Hey Lee. The idea was the name of the final site would be put to a vote and its because “WeBay” would get attcked by ebay as a trademark infringement. SUBAT is just the acronym of the seller/buyer union/association. And Lily just told me without some little dot under the s SUBAT also means February in Turkish so yea, any site is going to need a good name of its own, and no acronyms! I wanted it to be FREEbay but I guess that’s “infringeing” too. Damn because that would of been perfect, tells it all.
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General Discussion
Anonymous
Feb 12, 2008
Posted by
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Anonymous replied on Feb 25, 2008
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strik eBay replied on Feb 26, 2008
hi everyone, i am coming from www.strikebay.com which is dedicated to shifting everyone from the greedy umbrella of ebay and its sister company paypal to other online marketplaces, giving sellers resources and buyers options in keeping cost and prices down.
www.strikebay.com is not only dedicated to the eBay boycott/strike, but dedicated to providing everyone with the best resources as for ecommerce, buying, selling and trading.
anyways, see yall around here or if you want to come join www.strikebay.com your more then welcome to join our community.
strikeBay
www.strikebay.com
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Debbie Gibson replied on Feb 27, 2008
all I have to say if someone has power and could get the media involved…I mean involved to the point of saturation…It could work…but this going to take someone with power and the money do do so….This is sooooo pathetic that these monters have us by the tail….I hate it!
I have been with e bay for years and cant say anything nice about them, other then they have the traffic and the market for what I sell…I have even made my own website 2 months ago and still no activity…I works days for like minded links….we need some power and news coverage plain and simple! whew thank you for letting me vent!
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Naidine Hayes replied on Feb 29, 2008
I would love to see a new site open with all of the fed up e-bayers, both buyers and sellers. Would love to open a store that I could actually make money from instead of being fee-ed to death. Let’s all stand together to make it happen!
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Lee Miller replied on Mar 1, 2008
1. Would the competing smaller venues be in favor of this and allow bots onto their sites to collect the data? It would benefit them in terms of sales so you would think all would be in favor, but it’s something we’d need to know for sure straight away. It’s true that eBay wouldn’t allow it, in fact it’s quite definite, and the eBay Inc. v. Bidder’s Edge case proves it, since that’s exactly what that site did, using an “automated querying program.” EBay got them in the end. Our aggregator/portal would have to stand completely apart from eBay.
That would be step one. Getting as many of them on board as possible.
2. Is there any way eBay could claim an automated querying program like that used by Shopping.com is proprietary? Because, yes, like so much else, eBay Inc. now owns Shopping.com too, bought out fairly recently. An aggregator/portal would have to be distinct enough to avoid any such claims, so perhaps with some minor adjustments.
You’re correct, I didn’t know of this takeover when I originally said that, but it completley fits Ebay’s modus operandi. As for infringement, I’m not a paralegal, but I think it would be a hard case to say an auction aggregator was infringing when Shopping.com deals with Retailers, not independent auction sites.
3. Is aggregation of feedback really necessary? A few competing sites already allow people to transfer it, and there is this ‘universal’ feedback search engine apparently owned by uBid Holdings and somehow connected with Nobidding.com. So the technology exists to compile feedback across sites, perhaps this model could be adapted?
Maybe not necessary, if there is already a universal feedback module that can be incorporated into the portal. I don’t know uBid, so can’t say what their feedback system is like. Building one from the ground up allows for better integration. I think the feedback system would need to be quite different from those we’ve become familiar with. I feel feedback should be anonymous for both sellers and buyers, with a 90 day window. Anonymous feedback would lessen retaliatory feedbacks from sellers, but would not completely neuter them in their right and obligation to rate buyers.
