Question on an Ebay transaction

MuckyMutt

I got this email from a seller after I won his auction:

Dear Auction Winner,

Congratulations on winning the item(s) listed above!
Please help us expedite your order by following this link and filling
out your information so that we can quickly send you the above items:

Unless you have additional items that you are currently bidding on,
that have not yet closed, please visit AuctionHelper.com to enter your
shipping address and confirm your invoice. Your information is
confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than that which is
directly related to our transaction.

This process will take you only a moment or two and allows us to serve
you much more efficiently. The link above will take you directly to
your invoice. In the event that the above link does not work please
visit www.AuctionHelper.com and use your access code, which can be found
above.

Thank You,

What the heck??? I have bought and sold hundreds of items on Ebay and never had to go to a site outside of Ebay to complete a transaction. Has anyone else seen this? There's no way I'm going outside of Ebay to do anything that has to do with an Ebay transaction. I sent an email to the seller asking him if he wants me to cancel my Paypal payment and just forget the whole thing. I do not like the fact that I, the buyer, have to go out of my way to make it easier for the seller. I bid, I win, I pay - that's all I do. The seller does the rest!

(Can you tell I'm peeved? )

sandmanfromlv

I have used something like that before, I believe you will still have access to use Paypal through it...shouldn't be a problem...

tennesseebanker

Mucky, I have had to do this several times after winning auctions, and although I dont like doing it, it is legit and helps the seller I guess.

MuckyMutt

OK, thanks for the responses. I still don't like it - and I ain't gonna do it!! I guess I should have known better than buying from a Power-Seller. I'm not going to jump thru hoops so he can make a sale. (Boy, I must be feeling ornery today. )

BTW, I paid via Paypal within minutes of the end of the auction - long before I got the email.

ctsoxfan

This is the first time you've seen Auction Helper? I'm surprised, since a lot of big sellers use it (DSL for example) or something like it. It's legit, and once you put your info in, it saves it for the next time you encounter Auction Helper (via any seller).

I tend to agree with you, though - it's an extra step that the buyer needs to follow, to make things easier for the seller only. I use Andale for my Ebay listings, but I won't use their "checkout" feature for this very reason.

TZAHL

Much more common 5 or 6 years ago, when Ebay did not really have the option of sending invoices for you and things like that. I would guess this guy is a long time member and never changed over from the 'old way' of doing things.

tennesseebanker

Mucky, I think if you have already paid through paypal they will probably send it to you anyway. I once did this and made an immediate payment through paypal before I got the Auction Helper e-mail, They sent it without me having to go through the site, It probably makes it easier for them if you do though.

AkbarClone

Most sellers that use Auction Helper say in the description that they use it and to expect an email after the auction ends. Some even threaten that if you do not use it, it will delay the shipping. I've had to go through the process on several occassions, and it is true that your logistical information is saved once you do it for the first time. It is a small hassle, but since my sellers had it in the description, I knew before bidding that it would be something to expect.

jlbsquared

small hassle, takes 30 seconds, and you only really have to do it once, but I hate it too....

onlyanumber

Good thing is all of your shipping info will be stored, so next time around (if you buy on a consistent basis) it'll be an even quick breeze.