eBay

9llchingy · ‎03-26-2020

I listed 3 large cans of Lysol for auction starting at $9.95 and a Buy It Now price of $74.95. I had a buyer pay for two of my listing paying the $74.95 for each. Ebay emails me payment confirmation and to ship both orders. I go to post office first thing next morning and ship both orders and file the tracking number with Ebay and buyer. Then I get an email from Ebay the payment is on HOLD.

I checked listings prior to putting up my own auctions. I saw hundreds of auctions and sold auction with much higher prices then the price I listed. Why is my auctions being put on hold and buyers returned their payments AFTER I shipped some of my orders. What is a FAIR price for Lysol? Please I can't afford to ship items and pay shipping cost and not get paid for items I shipped. Many sellers like myself have to go to the post office at risk of getting infected, is it really to much to ask for $20 to $30 for one large can of Lysol?

mesodude · ‎03-26-2020

“They aren't? eBay was the only place in the US to find Lysol?”

I’m merely explaining a problem that price gouging laws are meant to address. If you want to talk about eBay, let’s talk about eBay and leave “businesses” out of it.

”The Lysol hospitals and similar institutions use is not what you buy off the shelf at wal-mart.”

LOL You’re still flailing and trying to justify immoral and likely illegal behavior. Why is that? You’re looking for a loophole that says you can price gouge depending on whether the disinfectant is meant for the types of bacteria found in a hospital vs a home? Seriously?

equid0x · ‎03-26-2020

@mesodude wrote:
“They aren't? eBay was the only place in the US to find Lysol?”

I’m merely explaining a problem that price gouging laws are meant to address. If you want to talk about eBay, let’s talk about eBay and leave “businesses” out of it.

”The Lysol hospitals and similar institutions use is not what you buy off the shelf at wal-mart.”

LOL You’re still flailing and trying to justify immoral and likely illegal behavior. Why is that? You’re looking for a loophole that says you can price gouge depending on whether the disinfectant is meant for the types of bacteria found in a hospital vs a home? Seriously?

Its not really a loophole. You're still "flailing and trying to justify the immoral and likely illegal behavior" of accusing other sellers or price gouging who are not.

So far, it looks like New York & Kentucky are the only states that have declared Lysol "essential for life." Thank God I don't live in either of those states.

Honestly, this whole thing is nothing more than mass hysteria fomented by "influencers" on social media, talking heads on CNN and MSNBC, and political pundits at NY Post/Times/Washington Post, etc.

If you want to compare actual numbers, standard Influenzas are statistically much more widespread and much more deadly. We don't declare state/national emergencies and shut everything down over any other strain of the Flu. I strongly believe that this is nothing more than an effort by the liberal crowd to make the current administration look bad during an election year.

The CDC estimated 60.8 million cases in the US of Swine Flu in 2009..... 274,304 hospitalizations, and 12,469 deaths. Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html

Was there a moratorium on Lysol sales in 2009?

So far, we have 68,440 total cases and 994 deaths in the US due to COVID-19 as of 3/26/20. Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html

In fact, if you go look at the CDC's own graphs, the number of new cases already peaked on 3/13/20.

mesodude · ‎03-26-2020

“Its not really a loophole. “

LOL. I didn’t state you found a loophole. I said you’re trying to find loopholes to justify your attempts to price gouge. You came here hoping you’d find someone to tell you what you’re doing isn’t immoral or illegal and you’ve failed. No matter how many desperate ways you try to spin and rationalize reprehensible behavior, you will not be allowed to sell disinfectant on eBay. You will be reported. Immediately. This, I can promise you. 😀

“Honestly, this whole thing is nothing more than mass hysteria fomented by "influencers" on social media, talking heads on CNN and MSNBC, and political pundits at NY Post/Times/Washington Post, etc.”

More rationalizing. Your opinion does not trump what is. You are not allowed to exploit an emergency for profit. Whine about eBay’s response and the national response all you want. It won’t change the fact that what you want to do is profit excessively from the country’s reaction to a pandemic. It’s absolutely immoral.