4. There is bound to be variation in opinion on whether an aggregator/portal should be a stage toward a future ‘WeBay’ site, or an end in itself. There seem to be pros and cons for each. The ones I can see now…a big pro for the aggregator idea is cheapness and speed, it could be done much faster and far more cheaply than a full-blown people’s site to rival and consume eBay. But the big con I see is that, if we managed to get it up and running, to the point where there were two places buyers could search, eBay and then the portal (which would search all other auction sites simultaneously), I strongly suspect that eBay would quickly begin the process of chipping away at those sites, starting with the largest…iOffer, Bidville, eCrater, possibly in that order. This is essentially what they have done already, in order to become a monopoly, and I have little doubt they would try it again, buying out and digesting the competing sites one by one, leaving those to be searched by the portal fewer and smaller all the time.
Yes, but there’s literally hundreds of smaller auction sites. iOffer, Bidville, et al, are really no competition for Ebay. Amazon is Ebay’s main competition really. When Ebay eventually does attempt this tactic, the diversity would ensure that Ebay would have much expensive work ahead of them. Instead of one sizeable competitor to negotiate and buyout, they’d have many, and whenever one is removed, another one can easily take it’s place, or 100 smaller specialized auction sites will take its place. A Federation of Auctioneers.
5. What do we know now about making such an aggregator? Who do we have that can advise on this now? Should it be free or should auction sites have to pay for inclusion? (I would hope not as some cannot afford it. Perhaps it could be paid for with ads?) Should the aggregator plan become a side Point campaign? Almost an emergency measure, but also something usefully used in conjunction with the master ‘Alternative Venue Chart’?
I’m not a coder, but it could even start out as simple as using a customized Google engine on a SUBAT website to trawl participating auction sites. I am a graphic designer, and would be more than willing to design an interface that would be both radically different from Shopping.com or oBey, while offering the simplicity needed to encourage use.
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Lee Miller replied on Mar 1, 2008
Here’s something interesting. This could be a good example of what I mean with feedback system that doesn’t necessarily need to be designed from the ground up but cobbled into the portal:
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Anonymous replied on Mar 1, 2008
Lee, this is all great, I think we should do it and I think we can do it. We’re going to send out a mass-e-mail to all campaign members shortly, sort of a call to join teams to participate in various projects, and ‘aggregator search portal development’ is an important one. It seems this should be a top priority because it could almost immediately improve the viability of selling at smaller non-eBay sites, and we all need that now. So hopefully we have enough brainpower and skill to bring it about even now, with only 131 signed on. I’m no techie but I’ll do whatever I can. If anyone else can help or has ideas, with the portal or with other projects (SUBAT webpage/archive, wiki comparison venue chart, YouTube for WeBay, someone to man the SUBAT MySpace, etc.), please do e-mail back from the Bulletin #2, mailing out soon.
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Martin Arondis replied on Mar 2, 2008
The aggregating portal would be such an improvement over the current situation, that seems like even more of a priority to me than the feedback issue, though I do think between the Feedbacksite.com model and that oh-rep feedback site, surely the technology is there, we could bang something together. Would the participating venues have given permission for their feedback pages to be accessed and searched by Ohrep? It seems unlikely as eBay is among those searched. (Using my own ID as a test, I was brought to the eBay.uk log-in, though my ID was registered originally on the US eBay.) Whois seems to indicate the ohrep.com domain is owned by Lunarpages out of La Habra, CA. The Ohrep terms of service are interesting too, especially #s 4 – 6. There are at least two non-eBay auctions venues I’ve heard of that allow a person to transfer his eBay feedback. Additionally, there is Nancy Baughman’s bidder blacklist" project in the works (meant as a listing of bad buyers, for tracking people who try extortion/blackmail tactics with sellers once the eBay feedback becomes unbalanced in May). Apparently the blacklist project determined that anything that relied on directly accessing the eBay site was unworkable (as eBay would simply make a minor change in code, it was assumed, thereby invalidating any second-tier system that relied on accessing the site). Yet it seems that is exactly what the oh-rep system does now. Ohrep doesn’t get much "traffic now, and might run afoul of privacy and/or libel laws in the EU if it began to, but here the burden of determination is placed on the users (TOS, #5), which would be a convenient approach to adopt, if it would stand up. But even if it didn’t, it seems some extra-eBay method of handling/aggregating feedback should be possible, if not transferring eBay feedback, then starting fresh, perhaps aggregating all non-eBay auction site feedback (which could also include things like Amazon, if need be). Anonymous feedback would probably be an improvement, I think, as long as it were equal (unlike the DSR system at eBay, which really presaged the changes they plan for May).
