Is this the new normal?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Anyone else seeing a pattern here? Captured a few days ago but seems to be a running theme.

Hopefully not the new normal!!

-Lotz

[strange*highways]

Do you mean "Is it the normal for the majority of people not to have profile photos" ?

Yes I believe so  

[reallynicestamps]

That most posts are asking for help with a problem?

That's the basic purpose of Message Boards surely.

Posts about transactions that went smoothly are uncommon.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@strange*highways 

Those would be the folks having a problem for the first time with a transaction gone wrong.

-Lotz

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

it seems to be just more of the same problems as of late. Maybe more needs to be done to streamline some of eBay's processes? Personally I always found it easiest when it was  possible to have direct contact between buyers and sellers.  (Without all the current hoops.)

-Lotz

[reallynicestamps]

Post holiday problems and new(ish) members?

Next will come the buyers with delivery problems from the Lunar New Year.

https://skift.com/2019/02/02/400-million-chinese-will-be-traveling-during-lunar-new-year/

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

[retroman_studios · Accepted solution]

I agree. It seems as of late that eBay is letting things slip. Not enough funding to educate buyers and sellers, not enough common sense when it comes to overseas agents (or even stateside sometimes).

Reminds me of when I used to play Sim City, I used to try and cut budgets for fire police and roads. Police & Fire chief were polite, saying they don't recommend cutting budget. Roadworks shouted "YOU CANT CUT BACK FUNDING, YOU'LL REGRET THIS!" Sure enough, I did regret it. My roads started to crumble and break.

I think the same thing is happening here.

[marnotom!]

These discussion boards see so little traffic now. There isn’t nearly the number of “lighter” posts to dilute the effect of the “heavier” ones.

Canada Town Square is a ghost town compared to twenty years ago when I first started using the eBay boards.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Agreed. It just has been as of late there was a lot less variety and the point about these types of recurring problems being addressed by eBay was a little lacking.

-Lotz

[reallynicestamps]

Due to the coronavirus, China has extended the Lunar New Year holidays by three days.

This will slow down shipping by honest sellers , who are the majority of Chinese sellers, and be a godsend for scammers.

[marnotom!]

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@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

Agreed. It just has been as of late there was a lot less variety and the point about these types of recurring problems being addressed by eBay was a little lacking.

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Also consider that it's "hangover time" after what's supposed to be the busiest time of year for most buyers and sellers.