Why everyone I know is no longer using ebay...

[octarr]

Ebay, like all other large corporations are in business to make money. It no longer matters how. They know that if you stop using their platform 10 others will start. It is a perpetual revolving door of "who cares - 10 others will join today".

I am a long time client of ebay and used their site regularly.

The first thing that bothered me was when people started to offer a $100 item for $1 and shipping for $99.

They did this to circumvent the fees from the selling price. It was deceptive and ebay should have terminated their accounts. Instead ebay put fees on shipping costs to insure the scammers wouldn't be able to scam. But that punished the decent honest people. I once purchased a large, heavy item for $1200. Shipping was $600. I could not buy that item today because the selling fees and shipping fees would be exorbitant.

That ended listing and buying large items on ebay.

The next problem I have is when I look for some antique and a billion new items appear as "antique". I have to spend hours searching for what I want. It isn't worth my time.

Then there is the "numbers" game. I searched for a 5" hole saw from lowest to highest price. An infinite amount of offers popped up with prices quoted in a "range". ( ie $2.75 - 57.23) In these posts you select the size you want to buy but now I have to look through each one just to see what the 5" saw costs. More time wasted.

Next there is the "algorithms" game. This is when ebay steers you to a particular item. I looked for a computer module for my car and ebay presented one that was inoperative. Friends told me there about a dozen of them listed that didn't appear for me. Here's how that works: Someone has an item that has been listed for a very long time and is not selling. ebay will present only that item to a buyer who is not a regular buyer hoping that he buys it and the seller is happy finally selling it. Ebay is trying to keep the seller happy at the expense of the buyer. When my friends told me the item numbers of the items that did not appear on my screen I was finally able to see them. Deceptive.

With refunds, I and several friends have fought many times with ebay to get a refund from items that were not as described. Sometimes the seller never even answered ebay! Ebay would rather keep sellers with higher volume sales happy than you. You represent a small profit and the seller represents big money to ebay.

The worst thing for a seller is that someone sees your product and is ready to purchase it. They scroll down and see ebay lists ads of the same product for other sellers. Ebay makes a profit for listing these ads and doesnt care that they are directing your customer away from you. Why sell anything if ebay is going to steer your customers away to others?

These are things that I and others have tested and found to be true. I could go on with more.

Ebay used to be fun but now it has become so complicated that it isn't worth the time.

Every time they say they are improving or making it easier is a farce.

I don't know why no one has developed a rival auction platform that only charges a flat fee of $5 for selling and buying. If a million people list items and they sell that would generate $10,000,000 dollars.

Doesn't that motivate any or those computer wizards out there?

[octarr]

When a seller advertises a warranty WITH the purchase of an item and does not actually have a warranty - that is fraud. If they advertise this fraud and the advertiser (ebay) was made aware of the fraud they should address it. Even though ebay has a disclaimer, they are still legally responsible if they are aware the fraud is occurring. In this instance they were made aware. When they spoke with the company they were told there was no warranty. Yet ebay has not asked them to remove the claim from their listings. This makes ebay a party to deceptive advertising.

[octarr]

I don't hate ebay either.

I just don't use it as much anymore. It's unfortunate for them because I would be as dedicated a seller/buyer as I used to be. I have suggested many times that when someone lists an antique in the antique category, it be a true antique. It should be made clear that the item must be "x" years old. This would solve the problem. 

As for those items that are unrelated to your search, I agree. Add that to my list. It adds more annoyance to the search. It will eventually discourage more people from shopping through ebay.

[luckythewinner]

They know that if you stop using their platform 10 others will start. It is a perpetual revolving door of "who cares - 10 others will join today".

If that were true, then the number of active buyers and sellers that eBay reports in their SEC filings would increase each quarter.

But they have not.

So either the number of people like you who are leaving is negligible, or your entire premise is wrong.

[octarr]

Yup.  And will go on and on.....maybe. (All things do come to an end.)

But isn't it silly to push away ANY customer?

Big companies become so intense on  details to get to a higher profit margin. They forget that some of their strategies ward off customers, too.  Most of the shoppers that wane off are older dedicated customers, the ones that feel a strong connection because they were there at the beginning. 

There are ways to make changes that won't alienate these people. The most important one is to listen to your customer, not just some strategist.