Perhaps we will have until May to get the feedback issue fully under control, but the aggregating search portal could help everyone very immediately so that seems a first order of business. Re 2. below, intellectual property or proprietary claims made on basis of Shopping. com, I did some brief checking and three points arguing against any such claims jump out at me. A) Metacrawler uses the same structure, all meta search engines do, and spidering has existed far longer than Shopping.com, under any ownership. B) In eBay Inc. v Bidder’s Edge the issue was how the robots were crawling the eBay site (which eBay at first permitted), with trademark and copyright claims being dismissed in 2000 (U.S. District Court Judge Whyte denied an injunction based on eBay’s copyright and trademark claims). By extension, this implies even a site being so crawled cannot make such a claim, let alone by analogy with Shopping.com. C) If anyone owns auction-crawling as a concept it’s Bidder’s Edge, not eBay, not Shopping.com, and that Bidder’s Edge should own it is disproved by the many comparable engines and services (e.g., AuctionWatch) that have existed since.
To sum up: I think if we simply stay away from eBay’s site, an aggregating portal should be alright. Will eBay like it? No. Can they stop it by claiming it would infringe or otherwise adversely affect their business without actually outing themselves as a monopoly somehow entitled to control all on-line auctions (thereby possibly falling afoul of the Sherman Act)? It seems unlikely to me. Is Terri here? Would she have an opinion on this? I think it’s reasonable to proceed, at least to determine what we would need to construct such a portal, also how long it might take.
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Janice Miles replied on Mar 3, 2008
Hello all,
Just read an article from Online Auction about the boycott. Will post it for all to read.
JanAfter announcing a new fee structure and upcoming changes to their feedback structure, eBay faced a firestorm of criticism and a boycott – which has left them (so far) unmoved. One of the culprits to customer dissatisfaction may be that the company took the focus off their original purpose – eBay diversified as they succeeded and is no longer dependent on the business or the customers who built them into the giant they are today.
In spite of protests from their sellers there’s to be no change in the plans that will forever alter the way their members do business. Rumor from many sources, including the respected blog WIRED says that eBay may transition away from their original auction format entirely to “fixed price” only, leading one person to ask if this wouldn’t just be “Wal-Mart with shipping fees?”
How about OnlineAuction.com? It’s a growing concern with the purpose of the business stated in the name. It’s an online auction on the way to being The Online Auction. Differences in the auction formats, item counts and so on are hailed as innovative by many of those who see what’s happening to traditional auction leaders.
The company goal is to provide services for their members and a venue on which sellers can list their merchandise without fear that listing fees and final value fees (nonexistent on OLA) would be regularly raised to increase the company’s bottom line.
OLA doesn’t interfere with members’ contact with buyers and each seller’s right to leave feedback is safe. New servers are scheduled to be on line on March 10th, new ITs and customer service personnel are being hired. OLA wants to work with members so that everyone progresses and prospers together.
OLA is the brainchild of a former Power Seller and auctioneer whose purpose was to allow individuals to retain control of their business – and keep the bulk of the profits for themselves. He’s a man who enjoys the auction experience and want to “put the fun” back into the online auction business. As he recently said:
“Thanks to our members OnlineAuction.com (OLA) is experiencing the fastest rate of growth ever. Because of YOU we feel a new energy of optimism for OLA.com. We plan to embark on a new advertising campaign to bring more buyers and sellers to our site. We hereby make this Declaration: We vow to earn your trust and loyalty and will endeavor to be the world’s best online auction. We will keep the cost low so that ALL people can afford to enjoy the use of this site.”
Even the most ambitious seller knows that taking control of his (or her) own business back from a huge corporation will not happen overnight. But with determination and work, it will happen as we work together.
