eBay's Best Bargain - Itself

The revolutionary internet marketplace eBay (EBAY) has made significant strides in tightening up the sales process in order to inspire trust between buyers and sellers. There is a vocal contingent of eBay users who have at one time been burned by a fraudulent transaction on the site, and while the site has in the past attempted to ensure the integrity of sales on the site, the company has taken it to the next level recently. 

Buyers are now eligible for a full refund for fraudulent sales; eBay lifted the cap of $200 on transactions or $2,000 for highly rated users. Sellers who accept PayPal (eBay’s wholly-owned e-commerce processing subsidiary) get unlimited protection against reversed charges. Currently, 75% of eBay transactions are processed through PayPal, and conversely 60% of all transactions processed on PayPal are via eBay. eBay is also adding more incentives for fixed-price sales as opposed to auctions. They have improved their searching technology, making it easier than ever to match up buyers and sellers with the products they desire. Furthermore, eBay will reduce fees by 20% to its highest rated sellers as well. These are just some of the new measures that eBay is hoping will restore trust between buyers and sellers and in the process bring more successful transactions.

eBay has become a major player in internet retail, and these improvements—which will be implemented by the holiday shopping season—will put added pressure on web rivals Amazon (AMZN) and Craigslist. However, eBay is competing with more than just online retailers; eBay is second to only Wal-Mart (WMT) in the amount of retail business that it conducts. That is an amazing volume of business to conduct, with much lower overhead than Wal-Mart or other “bricks and mortar” retailers which necessitate real estate, employees, et al.

Clearly, eBay will not be able to bring in the kind of revenue of a Wal-Mart or Target (TGT), but they still take a cut of every sale with much less overhead cost. There are 1.3 million people who make a living either buying or selling items on eBay, and the site has 84 million active users. These users are effectively unpaid employees who generate revenue while costing eBay nothing.

As these recent measures demonstrate, eBay is not taking its users for granted and they are trying to address those concerns of theirs that have caused growth to slow. Ockham Research is reaffirming our Strong Buy for eBay, as the company is demonstrably undervalued compared to historical norms. For example, eBay’s price-to-sales ratio is currently 4.4 times, but the stock has traditionally traded in the range of 8.7-17.5 times revenue. Likewise, eBay’s price-to-cash flow has fluctuated between 32.3 and 62, and right now it is trading at a multiple of 14.7 times. For eBay to be selling at the low end of these historically normal valuation ranges would require the stock to be priced around $66 per share given current levels of sales and cash flow. 

Furthermore, value investors should not be frightened by the P/E multiple in the low 90’s; this measure reflects an impairment charge from 3Q07 of nearly $1 billion. The P/E will give a much more accurate reflection of the stock’s valuation when that charge is replaced by 3Q08 results, and it will likely be in the low 20’s range. We think that eBay is on the correct path to restoring trust in its efficient marketplace, and we think this stock’s valuation is quite compelling. Bargain hunters will rejoice at the new security measures created to protect them in the ever evolving online marketplace, but perhaps the biggest bargain available is eBay itself.

Comments

[dht56]

Wow, you bought every lie eBay handed you. Ask any ten ebay sellers if one word you have here is true. They will tell you that ebay has destroyed itself, by changing the very thing that built it. It used to be special, a fun place to hang out and make some sales and buy some cool stuff. But they have put up a wall between buyers and sellers, pitting them against one another. Instead of the community of equal users they once had, now they offer better pricing and higher search position to bigger sellers, and bash the smaller sellers every chance they get. They have kille the mood. The amazonification of eBay will kill it by maiking it just one more site.

Anyone who buys this stock now is just plain nuts. I have been an ebay seller full time since 1998. But dont just listen to me, ask any ten sellers at random- you will hear the same thing.

[Watchingthe Wheels]

The seller's fears are very justified. This is the second incident of feedback abuse I have found in less than a week.

feedback.ebay.com/ws/e...

I have time to audit the site; why don't the executives? Isn't this part of what they are being paid to do?

[Watchingthe Wheels]

The above antics had been mentioned in various sources very soon after the policy change announcements. Why was nothing done?

