Some explanation is needed...

[madelaine]

[QUOTE=emporiumdays;1323291][B



#3. They're happy enough with it the way it is, because it keeps the membership numbers 'culled' to a manageable level.

[/B]

There really cannot be any truth in this - or they wouldn't be advertising.

[TonyBridger]

If a new member joins and straight away signs up for the lifetime offer, then within a short time gets a strikethough. Do they get their money refunded?

[emporiumdays]

If a new member joins and straight away signs up for the lifetime offer, then within a short time gets a strikethough. Do they get their money refunded?

That's an interesting question - but I don't have knowledge of the answer.

[gazza]

Anyone put on temporary hold or guilty of innocent mistakes is emailed with a reason and details of any offending auction. Details on how to reopen their account are also given. This has been the case for a number of years.

Gazza

[emporiumdays]

Well that answers madelaine's opening query regarding the emails .....

[ropegg]

I agree that the first step would be for eBid to see the need.

But surely, if this has been a problem for (at least) the past 3 years, then wouldn't eBid already be aware of this?
I would have thought that they must be.
And if they are aware of these member losses, then there must be reasons why they still allow it to happen .....

Which, (now my imagination runs free), could be due to....

#1. They simply don't have the time to go about implementing the changes (there are other current and more pressing priorities)
#2. To make the appropriate (effective) changes would mean too much ongoing workload/cost.
#3. They're happy enough with it the way it is, because it keeps the membership numbers 'culled' to a manageable level.

So who really knows? I'm sure some members don't even care if eBid is going to adress this.
And I'm sure there are yet other members who would really really like to know....

I don't know what can be done but I think a good start would be to for eBid to see the need -----

NEVER have the system set to put in a strikethrough or remove a bid as only a live individual should be able to process something that critical.

A bidder should NEVER be given a strikethrough and a bid should NEVER be removed because of one single bid no matter what the reason is they made it. If a problem arises because of a single bid I am sure the seller would be happy to notify eBid.

A strikethrough should NEVER be done without PLAINLY notifying the person receiving it by email explaining why it was being done. And I feel that in almost all cases the strikethrough should not be made until the problem causing it has been discussed and the individual has had an opportunity to make any needed corrections. If there are so many occurrences that eBid cannot handle them with a live person then I suspect they have their security to strong so adjusting their criteria for a strikethrough may be in order.

Hi emporiumdays,

My feeling as to your #1 and #2.

#3 -- I just don't this is in any way eBid's feelings and I think they are extremely interested in their site for more than 'just' numbers. I think they just do not understand the magnitude of the destruction this has and is doing to the buying side of eBid.

I can strongly say (EVEN SHOUT) that except on the buying side of eBid I have never found a site I like and enjoy listing on as much as I do eBid including their support system.

Anyone put on temporary hold or guilty of innocent mistakes is emailed with a reason and details of any offending auction. Details on how to reopen their account are also given. This has been the case for a number of years.

Gazza

It does look as if this is a direct answer to the OP question and I cannot explain why the people that were involved with me said they did not receive any email concerning their hold until after they had tried to sign in and then contacted support to see what was wrong.

And I feel that in almost all cases the strikethrough should not be made until the problem causing it has been discussed and the individual has had an opportunity to make any needed corrections.

[bykimbo]

... I cannot explain why the people that were involved with me said they did not receive any email concerning their hold until after they had tried to sign in and then contacted support to see what was wrong..

We can never know for sure, of course, but people *are* pretty bad about checking their email, vetting their spam etc. Unexpected emails from somebody they don't usually hear from could easily be missed. It's then natural to say "never got", not "never saw, but might have missed".

[0ctavias0fferings]

Anyone put on temporary hold or guilty of innocent mistakes is emailed with a reason and details of any offending auction. Details on how to reopen their account are also given. This has been the case for a number of years.

Gazza

If I was new to eBid and had signed up just to buy one item that I had seen a seller advertise somewhere on the net, then I receive a strike through for not verifying (meanwhile having completed the one transaction with the one self-promoting seller I wanted to buy from) the chances are that I simply wouldn't come back to the site again.

Why do buyers need to be verified when we get paid by Paypal (which gives us their details and has already verified them) or Google Checkout (which gives us their address and takes their credit or debit card payment for us)? Surely anyone signing up as a buyer only doesn't need the same level of verification as a seller.

In fact, we have been discussing this very subject on the Pheebay forums where a link to this thread was posted.

Wouldn't it be better to allow buyers to sign up and buy without needing them to go through an intensive verification process?

[bykimbo]

If I was new to eBid and had signed up just to buy one item that I had seen a seller advertise somewhere on the net, then I receive a strike through for not verifying (meanwhile having completed the one transaction with the one self-promoting seller I wanted to buy from) the chances are that I simply wouldn't come back to the site again.

Why do buyers need to be verified when we get paid by Paypal (which gives us their details and has already verified them) or Google Checkout (which gives us their address and takes their credit or debit card payment for us)? Surely anyone signing up as a buyer only doesn't need the same level of verification as a seller.

In fact, we have been discussing this very subject on the Pheebay forums where a link to this thread was posted.

Wouldn't it be better to allow buyers to sign up and buy without needing them to go through an intensive verification process?

I thought it was only seller accounts that went through verification, I must admit. Buyers don't have to register a card, so how can anything be verified?

[Gothicina]

I thought it was only seller accounts that went through verification, I must admit. Buyers don't have to register a card, so how can anything be verified?

I think the IP address, postal address & phone number of everyone who joins is checked, & obviously they have to have a valid email address.
To stop people putting in fictitious details, & then going on an auction wrecking spree.