In every issue, readers soundoff about issues important to them. From feedback to payment services, from increased fees to posting policies, AuctionBytes Soundoff gives you a chance to air your views.

You can also read the AuctionBytes blog, which has a place for reader comments under every posting (http://blog.auctionbytes.com).

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Re: "eBay Alternatives Review: eBid, OnlineAuction and Overstock Auctions" (Link)

Ina,
In regards to the above listed article, one important fact the author didn't disclose or know about is that Overstock auctions only searches titles (open and closed auctions).

This is the main reason I don't sell there. Overstock could be real competition to ebay if their searches would search descriptions, too.

Signed: Frustrated!!!

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Re: eBay Analyst Day

Hi Ina,
Did I hear it right when, I think it was lorie, well some lady said during the big show yesterday that she intends for eBay to allow returns by the buyer & get their money back "no matter the reason"? I had to run off to the doctors but I swear I heard that in there while I was getting ready .. Then in the interview on CNBC I heard something to the effect from JD "I like to win!!! Objectively I don't care who I step on to do so!! .. or close to that .. Do many people relize JD's job before this was to professionally break up busineses & sell off the pieces ..
Allan

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Hi Ina,
I wanted to forward you a GENUINE email I just received from paypal. spoof@paypal.com AND a paypal supervisor did confirm the email I'm forwarding to you is legit and did come from Paypal. Notice the email address (paypal@email.paypal.com). In 7 years of using paypal every email I've ever received from paypal came from service@paypal.com....SO....sellers need to be aware that paypal is now using a multitude of email addresses, making it harder to detect scam mail from real mail.

Also....notice that paypal is now providing a direct link to the the log in page inside the body of the email which is also a first. For security reason, paypal NEVER linked from a person's email directly to log in page. You may have covered this in an earlier article or blog you've done, but this new paypal email and linking to log in page is definitely new to me, as I'm sure many other sellers are totally unaware as well. I thought it was a phishing email at first which I normally delete immediately. I thought I'd bring this to your attention in case you felt it was something worthy of covering in one of your blogs or articles.

Take care Ina,
Rob

Note from the Editor: I received several such notes from people concerned that they could not tell if it was a phishing email. There are changes to the PayPal policy: Section 13.4 is being amended to include the following language: "If you lose a Significantly Not as Described Claim because the item you sold is counterfeit, you will be required to provide a full refund to the buyer and you will not receive the item back (it will be destroyed)." In addition, Section 13.5 is being revised, "What is the PayPal Buyer Complaint Policy?" - log in to PayPal to read details. Here's a response to my inquiry from PayPal spokesperson Michael Oldenburg:

Hi Ina,
There were a few updates announced today to the PayPal User Agreement that will take effect on April 8. We generally don't communicate these updates via Announcement Board posts or blog posts, especially because they don't take effect for another month. We may have posts when the policies take effect.

To view the updates, you can log into your account and click on the "Policy Updates" link in the "What's New" column on the left hand side of the screen. We do also send out an email - like the one you received - to customers who have selected to receive updates from PayPal via email.

There is a link in this email to log into your PayPal account. We provide it for convenience to our members. However, it is always a good idea to open a new browser and type in the PayPal URL directly into the browser making sure to start with "https://" to ensure security.
Michael

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Hi Ina,
Ebay recently announced that they will be adding "granularity" in the forms of seller reports with DSR's. In the meantime, prior to making these reports widely available, eBay has removed the date display for when DSR's were most recently updated. As I do not look at DSR's regularly, I have no idea when this change to increased obscurity was made.

Looks like while they are promising one thing with one hand, they are taking away what little transparency was available with the other.
Regards,
Ric

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Hello Ina,
I just would like to inform you and it seems that your web-site is the only way to notify eBay sellers that eBay and PayPay has implemented unwritten FULL REFUND POLICY based on the principal that Buyer is ALWAYS RIGHT. They do not have guts to actually make an announcement about it because it may mean a revolt from sellers but it is a clear cut truth. They still call it "significantly not as described" but they simply lying.

And the sooner sellers realize it the better. I just had two back to back disputes against me and I lost both. If I were residing in San Jose I would sue PayPal. Fortunately for them I am in. I spare you from the details but I will tell you one thing: after I lost my first dispute (which I was sure I would win) I called to PayPal and requested to talk to supervisor immediately. Often those CS reps who pick up the phone have no idea what issue is on the table. So I requested a supervisor and spoke to him for almost an hour. He perfectly understood the situation (I got his name, too) and recognized on the phone that item described absolutely accurately but the he said the buyer is not happy and that's why I will have to refund money. He added that they are trying to create a retail environment , like in a store, and if customer is not happy he/she has a right to return the item if they are not happy.

I am not going to discuss the issue of since when eBay calls itself a "retail environment" but I would say that if you think that the above information is important, please, do something so more sellers will know about the reality they are facing.
Thanks,
Joe

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Re: A Closer Look at eBay's New Item Page

New ebay page is terrible. To hard to navigate, other listings shown, refresh not available, old school is much better and gives a better sense and feel of an auction.
Donna

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Boy, did I have a problem with Ebay and Paypal recently, and I wonder how much consumer confidence in both are dipping.

I purchased an item on Ebay and paid through Paypal. 7 days after, I tried to look at the listing to see what the shipping status was. To my surprise, the listing did not exist anymore. I notified the (seller) and Ebay, to which Ebay replied that the seller wasn't registered, and advised me not to go through with the purchase. They also said that if the sellers account was reinstated, I'd be able to leave feedback up to 60 days from the end of the auction. I explained that the seller WAS still registered (in fact a powerseller!) and was receiving feedback from the day of my purchase, to date... but I don't have the ability to. Their reply: "Please note from the time you wrote in the seller was suspended and now they are active so the issues they may of had with us would have been resolved. When the seller is reinstated the listings do not return unfornately and the ability to leave feedback is lost." Yes, I left the CSR's spelling and lack of punctuation intact...

WHAT??!!?? I told them that it is unacceptable for an item purchased to just disappear from My Ebay permanently, only to have the seller reinstated (WITH Power Seller status), but stripping my ability to leave feedback. This leaves no confidence on the buyers part that sellers are as "good" as they appear. Moreso, it appears that Ebay is protecting these bad sellers.

I requested that my concerns be forwarded to management in the appropriate department. Ebay's generic reply from a generic CSR - thanking me for contacting them, reiterating my concern, they are aware of the issue and in the meantime, I can contact the seller to confirm the purchase of this item.

Seven days later, and after attempting to contact the (seller) several more times, I notified Paypal. Still no communication, so I initiated the dispute 5 days later, to which I did finally receive a refund. I aired my concerns during a Paypal satisfaction survey that was sent to me, but you'd think they weren't even related to Ebay.

I'm frustrated that these bad sellers might be retaining their accounts and good feedback with these type of Ebay glitches. Of course I wanted a resolution to my issue, but regardless, I am so disappointed with the quality of customer service Ebay is providing.
Kristi