important public questions or, by reason of their fame,
shape events in areas of concern to society at large." Associated Press
v. Walker, decided with Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts, 388
U.S. 130, 164
(1967) (Warren, C. J., concurring in result). Justice Frankfurter put it succinctly in Baumgartner v. United States,
322
U.S. 665, 673
-674 (1944), when he said that "[o]ne of the prerogatives of
American citizenship is the right to criticize public men and
measures." Such criticism, inevitably, will not always be reasoned or
moderate; public figures as well as public officials will be subject to
"vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks," New York
Times, supra, at 270. "[T]he candidate who vaunts his spotless record
and sterling integrity cannot convincingly cry `Foul!' when an opponent
or an industrious reporter attempts [485
U.S. 46, 52]
to demonstrate the contrary." Monitor Patriot Co. v. Roy,
401
U.S. 265, 274
(1971).
***Update: Providing More Information in the Bidding/Buying Process*** October 31, 2006 | 02:27PM PST/PT
Evan Liang
Hi everyone, I'm Evan Liang. Since March, my team has been testing a few improvements to the bidding/buying process to make them easier for buyers to use (read our initial announcement). We've seen very positive results from our tests, so we're now going to make these changes permanent. In the next few days, you should start seeing the following when you place a bid or use Buy It Now:
The seller's Gallery photo. If the seller used Gallery, the picture will be displayed when the buyer places and confirms their bid.
Average Selling Price for Items with Pre-Filled Item Information. We'll display the average selling price for that item when the buyer’s bid is significantly below the average. This will only be included on items where the seller’s listing was created using Pre-Filled Item Information. (Items listed with the same Pre-Filled Item Information are close or identical products and can be compared to determine a reasonably accurate average price.)
More education about bidding for new buyers. We're putting more education on the "Place Bid" page for new buyers, including a graphic demonstrating how the bidding system works.
Warnings to prevent accidental Buy It Nows. Buyers sometimes purchase multiple items accidentally by hitting Buy It Now more than once. This warning will prompt them after they've bought the first item to make sure they really want to buy another.
Sincerely, Evan Liang Buyer Product Team
//
// //
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200708.shtml
***Bid History Update - More Details*** August 24, 2007 | 03:44PM PST/PT
Evan Liang
Hello...I'm Evan Liang with eBay's Buyer Experience team. My team and I focus on improving the experience members have when they place a bid or make a purchase. As Philipp mentioned, we're making a few important changes to the bid history page that we think will improve the overall bidding experience. You will begin to see these changes next week. Making winning easier – bid right from the bid history page We know from talking to Community members that many people spend a lot of time monitoring competitive auctions from the bid history page. Knowing how important this page is to bidders, my team has enhanced the user interface so you can now place a bid directly on the bid history page.
For our competitive bidders who use the bid history often, we think this change will simplify your experience and help you win that "must have" item.
Enhancing SMI -- adding transparency for items over $200 Last January, Rob Chesnut introduced an important Trust & Safety initiative called Safeguarding Member IDs (SMI). This project protects eBay's bidders on high-end items from fake Second Chance Offers and other malicious email. (Read Rob's announcement from January 8, 2007 for more details.)
While SMI has been very effective in protecting our marketplace from fraud, we also realize that it reduced transparency on the site, and, for some bidders, took away some of the magic of that makes eBay so unique.
As promised, my Buyer Experience group has teamed up with Trust & Safety and the Community over the past few months to look at ways to make the bid history more transparent without jeopardizing the safety that SMI has added. I'm pleased to let you know that this week, we'll be making the following adjustments to the User IDs displayed on bid history for items over $200:
Actual Feedback Score is back – We will be bringing back the bidder’s actual feedback score next to each member's respective User ID.
New User ID Masking - We are replacing the current aliases (Bidder 1, Bidder 2 and Bidder 3) with a masked ID that consists of two random characters from the member's User ID – for example a***b. For any given member, this masked ID will be consistent across all auctions over $200 for which they place bids. At the end of a listing, the winning bidder's User ID will be displayed on both the item and bid history page. Please note: Sellers will still be able to view the actual User IDs for bidders on their listings through the Bid History page. Also, please understand that to protect our Community, eBay reserves the right to change this masking algorithm in the future, but will only do so if absolutely necessary and with advance notice. We expect to add more enhancements in the future, although our intent is to move cautiously so we can ensure we’re preserving safety.
My team will be holding a workshop on September 5 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time (stay tuned for more info), and I hope you can join us. You can also check out my video on The Chatter blog for more information. As always, we appreciate your support and feedback, and look forward to further improvements to your buyer experience.
Hi, it's Evan Liang. I wanted to jump in to make two quick comments before I get my Kevlar body suit.
1) First, I wanted to say that we hear you and we take all your comments to heart. The push to restore transparency was driven by you, the community, and we have worked directly with community members at every step to make this happen. 2) I’ll be the first to admit this is not a perfect solution, but as other posters have expressed, this is the first of many small steps in the right direction. We continue to work with TnS on numerous initiatives to improve overall site security and we look forward to returning more transparency to the site.
As I’m sure many of you have a lot of questions, I’m holding a workshop on September 5th at 11 am PT, more info to come. I encourage you to join me for an interactive discussion about the bid history page. Thanks for your feedback, it definitely makes a difference.
Hello...I'm Evan Liang with eBay's Buyer Experience team. My team and I
focus on improving the experience members have when they place a bid or
make a purchase. As Philipp mentioned, we're making a few important
changes to the bid history page that we think will improve the overall
bidding experience. You will begin to see these changes next week.
Making winning easier – bid right from the bid history page We
know from talking to Community members that many people spend a lot of
time monitoring competitive auctions from the bid history page. Knowing
how important this page is to bidders, my team has enhanced the user
interface so you can now place a bid directly on the bid history page.
For
our competitive bidders who use the bid history often, we think this
change will simplify your experience and help you win that "must have"
item.
Enhancing SMI -- adding transparency for items over $200 Last
January, Rob Chesnut introduced an important Trust & Safety
initiative called Safeguarding Member IDs (SMI). This project protects
eBay's bidders on high-end items from fake Second Chance Offers and
other malicious email. (Read Rob's announcement from January 8, 2007
for more details.)
While SMI has been very effective in
protecting our marketplace from fraud, we also realize that it reduced
transparency on the site, and, for some bidders, took away some of the
magic of that makes eBay so unique.
As promised, my Buyer
Experience group has teamed up with Trust & Safety and the
Community over the past few months to look at ways to make the bid
history more transparent without jeopardizing the safety that SMI has
added. I'm pleased to let you know that this week, we'll be making the
following adjustments to the User IDs displayed on bid history for
items over $200:
Actual Feedback Score is back – We will be
bringing back the bidder’s actual feedback score next to each member's
respective User ID. New User ID Masking - We are replacing the
current aliases (Bidder 1, Bidder 2 and Bidder 3) with a masked ID that
consists of two random characters from the member's User ID – for
example a***b. For any given member, this masked ID will be consistent
across all auctions over $200 for which they place bids. At the end of
a listing, the winning bidder's User ID will be displayed on both the
item and bid history page. Please note: Sellers will still be able to
view the actual User IDs for bidders on their listings through the Bid
History page. Also, please understand that to protect our
Community, eBay reserves the right to change this masking algorithm in
the future, but will only do so if absolutely necessary and with
advance notice. We expect to add more enhancements in the future,
although our intent is to move cautiously so we can ensure we’re
preserving safety.
eliang@ebay.com Sep-06-07 08:34 PDT 1 of 239 Starting a thread to capture all comments related to the bid history page changes. In addition, pinning this thread so that new users will have a quick source to find answers to questions related to the new userIDs. Thanks.
eliang@ebay.com View Nov-01-07 09:12 PDT 7 of 23 Hi, This is a bug and will be fixed right away. Thanks.
Evan
eliang@ebay.com View Nov-01-07 12:14 PDT 12 of 23 Re: post 10
Tiptie is right, there are new features rolling which may create temporary glitches.
1) This should be fixed and will take effect soon 2) Thanks for pointing this out. It seems to work for re-bids but not initial. We are looking into this.
Thanks.
Evan
eliang@ebay.com View Nov-05-07 09:06 PST 14 of 23 Both of these issues are now fixed. Thanks.
eliang@ebay.com View Nov-05-07 09:26 PST 17 of 23 I try to read as much as I can and respond when appropriate but anyone on bidding board should feel free to send issues on the boards to me at eliang@ebay.com. Thanks.
eliang@ebay.com View Nov-05-07 10:12 PST 20 of 23 re: 19 about SMI example
Great point and that should be changed fairly soon. Thanks.
***Introducing: Guest Buying*** November 05, 2007 | 02:56PM PST/PT
Evan Liang
Hello...I'm Evan Liang with eBay's Buyer Experience team. With the busy
holiday season rapidly approaching, I'm excited to announce that we're
launching Guest Buying, a new feature that we believe will help
increase the number of new buyers who purchase sellers' Fixed Price and
Store Inventory listings.
Why Guest Buying?
We've done a lot of research about buying habits as the Internet has
evolved, and have been told repeatedly that requiring new buyers to
register before they have a chance to really interact with eBay is a
barrier to them taking the plunge (this is the same reason we
introduced My eBay for Guests awhile back).
Today many online buyers expect to be able to visit a site and simply
purchase and pay for an item with minimum hassle. Introducing Guest
Buying will help encourage more first purchases by new buyers.
Here's how it works:
Guest buyers will be able to use Buy It Now to purchase eligible Fixed Price and Store Inventory items.
Guest buyers need to complete their payment through PayPal before the item is theirs, similar to Immediate Payment.
Your current PayPal settings will apply – if you require
buyers to pay with a confirmed address, your Guest Buyers will need to
do so as well.
Which listings are eligible for Guest Buying?
Your listings will be eligible to be purchased by Guest Buyers if you meet the following criteria:
You must have a premier/business PayPal account in order to accept credit card payments.
Shipping costs must be specified on your listing.
You must qualify for the top tier of buyer protection of $2,000.
The item price must be less than $2,000.
You must use eBay's checkout system. Third-party checkout will not be supported at this time.
Can Guest Buyers leave feedback?
No – at least not until they register. eBay will encourage Guest Buyers
to register once they make a purchase. Once they do, they'll be able to
use all the same features and programs our current buyers do, such as
Feedback, Buyer Protection, access to Customer Support, etc.
The Launch Plan
We're going to introduce Guest Buying slowly over the next few weeks.
We're going to start by making it available in our Music, Books, DVDs
& Movies, and Consumer Electronics categories in the next few days,
and will add more categories shortly thereafter. Within a few weeks,
Guest Buying should be available sitewide.
eliang@ebay.com View Listings | Report Nov-06-07 10:24 PST 60 of 96 Hi guys, To help address all the questions across
multiple threads, I've created one on seller central. By the way, I
love the enthusiasm for this feature on this thread
From eBay Seller Central Forum Guest Buying Program - Q&A with eBay http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000592798&start=0
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:16 PST Hi, I
thought I'd jump in and try to answer as many questions as I can about
our new guest buying program. I'll start by posting the original AB
post and add from there. There a lot of questions so please be patient,
we'll get there. If I miss one from another thread please feel free to
add them here. Thanks everyone.
***Introducing: Guest Buying*** November 05, 2007 | 02:20PM PST/PT
Hello...I'm
Evan Liang with eBay's Buyer Experience team. With the busy holiday
season rapidly approaching, I'm excited to announce that we're
launching Guest Buying, a new feature that we believe will help
increase the number of new buyers who purchase sellers' Fixed Price and
Store Inventory listings.
Why Guest Buying? We've done a lot
of research about buying habits as the internet has evolved, and have
been told repeatedly that requiring new buyers to register before they
have a chance to really interact with eBay is a barrier to them taking
the plunge (this is the same reason we introduced My eBay for Guests
awhile back).
Today many online buyers expect to be able to
visit a site and simply purchase and pay for an item with minimum
hassle. Introducing Guest Buying will help encourage more first
purchases by new buyers.
Here's how it works:
Guest buyers will be able to use Buy It Now to purchase eligible Fixed Price and Store Inventory items. Guest buyers need to complete their payment through PayPal before the item is theirs, similar to Immediate Payment. Your
current PayPal settings will apply – if you require buyers to pay with
a confirmed address, your Guest Buyers will need to do so as well. Which listings are eligible for Guest Buying? Your listings will be eligible to be purchased by Guest Buyers if you meet the following criteria:
You must have a premier/business PayPal account in order to accept credit card payments. Shipping costs must be specified on your listing. You must qualify for the top tier of buyer protection of $2,000. The item price must be less than $2,000. You must use eBay's checkout system. Third-party checkout will not be supported at this time. Can Guest Buyers leave feedback? No
– at least not until they register. eBay will encourage Guest Buyers to
register once they make a purchase. Once they do, they'll be able to
use all the same features and programs our current buyers do, such as
Feedback, Buyer Protection, access to Customer Support, etc.
The Launch Plan We're
going to introduce Guest Buying slowly over the next few weeks. We're
going to start by making it available in our Music, Books, DVDs &
Movies, and Consumer Electronics categories in the next few days, and
will add more categories shortly thereafter. Within a few weeks, Guest
Buying should be available sitewide.
No, existing users including suspended users will not be able to use the guest flow. They will be blocked and asked to sign in.
java_juliet (Private ) Nov-06-07 09:24 PST 5 With
the cornerstone of eBay safety and trust being mutual feedback, how is
removing that option for buyers a good thing for them in the event a
seller wrongs them? Why would a buyer want to forego that protection
buying on eBay?
eBay is not a retailer but is composed of many
sellers from all walks who may or may not know how to pack items,
describe items,run a business, etc. Does eBay think that buyers will be
running in to buy without that level of protection? If does not attract
buyers that are logical, is this going to open the door for those who
are suspended off eBay or who perpetually do chargebacks to have an
"in"?
A:
Most guest buyers will be purchasing their items via credit cards
processed by PayPal. They do not need to create a PayPal account. If
they have a Paypal account they can sign in and use that as well.
A:
eBay gift cards are great and we certainly want to encourage new users
to use them. You can use gift cards on the guest buying flow but you
will be required to create a PayPal account in order to redeem the gift
card. So in that case you will be an eBay guest with a PayPal account.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:32 PST 9 Q: Will Guest buyers have the same Paypal protection that eBay member buyers have? And how will chargebacks be handled?
A:
Think of guest buying like progressive registration, we only collect
the information we need for your transaction such as shipping info,
telephone number, email address etc. And then your payment info such as
credit card. We run all our validations on both eBay and PayPal side
and only take the item out of inventory if the payment is completed. On
the back end we are basically creating your eBay account, at the very
end, all that we need to upgrade an account is your userId, password,
and confirm your email address. Guest users should be treated like a
new user, which they are, and they are eligible for all the same
protections once they upgrade and can sign in to the site.
Chargebacks
will be handled the same way as today, no different than a new user. I
should also mention that there is a guest limit of 2 transactions in
the US before you have to upgrade to a full user.
A:
Similar to how we don't allow sellers to block new users with 0
feedback, we are not adding a buyer requirement for guests. Given the
requirement of immediate payment we actually think these users are less
risky than a newbie thru the regular registration flow. We will
certainly monitor going to monitor the guest flow very carefully for
any issues. We also have experience with the similar flow thru Express
which gave us the confidence to make this available on core.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:42 PST 12 Q:
Whose to say, though, that these blocked buyers couldnt just sign into
the guest page through a different computer (therfore different IP )
A: We actually match the information they provide so it would be like creating a new eBay account.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:43 PST 13 Q:
Will Guest buyers have an eBay 'shopping cart'? If so, what happens
when the Guest purchases items from several sellers with different
buyer requirements where some requirements are not met (such as
unconfirmed address - or where the seller has this set as 'ask')?
A:
This is not a shopping cart. It's only single seller single item, you
can have multiple qty of a single item. Most new users are not buying
from multiple sellers right away.
A:
We do not allow shipping addresses outside of the US or CA. You simply
can't enter one, similar to Express. For CA users we check your buyer
preference and also make sure the item is shippable to that location.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:49 PST 15 Q:
With the cornerstone of eBay safety and trust being mutual feedback,
how is removing that option for buyers a good thing for them in the
event a seller wrongs them? Why would a buyer want to forego that
protection buying on eBay?
A: Feedback is a great thing and we
are not removing that option. It is a matter of timing, let's get them
to buy the item first then educate them of the other benefits of eBay
such as feedback. Guest can leave feedback once they register
retroactively provided the window has not expired. We certainly hope
the majority of our guests become actively engaged eBay members with
good feedback scores.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:52 PST 19 Q:
I am just wondering why eBay thinks these 'lazy' people will buy on
eBay and then go 'sign up' with Paypal to pay? If they are too lazy or
hurried to sign up with eBay, why would they be willing to do it with
Paypal? I don't get it...
A: It's been awhile for many of us,
but signing for eBay and PayPal the first time is actually hard. It
take about 11 steps and many people don't finish it. We saw a major
need here to address a new user pain and as such we decided that this
was an important feature to have right before the x-mas holiday season
when we have a lot of new buyers trying out the site. We've been
working on this for over a year to make sure we provide a great new
user experience but do it safely.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:55 PST 21 Q: How will the seller protection policy coverage work with guest check out?
A:
Just like today. From the seller side a guest is like any new user who
pays with PayPal. I would also add that if a guest user chooses to pay
with a non-immediate payment method such as check, he will be required
to fully register before completing the transaction.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:55 PST 22 Q:
If a guest buyers purchases, pays, receives item and THEN registers on
ebay, will that buyer be able to go back and leave feedback for the
item that was transacted before the registration?
A: Yes, he will be provided it's before the feedback window expires.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:56 PST 23 Q:
Will there be an EASY way to report an unwelcome guest bidder -- i.e.,
if we notice that the person is a previous scammer, stalker or other
blocked bidder that ebay missed (honestly, ebay isn't always so great
at prohibiting suspended ebayers from opening new accounts as it is,
nonetheless having to screen for bogus "guests").
A: Yes, they
actually have a default userID that shows up that you can use to report
to CS. CS will know that they are guests and can handle appropriately.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 09:58 PST 24 Ok, I need to leave for a little while, please post any questions here and I'll be back to answer them. Thanks everyone!
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 10:26 PST 27 Q:
So they will be able to buy an item without immediate payment
required...they simply need a paypal account but can choose not to pay
for however long they want? Will sellers have to wait weeks to to
relist and get the fees returned as the case with "registered users"?
A: Immediate payment is required, we don't pull inventory until payment has been received.
A:
My answer was directed to if an existing user can just switch computers
and come through. As for verifying their information we do the standard
address validity checks but we also require either credit card or
PayPal which in some ways is the equivalent of our high risk
registration flow today.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 10:39 PST 33 Q:
Sorry to be dense, but I sell towels-and it's not unusual for people to
buy 2 of one and 2 of another and 1 of another, etc. Will they have to
pay for each 2 of same, 2 of another same or single individually or pay
for all 5 (this example) at once? I'm thinking of paypal fees.
A:
From your question, I take it each "one" is a different listing. If so,
they would pay for 2, then 2, and then 1. Building out the
functionality for multi-items for a single seller is something worth
considering for the future but not in the current release. If they get
in touch with you and want combine shipping, I would encourage them to
register so they can do via BIN.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 10:41 PST 34 Q: Would eBay be considering any perks for sellers, like if your sales to a guest buyer results in a new eBay registration?
A:
Hmm, I've heard this suggestion before and it's a very interesting
idea. Not currently but definitely something we may look into in the
future. It would be a pretty big change.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 10:45 PST 35 Q:
I don't think I understand what the difference is if they need to fill
in about the same amount of information. What's the point?
A:
It's a lot shorter - 5 pages vs. 11 pages and from a buyer perspective
it is about the "context." If I am buying an item I expect to give the
seller my shipping info, email, telephone but I probably don't need to
give pick an userID or a password right now. Also the BIN flow itself
is confusing to a brand new user - I've committed to and item but I
haven't paid. I'll try to post some mock ups soon so folks can see what
it looks like.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 10:49 PST 38 Q: Thank you, and will there be a way to 'opt in' for other categories? I'd like this on all my listings.
A:
We are testing in those categories to make sure everything is working
as it should. We will try to expand to all categories, with a few
exceptions (no mature), as soon as we can do so.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 11:09 PST 46 Q: So what is the difference on pages? 5 vs 11? What is left out other then picking an ID and email address?
A:
I will try to upload mock ups of the entire flow later today on this
thread as that may answer a lot of questions. Basically we combine a
few pages such as entering shipping info on the Review your Purchase
page. Similar to express we don't require to break the flow and go to
check your email. We also don't require you to review and commit to BIN
an item and then checkout - it's all together. Basically we allow you
to do everything in the checkout flow. This is also integrated with
PayPal so they don't go to a separate PayPal page to pay. Mock ups
coming soon.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 11:53 PST 60 Q: I'm selling books, is it possible I've already got one? Is there a way we can tell as sellers?
A:
We don't specifically call out guest users with a special icon or
anything. We were afraid that it was painting a bulls eye on them and
although most of our sellers are good, it could tempt Seller
non-performance. Sellers may notice guests but we hope you treat them
like a regular new user who has already paid.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 11:54 PST 61 Q:
But if it's not accepted on the sellers side and blocked through
payment until accepted or denied, will that still count on ebay's side
as a completed sale?
A: No, payment must be completed before we take the item out of inventory.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 11:56 PST 62 Q: How do I get in touch with a guest? Or how do they get in touch with me?
A:
Both you and the guest get each other's email addresses thru PayPal,
similar to regular users so you can touch base that way. Remember,
guests need to upgrade to login into My Messages although they will
still receive message notifications.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 12:02 PST 64 Q:
why are we forced to use ebays flawed and dysfunctional checkout
system? I cannot specify rates by individual countries, amonst numerous
other problems like not calculating combined shipping discounts properly
A:
Similar to immediate payment, we need confirmation that payment was
made to release the item. As for shipping discounts, other than
multi-qty we don't have a shopping cart so it is a simplified checkout.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 12:45 PST 72 Q2
follow up: makes no sense my 3P checkout reports back to paypal and
ebay through API, shows in buyers my ebay items is paid so your answer
makes no sense?
A: Immediate payment does not currently support 3P checkout and as such we can't enable it for the guest flow.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 12:48 PST 73 Q:
okay now I figured out the real reason for this whole guest thing, it
so ebay can now spin the numbers to wall street as to why active users
are dis-engaging at a faster rate the additions.
A: Wow, such
skepticism. We've been working on this for a long time, especially
around how to design a secure system to address the issues you guys
have brought up. We also learned a lot from Express.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 12:51 PST 75 Q:
Is that flat rate only, or is the calculator also included? If the
calculator is acceptable for guest buyer purchase, how/when will the
buyer input their zip code for shipping charge to be computed?
A:
Yes calculated as well. When you input your zip code on the Review Your
Purchase page we will auto-calculate the shipping cost right there.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 13:44 PST 84 To
get this up faster, I've decided to use Photobucket. Here are is what
the flow looks like from a guest perspective. Should help answers lots
of questions.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 13:47 PST 85 This is what happens after you click BIN on VI item as a guest. There
is no guest eligibility messaging before so this is the first place a
new user sees an item as guest eligible.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 13:49 PST 88 On the Review Your Purchase page of checkout you enter your shipping
info, email address, telephone number, and you agree to the user
agreement at the bottom here. We also auto-calculate shipping based on
the zip code.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 14:03 PST 90 Last
page was the credit on paypal page. Note the UI is integrated between
eBay and PayPal. New UI design we are testing and want to bring to all
users. For existing users you default to the PayPal login. If you press
other accepted payment methods you are prompted to fully register.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 14:06 PST 92 And here is the final checkout success page saying you bought the item
AND encouraging you to register to become a full eBay member. since we
have all their info they only need to pick a userId, password, security
question, and confirm their email address.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 14:13 PST 96 Q: I don't know if you have addressed this issue, but this system seems a perfect setup for stolen cc information.
A:
Stolen cards is an issue we deal with thru eBay.com and Express today
so this is nothing new. PayPal has been fighting this issue for awhile
now and our fraud models are set up to fight this. We will be
monitoring this very closely just in case. As a seller, you can always
get seller protection by requiring confirmed addresses in your paypal
preferences.
Please read the thread as there are a few answers above already.
Q:
Are guest buyers forced to use Paypal as the only method of buying an
item? If so, what happens to the older sellers who have opted out of
taking paypal payments?
A: Yes, that is one of several seller
eligibility requirements. The main reason is we are forcing guest to
pay via immediate payment.
A: Sorry about that, our internal server is once a day so this was much faster.
eliang@ebay.comView Listings
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Nov-06-07 14:51 PST 107 Q. What part of don't scre w with things in the 4th qtr does ebay not understand?
A:
We wanted to try and get this out in time for Q4 because this is when
we have the most new users on the site so they and the sellers can
benefit from the feature
A: Can't get into all the details, b/c I don't know it myself but we do block credit cards we know to be fraudulent.
eliang@ebay.com Nov-06-07 16:13 PST 130
Q: If the Guest Buyer thing works like you hope it will, do you forsee a this possibly replacing EE?
A:
We saw this as taking one of the best things from Express and decided
to move it over to core. No plans to replace Express but we are always
transferring good ideas back and forth between platforms.
eliang@ebay.com Nov-06-07 16:14 PST 131
Q:
And as for the "confirmed address" thing, although we don't have choice
to "opt out" of Guest Buying, can we choose to set our "preferences" to
only accept payments from buyers with Confirmed Addresses? If we do
that, won't the GUEST BUYER be forced to register with a confirmed
address in order to make a purchase from an eBay Seller?
A: Yes,
you can always choose to only select confirmed address. For guest users
confirmed address means shipping is equal to billing address.
eliang@ebay.com Nov-06-07 16:16 PST 133
Q: I
personally don't mind shipping to unconfirmed addresses. I do it all
the time with no problem but I do understand the concerns of those with
high priced/high risk items not wanting to do so.
A: There is an ASP limit that we have set at $2,000 which is something we can change if warranted.
eliang@ebay.com Nov-06-07 16:29 PST 134 of 164
OK
everyone this may be my last post for today. I saw on some other thread
that they were now thinking something is wrong since I've been too
responsive! Nope, I just like talking about this feature.
Thanks
for all your great questions and feedback. This has been a great thread
and I hope we have answered most of them. Feel free to post anything
else you have here as we have pinned this thread and will monitor it.
clos*** (473 ) Nov-07-07 02:31 PST 165 of 166 Q. What part of don't scre w with things in the 4th qtr does ebay not understand?
A:
We wanted to try and get this out in time for Q4 because this is when
we have the most new users on the site so they and the sellers can
benefit from the feature
Does the ebay R & D team have the movie ''Operation Petticoat'' running all the time on a big screen TV somewhere in their office?
Especially the scene, where the sub is docked in a port that is getting
attacked, and the captain is asking ''Where is Mr. Holden? (the
logistics officer)'' The response given by a crewman is ''Mr. Holden says, In confusion there is profit''
eliang@ebay.com Nov-09-07 08:45 PST 217 of 235 Q: Billing address??? If the guest buyers don't have to sign up for PayPal or eBay, where does the billing address come from?
A: Please look at post 92 with a mock up. Similar to most e-commerce sites we ask for billing address when you enter your credit card info. We actually default it to the shipping address. This info is then submitted to PayPal where it runs thru our fraud models to make sure it is a valid credit card. For guest buyers if shipping does not equal to billing than it is not considered a confirmed address.
eliang@ebay.com Nov-09-07 10:05 PST 221 of 235 Q: When a guest comes to eBay and wants to shop, are they presented with ALL listings?
A: Actually it's the other way around, when a new unregistered user comes to eBay we want to them first find an item they want to buy/bid, which is more important, and when they click the BIN button and see the sign in page we determine whether or not that item is guest eligible. If it is eligible he can checkout as a guest, if not, he must register before buying which is the same as today. As a brand new user he probably won't know the difference between the two flows. By the way, the user always has the option to register even when guest checkout is available - see the screenshot I posted of the sign in page. Thanks.
eliang@ebay.com Nov-09-07 11:57 PST 223 of 235 Gingerdolls,
Q: I really wish folks could just find their item, poke the "buy" button, and whip out their credit card. LOL
A: Actually that is exactly what should happen provided the item is guest eligible
For new newsgroup readers, these are not our forum posts. Any comments to the posters below should be made on the applicable thread, marked in bold below.
FYI apologist post_a_note posts spin and damage control supporting eBay ...
On November 18 2007 post_a_note revealed themselves to be 20th_century_art (Mark A. Reinke).
"Negative Nancy's", Mark A. Reinke "Most people are losers
because they're ding dong clueless.", Mark A. Reinke
"That's
funny coming from somebody who's just linked to that post about my
husband for the [how many I've lost track?] time!" Mark A. Reinke
"you can speculate about my marital status or my 'husband' all you want, I don't believe I've lied about any of that either!"
For the record:
1) Mark resides in Texas. And Texas has no male-male marriage law on the books. 2) Mark appears to have no marriage certificate registered in Texas.
I couldn't find a better forum to post this. So I'll post it here.
This isn't a glitch, but room for improvement. Unless I'm just completely missing the boat, in which case you'll let me know.
ANYWAY...
When I'm looking at my Items for Sale list, I've got the option to sort
by various methods, such as number of bids, number of watchers, number
of questions, etc.
HOWEVER... When I click on any of these
sorts, the default sort is lowest to highest. In other words, the first
click sorts by showing me items with zero bids at the top, and the
maximum bids at the bottom. Obviously, I was looking for the maximum
bids. Or the maximum number of watchers. Or for items with questions.
Wouldn't
it work better if the sort worked the other way around? If the first
sort showed high to low, and the second low to high?
Well, yes, I understand that the second click works. That was, in fact, my whole point. The 'first' click should sort max to min... the 'second' click should reverse the order min to max.
Because while it only wastes about three or four seconds of my time...
that's three or four seconds that I sit there and fume about wasting
those three or four seconds.
And
I do like to keep track of my items. So I run through these checks
several times a day. Which, over time, adds up in both seconds and
fuming.
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Anyone have/had this problem? What is the solution? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008946970&forumID=21&x#1008946970 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-12-07 07:52 PDT 8 of 11 Sometimes recently I'll be trying to enter or change a listing and the 'create new account' screen pops up. When I hit the back button... I've got about a 50% chance of having my data still in place.
But ONE HOUR to input ONE LISTING????
I looked at your store and couldn't for the life of me figure why it would take you that long. Unless you're including photo time and other non-computer activity. Your descriptions simply are long enough an the rest should be a matter of simple form entry. 10 minutes max! What gives?
p
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum I made powerseller today... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008947011&forumID=21&x#1008947011 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-12-07 07:56 PDT 4 of 23 Congratulations on being one of those around here who see the ebay glass as half full!
.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-12-07 08:34 PDT 7 of 23 pop1111 wrote: so how is it you became a powerseller?
Probably using a posting acount like many of us. My guess anyway.
pan
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum USPS Rates? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008947077&forumID=21&x#1008947077 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-12-07 08:05 PDT 11 of 17 Because most of my items are similar, I charge a flat rate for either USPS first class or priority. While I'm very fair on my shipping costs, I do have a little room to allow for postal increases without having to mass-edit every listing.
Besides using the flat-rate option within each listing... I've also got a gif format chart embedded in each listing with shipping information. That way, if my rates change suddenly, or eBay 'deletes' my shipping information, the chart is still available to buyers. Plus I can change the shipping rates for all my listings at a single stroke!
p
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Help with first non-paying bidder http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008947263&forumID=21&x#1008947263 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-12-07 08:30 PDT 2 of 6 I believe one reason this woman probably has a 'perfect' record is because so many sellers are frightened to death to leave a negative no matter how outrageous the buyer's behavior.
One negative on your still building wonderful fb rating will not destroy your store.
A negative on her 1700 fb will not destroy her purchasing power... but it may cause her to pause just one moment before pulling the same stunt with the next unsuspecting seller.
p
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Can you inbed a VIDEO IN A LISTING? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008947385&forumID=21&x#1008947385 .
Try to help me understand something here... and I'm not trying to be in the least bit offensive.
I'm
not sure of all the details of your 'charity listing.' But it seems
that many people shopping for fine gold jewelry on the internet would
be upset at just the first few seconds of that video... with the
corpses.
If you use that video I suggest you place a big warning... CAUTION: DISTURBING IMAGES OF CONCENTRATION CAMPS.
I would NOT describe it as COOL.
pan
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum What to do if a seller rips off your designs and blatantly sells them here? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008948133&forumID=21&x#1008948133
Now, I'm no expert in the fashion industry, but I think clothing
'designs' get copied by manufacturers around the world as fast as they
appear on the shelf. By the time a top designer's gown appears on the
runway in New York or Paris... you can be assured that the knock-offs
and imitations are already being produced. I'd consider it a compliment!
Now,
if you have a trademark, logo, or particular design image or symbol
that is unique to you and that you own, then you could take action. Or
if the other seller is claiming that she is selling YOUR merchandise,
when in fact it's not, then you'd also have a case. Otherwise...
You've hit the big time, baby!
(Most people here would die to have anybody notice there merchandise, much less copy it!)
pan
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum I'm Finally Red Today !!! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008948141&forumID=21&x#1008948141 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-12-07 10:34 PDT 21 of 23 Congratulations! I love the good-news stories!!
pan
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum
My Web Site Finally Showed Up in a GOOGLE SEARCH!!!!
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008985391&forumID=21&x#1008985391
.
I created a personal web site to direct traffic to my store last
November. I immediately registered it with all the major search
engines. To my dismay... it never showed up. I searched in vain for
months. And unless I Googled the actual domain name, I got nothing.
Anyway, I've noticed an increase in traffic to my site recently. So I Googled my PRODUCT name tonight and discovered my personal site is ranked 14th!!! Wooo Hooo!
If I can get another decent site to link to mine, I should move into the top ten or top five!
I
really can't judge what impact it's had on sales. But my web site is
now generating almost 10% of my traffic, and more traffic than direct
Google hits. I recently revamped my store from the bottom up and I'm
slowly restocking the inventory. So sales have been dismal while I the
shelves are being re-arranged.
I'm very optimistic, though. I
was starting to think my personal site, and all the time and effort I
put into it, had been for naught.
p-a-n
.
16 replies Date posted Reply #
.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-14-07 08:27 PDT 1 of 16 Bumping a good news story!
Was I the only one who had to wait so long before their personal site appeared in the search engines?
p-a-n
.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-14-07 10:31 PDT 8 of 16 I don't sell on my personal site, btw. I just use it do draw traffic to
my eBay store. I know that I'll inevitably upgrade it to an actual
store... but haven't devoted the time or effort to that yet.
Thanks
to those who've provided other advise here... I really need to focus a
little more attention on marketing. It's easy to get bogged down in the
day to day grind of listing, shipping, etc.
I'll sit down and
make business plans devoting such and such a percent of my time to
advertising and marketing, but rarely do I stick to the plan. Ugggh!
p-a-n
.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-15-07 22:27 PDT 14 of 16 "With your website setup properly as a mirror of your eBay store,
you will get a store referral credit of 75% of your FVF for any store
sales that come from your website."