[ebaywonderland]

Just incredible to read the pablum ebay has handed out. Nothing more than a disguised press release because the author didn't bother to fact check the real impact of the fraud and abuse on ebay now.

Ebay has never enforced it's own written policies to control fraud, both on the seller side or the buyer side of any transaction. They expect their community of members to report to them. Report a violation and you're lucky they bother to read the report at all, let alone act.

Ebay has done nothing about the underlying problems that have plagued the site for years. I think the fact that they are handing out millions of coupons to buyers should pretty much tell the analysts that they have to buy the buyers and even that will only be a flash in the pan.

Do your research, trust nothing ebay tells you.

[dinah balk]

The 2 biggest frauds that take place on eBay occurs:

1) when eBay takes seller listing fees & then makes it IMPOSSIBLE for buyers to find the seller's item due to best match (hasn't worked from day one); and

2) eBay's requirement that sellers accept paypal worldwide in the near future to combat fraud.

Both are unconscionable acts and eBay's SPIN that sellers cause their own demise & that acceptance of paypal is a matter of safety is so unbelievable that even a low grade moron wouldn't believe it.

It is reported (but unconfirmed) that the Griff has given eBay only 2 more years of life but this author suspects it may be substantially less.

[Warrior Maya]

The writer should maybe look for a profession where he can fit in for his good looks. Here we need someone who is able to think, rather then be a parrot to a range of stupid things. With ebay closing in some countries (France) and a number of copyright problems they have, it is expected that a company will at some point reach a peek. For this writer to suggest that this can continue to grow exponentialy is ...well you know...

As a buyer and a seller, I am now researching other options - other sites and solo deals. Ebay is not only destroying for themselves - see how ebayLive is EMTPTY and how those executives are there prepared to lie - www.youtube.com/watch?...

The truth is that ebay is paralized with the possibilities of lawsuits and close outs in other countries, is milking you on front, end, paypal, currency transfer and bank transfer fees and is turing enterpreneurs into employers with implementations of not-possible to implement requirements. If it is my business, I should be deciding if there are returns or not - as I was the one dealing with the client. Effectivelly last week buyers ordered items, paid just to say hours later that they haven't received it. From what I understand post office is not still on that level, but it speaks for the state of the affair.

Maybe ebay was about to be prosecuted for monopolistic policies and if nobody thougth about it, they should. They keep majority of the market and they have put many out of business over night. Even though I am one of those, I am glad as such greed always results in someone else giving a better option and this effectivelly will be the end of ebay. I think it was that story of a straw that broke camel's back.

I am so glad this happens. Ebay cannot possibly demand 25% which now is how much they grab between their ebay and paypal fees. 25% is ratio of a brick and mortar, and ebay + paypal together should not get over 10%. They you would have a sound business model.

I still do not get that 'we want to be Amazon story'. You never were Amazon and we expected you to be ebay, no Amazon. What the heck. Did they buy you out? Or is ebay purposelly putting their stocks down so someone buys this Titanic?

[Dream On]

Every time I read one of these ridiculous eBay spoon fed articles I think 'Dream on.'
Trying to pump up a deflated stock from a has-been company in deep, deep trouble both within and without is just sad.
They are being hit with unfavorable judgments, cold cocked by government agencies, buried under very successful competitors, failing to attract new traffic and unable to keep that which they once had.
Inside they are 'bleeding out' as their own customers (the Sellers) abandon ship for a multitude of reasons. Boiling it all down you will find the belief that eBay is no longer 'good' for their business. Their sales have dwindled, their fees have increased, the site is so glitchy there is not a day that goes by that something else 'doesn't work'. When that happens you run into one of eBay's biggest problems for it's users, they have no apparent customer service. There is no number to call, only email which brings canned cut and paste answers that are usually nonsense in broken English that do not even touch on the problem. Glitches can last for months and never even be acknowledged by eBay. Sort of like 'If I don't admit there is a problem, no one can call me on it.' Very infantile for a huge corporation. And all in the above section applies just as well to Paypal which they are attempting and failing to force on those who DO NOT want it.
Do not pay attention to the man behind the curtain pulling levers and making all the smoke billow out. Listen to those who have 'lived' inside eBay for 8, 9, 10 years and know it. Anyone who does not will sound like the writer of this article, woefully uneducated, or perhaps just dreaming.