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Anonymous replied on Mar 4, 2008
New Auction Website created by Loopies!
For those of you who are part of the “Yahoo Group” community, Loopies are a group of individuals with a common interest. I belong to 4 specific groups that have been buying, selling and trading upscale children’s clothing amongst themselves for years in order to avoid at all costs the wonderful privledge of doing business on FEEBAY.
Feel free to check us out! This as been over a year in the making…in full anticipation of the “NEW” policies that FeeBay and it’s sister company “PainPAL” have yet brought to the table once again…
We are dedicated to bringing back the community that WE started… Let the LOOPIES unite! Get registered today! We are going LIVE on March 25th. Get your user ID NOW!
please use referral link below, I thank you in advance and wish you many blessings with your online Auction businesses. Warm Regards, Catie
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Jeffrey Lynn replied on Mar 4, 2008
————————————————————————————————————————
Hello Every One,If you are looking for A New Online Auction Website.
I may have an answer for you, DibsOn.Com is a NEW AUCTION WEBSITE which is up and running.
I need people to register and list things on it and for everyone to tell everyone else they have found a Better and Cheaper Place Than Ebay.
My Prices are SO SO LOW compared to ebay.
I am Wanting to Compete with Ebay but you know how hard that’s gunna be without people !!!
I Need Customers and you guys need a Place To Sell Where You Don’t Get Ripped Off.
Please help me if you can and get the word out.
I have not gone Public yet nor have I done a Press Release Yet, but I hope to do a Press Releas Very Soon.
I hope to get people and lots of people to register and list things on my site and The Ebay Boycott Is The Perfect Time.
I am working on A Payment Processor Better Than Ebay and It Will Be Online In The Next Few Months.
I am New To This Internet Stuff and This Is My First Website Try.
I really do not know how to get the word out about my website other than a Press Release, so if you could help me I would Greatly Appreciate It.
Sounds like some have done well at Ebay, but just think what you could do if it only cost you $1.00 to Sell something or just $4.00 Total to do the Fancy Things Like Ebay has ( Featured Items ) (Gallery Featured Items ) and Other Features, including the $1.00 Fee.
You can list your Items for Free and list it again and again for nothing if
it does not Sell then List it again and again, until it Sells, then it only costs
you $1.00.There is No Extra Fee or Costs for listing Cars, Motorcycles or Real Estate
listings.DibsOn.Com can Put More Money In Your Pockets if you will Register and
List Your Items For Sale.Remember Ebay did not start out with millions of customers
-It was
You The Customer That made Ebay Big.You can do the same for this Website, remember You, The Customer
are #1 and you should be Treated That Way.Without You, The Customer any Website will fail.
___________________________________________
Here is a Screen shot of My Fees For My Website.
___________________________________________Listing Fees
Item Posting Fee: $ FREE
___________________________________________
Special Feature FeesCategory Featured Auction: $ 1.00
Gallery Featured Auction: $ 1.50
Bold Listing: $ 0.25
Attention Grabbers: $ 0.25
___________________________________________
Auction End FeesFinal Value Fee: $ 1.00
My Website is called DibsOn.Com.
Check it out and tell all your friends and PowerSellers About It, Please.
Here is the link to DibsOn.Com
--
http://www.dibson.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.plPlease reply one way or the other
-— You cam email me at-—- 4DibsOn@mail.com or Admin@Dibson.com.Thank You So Much,
Jeffrey Lynn
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Anonymous replied on Mar 5, 2008
ALERT, ALERT!
The following message just came in to the SUBAT MySpace page, from a reporter with PC Magazine, reporting on the eBay users’ revolt. She’s collecting background info. from angry eBay sellers for their coverage of the story. Anyone who can should contact her. We have to get the word out. Please do mention the SUBAT ‘WeBay’ effort if you can and also the strike planned for May Day focusing on the feedback outrages to be implemented in May.
Clearly, the “noise” is getting louder!
