This an extremely easy scam for anybody to do with Paypal and Ebay and just about impossible to stop. I'm writing this post as to hopefully warn others that auction high dollar items on Ebay, before they wind up in the same position I was in. Of course, this does teach others how to do the scam I suppose, but I think informing the sellers is just as important. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. I chose the "do."
I had a Powermac G4 that I decided to put on Ebay. The machine was in great condition so I snapped a photo and ran my auction. A buyer paid through Paypal, the funds cleared, and I shipped off the laptop. Transaction over, right? Nope...
A few days after the item arrived at it's destination, I get an email from the buyer saying that he or she wasn't satisfied. The buyer complained that the laptop was badly scratched and it looked as though someone had spraypainted over it. He or she took their fingernail and rubbed at the "spraypaint" and it flaked off. They said that they buy laptops on Ebay to resell on Ebay, and now this one is damaged and won't sell for a higher price, insinuating that I should give them a partial refund. Spraypaint on the laptop was an absurd notion, so of course I rejected to refund any money, nor take back a laptop that they admitted to damaging. Some pictures followed (withheld from the post) of a chipped case. This isn't something done with a fingernail. The area between the screen and the keyboard looked gauged and then spraypainted over
After I rejected the refund, sure enough, a claim was put into Paypal, bringing my Paypal balance into the negative. I was forced to write my side of the story for Paypal and leave the good folks there to decide my fate. A few weeks passed and I hadn't heard anything so I called to check the status--their website is less than descriptive when the claims are being processed. The gentleman on the phone told me that they had asked the buyer to take the laptop to a third party (e.g., a computer store) and get it documented that the laptop was damaged. Wait, didn't the buyer damage the laptop with his or her fingernail?
Time passed and the buyer did not get their documentation in on time and Paypal closed the case. It makes me wonder what would have happened if he had?
Here's the scam. Find a laptop for sale on Ebay that doesn't have pictures of every square inch of the case. Buy it. Once the laptop arrives, immediately email the seller and say it was scratched and spraypainted over. Demand $200. If the seller complies, great! Now relist the auction, get the same price, pick up $200. If the seller refuses, scratch the laptop yourself, spraypaint over, and submit a claim to Paypal to get your money back. Once Paypal asks you to get documentation of the damage, take the laptop to your local mom & pop computer store and explain how an evil seller sold you a damaged laptop and now you just need them to fill out a form saying it is in fact damaged. Of course, they'll see damage (that you caused) and gladly fill out the form. In fact, they will feel like the did a good deed to help thwart a scamming seller on Ebay! Return the form to Paypal, get your money back, start over with a new Ebay/Paypal account. This is far too easy.
So in all of this, there is a great lesson I have learned. From now on, I will not sell anything on Ebay that I can't afford to lose. In my case, anything over $150 or so will not go the normal route. I will still list the item on Ebay but I will demand a money order or personal check. I will also wait for those to clear before sending the item off. The buyers may not like the delay, but that's what Ebay & Paypal have forced me to do. That's really the only way I can think of selling anything on those sites anymore.
This scam is so simple for someone to pull off so please do not put yourself in the position to get victimized. Perhaps you just list your items on Craigslist and try and find a local buyer. I really don't know what to suggest, other than to beware that Paypal will do everything they can to protect a scammer in this one particular instance.
source : http://paypalscam.blogspot.com/2006/07/beware-of-easiest-paypal-scam-ever.html
Saturday, July 15, 2006
What is Google Checkout?
Google.com have developed a system that lets users have one common place to do all their payments. The idea is that you shop at a variety of places yet the only place you ever enter your credit card details is at Google, in your Google Account.
For a reseller, Google Checkout provides a beautiful one stop system that allows their visitors a great safe way to to purchase. I mean, of all the "brands" online that you would trust with your credit card - Google is proably one of them. So for Mr Small Business having a Google logo in his shop, is a huge bonus
What's more, if you visit Google.com and search for "Bob's Wireless Mice" vendors can now place a Google Checkout icon in their AdWords adverts. This means if I as a Google Account holder, see two sites offering my mice, and one has Google Checkout - I'll probably go with them.
So what's the problem?Unlike PayPal who very quickly launched international accounts, Google Checkout currently is USA only (and there is no word as to when this will change). Google only allows credit cards (in some cases bank debit cards too), and has no facility for connecting your account with your bank. (PayPal will even connect with banks in New Zealand!)
Now those two things are minor really, and Google if it wanted to could launch an international service tomorrow if they wanted too (and they will eventually). The biggest issue that Google Checkout faces is the fact that they have been banned from eBay one of the biggest online sales locations. The best way for Google Checkout to grow is to have general public using it, but if they can't get access to the largest and most well known "flea market" where general public shop - how will they do this?
My ThoughtsPersonally I'd like to see Google Checkout grow to rival Paypal, for a long time we've needed an alternative (hey I love PayPal - but competition is always good!). However I feel that Google have once again forgoten that their is more to the world than the USA, there is more to the internet than US Dollars - I'm sorry but I'm tired of these big as companies launching public betas and NOT allowing for international customers - come on it's a CREDIT CARD for crying out loud - what's the difficulty?
Google - (I know your bots are reading this) - please roll out your checkout with international currencies, credit cards & bank account access ... SOON!
source : http://studiowhiz.com/discussion/40/google-checkout-my-thoughts/
For a reseller, Google Checkout provides a beautiful one stop system that allows their visitors a great safe way to to purchase. I mean, of all the "brands" online that you would trust with your credit card - Google is proably one of them. So for Mr Small Business having a Google logo in his shop, is a huge bonus
What's more, if you visit Google.com and search for "Bob's Wireless Mice" vendors can now place a Google Checkout icon in their AdWords adverts. This means if I as a Google Account holder, see two sites offering my mice, and one has Google Checkout - I'll probably go with them.
So what's the problem?Unlike PayPal who very quickly launched international accounts, Google Checkout currently is USA only (and there is no word as to when this will change). Google only allows credit cards (in some cases bank debit cards too), and has no facility for connecting your account with your bank. (PayPal will even connect with banks in New Zealand!)
Now those two things are minor really, and Google if it wanted to could launch an international service tomorrow if they wanted too (and they will eventually). The biggest issue that Google Checkout faces is the fact that they have been banned from eBay one of the biggest online sales locations. The best way for Google Checkout to grow is to have general public using it, but if they can't get access to the largest and most well known "flea market" where general public shop - how will they do this?