”If you want to compare actual numbers, standard Influenzas are statistically much more widespread and much more deadly. We don't declare state/national emergencies and shut everything down over any other strain of the Flu. I strongly believe that this is nothing more than an effort by the liberal crowd to make the current administration look bad during an election year. ”

I don’t want to compare anything. You think that if you fixate on the your own narrow definitions and interpretations of the law, this will somehow make you unaccountable for behavior you know in your heart is wrong. All your posts here are for naught. Maybe if you write lots of messages to eBay complaining about the national response and rationalizing price gouging, they’ll change their policy. I doubt it but it will be more useful than trying to convince people here to bless your desire to profit during a pandemic. Good luck.

equid0x · ‎03-26-2020

@mesodude wrote:
“Its not really a loophole. “

LOL. I didn’t state you found a loophole. I said you’re trying to find loopholes to justify your attempts to price gouge. You came here hoping you’d find someone to tell you what you’re doing isn’t immoral or illegal and you’ve failed. No matter how many desperate ways you try to spin and rationalize reprehensible behavior, you will not be allowed to sell disinfectant on eBay. You will be reported. Immediately. This, I can promise you. 😀

“Honestly, this whole thing is nothing more than mass hysteria fomented by "influencers" on social media, talking heads on CNN and MSNBC, and political pundits at NY Post/Times/Washington Post, etc.”

More rationalizing. Your opinion does not trump what is. You are not allowed to exploit an emergency for profit. Whine about eBay’s response and the national response all you want. It won’t change the fact that what you want to do is profit excessively from the country’s reaction to a pandemic. It’s absolutely immoral.

”If you want to compare actual numbers, standard Influenzas are statistically much more widespread and much more deadly. We don't declare state/national emergencies and shut everything down over any other strain of the Flu. I strongly believe that this is nothing more than an effort by the liberal crowd to make the current administration look bad during an election year. ”

I don’t want to compare anything. You think that if you fixate on the your own narrow definitions and interpretations of the law, this will somehow make you unaccountable for behavior you know in your heart is wrong. All your posts here are for naught. Maybe if you write lots of messages to eBay complaining about the national response and rationalizing price gouging, they’ll change their policy. I doubt it but it will be more useful than trying to convince people here to bless your desire to profit during a pandemic. Good luck.

Well, first of all, I don't sell any hand sanitizers or lysol or face masks or anything of the sort.

Secondly, I don't sell anything at all on eBay. I told eBay right where to stick it well over a year ago now and haven't looked back.

We shall see who gets held accountable. I'm willing to bet all of the empty threats from AGs up for re-election and bull-pucky articles from politically slanted newspapers go nowhere fast when the courts re-open.

See, in order for the charges to stick, a crime actually has to be committed.

As we've already clarified, New York & Kentucky are the only two states so far with any legal provisions that would apply to the sale of these items. Possibly California as well since they have a blanket 10% price increase provision during a State of Emergency declared by the President.

Perhaps if you'd like a bit more sympathy toward your anti-seller viewpoints, you'll find it over on the buyer boards. I'd also strongly advise against the repeated personal attacks, they're against the forum rules.

padi3353 · ‎03-26-2020

No one is forcing anyone to buy them either.
Also, a seller on ebay could not possibly resale for just 10% more. You have 10% taken from your sell for fees. Not to mention your listing fees, paypal fees, shipping supplies. I think all the people who are calling price gouging could not possibly be sellers who understand all the fees.
And what if the seller listed their product at a reasonable price but the buyers drove that up to a price people call price gouging?

mesodude · ‎03-26-2020

I’m stating facts only. You are here making excuses and advocating for the to right price gouge during a pandemic. It’s here repeatedly in black and white. I’m sorry if you feel you’re being attacked by my pointing out exactly what you are doing. And I am a seller, thank you. I’m sorry you’ve failed to gain sympathy for price gouger rights today but I wish you luck.

equid0x · ‎03-26-2020

@mesodude wrote:
I’m stating facts only. You are here making excuses and advocating for the to right price gouge during a pandemic. It’s here repeatedly in black and white. I’m sorry if you feel you’re being attacked by my pointing out exactly what you are doing. And I am a seller, thank you. I’m sorry you’ve failed to gain sympathy for price gouger rights today but I wish you luck.

What facts are those? The fact that its perfectly legal, as of right now, to markup hand sanitizer, lysol, and n95 masks to any price you want in 47/50 states?

Price gouging has a specific legal definition - one that doesn't apply to the items you're saying it does if one does not live in either New York, Kentucky, or California. In all 3 of those states, it was perfectly legal to charge any price you wanted for those items up until the point at which the executive orders were signed restricting those items in those states.