How does this work?
How is a store sale tied to your off-ebay site? Does eBay track the IP
address? And how do you know whether you're getting the appropriate
credits?
.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-16-07 06:07 PDT 15 of 16 Oh, nevermind! I just found out everything there is to know about Store Referral Credits here: LINK
Another project! This stuff never ends!
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum How long do you keep items in your store? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006424077&forumID=21&x#2006424077 .
I don't know that there's any good rule of thumb... it really is a
decision that you'll need to make based on the particulars of your
merchandise. I've got a lot of inventory with a low sell-thru for
specialty items. And other than a few sure sellers, I have no way of
judging whether an item will sell tomorrow or next year... because I've
got the kind of merchandise people just stumble upon, few, if any,
intentionally go out looking for it.
In
any event... if an item sits in my store inventory for a year that
costs me 72 cents. If it sells my profit is easily ten times that, or
much more. I could keep it for two years, but my store hasn't been open
that long. At some point I'll have to make a decision about where to
cap my inventory -- I'm not nearly close to my competitors yet. And
then I'll pull old items with little traffic off as I add new.
Also...
some items never sell but are great for drawing traffic to the store.
How much value does that add? I had one auction item that would bring
in almost 200 hits a week, but nobody wanted to buy it. It probably
would've sold if I reduced the starting price to 0.99 ... but I thought
the traffic it brought to the store was worth the cost. I'll never
really know for sure... how many of those 'hits' stuck around to shop
for something else?
Good luck!
p-a-n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Can two store purchases be combined for PayPal shipping after payment? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008963995&forumID=21&x#1008963995 .
If a buyer ignores my very clear instructions as how to combine
shipping... and pays for two individual purchase separately, I simply
treat them as the two separate purchases that they are and mail them
separately.
You
shouldn't be losing money on shipping. So why is it in your best
interest try to combine? And if the buyer has already paid, and not
brought the issue up themself, then it apparently wasn't a big deal
with them.
Now, I'd never do this again... but, before I began
my ship each separate purchase separately policy, I once had a buyer by
eith items and pay postage for each one individually. Being lazy that
day, I just stuck everything in one box and mailed it at a cost to me
of little over the postage of a single item. I fully expected to refund
her the balance when she realized what had happened... but she never
said a peep and gave me glorious fb.
Hmmmm...
p-a-n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum What Store is your Favorite EBay Store? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008964071&forumID=21&x#1008964071
My favorite stores are those similar to mine that do tons of business!
I watch my competitors very closely... analyze who does well and who does not... and try to determine why.
There's NOTHING better than getting one of those Eureka moments! "Damn! If only I'd been doing THAT six months ago...!"
It's
reassuring to know that greater success is possible and I'm not
destined to be stuck and the level I'm at now. Constant improvement...
constant strategizing... never give up!
p-a-n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum My sales have come to a screeching halt. WHY???? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008972293&forumID=21&x#1008972293 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-14-07 20:25 PDT 9 of 30 What's odd is that my sales are very slow this month... even though my traffic reports have remained fairly consistent. It's as if people are looking but not buying...
I
have made some inventory changes lately. Unfortunately it's often
difficult to pin point the problem. Or even is there is a site-wide
problem. Very often I'll see threads complaining about dismal sales
when mine are through the roof.
I agree.
I believe there's a lot going on at any given moement.. and we're often
quick to attribute changes to one factor when in fact there may be
others that are more significant.
The reason I point this out is
that, as I stated earlier, traffic to my store has remained constant...
yet sales have slowed considerably recently. So the idea that eBay has
suddenly hidden my inventory doesn't fly.
For some reason,
people aren't buying. And whether it's the overall economic conditions,
worry about rising gas prices, a result of format or pricing changes in
my 'new and improved store,' or just an inisignificant bump in the road
that means absolutely nothing, I have no way of knowing.
I'm
not up to speed on the new search features. I browsed the boards and
haven't seen a good description. Do you, or anyone, have a link to a
thread or web site that gives a good overview?
I'm still
confused how the search would be impacting my sales. My traffic is
normal. If it were a search problem I'd expect to see a big drop-off in
store visits. No?
p-a-n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum A formula to determine who .... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008977270&forumID=21&x#1008977270 .
First, the effectiveness of the star system is debatable. I'm not going
to take sides with that here. I'll leave that for another time and
place.
What
IS RELEVANT in my opinion is that so many sellers seem absolutely
obsessed with any less than perfect FB they receive. Further, they
often feel the need to rush to the board to VENT about getting dinged
by a horrible buyer who had the nerve to give them 4 stars rather than
5 stars for shipping costs, resulting in a drop of .005 points from
their PERFECT ebay rating.
Or they rush to the board to seek
advice on how to keep a 'newbie' who is clueless about eBay from giving
them a negative hit. The funny thing is, many of these folks are
experienced ebayers with 100's of sales. Why all the fuss about a
negative experience here or there? It's NOT the end of the world.
Good lord folks... grow up.
p-a-n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum OMG Ebay is ruining me http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006439820&forumID=21&x#2006439820
I just don't get it. Other than an occasional minor glitch while
listing items... my listings always appear exactly as 'I' create them.
I never get duplicate or multiple listings. My items never mysteriously
relist themselves without my permission. My policies and rates never
change or disappear unless I edit them.
I've had an inventory of well over 1,000 listings at one point and they always behaved themselves.
So I sometimes wonder whether people are describing eBay problems or user problems.
I don't know. Am I just lucky?
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum A Question for FORMER Store Owners Who Post Here... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006477942&forumID=21&x#2006477942
WHY do you bother to post here day after day if you NO LONGER HAVE AN EBAY STORE?
WHY do we need to know umpteen times a day that you closed your store(s) and are now hugely profitable selling off eBay?
WHY do you bother to waste your precious time posting here if you're making so much money on your off-eBay store? (Does that store run itself?)
WHY
on earth do you care about the details of the new feedback system if
you closed your eBay store(s) two years ago? And better yet, WHY do you believe we care about your opinion?
WHY do you feel the obsessive need to come here every few hours and advise others to bail out of eBay?
WHY
don't you just hang out somewhere with the rest of the FORMER STORE
OWNERS instead of wasting your time with those of us who are silly
enough to think we can actually continue to turn a profit here?
WHY would we take the advice of someone who FAILED HERE or was otherwise MISERABLE HERE as to how to run our business HERE?
Thanks to all who have responded. And thanks for those amusing take-off
threads. I found those, well, rather enlightening.
I'm
glad that most of you noticed that I never poo-pooed positive and
constructive input from FORMER STORE OWNERS who still have an interest
in eBay and its members. Nor did I ever suggest that FREE SPEECH be
squelched. But I found it interesting that while RANTS about eBay are
acceptable speech... RANTS about eBay RANTERS seem to ruffle a few
feathers.
As
a current store owner, my interest in this forum is strictly in finding
ways to enhance my business, whether here or on my personal site...
yes, I've got one of those too. If I were to leave eBay for good, I
cannot for the life of me imagine why I'd bother to come back here to
post. That's why I have a sports board and a political board for my
'spare time.'
Finally, I wish no one ill will either, whether on or off eBay. I trust no one took that any other way.
I couldn't help but notice the slogan that little pink elephant has
been trumpeting for almost ten months now. It speaks volumes, doesn't
it?
And
I do sympathize with those who go nuts over posting IDs. I know it just
drives them half-crazy not being able to poke fun at the lame color
scheme of somebody's home page, or pour through our listings looking
for violations of this or that policy, or how much padding we have in
our shipping, or to analyze our sales trends to inform us how soon our
stores will be going belly-up. It's nice of people to want to do us
those kind of favors.
Anybody know where I can get a good martini at this hour?
Firemeg writes: WHY do people like you post complaints about those who are complaining?
Thanks
for your well reasoned answers. Perhaps my OP wasn't sufficiently
succinct when I ended with: (Not everybody, you know who you are!)
My RANT was not directed
at current ebayers who have a vested interest in the success of eBay as
a whole and a genuine interest in eBay stores in particular, often for
the very reasons you state.
My RANT was directed at those
who seem almost gleeful in in the latest eBay disruption, problem or
complaint, and who's motives for being here are, well, rather
transparent to put it kindly.
Finally, my RANT was directed
at those who, despite enjoying eBay membership, seem to consider eBay
the enemy, and view any non-like-minded eBayers as the enemy as well.
It's
the difference between a couple who've divorced, but have made amicable
arrangements to treat each other civilly for the benefit of their kids.
Or the couple that will do everything in their power to sabatoge the
relationships just to spite his or her former spouse.
I guess when one RANTS, one isn't always perfectly clear.
the pink elephant trumpets:Yeah, it all makes sense now.
It's your view (way) or the highway. Maybe some revisionist history is
in order when you make your next post to set things right with your
beloved eBay.
followed by a muzzled snort:Things
do not always appear as they seem on the surface, but alas your x-ray
vision that allows you see through ones' motive must be a great asset
in your life.
then it returns to the familiar wheezing about those exasperating posting ids:My
next Rant will be on the topic of why eBay won't allow posting IDs with
zero feedback the opportunity to post more than 10 times in a given
day. After all, us complainers to do suffer greatly without that
eleventh post of daily wisdom that may be what we need to turn our
sniveling life and failing business around.
and ends with a bit of poopy mouth:I bow to thee, honorable Masterbaiter of posts.
Perhaps the elephant needs to step away from the bar for a while and sober up.
huckster3000 wrote: you kind of have this pedantic, patronizing way of relating to other people, huh? oh well to each his own.
I'm
presuming that 'you' was meant in the plural, addressing my both post
and the double-entendre foul mouth to whom I was responding. Or are
pedantic and patronizing posts OK as long as they tow the the party
line?
sliqque writes: Finally, it is always...always...always....amusing
to read junk Posted by Posting ID'S because those people don't want
anyone to see what they sell, etc.
What's always...
always... always... even more amusing is that no one is concerned about
PI's until the discussion gets a little hot-under-their-collar. Then
for some reason certain posters have an irresistible urge to run to
your store and come back with juicy comments totally unrelated to the
topic at hand.
Some simply enjoy the fun of mocking other's
stores or products. I'll admit I've been guilty of that a time or two.
After all, who hasn't found a product on eBay that doesn't deserve a
little mocking now and then?
But others feel the need to take it
to another level altogether... a rather creepy level. They might
analyze your listings, for instance, to ensure you are 100% in
compliance with every minutia of eBay policy. They may or may not ever
report these 'violations'... but they seem to take great pride in their
efforts to 'clean up' the eBay community... and even greater pride in
publicly pointing out their vastly superior knowledge of eBay's ins and
outs. A knowledge, which, alas, might have been better applied to their
own struggling effort before it went belly up.
Still others will
take it upon themselves to leave unpleasant comments back at your
store, and, (so I've been told,) unpaid items or negative feedback. Of
course this is all done under an anonymous ID of their own that they've
reserved just for that purpose. I find that the most ironic think of
all about anonymous IDs. Because what could possibly be more harmless
than anonymous posting?
Of course, most posters never
seem particularly curious about PIs or your store if you're griping
about eBay or its latest blunder... or if you're complaining about
horrible buyers, or the USPS. They only seem to want to 'help out' with
your store if they feel you're griping about them. So nice of them to
want to help... isn't it?
I guess the bottom line is, if I feel
I need 'assistance' with my store, I'll head to the Answer Center
board, or I may even use my Store ID on this board... knowing that only
those with my best interests at heart will take the time to read the
question, much less respond with a helpful solution.
Otherwise,
I've found anonymity on a message board is a good thing. It helps keep
the discussion, if not civil, at least, well, largely impersonal. And
it strikes me as odd that so many get infuriated by not being able to
'go personal.'
I respect everything you've said. I'm also
glad that you've never experienced any of the 'vigilantism' that goes
on around here. Sometimes being unaware truly is bliss.
You
asked for civility... I'm happy to remain civil. While this thread was
a RANT, it was not particularly uncivil as message boards go. It was
not directed at anyone by name, or by store. And it was not in any
other way harmful to anyone. It's simply my feeling. Perhaps not a
popular one. But I can live with that. Others RANT on the forum all the
time... about ebay policies, post office rates, idiot buyers,
underhanded store owners -- you name it. That's fine. And you're right,
it may not add anything constructive to the board. But then again... it
might, in some bouillabaisse sort of way.
My first experience
with the 'vigilantes' came after posting some comments in support of an
unpopular new ebay policy. I suppose I was guilty of 'supporting the
company line' for lack of a better term. I was immediately jumped on by
several forummers who could not tolerate a difference of opinion.
Especially when that opinion dared to suggest ebay had made a smart
decision.
And the mini-assault on my store soon began.. based on nothing more than a few innocuous posts on this board.
I
know exactly who was behind it and what their motivations were. That's
because they were extremely sloppy covering their tracks. So I decided
the best course of action was to immediately disengage and let them
focus their destructive efforts elsewhere. And p_a_n will probably
disappear sooner, rather than later, to be replaced by some other ID.
Just to keep the vigilantes guessing.
So as other posters have
substantiated... there's a lot more going on behind posting IDs than
meets the eye. And I've never even visited any of the blogs described
earlier. I can just imagine what goes on there. But frankly, I've got
better things to do.
But I often wonder when some poor store
owner starts griping about ten unpaid items in a week, when they've
only had two all year, whether or not they may have posted something
'unpopular' on the board... and have unwittingly invited the vultures
into their store.
joan writes: i didn't read your posts that started this, so i
obviously can't comment on them. i have no idea how you couched those
opinions.
The point is, this is simply a message board! So
even if I were a complete troll, which those who bother to read my post
know I clearly am not... that's no excuse for the kind of things I've
seen. I've participated in countless message boards in which the level
of uncivility is off the scale. If you frequent sports boards or
political boards you know exactly what I'm talking about.
But
NEVER on any of those boards, no matter how heated or personal the
discussion, debate, or argument. No matter how ugly or personal the
give-and-take has become, or who started it or why... NEVER have I
experienced a message board forummer come 'off' the board and attmpt to
mess with my livelihood. Until here, that is. Fortunately I realized
what was happening immediately and took corrective steps.
The
point is... there are people who've invested years of blood, sweat and
tears into this site. Some have lost a great deal of money. And some of
them are not satisfied with 'going away quietly.' It's sad, I think. It
really is. But I won't allow that to be my problem. I do, however,
reserve the right to RANT every now and then... just like everyone
else. And to protect my livelihood. Even if it's simply from nuisances.
joan writes: oh yeah, forgot to say, on a sports or political board,
one would have to go to a lot of trouble to cause someone grief in real
life. were it as easy there as it is here, i have every faith the same
thing would happen. people are people, they behave the same way in the
same situations.
Not from my experience. I openly advertise
my ebay store on my political and sports forums. Hell... I often give
out my real name and link to my MySpace page, which also uses my real
name and my ebay store.
No one from any of those other boards
has ever gone 'off board'. Ever. I've never had a disgruntled sports
fan threaten to contact the university athletic department and cancel
my season tickets. I've never had a political forummer email me at my
home or business account suggesting the signs in my front lawn are in
violation of city ordinances. See, that would be very creepy. And it
just doesn't happen in my experience.
I think the problem is...
some posters don't consider our stores 'off board.' They consider this
all one territory... with posters' stores being 'fair game.' And I have
no doubt that some justify their mischeivous actions in the name of
cleaning up the community. And ebay is one big community. Which makes
the psychology a bit different. (If ebay didn't notice that small
policy violation in your store, by golly, they'll be glad to point
report it!) After all, we're here to discuss our stores, right? So the
store, and our business, can quickly get mixed up with our OPINIONS by
some not-so-well-balanced individuals.
oldspartantrader writes: I always say what I mean -- no subterfuge
--- If I err I own up to it without pause just as publically as (at
least) possible. Therefore I refuse to hide behind a false identity.
Why
do you believe some forummers create posting IDs? To say something
"other" than what's on their mind? p_a_n is not a false identity. It's
a non-identity. A false identity would be representing yourself as
something or someone you're not. Which I have never done.
What's
most puzzling to me about this is why some seem more concerned about
'false identities' posting on a message board than 'false identities'
appearing in eBay stores with the sole intention of causing a
disruption. That's a very odd position indeed. In fact, I get the
distinct impression that's a taboo subject around here. For if someone
on an Internet message board threatened to harm your home or children,
I expect you'd take every precaution to protect them. In fact, I'd be
shocked if you took a non-chalant attitude towards that. Well, my eBay
business is very important to me and my family, so when someone
threatens it, I protect it. Could they do real damage? I really don't
know. It really isn't worth taking the chance to find out. I suppose
one way to protect myself from these (very real) creeps would be to
leave the message board altogether, or become a lurker. But then,
that's exactly what they intended, right?
huckster3000
writes: you know i find it pretty interesting that there are people
here who would stake out that position vis-a-vis the posting ID issue,
and yet that still have a problem with former store owners (or other
"outsiders") expressing their points of view on these pages.
I
believe if you read the OP carefully, you'll see that it was directed,
by and large, at former store owners with a particularly negative point
of view... not ALL former store owners... though I can understand why
someone reading the thread title might come in with a different
impression. It wasn't the best formulated post, I'll admit. But RANTS
rarely are, are they? My intent was not to shut down free speech around
here any more than say, the poster who started a thread titled "Enough
with the MySpace posts!", or something to that effect. I wouldn't try
to over-analyze it.
oldspartantrader writes: I think you would be hard pressed to find
anywhere I have ever claimed anybody has done that --- I do not feel
that way at all --- Fact is that I really do not give a moments pause
to IDs at all...
I guess I misunderstood your intent then
when you referred to posters 'hiding behind false identities.' That
seemed to have a negative connotation in my mind, since I usually
associate the word 'hiding' with cowardice. Anonymity at times is a
wise and prudent choice. For instance, we wouldn't want our kids giving
their name and address out on the Internet, would we?
My
opinions here are real. I am real. And I'm sure most others with
posting IDs are just as real and sincere in their posting. The fact
that you cannot tie my posts on this board back to my Store is neither
here nor there IMHO. In fact, many of the more well-reasoned posts Ive
seen on this board have come from anonymous posters.
chingaberry25 writes: Ebay is not the only way to make a living in America. They are laughing all the way to the bank. Like it or leave it alone.
There
is a tendency on this board to 'personalize' eBay, as we see above.
eBay cannot laugh, it cannot cry, it cannot feel. To the extent that
there are some who have or are yet to become quite wealthy from eBay,
they may be enjoying the ride, or perhaps not. I'm sure the life of
many CEO's isn't nearly as glamorous or joyous as we often imagine,
even as they accept that annual multi-million dollar bonus. And for the
thousands of eBay worker-bees who toil like other corporate worker-bees
day in and day out to make a living, I don't imagine many of them are
laughing on their commute home every evening.
Just a thought.
//
//
//
From eBay Stores Forum Store Keyword Lists http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006461215&forumID=21&x#2006461215
When customizing home page or category keywords, should commas be used
in the keyword lists and if so, how? When eBay picks the keywords it
appears they use whole listing titles, separated by commas.
I couldn't find a good explanation in help. I'm sure it's an easy answer. Thanks.
I tried to be more specific in a post I made on the answer center
board. I'll repeat that post here in full for clarity.
Proper Format for Store Keyword Lists? Posted: May-17-07 08:16 PDT post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Posts: 2 | Report
I
just revamped my categories and ebay has selected new default keywords
which I am changing. I'm referring to the keywords found under:
Manage My Store: Search Engine Keywords
When
entering keyword lists here, should commas be used? And if so, how?
It's not clear from the help description or from the default keywords
eBay supplies.
For instance, if I were selling flower seeds, should my keyword list appears as:
seeds flowers rose geranium lily
or
seeds, flowers, rose, geranium, lily ??
Will it make a difference or not? And if it does, can someone explain how?
The
thing is, if you look at eBay's defaults, they use commas, but
sparingly. So it's not obvious to me what function they serve, if any.
Thanks!
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Did you ever notice... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006450303&forumID=21&x#2006450303
I was unfortunate to have experiences with a couple of busy-body
posters who felt compelled to muck around with my store business after
I publicly disagreed with some of their brilliant insights.
When
thoughts of retaliating against one of these posters entered my mind, I
realized I was being pulled into her nasty and unhealthy web.
So I became p_a_n and I've been happily anonymous ever since. Nice peace of mind.
Which is why I'm now able to end every post with a happy face and heart!
When using my posting ID with zero feedback I'm limited to 10 posts per day. That makes it much easier to resist the tempation to chatter beyond the five-minute coffee break!
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum My Post Office Price Hike Rant Too! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008990288&forumID=21&x#1008990288 .
Well, I made my fist Post Office trip today. I've got two basic sizes
of flat rigid mailers. In the past, these were just described as 'first
class,' not 'first class parcel.' Well, today that same large rigid
mailer (12.75" x 15") was classifed as a parcel. I paid $2.15 instead
of the old $1.83. In any event, that represents a 17% increase, which
I'll be able to cover with my existing flat-rate shipping fee. (I had a
little padding... not much left.) Anyway, I won't be scrambling to
update all my listings.
On
a brigher note... I also mailed one of my smaller flats (9.5" x 12") to
the UK for $5.40. I mailed one to Ireland last week for $5.90. So
overseas doesn't look like a problem at all!
Cheers,
p_a_n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Customers Willing to Pay new Postage Rates? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1008997630&forumID=21&x#1008997630 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-17-07 01:30 PDT 3 of 26 My shipping fees will not change. I planned ahead for this postage increase!
p_a_n
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum
I did it Store closed today http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006464951&forumID=21&x#2006464951 .
Ebay gives the buyers prompts as to what the stars mean. When you hover over the 4 stars it says great!
So in the buyers mind a great transaction is only a 4 star!
Well,
right. So if buyers see 4 stars as great... why are so many sellers
panicking when they get a 4? I find this obsession with 100% perfect
feedback odd. What's so great about a system where every store is rated
98.5% or 99% or even a perfect 100%? What does that tell buyers about
our services or products? When a buyer sees a store with 5,000 sales
and 100% FB does she really believe there have been 5,000 'perfect'
transactions? Much ado about nothing IMHO.
p_a_n
//
//
//
From eBay Stores Forum Google "Hiding" Your Off-eBay store? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1009018990&forumID=21&x#1009018990 .
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report May-18-07 22:22 PDT 8 of 19 My site is finally showing up among the top twenty in Google after
about six months of life. I haven't bought any adwords or done anything
particularly noteworthy other than create an appealing couple of pages
that lead to my eBay store. I'm not selling there yet... but if traffic
keeps picking up I plan to devote the time and energy to do so.
I
wish I had the time and IT smarts to keep up with all the changes that
hit us from every side. But I'm just a one person show... no analysts
or specialists to give me advice. So I'll just keep plodding on...
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Is it worth it to open a store? Please give me your vote and why http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006483380&forumID=21&x#2006483380 .
eBay is like any other collection of small businesses. Most lose money
before they end up closing their doors. No one on this board can
remotely predict the outcome of your particular venture.
There is some very good advice to be found in this thread and others. You'd do well to read it carefully.
As
to whether your store will be 'worth it,' that's something you won't
find an answer to here. Even some people with quite successful stores
don't seem to think its 'worth it.'
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Wooo-hooo! First sale in days! Not sure where to spend the $10!!! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006483600&forumID=21&x#2006483600
blazebird writes: OP - You could spend it in one of our stores, then two of us can boast a sale!
True...
I even thought for a moment that we could keep spending that $10 over
and over in each others stores... leaving superlative stars and
boosting sales figures... until it occurred to me that after the first
round of FVFs, paypal fees, listing feels, and such... there's probably
only about $7.20 left for the second purchase, and $4.90 left for the
third. Looks like we'd get four, maybe five sales before eBay ended up
owning it all! Oh well...
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Bizarre Month For Sales http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006484812&forumID=21&x#2006484812 .
It does seem bizarre, yes.. because while sales are down, traffic is not. It seems I've got a lot of 'lookers.'
The
problem for me is that I've made quite a few changes recently, from
revamping my store pages from the ground up, completely dumping all my
old inventory and building anew... using new pricing strategies...
picture size... category structure, title format, you name it.
So with all the huge changes I've made, I'm having trouble seeing the forest for the trees right now.
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum I like my email response to this buyer, http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006485011&forumID=21&x#2006485011 .
I personally have not been offended at offers like this. My typical
response to a haggler is to haggle back... if they offer $4 for a $10
item, I respond that I'll be happy to sell it for $8.50, or sell them
one item full price with 50% off their second purchase.
If someone is truly interested in the merchandise, they may well take you up on the counter-offer. And what harm is done?
Just a thought.
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Would you say I am rude... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006489016&forumID=21&x#2006489016
Nothing feels better than a
sale! That's why we all work our butts off day in and day out. And it
doesn't matter if you make a sale to the brightest bulb or the dimmest
dimwit... their dollars are just as green.
I do believe there's
a time to drop a buyer if they're abusive, or if you believe they're
scamming you. Even then, it's best to just cut off contact without
drama and move on.
I just don't see how it's ever in a store owner's best interest to get fussy with fussy customers.
Hope those referrals work out well!
pan
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Where to get a St Elsewhere store? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006497770&forumID=21&x#2006497770
I use aplus.net to host for $9.95/mo. I don't have shopping capability
but just use it to redirect to eBay. About 10% of my total traffic is
now coming in directly from that site... now more than Google directly.
I
used a template to build the site. It was fun for me as I enjoy the
technical stuff. And I've played with the html directly. I would not
recommend aplus.net for those afraid of tech stuff. It costs a fortune
for tech support or web design.
I don't know yet whether how
well aplus.net will work out if I choose to add shopping capability. I
would have investigated that aspect more carefully initially, except
that I purchased my domain for another purpose... and then decided to
apply it to eBay.
Anyway... an off-site is well worth the trouble. Good luck!
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum To start or not to start? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1009064131&forumID=21&x#1009064131
No techie here... and I'm not sure what data field this info was stored
in. But I do know that just about everything you do on the computer is
tracked and stored by your browser somewhere on your system. You pick
up little cookies and muffins wherever you go, and little bugaboo
images of every picture you look at... whether it's fancy ladies' pumps
or Britney Spear's sans panties. I have only a rudimentary knowledge of
where all these little bits of data are stored and which web sites I
visit can access what off my system. So for safety purposes, I assume
anything I read or look at can be seen by anyone geek on the Internet!
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum (2) Feeedback seller and $2.00 nightmare http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006536634&forumID=21&x#2006536634
I'd say people are WAY WAY too obsessed about maintaining 100% feedback on ebay.
I
don't believe a single unpaid item strike does much damage either.
IIRC, when I try to set minimum standards for my auctions the best I
can do is block buyers with 2 strikes IN THE PAST MONTH.
Since this obviously has nothing to do with the money, I'd suggest leaving a red strike for this seller and moving on... and perhaps making a point of buying from more experienced sellers in the future.
Unpaid item strikes DO affect your ebay account. In face enough strikes can get your account shut down.
I'm not nonchalont about my account, which is why I'm anonymous on this board in the first place.
But
as I said... one strike or one negative every once in a while is not a
NIGHTMARE. The OP describes this situation as a NIGHTMARE. Good grief.
A nightmare is having your house burn down, or losing your child to a
car accident, or arriving at the bank to find your life savings have
been depleted. Getting an unpaid item strike or negative feedback on
eBay is, at best, an annoyance, or a nuisance. It may even rise to the
level of a double humbug! But a NIGHTMARE? Get a grip people.
// // //
From eBay Stores Forum Please help, need advice on keywords http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1009245834&forumID=21&x#1009245834
I haven't found the Omniture info particularly useful for understanding
my keywords. Even with over 500 items in my store, there are few useful
common keywords to be found. Rather strange, I know. Perhaps it's
largely the nature of my vintage collectibles. And one of the problems
is it doesn't tell you what you're MISSING!
In
any event, what's more intiguing to me is how eBay directs keyword
traffic. For instance, if you do a Google search for your product, and
find an eBay advertisement on the right... which stores does it lead
you to and why? I haven't quite discovered the connection. There is one
store that consistenly pops up in my niche. It's a featured store,
true, so that may help. But I've noticed other stores will pop up that
are not featured. And when you do the same keyword searches in the
store search feature, this 'top' store may not even appear in the first
page in terms of total number of matching items. There may be five or
ten other featured stores with much higher inventory using this
keyword... yet this one store seems to have cornered the market. A
little confusing, to say the least.
By the way, are you aware
that when you visit a page, such as your competitors home page or one
of their category pages, that you can see their keyword choices by
hovering your cursor over the tab button in your browser? You can also
find the keywords by examining their source code, meta-tags, etc. I
watch the best performers in my niche and try to figure out all their
tricks. Sometimes it's not easy to tell what's going on. But you should
get at least a handfull of good ideas that way.
Disclaimer:
This is a Posting ID. If you are uncomfortable with posting IDs, feel
free to ignore this post. Please do not engage in discussion only to
disclose several posts from now that posting IDs have no credibility.
Thank you in advance.
.
From eBay Stores Forum
100 more to go!! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1009945735&forumID=21&x#1009945735
From eBay Stores Forum
eBay - ready for the legal battle over Star Feedback System?
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1010187907&forumID=21&x#1010187907
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 00:58 PDT 272 of 389 My Relationship with eBay Companies
Earlier in this thread, I was asked [directly] whether I have any official status as an eBay company employee. Based on a careful review of eBay policy as it has been presented, and further consultations as warranted, I am preparing a statement to be posted in this thread at 0900 PDT, Wednesday, 12 Sept 2007.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
career.curves (141 ) Sep-11-07 14:08 PDT 299 of 389 Was I the only one who picked up on PAN's last post
-Tammy
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 16:26 PDT 313 of 389 j-t posits: My bet is that she is just putting together something funny or sarcastic and is just keeping posters waiting for fun. And will say no she is not an eBay employee etc.
If you bet money on both those assumptions, you'd probably break even.
My statement was already largely written at the time of my last post. But short of revealing my identity, there is really nothing I can add to it that would make it worth waiting another 17 hours or so. And on further reflection, the statement may likely only raise more questions than answers... or at the very least, create a further distraction in this thread. Besides, I feel that speculation about my identity, my womanhood or manhood, or my purposes for posting in this forum are probably best left for PMs.
Therefore I'll provide a shortened version at this time:
My Relationship with eBay and eBay Companies
a. No positions, views, or policies advocated in any of my posts should be considered or construed as official eBay policy. b. The views expressed here, or on any forum, regardless of said forum’s relationship with any eBay company, are my own. ... o. I assumed the anonymous PID of post_a_note in February of 2007. p. I currently maintain no other PIDs for the purpose of communication on eBay public message boards. q. I post on this and other eBay public message boards under an anonymous posting ID for the reasons stated in prior posts. r. I have posted in the past, and may post in the future, on eBay public message boards using my primary ID in addition to this PID. Disclosure of my primary ID to other forum members is [not] a requirement under the terms of my contractual agreement. ... kk. This declaration is made by me, and is under no circumstances intended to be nor should it be perceived by any reader as an official statement by eBay or any eBay employee.
The remaining 31 points clarify my contractual and financial relationship with eBay companies, among other issues. But the seven bullet points above are a sufficient response to the direct question posed earlier.
PAN
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) View Sep-11-07 16:46 PDT 315 of 389 itspostingtime admits: I'm suddenly feeling a little embarrassed that my response to the question was so.... short.
I was a Pentagon analyst, after all. I can whip out a 38 point talking paper in less than ten minutes!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 21:26 PDT 338 of 390 I would rather scrub public toilets with a tooth brush that work for Meg.
Ah... that was addressed in bullet points u through y:
u. I do not work [directly] for Meg Whitman. v. I have never had any [direct] communication with Meg Whitman. w. I have never met Meg Whitman. x. I have no political associations with Meg Whitman, nor with any political candidates supported by her overtly or otherwise. y. I do not resemble Meg Whitman in any form, characteristic, or fashion.
I'm one step ahead of you!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own. .
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 21:34 PDT 341 of 390 PAN, you are so clever. BUT do you work for anyone below Whitman? LOL
That would be covered in bullet points i-k:
i. I have received numerous direct and indirect communications from eBay employees during the course of these associations. Several of my public posts within recent months contradicted the terms of my contractual agreement and were subsequently withdrawn by eBay employees. The reasons for withdrawal were communicated to me privately by email through official channels. j. I have posted in several threads which have been withdrawn by eBay employees, and the reasons for withdrawal of those threads were never expressed to me directly or indirectly. k. To my knowledge, all posts not withdrawn by eBay monitors have been consistent with the terms of my contractual agreement.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 21:38 PDT 342 of 390 Or perhaps more specifically in points e-g:
e. My contractual arrangement with eBay does not [directly] involve the development, submission, or review of abstracts relating to the feedback system, star rating system, or determinations regarding member suspensions or restrictions. I am not now and never have been employed in any official capacity relating to these processes. f. I do have an established direct contractual arrangement with a secondary eBay-owned company. g. I have profited directly as a result of my association with both eBay and the secondary eBay-owned company.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 21:45 PDT 344 of 390 Are you paid to monitor or have activity on these boards by eBay and or this other secondary eBay company thus aiding them by focusing people in one way or the other?
h. My message board postings, hosted images, and exchanges with other forum members have been designed, formulated, and intended solely to further and advance the profitability of eBay and its subsidiaries, and have been tailored to be consistent with my contractual agreement.
dd. I have never communicated with any other PIDs to share information, or to otherwise strategize for the purposes of directing or influencing the course of discussion in these forums. ee. I have not been in communication with any legal representatives of eBay or eBay subsidiaries regarding potential lawsuits, class action suits, or other legal actions contemplated or discussed in member forums. ff. I have not been in communication with any eBay employees, directly or indirectly, regarding my attempts to influence, subvert or otherwise modify any petitions, protests, or correspondence prepared by members regarding the star rating system, or any other eBay processes.
Does that clear things up?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-11-07 22:00 PDT 348 of 390 But this other eBay company maybe you are paid to???
This will have to be it for this evening as I've reached my 10th post. :(
m. Multiple fund exchanges have occurred as a result of my association with the aforementioned secondary eBay-owned company. Total fund transfers between me and eBay or eBay-owned companies since February 2007 have not exceeded ***$150,000.00.*** n. None of these fund transfers have been [directly] contingent upon or occurred as a [direct] result of any specific policies advocated or promoted by me on this or any other eBay message board.
Nite!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I don't think PAN is an eBay employee. She/he is just describing their relationship with eBay and PayPal via the relevant UAs.
Just having her/his typical fun stringing everyone along.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-12-07 19:05 PDT 434 of 500 PAN...where art thou ?
Hello all. I've been out at the lake all day away from Internet message boards and my computer! What a nice change of pace!
I
just breezed through these posts and really don't know what else to add
to this thread. It keeps jumping back and forth from one topic to
another and seems to have no purpose or direction.
I did see a mention of a media alert. I didn't spot Geraldo or Greta hiding in my bushes when I got home... darn.
I did notice a new poster (at least new to me) who seems quite astute. Congratulations, I'm sure you know who you are.