My ThoughtsPersonally I'd like to see Google Checkout grow to rival Paypal, for a long time we've needed an alternative (hey I love PayPal - but competition is always good!). However I feel that Google have once again forgoten that their is more to the world than the USA, there is more to the internet than US Dollars - I'm sorry but I'm tired of these big as companies launching public betas and NOT allowing for international customers - come on it's a CREDIT CARD for crying out loud - what's the difficulty?
Google - (I know your bots are reading this) - please roll out your checkout with international currencies, credit cards & bank account access ... SOON!
source : http://studiowhiz.com/discussion/40/google-checkout-my-thoughts/
Using University Resources to Sell
The possibility exists to sell or buy on eBay without owning the computer which is getting you online. Machines designed and kept up for general use are called kiosks. Also, there are less restricted computers you can use in the ID accessible “computer labs.
”If you go to a university, or even a community college, there is bound to be internet kiosks, wifi, and general access computer labs. Printing is generally unlimited for most computer labs. Printing is free if you are clever and know how to get around restricted printing usage. Computer Labs: Order of convince
1. Kiosks - Plentiful, but difficult to use liberally
2. Wifi - good for laptop or PDA
3. Computer lab - Scanners, Image editors and HTML editors make life easier
Look into the art department’s computer lab and photography studio if you need more professional pictures taken. I have found that Irfanview and a Compact Flash card to allow me to get almost everything done. Since I use a camera which is older and uses a CF card I can modify the images that the camera creates on the same card I installed Ifranview on.
IF you check out what services the university is offering in the way of added education that comes with your basic tuition, you may find courses which may help running your business. Some of these courses include Marketing, Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Financial Management, Technical Writing, Sales, and Graphic Design.
Short courses and semester long courses offer a variety of benefits. Short Courses allow you to concentrate on a single point, while longer courses allow the better formed principles to sink in and give you time to study their effects. The more you know, the better prepared you are.
One trick I use to get around restricted usage computers, computer labs allowing only one copy to be made per document, is renaming the document between printing jobs. I have printed out hundreds, if not thousands of invoices and shipping slips in this manner.
source : http://dealability.com/index.php?itemid=10
”If you go to a university, or even a community college, there is bound to be internet kiosks, wifi, and general access computer labs. Printing is generally unlimited for most computer labs. Printing is free if you are clever and know how to get around restricted printing usage. Computer Labs: Order of convince
1. Kiosks - Plentiful, but difficult to use liberally
2. Wifi - good for laptop or PDA
3. Computer lab - Scanners, Image editors and HTML editors make life easier
Look into the art department’s computer lab and photography studio if you need more professional pictures taken. I have found that Irfanview and a Compact Flash card to allow me to get almost everything done. Since I use a camera which is older and uses a CF card I can modify the images that the camera creates on the same card I installed Ifranview on.
IF you check out what services the university is offering in the way of added education that comes with your basic tuition, you may find courses which may help running your business. Some of these courses include Marketing, Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Financial Management, Technical Writing, Sales, and Graphic Design.
Short courses and semester long courses offer a variety of benefits. Short Courses allow you to concentrate on a single point, while longer courses allow the better formed principles to sink in and give you time to study their effects. The more you know, the better prepared you are.
One trick I use to get around restricted usage computers, computer labs allowing only one copy to be made per document, is renaming the document between printing jobs. I have printed out hundreds, if not thousands of invoices and shipping slips in this manner.
source : http://dealability.com/index.php?itemid=10
Friday, July 14, 2006
Tea with Mandela auctioned on web
The chance to drink tea with Nelson Mandela is to be auctioned on eBay later this year to raise money for a heart unit at a Johannesburg hospital.
The announcement was made as the South Africa statesman prepares to celebrate his 88th birthday next week.
Singing lessons from South African diva Miriam Makeba and bungee jumping with cricketer Shaun Pollock will also feature in the 6-16 November auction.
Organisers hope to raise some 80m rand ($11m) for the children's heart centre.
This would pay for about 800 operations at the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre.
"I was informed that Mr Tiger Woods recently fetched $1.3 million for a round of golf. I am convinced that tea with Mr Mandela... can exceed this target," said Lungi Sisulu, son of anti-apartheid activist Walter Sisulu.
Former US President Bill Clinton pledged some 200,000 rand ($28,000) as he toured the clinic with Mr Mandela.
"When you reach a certain point and you have had your struggles and you have had your successes, all of a sudden the most important thing becomes that no child should die without having had the chance to live his or her dreams and make their own mistakes too," Mr Clinton said.
source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5177778.stm
The announcement was made as the South Africa statesman prepares to celebrate his 88th birthday next week.
Singing lessons from South African diva Miriam Makeba and bungee jumping with cricketer Shaun Pollock will also feature in the 6-16 November auction.
Organisers hope to raise some 80m rand ($11m) for the children's heart centre.
This would pay for about 800 operations at the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre.
"I was informed that Mr Tiger Woods recently fetched $1.3 million for a round of golf. I am convinced that tea with Mr Mandela... can exceed this target," said Lungi Sisulu, son of anti-apartheid activist Walter Sisulu.
Former US President Bill Clinton pledged some 200,000 rand ($28,000) as he toured the clinic with Mr Mandela.
"When you reach a certain point and you have had your struggles and you have had your successes, all of a sudden the most important thing becomes that no child should die without having had the chance to live his or her dreams and make their own mistakes too," Mr Clinton said.
source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5177778.stm
When They Said "Get It On eBay", I Doubt This Is What They Meant
The idea of using security exploits to make some cash certainly isn't anything new -- online extortion schemes have been fairly popular, even if script kiddies are killing the margins. But apparently discovering security vulnerabilities and selling them off to the highest bidder is a growth industry, according to one security firm, even being brazen enough to put them up on eBay. It's hardly surprising to see hackers and malware writers searching for some renumeration for their efforts, particularly with the explosion in phishing, identity theft and other potenially lucrative crimes, and their dependence on staying a step ahead of security companies. What's slightly more interesting, though, is that many security companies themselves are shelling out for the vulnerabilities, under the guise of the greater good, but really getting the information to give themselves a head start in closing the vulnerabilities, and enhancing their products and reputation. Economists love to talk about the value of incentives in motivating people to particular behavior -- perhaps giving malware authors incentives to turn their work over to software developers or security companies isn't such a bad idea.
source : http://techdirt.com/articles/20060714/116255.shtml
source : http://techdirt.com/articles/20060714/116255.shtml
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Hot Items eBay Report on June 2006
this is a report for Very Hot…Super Hot! Discover which categories and products are on fire—where bid to item ratios are high and demand is outpacing supply!
