Square trade wants rights over our auctions now??? Ebay AGREES???

[gem-n-i-gemstonz]

This is the second time in the last month that eBay has seemingly agreed with giving another company rights over our auctions.

They had a small banner that advertised our auctions could help win our favorite charity some money if we would just sign up. The idea was that every one of our auctions that ended in a sale would be entered into a draw to win our favorite charity some money. When I started to follow the links however, I would have had to sign over rights to my auctions...like letting them list auctions for me, edit my current auctions, leave feedback for me...basically everyhting that I do within ebay. But, of course they were not going to give my eBay password away. No, they didnt need to...I would have signed away the rights to do anything else they needed. They even would have had access to charge stuff unbeknownst to me to my chargecard!!!

I called eBay about this and asked what was going on. They said they would send me a link to email that I could send my concerns to. Never heard back, and I dropped the idea.

Now I get an email from square Trade:

"Dear Jaqui Michells,

In regards to your SquareTrade Seal Membership

SquareTrade is not able to verify your eBay information for your eBayuserID: gem-n-i-gemstonz. eBay authentication is required to post theSquareTrade Seal on your eBay listings and to ensure that your eBay identityhas not been stolen.

Please update your eBay information by logging in to the following website.We will automatically direct you to a page that will help you validate youreBay information. Use this URL:https://www.squaretrade.com/ebt/jsp/login_token.jsp?returnPath=%2Fmem%2Fjsp%2Flogin.jsp&userIdChangeOk=true

Alternatively, you can go to SquareTrade's homepage (www.squaretrade.com)and click on 'my seal' located in the upper right hand corner. Log in withyour eBay user ID and SquareTrade password. (not your eBay password) Youwill then be directed to a page to validate your eBay information.

If you have any questions about the authenticity of this email, pleasecontact Member Services at the email address provided below.

Sincerely,

The SquareTrade Team

Need help? Contact us at:memberservices@squaretrade.com

*** AUTHENTIC SQUARETRADE COMPLIANCE EMAIL ***When you log into your SquareTrade account, make sure that the website URLbegins withhttps://www.squaretrade.com. If the URL does not begin with this, you arenot logging intothe SquareTrade site, and should not provide any confidential information.

YOUR PRIVACY IS IMPORTANT TO SQUARETRADE"

When I follow the links, these are the rights they want, presumably if I am to be allowed to continue as a Square Trade seller:

"In order to fulfill your request to use SquareTrade on eBay, we need to give SquareTrade access to some information about you. This information will be encrypted in a way that SquareTrade will only be able to use it to perform the following functions on your behalf:

Display the status of items I watch, bid on, or win.
Information that is currently available in the bidding/watching section of My eBay.

Display the status of items I sell.
Information that is currently available in the selling section of My eBay.

List new items for sale, relist items, sell similar items, or make a second chance offers.
Perform item listing actions on my behalf using tools similar to Sell Your Item, etc.

Add to item description or revise items for sale.
Perform revisions or additions to item listings on my behalf similar to Revise Your Item.

Leave feedback or display my feedback.
Perform feedback actions on my behalf such as leaving feedback or display my feedback.

Place bids or make purchases.
Perform bidding and buying of items on my behalf.

For your protection, eBay requires your explicit consent before we will transfer any personal information to SquareTrade. By clicking Agree and Continue, you authorize eBay to share information about you that is necessary to enable SquareTrade to perform the selected eBay functionality above. The information will be used in accordance with SquareTrade's privacy policy as well as eBay's privacy policy."

I am very confused...exactly why does ST need to be able to "List new items for sale, relist items, sell similar items, or make a second chance offers." on my behalf? Do I get to control the quality of what they are selling for me? If THEY get negative feedback, do I take the wrap? Why exactly do they need to leave feedback for me? Place bids, or make purchases for me? Who pays for those purchases? Make second chance offers...what if I dont have another item of the kind to sell??

Has anyone else recieved this? I did not follow thier link by the way. I logged into my account with them the way I normally would, and then followed the "my seal link" which took me to ebay, which took me to this page.

What gives here? I am thinking of ending my membership with them if this is what they need.

Jaqui

[rewelu]

Hi Jacqui,

eBay has implemented this new program that when you use an application which uses eBay's API (program), it needs to a verification token.

This is INSTEAD of entering your password into your account with Squaretrade. In fact, eBay has made it a lot MORE secure by offering this.

When you get that site, just click that you agree because it basically gives Squaretrade PERMISSION to use your eBay information for listing or ADDING your squaretrade seal to your auctions.

It's the same thing for Andale, AuctionWorks, etc...

Hendre

[rewelu]

Hi,

Just to clarify. This process is totally independent of the eBay charity program.

Hendre

[gem-n-i-gemstonz]

Hi Hendre,

Yes, I understood that it is seperate from the charity program.

What I dont get is why they need permission to make bids on my behalf? Create listings for me...all those other things. I do understand why they need permission to update my auctions...for thier seal. It's the rest of the stuff that scares me. It seems to me to be a lscence to do whatever they want. In the future, should they bid on something for me(I am unsure why they would want to...but lets say they have some sicco employee who is disgruntled with thier work and decides to get revenge...then what?), I would have no recourse.

Jaqui

[rewelu]

Hi Jacqui,

Well, when you gave out your user ID and password to Squaretrade they could do the EXACT same thing.'

The new system is just a better way of authentication. It's used INSTEAD of a password.

There's nothing to be worried about. It's much safer than a password ...

Hendre

[gem-n-i-gemstonz]

I hadnt even realized that I had given them my password. It was way back when I first started to realy sell. But, come to think of it, I probably ran into this since I just changed my password a couple of days ago.

Ok, I surrender. LOL

Thanks Hendre!

Jaqui

[shooger]

[robot voice]ALL YOUR PASSWORD ARE BELONG TO US!!!! SOMEBODY SET UP US THE EBAY!!!![/robot voice]