Buyer protection structure unlikely to change

[sg51]

I see a lot of complaints about how buyer protection works.

Indeed, it often seems unfair.

But it's not changing.

Successful sellers would do best by understanding which way the wind blows, and making money in that climate.

[dhbookds]

Yep, it is what it is..........

[ed8108]

Since ebay does appear desperate to attract more buyers not more sellers, I don't expect a change will be occuring anytime soon.

[slippinjimmy]

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@ed8108 wrote:

Since ebay does appear desperate to attract more buyers not more sellers, I don't expect a change will be occuring anytime soon.

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You make it sound like the sellers who are currently here are overloaded with customers and only eBay is desperate for more buyers.

eBay certainly wants to attract more buyers, who doesn't. but the way for them to do that is to attract sellers with desirable goods and highly competitive pricing.

If anything, to remain valid eBay needs to strengthen Buyer protection and more importantly increase the overall service levels that buyers experience.

[ted_200]

eBay certainly wants to attract more buyers, who doesn't. but the way for them to do that is to attract sellers with desirable goods and highly competitive pricing.

I completely agree with that! 

But they're not going to attract those sellers and goods and pricing with a "Buyer Protection structure" that allows criminals to steal merchandise and penalizes sellers for fighting it, or even just allowing it, and even sanctions/penalizes sellers for basic remorse returns. 

If anything, to remain valid eBay needs to strengthen Buyer protection and more importantly increase the overall service levels that buyers experience.

I think buyers (real ones, that a seller might actually want) would prefer to shop a site where even stronger Buyer protection (it's about as iron-clad as it can be already!) isn't needed. 

[luckythewinner]

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@sg51 wrote:

Successful sellers would do best by understanding which way the wind blows, and making money in that climate.

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Or to put it another way: 

Sellers need to recognize that any eBay buyer can steal any eBay item from any eBay seller at any time. 

[sg51]

Sellers need to recognize that any eBay buyer can steal any eBay item from any eBay seller at any time. 

The way I say that is "A sufficiently skilled, persistent thief can steal any item you list on ebay".

That's the climate a seller has to be able to profit in.

It helps to have a solid grasp of reality.

[luckythewinner]

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@sg51 wrote:

"A sufficiently skilled, persistent thief can steal any item you list on ebay".

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IMHo claiming SNAD and returning a phone book does not require skill or persistence. It requires a computer, a paypal account and a pulse.  

[vintagecraze50]

Yes, but at any given time a seller can rip off a buyer as well.  So, by having this to deal with, how can buyer protection ever be any less than it is at present. Sellers are given a priveledge to sell here, and many abuse that priveledge. Buyers have all the consumer protection laws in place to serve them no matter where they buy, and with buying stuff with a pic and descript and no hands on dealings. Now, buyers who open multiple accounts over and over and over and over again and steal, that's a different situation.

[ted_200]

Yes, but at any given time a seller can rip off a buyer as well. 

How?  I thought the entire point of all "Buyer Protection" structure this was to make that not possible.

[sg51]

Yes, but at any given time a seller can rip off a buyer as well. 

That's much harder, and it gets harder yet as the value goes up.

If we consider known seller scams, they work sort of well for low value items, and ebay covers buyer for medium value items, just as they cover seller for medium value scams.  So far, sort of symmetrical, except that it's far more difficult.

But for higher value items, it turns dramatically different. Buyer is far more likely to win a high value case against a scamming seller than seller is likely to win against a scamming buyer.

[sg51]

For sure, it's not the case that a skilled, persistent thief will be able to steal buyer's payment on any item listed on ebay.