posted on February 28, 2001 04:48:41 AM new
The new set up in which people go through ebaY to ask the seller a question on an item
has me totally confused.
Reason being I thought the idea of this was to protect the identity of the who are registered with ebaY.
Reason why I say this as every time I get a question for a seller from a bidder of interest it gives me there email address as well.
posted on February 28, 2001 06:43:20 AM new
Yeah, it kinda does! I guess the theory must be that it would be too much hassle to harvest email addresses if the people had to do the "ask seller a question" for each one.
posted on February 28, 2001 07:06:35 AM new
I think it is also intended to help reduce spam/off ebay sales. They may be banking on the presence of "big brother" (i.e., the new screen that pops up) to discourage non-sanctioned activity, like selling multiple items to the second high bidder, etc.
posted on February 28, 2001 11:32:18 AM new
Can anyone explain why ebay doesn't automatically include the ebay item number and item description when it sends out the bidder question emails? It would seem to me that it would be simple to program this and would save a lot of time. Nothing like getting one of the ebay routed emails like this one:
What is on the back cover?
No mention of the item number, description or anything else!
I have 100 auctions or more running, many of them books and I am supposed to devine an answer to this question how? Do I call up the 1-900 Jamacian Psychic and see if she knows?
posted on February 28, 2001 11:34:55 AM new
I think the only real purpose is so that eBay can attach their little message "asking" people not to participate in any off-eBay sales. Otherwise they would make this an OPTION for users concerned about spam instead of a requirement.
Just a thought...
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on February 28, 2001 11:48:12 AM new
The system is so funny! In just the last few days I have had about 5 people ask me to sell them items directly. If ebay wanted to prevent this, this system is not working for them at all.
And I don't see any less spam either.
I use my ebay email for ebay only so I know exactly where people are getting my email address.
Whatever.....
Totally pointless! Seems like the people at ebay could use their time to make things better not worse.
On a side note someone had mentioned that the loophole would be to offer to put people on your mailing this (therefore they become "your" customers and it would not be "off-ebay" sales). I think that makes sense (and cents too.)
posted on February 28, 2001 11:50:47 AM new
postcardman: on my emails which I've been getting from bidders through the new ebay system, the item # and title are included in the body of the email. Perhaps there's a glitch somewhere preventing you from getting the same?
also the idea behind this is not to stop 100% of offline bidding activity....obviously they would have an impossible task to do that. what it is doing is giving the more on-the-border bidders a nudge, by giving them the idea that "this is going through ebay and what you're about to ask is against the rules" which will probably deter a large number of persons who do not want to break the rules and will think twice about asking someone else to break rules for them.
the clueless and those who do not care if they break the rules will still email you with offers. but those in between will probably hesitate.
that's what they're trying to do...reduce it...they know they can't stop it all.