[octarr]

Why am I here:

I don't know. I guess its another attempt to be heard by ebay so they can understand what their customers want. Like most companies today, they just don't care.

I don't hate ebay but I wish they could stop "improving" it by making it more complicated. It is a discouragement.

I said I use ebay, but only as a last resort. Don't you think that ebay should wonder why someone who began with their company and used it regularly has dropped off? Don't you think customer feedback is important?

Instead, here I am posting on a blog that really is not designed to accomplish anything but allow people to vent.

So why AM I here?

[bonjourami]

"So why AM I here?'

Good question if you are that unhappy here..why waste your time?

[gohealthyhome]

I ended using Ebay today after my most recent issue that occurred 29 and 3o Number 2024. Ebay has become what we all knew it would become, and that is a site that has been taken over by sellers taking advantage of the Ebay rules and leaving screwed buyers in their wake with no consequences for anything they do.  And it doesn't take an IQ of 156 to see it and understand it.  I could write a book on the ways the sellers screw the buyers and how Ebay stands on the side of these time and time again.  I tried to give Ebay the benefit of the doubt, but the more time that passes the more are allowed to operate on this site. What a **bleep** good idea Ebay was when it began, but unfortunately it became what we knew it would and that is a shame. And Ebay wound teaching all of the other auction/buying sites how to go about allowing to operate with no exposure to any justice (social or legal).   The only site I have used in which I have never been scammed and always receive perfectly acceptable assistance in case anything ever did go wrong, is Amazon. I know everybody hates it, but they have become so successful because they will look out for both the seller and buyer, and I don't think they would put up with any seller acting like those that sell on Ebay.  So everyone just be aware that you really run a serious risk of getting screwed by using Ebay.  And I know they will block this, just as they block any negative feedback we may leave for a seller. All the seller has to do is ask Ebay to block that feedback and they do, even if a ton of documented evidence exists in Ebay showing exactly how terribly you were treated.  This recent event the past couple of days has cost me many hundreds of dollars, an inability to pay my bills that are due on the 1st of every month, and having to cancel my bank card and being issued a new one (and all that entails). I  know my bank will stand behind me and I'll eventually get my money back, but I'm sure it will come out of my bank's pocket and not Ebay or the seller who still holds all of that money and didn't have to provide any merchandise nor expose their crooked seller to negative feedback.  Good riddance.

[jerseyboymusic]

@octarr @gohealthyhome 

No buyer is ever "screwed" here.. no buyer should feel like they have to "fight" Ebay.

Ebay's MBG is so liberal.  I've NEVER had ANY problem as a buyer. 

As far as warranties... when I bought my hot water heater at Home Depot a few years ago, I knew it had a warranty. I would HAVE to deal with the manufacturer, not Home Depot.  Ebay is a platform, just as Home Depot, Lowes, WalMart, etc are platforms.

Maybe a lot of people are unaware of how this site works. Ebay overrides ANYTHING a seller has in place as far as returns. So, especially @gohealthyhome , if you allow yourself to be scammed,  it isn't Ebay's fault.  All you have to do is click a few clicks and it is easier than finding these boards and ranting. Unless you can elaborate

[fern*wood]

That would be a book I'd like to read, seriously.  You wrote that rant with passion, but I don't understand how a buyer could lose anything since the money back guarantee is pretty solid unless you've lost the ability to use it.    I've never lost anything when buying on ebay.  I've lost when selling on occasion.  Feedback doesn't concern me and I agree it gets removed, but not as often as it used to.

[gohealthyhome]

I will try to be brief.