Best,
Lily=====
Mar 4, 2008 6:39 PMSubject: Q from PC Magazine about eBay boycott
Body:
Hi there —I’m a reporter with PC Magazine and we’ve been covering the eBay boycott story.
I wanted to touch base with some sellers who are participating in the boycott, and I have a few questions for you about your history with eBay and what comes next, if you don’t mind.
<dl>
- How long have you been with eBay? Have you shut down your eBay operations, or are you just participating in the boycott hoping the situation on the site will change?
- What type of business do you run on eBay? Was this a full-time or part-time operation? Were you considered a power seller?
- How did the fee hikes implemented in 2006 affect your business?
- Is there any particular policy change that simply must be changed, in your opinion? Does the ability to leave negative feedback for buyers trump price listing fee changes, for example?
- Have you moved your business to any other auction sites? If so, which ones and how to do they compare to eBay?
</dl>
Any insight you could provide on these questions would be great.
You can reach me on my work e-mail at chloe_albanesius@ziffdavis. com.
Thanks!
Chloe
Chloe Albanesius, News Reporter
PC Magazine
212-503-5286
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Anonymous replied on Mar 5, 2008
Hi everyone,
Assorted news. First, regarding the “aggregating search portal” (can’t we just call it “universal auction search page” or something??), the Google Product Finder (used to be "Froogle") is similar in structure and purpose, maybe even more so than Shopping.com, but doesn’t appear to search even a fraction of the alternate auction venues. So far, I find it crawling eBay most of all (bleck!), and in one case eCrater, but the rest are store fronts and/or fixed price sites only: Amazon, Biblio.com, Bibliophile, Barnes & Noble, Trocadero, TIAS, GoAntiques, Rubylane, ILAB, Alibris, and assorted freestanding websites. OLA, Etsy, Wagglepop, all of them seem to be absent. So a universal search page for auctions would be a very different thing and would mean a lot more exposure for everyone’s stuff, wherever it is. If anyone knows more about Google’s finder, e-mail me.
Second, apparently there was a glitch with the build_the_webay@yahoo.com e-mail that went out as the contact point for YouTube efforts in the mailing of two days ago. It seems to be working ok now but if you sent anything that day to that e-mail, sorry to say I think it would have to be re-sent.
Third, a new forum for planning on what to do about eBay and how to get away from them: http://plantsplace.freeforums.org/index.php To be permanent, set up like the PSU site, but newer and with a specific focus on eBay and collective planning. Martin told me he will start a thread there for discussion on the aggregating portal/universal search page thing, which seems like a good idea.
Last, if you were or are having IE security warnings on this page it’s because there is some kind of conflict between the “oBey” image Anna posted the other day and the security settings of the Point site, since this campaign is set to be anonymous and has added security of some kind. There’s no actual security threat, it’s just an error, no worries.
And everyone should call or write to Chloe at PC Magazine today if possible — we need the media’s help!
Thanks!
CC
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Martin Arondis replied on Mar 6, 2008
CC – thanks for checking on Google/Froogle search. And on what to call it, it’s true, it will need a good name. Whatever others decide is fine by me and perhaps it’s a matter for voting, assuming of course the thing is able to be realized. Really what we are talking about here is an auction-specific metasearch or federated search vehicle relying on aggregation of RSS feeds so the name is cosmetic at this point, it’s the algorithm that’s at issue, along with a review of what already exists and what has prevented an effective universal portal from arising already.
It appears Sandy is correct, work on MOAAS at PSU is stalled and has been for some time. Someone should contact the administrators at PSU about this, Lee if you want to do it good, if not I will. As of now it seems only to search Overstock.com. We need to know what went awry in that effort, begun in 2005, in order to see if conditions have now changed. It’s my opinion, based on the Bidder’s Edge case, that the eBay site(s) should be avoided, as they will attempt to sue (for trespassing") if given the chance. There were a few more "recent threads on a search portal at PSU and if we have enough interest in pursuing it I think we should, indeed, have either a Point campaign or at least an extended discussion on what the state of things is now, across the board, at Plantsplace or elsewhere.
