New Ebay User Agreement terms

RandallFlagg

Ebay must be losing revenue, and so are sharpening their teeth. This won't stop the decline, it will drive more people away:

"We’ve added new terms to the User Agreement to clarify that users are not permitted to complete outside of eBay any sales transactions with each other arising from items listed on the eBay platform. Offers to buy and sell or communicate outside of eBay constitute policy violations and may be subject to a range of actions including limits on buying and selling privileges as well as the application of final value fees for such transactions, the application of fees for the introduction of a seller to a buyer and the recovery of expenses for policy monitoring and enforcement. The same can result from sharing or requesting contact information with the intention to trade outside of eBay. You can read the relevant policy here.

We have included language which means that we may deduct fees, charges or other amounts which you owe us from an eBay credit balance held or controlled by you."

Strangefan

The end is neigh. Just a shame reverb is not amazing. 

holnrew

I only really use it to buy things from China these days. I actually bought something via auction a couple of weeks ago for the first time in years

Strangefan

holnrew said:

I only really use it to buy things from China these days. I actually bought something via auction a couple of weeks ago for the first time in years



Yeah you still haven't left me feed back for "the well used gimp suit with washable douche"

chillidoggy

holnrew said:

I only really use it to buy things from China these days. I actually bought something via auction a couple of weeks ago for the first time in years

Everything in the shops here probably comes from China anyway.

m_c

I keep meaning to check what the policy is for business users.

On my business account my contact details are shown on all listings, and although I don't have my own fully functional website, I'm wondering if selling identical items through a website for 10% less would breach any rules eBay have in place.

Moe_Zambeek

Strangefan said:

The end is neigh. Just a shame reverb is not amazing. 

Reverb is getting much better. I've sold everything I've listed there very quickly, for more than I was asking here, and the feedback system is just like ebay used to have.

I feel like they have a presence now and awareness amongst sellers so I'd expect it to get better as ebay descends into outright open contempt for its users. 

GoldenEraGuitars

Can't say I use eBay much anymore. I go on the odd time to look at silly stuff or the constant links that @HarrySeven posts

professorben

Reverb could be awesome but there are very very few things in the UK version. 

Legionreturns

professorben said:

Reverb could be awesome but there are very very few things in the UK version. 

Indeed...this is the problem with Reverb in the UK...


(That's a live pic of one of my listings but they're all pretty much the same. I've never even had a bite on there and I've listed over 30 items. Most of them have sold elsewhere for the same or more money than I'd listed them at)

Just not enough users to make it viable and certainly not enough to scare eBay into reducing their exorbitant fees like they did in the states. 

mgaw

/\ my experience is the reverse, sold easily and quickly, quite a few to the US and all have gone well

Bridgehouse

Strangefan said:

holnrew said:

I only really use it to buy things from China these days. I actually bought something via auction a couple of weeks ago for the first time in years



Yeah you still haven't left me feed back for "the well used gimp suit with washable douche"

Man you got back to China in quick time today.. !

aord43

The new terms sound like what they have been doing anyway, by all accounts.

TheMarlin

I quit selling on eBay a few years ago.  It's too risky now, not a good experience for a seller, even a good one.  I'd rather sell things here for less than get fleeced by a dodgy buyer on eBay.

I do use eBay for buying bits and pieces though......   I just picked up two sets of Atacama speaker stands for less than the price of a pint of ale.   Pretty chuffed with that!

Fortheloveofguitar

Fuck eBay and I'm glad things are finally going downhill for the greedy shites 

ThorpyFX

I’ve stopped using ebay, just too risky now. Reverb all the way for me. The thing is, this is all reversible for eBay, if they just accepted that they fooked up and reverse their shite ideas regards fees, treatment of sellers etc etc..... but they won’t because arrogance blinds idiots. 

guitarcookie1

Wow. RIP Ebay...

RandallFlagg

aord43 said:

The new terms sound like what they have been doing anyway, by all accounts.

But now its policy and legally enforceable. Note this point:

"the application of fees for the introduction of a seller to a buyer and the recovery of expenses for policy monitoring and enforcement." 

prowla

Would you go into a shop and offer to sell things to the customers there?

Do hotels have the right to charge corkage if you take your own bottle?

Would you park your used car for sale across the entrance of a car dealership?

For me, ebay exposes the items I have for sale to the largest possible range of potential buyers and their fees are better than most auction houses; their payment mechanisms are reliable and convenient too and they have some protection. So I don't mind paying their fees.

However, they seem to be going down the wrong route.

I think the big problem ebay have is that their revenues depend upon the throughput, so the more transactions the more they get. If they drive their customers away, then the throughput will go down, along with their percentage; I suppose they have to gauge whether lots of customers with some going rogue is or fewer customers all being policed is their best business model.

What I don't understand is how ebay can have personal collection for cash as an option, if they don't want buyer and seller to communicate and meet f2f.

Now, this new idea of recovering expenses for policy monitoring is a bit draconian.

The daftest interpretation of the rules was when I recently bought a guitar off someone and when I went to collect it they insisted on paypal even though I had the cash with me; neither he nor me intended to diddle ebay, but he was worried that ebay might think he'd gone off-piste.

Chalky

The reason that I am happy to screw ebay is they are not only the service provider, they are also 'judge and jury' about their own performance. Most service providers are covered by laws that are firmly on the side of the private individual rather than corporate business. Yet ebay can take judgement on private individuals and cause them to lose money and there is simply no remedial action available to the private individual, no regulator, ombudsman or law. Now they are extending their 'judge and jury' role to include fining people, taking money without consent from the accounts of private individuals. And there is still no-one to complain to, or law to keep there practices in check, and they are effectively a monopoly. That is simply wrong.

Cue silly fuckwits with the 'don't use them if you don't like their contract' arguments and 'they aren't a monopoly' arguments....

DefaultM

Hmm. I had a few things listed on ebay but none sold. As soon as the buy it now listing ended a guy messaged me saying he wanted to buy my strat.
In my mind ebay haven't found me a buyer and the listing is over. Are they saying that if I now got back in touch with this person they would try to charge me for it because they introduced us?

I'm not sure why the potential buyer has done this to be honest. He hasn't made me an offer for a lower price. I would have just told him to hit buy it now and happily have sold through eBay because I only had a £1 fee on there, but I'm not going to relist now because the fee would be £50.