I'm sorry you can't stick to facts to win an argument. I think your response to me a couple posts up was pretty clearly a threat to report any item of mine you felt didn't meet whatever criteria you deemed necessary and I bet the moderators will feel the same way about it.

"I’m sorry if you feel you’re being attacked by my pointing out exactly what you are doing."

Again, you're accusing me of price gouging items that I don't even sell. Please take your baseless accusations elsewhere.

lightlily_arts · ‎03-26-2020

All of your listings for Lysol were illegal and price gouging. During a National Emergency hygiene and sanitation items are covered under essentials and subject to price gouging laws. You can't sell over 10% of the fair market value in your state. And that refers to the pre-crisis price of these items. I noticed you didn't mention the listing for the 12 Lysol cans.

911 lysol.JPG

equid0x · ‎03-26-2020

@lightlily_arts wrote:
All of your listings for Lysol were illegal and price gouging. During a National Emergency hygiene and sanitation items are covered under essentials and subject to price gouging laws. You can't sell over 10% of the fair market value in your state. And that refers to the pre-crisis price of these items. I noticed you didn't mention the listing for the 12 Lysol cans.

I wish to point out, that would only apply if the items had been sold to someone residing within one of the restricted states. We don't know where the buyer resides.

Also, if you're quoting NYS law, the actual law states "unconscionably excessive price"(whatever that is). There is no 10% cap in the state of New York.

For instance, here in Nevada, no such law exists. Currently, it would be perfectly legal to sell Lysol to anyone in the state of Nevada at the quoted price, even though we are under a state of emergency as declared by the Governor. Interestingly, we haven't seen much gouging going on. Only frozen pizzas, ground beef, and milk come to mind. Pretty much everything else is still selling at normal prices, even hand sanitizer and toilet paper.

lightlily_arts · ‎03-27-2020

The seller lives in New York. New York's Sen. Hoylman stated that an 'unconscionable excessive price' is a price greater than 10% higher than before a public health emergency began"

mesodude · ‎03-27-2020

Thanks. This is very straightforward. The OP knows very well what qualifies as price gouging. The OP saw other sellers engaging in price gouging, took this as a sign that he/she too should roll the dice and try to profit during a pandemic—and lost that gamble. The OP was caught red-handed in the act of price gouging during a pandemic and was deservedly slapped down hard by eBay. Bizarrely, the OP then came to this board expecting sympathy and making every excuse under the sun why they should be able to break the law and profit excessively on sanitizer while thousands of people all over the world are getting sick and dying in a pandemic. The OP assumes no accountability for engaging in price gouging and has even threatened to whine to eBay that he/she is being “personally” attacked here for trying and failing to profit excessively while thousands die. Outrageous and shameful, IMHO.

andrew547 · ‎03-27-2020

@equid0x wrote:
Simply put, its not a crime, even if you wish it was.

As it turns out, the OP is in NY, which fines price gougers up to $25K per incident. In other states it's a crime. With a fine like that, many would prefer jail.

I don't have a preference one way or another. It doesn't affect me at all.

equid0x · ‎03-27-2020

@lightlily_arts wrote:
The seller lives in New York. New York's Sen. Hoylman stated that an 'unconscionable excessive price' is a price greater than 10% higher than before a public health emergency began"

Needs to be codified in law somehow. The senator clearly hasn't passed a bill themself, so did the Governor sign to it in an executive order?

It doesn't matter where the seller lives. It matters where the buyer lives. I could live in New York and sell things that are illegal to sell in New York to people in other states where it is legal every day of the week.

equid0x · ‎03-27-2020

@andrew547 wrote:
@equid0x wrote:
Simply put, its not a crime, even if you wish it was.
As it turns out, the OP is in NY, which fines price gougers up to $25K per incident. In other states it's a crime. With a fine like that, many would prefer jail.

I don't have a preference one way or another. It doesn't affect me at all.

Again, the item has to be sold to a resident of New York. New York's AG has ZERO power to file a case on behalf of a resident of another state.

Possession is not illegal. Sale to a resident of New York at an "unconscionable" price is illegal.

Also, if someone has found the 10% rule codified into an executive order somewhere, please post it. A public statement by a Senator does not create or modify state law in any way.

All the time on here, people simply completely lacking basic understanding of how the legal system in the United States works.

The Senator could issue a public statement that you must only ride flying pigs to church in Sunday and it still won't be a law.