posted on October 21, 2003 12:25:08 PM new
I always knew that ebay would slowly phase out the Q&A format that must result in many off site deals. Here's Phase 1 disguised as a safety measure of course.
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Marketplace Safety: Changes to Contact eBay Member Feature
Date: 10/21/03 Time: 10:57:23 AM PDT
To best protect and safeguard our members, we are making two changes to the Contact eBay Member feature aimed at reducing Spam and solicitations for off-eBay transactions. The Contact eBay Member feature is only needed when members do not have a transaction in common. Buyers and sellers will continue to have direct access to each other's email addresses when they make a purchase/sale through a successful eBay listing.
These changes include:
1. Limiting the number of times a member can use Contact eBay Member to 10 per day. Members with a 0 or negative feedback rating will be limited to one use per day.
2. Safety education messages in emails sent through this feature. The new text at the top of the email will warn recipients of the risk in sending money in response to an unsolicited offer.
We would like to take the opportunity to remind the Community that offers made through the Ask Seller a Question or Contact eBay Member features for purchasing items off the eBay site are risky and against eBay policy. Members that accept these unsolicited email offers will not be able to take advantage of eBay's protection and reputation tools such as Feedback and buyer protection.
Regards,
eBay
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posted on October 21, 2003 12:32:35 PM new
Hmmm.... if they're only a venue... then doesn't limiting the amount of times a person can communicate violate the 1st ammendment of free speech? Personally... I know that when I'm shopping on eBay I look at hundreds of different items... within several hours and may have legitimate questions to ask those sellers. I don't see this as being good for bidders, sellers or even ultimately eBay. Especially to limit newbies to only one e-mail a day... they're NEWBIES!!!.... how else will they learn except by asking??? Not a good decision in my opinion!
posted on October 21, 2003 12:51:42 PM new
I can't blame eBay for trying to keep people from using it as cheap advertising.
If a newbie has 0 feedback, and feels the need to contact lots of sellers, they should probably be slowed down anyway.
I don't think the first amendment really applies here; it would be as if the phone company was required to provide you with someone's unlisted number. They can't stop your speech, but they don't have to facilitate it, either.
posted on October 21, 2003 07:17:54 PM new
The real Phase One started about a month ago when newbies were limited to 5 Q&A's per day. The email IDs will be gone in early January. When ebay outlaws email addresses in the auctions and filters out emails in the Q&A's then they will really start to dent the side deals.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on October 21, 2003 07:43:39 PM new
How mny newbies do you know that try to set up side deals on a regular basis. How many side deals do you try to set up a day that a limit of ten emails is going to cramp your style?
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on October 21, 2003 08:34:51 PM new
I use ebay as cheap advertising, heck yeah!
I limit myself to links from my aboutme page, though I *have* been tempted to email some buyers and ask them why they are buying from such a b#llsh!tter as my major competitor
but I remind myself I yam a lady, I yam. And usually if someone contacts me, its to ask if I have more of what they are already bidding on. Only once did someone insist that I put it up as an auction, and she never bid on it at all. so- should I refuse to make the sale? I don't think so!
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
posted on October 21, 2003 08:58:15 PM new
It's not about newbies making side deals on ebay it's about all ebayers making side deals. Ebay knows that a LOT of money slips through their hands because the buyers and sellers can freely communicate with each other and conduct their own sales. Human nature causes people to try to save money by circumventing the ebay system. By eliminating the open communication between buyers and sellers ebay can stem most of the easy side dealing going on. Many auctions do it already ( Yahoo and ioffer for instance ). A question and answer format that is on the actual auction page would get rid of the need of email addresses on the auction page. Anyone that doesn't think that there is a LOT of off-site deals on ebay is very naive.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
