A depressing trend being followed by ebay

[santapagla]

I have been a ebay user even before ebay came to india, though under another userid. I have sold and bought household and hobby items on ebay from 1997 while in the US and have followed all the changes in it's auction process since then.

For example, the user's e-mail id was openly posted on ebay at that time but later they have changed it to the closed-loop messaging system that's now in practice. I am sure it was introduced for a good reason.

But what is saddening to see is the trend ebay, especially it's Indian counterpart, has been following:

1.
Ebay has changed it's approach to be a "bazaar" instead of an auction house. Though it has kept it's outer shell to resemble an auction in a desperate attempt to sell thrill to the users, one can rarely find ANY item on it's entire list which does not have it's price preset either in the item's price or in it's ridiculously high "shipping charge". There are other dubious things practiced too, but as you are well aware about proxy-bidding et al, I better not get into it.

2.
Ebay is abandoning it's buyers by concentrating almost it's entire energy to the sellers only. For example, you already know about the almost infinite ways that you can filter and sort any list on ebay. But try this - "show only the sellers who have a feedback rating of 98% or above". You can't get it because ebay has somehow "missed" to give you that option. Try another one. Can you, as a buyer, earmark that foul-mouthed seller as an "un-favorite" one in My Ebay just as you can do for your "favorite" seller? Well, you just can't!

I have clamored for these but have faced only blankness. "Why?", you ask? Well, presumably they wouldn't lift a finger for anything that helps the buyers and not the sellers, even if they are the ones whose quality of service is questionable.

So calling all other buyers - Why don't you give it a try? Maybe they'll relent when they see a majority of the people, from whose pocket their fat profit is being sourced from, have started clamoring for these together...

[santapagla]

Hello mushtaqz007

From your level of knowledge about eBay stats and that you registered on the same day of posting your message, one can safely infer that you are really an eBay insider, probably high up (new userid) and experienced in mediations (use of language). But I may be wrong and most of all, it doesn't matter even if it is a masquerade.

I'm just glad that for the first time someone else in this thread, other than me, recognized that:
1.
the omission of a feedback filtered search is NOT accidental, and
2.
the justification of it's omission is that it'll be "..too tough on the sellers.."

If you really are an ebay insider, this admission is probably the very reason of this facade. I am glad that ebay has noticed it and hope that it's future plans will include the remedial methods I tried to offer. But it should have been from eBay directly and not in the form of a fake user.

On the other hand, if you are not an eBay insider by a slim chance, your statements, however mildly put, have just strengthened my stand on eBay's step-motherly treatment being meted out to it's buyers until the upper-management, busy in "Seller-Development Programs", listen and try to change it's ways.

=====================================


Hello photobug_in1

I have faced the situations described by you too, when some of the sellers I asked a question about the product didn't care to respond. You need to be wary about these - but eBay has conveniently forgotten to provide help for you lest it inconveniences the seller concerned.

They could have simply provided a section in your "My eBay " as "My Blackballed Sellers", similar to "My Favourite Sellers", where you could maintain a list of such sellers. Do you think they'll do it?

They can also make an unresponsive seller accountable by introducing a neutral feedback "Mail Not Responded To" to his/her rating for each mail unanswered within a specific time - but if you think they will dream about doing it - you might be dreaming yourself!

[amitava123gems]

Hello,
Ebay is basically a community. You cant really differetiate a buyer from a seller, because today's buyer will eventually become tomorrow's seller. I reply to all questions, rather I encourage visitors to ask.
Ofcourse I am not a busy seller. My shop is basically a showcase of my collections.
There may be sellers who are busy selling all time. I cant say anything about that. But reply one should. Etiquette demands that.
If somebody wants to mediate, may be a new member, we should encourage that,isnt it?
I like to pull a sofa in a corner of the hall of eBay and relax. What else can be better for an old man? Spending time in an unbiased community(to which you also belong),where all races and nations meet and transact. I am emphasizing on the concept and its transparency.
But still,there is no end to improvement. So all suggestions are to be viewed in that perspective.
Thanx,
Truly,
Amitava