A day late, and a dollar short
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
United States
December 23, 2010 4:51pm CST
The following video is from 2008, but worth the view. It does have a few mature content items in the video so I would advice you not watch with your little ones near you. After finishing dinner tonight I came back to my computer to find two windows open and a video playing on my computer. I figured it was little fingers playing with the computer as they ran past after dinner on their way to bath time. I sat down to simply exit when the video below the one playing caught my attention as I had just had an issue with something I bought from Ebay as a present for someone on the Solstice. The item I received, though nice, was not what was pictured. It was missing the lace to close the top of the shirt and on the end of the lacing were two Thor's hammers. I still wrapped the present as I didn't have time to argue about it but I was slightly disappointed because that was the entire reason I bought the shirt. The shirt simply had cheap iron Thor's hammers. Now I will have to go looking for Thor's hammers to make a lacing myself. Not a huge deal as I am talented in that area, but annoying for the price I paid.
So, I clicked on the video and was shocked to hear about all the lawsuits against Ebay. I had no idea the number of things going on with this company, which I have shopped with for many years and even sold from for many years. I do not like the idea of Ebay giving out my full name, address, and phone number to anyone who inquires!
After watching the following video here are my questions:
Not a referral link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDwQiErBj_M
[b]What are your thoughts?
Have you had issues with Ebay?
Has your internet security been compromised?
Have you had issues with identity theft?
Have you had to deal with customer service and what was your experience?
Will you continue to do business through Ebay? Why or Why not?[/b]
I know I've asked a lot but I am giving serious thought to Ebay and those companies that they own, though I have to keep my PayPal account in order to be paid by Mylot.
Namaste-Anora
5 responses
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
24 Dec 10
Lore-
I just shared the video a bit ago with my husband who immediately said, "We're not doing business with Ebay again". There are other reputable places to buy and offer services through and as Ebay is utilizing a lot of shady business practices I would rather be safe than sorry.
Namaste-Anora
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
30 Dec 10
I've had a problem with a seller who negged me when I gave feedback re the actual cost of posting the article...she had charged me waaay too much. She went ballistic at me in her feedback. Strange, seeing as in the report it said sellers were not able to give negative or neutral feedback.
I also paid for a broken video player. The seller admitted it didn't work and I'm sure if I had thought to ask if it was repairable they would have said "I don't know". It was NOT able to be repaired.
Another time I asked a question of a seller and he quite abrupt with me and did not answer my question. I responded and explained and he went off at me saying how rude I was and to stop harassing him and wasting his time. I reported him and included links to the emails exchanged and was told he had already reported me and that I was suspended for a week and if I tried to make contact with that store again my account would be deleted.
Other than that I have had nothing but excellent experiences buying from EBAY. I wonder if the narrator was talking about EBAY USA or EBAY Worldwide. I'm Australian. I also use direct deposit to pay.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
30 Dec 10
It sounded to me like he was including all of the companies as they are all owned by the same primary company, who also owns a host of other companies including PayPal. I have had some pretty poor dealings as of recent with E-Bay and was also surprised when I tried to leave feedback and was only allowed to give a positive response. The item I bought was clearly not what was pictured. I won't be buying with them from this point on and will be sticking with other sites that offer handmade items.
I've been looking in to Ebay and posted a few links to another user in this thread because they seem to have a poor track record. They do however seem to have the funds to simply pay people off, hush it under the rug, and move on as if nothing shady ever occurred.
Namaste-Anora
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
27 Dec 10
I've been lucky that I haven't had issues with ebay in the past. Now, I don't think that it is something that I run the risk of now as I don't really use ebay all that often. That said, we've had issues with identity theft in that some of my husband's checks were stolen and also the debit card that was stolen in November as well. That said, as far as everything else goes, I don't think that what I've heard will really change my opinion of the company because I haven't been a victim of theirs.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
27 Dec 10
Dora-
As I shared with someone else this Yule I bought my husband a shirt and what I got was not what was shown on the picture. However, with the Yule upon us I gave the gift. I came across this video after that though and it truly did change my view of the company. It changed it so much so that I began doing some more research to figure out just what was real and what perhaps was made up. My unfortunate findings were that EBay has been involved in so many lawsuits that I simply cannot support it any longer.
Years ago I did sell via EBay and was always very honest with my customers, with no negative feedback. I do not like the fact that EBay simply hands out our personal information. I do not like that they have done away with the "negative" feedback, that they don't allow you to question a seller 12 hours before the sale closes, or that they have violated more than 6 patents. All of it seems very shady business and even though I've not had identity theft from them doesn't mean I want to stay around to see if it "might" occur.
Namaste-Anora
@hardworkinggurl (37062)
• United States
24 Dec 10
Sorry I have absolutely no experience with ebay, although I have been thinking of using them to sell items.
My question about something I read here on myLot today is, it is true ebay and PayPal are the same company??
Also if you have issues with a seller, why would ebay be responsible? Asking only because I read something I was really curious about in other discussion and I feel I am being mis-informed. Thanks
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
24 Dec 10
I'm pretty sure they do own the companies mentioned in the video. As far as Ebay being responsible for the seller, they are responsible because they are an auction house and are responsible for what their sellers do in terms of business. If a seller is not following the rules of Ebay then it would be Ebay's job to settle it, not the buyer. The best advice for the buyer, if Ebay was not handling things, would be to report Ebay to the BBB and FTC, along with your state Attorney General's Office, and the main state that Ebay's headquarters are located.
Namaste-Anora
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
24 Dec 10
Deb-
I'm glad you haven't had any bad experiences. Their fraud and leaking of personal information bothers me. The following are a few direct articles on their most recent lawsuits:
http://mashable.com/2010/07/13/ebay-lawsuit/
http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/comment/skype-and-ebay-settle-lawsuits/
http://www.companyexposed.com/category/ebay-lawsuits/
This is a seller who sued a man for a negative comment (even though he sold defective merchandise and told the man to sell it on another unsuspecting buyer).
http://www.switched.com/2010/04/12/negative-ebay-feedback-leads-to-15-000-lawsuit/
Namaste-Anora