The Hot Categories Report (a.k.a. “The Hot List”) is updated monthly and gives an unadulteratedview of level 4 (L4) categories that meet the following criteria:
The Hot Categories Report (a.k.a. “The Hot List”) is updated monthly and gives an unadulteratedview of level 4 (L4) categories that meet the following criteria:
- Month-over-Month bid growth is at least 1%.
- Month-over-Month bid growth is at least 1.5 times greater than month-over-month listingsgrowth.
- Bids-per-item is greater than the average for the relevant level 3 category. Note: this isper item, not per listing. For example, the number of bids-per-item for work boots (L4) ina given month may be 7, while the average bids-per-item for all L4s in boots (L3) may be2. Therefore, work boots would pass this condition for “hotness.”
- Conversion rate for the L4 category in the most recent month was at least 50%.
- Level 4 category must receive at least 100 bids per week.6. In the interest of providing clear and actionable information, L4 categories named “Other”have been omitted.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
eBay at Home on the Ropes
What a rough week for eBay (EBAY - news - Cramer's Take).
The e-commerce cum online-payment cum Internet communication company is back in one of its periodic slumps where, in the eyes of the world at large, it just can't do anything right.
The albatross around eBay's neck this time is Google's (GOOG - news - Cramer's Take) Checkout, the latest offering from the search giant in its never-ending quest for new sources of revenue. As it stands now, Google Checkout seems simply to be an online venue to store your credit card information, with Google's assurance that it will be secure.
This has been coming for well over a year, ever since Google executives hinted at an online-payment service that the press quickly dubbed "the PayPal killer." Investors began predicting a collision between Google and eBay, with Google the odds-on winner. eBay's stock swooned but later recovered.
Now the other shoe has dropped with a more official unveiling of Google Checkout. Rather than assessing whether people will find the service useful, the coverage has focused on how this marks the beginning of the end for PayPal.
Analysts have stepped forward with their warnings and lowered price targets on eBay. Their chief argument is that if Google Checkout quickly evolves into more than a simple checkout service, it could quickly become the most common means of making payments on the Internet -- in essence, turning PayPal into eBay's own proprietary payment system.
Compounding the bad news were other PayPal-related developments that only made things seem worse. On Thursday, Jeff Jordan, the longtime eBay exec who had been overseeing PayPal, stepped down to spend more time with his family. He'll be replaced by Rajiv Dutta, the former eBay CFO who is currently president of Skype.
Then on Friday, news hit that eBay had placed Google Checkout on a list of payment services that it deems not acceptable for its community of merchants. eBay says the chief reason Google Checkout didn't make the cut was that it is too new and unproven. What's more, eBay merchants can still choose to use it for payments if they want.
The upshot of all this is that eBay's stock slipped 9% last week and is now down 39% this year. It closed Friday at $26.62 -- its lowest close in two and a half years. (In early Friday trading, it was up 19 cents to $26.81.)
It's safe to say this is one of the darker chapters in eBay's 10-year history.
So the company is now on the ropes. And this is doubly important to investors, because dark moments like these create prime opportunities to either sell the stock on the bet that things can only get worse, or buy it because the market has severely overreacted.
Which is it? I'd argue the case for overreaction, i.e., that things are tough for eBay but nowhere near as dire as they seem right now.
First, eBay often finds itself cornered into a situation that seems certain to bring it down but from which it manages to escape -- it's sort of the Jack Bauer of Internet companies. There were the outages of 1999 that eBay addressed in a way that ended up giving it the reputation of being one of the more reliable e-commerce sites.
Then there was the great fee revolt of 2005, when merchants threatened to bolt because eBay was boosting fees. But in the end, most stayed, and the higher fees weeded out the weaker listings and left eBay with higher average selling prices and increased revenue.
Second, although the loss of Jordan is a blow -- he oversaw the growth of both eBay's auction marketplace and PayPal -- putting Dutta in charge should provide a smooth transition. Dutta's finance background seems better suited for PayPal than for Skype, which already has a strong leader in CEO Niklas Zennstrom.
Third, and most important, should Google try to create a full-fledged PayPal clone, it will be a sign to sell Google's stock, not eBay's. It's not that Google isn't capable -- it definitely has the technical know-how -- it's more that setting up an online-payment system like PayPal is a complex, thorny and expensive proposition.
Google would have to navigate regulations not just in the U.S. but in every market where it wants to use Google Checkout -- and each market's laws are devilishly complex. It will need to combat payment fraud in a more direct way than it has addressed click fraud to date. It will need to persuade users to trust the company with their financial data -- in addition to their search histories and their emails. People don't like to trust a single company with too much personal information.
Most concerning to investors, Google will need to spend a lot of money to create a system that can compete with PayPal's 1.5 million users, create an interface that's easier, faster and safer, and study all of the lessons it took PayPal a decade to learn. And, assuming it takes on all that, the move will surely drive down margins in the short term. Investors won't be happy with that.
The ideal outcome for eBay would be to rise to the challenge before it: PayPal is the most common online payment partly by virtue of its strengths, and partly by default. Now that a potential rival is on the scene, Dutta needs to work out some of the longstanding kinks that still make PayPal too fussy and unintuitive for its users to truly embrace.
If eBay can pull that off, then investors may look back on this dark hour and see it was in fact a rare opportunity to buy the stock on the cheap.
source : http://www.thestreet.com/smallbusinesstech/smallbusinesstech/10295794.html
The e-commerce cum online-payment cum Internet communication company is back in one of its periodic slumps where, in the eyes of the world at large, it just can't do anything right.
The albatross around eBay's neck this time is Google's (GOOG - news - Cramer's Take) Checkout, the latest offering from the search giant in its never-ending quest for new sources of revenue. As it stands now, Google Checkout seems simply to be an online venue to store your credit card information, with Google's assurance that it will be secure.
This has been coming for well over a year, ever since Google executives hinted at an online-payment service that the press quickly dubbed "the PayPal killer." Investors began predicting a collision between Google and eBay, with Google the odds-on winner. eBay's stock swooned but later recovered.
Now the other shoe has dropped with a more official unveiling of Google Checkout. Rather than assessing whether people will find the service useful, the coverage has focused on how this marks the beginning of the end for PayPal.
