| As an eBay trader, I've built a small but enjoyable | | | | the 'free first month' tempter there is a very salient |
| business on eBay. I pay my listing fees, I pay my | | | | phrase - and here I think it is fair to quote - 'join |
| final fees, I pay my PayPal fees. Not a problem. Now | | | | eBay's largest community of trusted sellers'. Does |
| it seems eBay wants more. Let's take it into context: | | | | that mean that those of us who do not wish to |
| if (as eBay claims) 3 million sites are paying for the | | | | further line eBay's pockets by joining the Square |
| privilege of displaying this 'Square Trade' logo - what | | | | Trade programme are untrustworthy? The implication |
| is eBay creaming from this? The sums are easy - 3 | | | | is, I think, present. eBay has discovered yet another |
| million x $9.50 per month = $342,000,000 a year. | | | | lucrative revenue stream - the 'trusted seller'. It is |
| That's right. Read it again. $342,000,000! It's a | | | | unfortunate that, given that eBay was started as a |
| staggering amount of money, probably more than | | | | 'matey' community venture, it now sees fit to |
| the GDP of some countries! And for what? | | | | promote such products as the Square Trade deal. If |
| You get to display a little green logo on your site. | | | | eBay are so committed to fair and honest dealing, |
| Wow. eBay says this will lead to - | | | | combined with the wish to promote ethical and |
| A 43% decrease in future negative feedback. What's | | | | honest dealers, then why do they seemingly offer |
| that? eBay are presumably here presupposing that | | | | this Square Deal to anyone who is willing to pay their |
| you will deal with buyers who are bursting at the | | | | fees? |
| seams to give you negative feedback. Piffle. In any | | | | I have just been through the sign-up process ( I |
| business you will encounter buyers who are, for | | | | haven't signed up). A very annoying point is that |
| whatever reason, determined to trash your service. | | | | eBay ask you what kind of member you wish to be |
| It's just life. It is up to you, as a trader, to ensure | | | | - US or non-US. It's on the same mindset level that, in |
| that your customers are satisfied with their purchase. | | | | days thankfully now gone, one used to be asked (in |
| It's no good expecting eBay - or anyone else - to | | | | a job application) if you were 'Catholic' or |
| bale you out if you're selling cheap rubbish. Deal with | | | | 'non-Catholic'. Does eBay not realise that by doing |
| your customers on a professional basis, respect their | | | | this, by setting the US on a pedestal as the 'prime' |
| needs and rights, and they will respond with positive | | | | registration, that they are alienating members in the |
| feedback. Ignore them, rip them off, treat them only | | | | UK, Europe, India, Australia, South America - in fact, |
| as a revenue stream and you will fail in your | | | | the 'Rest Of The World' (which, in case eBay has |
| enterprise, eBay Square Trade logo or no.eBay also | | | | forgotten, is a lot bigger than the USA!). If all those |
| seem to suggest that their Square Trade logo will | | | | members chose to abandon eBay in favour of a |
| entice buyers who are looking for a seller they can | | | | more 'friendly' auction site, one can't help wondering |
| trust. It's a fair point, but surely eBay should do some | | | | how long it would take before eBay realised that |
| domestic cleaning and rid themselves of the crooked | | | | they aren't alone in the online world and revised their |
| sellers they still seem to harbor? The UK's BBC hung | | | | charges accordingly. |
| eBay out to dry with a documentary recently, | | | | In summary, I would say that eBay are getting |
| pointing to the fact that some sellers - who I am | | | | above themselves. Yes, they are a huge company. |
| sure are in the minority - cheerily flood eBay with | | | | Huge companies come and go (where are IBM now?). |
| counterfeit and fake designer goods. Now, eBay are | | | | Yes, they are (were) innovative. So are many others. |
| not the culprit here, and I would not suggest for one | | | | Yes, they have made a lot of money. I have no |
| moment that they condone this behaviour. Yet it | | | | problem with that. It's when companies squeeze their |
| would be interesting to know just how much of | | | | cash-cow lemon so hard the pips squeak that they |
| eBay's untold millions is spent combating this | | | | should think about a few things - like the fact that |
| unwanted incursion - and what they intend to do to | | | | there are a myriad of other auction sites biting at |
| stop it. | | | | their heels. Don't take the mickey, guys. |
| Look at the Square Trade sign-up page. Aside from | | | | |