[Watchingthe Wheels]

Ebay still has no viablle customer service for the majority of its users. The email customer service offered is an automated system.

I'll know that Ebay cares when every member is afforded the same level of service.

Is my money not as green?

Customer service is a tool that helps to build a customer base. It is up to a company to prove their worthiness to me; not the other way around.

The last time that I experianced such mediocre business practices was a few months before MCI went belly up. There are reasons and underlying causes behind such levels of mediocraty. I say let it play out. Ebay will either get it right or eventually crap out just like MCI and Enron before them.

Policies need to be fair for all users or dischord will continue. Why if Ebay is doing so well, does the stock hover in the 20's?

If Ebay is doing so well by its members, why do the comments left after any article that allows them tend to be of negative oppinion?

Why haven't any of these reporting bodies become curious enough to do further investigation?

Has our society become that jaded?

[Watchingthe Wheels]

One last thought :

If Ebay is poised toward greatness, why has Meg sold close to $40.000,000 of her shares?

She was still onboard when the policy changes were developed and put into play.

[Watchingthe Wheels]

Had to return. Just found this in the Ebay message boards.

The seller fears are very real.

feedback.ebay.com/ws/e...

[User 213896]

ebay sucks. look at its stock price dumba$$! what do you think it went down for NO reason? especially in this economy when a value retailer like ebay goes down you know it sucks. unless they layoff their entire management... ebay continues to $$$uck.

[Dream On]

When the first hue and cry was raised as the deluge of business altering changes fell on the eBay community, the new CEO stepped forward to refer to them as 'noise from a small percent of our passionate and vocal minority' or some such nonsense. To some extent it was correct at the time. The vast majority of eBay sellers pay no attention to announcements and sort roll with the punches when things change. But as the new changes took affect and more and more sellers found themselves buried in search due to flooding of categories by mega-sellers, and with monthly fees that were higher than their sales, or having auctions pulled for confusing and unexplained reasons, more and more began to realize something was terribly wrong. Ah, why do I even try to explain. The proof is in the pudding they say. I give it 1Q of 2009 and all the articles such as the one above will have disappeared much like the dodo. So print them out and frame them. Perhaps you can sell them on eBay. We may find them on the 36th page behind those $49.00 AAA batteries from Buy.com or perhaps we will not even be able to find them at all in the new Best Match search, it is terribly broken and doesn't look to be fixed any time soon. So you will have to post a link for prospective buyers and perhaps they can find it. And I do hope you are not needing the money for anything important. As you will be a new seller you will have to accept Paypal and if your buyer pays you with it, you more than likely won't see it for at least 3 weeks. eBay is holding funds for 21 days on every thing from cd's to toaster ovens. But make sure you ship it the day after purchase for free and from your own pocket or you will risk getting dinged on your stars, which will put you to page 132 in search, and you will more than likely get a negative feedback, which will entitle Paypal to hold your funds for 3 weeks. Yes, there is much joy in eBayland these days. The fun never stops. OP you really should join us, yes, you really should.

[marketwatchr]

IMHO, I think there will be "bid" for e-bay in the next 12 months

[JuniorBaiano]

This is not an article, it's a stab in the dark from a parrot, nothing more than a glorified press release. Expect eBay stock to PLUNGE next year as more and more disillusioned sellers leave and less and less variety becomes available. Buyers drive traffic and without the stock, ebay will be nothing. Traffic is already down by 1/3rd since the start of the year (60% down from it's peak at 2006), has lost 1/3rd of it's stock value and with the continued exodus of suppliers in the coming 12 months, expect that traffic and value to wane even further. eBay has lost it's shine by ignoring the very people that built it.

