eBay soft on infractions recently?

[x-modz]

I came across a seller recently who had an item listed, and within the auction description clearly had 3% surcharges posted should the winning bidder choose to use PayPal.

I reported it...and nothing happened.

The item never sold (Didn't meet reserve), and the seller reslisted it - with the same surcharge clearly posted in the auction.

Again, I reported it...several days ago now...and still, absolutely nothing.

Now, I'm of the understanding that this isn't allowed. Yet after reporting said seller *twice* now, for two seperate auctions, absolutely nothing seems to be happening?

I've also reported buyers recently with invalid email addresses, and I end up with the same situation - nothing seems to ever happen - the users simply continued to be registered, invalid contact information or otherwise.

I'm starting to wonder if reporting infractions is even worth the hassle anymore. Although I don't specifically spend time hunting for infractions just to report them, when I do come across a blatant infraction such as surcharges, or when I have a buyer with an invalid email address, I *DO* make the effort to report such, but I'm beginning to wonder if I'm outright wasting my time.

Anyone else noticed this?

[amberwoodottawa]

There are millions of infractions out there.
eBay doesnt police it and will do nothing if they are not reported.

Is it fair to remove an infraction because it has been reported when hundreds or thousands of others continue to remain listed with identical infractions? I dont think it is.

Adding a percentage of the final winning bid to compensate for the PayPal fees is a really common ploy used, I found by mostly US sellers. I honestly dont recall seeing any Cdn sellers requesting such a payment however with the milions of auctions it is highly likely some of them are doing the same thing.

I think the policing should be done by eBay and it should be even keel across the board. Until that time, the rules are going to be broken by those who feel they can get away with it.

So long as people are paying their fees to eBay, it is only the few sellers that will get upset by the disregard for the rules by some because, as you pointed out, eBay doesnt seem to care and those sellers know it.

Malcolm

[x-modz]

>I think the policing should be done by eBay and it should be even keel across the board. Until that time, the rules are going to be broken by those who feel they can get away with it.

It's no secret to anyone who has been using eBay long enough, that they rely on the users to report the greater majority of violations, big and small.

What irks me is when we *make* the effort to do our part to ensure a safe and fair playing field, but said reports seemingly just get ignored...?

[shooger]

"Is it fair to remove an infraction because it has been reported when hundreds or thousands of others continue to remain listed with identical infractions? I dont think it is."

Many people break the law - but only those who are found out get in trouble for it. By your method, we shouldn't prosecute criminals who are reported, because if we can't prosecute them all, we shouldn't do anything.

There is a system in place to report violations. I'm operating under the assumption that it was put there to be used. I could be wrong.

[amberwoodottawa]

eBay is a business that set its rules supposedly to protect the very being of eBay and provide conformity amongst all who use their services.

eBay has a responsibility to each of its "members" as it likes to call us sellers and buyers to enforce their own rules.

You dont run a corporation and allow your clients, who we really are, police your business and become the watchdogs of your policies.

I have never heard of any coporation in the world putting that responsibility on its clients. Totally one-sided, totally irresponsible and impractical.

Come on people, can you imagine Bell Canada allowing infractions to go on and only address the ones that might be reported to them. You know neighbour 1 reports neighbor 2 for tapping nto someone else's phone line to make long distance calls and aside from that, they will never, look into any other infractions on their own.

It is the corporation's responsibility to apply their rules evenly and consistently and to give us, their clients, the assurances that trading on eBay is a safe environment because of their rules and their application of consequences to people who do not follow the rules.

I can just imagine how disruptive and unprofitable it would have been in any of the 10 or so corporations I had been associated with, to depend on our clients to tell us which of our other clients were breaking our trading rules.

You know, if you want to take down your competition on eBay because they are doing something contrary to the eBay rules and therefore having an unfair advantage over you, there's no problem with that however it was eBay who had the primary responsibility to have detected that in the first place and to have dealt with it.

This isnt a social club, we are not members reporting to the club manager about another member breaking a club rule.

eBay is a business and most of us are selling on eBay as businesses (not as individuals) and the rules of business and law should apply.

Malcolm