As far as releasing my full text... I believe well over half of my bullet points have already been released. But in case there's any doubt left anyone's mind, here's one of my favorites:
hh. I am not currently, and have not been in the past, an official member of the Fruit Helmet Club. And to my knowledge the members of this or any other message board club or association act independently and without the [direct] authorization of eBay, eBay management, or eBay employees.
ii. I confirm that the above statements are true and accurate to the best of my recollection and knowledge.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-12-07 19:45 PDT 439 of 500 career puts me in the hot seat: PAN, Do you possess a contractual
agreement to work for eBay in the capacity of an eBay government
Relations specialist?
While I intend to continue posting in
this forum for as long as [they] permit, I'm afraid I must stick to my
original 38-point bullet paper and refrain from venturing off into
uncharted waters. I do have a secret identity to protect, after all.
For
those who are still interested in this 'movie,' I suggest you go back
and replay the bullet points about my relationship with Meg Whitman. In
my opinion, that was the most well-written scene. It would have been
very dramatically acted as well... if Internet forums were conducive to
acting. I have been accused of being a drama queen, after all.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-12-07 20:24 PDT 443 of 500 Maybe a subpoena would be appropriate.
I wonder if Congress might be interested in this matter?
I really don't know how I'd do testifying in front of the cameras. Hot lights make me perspire so!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own..
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-13-07 04:13 PDT 448 of 500 Hey guys... I've been wondering about this media alert. If and when the media arrive, I'm very concerned they will want an on camera interview. I've been playing around with different wardrobe selections, just to be prepared. (Did I mention I perspire profusely under hot lights?) Anyway... here's what I've come up with. What do you think?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-13-07 11:08 PDT 465 of 500 Oh my, my deviousness grows by leaps and bounds! I suppose the lengthy discussion of 'rape' was also somehow planted in this thread by me through back channels. Or did I accomplish that derailment by the shear power of my will... or mental telepathy?
Which takes me right back to another bullet point:
dd. I have never communicated with any other PIDs to share information,
or to otherwise strategize for the purposes of directing or influencing
the course of discussion in these forums.
PAN
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
.
oldspartantrader (3022 ) Sep-13-07 12:16 PDT 466 of 500 dd. I have never communicated with any other PIDs to share
information, or to otherwise strategize for the purposes of directing
or influencing the course of discussion in these forums
JUST CAUSE I WANT TO JOIN THE FUN --- despite the absurdity !!!
This does leave the very real possibility that you MAY have contacted "these" people by other channells ---
Carl
.
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-13-07 12:31 PDT 467 of 500 Carl writes: This does leave the very real possibility that you MAY have contacted "these" people by other channells
Well,
I tried to anticipate most questions. Unfortunately my statement would
have had to have been much longer to cover every conceivable angle.
However, getting back to the charge that my posts have caused a
disruption of this thread, I did anticipate that possibility and
addressed it accordingly:
jj. Nothing in this declaration is
intended to mislead, obfuscate, or cause disruption or chaos in this or
any other eBay public message forums.
By my count, 29 of my
bullet points have now been released. I will release the remaining
points on an 'as needed' basis so as not to violate the spirit of point
jj.
PAN
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own..
//
//
//
From eBay Stores Forum
ATTENTION: SELLERS -- If you don't answer ASQs, you will lose sales http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2007731934&forumID=21&x#2007731934
owen*** (3989 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 03:54 PDT 9 of 30 I also want to agree that eBay's messaging system is a HUGE failure. I only receive about 50% of questions into my email box (where I check all the time), the rest I have to fish out of "my messages" which is a system I do not use at and only check every so often.
... and I'm sorry, but if a buyer feels the need to hide their email address from me, well then I am in no hurry to answer the question, it is a pain in the you know what to have to log into eBay each to answer each and every question. THAT yellow button fiasco is a crying shame.
~Ann~
rust*** (308 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 08:17 PDT 10 of 30 I always reply to all questions and sometimes those questions actually point out something that I should have included in the description, so if possible I will edit that description and then thank the potential buyer for making me aware of it. A few of the questions do result in a sale, most of them do not, but that is all a part of doing business.
paulalovesjohn (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 08:36 PDT 11 of 30 <br>I only receive about 50% of questions into my email box - owenandemma
Something is either extremely wrong with your computer or your preferences are out of whack. I have never
had a problem like this with ebay messages. You should be on the phone
immediately with ebay to fix whatever is wrong with your system. Or,
are you exaggerating to prove some point?
diesel_parts (1504 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 08:54 PDT 12 of 30 I answer all questions thru my email address. If you hide your email then I don't usually answer. Don't have the time usually for the ebay messaging system.
I made a 139dollar sale last night by answering a question from a potential buyer. When buyer received my reply he bought and paid for the Item immediately.
I have multi email conversations and many phone conversations with buyers. That's the way my business works. Good communication is essential for my business. This isn't a hobby for me.
Hey, I didn't have to sign into answer center this morning. That should have been done long ago. All the signing in after you are signed in gives the crooks more opportunity to get you on a false sign in page and steal your password. Guess ebay finally realized that.
Bill
owen*** (3989 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 09:21 PDT 13 of 30 Or, are you exaggerating to prove some point?
Are you kidding me? Yeah, I go around exaggerating for fun. ROFL!
I've
told eBay on many occasions. I get the impression that they could care
less. Communication between buyer and seller does not seem to be a
priority of theirs, in my opinion of course.
~Ann~
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 09:23 PDT 14 of 30 Something is either extremely wrong with your computer or your preferences are out of whack.
Well,
it's always better to look for a round-a-bout reason to blame eBay
rather than look for the most likely answer staring us in the face...
or in this case, whacking us right upside the head. And the obvious
answer here is that this [high volume] seller simply doesn't provide
much in the way of customer service.
You see, pointing out
poor service by other sellers doesn't usually fly on this board, unless
it's in the context of blaming eBay for allowing riff-raff to remain
while suspending and restricting all the 'good sellers' who are busy
answering all their ASQ's each day!
I
got many similar responses when I posted about poor packaging in
another thread. Quite a few jumped in to blame the USPS, high supply
costs, or even me, rather than the bozos who can't or won't package
properly.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
worl*** (5008 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 11:15 PDT 15 of 30 owen*and*emma (3948 ) I also want to agree that eBay's messaging
system is a HUGE failure. I only receive about 50% of questions into my
email box (where I check all the time), the rest I have to fish out of
"my messages" which is a system I do not use at and only check every so
often.
Ratio here is about 1 in 4 eBay 'potential customer'
messages do not reach our inbox. It also seems reasonable that an
equivalent number of our messages, sent through eBay's message system,
do not reach the 'potential customer.'
talkname (0 ) Any suggestions ?
Adding
in eBay's warning about some messages will never be sent, then in total
this is why some questions are never answered. I.E. eBay never sent
them to you.
Everyone needs a hobby. Don't become mine.
owen**** (3989 ) View Listings | Report Sep-20-07 12:26 PDT 16 of 30 Wow 25%! According to the posting IDs on this board that means YOU must be doing something wrong.
~Ann~
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From eBay Stores Forum
Store users, Ebay hiding store items a step by step guide
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000563332&start=40
just-thinking (11 ) Sep-22-07 11:42 PDT 68 of 107 PAN writes in the following thread
"My husband says that about me all the time!
eTown I believe she has a store but is still
fairly new. I think she said she had like 500
feedback or something like that once.
And your comment "I also enjoy how you pick and choose which lines to respond to."
is exactly what she does.
just-thinking (11 ) Sep-22-07 11:43 PDT 69 of 107
She also worked at the Pentagon and sold Real Estate
per what she has stated before.
I do not mind the wit and it is fair for PAN to
question and even show when something is not true,
everyone does that, it is just the level she goes
to that I think she could stop doing.
//
post_a_note (0 ) Sep-22-07 15:02 PDT 75 of 107 And PAN it is you who creates diversions because you ignore the valid issues and divert away from them.
That's
funny coming from somebody who's just linked to that post about my
husband for the [how many I've lost track?] time! Or made reference to
my previous job history. As if that has anything to do with hidden
listings.
Of course, in sticking to the point of this thread...
the only thing that's been demonstrated here so far is that some
supposedly experienced eBayers may not be quite so experienced as one
would hope when it comes to doing things like clicking on hypertext
links. Which suggests to me that many of the store owners who come to
this board with 'hidden' inventory are simply not proficient enough on
the computer to find their own inventory. A simple and obvious fact
admitted quite openly by the complaining poster just a few threads back.
Anybody think the Fighting Irish might still chalk up a V this afternoon?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
just-thinking (11 ) Sep-22-07 15:09 PDT 76 of 107 Well PAN, I was just clarifying the he was not a she. And mentioning your previous job history was just trying to explain you were not some kid new on the block who thinks they know everything. Many threads get diverted to some extent and some even more but when the main issues are twisted and turned to discount all the many valid issues that is where many take issue with. You are still new it appears with eBay selling. Many sellers are well seasoned sellers who have watched each and every glitch and manipulation that has occurred.
Btw, funny distraction with your last line LOL That part of your wittiness I enjoy.
just-thinking (11 ) Sep-22-07 15:10 PDT 77 of 107 I was just clarifying the he was not a she.
Well, I messed up that statement. I meant to say I was just clarifying that the he that was referred to was a she.
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From eBay Stores Forum
POLL - Do You Click on Ads While Shopping? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2007777324&forumID=21&x#2007777324
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report
Sep-25-07 10:24 PDT I've been watching the brewing hullabaloo about eBay's use of PPC
advertisements recently. Especially offensive seem to be the ads taking
buyers to other competing sites.
I
was thinking about this a little more this morning, and realized that
when I'm shopping on eBay (I usually make one or two purchases here a
week), I don't even notice these ads, much less ever click on them.
In
fact, I now make a point of NEVER clicking on advertisements while I'm
online. The reason being that my experience with PPC ads is not
generally a good one. I've found myself taken to sites unrelated to
what I was clicking on, or stuck in some page that's darn near
impossible to exit without closing my browser, or finding myself on
some web site that I really wasn't comfortable with. So I avoid these
ads like the plague.
If I'm shopping on eBay and decide I want
to do a bit of comparison shopping to see if $taples or Office Dep0t or
Ama2on might offer a better price... I will do a Google search and
choose which sites to head to. I don't get distracted by ads. But then,
I tend to be a very focused individual, so may not be representative of
the typical eBay shopper.
So I'm curious if anyone here regularly clicks on these things? And why?
My vote: NO... I don't click on ads.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-26-07 04:56 PDT 44 of 190 homedecors advises: If you have not done so you need to take your
ads off the content network. You should be getting at least a 1-3%
click thru rate with a relevant ad.
I'm still experimenting
and have allocated a very low budget to adwords while I learn the ins
and outs of it and determine its cost-effectiveness. I believe my
clickthrough is probably low compared to my competitors, but I haven't
determined exactly why, at this point. I do believe it's in large part
a function of the broadness of my category, which makes targeting
difficult. My plan is to first refine and leverage the adwords
campaigns by targeting specific web pages and blog posts with a wider
variety of much more finely tuned ads.
primsrose
speculates: OR, in an alternate universe somewhere out in a galaxy far
far away, that cares not about dollars, we would have to draw quite
different conclusions about eBay...like eBay just enjoys antagonizing
its own sellers because it's so much fun, even if the ads are
completely ineffective.
Very perceptive! It seems many
around here have no problem at all suspending disbelief when it comes
to eBay's ability, or rather lack of ability, to do much of anything at
all in any effective manner or fashion. Or eBay's rather perverse
ability to devise ingenious ways to antagonize, or otherwise pick,
prod, or poke its sellers.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
You raise some interesting and reasonable
points. You say that these ads pose a 'great long term hazard to
sellers on this site.' That's sounds like quite a firm position. And a
potentially disconcerting one. Can you quantify that hazard in some
better way? Do you have some supporting data to back up the claim? Any
analysis? Or is it simply your best judgment?
For instance,
when you say 'long term' do you mean six months, one year, five years?
When can sellers expect to feel the impact of this? Do you have any way
of quantifying the time-frame?
And just how much of a hazard
are these ads, in terms of lost traffic and lost sales? Should we
expect a 10% drop in sales? Twenty percent? Fifty? Or would you
consider one lost sale enough to declare this a hazard?
And
finally, what benefits, if any, do you suppose eBay receives from these
ads? Are any of these benefits passed on to eBay sellers? Or are they
all directed to some other party?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-26-07 19:37 PDT 86 of 190 In other words PAN for every mega winner there is a multitude of losers ---
Well,
that fact has nothing to do with zero sum. Most people are losers
because they're ding dong clueless. Not because of any economic
limitation imposed upon them by an unseen hand. In any event, that's a
rather negative way to look at our society, or life in general, don't
you think? Perhaps it's better to look at most of us as winners. Or at
least breaking even. Look around your home. Are you a winner or a loser
because of Bill Gate's success? Have Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, or
Pierre Omidyar's contibutions enriched or impoverished your life? Is
the glass half empty or half full? This discussion can quickly turn
from economic principles and enter the philosophical realm. Do we live
in a closed system or open system? Is our universe infinite or finite?
Back to Malthus.
The more complex societies get and the more
complex the networks of interdependence within and beyond community and
national borders get, the more people are forced in their own interests
to find non-zero-sum solutions. That is, win–win solutions instead of
win–lose solutions.... Because we find as our interdependence increases
that, on the whole, we do better when other people do better as well —
so we have to find ways that we can all win, we have to accommodate
each other.... Bill Clinton, Wired interview, December 2000
I've just about used up my posts... plus I've got a pie ready to come out of the oven. Nite!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-27-07 10:53 PDT 101 of 190 Then why pose the question ????
To see if anyone could
make a strong case that it SHOULD be on my radar! I could be wrong,
after all! I know when I'm speculating. And speculation has its risks.
But this discussion has done nothing to raise alarm bells. Not for me
at least.
I appreciate your serious and thoughtful responses.
Regardless of what some may believe, I do prefer to engage in
reasonable discussion over name-calling any day. (Though a bit of
name-calling now and then never hurt anybody.)
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
//
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From eBay Stores Forum
OMG..Trust and Safety is Gone! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2007777607&forumID=21&x#2007777607
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report
Sep-25-07 10:43 PDT
15 of 57 It's unfortunate that there are those out there who have nothing better
to do than wreak havoc on hard-working and honest online buyers and
sellers.
That
said, it seems that the usual suspects will rush to lay blame squarely
at the foot of the victim in this case, not the perpetrator. There is
not a computer network in the world that is 100% impenetrable to
hackers. And the more impenetrable a network is made, the more costly
and user-unfriendly it must be. Which is why the even the FBI, the CIA
and many top-secret military networks have been hacked... as well as
the networks of most major corporations, universities, or anything
perceived as a 'high value' target.
eBay has been hacked in the past. It will be hacked in the future. It's
a wonder it isn't hacked more often. Now let's get back to business!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report
Sep-25-07 10:59 PDT
19 of 57 I would suggest that we all change passwords and report any cc's associated with our eBay IDs as compromised.
Word
to the wise... when in the midst of a panicking, pressing crowd, the
best way to avoid be trampled to death is to make your way to the
nearest wall and remain in an upright position.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
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From eBay Stores Forum Changed my store colors, what do you think? Better? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1010385293&forumID=21&x#1010385293
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-30-07 21:11 PDT 2 of 5 I'd like to know how you hide all that merchandise you're selling in order to maintain your powerseller status!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
over*** (662 ) View Listings | Report Sep-30-07 21:17 PDT 3 of 5 I am sorry post_a_note, I don't understand. What do you think I am hiding?
northstarcreativeprinting (18 ) View Listings | Report Oct-01-07 05:03 PDT 4 of 5 Classic neutral colors--looks good! Ignore rude posters--there are a
few here who feel the need to take out their unhappiness on others.
Have a great day!
Laura
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From eBay Stores Forum
Lets get real everybody.. http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1010270031&forumID=21&x#1010270031
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report
Sep-19-07 07:49 PDT
104 of 162 I starting putting together a response that discusses the thought
processes behind the Negative Nancy's. It's very complex, and therefore
rather lengthy. I've come to the conclusion that such a post deserves a
thread of its own. So I'll let it go for now. But I will offer a
preview... There is a very similar phenomenon on sports boards. Now, if
you're a Fighting Irish fan, there may be good reason to post
negatively at the moment. But in truth, no matter how well a team is
doing, there are always (supporters) who, by and large, do little but
complain. Very curious phenomenon indeed.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report
Sep-19-07 21:48 PDT
126 of 162 Because eBay stopped being the hand the feeds me about 16 months ago...
Yet here you are, 16 months later. Why??
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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From eBay Stores Forum
Store users, Ebay hiding store items a step by step guide http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1010309536&forumID=21&x#1010309536
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-21-07 22:20 PDT 49 of 107 What a let-down. I was really hoping to see a step-by-step demonstration of the 'hidden' store inventory problem I've been hearing rumors about for the better part of the year.
But of course... this tutorial has really revealed no 'hidden' inventory at all. Just a little glitch in a panel that's been overlooked by about 99% of the sellers here. And probably overlooked by a higher percentage of buyers.
Because for anyone but the most ding dong clueless... if they did bother to hit that search link (which probably only 1% of shoppers would ever do to begin with), and got the exact same search they had previously, they'd most likely scratch their chin... and then try something else to find the rest of the store items that they figured weren't showing up...
But this was a nice step-by-step guide anyway. At least it demonstrates
that someone can do html. But it sheds little light on the on-going
mystery of 'hidden' store inventory.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 04:51 PDT 53 of 107 PAN: things like mis-labeled search links are part of what makes
shopping on the site more difficult. Anything that makes shopping more
difficult will affect sales.
I agree there's room for improvement on this link. But the level of concern here is way out of proportion to the problem. Ask yourself this: While shopping on eBay, how many times have I relied on that link to find all the merchandise in a store? [I won't even delve into the rather curiouser question of WHY I'd ever want to see all the items in a store, when I'm trying to find a particular item... for if I wanted to EXPAND my search, why would I limit that expansion to any particular store?] In any event... how many times have you ever clicked this link? Once? Twice? Never?
I think the majority of us would answer 'never.' And so would most buyers. The majority of us regular eBay users probably don't even know it's there. I didn't. And I shop on eBay all the time. The fact is that this little link is for all intents and purposes completely non-functional even if it is set up perfectly. So anybody screaming that their merchandise is 'hidden' because of a little glitch on a link that's probably used by less than 1% of shoppers is engaging in more than a bit of drama...
...which is why etown has tried to move the discussion of 'hidden'
items to a more reasonable field altogether... that of core vs. store
vs. advertised or promotional listings. He's pulled out that very same
card in the past and I've addressed it thoroughly in the past.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 05:23 PDT 56 of 107 I don't think any of us have any way to know how much that link may or may not be used.
You're right. I'm purely speculating. But while each eBayer sets up her own preferences in accordance with her own peculiar tastes and desires... anyone who's come to rely on a little link that is NON-FUNCTIONAL as part of her daily navigation of this site is simply DING DONG CLUELESS!
Getting back to etown's previous point about the autographed cards. It struck me that he's complaining that his six cent store inventory items aren't nearly as easy to find as those 40 cent core listings... or even better, those 75 cent core listings with GALLERY.
etown, your items are where they are because you made a decision to list them as cheaply as possible. If you want your items on the premium shelf you need to pay to have them placed on the premium shelf. Your items are exactly where you paid to have them placed. eBay has 'hidden' nothing.
You may want to consider using a bit of core here. I don't know what
core percentage you run for your store as a whole, but as a bonus,
you'll even get your store name featured in that little box on the left
called 'Shop eBay Stores.'
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-21-07 22:20 PDT 49 of 107 What a let-down. I was really hoping to see a step-by-step demonstration of the 'hidden' store inventory problem I've been hearing rumors about for the better part of the year.
But of course... this tutorial has really revealed no 'hidden' inventory at all. Just a little glitch in a panel that's been overlooked by about 99% of the sellers here. And probably overlooked by a higher percentage of buyers.
Because for anyone but the most ding dong clueless... if they did bother to hit that search link (which probably only 1% of shoppers would ever do to begin with), and got the exact same search they had previously, they'd most likely scratch their chin... and then try something else to find the rest of the store items that they figured weren't showing up...
But this was a nice step-by-step guide anyway. At least it demonstrates
that someone can do html. But it sheds little light on the on-going
mystery of 'hidden' store inventory.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 04:51 PDT 53 of 107 PAN: things like mis-labeled search links are part of what makes
shopping on the site more difficult. Anything that makes shopping more
difficult will affect sales.
I agree there's room for improvement on this link. But the level of concern here is way out of proportion to the problem. Ask yourself this: While shopping on eBay, how many times have I relied on that link to find all the merchandise in a store? [I won't even delve into the rather curiouser question of WHY I'd ever want to see all the items in a store, when I'm trying to find a particular item... for if I wanted to EXPAND my search, why would I limit that expansion to any particular store?] In any event... how many times have you ever clicked this link? Once? Twice? Never?
I think the majority of us would answer 'never.' And so would most buyers. The majority of us regular eBay users probably don't even know it's there. I didn't. And I shop on eBay all the time. The fact is that this little link is for all intents and purposes completely non-functional even if it is set up perfectly. So anybody screaming that their merchandise is 'hidden' because of a little glitch on a link that's probably used by less than 1% of shoppers is engaging in more than a bit of drama...
...which is why etown has tried to move the discussion of 'hidden'
items to a more reasonable field altogether... that of core vs. store
vs. advertised or promotional listings. He's pulled out that very same
card in the past and I've addressed it thoroughly in the past.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 05:23 PDT 56 of 107 I don't think any of us have any way to know how much that link may or may not be used.
You're right. I'm purely speculating. But while each eBayer sets up her own preferences in accordance with her own peculiar tastes and desires... anyone who's come to rely on a little link that is NON-FUNCTIONAL as part of her daily navigation of this site is simply DING DONG CLUELESS!
Getting back to etown's previous point about the autographed cards. It struck me that he's complaining that his six cent store inventory items aren't nearly as easy to find as those 40 cent core listings... or even better, those 75 cent core listings with GALLERY.
etown, your items are where they are because you made a decision to list them as cheaply as possible. If you want your items on the premium shelf you need to pay to have them placed on the premium shelf. Your items are exactly where you paid to have them placed. eBay has 'hidden' nothing.
You may want to consider using a bit of core here. I don't know what
core percentage you run for your store as a whole, but as a bonus,
you'll even get your store name featured in that little box on the left
called 'Shop eBay Stores.'
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 05:28 PDT 58 of 107 etown explains: 30 of 65 appear on first page. No "page 2" prompt.
etown, there's a reason the '65 items' is highlighted in blue... that's called a LINK!
Others might refer to it as a PROMPT.
Ding dong, ding dong.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 05:34 PDT 59 of 107 You using my example of hidden store items to belittle or fluff off OP's demonstrates zero class.
No less classy than your complaints that your six cent store listings aren't as visible as the 75 cent core listings.
That's
like a guy who pays $40 dollars for a crappy end-zone ticket
complaining that he doesn't have an air-conditioned box seat with a
50-yd line view!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 05:54 PDT 61 of 107 It's funny that posters ignorant of auction ending prices vs. store
sale prices is substantial in my categories... Not listed as cheaply as
possible. Listed in store for maximum profit.
I understand
very well the need to balance core listings and store inventory to
maximize profit. If we could all maximize our profit by running 100% of
our listings in core, then there would be no reason to pay $15.95/mo
for the right to list all those cheap 5 or 6 cent inventory items,
would there?
The only thing 'ignorant' about this debate are
claims that eBay is 'hiding' our inventory because it doesn't appear as
prominently as the much more expensive auctions paid for by our
competitors. (And of course not recognizing a link when we see one.)
But that's a different story altogether.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
You
are obviously are not a seller. You obviously don't realize store items
bring much higher sales prices. You obviosly don't realize store
shoppers are an entirely different customer base than core shoppers.
This from the guy that didn't recognize the obvious blue hyper-text link when it was staring him in the face.
What
is obvious to me is that your store model, and your customer base may
not be anything like mine or anyone else's. Which is why I've been
careful not to make any recommendations to you about what percentage of
core you should maintain, or what pricing strategies you should use.
I'm
very aware of the balancing act required between core and store to
'maximize' profit. I've found that a core ratio of between 10% and 15%
is ideal for MY STORE. I'm trying to pin that down a little better
while I tweak other factors.
What I did suggest is that if you are concerned that your items aren't getting sufficient visibility, then you have the option
of running more core to increase your visibility. And further, to
complain that store inventory is 'hidden' by making comparisons to core
listings or promotional boxes is, on its face, ludicrous.
Your concerns about maximizing profit are well-placed. Your charges that eBay is 'hiding' your inventory are not.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
But...but...in YOUR earlier posts you're blathering on critiquing my
strategy, rambling on about my "5 or 6 cent" cheap listings"?
No,
I pointed out, quite correctly, that your items show up exactly where
you PAID for them to show up. If you're not happy with store inventory
format, then the solution is quite obvious. [don't use it]
You can pay to list in core. Your choice.
You can pay to have your store appear in that fancy little promo box. Your choice.
Or you can pay to have your items appear with the rest of the back-shelf inventory. Your choice.
Feel
free to point out where I've criticized your listing or pricing
strategy. Feel free to quote anywhere that I've done that. You've just
pulled that out of thin air, as is so often the case on this board.
I did criticize your mis-fire when you failed to notice the obvious hypertext link to page two of store inventory.
The rest of your post is nothing but diversion. And the usual suspects will be fooled by your diversionary tactics.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Sep-22-07 15:02 PDT 75 of 107 And PAN it is you who creates diversions because you ignore the valid issues and divert away from them.
That's
funny coming from somebody who's just linked to that post about my
husband for the [how many I've lost track?] time! Or made reference to
my previous job history. As if that has anything to do with hidden
listings.
Of course, in sticking to the point of this thread...
the only thing that's been demonstrated here so far is that some
supposedly experienced eBayers may not be quite so experienced as one
would hope when it comes to doing things like clicking on hypertext
links. Which suggests to me that many of the store owners who come to
this board with 'hidden' inventory are simply not proficient enough on
the computer to find their own inventory. A simple and obvious fact
admitted quite openly by the complaining poster just a few threads back.
Anybody think the Fighting Irish might still chalk up a V this afternoon?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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From eBay Stores Forum
I need to vent! Just got a Neutral because of Canadian Customs! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2007733459&forumID=21&x#2007733459
A return negitive for a neutral will make them think a little bit before they do it again...
Or, it may tick her off so she returns under a new ID and leaves a BIG RED STRIKE of her own. Or maybe two.
This
poster is suggesting you engage in a little Feedback Smackdown... which
might be satisfying in the moment. But it may well come back and
sucker-punch you later. Food for thought.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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From eBay Stores Forum Help! Can I keep two Ebay ID browsers open at the same time? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2007765725&forumID=21&x#2007765725
Yes... the 2 browser technique makes life much simpler. And helps avoid
embarrassing goofs such as responding with my store ID rather than my
PID!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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From eBay To Go Forum
Trying to get the darn thing to work... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2006510324&forumID=1000000039&x#2006510324
20th_century_art (371 ) May-21-07 22:09 PDT The sample looks great! Until I cut and paste the HTML and add it to my web site. Then I just get a box with a red x in the upper LH corner.
I'm not an HTML expert by any means. It's mainly trial and error. But I'm not even sure where to begin.
Here's a link to my site in case anybody's got time to check it out and give me any advice...
From eBay Trust & Safety (Safe Harbor) Forum
Withdrawing Unpaid Item Dispute After Winning? http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1010651467&forumID=107&x#1010651467
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Oct-23-07 18:31 PDT I had a non-paying buyer with good FB. I sent multiple emails over the
course of a month, heard nothing, and finally filed an Unpaid Item
Dispute, which I won by default as the buyer never replied. Since the
buyer had good feedback, I did not leave feedback, assuming perhaps she
was ill or incapacitated. I re-listed the item and moved on.
In
any event, it's now about two weeks later and I recieved an email from
her apologizing for the 'oversight' and offering to pay for the item if
I withdraw the dispute.
I'm not aware that a dispute can be withdrawn after the fact, since I've already received my FVF back.
I
do believe this probably was an oversight on her part, and would like
to be as cooperative as possible without putting myself at risk. Is
feedback still open at this point? I have not tried to leave anything
for her. Can she leave FB after the dispute was ruled in my favor?
Any suggestions? Never happened to me before. Thanks.
It's in my interest to make the sale, as I
see it. Why lose the business if she's willing to pay? But it seems to
me she'd have to buy the re-listed item and begin another transaction.
The other transaction is pretty much history, no?
//
//
//
From eBay Stores Forum Sales are down instead of going up..... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2008303944
qual*** (199 ) View Listings | Report Nov-15-07 23:46 PST I thought by November My eBay Store's sales should go up instead they are going down! Why?!
dazz*** (5806 ) View Listings | Report Nov-16-07 01:36 PST 1 of Here's the cure
PUT STORES BACK INTO SEARCH - GIVE STORE SELLERS A CHANCE
thre*** (286 ) View Listings | Report Nov-16-07 01:53 PST 2 of I had to give up my store because I wasn't getting hardly any sales. As soon as I went back to "Buy it now" and auctions, my sales are going up again.
I really don't understand why eBay would not want to promote store sellers.
I would love to have my store again but it doesn't make any business sense to me to do that at this time.
I agree with dazzlecity!
ocea*** (919 ) View Listings | Report Nov-16-07 04:35 PST 3 of You're from Belgium. The USA economy is not in great shape right now. For some of the prices that you're asking for tiny diamonds, we can buy the whole ring here. Many of the USA retailers are offering deep discounts. I wouldn't count on much, if any, USA business at this point. Our dollar is very weak.
We're selling to Europeans, Canadians, Australians, etc.
kiwi*** (1770 ) View Listings | Report Nov-16-07 04:41 PST 4 of That's true, ocean2tides, 50% of our sales are international at this point. 50%!! Kiwi's Outback: Authentic Designer Handbags
sand*** (2867 ) View Listings | Report Nov-16-07 05:17 PST 5 of The US president allowed his rich oil industry buddies to rape the American economy for their record profits. Unfortunately no one taught them the meaning of moderation and the economy currently is so bad that everyone is spending their wages on purchasing necessities not luxuries. It's not going to be a good holiday season for gemstones unless you sell to the uber rich. Middle class people are using that money to fill their grocery cart and gas tanks.
joint_runner (Private ) View Listings | Report Nov-16-07 06:38 PST 6 of It's not going to be a good holiday season for gemstones unless you sell to the uber rich
And you won't find the uber rich on eBay.
Believe it or not!
thre*** (286 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 13:05 PST 7 of Everyone is absolutely right about our economy. I have in the past put some things for international but this weekend, I am listing all of my items for worldwide because I'm just not getting hardly any bids.
On eBay or at flea markets, there will be no season this year.
butc*** (20 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 15:19 PST 8 of Just sold something off the birdie site after a year with none. Better than nothing! At least no fees.
turt*** (5334 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 15:36 PST 9 of Qualitygems, do you have your listings only in the USA? You would be
better listing them in Europe. I also think they are way too expensive
for the US market.
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, come visit our store shop and fill your Christmas stockings, find tropical seeds and more...
sand*** (2867 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 15:39 PST 10 of Hey joint some of the uber rich are on Ebay but they are sellers not buyers.
You know Mrs. Shaq has a store here? (Her store was called
Mrsshaqscloset). Or at least she did a year or so ago. Now that she is
to be the ex Mrs Shaq she may not be selling here anymore. I fully
understand that's a rarity but couldn't resist. I also met a uber rich
friend on Ebay. He owns some big publishing company in New York. He has
visitation rights to some collectibles he sold me two years ago. They
had sentimental value and he worried about those things more than some
people worry about their kids.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 16:26 PST 11 of My sales are sky-rocketing this month. After tonight's auctions close
I'll already have exceeded my best month ever in units sold... and it's
only the 16th!
My
spigot got turned on this month. Perhaps the time I've spent improving
my store and promoting my inventory, rather than hanging out on this
forum listening to all the Negative Nancys is paying off??
There
is hope... people are making money on eBay. Be smart. Think about what
you're doing. Watch the successful sellers and understand why they're
successful. Watch those who fail and understand why they're sinking. I
started buying from my competition a month or two ago. I learned quite
a bit about what they are doing, and where I could save money. I also
figured out why some in my niche stand out from the crowd. And I made a
few simple changes. This is not rocket science. It really isn't.
Good luck!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
omostudios (813 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 20:50 PST 12 of I am also experiencing higher than normal sales. I have had 72 eBay
sales for Nov. thus far. Don't get excited, less than $10 per item. My
indy site is also doing pretty well considering I am still tinkering
with it. Maybe that is the secret...regular updates. Anyway, I think it
all depends on type of merchandise, price, shipping costs. Full-Color Acrylic Animal and Breed Specific Pet Jewelry Earrings - Key Rings - Necklaces - Tack Pins
thre*** (286 ) View Listings | Report Nov-17-07 22:13 PST 13 of I absolutely believe, even though our economy is bad, that you CAN make money on eBay. I'm not giving up. I change out my inventory every couple of weeks and I'm in the process of doing that today.
I read about people complaining about eBay and low sales on the forums but it just makes me determined to make it on here. I figure if alot of people are making a living off eBay, so can I.
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 02:24 PST 14 of Went to your store (NICE!) Saw that your selling high qualities diamonds! I prentended to be a customer and entered "high quality diamonds" into search and ebay suggested I shop for them OFF ebay by clicking on the links they provided: Here are the ads that showed up on the EBAY search page! (I have CENSORED the exact link because ebay sure as heck WON'T remove these links where the are doing the most damage but WILL remove this post just for cut and pasting the website names)
High-Quality Diamonds Diamond Rings, Necklaces, Pendants & More. Shop Online at HSN Today. www.CENSORED, BUT A LINK TO BUY OFF EBAY.com
High Quality Jewelry at Lord & Taylor Give the gift of choice. Free standard shipping over $150 until 11/21. www.CENSORED BUT A LINK TO BUY OFF EBAY.com
Certified Loose Diamonds We offer certified & exquisite loose diamonds at DiamondDirectBuy.com. www.CENSORED, BUT A LINK TO BUY OFF EBAY.com
Buy Diamonds at Adiamor 69 www.CENSORED, BUT A LINK TO BUY OFF EBAY.com
High-Quality Custom Made Jewelry Take her breath away with heart stopping custom made jewelry from Par4theCourse, Inc. Present her a unique custom made jewelry gift and show her how much you love her. www.CENSORED BUT A LINK TO BUY OFF EBAY.com -----------------------------------------------------
With five directly competing links on EVERY search page that is keyword specfic and takes the searcher OFF ebay to some other commercial site to shop is it any wonder sales are down? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 07:16 PST 15 of With five directly competing links on EVERY search page that is
keyword specfic and takes the searcher OFF ebay to some other
commercial site to shop is it any wonder sales are down?
My
category also has 'sponsored links' way down at the bottom of the page.
It's made not a lick of difference in the number of transactions I'm
doing, or my competition is doing.