[the K C whiz]

Forget about Ebay/Paypal; I was both a buyer/seller for over 10 years, but but recently, when a buyer tried to extort a price adjustment and I refused, the buyer wrote a scathing negative to my previous perfect feedback record. I wrote a negative on the buyer. Later, the buyer had my negative removed from his record, but Ebay refused to take his negative off my record. This is not the kind of policy that one can trust...so I closed my Ebay/Paypal account. Ebay is not what it used to be...so to heck with them.

[The REALTruth]

Is this blogger on crack? For the love of God, ignore this advice. You want proof, WATCH the Youtube video from Ebay Live 2008. There was barely anyone there, and there was NO WAIT in th registration lines. Ebay is a ghost town for a reason: it made so many BAD changes it criminalized selling on its own site! You would have to be out of your mind to invest in this company. We can only hope Jeff Bezos buys it!

[ebaylp]

Wow, talk about parrots. Most of the comments sound like they are coming from the same person except for marketwatchers

[networkeffect]

Looking at eBay's recent changes, I guess these are required. Simple reason as many people say sellers moving to other sites like Amazon, is amazon allowing sellers to be unfair to buyers? amazon will always support buyers no matter what.
Also fees at Amazon is more expensive than eBay, however ebay has listing fees and Amazon has none.

I do not undestand why people are so -ve on eBay and positive on all others when no one provide a real advantage.

[downtube]

Maybe this writer may want to do some research before he publishes a press release from ebay. More factually inaccurate articles like this will get a writer canned. Those that know the real story are picking up cheap put options on ebay. It will tank before the next earnings report. FYI ebay new incentives for sellers are a sign of weakness.

The real story was at ebay live www.youtube.com/watch?... . Please do research before you publish nonsense.

[Dream On]

networkeffect you have not read or comprehended a thing on your own. You have believed eBays propaganda that the outrage you hear is just a bunch of 'bad' sellers screaming because they can no longer take advantage of poor defenseless buyers. This is a list of changes made by or being made by eBay since Jan of this year. If you see any you need help with let me know and I will kindly try and explain it for you. What you read in these blogs is only a tiny glimpse into what is going on. eBay has a new section called 'Distruptive Innovation' it's purpose is to in essence throw everything up in the air and see how it falls. Try living with that on a daily basis. Try making a living and paying your mortgage and feeding your children while scrambling to keep up. Try it, I dare you.

Since January 2008, the following changes have been made or are announced as coming changes soon (this list is directly from eBay announcements):

