Would you guys be comfortable if eBay had a authentication process like stockx?

[choochoo97]

Would you guys be comfortable if eBay activated a new policy of checking package before they got to the buyer? Like what stockx has. 

Making sure the item is the same as the photos and what the buyer describes. I think stockx has shown people are willing to wait a little longer to make sure everything is 100% good. I think one of the biggest problem with eBay claims is that it quickly turns to a ¨he said she said¨ situation.  

I would like to know y'all insight or the problems you see with it. 

[debad4042]

Ebay had a service where you actually sent your item to their "partner" to sell. It failed.

They also have (or had) similar for designer bags. I know a few folks who got fake bags from that service.

I wouldn't trust any to open my item, check it, and repack it. Plus it would still be he said she said, both between the seller and the person checking, then between the checker and the buyer.

[soh.maryl]

So the seller would ship the item first to eBay's authentication service?

How much time do you figure that would add to the shipping when buyer are already complaining if they do not receive their item lightning quick? And how many different experts do you figure eBay would have to hire to do this?

FYI, in those "he said, she said" situations, if he is the dissatisfied buyer, all he has to do is open an item not as described case and the seller will be sending him a prepaid shipping label and refunding him in full upon receipt of the returned item.

Have you read the Money Back Guarantee for buyers? 

[coolections]

Unless you are selling very high end expensive item buyers would never want to pay to make sure they get what you list as authentic. We know the seller would not pay so the cost would go to the buyer.  Ebay already has a guarantee that you will not sell a buyer a fake.

[choochoo97]

Yes I have read that policy and I mean from the pov of the seller not buyer.

[choochoo97]

I like your point on the expensive items. But you never how people would react when something gives them a little more security. 

[choochoo97]

I never knew about those two situations with eBay. I know they have one for watches, I wonder how watch buyers feel about it.

[glasser]

They just added this service for watches over $2,000. Can't remember think it only adds a 1-2 days. Makes sense in certain categories since buyer trust that something is 100% original is key to certain markets.  Stock X deals ins tuff that's relatively easy to  fake so having the middle person build buyer trust and also sellers can't get hit with hey dude your item's a fake.

Ebay used to promote escrow services for high value items as well. Haven't seem much of that lately.

I think if eBay wants to encourage higher priced sales or more sales in a category like collectible sneakers, this makes sense. In fact, sites like StockX have hurt eBay even though I think in men's sneakers there are no Final value fees.

[choochoo97]

Yeah its been documented how much stockx hurt ebay in sneaker sales. I agree with you and another messenger its makes sense for certain items over a certain price. Never knew about that escrow thing. 

[dhbookds]

As said, they've started something like this for high end stuff.........  However, with the millions of items sold every day on ebay, I can't see it being feasible for any large # of items.......shipping cost would be doubled?

[luckythewinner]

First, I can't see eBay being capable of authenticating 1.5 billion items. How about a used Siglent SHS820 oscilloscope? 

Second, I can't see sellers here absorbing minimum per-item fees of $7 to $20. That would make 95% of my inventory unsellable. 

Third, buyers on eBay are not going to pay more for their items, pay more for shipping, and then wait longer to get their re-shipped items just to give sellers extra protection. Buyers already have a 100% guarantee from eBay. They are not going to subsidize ours. 

[fuzzface50]

"I know they have one for watches, I wonder how watch buyers feel about it."

I have a friend that deals in high end watches quite often. When it first came out he was a little bothered by it but now after participating in it for the short time it has been around he thinks it is good all around.  it helps protect buyers from getting taken by scam sellers because when it is determined to be counterfeit the money just gets returned to the buyer so they have an extra layer of protection.  But the seller also has an extra layer of protection to now because after it gets authenticated the scam buyer cannot send a $1.98 watch back and keep the expensive watch in trade.  So it gives both parties an extra layer of trust which ebay needs. 

[gracieallen01]

However, there is no protection when a buyer files a 'SNAD', with or without a valid reason.  While a seller is protesting the return (it was authenticated), not accepting the return, is the buyer still refunded - after the appropriate period of time - without the return of the original item being enforced?

[khaos-motorsports]

On a lot of categories it would be a hard sell. Most buyers come to eBay for the low prices, so anything that would raise it would deter them to go someplace else. The other issue is who is authenticating it? To staff a operation that has the knowledge base to authenticate millions of items sold across multiple categories would be close to impossible and expensive.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

gracieallen01,

The Watch Authentication program protects the seller. The watch is first authenticated and then sent to the buyer. If the buyer files an INAD and returns the item, it is NOT sent back to the seller, it is sent to the authenticator. If the buyer sends a broken Timex instead of the actual Rolex he bought, he gets no refund and the seller isn't out anything.