728_header.jpg (23748 bytes)
Google  Web AuctionBytes  

Home
Subscribe
Blog
Podcasts
Forums
AuctionBytes TV
ABU Back Issues

Sponsor

COOL TOOLS

Calendar
eBay Fee Calculator
Collectors' Links
eBay Promo History
Bookshelf
Fraud Resources
Auction Site Fees
Auction Management
Payment Services
Storefronts Chart
Sniping Chart
Email List Hosting
Consignment Services
Drop-Off Store Laws
Ecommerce Resources
Photo Tips
Marketing Inserts
Yellow Pages
Classifieds

AUCTIONBYTES

Our Writers
Write For Us
Partners
Press
Advertising
About Us
Link To Us

Auctionbytes-NewsFlash, Number 940 - January 26, 2005 - ISSN 1539-5065      Previous Story | | Next Story

Can You Hear Me Now? Verizon Mail-Block Affects eBay Sellers
By Ina Steiner
AuctionBytes.com
January 26, 2005
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

eBay users who trade internationally may be having difficulties receiving email from international customers depending on the Internet Service Provider (ISP) they are using for their email account. Several articles have pointed out Verizon's new spam-blocking initiatives and report the company is banning blocks of IPs from Europe, including this Wired article http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,66226,00.html.

The topic hits close to home for AuctionBytes, since subscribers of this newsletter who use Verizon have been unable to receive AuctionBytes newsletters because they are sent via email from a list-hosting company in the UK.

The online publication "The Register" reported on Friday that law firm Kohn, Swift & Graf, P.C. had filed a lawsuit against Verizon on behalf of a subscriber in a civil case that seeks class action status http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/21/verizon_class_action), although AuctionBytes could not find a mention of the lawsuit on the Kohn, Swift & Graf Website.

A Verizon spokesperson contacted late Tuesday said he had no specific information about how Verizon's policies might affect eBay users and emailed a copy of a statement Verizon issued last week. The statement addresses the concern the company has over spam, but acknowledges in the following paragraph the inherent problems in trying to block it:

"Any spam blocking method will, inevitably, also result in the blocking or delay of otherwise legitimate email. This is yet another reason why spammers are harmful to the Internet community. If a Verizon Online customer believes they are not receiving legitimate e-mail, they should call our technical support desk for assistance and we will work with them to resolve their situation as quickly as possible."

Attempts by one AuctionBytes reader named Linda to "whitelist" the newsletter were unsuccessful despite several phone calls to Verizon's technical support department. She first contacted Verizon on January 5. In an email sent on January 18, Linda said, "I was on the phone with them over 2 hours last week trying to get the block removed. They called me once and said they were working on it, that was last week a day after." Linda has not yet been able to receive AuctionBytes newsletters.

When informed of the issue, another AuctionBytes reader said in an email, "Thank you so much for informing of this problem with Verizon and foreign emails. Unfortunately I had no idea and was beginning to wonder why I had not received emails from several opt-in lists that I had with my starband account. The major problem for me is I sell on eBay and have noticed the lack of emails from my overseas customers."

eBay spokesperson Hani Durzy was unaware of such a problem, but said he would research within the company to see if it was a known issue. He said he hoped people would be getting email they were supposed to be getting.

We will update this story as it progresses.


Email this story to a friend.

Previous Story | | Next Story

Related Stories
  • Spam Alert: Bidder Email? Know When NOT to Respond - March 25, 2000, Issue #10
  • Spam - Think Twice Before You Send It! - April 22, 2000, Issue #12
  • No Thanks, I’m on a No-Spam Diet! - April 22, 2000, Issue #12
  • eBay's Spam Policy Backfires - February 27, 2001, Issue #29
  • eBay's Spam Policy Backfires: Follow-Up - February 28, 2001, Issue #30
  • AOL Users Beware: You May Not Be Getting All Your Mail - March 21, 2001, Issue #46
  • Anti-Spam Legislation Palatable to Congress - March 28, 2001, Issue #50
  • Spam: Can Cause Indigestion - April 19, 2001, Issue #66
  • Amazon or Spamazon? - May 29, 2001, Issue #91
  • Bizarre Tale: Gegy.com Admits Ties to Spam Site - July 05, 2001, Issue #117
  • Spam 101: Dealing with Unsolicited Email - February 17, 2002, Issue #64
  • Letter to the Editor - March 03, 2002, Issue #65
  • Spammers Target eBay Members in New Harvesting Scheme - July 25, 2002, Issue #366
  • eBay’s Catch-22: Email Contact with eBay Members - October 23, 2002, Issue #419
  • Spam Filters & Blacklists: Solution Worse than Problem? - December 15, 2002, Issue #85
  • Auction Secrets Makes Top 10 Spam List - December 16, 2002, Issue #445
  • The Online Sellers Guide to Stopping Spam, Part 1 - September 07, 2003, Issue #102
  • The Online Sellers Guide to Stopping Spam, Part 2 - September 21, 2003, Issue #103



  • Discuss this story in our forums.

    Ecommerce Podcasts

    Site Index
    Copyright 1999-2008. Steiner Associates LLC. All rights reserved