1. SMI - hidden bidder ID's
2. Increased cost for successful sale
3. Feedback changes, only positive for buyers, buyers can leave full range of feedback
4. Ebay using DSR/feedback opinions to rank search position
5. Ebay using DSR/feedback to determine paypal holds
6. Ebay using DSR/feedback percentage to determine forced
paypal use (Safer Payments program)
7. Best Match - placement tied to DSR ratings
8. PowerSeller changes/discounts/crit...
9. Chargeback protection to Powersellers (enrolled, now)
10. Chargeback protection for all (to be instituted at a later date)
11. Rolling 12 month feedback/30 day feedback DSR's (only the past 30 days count in figuring discounts and privileges)
12. Seller Dashboard (first only for PS, then all with 10 DSR or greater)
13. Repeat Feedback credit
14. Delay in feedback for powerseller customers only (buyers can not leave negative or neutral feedback for powersellers for 7 days after sale)
15. Unconfirmed address protection for PS (enrolled, now)
16. Unconfirmed address protection for all (at a later date)
17. Digital media eliminated (ebooks, web templates, etc)
18. Item specifics changes in category listing forms
19. Fees for international site visibility instituted
20. Shipping costs added to Best Match search visibility(March 2008)
21. Required stated shipping costs being phased in (July required)
22. Feedback protections for sellers when filing UPI
23. Stock photos in categories
24. My Ebay changes
25. Free shipping icon available
26. Live Auction format will end
27. Verifying sellers to specific computers when listing
28. Facebook feed of ebay auctions option
29. Best Match made the default search
30. Selling Manager subscribers have added options for relists
31. ProStores 9.0 intro
32. Updates to options when using ebay picture hosting
33. Neutral feedback = full negative in determining feedback score
34. Choice listing changed to allow color, size in one listing
35. Multiple listing limit lifted with caveat that same seller multiples limited to 10 per page unless only one seller offers the item, then it is unlimited per page.
36. Prohibiting mystery auctions.
37. Links policy changes (must remove any offsite links) (July)
38. 4.7 or higher in all DSR's get better search ranking
39. Paypal Pay Later introduced through ebay checkout
40. Finding Playground beta testing ongoing, will release new changes May/June as a result
41. Free shipping for calculated listings available
42. Freight quote calculator can be added to listings
43. New item page view layout
44. Lowered limit to 3 DSR for Best Match search results
45. Anonymous email forwarding (all email addresses must be removed from listings and templates)
46. Specified item condition, return policy, handling time required in listings.
47. Diamond Tier PS discount 20%/negotiate fees (minimum requirements of DSR's, feedback and 50,000 items per month sold or $500,000 in sales per month)
48. A quick "listing update" checklist, to make it easier to follow new listing requirements
49. PS UPS shipping discount of 23% ground rates (requires enrollment)
50. Reduce listing, increase FVF pricing more changes toward holiday season.
51. Direct phone support for buyers only (sellers still get canned cut and paste email replies)
52. Coupons for best buyers program spring and holiday season
53. POSSIBLE CHANGE is allowing buyers to remove feedback they left for sellers, still being discussed, goal is to address this by the holiday season.
54. Coming soon, prefilled item specifics in certain categories
55. New hub for pre-owned GM and Chrysler used car dealership listings.
56. Edit shipping details for multiple purchases
57. Increase watch list to 200 items
58. Blocked bidder list grown from 1000 to 5000
59. Flash, video and other active media must be removed from listings and templates
60. No more 3rd party checkout
61. 2% or higher customer dissatisfaction lowers search standing.

And I am sure a few have been missed. Thanks Nancy for putting this together for we who are having trouble keeping up.

[The REALTruth]

Ebaylp, networkeffect: We are hardly parrots, just shocked at the columnist who wants to put our hard earned money into a floundering company with management that looks and acts like they just graduates college. And the suggestion that Amazon lets sellers treat buyers unfairly?..sounds like either Jose or some other ebay plant is at it again.

I sell on both sites and have done so for years. The differences?

Ebay now treats me like a criminal on temporary parole in spite of the fact I am a Powerseller with an excellent rating. Amazon treats me just like everyone else on the site-FAIRLY.

Ebay has ZERO seller support. Got a question? Forget about it. You will either get a canned irrelevant response, or no answer at all. I've used PS seller support which is marginally better. Amazon's Seller Support is actual people located in the USA. I have never left a call feeling dissatisfied.

Ebay/Paypal's handling of claims: Arbitrary and capricious. Even the rules between Paypal and Ebay are inconsistent. Generally if you are a seller? Bend over. Amazon's Alliance / A to z claims? They rake you over the coals, but are fair. And all I ask for is fair. With Amazon they will generally accept delivery confirmation to deny an A to z claim for an item not received. Paypal will NOT.


Overall, Amazon's execs have NEVER said the bonehead insulting drivel Ebay's execs have: Who can forget Ebay Exec Jose getting snagged and spanked on the auctionbytes blog for making nasty personal comments about the bloggers? How about comparing other payment methods to heroin? How about Griff saying Ebay was in imminent danger of not existing in two years (HIS last week words, not mine). Worse, how about dismissing sellers as mere "noise" and calling buyers "the Walmart crowd". It goes on and on. How about showing baby pictures and pictures of your pets at a major keynote address at Ebay Live? Yeah, thats professional. Their lack of communication before hoisting their changes on the site and their arrogant, cavalier treatment has left EVERYONE with a bad taste in their mouth. THATS why people are sick of Ebay. Right now Darth Vader and the Death Star have a better reputation.

