View Full Version : More eBay changes
I got an email this morning that eBay will soon require video game sellers to accept Pay Pal or online credit cards. Sucks. I know I'm in the minority, but I don't trust Pay Pal or online financial stuff. I'm in IT and spent time as a programmer, so I know how common errors really are. Anyway, eBay now forces their hand into your pocket when your item is listed, sold, and paid for. More and more, eBay isn't a tool, but an employer. Sellers work for eBay, doing all the grunt work, and eBay allows them a commission on the items sold. :-\
Maybe someone here can help me with one of my main concerns: buyer complaints. If they misread the listing, or are dishonest, or the post office damages the item in transit, they can file a claim with Pay Pal and get their money back. So through no fault of the seller whatsoever, he/she is out money AND the item. Hardly seems fair.
Interestingly, Pay Pal is only being forced on sellers for 5 or 6 categories, video games being one.
Anyway, for better or worse, that's my rant. The new requirements begin March 17, so I'll be listing a ton of games this weekend. You can see them in DP's Buying & Selling forum.
Thanks,
jeff
Mayhem
03-04-2008, 07:35 AM
They introduced this in the UK last year (we always seem to be the test bed) so it's no surprise it's going worldwide now...
jonjandran
03-04-2008, 08:44 AM
No a buyer can't get the money back by just claiming something ridiculous. They can claim the item was not as advertised but then they have to get an approved third party to verify it.
About the only way they can get their money back is if the seller doesn't use tracking info or ship to a confirmed address.
wtf is wrong with ebay and all these crazy changes!
smh
Cornelius
03-04-2008, 09:28 AM
No a buyer can't get the money back by just claiming something ridiculous. They can claim the item was not as advertised but then they have to get an approved third party to verify it.
About the only way they can get their money back is if the seller doesn't use tracking info or ship to a confirmed address.
Also, I understand they do typically have to return the item.
Postal damage is something we just have to risk as sellers, since we 'hire' them to make our delivery, ultimately we are responsible for their treatment of packages. Of course, it is also our option to pay for higher or lower quality service/handling.
I do agree that it is bogus that they can require paypal use. If this were a bigger industry (I'm not saying it is small, just not that big in the scheme of things), I believe this would be regulated since it is pretty clearly anti-competitive and monopolistic. I'm no lawyer, though. It wouldn't surprise me if they word it that they require 'some form' of online/instant payment from an approved list, and Paypal just happens to be the only one anyone has ever heard of.
Vroomfunkel
03-04-2008, 09:55 AM
They introduced this in the UK last year (we always seem to be the test bed) so it's no surprise it's going worldwide now...
Hmm .. I think you'll find that eBay Australia is usually the first test ground. If you take a look over there now, you will see that they are trialling 100% private auctions (i.e. you can't see any bidder identities at all). I predict that this will creep out across the rest of eBay sites fairly soon too ...
I don't know what's got into eBay recently what with massive fee hikes, screwing up the feedback system and increasingly hiding bidder ids. Seems to me that a lot of it makes an easier job for scam buyers, while simultaneously making it harder for sellers to identify (and thus complain about) those scam buyers.
Shame. Ebay used to be a great place for small time buyers and sellers. Now they seem to want to get rid of all those people .. and there's not yet any viable alternative.
jb143
03-04-2008, 11:21 AM
That's just crazy. I think if they're going to force you to accept paypal then they need to do away with paypal fees for those auctions.
Dragon Warrior Jasen
03-04-2008, 12:17 PM
Maybe no viable large scale alternative, but GameGavel.com is coming up quick as a good Auction Site for Serious Gamers!
Trebuken
03-04-2008, 05:59 PM
I believe if you use PayPal's shipping options (USPS?) then the seller can never make a claim because PayPal can confirm it as being shipped....something like that. I have had a couple sellers I have tried to get money returned from but could not because PayPal confirmed the items as shipped (they were, but they were wrong).
jb143
03-04-2008, 06:26 PM
I believe if you use PayPal's shipping options (USPS?) then the seller can never make a claim because PayPal can confirm it as being shipped....something like that. I have had a couple sellers I have tried to get money returned from but could not because PayPal confirmed the items as shipped (they were, but they were wrong).
Doesn't that just prove you paid for shipping and not that you actually sent the item? I guess that's good enough for paypal though.
jonjandran
03-04-2008, 08:00 PM
I believe if you use PayPal's shipping options (USPS?) then the seller can never make a claim because PayPal can confirm it as being shipped....something like that. I have had a couple sellers I have tried to get money returned from but could not because PayPal confirmed the items as shipped (they were, but they were wrong).
