Comments on: eBay changes from a buyers perspective

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:45:19 +0000

Sorry Abs, I wasn’t aware I was making such a fuss. I’m just a newcomer to eBay trying to see if there is still a business opportunity on the site. As I would be a sole trader, living alone, the safety aspect is a consideration. Eddie has already told me about the 2002 eCommerce Regs and I am currently trying to read them! I always understood that is was alllowable to use a PO Box on a website and only have full details registered with your provider; but I may soon know differently if I can interpret the legal jargon!

By: abs

abs — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:00:35 +0000

the business reg process on eBay is not an eBay policy!! its the EU ecommerce Directive of 2002! if you have your own website you need to comply with these rules too. i dont understand all the fuss. obviously it will be hard for eBay to police, but thats where the community comes in, like always!! REPORT THEM if you feel these sellers are not complying!!!

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 18 May 2008 11:53:42 +0000

It’s typcial of things that are happening in all sorts of areas, not just ebay. Everything seems to be brought down to the lowest common denominator. Because there are some dozy buyers who haven’t the sense or can’t be bothered to do some checking before being buying from a distance seller, all buyers have to be treated as if they need their hands holding.

By: Owen

Owen — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:47:52 +0000

On the subject of feedback from the buyers perspective.

Just been talking to my wife, who buys on eBay but doesn’t sell.

She sees buyers feedback as worthless now as there is nothing to distinguish a good prompt payer from a complete waste of time. They might as well say this buyer has completed x number of transactions, because that’s all it indicates.

As a buyer she is savvy enough to check who she’s buying from and can spot negs left in retalliation by sellers, and feels it rather insulting that eBay feels that she needs nursemaiding to such an extent.

By: Owen

Owen — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:37:49 +0000

It should be Chris. Looks like they aren’t complying then.

I misread your post slightly when you only mentioned two out of the three possible locations, sorry.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:46:34 +0000

Owen # 9

I looked on the items first because that was how I found business IDs to check. The listings only had town and county. I thought it had to be a full address?

By: Keith

Keith — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:28:25 +0000

Dave #8

You can search ‘price + p&p lowest first’ on the drop down menu

By: Owen

Owen — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:04:35 +0000

Chris at #7.

The details can also be on the listing. If they are there then they don’t need to be anywhere else.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:21:10 +0000

The most frustrating thing I find as a buyer is that you have to add the postage fee of each seller to find the best deal. I appreciate that it is difficult to have a postage inclusive price because of complications with posting items abroad but with the new International Visibility Scheme would it be feasible to revisit this issue

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:19:19 +0000

Sorry to harp on again about Business addresses, but it is relevant to both buyers and sellers. In the Business Centre of eBay website it states full contact details must be on the About Me page or on a Shop page not more than one click from the main shop page. I have checked 8 registered random business sellers and not found a single address. In fact, one even stated that as they don’t operate from a shop all contact to be through the eBay message facility.

Instead of imposing ever changing requirements on sellers, why is eBay not enforcing the laws of the countries it operates in? To leave it to the honesty of the seller whether they put their address on is not good enough. It may also be a better indicator to the buyer if the seller is open about their operation than Feedback and DSRs which are so open misinterpretation.