Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
When you advertise something on ebay, you typically get browbeaten to include ebay's default information blurb if they have one for that item. When it comes to collectible cameras, I have never seen one of these that is totally accurate, and many are completely ludicrous. Try the "Leica FED 2" for example of wildly inaccurate info. Is there an easy mechanism to inform ebay of this? I would love to volunteer to rewrite a lot of these descriptions.
Cheers, Dez
Cheers, Dez
Bill58
Native Texan
An easy way to fix that is to NEVER use their default info. I've 100% declined.
Peter de Waal
Established
A challenge to ebay default infor programme
A challenge to ebay default infor programme
About a year ago I took this up with eBay:
" ‘Sigh.’ I am an individual collector of cameras who periodically sells of excess items, not a major retailer of currently manufactured items. All of the camera items I sell are AT LEAST 40 years old and eBay does not have standardised catalogue page descriptions for them. As standardised eBay descriptions for the vintage camera items I sell don’t exist, eBay cannot legally compel me to use a service that it has yet to create!
So eBay’s threats of draconian action such as:
“Make sure your listing follows these guidelines. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including restrictions of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account.”
- is probably unlawful. I would have to research the relevant statutes regarding consumer rights, retailer’s responsibilities, and the rights of those who subscribe to on-line services in the domiciles eBay is incorporated in.
Further, EBAY DOES NOT OWN ANY STOCK as a regular on-line retail service such as Amazon.com does, so it cannot construct a “catalogue.” eBay is currently an AUCTION services provider. This has important implications for buyers at eBay’s site, as merchantability, fitness for purpose, warranties etc. are not normal in auction environments. Accordingly, I avoid buying new items on eBay, instead using Amazon or another retailer that OWNS the stock and gives the buyer standard consumer rights.
eBay has of late subtly changed the language of it’s communications with buyers, for example: “Your ‘ORDER’ from X for Y...” This is not an ‘order’ in the sense of a normal retail sale, but a winning bid at an auction. To pretend that it is otherwise is misleading and a misrepresentation of the legal situation existing between a seller and buyer at an auction. Is eBay trying to instill in buyers a sense they are using an ordinary retail service like Amazon?
With regard to all the small, irregular sellers of collectable items, like myself, they most certainly are not.
I would like to remind eBay that I am not one of it’s employees. I PAY to use your services. I use eBay because it is a fun way to buy, sell and exchange old items with other enthusiasts worldwide.
The question remains for eBay’s board of directors, are you going to try and turn eBay into a quasi-‘retail’ operation, or remain as an auction services provider?
Regards,
Peter de Waal"
to which eBay replied:
"Hello Peter,
Thank you for contacting the eBay Catalog Support. We would like to kindly ask you to provide us with details about the missing items from our catalog that you are trying to sell. Any information such as Brand, Model, Manufacturer's Part Number and Barcode or ItemID of the listing will be most helpful.
Regarding the other raised concerns and questions, we will escalate your request to our second tier support and inform you on any developments on that matter. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best Regards
Vsevolod Starshov
Catalog Support
Email: DL-eBay-CatalogSubmission@eBay.com"
In other words: 'we are going to do this, so comply.'
I tried.
A challenge to ebay default infor programme
About a year ago I took this up with eBay:
" ‘Sigh.’ I am an individual collector of cameras who periodically sells of excess items, not a major retailer of currently manufactured items. All of the camera items I sell are AT LEAST 40 years old and eBay does not have standardised catalogue page descriptions for them. As standardised eBay descriptions for the vintage camera items I sell don’t exist, eBay cannot legally compel me to use a service that it has yet to create!
So eBay’s threats of draconian action such as:
“Make sure your listing follows these guidelines. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including restrictions of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account.”
- is probably unlawful. I would have to research the relevant statutes regarding consumer rights, retailer’s responsibilities, and the rights of those who subscribe to on-line services in the domiciles eBay is incorporated in.