No the item has to be confirmed as delivered not just shipped.
Also a buyer can make a claim "item not as stated" or "not as advertised" and they can win with third party confirmation of the item being misrepresented. But that is very hard for the average buyer to accomplish.
The 1 2 P
03-05-2008, 02:07 AM
Hmm .. I think you'll find that eBay Australia is usually the first test ground. If you take a look over there now, you will see that they are trialling 100% private auctions (i.e. you can't see any bidder identities at all). I predict that this will creep out across the rest of eBay sites fairly soon too ...
I don't know what's got into eBay recently what with massive fee hikes, screwing up the feedback system and increasingly hiding bidder ids. Seems to me that a lot of it makes an easier job for scam buyers, while simultaneously making it harder for sellers to identify (and thus complain about) those scam buyers.
Shame. Ebay used to be a great place for small time buyers and sellers. Now they seem to want to get rid of all those people .. and there's not yet any viable alternative.
I agree. More and more it seems like ebay is trying to act like the federal government. We no longer have choices about anything. They just make random mandatory updates to policies and pricing and we have no choice but to honor them. Or stop using ebay all togther.
Vroomfunkel
03-08-2008, 08:01 AM
Hmm .. I think you'll find that eBay Australia is usually the first test ground. If you take a look over there now, you will see that they are trialling 100% private auctions (i.e. you can't see any bidder identities at all). I predict that this will creep out across the rest of eBay sites fairly soon too ...
Oooh look. Now they're doing this on ebay.com. What a suprise. :roll:
The 1 2 P
03-08-2008, 04:39 PM
Hmm .. I think you'll find that eBay Australia is usually the first test ground. If you take a look over there now, you will see that they are trialling 100% private auctions (i.e. you can't see any bidder identities at all). I predict that this will creep out across the rest of eBay sites fairly soon too ...
Too late. Now all US ebay auctions(video games atleast) have 100% private auctions. Everyone who bids has now been turned into a two-letter three-star nameless ninja.
Here's the official text from the eBay email:
-------------
Beginning March 17, all sellers will be required to offer PayPal or a merchant credit card when listing items in the following categories:
Gift Certificates
Video games
Cell phones
Computers
Consumer electronics
--------------
My first reaction was that I won't be able to sell, since I don't like/use Pay Pal. After awhile, it sunk in that I won't be able to BUY video games either. They want to protect the buyer, but they've cut me off from buying. Sheesh.
Hmm... why doesn't eBay institute that rule for ALL categories, not just those five? Interestingly, Pay Pal is banned from use in the Mature categories.
rik1138
03-09-2008, 07:51 AM
Hmm... why doesn't eBay institute that rule for ALL categories, not just those five? Interestingly, Pay Pal is banned from use in the Mature categories.
Those are the highest fraud categories... Too many people trying to scam others by selling PS3s, iPhones and other stuff they don't have just to steal their money. If they HAVE to take PayPal, it's a little harder to steal the money...
Not a perfect solution, but that's why they are doing it...
walrusmonger
03-09-2008, 08:19 AM
My first reaction was that I won't be able to sell, since I don't like/use Pay Pal. After awhile, it sunk in that I won't be able to BUY video games either. They want to protect the buyer, but they've cut me off from buying. Sheesh.
.
they said sellers have to offe paypal, they didn't say sellers couldn't accept a money order :) you're still ok for buying as long as the seller will accept a money order, although I personally hate using money orders.
Mayhem
03-09-2008, 08:21 AM
Actually when it came to console hardware, Paypal had to the be ONLY payment method. Not sure if that will be carried forward to here or not though...
walrusmonger
03-09-2008, 08:34 AM
wow that blows, I'm sure if a buyer really wants a specific item they can work out with the seller about taking a money order though.
gepeto
03-09-2008, 10:12 AM
Those are the highest fraud categories... Too many people trying to scam others by selling PS3s, iPhones and other stuff they don't have just to steal their money. If they HAVE to take PayPal, it's a little harder to steal the money...
Not a perfect solution, but that's why they are doing it...
The funny thing is that evey time I got scamed it was with paypal and there bogus system.
I never got a refund I got a you won your case. So what is the difference. Also I only sold 3 thing. Is what you all are saying if I wanted to sell anything game related. I can't specify money order only. I pay by paypal buy sell by money order.