Analysts have stepped forward with their warnings and lowered price targets on eBay. Their chief argument is that if Google Checkout quickly evolves into more than a simple checkout service, it could quickly become the most common means of making payments on the Internet -- in essence, turning PayPal into eBay's own proprietary payment system.
Compounding the bad news were other PayPal-related developments that only made things seem worse. On Thursday, Jeff Jordan, the longtime eBay exec who had been overseeing PayPal, stepped down to spend more time with his family. He'll be replaced by Rajiv Dutta, the former eBay CFO who is currently president of Skype.
Then on Friday, news hit that eBay had placed Google Checkout on a list of payment services that it deems not acceptable for its community of merchants. eBay says the chief reason Google Checkout didn't make the cut was that it is too new and unproven. What's more, eBay merchants can still choose to use it for payments if they want.
The upshot of all this is that eBay's stock slipped 9% last week and is now down 39% this year. It closed Friday at $26.62 -- its lowest close in two and a half years. (In early Friday trading, it was up 19 cents to $26.81.)
It's safe to say this is one of the darker chapters in eBay's 10-year history.
So the company is now on the ropes. And this is doubly important to investors, because dark moments like these create prime opportunities to either sell the stock on the bet that things can only get worse, or buy it because the market has severely overreacted.
Which is it? I'd argue the case for overreaction, i.e., that things are tough for eBay but nowhere near as dire as they seem right now.
First, eBay often finds itself cornered into a situation that seems certain to bring it down but from which it manages to escape -- it's sort of the Jack Bauer of Internet companies. There were the outages of 1999 that eBay addressed in a way that ended up giving it the reputation of being one of the more reliable e-commerce sites.
Then there was the great fee revolt of 2005, when merchants threatened to bolt because eBay was boosting fees. But in the end, most stayed, and the higher fees weeded out the weaker listings and left eBay with higher average selling prices and increased revenue.
Second, although the loss of Jordan is a blow -- he oversaw the growth of both eBay's auction marketplace and PayPal -- putting Dutta in charge should provide a smooth transition. Dutta's finance background seems better suited for PayPal than for Skype, which already has a strong leader in CEO Niklas Zennstrom.
Third, and most important, should Google try to create a full-fledged PayPal clone, it will be a sign to sell Google's stock, not eBay's. It's not that Google isn't capable -- it definitely has the technical know-how -- it's more that setting up an online-payment system like PayPal is a complex, thorny and expensive proposition.
Google would have to navigate regulations not just in the U.S. but in every market where it wants to use Google Checkout -- and each market's laws are devilishly complex. It will need to combat payment fraud in a more direct way than it has addressed click fraud to date. It will need to persuade users to trust the company with their financial data -- in addition to their search histories and their emails. People don't like to trust a single company with too much personal information.
Most concerning to investors, Google will need to spend a lot of money to create a system that can compete with PayPal's 1.5 million users, create an interface that's easier, faster and safer, and study all of the lessons it took PayPal a decade to learn. And, assuming it takes on all that, the move will surely drive down margins in the short term. Investors won't be happy with that.
The ideal outcome for eBay would be to rise to the challenge before it: PayPal is the most common online payment partly by virtue of its strengths, and partly by default. Now that a potential rival is on the scene, Dutta needs to work out some of the longstanding kinks that still make PayPal too fussy and unintuitive for its users to truly embrace.
If eBay can pull that off, then investors may look back on this dark hour and see it was in fact a rare opportunity to buy the stock on the cheap.
source : http://www.thestreet.com/smallbusinesstech/smallbusinesstech/10295794.html
Monday, July 10, 2006
Avoiding Counterfeit Items on eBay
How and why to steer clear of fakes
Years after the invention and popularization of DVDs and DVD players, some of the biggest films in the movie industry hadn't yet been released on DVD. Until recently, if you were an Indiana Jones fan, for example, you were stuck watching your favorite flicks on outdated VHS tapes, since the studio that produced the Indiana Jones films hadn't seen fit to release anything else.
If you were a particularly loyal fan and an eBay member, you may have been one of the thousands that discovered DVDs of the entire Indiana Jones series for sale on eBay, complete with subtitles, studio artwork, and DTS digital sound—selling very, very inexpensively. Many fans saw these DVDs on eBay and an online buzz was generated amongst some of the more naive audience members—eBay obviously had a line on products that weren't "out yet," and they had these products very cheaply! What a steal!
Except that the deal wasn't all that great.
Buyers of these DVDs quickly found that they weren't quite what they'd seemed to be. Shipped from Hong Kong or even innocuous places like Provo, Utah, these DVDs looked like the real thing until they were actually put into a DVD player. Then, buyers found that they were horrible quality bootlegs, copied from the same tired set of VHS tapes and produced on inferior equipment with low fidelity output.
In short, they weren't just fakes—they were bad fakes. Unfortunately, eBay plays host to its fair share of both good fakes and bad fakes of many of the most popular items in the world. Sometimes it's obvious that a listing is for a fake, counterfeit, or imitation item, but often it isn't. There are good reasons to want to know the difference.
Common Fakes and Why You Might Want To Avoid Them
Though you'll find counterfeit items (or "gray area" items) in many eBay categories, there are a few categories in which fake items are extremely common, despite eBay's attempts to crack down on unscrupulous sellers.
- Computer software. One of the worst offenders on the eBay site, the computer software category is unfortunately littered with counterfeit and pirated goods.
- Music, movies, and entertainment media. Electronic entertainment media of all kinds is commonly sold illegally on eBay, whether in the form of pirated/unlicensed copies, or in the form of import- or export-restricted goods.
- Designer goods. Designer goods in many shapes and sizes, including clothing, accessories, household goods, and even commercial art, is often sold either in counterfeit or pirated form on eBay.
- Collectibles and antiques. Many collectibles and antiques on eBay are sold in so-called "grey auction" format, in which the seller isn't quite clear about whether the item is authentic or not.
- Consumer electronics. Finally, a certain proportion of the consumer electronics items on eBay are either import- or export-restricted or sold in markets other than those for which they were intended by the manufacturer.
Given the items on this list, an argument can be made that counterfeits, fakes, and region-restricted items are at times good buys for consumers. After all, thanks to eBay, consumers in a given part of the world might be able to buy a product or good to which they might otherwise never have had access, or at a price that they might never otherwise have been able to afford.
Why might you as a buyer want to be careful about buying these types of goods? There are very sound and pragmatic reasons to exercise caution.
