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[stonic]

......

[Kaboomer]

When all else fails, buy more companies and spread yourself thinner. WTF?

[SegaAges]

Wait, they dumped jobs for Bill Me Later?

Basically rent to own products. Isn't this looking very, very similar to what happened with all those bank loans?

Good job eBay, huge problems on Wall Street, so you decide you will allow people to take out "loans" on expensive products.

Nice forsight on that one.

[ryborg]

Wait, they dumped jobs for Bill Me Later?

Basically rent to own products. Isn't this looking very, very similar to what happened with all those bank loans?

The ONLY way this'll ever work is if the money is guaranteed to the seller, like with how Paypal works their Buyer Credit system. If a buyer purchases an expensive item and uses Paypal Credit, the seller will receive payment like normal and won't even know how the buyer funded the money. If the buyer ends up not paying in the end, it doesn't affect the seller any.

Regardless, the John Donahoe era has been a colossal trainwreck so far and it's always nice to see it in print.

[jb143]

Doesn't Ebay already offer things like that? No payment untill for 6 months or whatever? The seller gets the money up front so as far as they're concerend. probally never even know that it was paid for on credit.

They pretty much say in the article that the only reason they're buying 'Bill Me Later' is becasue people spend more when they use it. And I'm sure that your charged interest or fees on top of that.

[ryborg]

Doesn't Ebay already offer things like that? No payment untill for 6 months or whatever?

Paypal does, like I mentioned above. I wonder if Ebay bought Bill Me Later as a long-term, high dollar value payment replacement for those buyers who simply refuse to use Paypal.

[Kitsune Sniper]

PayPal credit actually takes a hefty chunk of the seller's money. I think they charge like 5% more than the usual fee, which is why I NEVER use it. D:

[jb143]

Hmmm...when pay-day loan buisnesses start opening it usually means the city is slipping down the dumps. Could this be online version that?

It sounds like since more and more sellers have been leaving Ebay they're starting to look for more ways to squeeze their fees out of the buyers now.

[ryborg]

PayPal credit actually takes a hefty chunk of the seller's money. I think they charge like 5% more than the usual fee, which is why I NEVER use it. D:

What? Really? I've never used it either, but I didn't know it hurt the seller. Why on earth would a seller use PP credit in that case?

[Vroomfunkel]

What? Really? I've never used it either, but I didn't know it hurt the seller. Why on earth would a seller use PP credit in that case?

Because it's the easiest way to shift high-value overpriced junk?

Loads of places do it. You really think that all those high street shops that advertise 1 year interest free credit are really giving people interest free credit? Not at all .. they've just added the cost of the credit to the purchase price. Which means that if you buy with cash or debit card, then either (a) you get ripped off to subsidise all the ones who're buying on credit, or (b) you have a chance to haggle the price down :-)

I got 15% off my bike and all the accessories I bought when I asked what discount I would get for paying in cash ...

[ryborg]

I was specifically referring to sellers who pay to use Paypal credit. Obviously I know why stores use credit otherwise. Ebay sellers could just as easily *not* offer it, save a lot of money, and still sell items like usual, with buyers using their own credit if need be.