All auction sellers (and buyers) could benefit from search aggregation and it seems much of the current trouble here parallels the fragmentation and dilution problem of the alternate auction sites themselves. To compete with eBay there must be centralization, leaving a dichotomy of eBay, and everyone else. Searching across national boundaries seems essential, too, at least in English. Auction Lot Watch.com is UK focused (and includes eBay.uk) while VisionNetwork’s BidFind concentrates on the US, extends into non-auction items (e.g., classifieds), and “requires”:
http://bidfind.com/af/af-sitereg.html sites to employ megalist V.1.7. As it stands, neither of these is sufficient.There is also the spectrum of comparison shopping engines" to consider which, if you look at "the pie chart from ChannelAdvisor, shows that eBay-owned Shopping.com now accounts for a full quarter. This is clearly not a good sign as it seems likely eBay Inc. plans to move into shopping engines more aggressively (note the products appearing lately at the bottom of eBay search pages), with probable intent to dominate the field again, as they do now with auctions and on-line payments. If eBay.com is to be purged of its “flea-market” character, it means the shift is toward a retail model more suited to Shopping.com. It’s a worrisome trend for the internet as a whole. If we figure in things like the consolidation of Vendio (having swallowed up Andale and others) and Auctiva, which now cater mainly for eBay auctions, along with the paid (“cost-per-click” and “cost-per-order”) models of comparison shopping engines now most prevalent, the fact that Shopping.com beats out the free CSEs (Google and theFind.com) by many times does not bode well.
There are many technical issues to deal with but that such a universal aggregating search page be free seems of paramount importance to me, at least, and I wonder, do others agree? Being free seems to me the only way it could conceivably compete and emerge at the top, largest and most inclusive. And that’s what it would require to unite the smaller sites under an umbrella capable of rivaling eBay.
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Anonymous replied on Mar 6, 2008
Let’s Roll
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Anonymous replied on Mar 7, 2008
I’m most interested in being part of a true ‘ThePeoplesAuctions.org’ kind of a site, ideally OWNED by the users. And I’d like to see it limited to ‘used, vintage, antique and collectibles, one of a kind, art and craft, etc. NO NEW MERCHANDISE except maybe vintage NOS items. THE place to get Anything and Everything you CAN’T get anywhere else (other than flea markets, garage and estate sales, etc.
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Anonymous replied on Mar 11, 2008
Some news…First, Lily managed to get quoted briefly in PC Magazine and also in a longer article at AppScout, which has some obvious deficiencies, as anyone who submitted posts pulled from the eBay boards will know, but at least it does give a link to this page, mentions Tim’s Boycott eBay MySpace page, and links to a couple of threads.
There is also a discussion at the Powersellers Unite site of unity, combining forces, and creation of the aggregating search portal which can use everyone’s input, particularly on the question of where the planning should be done and what method is best. Anyone who has the time to read and contribute to that thread probably should because the broadest participation possible is always best and is, I think, needed now. If anyone is not registered with PSU but can help you can always contact my SUBAT Yahoo e-mail: subater2@yahoo.com or contact Martin: marondis@live.com.
If we want to be strong by May, we have to pull all forces together now and begin hashing out what can be done immediately. If we don’t coordinate across sites now, we’ll lose momentum and FeeBay will win. I think it’s safe to say no one wants that! If you are in contact with other anti-FeeBay sites, lets find some common place to meet up and decide what to do, together. FeeBay has called us all liars, said we are mere “noise,” and expects us to quietly fade away. We will not. They started the battle — we will give them a war!
Julia
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Maureen Marconi replied on Mar 11, 2008
I am so outraged, I had to post this somewhere. I really hope these links work because anyone who doesn’t already know about this must see it.
