Whats your best supported eBay conspiracy theory? I'LL START!

[vintageantique77]

A conspiracy theory in itself is believing that an entity ( here it is eBay ) is causing a certain event to happen.
Lately a *lot* of my sales have been from California. I live in North Carolina, and I have noticed a common buying market from California for *years*. I would dare to say over 75% of my sales go to the west coast. I am under the suspicion that eBay might throttle or even blanket local traffic, but show your items to people that would generate a good shipping bill - possibly to aid the USPS, FEDEX, or UPS? I believe there is something going on there- I am not unhappy about it, although the California buyers seem to see shipping as a waste of money, and always haggle the price to get rid of shipping costs, or continuously take advantage of the accidental slip up "free shipping" listings before I can even catch them!

Enough of my theory - what's something you've noticed that happens on eBay, that you are pretty sure is an eBay motivated ploy?

[pburn]

Oh, boy.

[ogaugeminiaturefigures]

They make more on the increased shipping fee....Good Theory.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

I sell quite a bit to California, Texas, Florida and New York. I believe ebay is deliberately showing my items to people in these states. But then, I suppose the fact that these four states have the highest population might just be be a more important factor. 

What are the most populated states in the United States? Here is a list of the top ten most populated states in the country:

1. California (Population: 39,747,267)
2. Texas (Population: 29,087,070)
3. Florida (Population: 21,646,155)
4. New York (Population: 19,491,339)
5. Pennsylvania (Population: 12,813,969)
6. Illinois (Population: 12,700,381)
7. Ohio (Population: 11,718,568)
8. Georgia (Population: 10,627,767)
9. North Carolina (Population: 10,497,741)
10. Michigan (Population: 10,020,472)

[vintageantique77]

I just sold something within the past hour - to ....California....I've rarely done business in my state of N.C. I can count on one hand the amount of items I've sold here. I think it's just a little too much of a coincidence...I wonder if I were to change my address to one in CA, I would get sales from east coast areas?

I'm not saying it's a bad thing - First class mail has very little differential across the nation. Other rates, however, very much so. CA can be 20 - 50$ depending on the item...

[mtgraves7984]

I don't make many sales, but the meat of mine go to California, Texas and Florida. (I'm in Tennessee.) Of course, I ship mainly First Class so it wouldn't play into the OP's conspiracy theory. Hmmm...

[caldreamer]

That's funny...I live in California and majority of my sales are on the East Coast (maybe there is something to your theory).

[membersinceaug2001]

Mines opposite of yours.  I'm in Ohio and rarely sell anything to the whole left side of the country.

[luckythewinner]

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@vintageantique77 wrote:

Enough of my theory - what's something you've noticed that happens on eBay, that you are pretty sure is an eBay motivated ploy?

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I believe that eBay used the Managed Payments system to destroy ballots in Pennsylvania. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

I think Ebay covertly promotes and fully backs Ebay conspiracy theories because the people who sell tin foil are in reality  Ebay employees in disguise.  The kickbacks must be ginormous!

[autopartspuller]

Here is a thought to your "theory":  Items that you get on the east coast are not as readily available on the west coast therefore, they would be willing to pay a higher premium for said item.  Plus, they would need to search online venues for these items since, unlike NC where you (and I) are from,  we can search local locations and get deals on same item they can not find in their location.

I have more than one selling account.  Each sells different types of product.  Each has a different area where a majority of my items are sold to.  It's Very likely the product you sell and not a conspiracy 🙂

*Hugs* -Best of luck to you!

[worldwide_ship]

I have a conspiracy theory that PayPal is batch opening up eBay accounts, buying items from sellers and then immediately asking to cancel the order to keep the fees. 

[chapeau-noir]

Ennnhhh...I'm not sure.  I charge flat rate shipping anywhere in the country so eBay doesn't make anything off increased shipping fees.  I sell a lot to California (5th largest economy in the world) and New York City (most of my high end fashion goes there). I live in Washington State.

@southern*sweet*tea  That tin foil:  Huge operation run by eBay employees trying to disguise themselves as Gritty 👀  in the basement of a Italian take-out in South Philly.  Right down the street from my bro.  He's certain of it as TWICE this week a truck has paused in front of the store - it SAYS it's delivering vegetables and pasta, but we all know better.  Then he saw, actually saw, a piece of tin foil lying on the ground on the sidewalk in front.  Incontrovertible evidence.  He'd stake his davy on it.

[backroomnoir]

No sales for days, then 2 within an hour to different buyers in South Dakota.... hmm, interesting... very.  

[evry1nositswindy]

@membersinceaug2001 Hi fellow buckeye!  Most of my sales are California, Florida, Texas, and New York.  Higher taxes equals more fees for eBay since fees are charges on total.  @mtgraves7894 first class goes by distance, so it applies to you.  Further away equals more fees since eBay charges their fee on the total price, which includes tax and shipping.