So sorry to thwart your insinuations about Amazon. I actually LIKE Ebay, but really, there is NO comparison between the 2 companies no matter how desperately ebay tries to be Amazon. I hope Ebay gets their act together, but they can't do it without their medium to smaller sellers (who probably buy more than they sell). They need to do a better job communicating with sellers, and win us back. If not, you'll be seeing vitriol wherever and whenever Ebay is mentioned. And Bad word of mouth will eventually be a business killer, no matt how big one is.

[SS214]

Been a casual eBay user for six+ years. Owned eBay stock a couple of times in as many years. Lost $$ in both stock ownership and online purchases.

As an investor...the eBay business model is hard to grasp. The exception is acquired PayPal operation.

As a user...one needs to be very, very careful in those eBay auctions (or “Buy It Now” for that matter). Sellers typically grab the buyer on S & H charges, and the frequent online buyer can typically find better deals direct from reliable sources. I have notified several eBay sellers that new products can be purchased for considerably less direct from branded retailers like Sears, WalMart, etc.

I’m personally chilly on eBay…very cautious in all related owner or user transactions.

[hobo]

I have been on ebay 10 years. I loved it! Now I love watching their demise.How could a good thing go so bad? Hi craigslist!

[jaysea]

i love selling on ebay... i don't think that they are asking too much... but then again, i only sell maybe 50 or so items a year. i dunno most of the stuff i sell is junk anyway and the other stuff is mostly garage sale finds or Amish turnaround sales.... and since i buy mostly collector type of things (ex art, dunny, other "urban vinyl") ebay seems like the only second-hand store. but w/e... ppl are going to be mad at anything

[User 38850]

Comment from the Editor: We take factual accuracy very seriously at Seeking Alpha; should this article require any corrections, we need disputants to follow these instructions for disputing an article: seekingalpha.com/artic.... Thank you.

[ex-seller]

get extorted by a buyer 3 times and you're out. Do this enough and you have no more sellers.

[Et tu,Brute!]

To Dream On and The REAL Truth:

Excellent postings to both. Comprehensive and easy to comprehend.
Thank you, thank you for great articulation.

Dream On: Great timeline visual! Whew! Insanity!

[cheZ]

whew......the inept people ( and writers ) who continually support eBay and its current Machiavellian policies with articles like this one remind this person of those citizens in Austria and Poland who wanted to give the Nazis the benefit of the doubt , until it was too late ! it is obvious that eBay Corp. will lie thru its teeth and tell the world whatever it is that they want to hear , they are all too aware of the ratio of gullible people out there who inhabit the planet and who are too lazy to do any real research about eBay and Paypal ...and their draconian policies !! Look at what they are trying to do in Australia people !! nuff said

[InAgreement]

I agree, these others simply refuse to adjust to the improvements. Your facts posted are accurate, just many do not want to believe this, and in many cases have not bothered to give them the chance. Those that have, are not experiencing the problems which others are so afraid of. Having a bad buyer happened before, now when there is one, it is blamed on the changes. Absolute stupidity. The percentage of bad transactions is no worse today than it was one year ago. Those most upset are simply the ones which do not have the business sense to be successful and generally have a negative outlook on everything in life probably.
The site will be improved without them.

[cheZ]

because eBay Corp. has somehow hypnotized you into thinking that these current changes are " improvements " just lends credence to my initial point. eBay's policy architects are completely aware of how many gullible people like you are out there , sadly.

[Shay]

WOW!! Has the 'author' of this article been drinking way TOO much of feebay's spiked 'kool-aid' or what?! Geeze!

[leapingcat]

'However, eBay is competing with more than just online retailers; eBay is second to only Wal-Mart (WMT) in the amount of retail business that it conducts. '
Ebay does not conduct any retail business at all, in fact it claims to be merely a venue; the business is conducted by the sellers using the site. Ebay is competing with other online sites for the business of sellers and its success or failure will depend on how well or otherwise it does this, and the signs don't look too promising. If the writer cannot even understand this, what value can you put on the rest of his piece?