The sponsored ad campaigns
are simply the latest in the long and sorry string of excuses used by
Negative Nancy's to massage the deflated egos of those who can't seem
to make it on eBay. It's never YOUR fault YOUR store tanks... it's
always eBay's fault. Whether it's fee hikes, 'hiding' inventory in
search, not including a stores tab, or my favorite... placing your
store on a mysterious 'dead server,' the Negative Nancy's always seem
to have an excuse... They simply cannot and will not admit the obvious,
a seller's own incompetency usually plays the greatest role in his or
her downfall. In fact, there's nothing that makes the NN's happier than
seeing another 'longtime seller' close shop. What wonderful
confirmation of their misguided belief that eBay is running off the
ablest and savviest merchants. (Riding the eBay 'gravy train' for years
before the competition finally runs you over is no sign of
competency...) How many times have you heard laments about the 'good
ole days' when you could list a scratched up old Beetles White Album
and get 27 bids?!? Or spend a Saturday morning rummaging through garage
sales and list all that priceless junk for a 10-fold profit later that
evening? That type of selling didn't require much competency, did it?
What's
really funny about the Negative Nancy's is this... they complain buyers
can't find store inventory because it's buried down at the bottom of
the page. At the same time, they believe buyers are clicking up a storm
on boring advertising links buried down at the bottom of the page.
Which tells me something else... they really don't understand the
mindset of eBay shoppers anyway, or they'd understand those sponsored
links are no real competition to them. But then, that's why they're
Negative Nancy's. And that's why so many are tanking.
There's
one reason eBay is a tougher marketplace now... COMPETITION. Stores are
still popping up like flies as more and more people want to make a few
dollars here. And that's what's weeding out the poor performers more
than any other factor.
Watch the successful sellers and do what they do. Listen to the Negative Nancy's, and do the opposite.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
Although I agree with a lot of what you say let me put this on the table.
Which
tells me something else... they really don't understand the mindset of
eBay shoppers anyway, or they'd understand those sponsored links are no
real competition to them
You put up a website. You pay the costs incurred. I'll come and put my links on your site and pay you nothing.
Equate that to eBay listings and Stores. Sound good to you?
Believe it or not!
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 09:52 PST 17 of Equate that to eBay listings and Stores. Sound good to you?
Tell
me, JR... how much business have you lost to those pesky little ads?
How much revenue do they generate for eBay? And might that extra
revenue offset the size of some future fee increase? How does all that
figure into your equation? Or do you just know for a fact that those
ads are hurting your business? Or do you simply not like them because
that's the Zeitgeist among the NN's?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 09:59 PST 18 of p.s. No store owners on eBay have 'put up a website' here. We are
simply renting space on eBay's website. I actually have 'put up' two
websites for which I pay the costs incurred. And I do allow advertising
on those sites. But I am
paid for those ads, since those are MY websites. You seem to be wanting
to be paid for ads eBay places on THEIR website. A little presumptive
of you, no?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
joint_runner (Private ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 10:34 PST 19 of We are simply renting space on eBay's website
Correct. And you
like other business's advertising in your space? Kinda like renting a
booth in a mall and letting all your competitors put up their signage
behind your counter within the area you're paying for?
You seem to be wanting to be paid for ads eBay places on THEIR website. A little presumptive of you, no?
Not
at all. I couldn't care less where they place their offsite ads. As
long as it's not on the page (space) that I've paid for. My space, my
so called booth, call it what you like. If I'm paying for the space I
don't want other peoples signs in it. I don't care if it's detrimental
or not.
But enough said. Obviously you think it's good for your
business and I'm not here to argue about it. Whatever blows your hair
back!
Believe it or not!
catb*** (1192 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 10:38 PST 20 of And I do allow advertising on those sites.
for competing products? i'm going to bet that you just might be smart enough to not do that, and to know why it'd be a bad idea joan
brees-art (4 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 11:25 PST 21 of Don't get too used to doing well here. Ebay can turn the faucets right
back off...eBay giveth and eBay takeith away...
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 11:40 PST 22 of for competing products? i'm going to bet that you just might be smart enough to not do that, and to know why it'd be a bad idea
I
do allow competing products to advertise on my site. With AdSense, the
ads are picked by popular keywords on my page, and I've made no attempt
to filter competing products. Most often the ads are indirectly related
to what I'm selling... but occasionally they link to a direct
competitor. Plus I have Web Ring connections which might also provide
incentive for someone to click away to something more appealing.
What
I count on is that my site and my merchandise are appealing enough...
and my sales ability keen enough, that those shopping for my items will
be so intrigued that they won't be tempted to go elsewhere. And anyone
who scrolls all the way to the bottom of my pages only to click on a
link to another site probably wasn't a serious buyer anyway.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
catb*** (1192 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 12:38 PST 23 of Most often the ads are indirectly related to what I'm selling.
exactly. joan
ocea*** (919 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 12:48 PST 24 of So, PAN, can we see your website? I'd love to see what you do!
oas*** (14894 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 14:27 PST 26 of It's always funny when a poster forgets what ID they are signed in with. I think thats why they created bowling..
Items Sold: 3.62% Total Value Sold: $898.91 Total Value Not Sold: $19652.25
Maybe a How to sell on ebay ebook is in their future..
cday*** (4026 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 14:44 PST 27 of LMAO........leave it to a fellow Iowan to notice that !!!
oas* (14894 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 14:50 PST 28 of cdaysgoneby23 if you factor out fees they'd be better off making donuts part time at Caseys for $6.75 a hour.
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 15:39 PST 29 of PAN
I started advertising my web site ALL over the river and my web site is now experiencing massive growth. Soon I will join the thousands of other smart web site owners and plaster PPC ads all over ebay. You can sit there in your secure little "hear no evil, see no evil speak no evil" mind-set and ignore the stupidity and effect of these ads all you want and pretend that they do no harm to ebay or it's sellers and that's ok- your entitled to wear those blinders. Just remember, people like me aren't willing to spend a combined total of hundreds of millions of dollars on these PPC ads here on ebay because they AREN'T and DON'T work... were doing it because they DO WORK! These PPC ads on the river are buried at the bottom of the page too and I drove 227 people to my web site so far TODAY! What's more is these people clicked on a KEY WORD SPECIFIC LINK which means these clicks generated a decent amount of sells.
So ignore the negative impact of these ads all you want and pretend
they have no negative effect on ebay or it's sellers all you want. I
just hope your selling the same stuff I am because I'd really enjoy
knowing that I stole one of your customers with my PPC ad.
BTW... You do have a valid point about SOME people using every excuse in the book to blameshift their own shortcomings... and I would agree with you about the dead server thing but I think it's YOU who doesn't understand the mindset of the ebay customer because those "hidden" and "buried" ads are making ebay a TON of money and they only create revenue for ebay if they ARE CLICKED ON... The numbers prove it. MILLIONS of people ARE clicking on these links and ARE being taken OFF ebay in response to a keyword search for an item they are looking for. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 15:45 PST 30 of PAN
Also I believe you owe qualitygemsantwerp an apology for implying that the reason why their GREAT site has experienced a down turn (and they are powersellers) is because they are incompetent sellers who aren't possibly capable of professional selling and alone bear the blunt of the blame for the unexpected lack of sells. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 15:50 PST 31 of "Most often the ads are indirectly related to what I'm selling."
Indirectly related links wouldn't bother me one little bit... well maybe a little but not enough to post a negative post about them. The sad truth is the for the most part (and it is improving) key word searches were generating 5 directly competing ads for the same item OFF ebay. NOBODY is complaining over a few "indirectly related" links. The issue is off ebay links to directly competing items. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
catb*** (1192 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 16:31 PST 34 of gee, that's funny, i don't see any ads. just a web ring joan
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 17:00 PST 35 of I expect my store page views are going to sky-rocket this evening!
catb*** (1192 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 17:09 PST 36 of i don't know about that, but one thing i do know, your credibility = *poof* joan
oas*** (14894 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 17:25 PST 37 of Never know it just might send your sales right over the top with number of units sold. Maybe you could open a anchor store?
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 17:37 PST 38 of i don't know about that, but one thing i do know, your credibility = *poof*
I'm
sure you'd like that to be the case. But anyone who looks over my
posting history will find my credibility is quite intact... unless they
had imagined some grand and elaborate store... which I've never claimed
to have. All I've ever said is I'm making a profit and meeting my
goals. I've not misrepresented my store, my level of sales, or anything
else that I can think of. Though I may have thrown in a misdirection
here or there to keep people guessing about my identity. (Though a few
did figure it out along the way. )
In
fact I've made very clear in previous posts that I'm not and never have
been a power seller. So $890 or so in 30 day sales history should come
as no surprise to anyone. Comparing sell-thru rates is not relevant...
as I've mentioned in many previous posts. In fact I've always claimed
to be operating with a very low sell-thru. I believe postcards can
attest to that, since she and I have had a number of discussions about
the challenges of selling vintage paper.
I'm quite happy with
the progress my little store is making. It's growing. I well on may way
to breaking the $1,000 mark this month. Which will indeed be my best
month ever. And my profit margin is looking better as well. So I'm
quite happy. And I stand by my store and my positions.
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 17:41 PST 39 of PAN you gave away what your store is in post # 17
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 17:50 PST 40 of PAN you gave away what your store is in post # 17
So PAN ? is that a picture of you in the blog you have in your ME page?
Yep.
The little one in the corner was taken a few years ago before I got
fat. The 4th of July pic is this year. And the photo on my other web
site was taken last week.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
catb*** (1192 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:03 PST 43 of you lied about having ads on your site, competing or complimentary.
and, you made it sound like your sales are just hopping like mad, and for anyone that isn't happening with, they're just an idiot. looks to me like you have paid a lot in fees, for poor sell-through.
between these two things, as far as i'm concerned, your credibility is nil.
if you're happy with your store, then that's fine and good for you. but you out and out lied, and mislead.
joan
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:10 PST 44 of Though I may have thrown in a misdirection here or there to keep
people guessing about my identity. (Though a few did figure it out
along the way.
In one post quite some time back you
mentioned your husband so is that how you keep people guessing by
stating falsehoods? You were using your posting id so do not see the
reason to mislead people.
etex*** (1471 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:16 PST 45 of "i don't know about that, but one thing i do know, your credibility = *poof* joan"
Ain't it the truth. Hilarious!
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:20 PST 46 of PAN, is that your etsy site as well you have on your blog? That site sounds like your wife operates that. Do you two share the same posting id on this board and just switch off so you can keep the confusion going?
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:21 PST 47 of Ah... you can do better than this...
you lied about having ads on your site, competing or complimentary.
I
am using Google AdSense on my Blog, and Web Ring on my other site. And
very often direct competitors do appear on my AdSense ads, exactly as I
stated in my earlier post. No lie.
and, you made it sound like your sales are just hopping like mad,
I said this is going to be my best month ever. In fact I hope to double my best month ever. No lie.
and for anyone that isn't happening with, they're just an idiot.
I
don't recall calling anyone an idiot. I said many use excuses such as
'dead servers' or 'hidden inventory' as an excuse for their own
incompetence.
looks to me like you have paid a lot in fees, for poor sell-through.
My eBay fees this month are running at 40%. In past posting I've always admitted that. No lie.
between these two things, as far as i'm concerned, your credibility is nil.
You're batting zero so far.
but you out and out lied, and mislead.
You're still batting zero.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
etex*** (1471 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:26 PST 48 of PAN, the next time I see one of your posts, I'll just SOB. That's Scroll On By
oas* (14894 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:27 PST 49 of The next step of the process is go into hiding register a new user ID with false contact info and then go in and do some purchasing and get a little feedback payback. Thats the normal ebay process when the truth is exposed it's a nasty side of ebay,but exsists..
catb*** (1192 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:27 PST 50 of a blog is hardly the same thing as your web site.
for the love of god, for once just act like a grownup. suck it up. you shot what credibility you had, end of story.
extex, LOL! joan
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:29 PST 51 of PAN, were you truthful about working at the pentagon and having a previous job in real estate?
sojo*** (2377 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:37 PST 52 of OK, I'm stunned. I'm still having trouble getting past a man signing with a Hello Kitty siggy with a thumping heart......
I mean the catty posts with all the name calling (or am I the only person who counted the number of "negative Nancy"s in that post?)... the Hello Kitty siggy... all that and PAN turns out to be of the boyish persuasion?????
Remember PAN has been missing in action for quite some time so had to get his "fix".
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:41 PST 54 of OAS I do not intend to go into hiding, though I have grown quite fond
of my PAN identity and will continue to post with it.
I've
never engaged in feedback payback and have no intention of doing so
now. That's the last resort of scoundrels. And I'll take whatever lumps
come my way. It will be interesting to see if my feedback takes a
sudden hit... I don't expect any of my sparring partners here to stoop
to that. Only time will tell.
As far as my credibility is
concerned, I've addressed each point raised fully. If joan believes
nit-picking about referring to 'my site' rather than 'my blog' guts my
credibility, I can certainly live with that. If some believe that $920
in gross sales this month guts my credibility, I can live with that
also. If some believe selling magazine ads, as opposed to postcards, or
tee-shirts, or designer brand clothing, guts my credibility, I can live
with that.
And J-T, you can speculate about my marital status or
my 'husband' all you want, I don't believe I've lied about any of that
either!
But now I've got a few ads to pack up for the morning post office run. Nite all!
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
sojo*** (2377 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:44 PST 55 of But oh... now I remember PAN took those really gorgeous photos of his 2 cats... so there's the kitty connection. And he was trying to redirect us....
Gosh, I'm just slow slow on the uptake with this kinda thing. Just gullible as all get out.....
sojo
Things are going swimmingly here...
sand*** (2868 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 18:48 PST 56 of ROFL. Sweet, oh so sweet.
ocea*** (919 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 19:27 PST 57 of Well, I'm kind of amazed...didn't think you would really show your site.
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 19:32 PST 58 of It will be interesting to see if my feedback takes a sudden hit... I
don't expect any of my sparring partners here to stoop to that.
PAN, I agree that would be very bad for anyone to do and hope no one ever does that to any seller.
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 19:40 PST 59 of just-thinking my feedback is loaded with one time hit IDs just getting some payback for me upsetting their applecart. It's not nice,but thats just how it is here on ebay...
It is one thing to have a bit of "war" in these theads but so very wrong for others to do any type of payback. Those who did that to you were very wrong to do so.
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 19:50 PST 61 of just-thinking people sitting on these threaded boards are kind of insulated to the day to day operations and what does and doesn't take place on ebay. Spend a month on one of the live help chatboards and you'll get a huge wakeup as to what takes place in the real ebay. After a month you'll see alot of the reasons buyers and sellers have begun to leave ebay. Nothing really changes the same type problems over and over just a different person and a different ID..
joint_runner (Private ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:01 PST 62 of I actually have 'put up' two websites
You slay me
Believe it or not!
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:09 PST 63 of Did I hear my name? Yes, we have discussed it but you have also said
how great you were doing and that I should just change what I sell. As
it turns out, we do about the same.
My eBay fees this month are running at 40%. In past posting I've always admitted that. No lie.
That's
a fact I have finally accepted. If I want to make $2000 I'll have to
have $3500 in total sales which won't be hard to do if I get used to
that huge ebay bill.
I'm still not sure I can bring myself to
give ebay that much of every dollar I make so I'll keep shuffling along
and playing with different things. If I didn't owe the IRS $18,000 I
would be so out of here! As it is, I have to make the monthly payments
somehow even if it does mean paying ebay 40%. (btw....that debt sure
didn't come from ebay sales...lol. It came from our real world business
and using the money that should have gone to them our last good year of
business to pay frivolous things like cancer treatments for my
husband). That double FICA certainly does add up fast even with medical
expenses as deductions on the 1040.
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:10 PST 64 of But, I don't remember you ever admitting to 40% ebay fees.
In fact you belittle us when we moan and groan about ours being that high.
The only problem I have ever had with ebay was the fact the fee hike pushed my fees up that high and I just almost quit listing other than to make what I have to every month.
I don't complain about slow sell through. It's been the same for my items since 2002.
sand*** (2868 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:19 PST 65 of I think it will be a while before PAN can look any of us straight in
the eye. joint-runner I LOVE that sig. That's pretty much my sentiment
right now.
Hey
oas3 you really serious? You have been hit by vindictive sellers in the
past? I can't imagine taking things that far especially since I post
out in the open with a target taped to my back most days.
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:26 PST 66 of sandrarn83 I've had buyers so upset they are going to wack me and my entire family and my dog Toto and I don't even have a dog named toto. ebays response was you'll need to contact your local law enforcement agency..
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:29 PST 67 of poor old gamble1616 has been dead since spring of 06,but I can make the dead rise from the grave...
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:34 PST 68 of sandrarn83 I know some posters with inexcess of 40 IDs no real reason for it,but ebay refuses to purge all inactive IDs so one will pop up and bite you sometimes..
sand*** (2868 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:36 PST 69 of ROFL. Oh crazy buyers I got plenty of. Yours will have to get in line behind mine.
Sellers I can't imagine doing that to each other. That's just wrong. PAN and I have had our moments but I wouldn't dream of messing with his sales. There is just something wrong with doing that.
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:39 PST 70 of oas3...I was only threatened once. And, it happened my first month on ebay. If the money hadn't been so good back then I would ran off like a scared pup.
But, I stood my grounds. Ebay didn't do anything back then either. And, it was all over a $2 record. Turned out his letter was returned for insufficient postage. He sent a one line explanation that it was returned and that was it. At least he let me know what happened but never did apologize.
There are some dingbats out there. I've been intimidated a time or two. Once by a person who posts here occassionally (and she knows who she is...told me she knows how to get her money back from ebay anytime she wants to no matter what!). The person who left me the two negs last month never said a thing...just negged and ran.
But, overall the buyers here are a really great bunch.
oas* (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 20:41 PST 71 of sandrarn83 you're upfront and honest a what you see is what you get type person. You might make a statement that upsets someone,but they know where it came from. I'm the same might not like me and might not like what I say and might tell me to go pound sand,but we don't hide the same can't be said for pan. They are sitting right here hitting refresh and reading,but got they've packages to wrap is a good excuse..
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 22:13 PST 72 of I imagine the unveiling of PAN has been about as anti-climatic as Toto pulling back the curtain...
As
it should be. Except, unlike the Wizard, I've never represented myself
to be anyone or anything other than who I am... a very typical store
owner who enjoys selling here and making a little profit. I have fun
with my store... The day it stops being fun, or profitable, I'll move
on to something else.
I've attempted to be upfront and honest in
all my posts here as best as possible. And I stand by my belief that
this forum should be a positive place for sellers to share ideas... not
a forum for griping and bashing our host.
I've dished out plenty and I expect to get dished back. Fairs fair.
And
if someone wants to imagine I'm fibbing when I say I've got packages to
get ready for mailing... well, I don't even know what to say to that.
Pointless.
Thanks to those who've sent PMs, btw. Very much appreciated!
PAN (aka Mark)
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 22:34 PST 73 of pan not a problem most ebay users suffer from AHS some just minor others suffer severe cases of AHS. Just one of the side effects of ebay..
African Horse Sickness? Or Antiepileptic Hypersensitivity Syndrome?
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
oas*** (14895 ) View Listings | Report Nov-18-07 23:08 PST 75 of It stands for Aunt Helen Sydrome aunt helen would say I'm going to do
this or do that I'm finished for the night and she would sit and hit
refresh for hours upon end poppin in and out all night and always
leaving. Some nights it would take aunt helen 8 hours to leave a
chatboard..
seou*** (726 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 00:53 PST 76 of Mark, can we call you Marky? It is nice to meet you and see your store finally . "Have you shipped it? Have you shipped it?" "Yes madam, it was so shipped out that it came back to me and I shipped it again".
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 03:16 PST 78 of PAN
Wow, a person goes to bed early and wakes up to discover that batman's identity has been discovered.
First.
Nice store! Vintage ads are a great compliment to the ebay selling
platform and I wish you great and continued success.
Now that
we know that your not the next Bill Gates and haven't and won't be
retiring anytime soon on your ebay revenue can we get down to the heart
of the matter...
Do you really think that while a user is doing a search for "Vintage ads" that these links DON'T affect you in the slightest:
------------------------------------------------------- The Ad Shak - Vintage Ads Specializing in vintage magazine advertisements. Vintage Ads offer a glimpse into a time gone by. www.theadshak.com
Pastpresent Retro Gallery Give
a gift that has lasted for generations, authentic vintage ads,
preserved and presented in museum quality mats. Authenticity,
satisfaction guaranteed. antiquemapgallery.com
Retro Robert World Retro and Vintage items. www.retrorobertworld.com
Vintage Advertising Guaranteed website visitors from $1.95 per 1000. 30 Day Guaranteed. www.visitorboost.com
Personally
I'd much rather see a link down there to "20th century art" and have it
take perspective buyers to your GREAT store than I would have it take
perspective buyers to OFF EBAY retailers for their shopping. There is
no way to sugar coat this. These links are detrimental to the ebay
marketplace and they are detrimental to "20th century art".
Luke,
Luke, join the dark side and together we can bring down those evil
ads... (sorry, watched star wars recently with my kids) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest
example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it
will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to
improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 04:25 PST 79 of "And I stand by my belief that this forum should be a positive place for sellers to share ideas... not a forum for griping and bashing our host."
Ebay is a real place for real people to discuss real positives and real negatives and the reality of doing business on ebay as store owners. This forum should not be a negative place, nor should it be a positive place. It should be a real place. Not a fantasy land.
There are negative people who overstep the negativity and can't seem to find any positives. My advice to you if ebay is a thorn in your side is to pluck out that thorn and move on. Life is too short to go thru it miserably and it is too short to be a vindictive type person out to bring something down.
Speaking of that... if your the type of person that snoops into a persons business and then looks for ways to destroy or hurt it.... SHAME on you! May the ghosts of christmas past, present and future haunt you this year!
Concerning positivity. Life is made of positive and negative and just as being overly negative is bad it is also bad to be so positive that you can hear not evil, see no evil and speak no evil. i for one don't come to this forum to see rose colored stain glass windows that hide the reality of the world around us. I also don't come here to be brought down into a pit of dispair. The world will always have those who prefer to sit on the upper deck sipping wine and listening to live music while the ship that carries them sinks to the bottom of the sea.
So balance in all things is crucial. Let's not be over negative and lets not be over positive. Let's discuss the issues, help find solutions and together make ebay stores the best place to buy and sell on the internet! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
sand*** (2868 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 04:30 PST 80 of 95 Many of those nasty Negative Nancys as PAN so loves to quote are
actually trying to get Ebay to change their ways. Then we all can live
happily ever after in Ebayland.
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 04:48 PST 81 of 95 Personally I'd much rather see a link down there to "20th century
art" and have it take perspective buyers to your GREAT store than I
would have it take perspective buyers to OFF EBAY retailers for their
shopping. There is no way to sugar coat this. These links are
detrimental to the ebay marketplace and they are detrimental to "20th
century art".
I'm sure there's a very small percentage of
buyers who click on those links. The question is whether those links
hurt my business. And could they possibly benefit my business? The
AdSense link at the bottom of my Blog is currently displaying an ad for
Vintage Ads & Posters. The way I figure it... if a potential
buyer is so disinterested in my items that they'd rather click to a
whole new venue and start over... they probably weren't interested in
what I have to offer. So I'll be happy to take a nickel from them as
they leave!
My Blog doesn't get enough traffic so that those
nickels add up to much. But place that on the 'eBay-scale,' with
millions upon millions of visitors a day, and you're talking real
money. And who's more likely to go 'off eBay' with one of those ads? A
true eBayer with an established PayPal account and 30 or 40 FB under
their belt? Or a newbie who might not understand how eBay works anyway?
I'd guess the latter. When I'm buying on eBay (and I do often) I buy
here for a reason. I understand the process. I'm comfortable with it.
And this is where I shop for most of my online purchases. I stated in
another thread that I never click on those ads. That was true.
In
any event, the facts simply don't bear out the dire predictions. Most
of the metrics I track in my store have improved over the past few
months. For instance, my purchase-to-unique visitor ratio has improved
by nearly 50%. If the ads are driving away customers, I've got no
evidence to support it. Of course some other sellers might have a
different experience. But I've yet to see any evidence to back that up.
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 05:13 PST 82 of First. Nice store! Vintage ads are a great compliment to the ebay selling platform and I wish you great and continued success.
Thanks.
I've said before I didn't invent my store model. It's certainly not
unique. But it does work in its own funny little way. And the Internet,
and venues like eBay in particular, have made it possible for an 'Ad
Store' to turn a profit. The key is exposure to such a huge and varied
marketplace. I bought my first vintage ad back in the 1980's when they
were tucked away in bins at the back of flea markets and antique
stores. It was a nicely framed photo of an old aircraft that I bought
for my dad, who was an Air Force pilot. I just happened upon it by
accident. If you were looking for something specific... good luck! But
add mass inventory capability and easy search functionality to the
equation, along with 80 million eBayers, and suddenly the idea becomes
much more appealing.
Now
that we know that your not the next Bill Gates and haven't and won't be
retiring anytime soon on your ebay revenue can we get down to the heart
of the matter...
Does anybody remember the thread I started
a few months ago? Something along the lines of "Does anybody here
actually support themselves on their eBay income?" I made quite clear I
was doing this for the 'extra money.' As do most of us. To those who
support their family and pay the rent doing this, I take my hat off to
you!
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 05:46 PST 83 of Many of those nasty Negative Nancys as PAN so loves to quote are
actually trying to get Ebay to change their ways. Then we all can live
happily ever after in Ebayland.
Trying
to persuade eBay to 'change their ways' may be commendable in some
instances... good luck with the effort. You'll notice I never once
jumped in to deride the Red Door Campaign. Fine idea as far as I'm
concerned.
But 'Negative Nancy' does have a certain enduring
quality about it, doesn't it? I often compare this forum to my sports
board. Except on the sports board the opposing posters are called the
'pumpers' and the 'haters.' Not quite so friendly, those sports boards.
The haters criticize every play called, second-guess the coaching staff
at every turn, viciously turn on any recruit who decides to attend a
rival school, and generally find something to gripe about, even when
their team is sitting at 9-2 for the season. The 'pumpers' prefer to
focus on the wins rather than the losses, generally support the
coaching staff (with good exceptions), and tend to view the glass as
half full rather than half empty. Like this forum... what's posted on
sports boards likely has about zero impact on the decisions made by the
coaches and managers.
My political board has much the same
type of back and forth, in a somewhat different context. Very
interesting dynamics, for those who like to watch those sort of things.
seou*** (726 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 06:13 PST 84 of Who is Nancy? I keep hearing about her but as far as I know, no one
here is called Nancy and we certainly don't want to know her cos she is
Negative eh. *wink wink* "Have you shipped it? Have you shipped it?" "Yes madam, it was so shipped out that it came back to me and I shipped it again".
sand*** (2868 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 06:19 PST 85 of I actually prefer my Google group where people really let their hair
down and makes this board look quite tame. For sheer entertainment
value it wins hands down.
I have long ago given up attempting to personally convince Ebay of the
foolishness of their ways. What I did was initiate a direct campaign to
contact and educate internet media reporters to come read this board.
Internet media reporters are the only ones capable of providing us with
a voice and have millions of people read it. When they write their
articles about Ebay they are now able to quote the views of Ebay's rank
and file sellers. Long after I am gone the reporters will continue this
task. If the koolaid drinkers were the only ones posting here the story
would be completely different. This board provides the media reporters
with MANY opinions. We sellers never agree about anything. It's not
about getting MY message or opinion out. It's about getting OUR message
and ALL views out. Not just official Ebay's spin on the topic. If you
read those articles this board frequently get quoted. Most posters are
oblivious to this fact. Sometimes openly we are quoted and sometimes a
little more vaguely with "Ebay sellers are reporting or Ebay sellers
are posting about..." You work within the confines of a system to make
a positive change. That's what I do and why. Recently I have decided to
write a book about the adventures of selling on Ebay. Sort of a glimpse
into the life of an Ebay seller after the infomercial. I just have to
figure out where to get the time. The chapter pertaining to this board
will certainly make a most interesting read.
I've got no problem with folks taking
constructive steps to promote eBay, eBay stores, or their own
interests. Though I'll give my honest opinion about what I believe is
and is not important... as with the whole 'Stores Tab' hullabaloo.
My most vocal beef has always been with the attitude... "eBay is a sinking ship and we all better get out now!"
kind of posting. There's simply much too much of that and it rarely
gets called out. Well, my ship certainly isn't sinking. Though it often
takes quite a bit of work to stay afloat. But that's life in the real
world. Few of us enjoy an easy ride.
sand*** (2868 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 07:57 PST 87 of I preach DIVERSIFICATION if you sell to support yourself and/or your
family. Yes there are Ebaycentric sellers who do it and are still doing
well. (Auctionbytes recently pointed out that most of the money now is
in third party providers selling to Ebay sellers. HHMM!) The ones who
no longer can are the ones I have tried to help the last six months.
Most heard and are working on their St Elsewhere sites. They aren't
producing the revenue that Ebay once did but it's going to take time
and effort. Personally I think Ebay and this board is in for a shock
come Feb. The sheer number of sellers hanging on by their toenails
praying for a turnaround is staggering.I know, I communicate with them.
That's not gloating. It's hurts because I know what they use their
sales to provide. I
long ago made my peace with official Ebay. As Carl points out I use
them in the capacity my business needs them to fit into it's own
business model. If it produces money I stay. If not, I am gone. I am
not sentimental about Ebay only the poor sellers. Through sheer hard
work I have made my business successful. I fortunately am in the
position where I can live with or without Ebay financially. I made sure
that I never count on a dime from Ebay. I don't want to wake up
tomorrow and be in the same boat as those bankrupt UK sellers. Ebay
taught me that lesson themselves.
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 08:11 PST 88 of PAN...you are wrong about only a few people clicking on the ads.
I've
bought three things in the last two months. All for Christmas. And,
guess where I found them? On Ebay....but guess where I bought them?
Through the merchants ebay so nicely directed me too.
Why? Because the ads were there, the prices with shipping were cheaper and the presentation looked better.
All arrived safely.
How many items have I bought from sellers on ebay this month? 0
And,
that wasn't my anger or my being vindictive. It was convenience. Ebay
showed me a better place to buy the merchandise and I did.
So, sellers better wake up.
EBAY IS USING YOU TO MAKE MONEY FROM ADS! And, if you don't suffer from them today you will tomorrow.
No
one I knew from the boards offered any of the items I bought or I would
have purchased from them. But, the ads ebay presents are BETTER than
the ebay merchandise....in price and dependability.
So, ebay is
sinking fast because how long can sellers afford to list so ebay can
make money from their listings while pointing buyers elsewhere?
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 08:14 PST 89 of BTW...I always shop with this ID and the ads DO show with my selling ID.
20th_century_art (371 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 09:12 PST 90 of PAN...you are wrong about only a few people clicking on the ads.
Well...
I've not seen any published figures for eBay's ad CTR. So until I do,
this is all speculation. But I have browsed through quite a few
articles on PPC advertising. And opinions, as always, are diverse. One
thing is pretty clear, the VERY BEST PPC campaigns might draw 10%. Good
campaigns can draw 5%. Most average campaigns have CTRs quite a bit
lower. Let's say eBay has a good campaign which averages a 5% CTR. Does
that mean you've taken a 5% reduction in traffic from any given page.
Has eBay, or your store in particular, lost 5% of its visitors? Not
necessarily. There are many factors that play into this, not the least
of which is WHY the shopper clicked on the ad in the first place. A
false assumption many are making is that buyers click on these ads
INSTEAD of clicking on eBay inventory. But think about that for a
moment... why would someone bother to type in a specific keyword
search, get a list of auctions and/or store inventory to choose from...
then ignore it all and click-thru to an off eBay store? Perhaps because
the search didn't turn up what the buyer was looking for? Suppose for
instance, that a buyer is looking for a 1910 postcard from Hot Springs
Arkansas, and one of your cards comes up on her search... she's most
likely NOT going to bypass your item after going to the trouble of
searching for it... More likely than not, shoppers click on these ads
because nothing in that search was what they were looking for. Perhaps
they were looking for a 1920 postcard, and you didn't have one in
inventory. Make sense? In fact, I'd wager that vintage paper sellers
are especially immune from CTR loss... because many of our buyers
aren't out looking for the lowest price... they're looking for a unique
item, and will buy it if it is reasonably priced. As opposed to a
jewelry seller, who may have lot's of competitors selling the same
items... both on and off eBay.
I've seen some other studies
about the nature of shoppers who click on ads. They've even done
extensive psychological profiling of 'ad clickers' versus 'non-ad
clickers.' Based on what I've read... I think eBay's PPC ads will have
little impact on my store or yours. But that's nothing more than an
educated guess. I don't know that any of us can prove our opinions one
way or the other.
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 09:14 PST 91 of I don't know that any of us can prove our opinions one way or the other.
Just
by the fact I have clicked on them and I have bought from the other
businesses. That's pretty proof positive to me. The click ads offer
better deals than ebay sellers do.
So, is ebay trying to force the sellers to lower prices? To offer free shipping? or what?
Sorry, they do affect sellers of new and some old (one of my purchases was a Sega game system) items.
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 09:17 PST 92 of BTW...Let's take the famous IPOD that Meg loves to use in her advertisements.
Look at the companies advertising here:
Apple Ipod Save on Brand Name MP3 Players. Shop Wal-Mart for Holiday Gifts. Wal-Mart.com Apple iPod at Circuit City Circuit City - Official Site. Free Shipping on Orders $24 and Up. www.circuitcity.com Apple Ipod at BestBuy.com Your online source for Apple iPods. Shop online at BestBuy.com. www.BestBuy.com Apple iPod Staples® has Apple iPod. Easy Holiday Savings. www.staples.com Buy Apple Ipod Online We ship direct from our warehouse to ensure fast shipping. www.axiomdiscountsstore.com
Personally, I would prefer Best Buy or even Walmart. They will take it back and/or exchange it for 90 days and will usually ship free and I can find lots of other neat things to buy too while I'm there.
These ARE hurting sellers and they will continue to do so. Just watch and see!
post*** (4527 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 09:28 PST 93 of Besides PAN, you miss the point.
Do those ads affect my store? NO
But, every seller who leaves does.
My sales do better when buyers think Ebay for everything they want. If They wander off to look for other things then we have all lost.
fort*** (369 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 10:06 PST 94 of "My sales do better when buyers think Ebay for everything they want. If They wander off to look for other things then we have all lost"
If they wander off to purchase elsewhere, it's very bad. If they wander off, and (permanently)discover a new source for online buying, it's even worse.
To me, ebay runs the risk of losing being the "destination" source, as buyers discover avenues they might not have before.
Just adding to what others have been saying, haven't seen that point made yet, but probably someone did.
oldspartantrader (3305 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 10:18 PST 95 of One person being redirected offsite by the site themself is a travesty -- PERIOD
Carl
20th_century_art (377 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 11:06 PST 96 of One person being redirected offsite by the site themself is a travesty -- PERIOD
I've often said that about sellers who attempt to convert eBay buyers to their 'personal' store shoppers. I know you oppose that practice, too, Carl. But there seems to be a double standard among some in that regard. I direct traffic from my Blog and web site TO eBay. I've run across far too many sellers who seem to do it the other way around.
