Today, eBay has deleted a discussion topic on their own “Trust & Safety (SafeHarbor)” discussion forum, part of their “Answer Center” where eBay users are encouraged to “[s]hare questions or experience with members”. This was a topic I initiated in September seeking assistance in verifying the sources of memorabilia marketed as authentic by eBay dealer *stoneark* (AKA stonark AKA Corner Collectibles). [Read more…]
eBay has published an “Important Security Announcement”, which equates to more “progress” and less transparency. The latest announced change will result in the privatization of bidders identities not only during bidding, but following the close of the auction. [Read more…]
As an update to eBay’s frequent and ongoing policy changes to a “PayPal Only” payment system, details regarding previously announced changes that further integrate PayPal into parent company eBay have been further clarified. Such changes include the elimination of checks and money orders under most circumstances. [Read more…]
As part of the continuing coverage of developments related to eBay’s “PayPal Only” business model objectives, eBay President Lorrie Norrington announced a number of policy updates. Some of these updates include the elimination of checks and money orders as a payment option (with the exception of “pick-up” transactions), which leaves users with very limited “electronic” options: credit cards, ProPay, and PayPal. [Read more…]
eBay announced earlier this year that they would be dropping their eBay Live Auctions business on December 31, 2008 (see eBay Live Auction Format Being Retired at End of 2008). The “Live Auction” format differs from eBay’s traditional business model of scheduled, “online-only” auctions, and typically (as it relates to original props, wardrobe, and memorabilia auctions from movies and television) provides collectors the ability to bid on items auctioned “live” over the Internet, in real time, in lieu of being present at the actual auction event with people bidding in person, with the auctioneer recognizing “floor” bids, telephone bids, absentee bids, and online bids. It appears that LiveAuctioneers.com is positioning itself to absorb this business and compete in the live online auction space. [Read more…]
As noted previously (see kellysheroesmilitaria Original Props: Update 4, eBay Third Party Reporting Case Study), I had used the eBay third party reporting systems (see eBay & Third Party Reporting (Fraud, Violations of Policy) to alert eBay to problematic listings while testing the effectiveness of sharing material information directly with eBay through their public systems in an effort to help them to enforce their own policies. This article serves as an update and conclusion, marked by the occasion of kellysheroesmilitaria relisting one of the primary auctions reported to eBay. [Read more…]
As noted last month (see The X-Files: “Gillian’s Charity Auction”), Gillian Anderson has offered a great number of memorabilia items and “event/experiences” for auction on eBay, with all proceeds benefiting a number of excellent charity causes. The highlight of these auctions is a set of the FBI credentials used by Ms. Anderson in her role of Dana Scully in the television series, The X-Files. Yesterday, eBay canceled this auction due to a violation of policy… yet today, as well as historically, unlicensed and copyright infringing copies of this authentic prop are freely listed and sold on the auction service website. [Read more…]
This is a follow-up to previous articles (see kellysheroesmilitaria Original Props…, Update 1, Update 2, Update 3) in which original prop auctions by “kellysheroesmilitaria” on eBay were compared with matching items available for sale from online retailers, as well as non-movie prop purchases made on eBay by “kellysheroesmilitaria” and items that appear to match being offered for sale as original props under the same eBay account. A reader drew my attention to a new set of auctions, which is followed by a note about eBay third party reporting in practice. [Read more…]