- Law enforcement and civil liability. In the case of items like pirated computer software, international enforcement activity is very high. Though it is unlikely that you'll find yourself in legal trouble just for making a single software purchase, it isn't impossible—and multiple purchases compound your risk of incurring severe penalties or liabilities.
- Functionality and support. As was the case with the counterfeit Indiana Jones DVDs, the quality of counterfeit products is often lower that the quality of genuine goods. Even when the quality is equal, manufacturers generally refuse to support counterfeit or grey market items in any way. You won't be able to get updates, warranty service, or even dial the product's help line if you have an issue.
- Investment value. By purchasing a counterfeit or grey-market good, you are investing your hard-earned dollars in an item that is intrinsically less valuable than the real thing, and that is correspondingly unlikely to retain value (or increase in value) at the same rate as the genuine article. In short, fake goods make bad investments.
Detect and report the fakes
If you're at all unsure of what you're getting or what your risks are in a transaction, buy the real thing. Unless you're setting out from the start to cut corners or save money by buying fake, and are willing to take on all of the risk and responsibility that comes with that decision, you'll likely be far happier with genuine goods from above-board sellers.
Of course, recognizing the difference can sometimes be difficult. It isn't, however, impossible, and if you're willing to err on the side of caution you can likely avoid ever finding yourself in the position of having paid for the genuine article and instead received a pale imitation. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you buy.
- Does it seem to good to be true? The number one indicator of fake or counterfeit goods is cost. Keep your eye out for and avoid goods that are selling at a significantly lower cost than seems appropriate, or at a significantly lower cost than other similar items on eBay. In short, the $15 Buy It Now auction for a $400 software package is probably not genuine, and the same goes for the camera that one seller seems to be selling for 50% less than all of the competition.
- Does it seem to good to be true? The number one indicator of fake or counterfeit goods is cost. Keep your eye out for and avoid goods that are selling at a significantly lower cost than seems appropriate, or at a significantly lower cost than other similar items on eBay. In short, the $15 Buy It Now auction for a $400 software package is probably not genuine, and the same goes for the camera that one seller seems to be selling for 50% less than all of the competition.
- Is it a real product in your market? Mass-market products for sale on eBay that you've never seen in local stores are likely not intended for your nation or region of the world, if they are available at all. This goes both for the half-price video camera (that you later find works only with European PAL-standard television sets, while you are in the US NTSC-standard market) or the aforementioned Indiana Jones DVDs being sold on eBay long before the studio released such a product.
- Is the seller cagey about the product and its origins? Sellers of authentic goods often use strongly indicative keywords and terms to encourage buyers to buy. Do look for words like "genuine," "authentic," "original equipment," "licensed," "legal," and "real," but take care to avoid pitfall phrases like "genuine compatible," "authentic reproduction," "provide your own license," or "legal in many areas." If in doubt, read and re-read the auction listing, and if still in doubt, err on the side of caution.
- Are other authenticating materials included? Though these items, too, can be counterfeited and/or faked, it never hurts to look for auctions that include a certificate of authenticity, a hologram-printed license certificate, a manufacturer's warranty card, or other authenticating materials. At the very least, be extra wary of sellers that sell without them.
- Should the seller have access to this material? Use your common sense about points like this one. A seller that lists shipping times from China while selling goods by a prominent American designer is not likely to be selling the real thing. If you can't see how a seller could have legitimately sourced the products in his or her auctions, there's a good chance that their source isn't legitimate at all.
- Does the seller's feedback indicate authenticity problems? Check the feedback of any seller you're considering buying from and be wary of indications that previous buyers have been unsatisfied about the legitimacy of the goods on offer.
If you're serious about buying legitimate designer, collectible, or custom-produced goods, consider buying from members of eBay's Verified Rights Online (VeRO) program. Though there are many, many legitimate sellers on eBay who aren't members of VeRO, buying from VeRO participants ensures that you're in the clear for many types of items. As a shopper, consider also reporting items that you believe to be counterfeit to eBay's VeRO team, taking care to include the item number of the listing in question.
None of this is meant to scare you away from eBay buying, even of international or unusual goods. Indeed, buying rare, unusual, and limited-release goods is one of the more rewarding hobbies that eBay shoppers engage in. If you're interested in protecting your investment and staying out of trouble, however, it is always a good idea to shop smart—and ask yourself these questions before you buy.
source : http://ebay.about.com/od/mistakestoavoid/a/ma_fakes.htm
For eBay, Departures Underscore a Risky Time
Even as many of the other hot Internet companies were faltering in recent years, eBay remained a Wall Street darling. It made two big acquisitions — PayPal and the Internet phone service Skype — and continued to post heady sales and earnings growth as it expanded overseas.
But after a trying week in which one of the company's top executives resigned, eBay is facing new concerns over executive turnover and management succession, adding to what may be an even bigger challenge: an invasion of its turf by Google.
Last week, eBay, the world's biggest online marketplace, announced that Jeff Jordan, 47, who was seen as a likely successor to Meg Whitman, 49, the chief executive, planned to leave later this year. The departure of Mr. Jordan, president of eBay's PayPal unit, is the latest in a string of departures among high-level executives.
The news sent eBay's shares into a downward spiral, and on Friday, the share price closed at $26.62, the lowest the stock has been since late 2003 and down almost 45 percent from its high within the last year. Bearish analysts say the departure of Mr. Jordan and others reflects larger challenges the company faces as its core auction business matures, as it struggles in Asian markets and especially as Google begins to entice small merchants away from eBay.
In a joint telephone interview with Ms. Whitman, Mr. Jordan said he had been talking with Ms. Whitman for "a while" about retiring and spending more time with his family.
"I'm in the office by 5 a.m. and I get home at 7," he said, adding "I started talking to Meg about lifestyle issues and concerns. So this is the fulfillment of that plan." Mr. Jordan has 11-year-old twins. In the same interview, Ms. Whitman said, "Obviously I was really disappointed, because Jeff has made a huge difference to eBay," she said, adding "He's got two relatively young children." Ms. Whitman added that "I have two children in college. It goes really fast."
Mr. Jordan said he remained "wildly optimistic" about PayPal's future, pointing out that last year, PayPal accounted for 10 percent of all e-commerce payments in the United States.
In the first quarter of 2006, PayPal transferred nearly $9 billion in payments, a 41 percent increase over the previous year. In 2005, PayPal's revenue exceeded $1 billion, just under a quarter of the company's overall revenue of $4.552 billion.
