The fate of Ebay

ranger63

It seems ebay is getting worse every day with scams and fakes and bidding up your own auctions and so on. My question is how long will they be around? Are the scammers gonna ruin it or are there enough good sellers and buyers to keep it going strong. My guess is that if they are to stay around the id process will get much more strict and peolpe are gonna have to be held responsible.

wlf3

it's gotten too big, i have actually been told by mgmt more than once, they "fraud" is less than 1% and really has no effect on the overall margin or community... but obviously people are getting hurt badly, but for every one that gets hit like that, there are 100 more signing up.

TMc

Ebay is just going to keep getting bigger...I don't know about better. As long as the stock keeps skyrocketing.......it's here to stay.

carew4me

You also must understand that sportscards and memorabilbia are one of the heavy fraud categories.


Many Ebayers never experience fraud of any kind.

67standup

Good question. Some smart entrepreneur should create a sports/non-sports cards only site that has greater controls against fraud.

sjeanblanc

67standup,

Isn't that what Mastro, Mile High, etc.. are?

Shill bidding with them is next to impossible to detect do to the anonymous bidding, especially when
auctions are continually extended if bidding happens in the last few seconds.

Scott J.

koby

You guys think there is no shill bidding in Mastro auctions? At least on ebay, one can review the bid history.

downgoesfrazier

It seems each time a family member uses my account to venture off into an unknown category, I have problems. As long as I stick to my core of dealers and collectors I have real good luck and make some good friends to boot. I love the eBay experience on the whole. The cards are typically marginal, but the enjoyment of browsing and seeing the different case-breaks, etc. is great! As for fraud, it happens and there isn't too much you can do about it. I do think this board does an excellent job of helping out the trading card area of eBay. I think we are like "Cardboard Cyber-Cops". At least twice I've considered a bid and someone on here has steered me away from a seller with a questionable service record but really good feedback. As long as we stick together on here, we'll beat most of the scams that affect us. It's too bad such groups don't exist in other areas...or do they? I wouldn't know.

dgf

downgoesfrazier

koby,
I hear you. Some folks actually don't understand that. Shilling is a part of auctions as old as the concept itself. For decades, auction houses that go live pay shillers big dollars to simply spice up the bidding when two parties want an item.


dgf

calleocho

i think every 6 months or so , there is a post on how ebay will fail, how much we need just a sportcards site (naxcom anyone?)

all i know is that if 3 years ago i would have bought some ebay stock i would have a much nicer card collection

stevek

<<< it's gotten too big, i have actually been told by mgmt more than once, they "fraud" is less than 1% and really has no effect on the overall margin or community... but obviously people are getting hurt badly, but for every one that gets hit like that, there are 100 more signing up. >>>

Yes, but it depends on what the 1% is. I'm presuming they mean of the total auctions, which probably is correct. But how about the total of certain types of auctions such as claimed real 52 Mantles? The fraud average is definitely more than 1% for claimed real 52 Mantles. For claimed real t-206 Wagners, the fraud average is as close or exact to 100% as can be gotten.

wlf3

stevek - i agree... it a fraction of a % in total... and that is ALL that they care about and look at when asked or sued. Sports cards and Plasma TVs are the biggest fraud areas...they have security methods in line (more than they did 5 years ago) requiring confirmations and CC#s and checking accounts to "sell"...but they can all be had easily enough.

there are 1000s of buyers registering each day and a couple BAD sellers getting tossed and reopening accounts... EBay sees it as stalling the BAD and increasing the GOOD.

gregm13

Unfortunately, stupid people sustain the would be scammers on E-Bay. Many new collectors bid on shady auctions (PRO/GEM graded cards, raw cards that are guaranteed to be trimmed or fake, ect...) without doing their homework. Let's face it, it's really no different that buying a used car without doing any research. Knowledge is power, and so is trusting your instincts. As I become more advanced in my collecting, I stay away from a purchase if there is even a hint of doubt.

Regards,

Greg M.

Allen

I think ebay should just watch this board and they could eliminate a large % of fraud. This place is such a melting pot of knowledge, we could clean up ebay in a month. lol

TheCARDKid

The only thing that will destroy Ebay, is Ebay itself.

It's human nature to get greedy when there's no competition to keep you in check. It's also human nature to get complacent at the top.

Mastro has a lock on the high end market. The low end stuff continues to be all over the place. NAXCOM, thepit, various classified ads, Beckett, online trading groups. But none of them have top of mind awareness.

It'd be great if there was one centralized location for low to moderate end cards. Classified ads, want lists, auctions, everything under one roof.

Allen

Yeah but that would be no fun. Sometimes finding that one 57-58 Topps common is more rewarding than finding the Bill Russell simply because you have scowered the ends of the earth to find it.

67standup

<< <i>67standup,

Isn't that what Mastro, Mile High, etc.. are?

Shill bidding with them is next to impossible to detect do to the anonymous bidding, especially when
auctions are continually extended if bidding happens in the last few seconds.

Scott J. >>



Okay, so I offered a vague alternative.

Ebay is so big that they won't take the time to really settle feedback squabbles or act on misrepresentation in listings. Their business model is such that they simply bridge the buyer and seller. In regard to Mastro, Mile High, etc., yes they are collectible-only forums, but only for high dollar items. What's needed is a "hands-on" environment, one where fraud attempts are difficult. That is, would you rather flock to the current state of Ebay or a fraud-unfriendly collectible only environment run by people in the business?

koby

<< <i> a fraud-unfriendly collectible only environment run by people in the business >>




I hate to be so cynical about this hobby, but there are as many of those as there are real T206 Wagner cards on ebay.

jayhawke

I hope I am not hijacking this thread. I had a terrible transaction with a seller named unclekrusty about a year or two ago on ebay. I send the card to PSA and it came back trimmed. Seemed like once I left him negative feedback all other buyers starting doing the same. I mailed the card back to him and no refund. He eventually got kick off, but I am sure he is reincarnated as another seller. I had to go through Lloyds of London, which only paid up to $200 and then I paid a $25 deductible. I paid close to $400 for the card. Was it all worth it. Buyer beware.

Snowball

Yes I think ebay's getting worse. Lots of fake items bags, shoes, sportscards. There's also deadbeat buyers.

I reported a powerseller on ebay who sells fake nike shoes. Seller still selling those cheap nike shoes claiming that came directly from "nike factories" in china. He got FBs that the shoes are not authentic.


Today a deadbeat, who got nothing else to do, bidded on my $1500+ BIN auction and several $1000+ price BIN auctions. I got pissed when I open my email and saw the buyers name: I GOTJOU. I went to live help and told the lady about the buyer and the BIN auctions this person bidded on. Late this afternoon buyers NARU.