Mentioning an external website.

[burgyeb]

It was a one-liner which doesn't look like much on its own: This information may be posted in the My All About page, but in context it confirmed something completely new at the time, that we are allowed to post full snail-mail details on our about me pages if we wish to.

Is "full snail mail details" the same as "a personal web-site"?

[burgyeb]

It is not helping us as sellers, or eBid, if you take buyers from eBid to another site, for them to buy. Pricing don't matter, when people go to your site from ebid to buy, ebid gets nothing for it, and the rest of us have lost a chance to sell to that buyer. Thats my theory, and i am sticking to it.

I had listed on Kimbo thread for recommended eBid suggestions, that if eBidders linked their personal websites to eBid that their be some type of revenue benefit to eBid. This could be similar to the banners that are currently seen on eBid (income probably click related). For the ebidder's website I was thinking percent of sale made as revenue to eBid, like affiliate income percentage.

[bykimbo]

Is "full snail mail details" the same as "a personal web-site"?

Snail mail is slang for regular post. Your snail mail address is your postal address. Sorry for the confusion!

[vibroheaven]

If eBid are worried about losing revenue from lost sales by having links to your own business websites why do they not scrap 'Free Auctions' as they receive no revenue from these?

[bykimbo]

If eBid are worried about losing revenue from lost sales by having links to your own business websites why do they not scrap 'Free Auctions' as they receive no revenue from these?

Possibly because they are one of eBid's strongest marketing points? The combination of a lifetime membership deal plus free basic listing is pretty much eBid's USP. The comparison between that, and banning members from encouraging customers to buy off-site makes no sense at all.

[iwiw60]

Details on a web site are not classed as durable so the provision of contact/business information as part of pre-contractual details under DSRs (which only apply to the UK) are not valid and must be provided in a durable form (e.g. email) before the conclusion of the contract or in 'good time'. Therefore there is no need to display such details on the eBid site.

I would like it clarified or extended that external links to e-commerce enabled sites are not allowed anywhere on eBid and not just banned on actual listings.

I am rather surprised and disappointed if admin have said they are happy for them to appear on users' About Me pages.

Agreed.

[vibroheaven]

Possibly because they are one of eBid's strongest marketing points? The combination of a lifetime membership deal plus free basic listing is pretty much eBid's USP. The comparison between that, and banning members from encouraging customers to buy off-site makes no sense at all.

I'm not for banning it but they both lead to the same result, no revenue for eBid.

I personally have not been encouraging people to buy from me off site, as eBid does not get anywhere near the same customers as another auction site and people are wary of this site (which is strange as there seems to be many con artists on the other site!). I wanted to use my link as a way to prove I am not some fly by night seller and with 1000's of products available, to list them all on here would take forever with constant stock changes.

At the end the of the day it is eBid's decision and by selling here I have to respect it, which I do but I still find it odd!

[burgyeb]

I would like it clarified or extended that external links to e-commerce enabled sites are not allowed anywhere on eBid and not just banned on actual listings.

I am rather surprised and disappointed if admin have said they are happy for them to appear on users' About Me pages.

Well, this was the closest I could come to a direct clarification of the issue at hand. [See Below]:


[Quote From eBid Support 2/5/2011]
We encourage members to use their 'All About Me' page to provide as much information as possible to provide potential bidders/buyers with confidence. This may and can include contact information for eBid registered 'Business' users but should not include URL off site links. For eBid 'Individual' status registered users we would suggest that you provide as much information as possible but would strongly recommend that you do not provide direct contact information in this section.

Best Wishes
eBid Support Team [UnQuote]

I am interpreting this statement to mean you can not add a personal website link to "About Me Pages" :-(


Always easiest & safest to go directly to the decision making source & particularly when they are as responsive as the eBid Support Team. :-)

[Juliebabe25]

Thanks for that Burgyep

That is what we needed, it backed up the email I got from support a few weeks ago.

It makes sense, showing your own website on an auction site is against the concept of selling on the auction site.
But providing some good details about, you eg street address etc, is good as it gives some confidence to the buyer.

There is no way I would buy anything expensive from someone, if I did not know where they lived or where they were based. or if I did not know them from the forums etc.

[burgyeb]

You are welcome Juliebabe. As that email state, it was very appropriate for you to add your contact imfo in the "About Me Page" because you are a business seller.