On another subject, there seems to be a concern about buyers 'discovering' shopping avenues outside of eBay that they might not have known about before. There is some truth to that. Some studies seem to indicate that less sophisticated Internet users are more likely to click on ads than more knowledgeable users. Young kids are the most likely demographic to click on ads.
Another thing to consider is the number of alternative paths off of any given page. Some web sites and blogs are fairly self contained, and ads placed on them can have extremely high CTRs. Look at a typical eBay page, though. The number of alternative paths... including auction listings with gallery photos, featured store links, eBay express, eBay motors, plus the numerous info links scattered around, is enormous. There are so many paths to choose from. The CTR on an eBay sponsored link is probably very low. Just a hunch.
I guess the bottom line is this... unless you're of the opinion that eBay is ding-dong clueless, they are going to analyze these ads very carefully. I have no doubt they are being quite selective in the number, type and placement of these ads. It's not in eBay's interest to get 50 cents for sending someone to an off-site diamond ring store and lose the FVF for a diamond ring bought here, is it? The logic of that simply doesn't hold up. If eBay sellers lose business, eBay loses business. That doesn't mean 'no ads, period'. It just means they have to watch the results carefully. It's a very delicate balancing act, I'm sure.
disn*** (26 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 11:20 PST 97 of I'm sure there's a very small percentage of buyers who click on those links.
probably
more than you think. When I couldn't find what I was looking for one
day there were those nice ads to something similar to what I wanted.
I
ended up going to the store (circuit city) after looking at their site
and bought what I wanted instead of looking for more here.
It has gotten to be easier to shop at b&m stores instead of here.
post*** (4529 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 11:21 PST 98 of One thing I can say for you PAN, and then...like last time, I will ignore your posts....you certainly do have an awful lot to say!
You have the longest rambling posts I have ever seen and they just repeat everything you say from one post to the other with very little change.
post*** (4529 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 11:23 PST 99 of Oh, I'm not ignoring you for any reason other than the fact that seeing what you sell confirms what I said and thought all along.
Your sales level proves you have nothing important to say that could help me one little tiny bit. I already do better than you and I know how much better I could do if ebay would just stop blocking my way at every turn through exposure manipulation and fees.
ms*patricia (1535 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 11:27 PST 100 of "PUT STORES BACK INTO SEARCH - GIVE STORE SELLERS A CHANCE"
Its not too late Ebay - any sale brings revenue no matter where it comes from!
oldspartantrader (3308 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 12:01 PST 101 of PAN --
I do not oppose people bringing eBAY buyers to their webb sites -- I just think it is foolish for eBAY to not take steps to minimize it -- and --
I think IT is equally foolish to promote off site buying in any way shape or manner --
It is just bad business practice to help habituate your customers into purchasing elsewhere.
A very short sighted policy -- UNLESS -- There is more going on behind the scenes than we are privvy to (that is my estimation) -- In which case what looks short sighted on the surface may well be long range planning being implemented slowly (what I believe is happening)
I'm glad to see you're back in business! As you may recall, I was encouraging you to find ways to reopen your store several months ago when you were really down in the dumps. I was especially interested in your store since our categories are somewhat similar. I do see you're now selling cards off in huge lots. If that's working for you now... all the best.
I won't get into a contest with you or anyone else about who sold more this month or that. We all have access to Selling History tools. I'm only interested in meeting my personal goals, which I am doing at the moment. I understand that some posters have a habit of diverting discussions away from the topic by pointing fingers at total sales or total feedback or years of selling experience, as if having a higher monthly volume automatically trumps another poster's opinion. I disagree with that viewpoint.
And I apologize if you find my posts a bit lengthy. These things have a way of just spilling out... I'll try to keep that in check just a bit!
And I apologize if you find my posts a bit lengthy. These things have a
way of just spilling out... I'll try to keep that in check just a bit!
Mark
etow*** (2656 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 12:25 PST 103 of I'm sure there's a very small percentage of buyers who click on those links.
fort*** (369 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 12:38 PST 104 of It's not just about discovering sites they didn't know about before, that's bad enough. But, it's worse if they bookmark (mentally or physically) that site as their destination point for the future. One conversion from ebay to Amazon might just be a conversion for life.
And it may be true that ebay is positioning themselves to be an advertising gateway to the internet of sorts, but that will rely on mass numbers to sustain, otherwise the clicks won't hold their value. Too much weakening of the seller base will weaken the buyer base and so on and so on. Sure hope they know what they're doing.
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 13:30 PST 105 of "eBay is a sinking ship and we all better get out now!"
I think what many are saying is that eBay is far worse for many sellers than after SIS and all the many things they have done so far after it. The message I believe many are saying is that it is best to diversify, where setting up a website or trying to sell on the river or selling on other selling venues is far better than putting all those eggs into one basket when this site has become very undependable for many sellers. That message has zero to do with those who are doing ok since I have heard time after time after time that everyone wishes people well and congratulate them for their achieving their goals even for the part time/hobby seller. Those who "preach" positivism while being very rude and negative towards other posters are some of the most negative people I have seen on this board. Many posters say very strong things about this company but those who make very unfriendly comments about posters who express their viewpoints are hipocrits. Those who speak out against this company are not for the most part "attacking" individuals. Those who speak out against the posters who they believe are "attacking" the company are typically the most negative posters.
The difference is one set of people "attack" an inate object, a company. The other set of people "attack" real people for expressing their beliefs. What those who "attack" the posters who are very vocal do is "attack" their right to speak. Without that right to speak a group gets into a group think and believes for the most part one side of a story. And that type of discussion does not reflect anything close to reality. Yes, the reality of the part time/hobby seller is different than many of the posters here but they need to filter out what does not apply to them and not take it personal as the strong comments made is not about any who are happy here. To me it is worse to lead people down a primrose path saying all is well than to hear all viewpoints no matter how vocal. I believe most readers and posters are intelligent enough to know how to utilize what they feel will help them but they need to hear all comments not those some want filtered out.
commonsensegonewild (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 14:15 PST 106 of "In the second quarter of 2007, eBay reported $76 million in
advertising and "other non-transaction revenue," an increase of 96
percent from the same period in 2006"
Those ads need to go! I don't care if they only drive a handful of customers off. I don't care if it's just one. Ebay does not exist for us to promote our own little worlds. They wisely do not let us promote our websites on our listings why should they let us promote them on search pages?
Ebay has no business promoting other commercial websites on it's pages. If they want ad revenue I'm sure there is a long line of advertisers such as Pepsico, Frito-lay, pizza hut, geico...etc,etc,etc, that can place ads everywhere and while they might annoy us they certainly won't be protested like these stupid links. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apparently COMMON sense isn't all that common... Latest example: "But we also want to offer alternatives when we believe it will improve the buying experience. Steve Hartman." WHAT? You want to improve my buying experience by sending me OFF ebay to buy????
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 14:21 PST 107 of One person being redirected offsite by the site themself is a travesty -- PERIOD This pretty much sums it up.
Interesting Op-Ed piece. Unfortunately it tells us virtually nothing about how many sales might be lost due to these ads. On the one hand you've got a Seller's group (predictably) lobbying hard against this. On the other you've got eBay taking its (predictable) business as usual approach. Neither side provided any supporting evidence. Noting that ad revenue or PPC clicks increased by x% tells me nothing about the impact on eBay sellers, or more specifically, my business. I suspect like most issues, the truth lies somewhere in that vast gray area.
The only thing certain about this issue is that it will linger and fester and we will likely be hearing about it some time to come.
etow*** (2656 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 14:44 PST 109 of 250,000,000 clicks off site previous quarter.
250,000,000 clicks + 1% this last quarter.
Over 500,000,000 million clicks in six months.
Off site ads are almost 100% identical matches in my category.
Throw your best lowball sell-through number at half a billion. Then jack that lowball number up at least 2-3X sell through for the nice new large gallary pic ads with their name in large flourescent green..minus dotcom ads. They are be-yoot-ee-ful! I WANT flourescent green! An extra penny Ebay, think about IT!
And if you rely on core <30 store search without being a premium or anchor store, forget IT. You end up BEHIND these identical ads on first and same page view, on the beyond pages...uh...with a lousy prompt.
Do you use ad blockers on your computer or browser where you might not be seeing just how many ads are shown? Also, did you know that if you view the search results as a buyer it is different than viewing as a seller?
Those ads have much higher visibility than the link to the stores because of where this company places them. You said you put your ads at the bottom of your pages on your websites. This company puts those ads in direct competition with sellers ads, those who PAY to have THEIR items seen.
If you had an item that was like $500 but right below your ad was an offsite ad that says 50% sale for the same item where do you think the buyer will go?
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 14:59 PST 111 of Another thing to consider is that yes many of the offsite sponsor advertisers were already setup with their keywords etc. Imagine how many more have tweaked those keywords and titles to much more directly compete with those who PAY to list here. I imagine many of those advertisers are out to take those customers away from the sellers here. And why not, this company just handed them a gift while hosing many sellers here. But this company still collects those fees and re-listing fees while degrading the chances of a seller's items being sold.
oas3 (14900 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 15:27 PST 112 of just-thinking does this mean I want open a anchor store or not open a anchor store? I get so cornfused..
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 15:32 PST 113 of I would never recommend anyone open an anchor store as no one has any business doing that. Each person has to make their own decision based on what they feel would work. Personally I think websites are the way to go and selling on the river. I was not sure my items would sell on the river and don't have that many listed yet but am seeing very good signs. I always stayed with a basic store after trying the Featured (now called Premium) a few years back and it did nothing. I have read others say it did nothing. BUT, now it appears but do not really know for sure that eBay is favoring the higher tiered stores. I would think if not many of your competitors are not using anchor stores then would think you might need it either. But, if eBay is paying for like goog adwords for primarily the higher tiered stores and you know your products will sell very well it could work. But again, it may not. As soon as something works this company seems to find a way for it to no longer work so ?
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 15:34 PST 114 of Also, I read in clact's experiment thread that one person had tried the anchor store and it did not work. So think it has a lot to do with what types of products are sold and other factors like what types of goog ads this company pays for etc. etc. etc. So to me it is like playing at a casino.
ebookinfojunkie (6 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 15:35 PST 115 of I miss the boards a few days and looky here what I missed!
Post_a_Note is 20th_century_art! Woo-hoo
Post_A_Note was the one who went on an on about Period Paper and their NAIAA !! It's no wonder why you made such a big deal about it, they are your competition! Although looking at your stats, you weren't much competition to them. How low can you possibly go?? YOU rule in the Negative Nancy Department! Question: Were you in any form or fashion responsible for their problem at that time?
I remember you also going on and on about getting packages from 'your competition' and how badly they were packaged. Don't you realize many magazine ad sellers too can be reading these boards? What a huge error in judgment you made by making the mistake in using your ebay sellers id. Be assured your sins will find you out!
I think this calls for new topic Post_A_Note is 20th_century_art. No reason to put OT because even Sliiqe will enjoy it!
It's no wonder Post_A_Note used a posting id, it's because he used it to trashed his competition!
I also have this belief that this company does way too much funny business. I believe they can indeed be making it so new sellers do well initially so they are full of hope. I believe they work towards each store seller makes enough to at least cover the cost of their store. I believe the same could be done for the upper tiered stores where they make it better for awhile at least to make things look rosy, then over time things get worse for many. Sceptical yes but have seen way too many fishy things with this company. With the anchor stores I suppose it could be used peridically like around a busy selling season and then as it stops working (if it does) then downgrade. But I suspect those anchor stores work very well for some sellers but not for the majority for a variety of reasons. Now could be that since it appears they are dishing out more money in contextual ads for the sellers who have the higher tiered stores, it might work. But maybe they do not do that for all higher tiered stores, just the ones that have the types of products this company wants to push. There is a lot of the dilemma how does one know from one minute to the next how this company pays for what ads that can help sellers? And it could switch time periods thus why the faucet on and off effect. If that happens with an anchor store at the time a seller tried it, they just lost a lot of money but they might make enough to try another month thus the possibility of it still not being good enough but that sure packed money into this company's pocket. This company acts more like a gambling site everyday to me.
20th_century_art (377 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 17:00 PST 117 of Post_A_Note was the one who went on an on about ... and their NAIAA
Since
that thread (not started by me BTW) was deleted by the pinks with no
warnings or emails, I don't intend to rehash the issue. But I will say
this... queries to the 'organization' you reference went unanswered.
That pretty much told me what I needed to know. My opinion has not
changed. You are free to come to your own conclusion about what's going
on there.
And I would strongly recommend anyone who's hoping to
build their store shop from the competition... both large and small. A
very good experience all around!
lj503313 (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 17:17 PST 118 of WOW, PAN came out! And he is damn hot!
vetr*** (4384 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 18:41 PST 119 of Had my first sale at the river in just about a week of being there. So I am happy and starting to list more. It is a test and whoever sells more, in relation to cost/profit, by the spring, will get my business. My item sold for more than I can get at eBay! It's a start. Thank you all for the information that has been on the boards. DV
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 18:44 PST 120 of Congrats vetromile! I too am seeing very good signs.
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 19:00 PST 121 of vetromile and all
Another thread just informed us all about a new policy. See the pinned thread about euphemisms.
vetromile (4384 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 19:24 PST 122 of "The use of euphemisms to avoid detection. A euphemism is “the substitution of a more mild, indirect, or vague expression”. If something can’t be said openly with the policy guidelines, using a euphemism does not make it acceptable." Oh dear. I apologize. Thanks for pointing this out. DV
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 19:25 PST 123 of Well, I sure have done plenty so just wanted to warn others. LOL
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-19-07 23:03 PST 124 of . Interesting thread from the united kingdom
oas** (14900 ) View Listings | Report Nov-20-07 03:13 PST 125 of just-thinking same reason they are leaving ebay fraud,slow sales,expensive to list,lack of exposure to listed items the list is endless. You know it's bad when the Chinese sellers can't even get a 99 cent bid on knockoff nikes..
just-thinking (11 ) View Listings | Report Nov-20-07 03:36 PST 126 of You know it's bad when the Chinese sellers can't even get a 99 cent bid on knockoff nikes..
LOL
In the Directly Competing ... thread, a UK poster stopped by so I decided to go look at the UK and also the AU threads.
From eBay Stores Forum No sells but LOTS of questions. ... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000470461&tstart=0&mod=1195581504113
20th_century_art (378 ) View Listings | Report Nov-20-07 09:53 PST 15 of 16 I love the ones who expect me to spend my valuable time flipping through every page of a magazine or book to see if there is a certain something there they are looking for.
I can understand that frustration, uneek4u, but imagine the frustration of a buyer who pays that $4.00 + $3.00 S&H for your item... only to receive it and discover that certain page they wanted had been cut out (through no fault of your own, of course.)
I once bid a single magazine up well over $25 to get a valuable ad published in that edition... only to receive a perfectly pristine magazine with that one page missing! Fortunately, that seller gave me a partial refund. Now, if I'm looking for something particular, I always ask the seller to check. If they don't respond... I don't bid on it.
20th_century_art (413 ) View Listings | Report Nov-28-07 10:03 PST 1 of 4 Try checking this option on your print options and see if that doesn't get rid of the blank sheets...
Try checking this option on your print options and see if that doesn't get rid of the blank sheets...
20th_century_art (413 ) View Listings | Report Nov-29-07 10:36 PST 29 of 58 Nine sales so far today and it's only noon! Things are humming along well here. (I suppose I'm on a 'hot' server?) ;)
Well, obviously there are any number
of ways to solve a particularly nagging problem. I'm sure you'll do the
right thing in this and every case. Sometimes discretion is the best
policy... as our U.S. military so openly (or not-so-openly) advocates.
Which of course, is doing the right thing. If you can figure out
exactly what the right thing is, in the case of our military policy.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Nov-30-07 22:12 PST 51 of 53 Tell me how you see a way out of this issue.
Which
reminds me of another conundrum... when I was 22 and applying for
officer candidate school right out of college. My father took me aside
and mentioned that I'd be asked about drug use. He simply looked me in
the eye and said, "Son, you realize there's only one right answer to that question."
I got the message. When the recruiter asked me about drug use during
the interview I replied with a simple 'No.' He smiled, checked the box
on his form, and muttered something under his breath about all the
idiots who muck up that question.
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
//
Cancel That--- Store NOT Closing! Made 9 Sales Tonight!! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=2008455238&forumID=21&x#2008455238
Obviously, her mistake
was coming to the board to boast about her nine sales... that act
canceled the good karma, fairy dust, and beans she received from the
earlier negative post.
post_a_note (0 ) View Listings | Report Dec-03-07 19:44 PST 305 of 313 Love that tinfoil hat 1100 server theory Jake...
Unfortunately,
quite a few boardies seem to be wearing that hat dead seriously... I
remember some months ago a number of lengthy posts about various server
theories. Good servers. Bad servers. Dead servers. Servers showing your
listings on the east coast but not the west coast. Or perhaps only
somewhere between St. Louis and Kansas City. (Experiments were fully
documented by the various forum members participating.) Rotating
servers. And of course... the best server numbers are always the
'lowest' server numbers. So indeed, 1101 must be a VERY good server
reserved for eBay's most die-hard cheerleaders. (I'm still waiting to
get switched!)
This is a posting ID. The views and opinions expressed here may resemble those of eBay employees or management.
20th_century_art (413 ) View Listings | Report Dec-04-07 12:04 PST 9 of 13 Yes, I started a blog several months ago and find it helpful, even though I'm getting few hits on it so far. I'm working on increasing visibility. And I'm fairly confident I've had several sales directly attributable to it.
Plus, since I enjoy my work, I have fun doing it. And I learn a lot about my inventory...
I've
got another website that I'm in the process of rethinking and
overhauling. My plan is to turn that site into a St. Elsewhere. I've
just not had the time to devote to that project yet... I've done some
initial investigating into format, etc. But I haven't quite settled on
an approach... I recently found a very interesting French site that I
that's caused me to reconsider the direction I was headed.
If nothing else... a blog can provide you a little respite from the grind of sell, sell, sell... if you don't enjoy it... it's probably not worth the trouble.
Another nice thing about my blog is I've included PPC advertising all over it... so if a visitor isn't interested in any of my items, I occasionally get a nickel or dime when they leave! [Blasphemy!]
Disappointing, But what's the alternative??, July 24, 2007
I purchased this scanner to scan oversize color and/or B&W images
for use on my web site. The first scanner was inoperable and quickly
replaced by the authorized dealer. No big deal. The second scanner
works fine... though the 'advanced' software controls are rudimentary,
at best. I've yet to discover how to make detailed adjustments to
brightness, contrast, or hue and tone. The color quality is
particularly poor. It's necessary to do quite a bit of enhancing in a
photo editing program to approximate the original image. B&W images
require scanning on 'finest' quality to minimize the bothersome Moiré
(cross-hatch) patterns.
All said, this beats the multiple-image-scan-cut-and-paste
technique required with my regular HP scanner. If you need to make high
quality reproductions with accurate color, this scanner is probably not
your best choice. But considering the reasonable cost and lack of
alternatives on the market, the Mustek A3 is useful, with limitations.
Reviews Written by Mark A. Reinke "occasional reader" (Texas)
Disappointing, But what's the alternative??, July 24, 2007
I purchased this scanner to scan oversize color and/or B&W images
for use on my web site. The first scanner was inoperable and quickly
replaced by the authorized dealer. No big deal. The second scanner
works fine... though the 'advanced' software controls are confusing, at
best. I've yet to discover how to make detailed adjustments to
brightness, contrast, or hue and tone. The color quality is
particularly poor. It's necessary to do quite a bit of enhancing in a
photo editing program to approximate the original image. B&W images
require scanning on 'finest' quality to minimize the bothersome Moiré
(cross-hatch) patterns.
All said, this beats the multiple-image-scan-cut-and-paste
technique required with my regular HP scanner. If you need to make high
quality reproductions with accurate color, this scanner is probably not
your best choice. But considering the reasonable cost and lack of
alternatives on the market, the Mustek A3 is useful, with limitations.
Around
the 8th grade or so, my brother brought home a pamphlet he'd picked up
in school, published by something called the Creation Research
Institute. I've still got that little piece of 1970s propaganda tucked
away in a box somewhere... because to this day, I get a kick out of the
glaring logic fallacies that were so apparent to a 13 year-old who knew
little of Darwinism or Creationism, and even less about the zealous
passions driving the `scientists' at this research institute, all of
whom curiously seemed to have doctorates in theology, not biology.
Unfortunately, Godless won't be treasured in the same way that
funny little pamphlet still is... for to me, the book represents an
unpleasant departure from the amicable reader/author relationship I'd
developed with Coulter over the past few years. I'd poured through
several of her previous books with delight, enjoying her quick and
biting humor and her catty but almost always insightful attacks. That
doesn't mean I hadn't disagreed with any of her opinions and
conclusions. But the differences, though occasionally dramatic, were so
few and far between that they were, for the most part, easily
overlooked. Besides, I greatly admired the sound and common sense
reasoning supporting her positions.
Then came Godless...
I had read a few reviews prior to purchasing the book, but assumed
that Coulter's attacks on `Darwiniacs' would be overlook-able. I
hesitated when I thumbed through the chapter listing, and realized I'd
have to do a little more overlooking than usual. I bought the book
anyway. And I was overcome by that very uncomfortable and cruel turn of
the stomach that one might get when, during a third date, a romantic
interest unexpectedly reveals their devotion, in agonizing detail, to
the Reverend Sun Yung Moon.
So now on my bookshelf, gathering dust, sits an updated and more
cleverly penned version of the utterly foolish logic fallacies and
propaganda I first recognized at the age of 13. Only now I've got very
little to laugh about. For that Creation Research Institute pamphlet
didn't cost me $27.95. Nor had I any emotional investment in the
authors. Besides, that pamphlet had lots funny little pictures of
monkey-like creatures rising out of mud puddles, cave-men hunting
dinosaurs, and Noah's Ark. It concluded quite dramatically with a
cartoon of the stylized Hand of God Creating the Universe.
Perhaps a few funny little pictures might have made Godless just a little less disappointing. Oh Ann. Oh well.
...across time and around the globe. This is a must read for anyone
who's curious about man's interaction with the environment, and the
often undpredictable consequences. Diamond has found the perfect blend
of science, history, and a bit of imaginative story-telling that makes
this book hard to put down. Highly recommended.
I was surprised that a prestigious attorney could present arguments so
flawed that a layman like myself could pick them out on a quick
reading. The very concept itself is inadequate, since in any trial
there is a defense and a prosecution. Be prepared to hear nothing but a
defense argument here. This book will be an appreciated gift for your
Christian friend or family member. Otherwise, don't bother.
1. Agents I'm an agent, and I'm taking courses to become a broker. How does one go about opening their own office (at home or in a building)?
That depends on whether you mean open an office as a workspace or open an independent real estate
office. As an agent affiliated with a broker, you can work out of your
home, the broker's office, or rent any office space you desire to set
up your desk, meet clients, and perform your business. You need to make
sure you post the proper signage, such as EEO notices or other signs
required by your state.
If you want to start your own brokerage, then you must get your
broker's license first, then establish your business by creating the
proper escrow accounts, accounting procedures, and other financial
arrangements required by your state and local jurisdictions. As far as
where you set up your office, I'm not aware of any restrictions. But
you'd have to check with your local real estate commission to determine
their requirements, if any.
Jul 7, 2005
2. Agents Are Real Estate Agents paid a salary if they work for a company, or is everything commission based?
New agents are almost never paid a salary
to my knowledge. Experienced agents receive a greater percentage of the
commission and can negotiate other benefits from their broker, such as
advertising reimbursement, a good office, parking space, etc. The very
top agents actually earn more than 100% of the commission after all the
perks are considered. That's because those agents bring in so much
business, have so many signs, and contribute to the "power" of the
office that the broker more than makes up for the difference.
Jul 7, 2005
3. Agents How long does it usually take to make your first commission when you become a real estate agent?
I concur
with that answer to a degree. There is a remarkable difference in the
initial success of new agents. It took me six months to make my first
sale. Was I working hard and smart? I think so. As evidence, I went on
from there quickly to become a top producer, making enough sales during
the next six months to be named Rookie of the Year in my company's
region. I've seen agents sell their very first open house... then go
dry for months. Others break in sporadically, while a few take off with
a bang and never stop.
Jul 7, 2005
4. Agents I just found a home for sale by owner. Is there a proper way to let my agent know, and should I compensate her? She has shown me several homes, all of which I found online and called her to request a showing.
If there is a Buyer Agency Agreement, most brokers will usually nullify
it upon your request if you can demonstrate that your agent has not
been doing anything for you. As for the rest, it's really a gut
decision you need to make based on your relationship with the agent and
how much time he/she's invested working on your behalf. Remember that a
good agent will still be valuable during a FSBO. Sometimes especially
so, since FSBO's are notorious for not knowing what they're doing. For
instance, some FSBO's will accept another offer a week before your
closing. It's up to you to take them to court if you want to pursue it.
Real estate agents
are one of the only professionals who work strictly on a commission
basis. There is no compensation for all the time spent researching and
showing properties if no sale results. Yes, I'm an agent, if you hadn't
guessed. And I can't begin to count how many couples I've spent days
and days with, only to have them decide "they don't really want to move
after all." How much is a week of your time worth? What if you worked a
week and received no paycheck? It's a tough business. When people
complain that their realtor
isn't working for them, it may be because the realtor has judged, often
correctly, that they can't risk investing the time in an indecisive or
wobbly client.
Alexander Communications, Inc. (ACI) is a technology PR
specialist with a global reach. For almost 10 years, ACI has
sustained a commitment to being a participant in the accelerated
evolution of the information age. In doing so, Alexander
Communications has earned a solid reputation for its broad and
extensive understanding of the technology industry. ACI's
philosophy is built on intelligence and action, giving its
clients immediate access to the accumulated knowledge of its
entire staff.
ACI specializes in serving clients in emerging technology
markets including the Internet, online-related products and
information appliances. Whether dealing with sophisticated
networking hardware, consumer software titles, innovative
business-to-business solutions or the latest online information
services, ACI's staff of communications professionals is best
positioned to deliver the right message, through the right media
to the right audience.
Path: nntp.gmd.de!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!swiss.ans.net!prodigy.com!usenet From: MDBV...@prodigy.com (HANI DURZY ) Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey Subject: Re: Expansion Date: 7 Nov 1994 23:35:11 GMT Organization: Prodigy Services Company 1-800-PRODIGY Lines: 8 Distribution: world Message-ID: <39mdjf$14bi@usenetw1.news.prodigy.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: inugap2.news.prodigy.com X-Newsreader: Version 1.2
I think that two cities that are being overlooked are Phoenix and Atlanta. Atlanta has past the statute of limitations on letting the Flames get away (it was a different city and a different era then), and Phoenix is a new metropolitan hot spot that baseball is looking at closely. Personally, I'd like to see Minneapolis get a team again. There is just something not right about hockey in Dallas, while Minnesotans gaze longingly from afar.
//
Bruins' New Logo January 12, 1995, 11:39 am http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.hockey/msg/e134be1def7bf4bf?dmode=source&hl=en
Path: nntp.gmd.de!Germany.EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!swiss.ans.net!prodigy.com!usenet From: MDBV...@prodigy.com (Hani Durzy) Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey Subject: Bruins' New Logo Date: 12 Jan 1995 21:39:11 GMT Organization: Prodigy Services Company 1-800-PRODIGY Lines: 10 Distribution: world Message-ID: <3f47hv$s6s@usenetw1.news.prodigy.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: inugap2.news.prodigy.com X-Newsreader: Version 1.2
I understand that the Bruins have confirmed with the NHL that they plan to change their uniforms for the 95-96 season. Have they submitted a final design for approval by the league yet? If so, does anyone know what it looks like? Finally, is anyone else upset about the possible retirement of the spoked "B"? Merchandising gone mad.....
Hani A. Durzy
//
http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1996-04/sunflash.960430.2179.xml Cupertino, CA - April 30, 1996
JAVA TO BE EMBEDDED IN INDUSTRY-LEADING OPERATING SYSTEMS
PR Contacts for Press and Analysts: Novell Corp.
Hani Durzy
Alexander Communications
415-923-1660 or 408-577-7721
//
Java to be Embedded in Industry-Leading Operating Systems http://groups.google.com/group/alt.www.hotjava/browse_thread/thread/7715c9e1665f0f45/ebc1a7ede899ba9f?lnk=st&q=&rnum=6&hl=en#ebc1a7ede899ba9f
The following Java press release was announced yesterday, Tuesday, April 30, 1996.
NOVELL CORPORATION "As the first vendor to deliver a Java execution environment in a major network operating system, Novell supports Sun's open licensing of this important new technology," said Steve Markman, executive vice president, Novell Products Group. "Java and Novell's NetWare make a powerful blend for developing, distributing and accessing applications on intranets and the Internet. We view NetWare as the next major server platform for Java, offering a high performance environment for executing Java applications, and Java as the next major development environment for NetWare."
Contact: Hani Durzy Alexander Communications 415-923-1660 or 408-577-7721
Note to Editors: Calico Technology will be demonstrating Concinity in
private press meetings at COMDEX/Fall. To arrange a meeting on Monday,
11/18 or Tuesday, 11/19, please contact Hani Durzy at the Alexander
Communications meeting room, Las Vegas Convention Center, Pavilion
3&4 (CTI and Mobile and Wireless Showcase), Room P309BR to schedule
a meeting.
Tech Data will be demonstrating TDXpert(TM) at its booth, L4816, at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day.
CONTACT: Tech Data
or
Alexander Communications
Hani A. Durzy II, 415/923-1660
hdurzy@alexander-pr.com
//
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-19220366.html From: Business Wire Date: 3/19/1997
About CitySearch
CitySearch, headquartered in Pasadena,
Calif., was featured in Fortune as one of "The Top 25 Coolest
Companies", ranked fourth in NetGuide's listing of the top 100 Internet
sites, and was recognized in PC Magazine's list of the Top 100 sites.
CitySearch is a complete and current community guide, delivering
up-to-date information on arts and entertainment events, community
activities, and local businesses to consumers via the Internet. It
provides rich communication tools to facilitate discussion and debate
on important issues in the community, and to support interaction with
merchants and community organizations. It may be personalized to assist
people in planning entertainment and activities, and making purchases
in their local communities. Unlike other city sites which aggregate
links to pre-existing content, CitySearch is built from the ground up
in the community, in partnership with local government, community and
volunteer associations, business and professional groups, educational
institutions, and visitors bureaus.
CitySearch was founded
by Bill Gross, who previously founded Knowledge Adventure, Charles
Conn, a former partner with McKinsey and Company, and Jeffrey Brewer,
the former online applications manager at Knowledge Adventure. Early
investors include seasoned entrepreneurs and managers of multimedia,
entertainment and financial companies, including Board Chairman Robert
Kavner. Compaq Computer Corporation, Comcast Corporation, Goldman
Sachs, AT&T Ventures, Far West Capital Management, Simmons New
Media and EnCompass Group have also made substantial equity
investments.
For more information on CitySearch, visit Www.citysearch.com .
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1997
MAR 27 (NB) -- REPEAT/By Ian Stokell. CitySearch has announced the
addition of two online editors to its management team. They will
reportedly lead the development of CitySearch's original editorial
content delivered through its local online services.
David Zweig, co-founder, and former publisher and president of Salon
online magazine, will be the new vice president of content for
CitySearch globally.
Deanna Vincent, former vice president of marketing development for iVillage, will serve as CitySearchNYC's editor-in-chief.
(19970326/Press Contact: Alexander Communications Inc., Hani Durzy,
415-923-1660. Reported By Newsbytes News Network:
http://www.newsbytes.com)
Founded in 1994 and privately held, GRIC Communications, Inc.
(formerly AimQuest) has offices in California, Asia and Europe. For
additional information, please contact GRIC Communications at 1421
McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA, 95035. Phone: 408/955-1920. Fax:
408/955-1968. Email: info@gric.com. Web site: www.gric.com.
Note to Editors: GRIC and the GRIC logo are trademarks of GRIC
Communications, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document
are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: GRIC Communications Jon Porter, 408/955-1920 x1162 jon@gric.com or Alexander Communications Hani Durzy, 415/923-1660 x113 hdurzy@alexandercom.com
//
Episode 4 Summary? http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.sopranos/msg/8b4ae23f12e7e621?dmode=source&hl=en troutmaster1968 June 30, 1999, 9:00 pm
From: troutmaster1...@my-deja.com Subject: Episode 4 Summary? Date: 1999/07/01 Message-ID: <7lfup2$f97$1@nnrp1.deja.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 496018032 X-Http-Proxy: 1.1 x39.deja.com:80 (Squid/1.1.22) for client 165.247.33.125 Organization: Deja.com - Share what you know. Learn what you don't. X-Article-Creation-Date: Thu Jul 01 14:35:57 1999 GMT Newsgroups: alt.tv.sopranos X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows 98)
Unfortunately, i was on a plane last night, and missed episode 4 (6/30/99 airing.) Would someone who saw it mind posting a summary of it?
And, on a related note, i would be interested in finding a tape of the episode.
thanks.
Hani Durzy
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.sopranos/msg/a08a3447b31f25af?dmode=source&hl=en troutmaster1968 June 30, 1999, 9:00 pm
From: troutmaster1...@my-deja.com Subject: Re: Episode 4 Summary? Date: 1999/07/02 Message-ID: <7liuqo$id5$1@nnrp1.deja.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 496481731 References: <7lfup2$f97$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <19990702015227.27005.00006762@ng35.aol.com> X-Http-Proxy: 1.1 x29.deja.com:80 (Squid/1.1.22) for client 165.247.35.162 Organization: Deja.com - Share what you know. Learn what you don't. X-Article-Creation-Date: Fri Jul 02 18:02:08 1999 GMT Newsgroups: alt.tv.sopranos X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows 98)
excellent. i feel like i just watched the episode. thanks.
In article <19990702015227.27005.00006...@ng35.aol.com>, tvfan87...@aol.com (TVFan87656) wrote: > troutmaster1...@my-deja.com wrote: > > > > >Unfortunately, i was on a plane last night, and > >missed episode 4 (6/30/99 airing.) Would someone > >who saw it mind posting a summary of it?
//
College http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.sopranos/msg/e875f24c849281f9?dmode=source troutmaster1968 July 7, 1999, 9:00 pm
From: troutmaster1...@my-deja.com Subject: Re: College Date: 1999/07/08 Message-ID: <7m2qfg$j1n$1@nnrp1.deja.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 498757964 References: <7m12vi$ut7$1@nnrp1.deja.com> X-Http-Proxy: 1.1 x30.deja.com:80 (Squid/1.1.22) for client 216.33.227.191 Organization: Deja.com - Share what you know. Learn what you don't. X-Article-Creation-Date: Thu Jul 08 18:26:07 1999 GMT Newsgroups: alt.tv.sopranos X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows 98)
I was wondering where that was. I went to Bates, and knew that that certainly wasn't Bates. And those girls that Meadow got drunk with at the bar CERTAINLY weren't the crunchy granola-type women that populate COlby in reality.
//
http://donteattheshrimp.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html Saturday, May 27, 2006
A little more on Edelman/A&R Acquisition
I
wish Edelman and A&R the best with the acquisition. I just have to
add that I am cautious in my optimism for its success. This is because
I was involved in a similar acquisition in 1998.
