posted on August 4, 2003 10:41:42 AM new
Let's say I want some antique blue Spode china.
Someone lists new blue Spode that "looks like antique"
Next seller lists something that looks like "antique blue Spode china"
Next seller lists a placemat that looks like it would go well with "antique blue Spode china" and so on, and so on, with the connections getting more and more tenuous.
This type of thing continues to grow exponentially until the search is basically useless.
I understand the theory of cross marketing (it's no coincidence that when tuna is on sale there is a display of full-price mayonnaise right next to it), but at least there is some control exercised by the store. I realize no one at eBay will ever do this, and you just have to accept it as a big free-for-all flea market, but in the end it makes it a pain for all buyers and sellers.
The first few times these guerilla marketing tactics are used they get noticed, and are probably effective. Then they become an annoyance like the spam in your mailbox, and are just ignored.
posted on August 4, 2003 11:24:17 AM new
I understand what you are saying, Damariscotta.
If there is one search entirely for new items and another entirely for old this will narrow down the search.
I think the majority of ebay sellers are good people and following the rules. If sellers abuse this they may be damaging their own sales also plus the risk of getting booted from ebay. It does happen where ebay boots some off the site but not often enough.
If sellers are going to scam this system and they are unable to do it they will find another way to scam. It's the way they are and we can't stop them.
But there are more good sellers than bad and this may be worth a try?
posted on August 4, 2003 11:33:43 AM new
Also, why doesn't ebay hire some netcops? It's not like they don't have the money to do it.
If a handful of us on a message board can uncover abusers, fraudsters, and scammers on ebay surely a small team of employees who have had experience buying and selling on ebay and still have any remaining brain cells functioning can do the same thing?
I am no netcop but if things get any worse ebay can hire me to click away all day and find stuff. I am tired of standing on my feet here most of the day anyways and this may be a good job for me. I love doing research.
posted on August 4, 2003 12:42:40 PM new
I like the netcop idea - and if a listing is pulled for rule-breaking there is no refund for listing fees!
If I ran my own auction site, the policy would be that I could zap any listing I didn't like. By the time eBay would need to address everyone's concerns, and the endless appeals, it just would create a can of worms for them (and where would that be listed if the worms were new but the can was old?).