Mr. Jordan, who has served in several roles at the company since he arrived in 1999, took over at PayPal in December 2004. Last year, Ms. Whitman hired John J. Donahoe, a former managing director at Bain & Company, a management consulting firm where Ms. Whitman has also worked.
One executive who recently left the company said he believed that Mr. Donahoe, who is currently president of eBay's marketplace unit, might have supplanted Mr. Jordan as the leading contender for the chief executive job, and for that reason Mr. Jordan chose to leave.
Ms. Whitman, however, would not discuss succession plans. "I'm here for the long term," she said, and added that "there has been a lot of speculation, but the answer is, I'm here for the long term."
Nor, said Ms. Whitman, was she especially concerned about the drop in eBay's share price. "I've said for many years that we manage a company, not a stock," she said. "We control what we can control." She added that the company's job was to deliver results and "the stock price will take care of itself."
Tim Boyd, a research analyst with Caris & Company, called Mr. Jordan "a great asset" for eBay. "Certainly there's no question it's a loss. He's probably the most important long-term veteran they've lost."
Several observers, including Mr. Boyd, who is recommending eBay stock, said they thought Wall Street overreacted to Mr. Jordan's departure. Mr. Boyd points out that eBay's revenue continues to grow — 40 percent last year, after a 51 percent increase the previous year — its operating margin remains a healthy 36 percent and it still dominates the European e-commerce market.
The announcement of Mr. Jordan's departure came two months after the company said that Maynard Webb, the chief operating officer, would retire in August. Others who have left eBay recently include Lynn Reedy and Michael Dearing, both senior vice presidents.
Mr. Jordan will be succeeded by Rajiv Dutta, who has been serving as president of Skype, the Internet phone service that eBay acquired last year for $2.6 billion. Alex Kazim, vice president of products for Skype, will become its president.
The longer-term issue facing eBay is the challenge of Google, which is luring the kind of sellers who helped build eBay into a powerhouse and which recently unveiled an online payment service called Google Checkout, a rival to PayPal.
"Many of eBay's challenges correlate closely with Google's rise to prominence over the past three to four years," said Derek Brown, an analyst with Pacific Growth Equities who has had a sell recommendation on the stock since 2003. "It's a matter that is likely to become increasingly prominent as Google encroaches more directly on eBay's business." (Mr. Brown said he owned shares in Google.)
One trend that analysts are reporting is sellers leaving eBay and setting up their own Web-based stores, using keywords they buy from Google to drive traffic to their sites. "I think the rate of decline of the popularity of eBay's auction model has accelerated," said Safa Rashtchy, an analyst with Piper Jaffray & Company. "You add to that a behemoth like Google and the trend is unstoppable."
The announcement of Mr. Jordan's departure came shortly after Google introduced Google Checkout, a simple way to store credit card information with participating merchants.
"Google really thought about this one," said Mr. Rashtchy, who has a hold rating on eBay stock. Mr. Rashtchy said he was particularly impressed by the ease of using the new Google feature.
Last week eBay added Google Checkout to a list of payment services its sellers cannot use, which will continue "for the foreseeable future," said Hani Durzy, a spokesman for eBay, based in San Jose, Calif. Mr. Boyd of Caris pointed out that Google was offering discounts to sellers who sign up for Checkout. "They're basically subsidizing advertisers to adopt Google Checkout," he said.
Ms. Whitman said the timing of the announcement of Mr. Jordan's departure was "completely coincidental" with Google Checkout, adding that several other management changes had to be decided before the announcement. Ms. Whitman said that a move like this required coordination of many moving parts.
source : http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/10/technology/10ebay.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5099&en=58daf0a7dc2b6697&ex=1153108800&partner=TOPIXNEWS
But after a trying week in which one of the company's top executives resigned, eBay is facing new concerns over executive turnover and management succession, adding to what may be an even bigger challenge: an invasion of its turf by Google.
Last week, eBay, the world's biggest online marketplace, announced that Jeff Jordan, 47, who was seen as a likely successor to Meg Whitman, 49, the chief executive, planned to leave later this year. The departure of Mr. Jordan, president of eBay's PayPal unit, is the latest in a string of departures among high-level executives.
The news sent eBay's shares into a downward spiral, and on Friday, the share price closed at $26.62, the lowest the stock has been since late 2003 and down almost 45 percent from its high within the last year. Bearish analysts say the departure of Mr. Jordan and others reflects larger challenges the company faces as its core auction business matures, as it struggles in Asian markets and especially as Google begins to entice small merchants away from eBay.
In a joint telephone interview with Ms. Whitman, Mr. Jordan said he had been talking with Ms. Whitman for "a while" about retiring and spending more time with his family.
"I'm in the office by 5 a.m. and I get home at 7," he said, adding "I started talking to Meg about lifestyle issues and concerns. So this is the fulfillment of that plan." Mr. Jordan has 11-year-old twins. In the same interview, Ms. Whitman said, "Obviously I was really disappointed, because Jeff has made a huge difference to eBay," she said, adding "He's got two relatively young children." Ms. Whitman added that "I have two children in college. It goes really fast."
Mr. Jordan said he remained "wildly optimistic" about PayPal's future, pointing out that last year, PayPal accounted for 10 percent of all e-commerce payments in the United States.
In the first quarter of 2006, PayPal transferred nearly $9 billion in payments, a 41 percent increase over the previous year. In 2005, PayPal's revenue exceeded $1 billion, just under a quarter of the company's overall revenue of $4.552 billion.
Mr. Jordan, who has served in several roles at the company since he arrived in 1999, took over at PayPal in December 2004. Last year, Ms. Whitman hired John J. Donahoe, a former managing director at Bain & Company, a management consulting firm where Ms. Whitman has also worked.
One executive who recently left the company said he believed that Mr. Donahoe, who is currently president of eBay's marketplace unit, might have supplanted Mr. Jordan as the leading contender for the chief executive job, and for that reason Mr. Jordan chose to leave.
Ms. Whitman, however, would not discuss succession plans. "I'm here for the long term," she said, and added that "there has been a lot of speculation, but the answer is, I'm here for the long term."
Nor, said Ms. Whitman, was she especially concerned about the drop in eBay's share price. "I've said for many years that we manage a company, not a stock," she said. "We control what we can control." She added that the company's job was to deliver results and "the stock price will take care of itself."