I started my PR career as an intern with Alexander Communications, Inc. in 1996.
At the time, the San Francisco office where I started had about 17
employees, and the Atlanta office had about 30. That was ACI at the
time. The marquee client was Novell, and they had just landed two
divisions of HP, the network server
division and the new "Pavilion" consumer division. It was an amazing
time to be involved with technology and the office was full of
incredibly smart people including Pam Alexander, Holland Carney, Brian Johnson, and Amy Messenger.
The 'middle management' at the time was also very strong with Kim Hughes, now with Blueshirt, Hani Durzy, who now is with eBay and Mark Bingham as account supervisors.
By 1998, ACI had grown to almost 200 emloyees, revenues of $12 million, , a kick ass client roster, and several more offices, including Silicon Valley where I moved and our upstairs neighbor was Be, Denver and Boston. We were easily in the top 3, and many say 'top 1', tech boutique PR firms (anyone see any parallels here?).
Technology was booming and the major interational firms wanted to be
part of it so there was a buying frenzy. In the course of a few weeks,
both ACI and our primary competitor, were both purchased by major
international firms (again any parallels?) .
I
can only speak for my experience at ACI, but for all of the posturing
and talk of synergy and respect for the brand.......Ogilvy killed it. I
was there until 2000, as were many others who hung around for bonuses,
and then began the real industry-wide benefit of the consolidation that
was taking place. Smart people with great backgrounds, that learned at
the feet of an industry legend went out on their own.
Right now, I know of at least five firms led/founded by Alexander alums (not including Mark's firm) including, The Usher Group (founded by Usher Lieberman), Fama-PR (co-founded by Anthony Citrano), Volume PR (founded by Elizabeth Robinson), Montgomery Pacific Group (founded by Ken Montgomery), and Morgan/Dorado (founded by me ;-).
And
AlexanderOgilvy? Try and find a reference to it on the Ogilvy site
these days. Amy Messenger is still there, but I'm not sure if any more
of the original nearly 200 are.
I hope this works out for Edelman, I really do. But if it doesn't, look for a boom in new technology PR firms in 2008.
Richard Edelman, Pam Pollace, and Bob Angus, I recommend that you contact some of the people above and see why they left.
But more importantly, maybe try Amy Messenger at Ogilvy, and see why she stayed.
Hani
Durzy is leaving eBay after nearly five years. In an email blast, he
wrote "eBay has been, and continues to be, a wonderful place to work
and to learn. It has afforded me the opportunity to do what I love best
- to tell stories and to work with the media. It has challenged me to
do things I couldn't have imagined doing five years ago. And it has
given me a front-row seat as the Internet and ecommerce entered the
mainstream, along with all the fun and thorny issues that go with them."
Hani
followed Kevin Pursglove as main contact in North America. Kevin was at
eBay from 1999 - 2003 and from what we hear, currently spends a lot of
time on the golf course.
Not so for Hani. He is joining strategic communications consulting firm 463 Communications as
partner. He said in his email, "As much as I have enjoyed my time at
eBay and will miss all the people and excitement here, I am really
looking forward to this new opportunity. It lets me explore the world
of tech policy more deeply, and it should provide me with many
opportunities to help organizations communicate more effectively and
credibly with the media and bloggers."
I tried reaching Hani to
ask him what he will miss the most and miss the least in his role as
eBay spokesperson. He's currently tied up. (He's at the dentist - a
good time to get him to talk, I thought, but perhaps wisely he put off
our conversation until later.)
Shannon Stubo remains eBay's VP of Corporate Communications. Hani's last day is January 11, 2008.
//
Readers Comments
PR Spokesperson Hani Durzy Leaving eBay
by: Jeff S
Tue Dec 11 2007 12:50:44
It's been fun, Hani.
PR Spokesperson Hani Durzy Leaving eBay
by: Randy Smythe
Tue Dec 11 2007 14:54:07
I know I've made fun of him a few times, with my rants about "eBay Speak" but I wish him well in his new endeavor.
Funny, how I wasn't included in that email blast.
PR Spokesperson Hani Durzy Leaving eBay
by: bonni
Tue Dec 11 2007 19:58:59
"to tell stories and to work with the media" More like "to tell fibs and manipulate the media".
Maybe
they can get someone in the job who actually knows how to communicate
without a bunch of spin, weasel words, and management blah blah.
Nah, this is eBay we're talking about. Clear communication? No way. Doesn't fit the corporate image...
PR Spokesperson Hani Durzy Leaving eBay
by: Alex
Tue Dec 11 2007 20:16:39
I never saw his picture before.
I can't believe his nose isn't bigger....
:O)
PR Spokesperson Hani Durzy Leaving eBay
by: Alex
Tue Dec 11 2007 20:18:13
''I can't believe his nose isn't bigger....''
Think Pinocchio...
PR Spokesperson Hani Durzy Leaving eBay
by: Anon E. Mouse
Wed Dec 12 2007 012:59:30
Before he leaves, maybe he could explain to the world how or why a neutral on eBay counts as a negative.
Or why a 4 or even 4.5 star rating doesn't cut-it.
Hi everyone. I'm Mike Osborn with eBay's Marketing team. As Philipp Justus mentioned in his last announcement, we're working on ways to make your experience on eBay even more fun and engaging.
The eBay homepage is really like the front door to eBay – especially
for new users. We want to make sure that people's first (and
subsequent!) impressions of the site are positive.
My team has worked hard to develop some new versions of the eBay.com
homepage that we're now ready to test. Some of our new designs include
more personalized information, so you feel like you are being welcomed
back by a site that knows you. Plus, we've streamlined the information
we display, so new and existing members feel invited to explore a
number of interesting areas – without being overwhelmed with too much
information coming at you all at once. Finally, we've worked to make
sure the whole page communicates the fun eBay spirit.
In the next few days, a very small percentage of members will start
seeing one of several new versions we're testing. We expect our tests
to run for the next couple of months, and hope to settle on a new
design later this year.
If you're curious, you can see a screenshot of one of the versions we're testing below.
For new newsgroup readers, these are
not our forum posts. Any comments to the posters below should be made
on the applicable thread, marked in bold below.
Contains the official eBay notice, and two background references circa 2006. Promotion from sporting goods to just goods.
//
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200703120944142.html ***Grow Your Sales with eBay Stores – 30-Day Free Trial Offer***
March 12, 2007 | 09:44AM PST/PT
Brian Madigan
Hi everyone...I'm Brian Madigan from the eBay Stores team, and I'm here
to share with you some exciting news for anyone out there who has
thought about opening an eBay Store, but hasn't taken the plunge yet.
From now through March 18th, first-time Basic and Featured Store subscribers can enjoy a 30-day free trial
to eBay Stores. Whether you prefer to use Auction-Style or Fixed Price
listings, you can benefit from eBay Stores – the leading, comprehensive
eCommerce solution.
With your eBay Store you will be able to:
Build a centralized storefront to showcase all your Auction-Style, Fixed Price and Store Inventory listings
Easily set-up and manage your Store with our Quick Store Set-up
Grow your customer base with marketing and merchandising tools
EBay's sporting-goods category manager Brian Madigan describes the online buyers waiting to buy what you sell.
"By using eBay
as a distribution channel, equestrian retailers can benefit from
exposure to a worldwide audience of more than 200 million registered
users [as of June 2006], located in 33 markets, including the United
States," he says.
"Based on first quarter 2006 gross merchandise volume, the worldwide
annualized gross market value for the sporting-goods category was $2.3
billion.
In the first quarter of 2006, a sporting goods item sold every two
seconds on eBay.com."
What exactly are eBay shoppers looking for?
Madigan says saddles and tack items are the most sought-after equestrian goods, especially western items.
"Saddles and saddle accessories are the most searched equestrian items on the site, according to eBay
Marketplace Research data, a real-time service that offers sellers and
buyers important listing, bidding and pricing trends on eBay," he says.
... Madigan says stores offer a way for you to reach buyers at any time, whether or not you have an active auction.
"Practically speaking, an eBay Store will provide equine [product]
buyers with a virtual storefront to view all horsey items listed by the
seller for fast and easy searching," he says.
While
selling used fitness equipment to industry dealers is a viable option
for most fitness center operators, other resources are available when
it comes time to get rid of older equipment. One option is an online
auction site, such as eBay. Brian Madigan, category manager, sporting
goods, for eBay, explains, “On eBay.com, a sporting goods item sells
every two seconds, and a cardio machine is sold every 5 minutes.” With
numbers like that, some fitness center operators may want to give this
option a try. Madigan offers some guidelines for how to sell your
equipment on eBay.
1. First, register as a seller on
www.ebay.com. 2. Provide a clear title and detailed description of your
item, including brand name, condition of the item, measurements, colors
and other pertinent details. 3. Research previously sold items to
determine a reasonable starting bid.
4. Provide several quality
photos. 5. Clearly outline your shipping policy and preferred payment
methods. (Use a secure payment provider that offers payment protection,
such as PayPal.) 6. Be available to answer potential questions from
buyers.
As an added tip, Madigan says to make your listing stand
out: “With more than 104 million listings worldwide at any given time,
it is important to catch the buyer’s attention (and bid) with targeted
titles, detailed descriptions and clear photos. Sellers should spend
time searching completed listings in the exercise and fitness category.
Browsing these listings will help a seller to set the right starting
price, create detailed descriptions that appeal to buyers and see
examples of how successful sellers use photos to enhance a listing.”
eBay
also offers its Marketplace Research tool for discovering trends in
shopping and top keyword searches, Madigan says. For example, top
keyword searches right now in the exercise and fitness category are
“Bowflex,” “weights,” “treadmill,” “elliptical” and “total gym.”
Finally, Madigan says that, as always, customer service is key:
“Similar to when a customer visits a brick-and-mortar store, it is
important to provide excellent customer service by being responsive to
buyers’ questions, clearly outlining any purchasing policies and to be
up-front about any product imperfections.” On eBay, a seller’s feedback
rating is your “customer service score,” and an important way to
establish trust between a buyer and a seller, Madigan explains. A
feedback score is a documented history of buyer experiences, both good
and bad. Generally, the higher the feedback number, the more
experienced the seller, so, start by selling smaller items to build
your feedback score.
Says Madigan, “Provide a positive
experience for buyers, and they may post positive comments. A satisfied
customer is more often than not a repeat customer.”
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a great-looking black eBay shirt. The shirt is
manufactured by Port Authority, and is size Ladies L. The shirt has the
full-color eBay logo embroidered on the front - it really stands out!
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one brand new eBay
Live! 2003 beach towel. eBay Live! was held in Orlando, Florida in 2003
and these towels were one of several pieces we used to commemorate the
event. It features our eBay stars and sports the eBay Live! logo.
eBay Live! 2003 Beach Towel from Meg Whitman - Orlando
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one brand new eBay
Live! 2003 beach towel. eBay Live! was held in Orlando, Florida in 2003
and these towels were one of several pieces we used to commemorate the
event. It features our eBay stars and sports the eBay Live! logo.
eBay Live! 2003 Beach Towel from Meg Whitman - Orlando
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a beautiful belt
handmade for eBay in our adopted Guatemalan village. We commissioned
these belts as an employee Christmas gift in 2002. This limited edition
belt is signed by me.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for an authentic German
beer stein. I bought it on a trip to Germany for eBay. In the south of
Germany, beer is still drunk out of traditional stoneware mugs. The
typical lids were added to the mugs as a sanitary measure after the
Black Death killed millions of Europeans in the 14th century. Nowadays,
this threat is gone, but the lid will still help keep flies out of your
beer!
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a mask I received at
a 2004 eBay Board of Directors meeting in Berlin. It was specially
designed and handmade in Venice, Italy. This mask was made according to
the ancient techniques of 1600, meaning that the mask is almost the
same as that worn by princes and nobility of Venice 400 years ago!
Want to learn more about this mask? Watch my video below!
Meg Whitman's eBay Board of Directors Carnival Mask
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one of my eBay Live!
2005 Staff Shirts. eBay Live! 2005 was a special event for us, as we
celebrated eBay's 10th Anniversary. Now you can own a part of that
moment in history! The shirt is navy blue, and is size large (ladies.)
The shirt is made by Port Authority.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a HP 12C calculator
that I used in business school. This model was a staple for MBA
students in 1979! I was so concerned about losing it that I put my name
in three different places! It saw a lot of use, so it is worn. The gold
header on the front is bent, and the battery cover is missing. But it
is definitely a piece of history.
To help keep the eBay community safe, enhance bidder privacy, and
protect our members from fraudulent emails (such as fake second chance
offers), eBay has changed how bid history information is displayed. If
you place a bid on a higher-priced item, only you and the seller of the
item can view your User ID in the bid history. Other members can no
longer view User IDs and will see anonymous names, such as Bidder 1.
Item title:
Meg Whitman's Hewlett-Packard 12C Financial Calculator
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a Swarovski crystal
keychain. Swarovski’s crystal necklaces, pins and earrings are popular
worldwide. I received this keychain as a gift from the eBay Austria
team because Swarovski, the founder, was an Austrian man who invented
these special quality crystals.
Meg Whitman's Swarovski Crystal Keychain from Austria
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one hardback copy of
"The Perfect Store," a great story about the origins and growth of
eBay. I will be signing each of these books personally!
Here is the "official" book synopsis:
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store began in
1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse to the
most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam Cohen now
reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the often
precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay employees,
including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen expertly
explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but the
legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce., This corporate biography
tells the story behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction
site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. A New
York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store
began in 1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse
to the most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam
Cohen now reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the
often precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay
employees, including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen
expertly explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but
the legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. This
corporate biography tells the story behind the phenomenally successful
Internet auction site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized
e-commerce. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Size
Length:
332 pages
Height:
9.3 in.
Width:
6.3 in.
Thickness:
1.0 in.
Weight:
20.0 oz.
Publisher's Note
Drawing
on exclusive interviews with eBay's founder and employees, a journalist
provides an inside look at Pierre Omidyar and his creation of the
cyberspace giant and traces the company's history from first concept to
a revolutionary Internet success.
Industry reviews
"An in-depth, if credulous, look at an internet pioneer." Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2002)
"What
is most notable about Cohen's book...is his willingness to stray from
the classic business narrative and into the gnarlier issues of
community and idealism." New York Times Book Review - Joseph Nocera (06/16/2002)
"EBay's
story is amazing, and Mr. Cohen's enthusiasm carries you along even if
(like me) you are unsure, to start out, why exactly you should care.
His prose is brisk and cheerful as the blue-red-gold-etc. of the famous
eBay logo, and considerably less grating. And although his pro-eBay
sympathies are plain, Mr. Cohen...always supplies enough information to
let an uncooperative reader draw a contrary conclusion." New York Times - David Gelerntner (07/26/2002)
The seller, meg4givefest, assumes full responsibility for the content of this listing and the item offered.
The Perfect Store - eBay - signed by Meg Whitman!
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one hardback copy of
"The Perfect Store," a great story about the origins and growth of
eBay. I will be signing each of these books personally!
Here is the "official" book synopsis:
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store began in
1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse to the
most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam Cohen now
reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the often
precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay employees,
including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen expertly
explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but the
legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce., This corporate biography
tells the story behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction
site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. A New
York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store
began in 1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse
to the most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam
Cohen now reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the
often precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay
employees, including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen
expertly explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but
the legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. This
corporate biography tells the story behind the phenomenally successful
Internet auction site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized
e-commerce. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Size
Length:
332 pages
Height:
9.3 in.
Width:
6.3 in.
Thickness:
1.0 in.
Weight:
20.0 oz.
Publisher's Note
Drawing
on exclusive interviews with eBay's founder and employees, a journalist
provides an inside look at Pierre Omidyar and his creation of the
cyberspace giant and traces the company's history from first concept to
a revolutionary Internet success.
Industry reviews
"An in-depth, if credulous, look at an internet pioneer." Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2002)
"What
is most notable about Cohen's book...is his willingness to stray from
the classic business narrative and into the gnarlier issues of
community and idealism." New York Times Book Review - Joseph Nocera (06/16/2002)
"EBay's
story is amazing, and Mr. Cohen's enthusiasm carries you along even if
(like me) you are unsure, to start out, why exactly you should care.
His prose is brisk and cheerful as the blue-red-gold-etc. of the famous
eBay logo, and considerably less grating. And although his pro-eBay
sympathies are plain, Mr. Cohen...always supplies enough information to
let an uncooperative reader draw a contrary conclusion." New York Times - David Gelerntner (07/26/2002)
The seller, meg4givefest, assumes full responsibility for the content of this listing and the item offered.
The Perfect Store - eBay - signed by Meg Whitman!
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one hardback copy of
"The Perfect Store," a great story about the origins and growth of
eBay. I will be signing each of these books personally!
Here is the "official" book synopsis:
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store began in
1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse to the
most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam Cohen now
reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the often
precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay employees,
including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen expertly
explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but the
legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce., This corporate biography
tells the story behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction
site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. A New
York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store
began in 1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse
to the most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam
Cohen now reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the
often precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay
employees, including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen
expertly explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but
the legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. This
corporate biography tells the story behind the phenomenally successful
Internet auction site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized
e-commerce. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Size
Length:
332 pages
Height:
9.3 in.
Width:
6.3 in.
Thickness:
1.0 in.
Weight:
20.0 oz.
Publisher's Note
Drawing
on exclusive interviews with eBay's founder and employees, a journalist
provides an inside look at Pierre Omidyar and his creation of the
cyberspace giant and traces the company's history from first concept to
a revolutionary Internet success.
Industry reviews
"An in-depth, if credulous, look at an internet pioneer." Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2002)
"What
is most notable about Cohen's book...is his willingness to stray from
the classic business narrative and into the gnarlier issues of
community and idealism." New York Times Book Review - Joseph Nocera (06/16/2002)
"EBay's
story is amazing, and Mr. Cohen's enthusiasm carries you along even if
(like me) you are unsure, to start out, why exactly you should care.
His prose is brisk and cheerful as the blue-red-gold-etc. of the famous
eBay logo, and considerably less grating. And although his pro-eBay
sympathies are plain, Mr. Cohen...always supplies enough information to
let an uncooperative reader draw a contrary conclusion." New York Times - David Gelerntner (07/26/2002)
The seller, meg4givefest, assumes full responsibility for the content of this listing and the item offered.
The Perfect Store - eBay - signed by Meg Whitman!
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one hardback copy of
"The Perfect Store," a great story about the origins and growth of
eBay. I will be signing each of these books personally!
Here is the "official" book synopsis:
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store began in
1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse to the
most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam Cohen now
reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the often
precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay employees,
including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen expertly
explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but the
legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce., This corporate biography
tells the story behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction
site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. A New
York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store
began in 1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse
to the most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam
Cohen now reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the
often precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay
employees, including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen
expertly explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but
the legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. This
corporate biography tells the story behind the phenomenally successful
Internet auction site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized
e-commerce. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Size
Length:
332 pages
Height:
9.3 in.
Width:
6.3 in.
Thickness:
1.0 in.
Weight:
20.0 oz.
Publisher's Note
Drawing
on exclusive interviews with eBay's founder and employees, a journalist
provides an inside look at Pierre Omidyar and his creation of the
cyberspace giant and traces the company's history from first concept to
a revolutionary Internet success.
Industry reviews
"An in-depth, if credulous, look at an internet pioneer." Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2002)
"What
is most notable about Cohen's book...is his willingness to stray from
the classic business narrative and into the gnarlier issues of
community and idealism." New York Times Book Review - Joseph Nocera (06/16/2002)
"EBay's
story is amazing, and Mr. Cohen's enthusiasm carries you along even if
(like me) you are unsure, to start out, why exactly you should care.
His prose is brisk and cheerful as the blue-red-gold-etc. of the famous
eBay logo, and considerably less grating. And although his pro-eBay
sympathies are plain, Mr. Cohen...always supplies enough information to
let an uncooperative reader draw a contrary conclusion." New York Times - David Gelerntner (07/26/2002)
The seller, meg4givefest, assumes full responsibility for the content of this listing and the item offered.
The Perfect Store - eBay - signed by Meg Whitman!
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one hardback copy of
"The Perfect Store," a great story about the origins and growth of
eBay. I will be signing each of these books personally!
Here is the "official" book synopsis:
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store began in
1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse to the
most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam Cohen now
reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the often
precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay employees,
including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen expertly
explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but the
legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce., This corporate biography
tells the story behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction
site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. A New
York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Pierre Omidyar's attempts to create The Perfect Store
began in 1995, and eBay quickly grew from a Beanie Baby clearinghouse
to the most successful e-commerce site in history. Journalist Adam
Cohen now reveals the inside story behind eBay's meteoric rise in the
often precarious Internet landscape. Given more access to eBay
employees, including CEO Meg Whitman, than any previous reporter, Cohen
expertly explores not only the eBay culture and corporate history, but
the legendary community that grew up around it, and that is largely
responsible for its success. This corporate biography tells the story
behind the phenomenally successful Internet auction site ebay.com--its
origins and how it revolutionized e-commerce. This
corporate biography tells the story behind the phenomenally successful
Internet auction site ebay.com--its origins and how it revolutionized
e-commerce. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
Size
Length:
332 pages
Height:
9.3 in.
Width:
6.3 in.
Thickness:
1.0 in.
Weight:
20.0 oz.
Publisher's Note
Drawing
on exclusive interviews with eBay's founder and employees, a journalist
provides an inside look at Pierre Omidyar and his creation of the
cyberspace giant and traces the company's history from first concept to
a revolutionary Internet success.
Industry reviews
"An in-depth, if credulous, look at an internet pioneer." Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2002)
"What
is most notable about Cohen's book...is his willingness to stray from
the classic business narrative and into the gnarlier issues of
community and idealism." New York Times Book Review - Joseph Nocera (06/16/2002)
"EBay's
story is amazing, and Mr. Cohen's enthusiasm carries you along even if
(like me) you are unsure, to start out, why exactly you should care.
His prose is brisk and cheerful as the blue-red-gold-etc. of the famous
eBay logo, and considerably less grating. And although his pro-eBay
sympathies are plain, Mr. Cohen...always supplies enough information to
let an uncooperative reader draw a contrary conclusion." New York Times - David Gelerntner (07/26/2002)
The seller, meg4givefest, assumes full responsibility for the content of this listing and the item offered.
The Perfect Store - eBay - signed by Meg Whitman!
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one brand new eBay Live! 2003 beach towel. eBay
Live! was held in Orlando, Florida in 2003 and these towels were one of
several pieces we used to commemorate the event. It features our eBay
stars and sports the eBay Live! logo.
eBay Live! 2003 Beach Towel from Meg Whitman - Orlando
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one eBay rain jacket from the Weatherproof
Garment Company. Water and wind-resistant, this is a great jacket with
the eBay logo embroidered on the front. The jacket size is XXXL. It
features a full-length zipper in the front and zippered pockets.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one of my collectible eBay mousepads. This
one is from 2001, with "Rediscovering the Customer" and "May 24, 2001"
imprinted on the pad. It also has several of the mascots from our
international properties (and other eBay graphics) included. I did use
this mousepad, so it's not brand new - but it is in good shape!
Meg Whitman's "Rediscovering the Customer" Mousepad
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one denim button-down shirt featuring
wellsfargo.com embroidered on the front (in red, as shown.) This shirt
was manufactured by Port & Co., and is size Ladies M.
Meg Whitman's Denim WellsFargo.com Button-Down Shirt, M
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
We all know that one of the most common and effective ways
people learn how to use eBay is through a friend or other experienced
eBay member. In September 2004, we launched the Education Specialist
program, designed to “train the trainers.” An extension of eBay
University, the program trains members as Education Specialists and
provides them with course materials and information directly from eBay.
Any member who has an interest in teaching others about eBay
(whether they've been doing so already or not) can sign up for the
program. Once enrolled, participants take an online course on how to be
an effective eBay teacher. Upon completing the course, Education
Specialists have access to an array of resources to assist them in
their classes, such as instructor manuals and student materials.
Education Specialists can also use eBay logos in their advertising and
will be included in the Education Specialist directory, where members
can find information about local courses, including the instructor and
location.
In 2004, with the holidays quickly approaching, many people
wanted to learn more about eBay, whether to find great gift deals, or
to increase their sales in the traditionally strong holiday season. To
meet this demand and to kick off the launch of the program with a
special promotional event, eBay took the Education Specialists program
a step further by creating the Holiday Helper program. Twenty-one
Education Specialists from all over the country flew to eBay
headquarters in San Jose, California to attend the Holiday Helper
program. The focus of the sessions they attended was on helping people
find special gifts on eBay during the holidays.
“All the Holiday Helpers had an incredible story to tell about
how eBay changed their lives, and we're hoping that when they go out
and teach others how to use the site, those people will also have
similar successes,” said Guldner.
This auction is for one of the eBay Education Specialist
Holiday Helper polo shirts. The shirt is manufactured by Devon &
Jones, and is Size L.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
We all know that one of the most common and effective ways
people learn how to use eBay is through a friend or other experienced
eBay member. In September 2004, we launched the Education Specialist
program, designed to “train the trainers.” An extension of eBay
University, the program trains members as Education Specialists and
provides them with course materials and information directly from eBay.
Any member who has an interest in teaching others about eBay
(whether they've been doing so already or not) can sign up for the
program. Once enrolled, participants take an online course on how to be
an effective eBay teacher. Upon completing the course, Education
Specialists have access to an array of resources to assist them in
their classes, such as instructor manuals and student materials.
Education Specialists can also use eBay logos in their advertising and
will be included in the Education Specialist directory, where members
can find information about local courses, including the instructor and
location.
In 2004, with the holidays quickly approaching, many people
wanted to learn more about eBay, whether to find great gift deals, or
to increase their sales in the traditionally strong holiday season. To
meet this demand and to kick off the launch of the program with a
special promotional event, eBay took the Education Specialists program
a step further by creating the Holiday Helper program. Twenty-one
Education Specialists from all over the country flew to eBay
headquarters in San Jose, California to attend the Holiday Helper
program. The focus of the sessions they attended was on helping people
find special gifts on eBay during the holidays.
“All the Holiday Helpers had an incredible story to tell about
how eBay changed their lives, and we're hoping that when they go out
and teach others how to use the site, those people will also have
similar successes,” said Guldner.
This auction is for one of the eBay Education Specialist
Holiday Helper polo shirts. The shirt is manufactured by Devon &
Jones, and is Size S.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
We all know that one of the most common and effective ways
people learn how to use eBay is through a friend or other experienced
eBay member. In September 2004, we launched the Education Specialist
program, designed to “train the trainers.” An extension of eBay
University, the program trains members as Education Specialists and
provides them with course materials and information directly from eBay.
Any member who has an interest in teaching others about eBay
(whether they've been doing so already or not) can sign up for the
program. Once enrolled, participants take an online course on how to be
an effective eBay teacher. Upon completing the course, Education
Specialists have access to an array of resources to assist them in
their classes, such as instructor manuals and student materials.
Education Specialists can also use eBay logos in their advertising and
will be included in the Education Specialist directory, where members
can find information about local courses, including the instructor and
location.
In 2004, with the holidays quickly approaching, many people
wanted to learn more about eBay, whether to find great gift deals, or
to increase their sales in the traditionally strong holiday season. To
meet this demand and to kick off the launch of the program with a
special promotional event, eBay took the Education Specialists program
a step further by creating the Holiday Helper program. Twenty-one
Education Specialists from all over the country flew to eBay
headquarters in San Jose, California to attend the Holiday Helper
program. The focus of the sessions they attended was on helping people
find special gifts on eBay during the holidays.
“All the Holiday Helpers had an incredible story to tell about
how eBay changed their lives, and we're hoping that when they go out
and teach others how to use the site, those people will also have
similar successes,” said Guldner.
This auction is for one of the eBay Education Specialist
Holiday Helper polo shirts. The shirt is manufactured by Devon &
Jones, and is Size XL.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one of my eBay Corporate Communications
(abbreviated "Corp Comm") shirts. The shirt is manufactured by Port
& Co., and is size L. It features our eBay logo embroidered on the
shirt, with "Corp Comm" embroidered in red below.
Meg Whitman's eBay Corporate Communications Shirt, Sz L
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one of my eBay Live! 2005 Staff Shirts.
eBay Live! 2005 was a special event for us, as we celebrated eBay's
10th Anniversary. Now you can own a part of that moment in history! The
shirt is navy blue, and is size large (ladies.) The shirt is made by
Port Authority.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one yellow shirt embroidered with the eBay
Live! logo. The shirt is made by Munsingwear, and is size Large.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one new light blue eBay shirt. This shirt
is manufactured by Port Authority and features the full-color eBay logo
embroidered on the front. The shirt is size Ladies L.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one new Lamy 330 IR SWIFT Palladium pen.
This pen has NASDAQ * AMEX inscribed on the side of the pen, as
pictured. The pen has never been used and comes with an unopened Lamy
M66 refill cartridge. This pen will be shipped in its original metal
case.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one pair of eBay flip-flops. These are
brand new, in the original bag, and are size S/M. They feature the eBay
logo on the shoes, as seen in the photos. The eBay logo is also etched
out of the bottom of the shoe as well - it makes an eBay logo imprint
if you walk on the sand!
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching),
a non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
I am an eBay employee, please take a moment to review the rules I abide by: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/everyone-employee.html
This auction is for a Limited Edition Shrek and Donkey
set from the Shrek the Third movie which was just released on Friday,
May 18th. I was given this gift from DreamWorks where I sit on the
Board of Directors. Shrek and Donkey are each approximately 12 inches
tall, and come in a beautiful 12 X 12 inch purple box with orange
ribbon.
Want to hear more about this great item? Please take a moment to watch my video below!
To help keep the eBay community safe, enhance bidder privacy, and
protect our members from fraudulent emails (such as fake second chance
offers), eBay has changed how bid history information is displayed. If
you place a bid on a higher-priced item, only you and the seller of the
item can view your User ID in the bid history. Other members can no
longer view User IDs and will see anonymous names, such as Bidder 1.
Item title:
Meg Whitman's Shrek the Third Shrek+Donkey Dolls Ltd Ed
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for one brand new eBay
Live! 2003 beach towel. eBay Live! was held in Orlando, Florida in 2003
and these towels were one of several pieces we used to commemorate the
event. It features our eBay stars and sports the eBay Live! logo.
On May-22-07 at 13:39:14 PDT, seller added the following information:
I am an eBay employee, please take a moment to review the rules I abide by: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/everyone-employee.html
On May-24-07 at 10:19:07 PDT, seller added the following information:
I forgot to mention in my item description - I will personally sign this towel just for you!
eBay Live! 2003 Beach Towel from Meg Whitman - Orlando
(revised)
Time left:
Auction has ended.
Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's
maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a
listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a great-looking black eBay shirt. The
shirt is manufactured by Port Authority, and is size Ladies L. The
shirt has the full-color eBay logo embroidered on the front - it really
stands out!
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a Limited Edition Shrek and Donkey set from the
Shrek the Third movie which was just released on Friday, May 18th. I
was given this gift from DreamWorks where I sit on the Board of
Directors. Shrek and Donkey are each approximately 12 inches tall, and
come in a beautiful 12 X 12 inch purple box with orange ribbon.
http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=140120704403 Bidder Bid Amount Date of bid No bids have been placed.
Bid retraction and cancellation history
Bidder Action / Explanation Date of Bid and Retraction oztriswim( 101) Cancelled: US $5.00 Explanation: The seller ended the listing early and cancelled all bids. Bid: May-21-07 11:49:28 PDT Cancelled: May-21-07 12:14:49 PDT
//
Meg Whitman's Shrek III Ltd. Edition Dolls (+ Donkey!) http://cgi.ebay.com/Meg-Whitmans-Shrek-III-Ltd-Edition-Dolls-Donkey_W0QQitemZ140120719405
RAFT
(Resource Area For Teaching) believes that hands-on teaching is the
best way for students to learn. RAFT transforms surplus materials
donated by local businesses into interactive learning experiences for
students in math, science, technology and art, providing teachers and
community groups with creative tools to enhance education and promote
hands-on learning.
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities.
I’ve been cleaning out my closets and have found some really fun stuff. I hope you think so, too!
My
items are being listed for RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), a
non-profit based in San Jose, CA that takes surplus materials donated
by businesses and offers them to teachers to promote hands-on learning.
100% of your bid will go to this worthwhile organization.
Thanks for looking at my auction and have fun bidding! Meg
This auction is for a Limited Edition Shrek and Donkey set from the
Shrek the Third movie which was just released on Friday, May 18th. I
was given this gift from DreamWorks where I sit on the Board of
Directors. Shrek and Donkey are each approximately 12 inches tall, and
come in a beautiful 12 X 12 inch purple box with orange ribbon.
http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=140120719405 Bidder Bid Amount Date of bid No bids have been placed.
Bid retraction and cancellation history
Bidder Action / Explanation Date of Bid and Retraction xoxmas( 5035) Cancelled: US $5.00 Explanation: Need to edit listing --- try back later Bid: May-21-07 14:54:28 PDT Cancelled: May-21-07 15:44:22 PDT roja69( 19) Cancelled: US $10.00 Explanation: Need to edit listing --- try back later Bid: May-21-07 12:47:06 PDT Cancelled: May-21-07 15:44:04 PDT
For new newsgroup readers, these are
not our forum posts. Any comments to the posters below should be made
on the applicable thread, marked in bold below.
//
//
//
http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?messageID=2004484083&forumID=80&x#2004484083 *** Test: Making Buyers More Efficient - A Redesign of Search Results ***
np@ebay.com Aug-15-06 12:09 PDT Hi everyone,
I’m Nico Posner with eBay’s Finding team. As you’ve seen and heard from us over the past few months, we’re working on a number of projects that drive new buyers to the site, and that ensure that -- when they get here -- they have the best shopping experience possible. An important project we’ll be launching as a test later this month is a new search results page. The new design shows more information for each listing than our current pages. We’ve also improved the look-and-feel to help buyers be more efficient as they make decisions about which listings they want to click into.
About The New Search Results Design
In our new search
results pages, the space allotted to each listing will be bigger, and
we’ll be doing more to call out key information. For example, price
information will be shown in a larger size and a new color, making it
easier to scan through listings. We’re also including an “Add to Watch
list” link on each item, so buyers can add interesting listings to
their Watch lists right away.
Most
listing rows will also have a link called “See quick details.” When a
buyer clicks this link, or hovers over it with their mouse, they’ll see
a new section pop up that contains key information such as the shipping
& handling charges and accepted payment methods.
And
just as they can today, buyers will be able to customize what
information they see on these pages according to what is most important
to them, by clicking on the “Customize display” link at the top of the
item list, making modifications as desired, and then clicking on the
“Apply changes” button.
Our Test Plan
Later
this month, a small percentage of buyers (selected at random) will
start seeing the new search results pages. An even smaller number of
buyers will also see the new design on eBay Motors.
We will keep you informed about plans to launch this new design to the whole site after we complete our testing period.
If you’d like to see what the new design looks like, please see our information page.