Are you aware that eBay is charging sellers $100s USD
-in many countries- to become eBay Education Specialists? These sellers in turn charge newbies fees to take courses" with them in “eBay selling or buying.” Courses! The whole thing is so absurd, I almost didn’t believe it at first. But believe it, and "look at the fees sellers are supposed to pay to eBay —annually! You have to keep paying to remain “registered.” How is this not the ultimate con?Look at their FAQ, I mean really read it…it’s unbelievable. The User agreement is no better. It’s like the sellers are supposed to enslave themselves to promote eBay Inc, and then charge other hapless people to take bogus “courses” with them, resulting in still more fees paid to eBay. They even have to pay for “course materials.” I always thought eBay operated like a Company Town…but this, even I was taken aback. To present this flimflam as legitimate “courses” — it’s worse than the “eBay University” idiocy. How dare this monopoly-racket of a company present itself as having a system requiring “university level” training to comprehend? And then charging “tuition”? Charging perpetual tuition so that the scam can be perpetuated on still more people, spreading like a virus. Are there not laws against such things in America? Against pyramid schemes, Ponzi schemes, etc.
In the many years I have been buying on the US eBay site I never suspected anything like this could exist. But two days ago I was the high bidder for something (first time I even went near the eBay sites since the changes were announced), and after sending a (wince) Paypal payment, I was taken to a screen cluttered with eBay ads and frantically screaming about learning how to sell on eBay." I became suspicious of what they were up to this time so I followed the link, and "I got this screen. Try it, see for yourself with your own postal code. These people have been through the “course(s)” and are charging variable rates for their own “courses” which must follow the eBay “curriculum” to the letter. It’s like a massive propaganda network motivated by equal parts greed and stupidity.
And think of what all this means for the strike or boycott. It means that eBay is using the sellers themselves
-and making them pay for the privilege!- to bring in the replacements for those who have quit or are on strike. The ultimate scab-recruiting netowrk.If you thought that was appalling, it gets worse: the eBay Affiliate Program, where everyone can be a lowly drudge for eBay. Links for that come from the Education Specialist" pages. Notice under the "Payout tab how they appeal to greed, but distort the fact that you’re actually getting almost nothing. It makes the worst work from home" scams on TV look like dissertations in high finance and moral rectitude. And the “Affiliate” program also "has their FAQ, more nauseating still. Think of how much we’re being tracked by the eBay site, if this program is even possible.
I wanted sellers to know, this is what you are up against, this is how low eBay will stoop. Anything you can do to ruin them, I wish you all success with it. Make that searching portal for the other auction companies. I don’t want to cause eBay/Paypal to take another cent from anyone, ever again.
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Anonymous replied on Mar 13, 2008
The arrogant new Captain of the USS FEEBAY stands cross armed at the helm.
In runs the Customer Service Radar Man flailing his arms and yelling, "Captain Donahoe! Captain Donahoe! Danger ! Danger! We’ve received thousands of email warnings! We’ve ventured into treacherous waters. We can hear the screeching of the tip of the iceberg scraping our hull.
What do we do?The Captain screams, "Get out, you idiot! It’s Noise – Just Noise.
POWER TO THE SUBAT
Gene
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Anonymous replied on Mar 14, 2008
Hello all!
Just a few things to report. First, there is now a thread at Powersellers Unite dedicated to discussion on the universal search portal, how to build it, what form it should take, etc., along with a poll on the advisability of it as a project. If we have any technical people here, designers, developers, please do come over and advise on this project. (Lee, are you here? We need you.)
Also, no word yet on the NPR story but we continue to keep fingers crossed. Apparently it would be tentatively on the Marketwatch program (national) and could really help all collective organizing campaigns going on at the Point to gain wider visibility. If it goes ahead and involves SUBAT in any way we should all be ready to spread the word so that everyone can tune in.
And Gene, I like it! As they say, small leaks sink great ships. Those aboard the Titanic compared the sound of the impact with the iceberg to “the tearing of calico [cloth], nothing more.” It took a long time for passengers to even believe they might face any danger on a liner of such size and scale. But two and a half hours later, the “unsinkable” had sunk. Arrogant eBay Inc. is clearly subject to the same kind of megalomania as the builders of the Titanic.
Best,
Lily
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