Tim Boyd, a research analyst with Caris & Company, called Mr. Jordan "a great asset" for eBay. "Certainly there's no question it's a loss. He's probably the most important long-term veteran they've lost."
Several observers, including Mr. Boyd, who is recommending eBay stock, said they thought Wall Street overreacted to Mr. Jordan's departure. Mr. Boyd points out that eBay's revenue continues to grow — 40 percent last year, after a 51 percent increase the previous year — its operating margin remains a healthy 36 percent and it still dominates the European e-commerce market.
The announcement of Mr. Jordan's departure came two months after the company said that Maynard Webb, the chief operating officer, would retire in August. Others who have left eBay recently include Lynn Reedy and Michael Dearing, both senior vice presidents.
Mr. Jordan will be succeeded by Rajiv Dutta, who has been serving as president of Skype, the Internet phone service that eBay acquired last year for $2.6 billion. Alex Kazim, vice president of products for Skype, will become its president.
The longer-term issue facing eBay is the challenge of Google, which is luring the kind of sellers who helped build eBay into a powerhouse and which recently unveiled an online payment service called Google Checkout, a rival to PayPal.
"Many of eBay's challenges correlate closely with Google's rise to prominence over the past three to four years," said Derek Brown, an analyst with Pacific Growth Equities who has had a sell recommendation on the stock since 2003. "It's a matter that is likely to become increasingly prominent as Google encroaches more directly on eBay's business." (Mr. Brown said he owned shares in Google.)
One trend that analysts are reporting is sellers leaving eBay and setting up their own Web-based stores, using keywords they buy from Google to drive traffic to their sites. "I think the rate of decline of the popularity of eBay's auction model has accelerated," said Safa Rashtchy, an analyst with Piper Jaffray & Company. "You add to that a behemoth like Google and the trend is unstoppable."
The announcement of Mr. Jordan's departure came shortly after Google introduced Google Checkout, a simple way to store credit card information with participating merchants.
"Google really thought about this one," said Mr. Rashtchy, who has a hold rating on eBay stock. Mr. Rashtchy said he was particularly impressed by the ease of using the new Google feature.
Last week eBay added Google Checkout to a list of payment services its sellers cannot use, which will continue "for the foreseeable future," said Hani Durzy, a spokesman for eBay, based in San Jose, Calif. Mr. Boyd of Caris pointed out that Google was offering discounts to sellers who sign up for Checkout. "They're basically subsidizing advertisers to adopt Google Checkout," he said.
Ms. Whitman said the timing of the announcement of Mr. Jordan's departure was "completely coincidental" with Google Checkout, adding that several other management changes had to be decided before the announcement. Ms. Whitman said that a move like this required coordination of many moving parts.
source : http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/10/technology/10ebay.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5099&en=58daf0a7dc2b6697&ex=1153108800&partner=TOPIXNEWS
***Trust and Safety: Accepted Payments Policy***
Completing a transaction with an appropriate, safe and convenient payment method is an important part of trading on eBay. While many of the payment methods offered by eBay sellers offer a high degree of safety and convenience, a few simply are not appropriate for the eBay marketplace. So last December, we introduced a global payments policy and began a comprehensive evaluation of dozens of payment methods to determine which made sense for use on eBay.
Following this review, we've updated the policy to identify those payment methods that we've determined are not appropriate for the eBay marketplace. Please note that eBay's evaluation relates only to whether a particular service is appropriate for the eBay marketplace. These payment methods may, in fact, be useful services for consumers in other contexts.
The policy clarification also specifies the payment methods that are permitted on eBay.
If you would like to read more about the Accepted Payments Policy, please click here.
For the eBay.ie page, click here.
Regards,
The eBay.co.uk and eBay.ie Teams
source : http://www2.ebay.com/aw/uk/200607.shtml#2006-07-10185207
Following this review, we've updated the policy to identify those payment methods that we've determined are not appropriate for the eBay marketplace. Please note that eBay's evaluation relates only to whether a particular service is appropriate for the eBay marketplace. These payment methods may, in fact, be useful services for consumers in other contexts.
The policy clarification also specifies the payment methods that are permitted on eBay.
If you would like to read more about the Accepted Payments Policy, please click here.
For the eBay.ie page, click here.
Regards,
The eBay.co.uk and eBay.ie Teams
source : http://www2.ebay.com/aw/uk/200607.shtml#2006-07-10185207
Sunday, July 09, 2006
PayPal president leaves eBay
Internet auction company eBay has announced the departure of PayPal president Jeff Jordan and the appointment of the president of eBay subsidairy Skype, Rajiv Dutta, to the position.
Mr Jordan, who joined eBay in 1999, plans to spend more time with his family, the company said. eBay bought the online payments service PayPal in 2002. Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay, said: "Jeff has had a long and successful career at PayPal and eBay, building two of the most powerful ecommerce and payment brands on the internet."
The Californian-based company also announced several other management changes. Alex Kazim, currently vice president of Skype, will become Skype president while Henry Gomez, currently general manager of Skype North America, will become chief marketing officer and director of country operations worldwide.
Lorrie Norrington was named president of eBay International and will be responsible for all of eBay's international marketplaces, as well as Shopping.com. Josh Silverman will take over the day-to-day operations at Shopping.com.
Ms Whitman said: "We have the leading brands in ecommerce, online payments, and online communications. Transferring leadership across those businesses allows us to better innovate and collaborate throughout the company."
The company also announced that it will not be including Google's new payments service, Google Checkout, on its list of permitted payment services providers.
source : http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=484A649C-8EF8-4BAB-93EC-76DD3A5E6297
Mr Jordan, who joined eBay in 1999, plans to spend more time with his family, the company said. eBay bought the online payments service PayPal in 2002. Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay, said: "Jeff has had a long and successful career at PayPal and eBay, building two of the most powerful ecommerce and payment brands on the internet."
The Californian-based company also announced several other management changes. Alex Kazim, currently vice president of Skype, will become Skype president while Henry Gomez, currently general manager of Skype North America, will become chief marketing officer and director of country operations worldwide.
Lorrie Norrington was named president of eBay International and will be responsible for all of eBay's international marketplaces, as well as Shopping.com. Josh Silverman will take over the day-to-day operations at Shopping.com.
Ms Whitman said: "We have the leading brands in ecommerce, online payments, and online communications. Transferring leadership across those businesses allows us to better innovate and collaborate throughout the company."