Please provide your feedback, questions or issues regarding the new
search results page by posting your comments to this thread. We will be
reviewing and responding to your comments and questions on this
discussion thread periodically throughout this test phase. I will post
a link to a Community Workshop that we will be hosting on August 24th
from 12noon - 1pm PT to gather your feedback.
Thank you in
advance to for your help and support during this test! We hope you find
the changes we have made both fun and helpful in improving your finding
experience.
Sincerely,
Nico Posner
Senior Product Manager, Finding
Question 1: I don’t see the new search results design but I would like to. Is there a way for me to opt in?
Answer:
A small percentage of users are selected at random who will see the new
design and functionality. There is no way to request to be in a test
group.
Question 2: I used to click on the links at the top of a column to sort the information. What do I do now?
Answer: All
available sort controls can be found in the Sort by dropdown control at
the top of the item list on the right. Sorted information displayed in
the center of each item will be highlighted to help you scan through
the item list more effectively.
//
//
//
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200609011238472.html
***Updated: A Redesign of Search Results***
September 01, 2006 | 12:38PM PST/PT
This is a reminder that in the next few days, we will begin our test of the new design for search results pages. A small percentage of randomly-selected buyers will start to see the new design when they view all search and browse results pages, along with Sellers Other Items pages. In a few weeks, selected buyers will also see the new functionality and design in item lists within an eBay Store. More information about the test can be found in our original announcement directly below. Also, check out our information page for more details about the new design, and we invite you to leave your feedback on our thread on the Search discussion board.
***Original: Test: Making Buyers More Efficient - A Redesign of Search Results***
August 15, 2006 | 01:37PM PST/PT
Nico Posner
Hi everyone, I'm Nico Posner with eBay's Finding team. As you've seen and heard from us over the past few months, we're working on a number of projects that drive new buyers to the site, and that ensure that - when they get here - they have the best shopping experience possible. An important project we'll be launching as a test later this month is a new search results page. The new design shows more information for each listing than our current pages. We've also improved the look-and-feel to help buyers be more efficient as they make decisions about which listings they want to click into. About The New Search Results Design In our new search results pages, the space allotted to each listing will be bigger, and we'll be doing more to call out key information. For example, price information will be shown in a larger size and a new color, making it easier to scan through listings. We're also including an "Add to Watch list" link on each item, so buyers can add interesting listings to their Watch lists right away.
Most listing rows will also have a link called "See quick details." When a buyer clicks this link, or hovers over it with their mouse, they'll see a new section pop up that contains key information such as the shipping & handling charges and accepted payment methods.
And just as they can today, buyers will be able to customize what information they see on these pages according to what is most important to them.
Our Test Plan Later this month, a small percentage of buyers (selected at random) will start seeing the new search results pages. An even smaller number of buyers will also see the new design on eBay Motors.
We will keep you informed about plans to launch this new design to the whole site after we complete our testing period.
If you'd like to see what the new design looks like, please see our information page. To provide feedback, questions or issues regarding the new search results page, please post your comments to our thread on the Search discussion board. You can access this directly by clicking here. I also hope you can join me for an online workshop on August 24th from Noon to 1pm PT to review the new designs.
Thank you in advance for your help and support during this test!
Sincerely,
Nico Posner Senior Product Manager, Finding
//
//
//
From eBay Search Forum Announcement: *** New Search Test till mid-June *** http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=1000487822&tstart=0&mod=1180213877742
jacque@ebay.com View May-25-07 16:36 PDT 215 of 223 Hi folks,
The stomach flu got the better of me for a few days there, but I’m
back. Here are some responses I'm getting to now. I am going to have to
taper off on responses for a while as I work with the team to address
the issues raised. I will be reading this thread daily, though.
tokyocentral2 Nico changed jobs within eBay. We take seriously
community suggestions and appreciate your suggestion for reducing the
precision of eBay search. Thank you also for sharing your frustration
with sponsored links, the old Keyword program. I've shared your
feedback with the teams responsible for sponsored links on eBay.
//
//
//
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/253/416
NicoPosner
Group Product Manager at eBay Inc.
San Francisco Bay Area
Nico Posner’s Experience
Group Product Manager
eBay Inc.
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; EBAY; Internet industry)
January 2001
— Present
(6 years 5 months)
Manage product management teams to design world class product solutions for large consumer facing e-commerce platforms.
Group Product Manager - New Business
May 2007 - Present
Senior Product Manager - Selling Platform Solutions
March 2006 - May 2007
Manage team focused on building end to end solutions for top sellers
including inventory management, CRM, accounting and research tools.
Senior Product Manager - Search
September 2004 - March 2006
Innovate search intelligence and recommendations product platform to meet the next generation of eBay users’ needs
Product Manager - Search
September 2001 - September 2004
Innovative parametric search and search intelligence products
Country Product Manager - Germany
January 2001 - September 2001
Led country specific product requirements for eBay Germany, eBay’s second largest market
4 Patents: Search Recommendations, Contextual Advertising and Content, Parametric Search and Popular Search Algorithms
Nico Posner’s Education
Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management
MBA, International Business, Technology and Strategy Focus,
1998 — 2000
Thanks
for your interest in Nicholas Posner Photography.
I have been taking photographs for over 25 years and found my love and
talent for nature, portrait and landscapes as I have traveled to many
countries, cultures and beautiful hidden corners of the world.
I will be adding new photographs on an ongoing basis so come back
regularly!
If you have a specific topic or genre of interest that you do not find
among the photographs on this site, feel free to send me an email and I
will see if my portfolio has imgaes of interest that I can create. You
can contact me at: info@NicholasPosner.com
I live in the San Francisco bay area and am also known by my nickname
Nico Posner.
Thanks for your interest in my auction items. A little bit about me:
Since 1998, I’ve been proud to serve as CEO of eBay Inc., and like so
many of you, I enjoy bidding on or selling items on eBay. Through Give
Fest, this experience is even more meaningful to me because the
proceeds from the sale of Give Fest items will go to charity.
As some of you already know, Give Fest is an organized employee listing
event that allows all of us here at eBay to support some fantastic
charities by putting items up for sale through eBay Giving Works. The
charity that I’ve chosen to support, RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching),
is a non-profit organization based in San Jose, Calif., that takes
surplus materials donated by businesses and offers them to teachers to
promote hands-on learning.
A few things you should know: Don’t be scared of my non-existent
feedback score. I actually opened up a new eBay account just for my
Give Fest Listings (I assure you that I have a very high feedback score
on my personal account!). Most important, I want you to know that 100
percent of your bids on my items will go to RAFT.
For new newsgroup readers, these are not our forum posts. Any comments to the posters below should be made on the applicable thread, marked in bold below.
Bill Cobb's eBay My World site is http://myworld.ebay.com/billcobb@ebay.com
From eBay Stores Forum Hi from Bill Cobb -- 17,000 Emails Later... http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?messageID=1005971751&forumID=21&x#1005971751
billcobb@ebay.com Feb-08-05 17:42 PST Hi, it's me, Bill. I wanted to stop by to say hello. I've learned a lot about myself in the last few days: 1.) I look like Dick Van Patten. 2.) I have lots of new nicknames, e.g. Mr. Bill. 3.) I've learned more about what's on your mind. We're working hard to address your general comments as well as some of your specific requests.
For those who are wondering -- I've gotten more than 17,000 emails. I want to thank you for your interest and your passion about eBay. While I can't respond personally to 17,000 emails, many of you will be getting a response from a member of my team, with direction from me. And as I promised, I'm seeing them all.
billcobb@ebay.com View Listings | Report Feb-08-05 17:51 PST 6 of 405 Well said, Gatorpack. I apologize if anyone used the term "slight" to describe the fee increases or if anyone comes off as adversarial. As I repeatedly say in my all-hands meetings, eBay exists -- and can only continue to exist -- if we enable our Community to be successful.
billcobb@ebay.com View Listings | Report Feb-08-05 18:03 PST 16 of 405 North -- thank you for your heartfelt words. I've received a few other emails like yours. While I probably can't satisfy your request here, I want you to know that I value your trust, and despite what you may think, we're working hard to keep it.
I am reviewing what eBay gives its sellers for their money -- Stores and non-Stores sellers alike. While I don't have anything to announce tonight, stay tuned.
billcobb@ebay.com View Listings | Report Feb-08-05 18:06 PST 21 of 405 Beavinsons -- my leg does have a few scars on it ... but I felt the fee decrease for the lowest tranche was important because this is the tranche that drives the highest bidding per listing and has the highest conversion rate of any tranche. I also saw how effective this was in Germany for the sellers there, and I really wanted to bring this to the U.S.
billcobb@ebay.com View Listings | Report Feb-08-05 18:12 PST 32 of 405 Katiyana -- thank you for recognizing the dedication of our Stores team. As you might imagine, they've been getting an earful lately and have remained committed to helping our sellers.
billcobb@ebay.com View Listings | Report Feb-08-05 18:17 PST 38 of 405 All -- thanks for sharing your thoughts with me and giving me the opportunity to spend some time with you. Unfortunately I'm out of time, but I'll try to do this periodically. The fact that you're here really shows that you care, and I want you to know that I recognize and respect that. I'm just getting started in my new role, and I look forward to spending more time with all of you.
itspostingtime (2 ) Feb-08-05 19:48 PST 70 of 405 chunky: I agree with your interpretation, and I thank you for trying to make it clear because I think many here don't realize that the reduction for the under 99 cent market wasn't aimed at people selling inexpensive goods for 99 cents. It's aimed at people selling more expensive goods that they start at 99 cents because they are confident the price will rise considerably.
That's long been a favorite tactic of some ebay sellers, because starting a really good item at a low price generates a lot of interest from buyers.
Of course, it doesn't work for every higher priced item. Sellers have to know their market to know whether the tactic will be effective with their merchandise.
I think what eBay is hoping is that more sellers will experiment with it to see if it will or will not increase their sell through rate and ending prices. I suspect there are indeed quite a few sellers who would benefit from it who do not currently use it.
sim** Feb-11-05 20:17 PST 128 of 405 Finally got my response:
Thank you for your email to Bill Cobb. He has requested that I respond on his behalf.
I can definitely understand your frustration over the new fee increase and the other issues that you have experienced. Be assured that the new upcoming changes will allow us to provide our members with an even more valuable marketplace and help them become more successful in the future.
At this time, I have also passed this information you brought up concerning fees and listing issues.
Thank you for being a valuable member of the eBay community.
Sincerely,
Crystal G. K. On Behalf of Bill Cobb, President of eBay North America
lav** Feb-12-05 03:31 PST 131 of 405 Here's my response receive on 2/08....
Thank you for writing in Lavila. Due to the overwhelming response regarding Bill's announcement, he has requested that I respond on his behalf.
Lavila thank you for your feedback. At the moment the gallery picture fee is 25 cents. We have discussed this with many sellers such as yourself and they would rather pay this amount so we can afford to provide them with the best service possible. Due to the large volume of pictures and auctions that go up on our site each day, it does require a lot of maintenance and storage. The gallery fee is currently at this amount because we believe that enables us to provide you with better services and features on our site. I have taken your suggestion with the sincerest passion and it is something that we will definitely consider in the future.
I would also like to take this time to congratulate you on your excellent feedback score. It is sellers such as yourself that represent what eBay is all about.
With warmest regards,
Jayson B. eBay Customer Support
mgc** Feb-12-05 14:19 PST 136 of 405
I wanted to follow-up on my post ( Feb-08-05 18:20 PST 41 of 135) to Mr. Cobb earlier this week.
I had emailed Mr. Cobb on Feb. 7th -- basically the same thing I posted here.
This is the email I received from a member of his team today. And, IMO, an insult to not only me, but to all sellers. Just another "form" email that probably went out to all 17000 of those concerned sellers that emailed him.
Hello Jan,
Thank you for your e-mail to Bill Cobb. Bill has requested that I respond on his behalf and I'm happy to do so.
I can certainly understand your concern regarding fee increases on the site. I would like to assure you that we do take the needs of our community into consideration prior to making any change to our site or increasing fees.
Again, thank you for your e-mail, concerns and suggestions. We take all input from our members seriously. I can assure you that your concerns and suggestions will be reviewed and taken into consideration. Your involvement and participation are invaluable to to our eBay community.
Regards,
Emily Wh.
eBay Customer Support Representative
on Behalf of Bill Cobb
President
eBay North America
a.cut.above (0 ) Mar-07-05 17:46 PST 192 of 405 HEY BILLY BOY !!!!
They are saying that you just figger' ya'll ignore our discontent....
"William
C. Cobb, who oversees the company's North American operations, called
the "constant drone" of complaints on the company's message boards"
Yeah,
I would not care if I had already cashed out $16,000,000.00+ of stock.
If you and Meg believe in the company, why don't you hold on to the
shares?
The Workshops thread below was real-time live. Chris Tsakalakis has a loss of composure, live, in post #149.
"I
don't know if it is just the "rabble rousers" who come to the boards
but it is clear that the people on this board who are responding
negatively to the logo are a minority of the total eBay Store sellers.
This is merely a numerical fact." Chris Tsakalakis
At the time he was considered for promotion into the eBay's upper corporate echelon. However losing composure before a live audience never bodes well. If a manager can't handle simple customer questions without blowing up, how would that same manager react under the greater pressure of corporate meetings with much more important clients.
"You should rest assured that my superiors are aware of your concerns about the new logo." Chris Tsakalakis
As they were of his performance.
His fast track to upper corporate vanished that day.
//
From eBay Workshops Discussion Forum eBay Workshop: Stores Logo/Branding Change - Thursday, June 16th http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=200100172&start=120
"When
the first posting was presented on the Stores Board in May, there was
quite a rush of comments about the logo - most very negative. Why where
these concepts never addressed?"
Our announcement of the new eBay Stores logo on May 10th (http://pages.ebay.com/storefronts/brand.html)
was meant as a preview and explanation of the logo change. While we
appreciate the feedback you and other members have given since that
announcement, we did not intend to imply that we would change our plans
based on your feedback. We pre-announced the logo change over a month
ago so that you a) were aware of it and b) could plan accordingly.
Thanks.
"I
just don't understand why our feelings about changes are never taken
into consideration. I don't know a single store owner who replied to
the new icon feedback positively. Yet, Ebay still went ahead with what
they wanted."
Thanks for your message. While we know a lot
of you posting on the boards are not happy with the logo change or any
change like this, we also know that there are thousands of eBay Store
sellers both here and around the world. The decision to change the logo
was a business decision we took as a way of better positioning eBay
Stores to both buyers and sellers. We believe this is still the right
path to take and hope to start implementing our strategy with this new
logo.
"Thank
you for having this workshop/forum. I only wish this discussion were
taking place before the roll out of the new logo...to get input and
ideas before the launch.
I for one do not care for the new branding/logo. It says nothing to me about a store, virtual or otherwise.
I
am concerned that it will confuse potential buyers. What does the door
mean? In my opinion the current graphic doesnt even look like a door!
There
are a couple of threads on the stores discussion board with great ideas
for a more appropriate logo. Something more intuitive, for example an
awning, or a shopping bag. ...My personal choice for a new logo would
be a shopping bag.
Would the ebay stores team consider reworking
the graphic? What else is in store for marketing stores? Is is possible
for us (stores sellers) to have more input before these changes take
effect in future?"
Thanks for your message. I appreciate your voicing your opinion and am sorry you don't like the new Stores logo.
In
creating the new logo, we actually did solicit input from both buyers
and sellers both here in the US and around the world where eBay Stores
have a presence. We decided not to do that publicly, however.
As
for your point about buyers being confused, I appreciate that. That is
why we plan on marketing the new Stores logo to both buyers and
sellers. It will take repetition and time but buyers will soon learn to
associate the new logo with Stores. This is true of all logos.
I
have read the threads on the discussion board and posted to the latter
one. I appreciate the creativity of the people who posted other Stores
logos. You should know that the shopping bag was one of the designs we
considered but we ultimately decided not to pursue it as it is not a
distinct logo, the shopping bag represents checkout on a large number
of the ecommerce sites we surveyed on the web. We did not want to
create confusion between other representations of the shopping bag on
the Web and eBay Stores.
We will reconsider the logo if there is
a serious decrease in sales to eBay Store sellers. Having said that,
however, we plan to stick with this logo and implement our marketing
plan for eBay Stores in a way that should benefit all Store sellers. We
will continue to solicit input from sellers and buyers as we change
things about eBay Stores but will continue to do this in a
confidential, non public manner.
Replying to your post 27 and post #'s 32 from borderdogstshirts
"Chirs, So in other words you really don't care what we think."
I
do care what you think. That is why I am reading all of these board
posts and replying to them when I can. I recognize that we all have
different tastes and opinions and I value that, it's a great part of
eBay. However, your personal views are just some of the inputs we have
to consider in moving eBay Stores forward.
"WHERE
ARE THE THOUSANDS OF E-BAY STORE OWNERS AROUND THE WORLD WHO PRESUMABLY
SUPPORT YOUR DECISION?? I've seen a handful on the boards. Is it just
rabble rousers who come to the boards? I think not -- I just don't
think that there is some great silent majority out there supporting
this. If there is, show us some statistics.
In my opinion, if the red door logo is the best that you and your team can produce, you should all get the axe.
If we did our work as poorly as the team that designed this new logo, we would have been out of business long ago.
Perhaps you should pass our frustrations along to your superiors - to whomever makes promotion and salary increase decisions."
I
don't know if it is just the "rabble rousers" who come to the boards
but it is clear that the people on this board who are responding
negatively to the logo are a minority of the total eBay Store sellers.
This is merely a numerical fact.
You should rest assured that my superiors are aware of your concerns about the new logo.
All
I would ask you to do is to give the new logo some time to take root. I
understand you don't like how it looks but ultimately what matters is
how good your sales are. We hope that the marketing of the eBay Stores
and the new logo will improve sales and make eBay Stores a better place
to sell. Thanks.
If you are looking for the eBay Store associated with the eBay seller whose user ID is 1busyman, please go to 1Busyman's Budget Video Games.
Chris and the eBay Adventure
Hi,I'm Chris Tsakalakis and this is my About Me page. I wanted to introduce myself to you. Here are some quick fun facts:
I run the US Advanced Solutions Group at eBay
I live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area
The last time I saw hair on my head was sometime in 1999
By running the Advanced Solutions Group, I mean that I am responsible for the business and marketing of eBay Stores, ProStores, Seller Tools, Trading Platforms, including the reseller marketplace and the eBay Developers Program. My teams include marketing, product planning and analysis people. I am here to learn from the eBay community and try to deliver the
best eBay products that I can. My eBay user ID is my email address, so
please email me with your thoughts and questions.
Look Ma, no hair!
Since I really don't know what
to say, I thought I would just shamelessly reprint an article written
about my work with eBay Stores in the June 2005 edition of the Chatter newsletter. It is pasted below in its entirety. Hope you like it.
Chris Tsakalakis, Senor Director of eBay Stores, manages the team
that's responsible for building an easy-to-use Stores product that
meets the Community's needs.
How long have you worked at eBay? I
started at eBay over two years ago. I've been working in e-commerce
since 1996, helping start-ups get off the ground. I knew Michael
Dearing, now eBay's Senior VP and General Merchandise Manager, both of
us having worked at the same consulting company. I called him up at
eBay and we got re-acquainted. I interviewed for a few positions, but
nothing seemed to click. Then Michael called me one day and said, ?Hey,
I've got something interesting for you.? During my interviews I
reviewed the strategy for eBay Stores. I was excited about the Stores
product, convinced about its growth potential and the economic
opportunities it could provide sellers on eBay.
I
started with a team of just two people. Now we have twelve people
focused on eBay Stores. When I got here we had about 50,000 Stores on
eBay.com. Today the number is over 158,000.
It's been a fun ride.
What are some of the key changes for eBay Stores that have happened on your watch? The
fundamental change is that eBay Stores have grown from being just a
place to show your ?stuff? on eBay to being a full-fledged online
storefront. To get there, we invested a lot in the product offering.
I'd say there were three major components of the change:
Customization
– A few years ago, the only customization options you had were four
boxes. Two of them were just color. You had one box for your logo, and
another for your Store description. It was quite limited. Yes, you
could pick some custom categories, but that was about the extent of
customization possible.
In 2003 we started enhancing
the customization capabilities of eBay Stores. Today, you have the
ability to use your own HTML code to create custom pages. You have a
custom header that appears at the top of a store with the seller's own
unique branding. [The Chatter archives have more on customizing your eBay Store.]
Promotion and Tracking
– We increased eBay Stores sellers ability to promote their items. The
cross-promotion box that appears on a Store seller's listing lets a
buyer who's looking at an see snapshots of other items that the seller
is selling in their eBay Store. The Cross Promotion Tool is a great way
for Store sellers to market their items. [The Chatter archives have more on marketing your eBay Store.]
We also introduced increasingly sophisticated reporting and tracking
capabilities through which Stores sellers can review the performance of
their eBay Stores. These include sales and traffic reports. They give
sellers an idea of what's working and what's not working.
Making your Store Inventory listings more visible –
Through our natural search initiatives, we have made it possible for
buyers to find eBay Stores and Store Inventory listins when they search
on Internet search engines like Google. Stores sellers also benefit
from traffic that comes through the main eBay site – this is one of the
reasons you have a great chance of seeing an eBay Store pretty high on
search results. We also submit Store Inventory Listing information to Froogle.
And Store Inventory Listings now also appear in search results on the
main eBay site when a buyer's search on eBay results in fewer than
twenty auction-style or fixed-price listings.
What skills have you found yourself utilizing most in your career at eBay? Prioritization
and problem-solving are easily the skills I find myself using the most
at eBay. There are a lot of things that we could do for the Stores
Community, or that they would like us to do. There's no lack of good
ideas. But time and resources are limited. Being able to prioritize
helps us filter out the less strategic projects and focus on the most
important needs of our members.
Problem
solving skills are also important because as you go forward and start
implementing a great idea, there are all sorts of things you need to do
to make that happen. Sometimes you run into barriers. I have learned to
understand that you have to compromise. You have to know when to look
at an alternative solution, and when to accept that the issues are too
complex to solve right away and that its best to revisit the subject
later.
It's
part of the day to day of working eBay. We have many constituencies to
take into account as we move forward on implementing an idea. These
include not only our Community members but also internal
constituencies, such as Trust and Safety and our legal department.
Nothing runs a hundred percent smoothly. That's just the way life is.
What are some of the ways in which your team involves the Stores Community?
Chris (kneeling) with part of his team. (From L to R): Greg, Julian, Jen, Cathy, Ryan, Vivian, Curtis, Carole, and Angela (foreground)
My
team and I rely very heavily on Community input. Community is eBay's
lifeblood. It's the reason we all come to work. It's the reason we even
have a paycheck. We never lose sight of that.
We
interact with our Community in many ways. These include surveys to ask
members for their input on how Stores are working for them, as well as
to test the market for new ideas. We're actively involved in
participating on the discussion boards,
to see what's on the minds of at least our more active and vocal
Community members. Every month we do a ?brown bag lunch? where for an
hour and a half, my team, the Stores product management team, Stores
customer support and sometimes representatives from other teams answer
questions on the Stores discussion board.
When a member posts a question, it gets assigned to someone on our
team. This way, members' questions get answered on the spot, and we
also stay in touch with our Store sellers and their needs.
Another
thing we do is look at a lot of eBay Stores! We like to see how sellers
are using their Stores. The thing that's always amazing about eBay is
how imaginative and unbelievably clever some of our sellers are in
creating a Store and selling strategy. The beauty of having thousands
of sellers is that you get thousands of variations of the same basic
eBay Stores template!
Over
the years we've taken examples of what savvy sellers have done and
created tools that allow all sellers to easily build the same thing.
There are things that technically sophisticated sellers can do that the
vast majority of our sellers can't do. Taking good ideas and making
them easy for all Store sellers to implement is a big part of what we
do.
Beyond that, we also do a lot of work with eBay's Voices Program. For almost every idea we will show it to Voices and get their input early in the development cycle.
What do you like to do for fun? Sleep (laughs).
Most of my weekends are spent with my family – my two boys, 27 months
and six months old, and my wife. Generally it means going to the park,
or to the zoo, almost every weekend. I know the San Francisco Zoo very
well by now. We try to get outdoors as much as possible.
What's the most rewarding part of your job? Actually
having customers that care. Having worked in a bunch of start-ups and
also in a large consulting firm with corporate clients, you don't get
the type of passion from your customers that you see at eBay.
When
we do something on eBay, we know we will get a response, whether
positive or negative. We've gotten hugely positive responses to some
things where people have written us saying that a particular
initiative, or project or even the Stores team are great! But our
customers have also been upset over other things, for example, the
price increase earlier this year. The bottom line for me is that
someone actually cares about what we do because it has an impact on
their lives.
The
other rewarding part for me is working with the people who work here.
Everyone is out there looking for the best solution for our Community.
Everyone is charged and excited by their interactions with the
Community. At the same time, everyone is really nice. They're the
nicest bunch of smart people that I've ever worked with.
What is your favorite item that you bought or sold on eBay? Favorite
item? Well that's hard to say. I've bought many items on eBay – the
ones that I remember right now are my wife's station wagon, a TV, and a
universal remote control. My boss, Michael Dearing, is a huge fan of
the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
For his birthday we decided that we would all wear ?Vote for Pedro?
T-shirts (it's a simple tee-shirt that the lead character in the movie
designs to help his friend who's running for class president). I was
amazed to how many of these were listed on eBay. I ordered a dozen on a
Monday, and paid with PayPal. They arrived on Wednesday, and his
birthday was on Thursday. Everyone on our team wore the ?Vote for
Pedro? t-shirts.
What's your favorite eBay-related story? Last
year we had our first Best in Stores contest in which the Community
voted on choosing the best eBay Stores in several categories. The
winner of the Best Looking Store was The Frenchy Bee. As I learned more about the winner, I realized how eBay had opened up a whole new world for the seller and her family.
The look and feel of The Frenchy Bee was
created by Hugues, the husband of the woman who runs the Store. She's
American, and he's French. They began selling online as a fun way to
work together while he was preparing to re-establish his career as a
dentist, the career he abandoned to relocate to the US . As it turns
out, his passion for photography and persistence in learning HTML
together with their love for all things French, took their plans in a
different direction. He created a great looking Store and their
business took off .
After The Frenchy Bee
won the Best in Stores award, Hugues received so many requests for
customizing eBay Stores, that he began working full time as a Web
designer. And a new business was born!. That was last year. This year,
quite a few of the nominees for the Best in Stores Contest were Stores designed by him. And this year, The Frenchy Bee won again! (In the category of ?Best Shopping Experience?).
It just shows how eBay can provide economic opportunities in unexpected ways.
..
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/822/912
ChrisTsakalakis
Vice President and General Manager, eBay Tickets and StubHub
Chris Tsakalakis, VP of Advanced Solutions for eBay (included eBay
Stores, ProStores and the eBay Developer's program), is moving over to
help manage the StubHub/tickets integration. It's part of the eBay
acquisition 'play book' to parachute in a senior eBay person to help
with the integration and also provide back-fill should the acquired
exec(s) depart. (e.g. Rajiv at Skype, Kazim in Paypal, etc.).
We've been working with Chris for a couple of years in the eBay dev
program part of his responsibilities and he's always been great to deal
with so it's exciting to see him moving up the eBay management ladder.
Also, with the documented Brain Drain we've been following here in
detail, it's refreshing to see a long-time eBay VP staying to do
something new vs. leaving eBay.
If you want to learn more about Chris, here's a snazzy bio also here's the post he made to the eBay store forum and the reaction from sellers.
Lori Goler will be taking over for Chris and reporting to Mike Linton (who we previously reported was the CMO of BBUY and will now be running non-core eBay properties).
The eBay Developer program is going to Max Mancini. I met Max at
the EEF and he has an interesting background. He has an
entrepreneurial background (CEO ConsumerReview.com) and was last involved with Kijiji at eBay.
....
http://www.stubhub.com/management-team
StubHub Management
With a staff as
diverse and knowledgeable as the fans they serve, StubHub's growing
family of over 300 employees is led by an experienced team of
innovative and talented individuals.
Chris Tsakalakis, President of StubHub and General Manager of eBay Tickets
Chris Tsakalakis President of StubHub and General Manager of eBay Tickets
Chris Tsakalakis led eBay's acquisition of StubHub in 2007 and is
General Manager of the combined eBay Tickets / StubHub business,
responsible for full P&L and post-merger integration.
Chris has been an eBay Marketplaces executive since 2003. Prior to
joining eBay Tickets, Chris managed the Advanced Solutions Group which
provides solutions for advanced buyers and sellers and includes eBay
Stores, ProStores, Trading Platforms, Seller Marketing and Tools, the
eBay Developers program and Shipping. Over a 3-and-a-half-year period,
he managed the development and growth of the eBay Stores subscriber
base from 50,000 to more than 260,000. Additionally, Chris oversaw the
launch of ProStores, an eBay company offering complete Web storefront
solutions independent of eBay.com.
Prior to joining eBay, Chris was a managing partner at Trefo, a
consulting firm focused on high-technology startup companies. Prior to
Trefo, he held management positions at two ecommerce startups and was
also a consultant with Bain & Company for 6 years. He started his
career in ecommerce in 1996.
Chris received a Bachelors of Science in Economics degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Andy is responsible for all financial operations at StubHub as well as
strategic business planning as the Company continues to experience rapid
growth. Prior to joining StubHub, Andy was CFO & VP Business Strategy at
Panasas, a high growth storage networking company where he also ran Business
Development. Andy was previously Vice President, Business Development at ONI
Systems Corp. where he managed ONI's merger with CIENA in 2002.
Previously, Andy served as Managing Director and Head of the Global
Communications Group at Robertson Stephens, responsible for the Communications
Infrastructure and Software Investment Banking Departments. In this role, he
was responsible for over forty public offerings, mergers and acquisitions.
Andy received a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business
School and a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University.
Nasos Topakas Chief Technology Officer and VP of Engineering
Nasos brings over 20 years of Software Engineering and Information
Technology experience in leadership, management, architecture, design,
and implementation of complex, scalable and flexible systems. The focus
of his work has been on the web and wireless consumer e-commerce
systems, client-server and distributed architectures.
Before coming to StubHub, he led the Engineering
department at Eastman Kodak running KodakGallery.com (previously known
as: ofoto.com). Prior to Kodak, he held many leadership positions at
Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. including schwab.com, one of the largest
secure sites in the world, built a global wireless technology team
supporting efforts in Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, United Kingdom and US,
and led the development of a comprehensive Contact Management System.
Prior to Charles Schwab, Nasos held many management and engineering
roles at Pacific Telesis, Pacific Bell Information Services, and
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. He began his career in Europe working as
a software engineer building custom systems. Nasos received his B.S. in
Computer Science from California State University of San Francisco. He
also participated in Golden Gate's University Executive MBA program.
As SVP of Marketing, Mike is responsible for the strategy and programs
building StubHub's brand, driving customer acquisition and building
customer relationships. Prior to joining StubHub, Mike was the first
VP/GM of the Worldwide Apple Store, Apple Computer's e-commerce
business unit, for nearly 5 years, expanding the business to 21
countries, with the store being named Consumer Reports #1 computer
manufacturer web site for 3 years running.
Prior to Apple, Mike spent 14 years at FedEx in the
Marketing organization, where he led U.S. New Service Development,
Worldwide New Service Development, International Marketing, and for the
last 4 years was FedEx's first VP of E-Commerce and Logistics
Marketing, where he directed FedEx's pioneering e-commerce business and
the supply chain practice that grew to help companies like StubHub do
business. Mike graduated magna cum laude from Central Washington
University with dual degrees in Finance and Economics, and received his
MBA from the Owen Business School at Vanderbilt University.
Allyson Willoughby has fifteen years of legal experience, focusing on
Internet law, high technology, litigation and securities. Prior to
joining StubHub, Allyson was a member of eBay’s Legal team since 2000.
During that time, Allyson had a wide variety of responsibilities as
eBay grew from 10 million registered users to more than 200 hundred
million.
Prior to her work in-house, Allyson was a litigator with the law firms
of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and Gordon & Rees. Allyson
graduated from Stanford University with dual degrees in Economics and
Sociology. She earned her law degree at the University of California,
Hastings College of the Law. Allyson is a member of the California bar.
As Director of Business Development, Greg is responsible for three main
areas: 1) business development efforts in the sports, music, theater,
concierge services and online partnership channels 2) StubHub's
LargeSeller Program, which initiates and manages relationships with
StubHub's largest sellers and 3) StubHub's Corporate Sales effort,
which provides an enhanced platform of services to large corporations
in multiple US cities.
Greg has been responsible for the eBay Tickets business since 2003,
when he joined eBay. Greg has also led eBay's efforts in both Tickets
and Media (Books, Music and Video, including half.com)
in 2006. Greg was the eBay business leader who led eBay's acquisition
of StubHub. In addition to his work on Tickets and Media, Greg also
played key marketing, development and product roles for Rent.com and ProStores.
Prior to joining eBay, Greg led corporate and business development
initiatives at TVG Network - a subsidiary of Gemstar - TV Guide
International and HealthAllies.com, a consumer-driven healthcare
provider prior to its acquisition by UnitedHealth Group.
Greg received a Bachelor or Arts in Political Science from the
University of San Diego and a Master of Business Administration from
Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management.
As the Vice President of Business Operations, Noah Goldberg works to
continuously expand and improve StubHub's offerings by leading Product
Management, Business Intelligence, Business Process Management and
Logistics.
Prior to joining StubHub, Noah spent several years
managing product development and then partnerships at TradeOut, an
online business to business marketplace for surplus goods and off-lease
assets. He also worked for MCA, a management consulting firm in
Westport, CT where he worked with a number of consumer goods and
technology clients, focusing on marketing strategies and demand growth.
He holds a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College.
At StubHub, John developed and continues to lead the company's customer
care department. John's team answers consumer questions, guides
customers through the buying and selling processes and provides
post-purchase updates and assistance.
Prior to StubHub, John worked as the National Manager for
Versity.com overseeing all marketing and operations on 80 college
campuses across the country. He managed a team of 8 regional managers
and 80 district managers. Before that he worked at US West (now Qwest)
as a Field Supervisor and Project Manager. He served in the Management
Development Program that accelerated promotion of well-qualified
managers. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in
Political Science, English, and History.
Adam Nash announced in his blog, below, that he has left eBay.
eBay appears on the self-destructive path of dumbing-down. They are going from this level of expertise,
http://forum.stanford.edu/events/calendar/abstract.php?eventId=1504
Adam Nash holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from
Harvard Business School. He also holds both Bachelors and Masters
degrees in Computer Science from Stanford University, where he also
taught Computer Science in the undergraduate teaching program.
to middle managers with NO computer expertise. And programming departments run by the programmers with little management.
The Time Has Come… http://psychohistory.wordpress.com/2007/05/12/the-time-has-come/
The Time Has Come…
May 12th, 2007 — Adam Nash
Friday, May 11th was my last day at eBay.
I’ll be posting a bit more about my new role soon, but for now, I
thought I’d just share the email that I sent out late Friday afternoon.
E veryone, B efore I get into A ll of the nitty-gritty details on how Y ou can reach me, I just wanted to say a couple of things.