Further, EBAY DOES NOT OWN ANY STOCK as a regular on-line retail service such as Amazon.com does, so it cannot construct a “catalogue.” eBay is currently an AUCTION services provider. This has important implications for buyers at eBay’s site, as merchantability, fitness for purpose, warranties etc. are not normal in auction environments. Accordingly, I avoid buying new items on eBay, instead using Amazon or another retailer that OWNS the stock and gives the buyer standard consumer rights.
eBay has of late subtly changed the language of it’s communications with buyers, for example: “Your ‘ORDER’ from X for Y...” This is not an ‘order’ in the sense of a normal retail sale, but a winning bid at an auction. To pretend that it is otherwise is misleading and a misrepresentation of the legal situation existing between a seller and buyer at an auction. Is eBay trying to instill in buyers a sense they are using an ordinary retail service like Amazon?
With regard to all the small, irregular sellers of collectable items, like myself, they most certainly are not.
I would like to remind eBay that I am not one of it’s employees. I PAY to use your services. I use eBay because it is a fun way to buy, sell and exchange old items with other enthusiasts worldwide.
The question remains for eBay’s board of directors, are you going to try and turn eBay into a quasi-‘retail’ operation, or remain as an auction services provider?
Regards,
Peter de Waal"
to which eBay replied:
"Hello Peter,
Thank you for contacting the eBay Catalog Support. We would like to kindly ask you to provide us with details about the missing items from our catalog that you are trying to sell. Any information such as Brand, Model, Manufacturer's Part Number and Barcode or ItemID of the listing will be most helpful.
Regarding the other raised concerns and questions, we will escalate your request to our second tier support and inform you on any developments on that matter. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best Regards
Vsevolod Starshov
Catalog Support
Email: DL-eBay-CatalogSubmission@eBay.com"
In other words: 'we are going to do this, so comply.'
I tried.
farlymac
PF McFarland
Yeah, send them the barcode from your Zeiss Super Ikonta B. ----------------
Like any big corporation, each time they get caught with their pants down, they change the rules in their favor to cover their butts. They've created this huge empire, now they think that no one should be able to question their methods. I'm always harping on them everytime they make another site change (which seems to happen every three months now). I don't know how you even found a channel to contact them directly, unless it's buried somewhere in the Sellers section.
Of course, you can always include a disclaimer on your auction page that refutes their standard description.
PF
Like any big corporation, each time they get caught with their pants down, they change the rules in their favor to cover their butts. They've created this huge empire, now they think that no one should be able to question their methods. I'm always harping on them everytime they make another site change (which seems to happen every three months now). I don't know how you even found a channel to contact them directly, unless it's buried somewhere in the Sellers section.
Of course, you can always include a disclaimer on your auction page that refutes their standard description.
PF
Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
It looks like Vsevolod Starshov fails the Turing Test.
Cheers,
Dez
Cheers,
Dez
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
Wasn't he in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy?
Nah, that was Marvin the Android....
Peter de Waal
Established
"It looks like Vsevolod Starshov fails the Turing Test."
Hilarious!
I have an educational study guide with Turing tests included as working models and examination pieces - on an 800k floppy that runs on OS6.08 on the Mac Plus.
Perhaps Vsevolod was previously "People's Commissar of Consumer Satisfaction Statistics" from Andropov's 'Interior Ministry' ?
It wasn't easy to find the link, but at the end of the day the eBay machine is programmed to ignore the squeal of a remote cog.
I am merely grateful that we are still able to exchange fictional currency for rare items, and that said items can be flown to the South Pacific for my pleasure and edification.
I feel this situation won't last forever...
Hilarious!
I have an educational study guide with Turing tests included as working models and examination pieces - on an 800k floppy that runs on OS6.08 on the Mac Plus.
Perhaps Vsevolod was previously "People's Commissar of Consumer Satisfaction Statistics" from Andropov's 'Interior Ministry' ?
It wasn't easy to find the link, but at the end of the day the eBay machine is programmed to ignore the squeal of a remote cog.
I am merely grateful that we are still able to exchange fictional currency for rare items, and that said items can be flown to the South Pacific for my pleasure and edification.
I feel this situation won't last forever...
user237428934
User deletion pending
I use ebay solely to buy stuff from commercial (non-private) resellers. With using ebay you don't lose any consumer rights because you have a contract with the seller, not with ebay. This should be the case worldwide I think.
In Germany we have a 14 day return right when we buy something on the internet from a commercial seller. I you have a complain, ebay is not involved. You deal with the seller and that's much easier.