The company also announced that it will not be including Google's new payments service, Google Checkout, on its list of permitted payment services providers.
source : http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=484A649C-8EF8-4BAB-93EC-76DD3A5E6297
eBay Australia Holds 10-Cent Fixed-Price Listing Promotion
eBay Australia (eBay.com.au) is holding a 10-cent Fixed Price listing promotion on July 11, 2006. Sellers will be charged 10 cents for fixed-price listings during the 1-day promotion. All other fees apply, see website for details and restrictions.
source : http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m07/i10/s02
source : http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m07/i10/s02
eBay Patent Case Remanded to District Court
The eBay patent case was cleared by the U.S. Court of Appeals to go back to the District Court, 3 years after the District Court denied MercExchange's request for an injunction against eBay's Buy It Now listing format. In May, the Supreme Court vacated the Appeals Court decision that favored MercExchange's request for an injunction against eBay's Buy It Now feature.
Both the Appeals Court and the Supreme Court found fault with the District Court's reasoning in making the initial injunction ruling. The July 6th order to vacate and remand by the Appeals Court means the case goes back to the District Court, which must deal with the injunction matter and judgement.
http://www.fedcir.gov/daily.txt
Also of interest: http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2006/07/ebay_v_mercexch.html
source : http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m07/i10/s03
Both the Appeals Court and the Supreme Court found fault with the District Court's reasoning in making the initial injunction ruling. The July 6th order to vacate and remand by the Appeals Court means the case goes back to the District Court, which must deal with the injunction matter and judgement.
http://www.fedcir.gov/daily.txt
Also of interest: http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2006/07/ebay_v_mercexch.html
source : http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m07/i10/s03
Google Scares EBay Into Changes
PayPal's president has been replaced by Skype's president, while eBay drops Google Checkout into the laundry list of alternative payment services banned by the online marketplace.
You might be able to get "It" on eBay, but you won't get it with Google Checkout. If you get It with PayPal, it will be with Rajiv Dutta's PayPal, not Jeff Jordan's.
EBay announced some changes in senior management after the markets closed on Wall Street yesterday. The shuffling resembled a game of "musical corner offices," but when the music stopped playing, it was PayPal president Jordan left out of the game.
Jordan's departure from the company has been disclosed as a "planned departure." eBay CEO Meg Whitman said in a statement that she is sorry to see her close friend go.
It will be interesting to see where Jordan ends up post-eBay. A year ago, he was looking forward to Google's challenge to PayPal. Now he's out, and we have to wonder if The Fear got to him or not.
EBay appears to be feeling The Fear. Ina Steiner at AuctionBytes noted that eBay had officially changed its Accepted Payments policy to ban Google Payment as an option.
Steiner also said eBay changed the name of the policy from Safe Payments to Accepted Payments this week. That move looks like a tweak to avoid offending Google and its legal team, since eBay has had no problem implying smaller payment services were not safe.
Our Jason Lee Miller predicted this change in October 2005. That prediction was prompted by changes in eBay's Safe Payments Policy text, which focused on the debut of new payment services:
"From time to time, as new payment services arise, eBay will evaluate them to determine whether they may present trust and safety concerns and are appropriate for the marketplace."
One of the factors involved in determining the trustworthiness and safety of a newly arisen payment service is:
"Whether the payment service has a substantial historical track record of providing safe and reliable financial and/or banking related services (new services without such a track record generally cannot be promoted on eBay)"
As part of the executive shakeup, Rajiv Dutta, who only moved up to the Skype job earlier in 2006, will take over Jordan's responsibilities as president of PayPal. EBay noted Skype VP of Products Alex Kazim will get Dutta's former Skype gig.
A new role created for Skype, Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Country Operations Worldwide, will be occupied by Henry Gomez. He will ascend from general manager for Skype North America.
Meanwhile, Lorrie Norrington shifts from president and CEO of Shopping.com to president of eBay International. She will have responsibility for all of eBay's international sites as well as the Shopping.com comparison site.
Whitman praised the leadership abilities of the newly shuffled executives. Now it's up to Google to actually challenge eBay by doing something with Checkout, Base, Froogle, and all the other pieces of a potential marketplace it has already
source : http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060707GoogleScareseBayIntoChanges.html
You might be able to get "It" on eBay, but you won't get it with Google Checkout. If you get It with PayPal, it will be with Rajiv Dutta's PayPal, not Jeff Jordan's.
EBay announced some changes in senior management after the markets closed on Wall Street yesterday. The shuffling resembled a game of "musical corner offices," but when the music stopped playing, it was PayPal president Jordan left out of the game.
Jordan's departure from the company has been disclosed as a "planned departure." eBay CEO Meg Whitman said in a statement that she is sorry to see her close friend go.
It will be interesting to see where Jordan ends up post-eBay. A year ago, he was looking forward to Google's challenge to PayPal. Now he's out, and we have to wonder if The Fear got to him or not.
EBay appears to be feeling The Fear. Ina Steiner at AuctionBytes noted that eBay had officially changed its Accepted Payments policy to ban Google Payment as an option.
Steiner also said eBay changed the name of the policy from Safe Payments to Accepted Payments this week. That move looks like a tweak to avoid offending Google and its legal team, since eBay has had no problem implying smaller payment services were not safe.
Our Jason Lee Miller predicted this change in October 2005. That prediction was prompted by changes in eBay's Safe Payments Policy text, which focused on the debut of new payment services:
"From time to time, as new payment services arise, eBay will evaluate them to determine whether they may present trust and safety concerns and are appropriate for the marketplace."
One of the factors involved in determining the trustworthiness and safety of a newly arisen payment service is:
"Whether the payment service has a substantial historical track record of providing safe and reliable financial and/or banking related services (new services without such a track record generally cannot be promoted on eBay)"
As part of the executive shakeup, Rajiv Dutta, who only moved up to the Skype job earlier in 2006, will take over Jordan's responsibilities as president of PayPal. EBay noted Skype VP of Products Alex Kazim will get Dutta's former Skype gig.
A new role created for Skype, Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Country Operations Worldwide, will be occupied by Henry Gomez. He will ascend from general manager for Skype North America.
Meanwhile, Lorrie Norrington shifts from president and CEO of Shopping.com to president of eBay International. She will have responsibility for all of eBay's international sites as well as the Shopping.com comparison site.
Whitman praised the leadership abilities of the newly shuffled executives. Now it's up to Google to actually challenge eBay by doing something with Checkout, Base, Froogle, and all the other pieces of a potential marketplace it has already
source : http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060707GoogleScareseBayIntoChanges.html
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