[justpurrfect]

eBay may look great to the market, but perhaps "the market" doesn't read the boards on the site?
eBay have failed to hold onto their core business - they want to be somebody else(Amazon?) instead of doing what they do well. Most importantly, they have failed to realise who are their customers. The sellers are eBay's customers. The buyers are the sellers' customers. eBay have to keep their customers happy not mine - I'll deal with mine!

[Essie]

If e-Bay's "improvements&quo... are so great then why are sales down across the board ? With gas prices going up up up e-Bay sales should be up not down. If the policy changes have caused a rise in buyer confidence why aren’t they buying? There will always be birthdays, weddings, baby showers, Mothers Day, Father’s Day and other occasions to buy gifts. People still need the basics like clothing, shoes, and household goods. Higher gas prices should equal higher on line sales. Instead sales are dropping. Sellers have lost confidence in both e-Bay and Pay-Pal. Buyers are being lead to believe that sellers are honest only because e-Bay forces them to be. The people who buy from me are my customers not e-Bays. Sellers are e-Bays customers. Buyers and Sellers keep e-Bay going; they can’t do business without BOTH. e-Bay has caused distrust between buyers and sellers. Sellers are being forced to accept Pay-Pal. The 20% fee reduction is a scam. The listing fee reduction is a joke, yes it costs less to list but it costs a lot more to sell. e-Bay is fostering the belief that sellers can control the cost of shipping with the seller’s shipping cost star rating They tell buyers a rating of 4.5 is good while sellers get a lower placement in the search engine if the rating falls to 4.5. Pay-Pal says sellers are responsible for the way shippers handle packages. While voiding any insurance by having a broken item shipped back to the seller instead of following “shippers policy” for broken or damaged items. My advice is to dump all e-Bay stock while you can with the current CEO at the helm e-Bay is in self-destruct mode.

[Watchingthe Wheels]

Found this is sellers central:

forums.ebay.com/db2/th...

[LegendsOfBatman]

Sorry, PO, ebay is no bargain.
Ebay is a very risky investment right now; unless someone has the means of buying up the majority shares.

Ebay has placed itself in a position to be sued and on an plethora of issues.
Imagine it.
1. Ebay has always claimed they were a "middle man", therefore not responsible for what sellers do or say. But now, ebay is interferring with the feedback process. They have removed negative feedback, which now seems to qualify them for being responsible, and no longer allows them to hide behind the "middle man only" argument.
2. Ebay and/or PayPal is already being sued for not honoring their buyer protection when not paying by credit card. A settlement offer of 3.5 million is being considered.
3. Will ebay be sued for accepting fees on multiple listings, but, not displaying all of them?
4. Will ebay get sued again for holding payments. They already had a $10 million settlement.
5. Will ebay be held liable for forseeing the potential for being extorted, and allowing it?
6. Ebay is being held liable for counterfeit items sold on their sites. They lost a case in France, and won one in NY. How many more cases will be made against ebay?
7. Ebay has made a backdoor deal with Buy.com; you can see the details here: www.youtube.com/watch?...
These numbers were taken from Terapeak and are based on a 90 day history (March 2, 2008-May 31, 2008. The most current info at the time of publishing):
Seller: Buy (Buy.com)
Dates: March 2, 2008-May 31, 2008
Total Items Listed: 2,708,987
Total sales: $3,924,907
Successful listings: 64,638
Total Items Offered: 249,431,285
Sell through rate: 2.39%
Average Sale: $44.43
MINIMUM listing fee, including dutch auctions: $24,943,128.50 (Based on the lowest fee of .10 per listing, and offering Media Mail. Does not include higher listing fees, or other promotional listing fees, or Final Value Fees, which would increase the fees dramnatically).
I am looking to see if these actions are a violation of The Sherman Act. It sure seems like it applies.

I'm sorry, OP, I just don't see how ebay is all that great a bargain. Ebay has managed to alienate it's customer base, and although boycotts are not new to ebay and it's young history, i have never seen ebay boycotted by the community twice in one year, and never to the point where many would be willing to boycott ebay in an open-ended boycott, as they are doing currently, and have been since (officially) May 1st, and some as far back as Feb.

As they say with any bargain, you get what you pay for.
Tim
myspace.com/boycotteba...