Hey Watchers You are Being Watched
 

Always thought my watch list on EBay was a private activity that allowed me to keep an eye out on some auctions etc. Now apparently, it's a cynical marketing ploy that allows sellers to send me sales messages/updates albeit generically. For example, I WAS watching a card and now have an eBay "note" under this watched item that says "Hurry now! Seller just discounted item." Are you ok with this?

If a seller lowers the price on a listing a notification can be sent to all watching the item. Sellers have no idea who is watching, just how many are watching.

Yeah, Ebay sent you the message, not the seller. It's standard when somebody lowers the price on a "Buy It Now" item on your watch list.

Ebay sends out lots of e-mails and invoices automatically, I don't necessarily approve of.

It doesn't bother me much. I like knowing factual information (relisted, 10% off, etc...) I can do with out the "Hurry and Buy"

Ebay sends all kinds of messages and reminders...the first time I got one that reminded me to ship an item out that I'd already shipped out 3 or 4 days earlier I thought had come from the buyer..I emailed the buyer to tell him that I could see from the tracking number that he'd already received the item...the buyer responded back that he didn't send me the message and he was pleased with his purchase.

When I save Buy-It-Now items to my "Watch List" I keep getting these messages that say, "Please disregard the fact that this item is listed at 10 times the last recorded sales price."

I'm ok with the discounted item message, it's the same as getting item ending soon reminder when someone puts a best offer on a BIN. It's just ebay's way of telling you "Quit procrastinating. If you want it, get it now, before it's gone."

On a side note, I always though you had know way of knowing how many "watchers" were watching an item (other than the seller knowing)

But this site actually shows anyone how many are watching the auctions..
(mouseover the pics for info)

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/base...ruth/auctions#