Does anybody accept this as an adequate explanation of the eBay Collections email?

[argusmike]

So yesterday at about 3PM PDT, the eBay collections department sent out a message to sellers all over the world saying that the seller was behind in their fee payments and that the matter needed their immediate attention to preserve their selling account.

Except it wasn't true.

The CS lines were backed up for 4 hours. Hundreds of sellers wrote to this and other boards reporting that they could not figure out if the message was real or a phishing attack by someone with access to eBay servers. Ebay responded that they would send out a correction this morning. Mine is appended below.

I think we are owed a better explanation.

Dear argusmike,

On August 20, we sent you an email with the subject line ‘Keep your account in good standing - payment needed’, indicating that your payment was due. That email was inadvertently sent to you. We’re sorry for the time you may have spent reviewing and responding. We value your time and we apologize.

Your account is in good standing and there is no action required by you.

As always, to review your current payment status:
1. Go to My eBay, and then select Account.
2. Select the All account activity link in the Account Summary section.

Thanks for your understanding.
eBay

[argusmike]

Dear argusmike,

On August 20, we sent you an email with the subject line ‘Keep your account in good standing - payment needed’, indicating that your payment was due. That email was inadvertently sent to you. We’re sorry for the time you may have spent reviewing and responding. We value your time and we apologize.

Your account is in good standing and there is no action required by you.

As always, to review your current payment status:
1. Go to My eBay, and then select Account.
2. Select the All account activity link in the Account Summary section.

Thanks for your understanding.
eBay

[goodluckselling]

What do have in mind?

• They admitted it was an error and that they were sorry,
• and they apologized and
• said they value your time. 
• They gave you clear understanding that your account is in good standing,
• Gave you directions on how to check your account for future use
• and asked for your understanding.

Was there some different kind of apology or explanation you want from them?

Good Luck Selling!

[ammart_6257]

Yes, it's perfectly adequate.

[orangehound]

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@argusmike wrote:

I think we are owed a better explanation.

---

I would imagine that the explanation is the same as all the other problems that we now experience daily, including weekly software glitches and the worst customer service in America ... simply eBay made the cost-cutting decision to employ multitudes of people at the lowest rates they can find (from third world countries), and these under-paid, under-skilled people make mistake after mistake after mistake ...

[gracieallen01]

It is sure a good thing that ebay doesn't use the Chinese, as the same word can - and usually does - have 6 different meanings, depending on how it is spoken.  One glitch - same glitch - 5 different ways! 

Now, THAT would be entertainment!

[tunicaslot]

Actually if you look at the salary sites - Ebay pays pretty darm good. A software engineer for Ebay pays better than a google software engineer.

I agree there are alot of glitches here but every one employs people from other countries - none of these tech companies is exempt.

[Anonymous]

What is noticeably absent is assurance to Ebay's trusted partners that their personal information is safe and secure contrary to the misguided information from many CS agents that the emails were a phishing scheme. Is this an oversight or the wording is absent because it would be untrue. I'm with OP. This email (which I have yet to receive) is grossly inadequate.

[thatsallfolks]

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@argusmike wrote:

I think we are owed a better explanation.

---

What kind of explanation are you looking for? Technical? Procedural? Want screen shots?

[zamo-zuan]

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@tunicaslot wrote:

Actually if you look at the salary sites - Ebay pays pretty darm good. A software engineer for Ebay pays better than a google software engineer.

I agree there are alot of glitches here but every one employs people from other countries - none of these tech companies is exempt.

---

When an eBay manager came to visit us in person, I expressed issues with the tech team, and mentioned how their API documentation is so far out of date that it stated it "required Visual Studio 2008"... when in reality, the API would not open in any version before 2013. 

Meaning their documentation was up to 5 years out of date.

He told me we would be shocked by how small the eBay tech team is, for a site the size of eBay.

So higher pay may not mean much if there's a very small team. Trading off experience and knowledge, for manpower. Trade off between either knowledgable, or overworked.

[bubbleman2010]

I thought the three different sign  in pages using four different languages would be ebays buffet de jour glitch of the week,but the payday loan advance takes the #1 spot so far,but the week is still young...

[orangehound]

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@tunicaslot wrote:

Actually if you look at the salary sites - Ebay pays pretty darm good. A software engineer for Ebay pays better than a google software engineer.

---

Whatever their mix of highly-paid and lowly-paid software folks might be, eBay is clearly suffering from a software development process (or culture) that is highly undisciplined and in need of implementing modern quality control.

Software engnineering is much more than coding.

[gracieallen01]

Hey, give them time.    As you say, the week is still young. 

[abfabvintage]

@goodluckselling

Hi, GL: With all due respect:

But if you go through all the many threads, a lot if not most sellers were Restricted. Meaning, they could not list is how I read it. So if that is the case considering sellers having to call into eBay with hours on hold, over either a 24 or even 72 hour period, panicked they were in collections, I am sure the eBay reply is really not enough. Some sellers knew to check the various areas like PP and wherever, but some even went in and changed their passwords for both sites assuming it was Spoof or a Hack, and sent the mails to spoof at ebay. 

I wasn't affected since I don't use PP as a payment method. And I can guarantee you, those new sellers (and even seasoned sellers not paying attention) would have made a double payment after getting that initial email from eBay Collections. So do they get their money back if they double paid, or will it be solved by offering a credit on next month's bill. And what about the down time of not being able to list.

Sorry, not blaming you, but to me a laid back attitude about it doesn't help those that were affected and are probably still affected since one poster early this morning said they were told it will be rectified within 24 hours.  Well 24 hours would mean some time tomorrow. Again, am going to use that phrase I detest "and with all due respect..."  I need ebay Tee shirts made up with that phrase, really.

[emerald40]

JMO, but what about those who through no fault of their own have to wait 24 hours to get their account unsuspended?

But I am glad that someone on the dark web does not have all my personal information and that it was only a glitch.

But does that mean now, that if it does not go through ebay email, it still might be legit because I deleted mine without reading.  Having been hacked 5 times here, I was not waiting for No 6.

[goodluckselling]

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@abfabvintage wrote:

@goodluckselling

Hi, GL: With all due respect:

But if you go through all the many threads, a lot if not most sellers were Restricted. Meaning, they could not list is how I read it. So if that is the case considering sellers having to call into eBay with hours on hold, over either a 24 or even 72 hour period, panicked they were in collections, I am sure the eBay reply is really not enough.

I wasn't affected since I don't use PP as a payment method. And I can guarantee you, those new sellers (and even seasoned sellers not paying attention) would have made a double payment after getting that initial email from eBay Collections. So do they get their money back if they double paid, or will it be solved by offering a credit on next month's bill. And what about the down time of not being able to list.

Sorry, not blaming you, but to me a laid back attitude about it doesn't help those that were affected

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If you feel the eBay explantion and apology was not enough, then what do you think you would like to see them do?  This thread is about debating the actions, so since you do not think it was enough, what is enough in your opinion?

What about the down time?  I am not sure what you are getting at here?

I do not see it as a laid back attitude and not sure how you got to that opinion?  They said it was an error on there part and they were sorry in a number of different ways in the message the OP shared.

Good Luck Selling!