Saw a sellers item for sale or best offer.  Item had a broken knob but worked as it should otherwise.  Contacted seller right then to confirm, he confirmed that the device worked but had a broken knob. Made seller offer immediately, seller accepted offer immediately, deal done. Five minutes later I get email stating the order was canceled due to "Not in stock or unknown damage".  I started a conversation with seller, he stated that he had discovered. I asked why didn't he contact me, tell me what the damage was that he had discovered so timely, and if I still wanted to continue with the purchase or cancel the order.  No reason given, all he would do is quote his 100% positive rating (which I place no faith in because they are not true feedbacks, all the seller has to do is tell Ebay to block any negative feedback and Ebay will).   I checked with my bank and the sale amount was charged to my bank card and ten minutes later my account was refunded the sale amount. One minute later my account was again charged for the sale amount.  I contacted seller who stated that all would be resolved.  So my account has been charged $$$$ and no product is forthcoming.  Ebay was contacted (your so called few clicks), and the standard procedures are again in play.  They will look into it and get back with me in time.  Or should I say the computer will get back with me in time. I don't think Ebay has any humans working customer service, only in accounts receivable.  So I did my due dilligence, contacted the seller, communicated with the seller, asked pertinent questions, and paid what I owed as soon as he accepted.  So this brief summary of what has happened has happened to me five other times. They use the "not in stock or unknown damage" each and every time, they double charge my account and make one refund".  I would love to run a business like that, except if I did that without associating with a corporate giant, I would be arrested. So I don't, and I wouldn't anyway because unlike most of the world, I wouldn't do that to someone. So I'm really glad you have been so lucky as to not have to deal with these people, but I don't waste all this time posting something if I felt I wasn't being fair.  But enough is enough.  And I don't think I mentioned anything about warranties, so not sure where you got that from.  Ebay offers no warranties, and the sellers defintely do not offer warranties. These days just about every Seller makes it well known that they do not and will not accept returns for any reason. The only warranty you get is that you may or may not receive what you paid for and completely guaranteed to be charged for it. Peave and Love everyone.

[gohealthyhome]

APPLAUSE...APPLAUSE....APPLAUSE.

[turtles-trading-post]

I’ve often thought when you die and go to Hell, they assign you to perpetually work the eBay help line!

[turtles-trading-post]

As part of my research I bought something on TEMU.  I was looking for shelving units for my inventory. Locally, these were $2-300 a unit. Then TEMU got wind of my searches and started sending me info on shelves.

Their units were $80 with free shipping. I was leery, saw they said “local warehouse” so I gave it a shot. Delivery was 3 days later from a warehouse a state away. The units went together easy and are heavy duty. No complaints here.

On the other side, they will message haunt you all day long!  And I am very aware that they are bombing the USA with impossible low prices just to get one up on Amazon.

[retrogames10000]

The results of my experiment, making my own website

I made my own website in February and listed 1000 items for sale, at less than my prices on eBay,

and spent about $150 on hosting and probably a full-time month listing the items

I received daily spam from bots asking for money to improve my SEO, zero sales, only two contacts from legitimate customers

I have recently deleted my website and now understand I should be more thankful that eBay works for me

I could make an auction website that is free with no fees and no one would come 🙂  

[mam98031]

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@jerseyboymusic wrote:

@octarr @gohealthyhome 

No buyer is ever "screwed" here.. no buyer should feel like they have to "fight" Ebay.

Ebay's MBG is so liberal.  I've NEVER had ANY problem as a buyer. 

As far as warranties... when I bought my hot water heater at Home Depot a few years ago, I knew it had a warranty. I would HAVE to deal with the manufacturer, not Home Depot.  Ebay is a platform, just as Home Depot, Lowes, WalMart, etc are platforms.

Maybe a lot of people are unaware of how this site works. Ebay overrides ANYTHING a seller has in place as far as returns. So, especially @gohealthyhome , if you allow yourself to be scammed,  it isn't Ebay's fault.  All you have to do is click a few clicks and it is easier than finding these boards and ranting. Unless you can elaborate

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This is untrue and very is a very myopic view of the site.  We have sellers that participate in scams against buyer too.  Certainly most sellers just as most buyers are honest people.  But in the fractions are those that are more than willing to steal from others and they are problematic for all of us.

I personally have been an active and full time seller for around 25ish years.  I personally have had two sellers in recent memory try to take advantage of my by the old scam of shipping a light weight package to somewhere in my zip code, but not to my address.  Fortunately I was smarter than the thieves and far more experienced on the site, so I didn't lose a dime.  But sadly this type of scam happens far too often here.

Warranties are a completely different animal and are NOT the same thing as a return policy.  So unless the seller is also the manufacturer, they aren't responsible for a warranty.  You have that correct to be sure.

Ebay does NOT "overrides ANYTHING a seller has in place as far as returns."  Sellers need to understand that our return policies are suppose to meet or exceed the Money Back Guarantee.  It has been that way since Ebay started the MBG.  We just have some sellers that either don't realize that are firmly believe the rules don't apply to them.  But Ebay hasn't changed how they rule on these things.