E bay has always been about people, and I feel X tremely fortunate to have had four years here to learn and work with some of the best P eople in the world. When I think back on everything I’ve done here, I R ealize just how lucky I was to land that first product role on E bay Verticals. Since then, I’ve had the chance to work with hundreds of passionate and S mart people across dozens of teams and projects, and I’ve learned S o much from every one of you. All I can say is thank you.
The time has come for me to take on a new role and a new adventure,
but I have every confidence that you’re going to take eBay & eBay
Express to incredible new levels in the coming months and years. You’ll
find me actively cheering you on, as a shareholder and as an active
community member, selling my way to that red star.
Please feel free to reach out to me and keep in touch. I truly
believe that the most valuable things we create through our careers are
relationships with people we respect & trust. In fact, that’s
pretty much what I’m going to be focusing on. I will always have guilt-free M&Ms waiting.
My personal contact information:
Email: <…>
Skype: <…>
Cell: <…>
Web: http://www.adamnash.com
eBay: http://myworld.ebay.com/adamnash
And of course, if we haven’t already, please set up a profile and connect with me on LinkedIn.
Take care.
Adam
eBay is a wonderful company, filled with wonderful people, working
to make life better for millions of people. I started selling on eBay
in 1998, and joined the company in early 2003. I will truly miss it.
However, I am also extremely excited about my new company, and the
opportunity that lies ahead.
However, for the next two weeks, I am unemployed. A good time to
reflect and enjoy time with family & friends before digging in on a
new adventure.
Esteban Kozak Part One http://blogs.ebay.com/polywater/entry/Esteban-Kozak/_W0QQidZ112383016
Esteban Kozak is a creator of "Smart Search" aka "Reputation Based Search." He denies this, but read the patent and read Esteban's PR regarding "Best Match" ( Magellan Search/Smart Search).
Allegedly eBay got him and the patent in a package deal.
http://www.patentdebate.com/PATAPP/20060161524
Pub. No / Pub. Date:
20060161524 /
20-Jul-2006
Inventor(s):
H. Scott Roy (US) Timothy M. Nufire (US) Esteban Kozak (US)
Correspondence Address:
BROWN, RAYSMAN, MILLSTEIN, FELDER & STEINER LLP
900 THIRD AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10022 (US)
Assignee(s):
Learning Technologies, Inc.
Serial No. / Filed Date:
11036604 /
14-Jan-2005
U.S. class:
707/3
International class:
G06F 17/30
Abstract:
A method of providing relevant search information comprises receiving a
search term. The method also comprises locating a first search result
that matches the search term, wherein the first search result is
associated with a first measure of reputation, locating a second search
result that matches the search term, wherein the second search result
is associated with a second measure of reputation, and preferentially
presenting the first and the second search results based on the first
and the second measures of reputation.
A method of providing relevant search information comprises receiving a
search term. The method also comprises locating a first search result
that matches the search term, wherein the first search result is
associated with a first measure of reputation, locating a second search
result that matches the search term, wherein the second search result
is associated with a second measure of reputation, and preferentially
presenting the first and the second search results based on the first
and the second measures of reputation.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to search techniques. More specifically, a system and method of reputation based search is disclosed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As computer networks and electronic data continue to grow, users
are becoming increasingly dependent on search tools to find the desired
result from a myriad of available information. The first generation of Internet search tools rely on META tags, which are created by publishers
of a web page to include relevant keywords of the page. When a user query
is received, pages with META tags that match the words in the query are
identified and presented to the user. There are some issues associated with this approach. Some page publishers, hoping that their web pages
will turn up in searches, include many keywords unrelated to the content
of the page in META tags. As a result, irrelevant pages often turn up in
the search results, making the search results less useful. Furthermore,
it is difficult to rank pages with matching META tags.
[0003] The second generation of search tools address some of the problems
associated with the first generation search tools. The second generation
solutions do not strictly rely on META tags. Instead, they match the user
query with words in the page. Alternative ways of assessing page ranking
are used, such as determining the number of times a page is referenced by
other pages. However, these tools face similar challenges as the first
generation search tools. Some publishers have learned ways to defeat the
search algorithms to make their pages appear in searches by adding
irrelevant words in the page, cross linking pages, etc. Furthermore,
users conducting the search typically need to enter accurate search terms
that match words in the page.
[0004] It would be desirable to have a way to provide relevant search
results that are not easily defeated by publishers' manipulation of
pages. It would also be useful if the search technique can easily rank
the relevant pages, including ones that do not have the exact keywords as
the user query.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following
detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
[0006] FIG. 1 is system diagram illustrating a search system embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 2 is flowchart illustrating an example process of providing
search results.
[0008] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the processes for determining and
changing the reputation.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a user interface used to display
search results and provide user feedback, according to one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a
process, an apparatus, a system, a composition of matter, a computer readable medium such as a computer readable storage medium or a computer
network wherein program instructions are sent over optical or electronic
communication links. In this specification, these implementations, or any
other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as techniques.
In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered
within the scope of the invention.
[0011] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the
principles of the invention. The invention is described in connection
with such embodiments, but the invention is not limited to any
embodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and
the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and
equivalents. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following
description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
invention. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the
invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of
these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material
that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not
been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily
obscured.
[0012] Providing search information is disclosed. Upon receiving a search
term, the system locates search results that match the search term and
preferentially presents the search results according to measures of
reputation associated with the search results. In some embodiments, the
search results are initially submitted by authors who are users of the
system. As used herein, reputation measures the usefulness of a search
result in response to the search term. In some embodiments, reputation of
a search result depends on the reputation of the author that submitted
it, as well as other factors such as past relevancy of the search result
based on user feedback.
[0013] FIG. 1 is system diagram illustrating a search system embodiment.
In this example, system 100 includes a search engine 102 and a database
104. Search engine 102 receives a user query that includes a search term
(e.g. a word or phrase such as "wedding photographer", "wedding AND
photography") used to locate search results in database 104. Search
results that match the search term are presents to the user. As used
herein, a search result includes a data structure returned in response to
the search query. It may include reference to resources such as a
universal resource locator (URL), some other kind of link to a document,
a title of the document, a keyword list, or other appropriate information. In some embodiments, if no matching search result is found
in database 104, search engine 102 optionally redirects the user query to
a general purpose search engine on the Internet to obtain results.
[0014] In the example shown, database 104 is populated by users of the
system. Users who associate search results with search terms and enter
the associations in database 104 are referred to as authors. The database implementation may vary for different embodiments. For purposes of illustration, databases that store the search results and use keywords in
the search term for looking up the search results are discussed in detail
throughout this specification. The techniques are equally applicable to
other databases, such as ones in which the entries are encrypted, compressed or otherwise processed. Additional processing steps may be used as appropriate.
[0015] In some embodiments, each combination of a search result and a
search term has a measure of reputation that depends on factors such as
the reputation of the author and the past relevancy of the search result.
Users in the system can provide feedback, which is used to adjust the
reputations of search results and authors over time. User queries and
feedbacks can be provided via a single interface or separately.
[0016] FIG. 2 is flowchart illustrating an example process of providing
search results. In this example, process 200 starts when the search engine receives a search term from the user (202). A first search result
that matches the search term is located in the database (204). Various
matching algorithms are used in different embodiments. For example, a search result is found to match the search term if all the words in the
search term appear in the keyword list of the search result. In some embodiments, the database stores its entries in an encrypted and/or
compressed form, therefore appropriate processing steps such as
encryption, compression, hashing, etc. are applied to the received search term to find a match. A second search result that matches the search term is then located in the database (206). More search results, if available,
are also located. Each search term/search result pair has an associated reputation, which measures the relevancy of the search result with
respect to the search term. The matching search results are
preferentially presented to the user, ordered according to their
reputations (208). In some embodiments, a search result has the same reputation for every search term that matches the search result. In some
embodiments, a search result has a different reputation for different search terms.
[0017] The reputation of a search result changes over time as other users
make queries and evaluate the search results returned in response to
their queries. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the processes for determining
and changing the reputation. FIG. 3A is a flowchart illustrating the initial calculation of search result reputation according to some
embodiments. At the beginning of process 300, a search result and its
associated search term is submitted by an author (302). In some
embodiments, the author has an author reputation, which, as will be described more fully below, is acquired over time based on feedback from
other users and reflects the quality and relevance of the author's past
submissions. The reputation of the search result is computed initially
using the author reputation (303). The search term, search result and the corresponding reputation are then added to the database (304).
[0018] Process 300 is repeated as the system continuously receives author
submissions. Sometimes different search terms are associated with the same resource. For example, "wedding photographer" and "photo journalism" may both reference a web page of a photographer who provides wedding photography service in photo journalistic style. As will be discussed in more detail below, the reputations of the search results may take on
different values because of differences in reputations of the authors making the association.
[0019] Over time, as the search results are presented in response to user
queries, users can provide feedback on the relevancy of each search
result. FIG. 3B is a flowchart illustrating a user feedback process
according to some embodiments. Process 350 initiates when a user query is
received (306). The search term is extracted and used to locate a match
in the database (308). Matching search results are presented
preferentially according to their reputations (310). The display
interface gives the user the option to provide different types of
feedback, which is used later for adjusting reputation (312). If the user feedback is positive, i.e. the user finds that the search result is a
relevant one in response to his search, the reputations of both the search result and the author are increased (316). If, however, the user
provides negative feedback indicating that the search result is
irrelevant, then both reputations are lowered (318).
[0020] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a user interface used to display
search results and provide user feedback, according to one embodiment. In
the example shown, a user query (in this case, "wedding photographer") is
entered in query box 402 of user interface 400. The search results
displayed include several URLs. The user is given the option to bookmark,
hide, remove, or mark each search result as spam. For example, the user
may bookmark a URL to a web page that offers useful information on how to
select wedding photographers, hide a URL to a general purpose photography
web site, remove a URL to a web site about wedding cakes, and mark a URL
to a web site about get-rich-quick schemes as spam.
[0021] Saving a search result in a bookmark for future use indicates that
the user finds the search result to be a useful and relevant one, thus the action is construed as a positive feedback that enhances the
reputations of both the search result and the author. Hiding the search
result indicates that the user does not want to see this search result in
the future because he does not find it to be very useful; however, the
author of the search result does not appear to have intentionally
misrepresented the association between the search term and the search
result. Removing the search result indicates that the user has found the
association to be misleading and should be prevented from being shown in
response to the search term in the future. Marking a result as spam is
the highest form of negative feedback in the example shown. Other
embodiments offer different user feedback options; some provide the user
with greater granularity in rating the relevancy of a search result. The
amount of change in reputation depends on the type of action and can vary
for different implementations.
[0022] In one example, the reputation of a search result is calculated
based on the following:Rr=Ra*(C1*Nb+C2*Nh+C3*Nr+C4*Ns), where Rr is the
reputation of the search result, Ra is the reputation of the author, Nb,
Nh, Nr, and Ns correspond respectively to number of times the search
result has been bookmarked, hidden, removed, or marked as spam, and C1,
C2, C3, and C4 are preset coefficients. Ra is computed according to the
following:Ra=D1*Tb+D2*Th+D3*Tr+D4*Ts, where Tb, Th, Tr, and Ts correspond
respectively to the total number of times search results submitted by
this author has been bookmarked, hidden, removed, or marked as spam.
There are other ways of computing the reputation based on search history
that are used in different embodiments. In some embodiments, a user's
impact on the reputation system depends on his own reputation, so that
only users with a good reputation can influence other users. In some
embodiments, only a prescribed set of users can be authors. In some
embodiments, the privilege of submitting search results is revoked if an
author's reputation falls below a prescribed level.
[0023] Since an author's reputation has a significant effect on the reputation of each search result he submits, authors have strong incentives to post high quality, accurate information. If an author posts
entries that are misleading or attempts to spam the database, users will
consistently hide or delete the entries or mark them as spam. As a
result, the author's reputation will decline, as will the reputation of the entries submitted by the author. Consequently, it is less likely that
the author's submissions will be seen by other users. Conversely, if an
author posts useful, accurate information, then users will bookmark his
results, causing his reputation to go up and his submissions to be
featured more prominently. The reputation system essentially provides the
checks and balances to ensure a properly functioning marketplace for search results.
[0024] Providing search results has been disclosed. Allowing authors to
provide search results and using reputation based on user feedback to
present the search results greatly improves relevancy of the search results.
[0025] Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in some
detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention is not
limited to the details provided. There are many alternative ways of
implementing the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative
and not restrictive.
//
//
//
From eBay Search Forum http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=2000241408&tstart=0&mod=1178272762730
***Introducing Best Match: A new sort option based on relevance*** estebankozak@ebay.com Oct-09-06 12:52 PDT
Hi everyone,
I’m Esteban Kozak with eBay’s Finding team. We’re putting up an announcement board post shortly (from me) introducing "Best Match", a new sorting option for buyers on Search & Browse results.
"Best Match" lets you sort the listings you see based on a concept called relevance. Best Match is different from other sort options today that sort based on one piece of information, such as "Ending Soonest" or "Lowest Price". With relevance-based sort options like Best Match, listings are ranked based on the item’s title and description, plus past buyer behavior for similar searches.
Here’s what I mean when I say we’re factoring in past buyer behavior: with Best Match, what buyers do on the site will affect the order in which listings are displayed. In other words, if buyers running a particular search often end up viewing, bidding on, or buying a certain type of item more often, this will be factored into our relevance calculations. The Best Match scores for these types of items will be higher, and might display higher on the page because they are similar to items that have been more relevant for that search in the past.
One very important note: using this sort won’t change which listings are returned, it only changes the order in which listings are presented. No listings will be added or removed when you sort by Best Match.
Where to find "Best Match" sort
The "Best Match" sort is completely optional. You’ll be able to find this option in the next few days by clicking the drop-down menu next to "Sort by" at the top of the results list. If you’d like this to become your default sort view for your search results, use the "customize display" link right next to the drop-down.
One thing I want to make sure I get across: we will continue to use "Time: Ending Soonest" or "Time: Newly Listed" as the default sort orders for Search and Browse results, just as it works today.
We’re also working on another sort option that will let you sort listings by category. We’re hoping to release it later this month, and we’ll be back with an update then.
Following you will find some FAQs with a few of the more common questions we think will be asked.
Sincerely,
Esteban Kozak Finding team
Question 1: What is "Best Match"?
Answer: "Best Match" is a new optional search results sort feature that will let buyers choose to sort their search results based on relevance. The "Best Match" feature gives buyers another way to organize their search results, helping them more quickly find what they are looking for.
Question 2: How does "Best Match" work?
Answer: When "Best Match" is selected, each listing's Best Match score is calculated using a number of factors, and is tailored to each buying situation. Along with the listing title and other information, one of most important elements in this calculation is the historical buyer behavior on the site for similar searches. The relevance ranking system scores listings higher based on the community's buying activity, so you should see the most relevant listings for your search at the top of the results. One thing to note: Best Match scores are only used to sort listings, and won’t be shown on the site.
Question 3: How do I get my items to show up when "Best Match" is selected?
Answer: Because of the complexity involved in calculating Best Match scores, it can be difficult to predict the position of a particular listing for a particular search. We recommend sellers follow the eBay Selling Tips in order to maximize the opportunity to rank high in this optional sort option.
Question 4: Is this the same as the "Best Matches" sort on eBay Express?
Answer: eBay Express uses and emphasizes a different set of factors to determine relevance. In addition, it utilizes buyer data from eBay Express buying activity, which will differ from eBay.com.
Question 5: When will I see the "Best Match" sort option?
Answer: The Best Match sort will be available in the next few days. You’ll only see it when you select it in the "Sort by" menu. We will continue to use "Time: Ending Soonest" or "Time: Newly Listed" as the default sort orders for Search and Browse results.
Question 6: You mention Best Match scores are based on a number of factors. What other factors are used besides the Community's buying activity?
Answer: "Best Match" scores are primarily driven by relevance ranking, which is based on Community bidding and buying activity for similar searches. For listings that have similar relevance ranking, Best Match scores may also incorporate other data to break ties, such as "time left" or "price".
Question 7: I don’t see my item in the relevance sort - why not?
Answer: The "Best Match" sort doesn’t change which items get returned for a particular search - it just changes the order of the items themselves. If your item isn’t appearing at all, please check this page: ‘where is my item’.
Question 8 (for eBay Developers): How do API users take advantage of the "Best Match" sort option?
Answer: The "Best Match" sort option includes additions to the eBay unified schema API. The GetSearchResults and GetCategoryListings calls will enable you to specify that the best matches are returned first. Additional information will be in version 481 of the unified schema API Release Notes, available by October 9, 2006.
The invention described in Polywater’s post is unrelated to eBay's "Best Match".
Esteban
//
//
//
11/27/2003
Esteban Kozak Director of Operations
Mission at SERA: Accomplish what I thought was impossible.
Make my first steps into business in a startup company where the outcome is such a noble cause -- improving the lives of future generations.
Favorite Quote: "...en casa de herrero cuchillo de palo...", "...de tal palo tal astilla...", "...mas vale prevenir que curar...", etc. - My Mom
My Hero: My family, because they are everything I want to be.
Past Life: Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
B.S. in Business Administration.
Outside Activities: Coming from Argentina, soccer
is obviously the sport I will never get tired of playing again
and again. Skiing, mountain biking, and fishing are also on
top of my list.
Most Life Changing Event: Finishing my undergraduate
studies in San Francisco.
My name is Esteban Kozak, product manager for SearchFox. I want to introduce SearchFox and give you the chance to test drive it.
Let
me start by posting the problem we are trying to solve. Search
algorithms, like Page Rank, have grown broad, overwhelming and generic.
Still good at finding the needle in the haystack, if you know enough
about the needle, but not helpful when you are trying to accomplish any
of the following tasks:
- Go back to useful content you visit all the time, - Get interesting content about a topic, - Learn from people and communities you care about.
So
we decided to add context and human intelligence to the search world.
In order to do so, we developed a social bookmarking tool that
overcomes three of the biggest challenges in this area:
1. A way
for individuals and groups to define vertical search spaces (you are
starting to see this with A9's "Open Search", Become.com and
mobissimo.com)
2. A way to converge folksonomies into a coherent index inside those vertical spaces
3. A way to leverage human intelligence in order to let users drive the ranking algorithm
We
are already delivering on #2 ("real-time search" and "keyword suggest")
and #3 ("sort by use" and much more to come on this). In a few weeks,
we'll be launching "My World". "My World" will allow you to define your
vertical space, you'll be able to group individuals and join
communities. Your personal groups will remain small and relevant to
your interests, although some will develop into bigger topic driven
communities.
Let me pause here and let you try SearchFox first.
As a beta tester of SearchFox RSS, I’ve received several email announcements from the SearchFox Product Manager Esteban Kozak. Esteban has done an outstanding job keeping his testers informed of new features the SearchFox team has been adding to SearchFox RSS. The latest feature pushes towards addressing one of the five things I think web based aggregators need to improve upon - feed management.
SearchFox has added the ability to move feeds from one folder to
another. This might not seem like a ground breaking feature but the
important point is that they are responding to the community. It’s not
exactly what I am looking for but definitely a step in the right
direction.
Last week I directed Esteban to my post
and told him the two key things I saw SearchFox RSS was missing - they
have addressed one with this move. Esteban informed me that the other
is shortly on the way. Kudos to his due diligence and to the efforts of
the rest of his team.
//
// //
http://www.linkedin.com/in/estebankozak
EstebanKozak
Senior Product Manager at LinkedIn San Francisco Bay Area
Current
Senior Product Manager at LinkedIn
Past
Senior Product Manager at eBay Inc.
Product Manager at SearchFox (Acquired by Yahoo!)
Product Manager at SP Business Resources - Business Partnership with the Palo Alto Research Center
Director of Operations and Controller at Sera Learning
Education
Universidad de Belgrano
San Francisco State University
Esteban Kozak’s Summary
Seasoned professional with more than 5 years of experience in high-tech and Internet organizations. I offer:
- Dynamic leadership in fast-paced Internet industry
- Expertise in Search, Navigation, Merchandising and Web 2.0 applications
- Outstanding team player who can lead people and projects across multiple functional areas
- Strong communication, collaboration and organizational skills. Fluent in Spanish.
Esteban Kozak’s Experience
Senior Product Manager
LinkedIn
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)
January 2008
— Present
(4 months)
Senior Product Manager
eBay Inc.
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; ebay; Internet industry)
January 2006
— January 2008
(2 years 1 month)
- Lead cross-functional team focused on search intelligence.
- Integrated machine learning technology into search features.
- Designed and established product requirements for the following
features: Best Match, Category Sort, China Popularity Sort, Keyword
Navigation Messaging, Safe Search, Local Messaging, and Free Shipping.
- Responsible for $4.28 million in incremental revenue in Q4 2006
Product Manager
SearchFox (Acquired by Yahoo!)
(Public Company; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)
January 2004
— December 2005
(2 years)
- Launched tagging system and personalized RSS reader
- Designed and established overall products features
- Grew customer base to thousands leveraging blogs' coverage and limited online marketing budget
- Developed successful customer support and public relations strategy including the company’s official blog
- Managed pilot, implementation and sale of enterprise product to Xerox
- Presented products at tradeshows and industry events
- Created financial forecasts and revenue models
- Key role in fundraising and strategic planning
Product Manager
SP Business Resources - Business Partnership with the Palo Alto Research Center
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)
January 2003
— December 2003
(1 year)
- Identified market opportunities for PARC’s advanced research
- Established product requirements for enterprise applications in the legal and customer support areas
- Developed financials, revenue models and market analysis
- Managed business operations including human resources, legal, finance, production and information technology for team of 17
- Established budgets and commission plans for sales team
- Performed annual accounting audits and tax returns
- Supervised bookkeeper and shipping manager
Esteban Kozak’s Education
Universidad de Belgrano
BS, Business Administration,
1996 — 1999
San Francisco State University
BS, Business,
March 1996 — December 1999
Graduated from joint program between Universidad de Belgrano (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and San Francisco State University
Activities and Societies:
- Board Member of the International Education Exchange Council
From eBay Employee Mel L. L. on behalf of Bill Cobb - Any Help With this EBay Problem Would be GREATLY Appreciated ! Posted May-12-07 15:18:44 PDT Updated May-12-07 15:19:20 PDT http://blogs.ebay.com/world_securities/entry/From-eBay-Employee-Mel-L-L-on-behalf-of-Bill-Cob/_W0QQidZ211048010
For new newsgroup readers, these are
not our forum posts. Any comments to the posters below should be made
on the applicable thread, marked in bold below.
The following is the official eBay position presented by 'Mel L. L. on behalf of Bill Cobb.'
//
From eBay Technical Issues Forum Any Help With this EBay Problem Would be GREATLY Appreciated ! http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000361561&tstart=0&mod=1178988352411
Thanks for writing back to Bill today. My name is Mel, and Bill has asked me to respond to you personally on his behalf about slowness on the site. I'm sorry to hear that you were unable to resolve this problem. Would you be able to try one more thing? Many of our members are able to find help through other members on the site, and one of our community members has posted, on their About Me page, a tweak that they (and others) have found to work extremely well. You can find that post with instructions here: http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=rockboss2000 If you'd like to continue using the Canada site, this is certainly a possiblility. In fact, using the Advanced Search feature you are able to search for items that are available to the US. Just follow these steps:
1. Go to www.ebay.ca 2. Click on the "Advanced Search" link at the top right. 3. Under, "Location", select the "Items available to" and choose "United States" 4. Include any other search parameters you wish to specify (including a regular keyword search at the top of the page) 5. Click, "Search".
Robin, while the majority of our members do not seem to experience this problem, you do make some valid points. You should know that many of the changes to our site come about as a result of such feedback and insight from valued members such as yourself.
We do have a specific platform via which your feedback and suggestions can be reviewed by our product development team. I have forwarded your comments on, but would ask that you do the same using the link below:
One seller, below, managed to elicit a response from Bill Cobb, through Mel.
Another method to extract seller fees; Schedule.
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000469785&tstart=0&mod=1176392565362
Yes, the search/indexing problem is connected to NEW SYI form!
ar*
Apr-12-07 06:48 PDT
19 of 21 OK. I'm stopping pursuing this here re delays in your listings showing up on 'newly listed' for hours or days. This is my 3rd letter from Bill Cobb's office. The
short story is ... they ain't going to change their policy on listings
not showing up for hours/days as they are searching for frauds and run
'indexing'. If you don't mind the 10 cent fee, then scheduling at
least 24 hours in advance MIGHT help - still no guarantees. I
personally had success doing this (I only did it one time, but it
worked). DO NOT REVISE YOUR ITEMS - this puts you into the 'indexing
phase' and you probably will have to wait 6 hours before your item is
visible to buyers again.
Hope this helps. ~Jillian
Dear Jillian,
Thanks for writing back to Bill today. My name is Mel, and Bill has asked me to respond to you personally on his behalf about indexing delays on the site.
Jillian, as a seller myself, I can certainly understand your concern over this issue. At eBay, we do realize the importance of fast and effective indexing of items to search. However, as the internet evolves and the methods of fraud evolve on the site, we too must change in order to protect not only our buyers, but our sellers as well. Please be assured that every decision made by eBay is for the success and stability of the eBay marketplace and benefit of its members in the short and long term.
One of the workarounds that we have found to this issue is to have your item scheduled well in advance of the anticipated time that you wish your items to go live to the site. While your items are waiting to go live, the indexing and review process will go through the item you have scheduled causing a shorter indexing time when your item does post to the site.
We wish we could make search indexing any faster, but let me assure you that if there was any technology out there to make this happen, we would use our resources to acquire it and provide you with that service. We are also constantly reviewing these processes as well as the technology, in order to improve service to the site at a constant rate. We do encourage you to continue to send in your suggestions and thoughts on these processes, and working together we are very positive that our community will only be stronger in the future.
Although we do feel that the delay in indexing is a necessity, we do understand your frustration in this matter and would like to express our appreciation in your cooperation in making the site and our community a safer place to trade.
Regards,
Mel L. L. on behalf of Bill Cobb President eBay North America
So Trolling Is Okay? - "best response is no response to this kind of behavior" Avery The eBay Pink Originally Posted Mar-02-07 19:05:28 PST http://blogs.ebay.com/world_securities/entry/So-Trolling-Is-Okay-best-response-is-no-respon/_W0QQidZ151580010
Definitely explains why there is no troll enforcement on the eBay Discussion Boards.
I don't know. In some real world places*, and even non-eBay discussion groups, trolls are eradicated.
* An individual that will constantly harass and verbally
abuse people at work, unless they're tight with upper management, can
expect severe consequences up to and including job loss and jail time.
Ignoring a problem, sweeping it under the rug, etc. does not make it go away.
Reading between the lines indicates eBay does not expend the resources necessary to properly manage the Discussion Boards.
Poor Avery. This is one of the few eBay employees that seems to care about the 'community.'
First of all, I've only recently come to allow myself to even cautiously use the word "troll". Frankly, I don't like it.
However, two things I have learned over time:
1) Such as thing as "trolling" exists. 2) Accusations of "troll" and "trolling" is far more prevalent than the behavior itself.
And
that leads me to something that I feel is important. While it is easy
to label a person ("troll"), the real issue is a behavior ("trolling").
In reality, the same person might exhibit this type of behavior in the
forums on one site, and be the nicest, most helpful person on another
set of forums.
Trolling is a behavior. And it is a behavior that is specific to getting people "riled up".
Yes,
it is going to sound overly simple and maybe even a bit unsympathetic
for me to say that the best response is no response to this kind of
behavior. But responding to someone who is deliberately trying to get
you "riled up" is exactly the point of behavior.
Walking away
may not be the easiest thing in the world, but sometimes it is the best
thing. Knowing when to respond and when not to respond is important.
So I mentioned a moment ago that I thought the accusations about
trolling were more common than the behavior. This opinion stems in part
from understanding the behavior to not be synonymous with the fellow
poster who may not be the absolute sweetest person in the world.
Ok, sadly, I'm now using this word I don't like more times in this thread that perhaps the my entire life put together.
Not being overly fond of a particular person does not make them a troll. And labeling a person as a troll is either:
1) "not very nice"; or 2) Providing the very response that helps to extend disruptive activity
unfrozen*caveman*lawyer, for the time being, if there are really
egregious situations that need to be looked into, please feel free to
notify me by email. Please understand, though, that when I get
"reports" by email, I really can't respond...which is why I generally
don't post "please email me".
kangabitt, I'm not sure what I said that sounded like I can't answer
email. I apologize for any confusion. I think a comment I was making
earlier is that I don't usually post "please email me".
To
explain further, the reason isn't because I hate email. Unfortunately,
I have found that when people have emailed me about concerns rather
than using the report button, it has sometimes led to frustration when
I can't provide a specific response about action taken or not taken.
Actually,
that reminds me of some of the posts that I noticed about presumed
favoritism. One of the reasons that I am a strong proponent of process
is to help ensure consistency. Yes, I get emails regularly about
various types of situations on the boards. And generally I only respond
to complaints in a very generic way. I am not in the position to listen
to one side of an argument or take action only because of specific
complaint.
) 
) 
) 
) 
) "
)
;){kind=small}
Track up to 10 items on this computer in 
)
)
We go together
)
![]:)](http://forums.ebay.com/db2/images/emoticons/devil.gif)
Thanks
for viewing my item. I’m listing this item for Give Fest, an eBay
employee event where we are selling items for several employee-selected
local charities. 
) 
) 
) 
All rights reserved.
Hi, 
eBay INC 2011 Third Quarter Earnings Call Numbers Of Interest To Small Business Sellers
eBay INC 2011 3rd Quarter Earnings Call Numbers Of Interest To Small Business Sellers
20 October 2011
EventHorizon1984
eBay INC CEO John J. Donahoe lead eBay's Third Quarter Earnings Call with the bold statement, "Q3 was another strong quarter for our company.", while the mood on Wall Street, "EBAY left investors unimpressed," was less energetic. Which leads to the routine question asked by small businesses on eBay, 'How did the Marketplaces section eBay.com do?'.
Well.
Numbers from eBay's 10/19/2011 SEC 8-K filing show net total Marketplaces quarter to quarter revenue growth essentially dead. Down from the previous quarter growth of "5%".
Keep in mind that part of the second quarter growth of 5% can be attributed to eBay's 6 July 2011 additional fee on shipping costs.
Edgar Online - eBay Inc - 8-K - 10/19/2011
Marketplace revenues are principally generated through fees paid by users of eBay.com. The payees being the business who use eBay.com to sell products.
What of the number of products that eBay's less than 1% revenue growth came from?.
According to Medved.net eBay started the third quarter with over 138 million listings per day.
The third quarter ended with approximately 152 million products.
If you were selling on eBay.com, were you using PayPal?
Edgar Online - eBay Inc - 8-K - 10/19/2011
The number of PayPal payments made was a health "6%", compared to the previous quarter's increase of "2%." The PayPal payment volume however was down to "2%", compared to second quarter's "5%" increase.
Edgar Online - eBay Inc - 8-K - 10/19/2011
According the eBay.com numbers, the "Take rate" has remained stable for the past year. The third quarter "Take rate", that is the percentage of a PayPal transaction that Ebay INC keeps, stands at "3.78%."
What about eBay INC's Bill Me Later payment method?
eBay INC reports Bill Me Later losses decreased and increased. The Net charge-off rate has improved slightly to "4.3" from the second quarter's "4.4%." But the 90-day delinquency rate has risen to "2.6%", compared to the previous quarter's "2.2%."
With payment transaction losses remaining more or less stable, it remains to be seen why eBay INC continues to increase the amount of funds held from eBay's customers. Going from 2010 fourth quarter's $2,550,731,000 to this quarter's $3,295,115,000. Yes, that's 3.29 Billion dollars.
Edgar Online - eBay Inc - 8-K - 10/19/2011
What about the continuing buyer and seller claims that there is less merchandise on eBay.com. How deep is eBay.com's product selection? Let's look at the value of merchandise sold.
Edgar Online - eBay Inc - 8-K - 10/19/2011
According to eBay INC in their 8-K statement, Gross Merchandising Volume (GMV) represents the "Total value of all successfully closed items between users on eBay Marketplaces trading platforms during the quarrter, regardless of whether the buyer and seller actually consummated the transaction."
GMV quarter to quarter growth is essentially dead. Third quarter shows less than one percent movement, compared to second quarters "1%." And what of John Donahoe touting a GMV increase of 16%? It's the year to year increase. And this year's GMV, $14,666 million, is coasting downward off of eBay's record 2010 year end GMV of $15,039 million.
The GMV for vehicles decreased "-4%" quarter to quarter. A significant fall from the "9%" increase of the second quarter. Year to year Vehicle GMV growth is also essentially dead.
"EBay is still best known as a discount flea market retailer."
John Donahoe became eBay INC CEO in March 2008, and concluded his third year of CEO stewardship in March 2011. Has there been progress for eBay.com under CEO John Donaohe?
It appears from the above metrics that eBay sellers in aggregate have had their say in the matter.
Here's the non-seller stock market view.
At the start of John Donahoe's tenure, eBay INC's stock price was 29.84 (31 March 2008). Between then and now, the stock reached a top price of 35.35. It is currently trading at 32.14.
Trading was mildly frantic today with current volume at 25,643,763 versus the average daily transaction volume of 14,794,700 shares.
According to eBay INC's official investor page, in the matter of eBay INC stock dividends:
Which means for the average individual investor to materially benefit from eBay INC stock, they must sell and/or buy the stock. In other words, 'buy low, sell high', short, long, et al.
Over the three plus years the eBay INC Pop & Mom investor made $5.51 per share, or posted a 19% return on investment. Assuming they sold their shares when the stock peaked.
Then there's the competition.
Amazon closed at $71.30 on 31 March 2008. Amazon stock is currently at $233.61. Meaning the Amazon Mom & Pop investor would make $162.31 selling their stock now. If we have our sums right, that's a 227% return on investment.
$5.51 versus $162.31. Hmmm. The difference between buying a cup of coffee at Starbucks or an iPod from Apple. As a side note:
With the tepid response to eBay INC's stock price over the past three plus years, there is possible good news for CEO John Donahoe, regarding Amazon's Third Quarter 2011 Earnings Call scheduled for 25 October 2011. It may never happen.
Harold Camping is proclaiming, again, that the World will end tomorrow.
/*
Related articles:
Amazon eBay 2011 Earnings Call Pre-Game Tale of the Tape
eBay INC Stock Price During CEO John Donahoe's Tenure
/*
Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
“We do no market research. We don’t hire consultants. The only consultants I’ve ever hired in my 10 years is one firm to analyze Gateway’s retail strategy so I would not make some of the same mistakes they made [when launching Apple's retail stores]. But we never hire consultants, per se. We just want to make great products."
"You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new."
/*
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Posted on 20 October 2011 at 12:52 in Amazon, Apple, Business, Commentary, eBay, eBay Spotlight, EventHorizon1984, PayPal | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: 8-K, Amazon, Apple, Bill Me Later, dividend, Earnings Call, eBay, eBay stock price, GMV, Gross Merchandising Volume, Harold Camping, John Donahoe, PayPal, Starbucks, Steve Jobs, Take Rate
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