Daniel Leffel, a former eBay employee, wrote an interesting piece a while ago of how eBay allegedly manipulates transactions, thereby destroying the trust its free-market relies on. It is a must-read to anyone who is trying to do business on eBay.
Even for a casual seller like me, who is trying to get rid of a hardly used PowerBook, eBay has lost the trust I put it in by harboring three false buyers in a row. And worse, leaves one supposed buyer the ability to leave negative seller comment, without actually forking over the money that was agreed to. Instead, suggesting to circumvent eBay’s protection policies, a trap I won’t fall for. Yet, in terms of feedback left in the marketplace, a buyer who is not prevails, “supported” by eBay.
You could argue how to prevent each of these fake buyers to participate on eBay (and it should), but the fact that eBay has become a marketplace in which a highly popular item does not sell is a sign eBay has lost its credibility. No amount of free listings can compensate for that. Three strikes and you are out for me.
Nice knowing you, eBay.
