Warning from eBay:

VoodooChild · #1 07-11-2017, 08:19 PM

I'm not a computer expert, but eBay probably runs some sort of "script" (if I'm using that term correctly) that checks for the @ symbol. I bet if you spelled it out like "John.Doe at gmail dot com", you wouldn't have been flagged.

bmattioli · #2 07-11-2017, 08:22 PM

They "Spy" and corresponding outside of EBay is a big no no to them..

rdwyer · #3 07-11-2017, 08:37 PM

I got a weird email from eBay today. It was warning me that a particular auction was ending which I had looked at. Nothing more. It was for a altered reprint that I had no interest in. They're definately spying on their users.

Peter_Spaeth · #4 07-11-2017, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdwyer

I got a weird email from eBay today. It was warning me that a particular auction was ending which I had looked at. Nothing more. It was for a altered reprint that I had no interest in. They're definately spying on their users.

In the last couple of weeks I have received countless emails from them about auctions I have looked at, my OWN auctions LOL, and others I am sure I haven't.

RedsFan1941 · #5 07-11-2017, 08:48 PM

sometimes you bite the 'bay, sometimes the 'bay bites you

frankbmd · #6 07-11-2017, 08:56 PM

After one sale, Pay Pal gives you a buyer's contact info. There you go.

Peter_Spaeth · #7 07-11-2017, 09:09 PM

I still see many sellers with their phone number right in their listings, by the way.

TheNightmanCometh · #8 07-12-2017, 12:30 AM

Why don't you tell the seller just to come here and create an account. I'm sure Leon would like that very much :-)

I'm sure you can write "Net54" in an email and it not get flagged.

Sean · #9 07-12-2017, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNightmanCometh

I'm sure you can write "Net54" in an email and it not get flagged.

I've done this a few times with no problem.

EvilKing00 · #10 07-15-2017, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNightmanCometh

Why don't you tell the seller just to come here and create an account. I'm sure Leon would like that very much :-)

I'm sure you can write "Net54" in an email and it not get flagged.

I sometimes ask if they are a member

Stampsfan · #11 07-12-2017, 02:12 PM

Picking up email addresses, as well as certain keywords (such as "dot", "period", "at") is relatively simple to do. Plus these types of procedures will be improved by developers all the time. However, they would be susceptible to automatically and incorrectly picking up messages with no intent at bypassing eBay. However, rest assured that anything flagged will not be sent on to the intended recipient.

I read an article years ago from an ex eBay developer, who was there at the beginning. Like many ill-informed companies, eBay (according to the article) decided to go offshore for system development and support. His take at the time (so far a little unfounded) is that the infrastructure of the entire application is so old that eventually it will crater. In the industry, "held together with duct tape and binder twine" is sometimes the explanation. They have apparently built new code on top of old code, and at some time it will crater. Think of it like a car... you can only fix the old one up for so long before you need a completely new car (system).

For me, weird things do sometimes happen... bids that don't go through, my Watch list disappearing, etc. But overall, their system still seems to have held up so far.

Full disclosure:
I have never worked for eBay or written or deployed auction house software.
I am a computer scientist and Solutions Architect, specializing in systems and database development, implementations, and integration.

Regards...
Bob

bnorth · #12 07-11-2017, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceM

They "Spy" and corresponding outside of EBay is a big no no to them..

^^This^^ They will suspend your account for doing deals outside eBay. They will now also send you messages asking you to do deals outside of eBay to try and entrap and suspend you.

I have got away with doing trades on eBay through messaging with no problem as long as eBay gets their cut. How I do/done it is to tell the other person to list their card on eBay and they buy my card and I buy theirs.

irv · #13 07-11-2017, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

I'm not a computer expert, but eBay probably runs some sort of "script" (if I'm using that term correctly) that checks for the @ symbol. I bet if you spelled it out like "John.Doe at gmail dot com", you wouldn't have been flagged.

I have tried a few different options and E-Bay has caught them all.

When I PM/message an E-Bay member and receive their reply e-mail, replying info in that seems much easier.

Peter_Spaeth · #14 07-11-2017, 08:36 PM

No problem though if you want to retract 100 bids.

Beastmode · #15 07-12-2017, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

No problem though if you want to retract 100 bids.

This. E-bay has far more to lose in a legal tussle over e-mails in your messages. It's already clear they are violating contract law with respect to retractions. The minute they come after a seller for a minor offense, the counter suit for allowing someone to bid and then retract would be far more harmful to them.

I would not be intimidated at all by dumb and dumber lawyers over at e-bay.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #16 07-12-2017, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beastmode

This. E-bay has far more to lose in a legal tussle over e-mails in your messages. It's already clear they are violating contract law with respect to retractions. The minute they come after a seller for a minor offense, the counter suit for allowing someone to bid and then retract would be far more harmful to them.

I would not be intimidated at all by dumb and dumber lawyers over at e-bay.

Actually they are following the UCC to a "T." The UCC states unequivocally that a bid is NOT a contract until the item has been called sold and may be retracted at any time until the item is called sold.

Also it is not possible to sign away your UCC rights, so if you accept someone's bid you HAVE to accept their retraction regardless of what you say your policy is, even if the bidder has agreed to your policy!

However there is nothing saying that you have to continue accepting bids from someone who has retracted bids in the past.

I know this won't be a popular post but I am 100% confident on my knowledge of the law on this issue since it was beaten into me in class very recently

You can search elsewhere on this site for a discussion between myself and a lawyer/member on this very issue. I think it was an interesting discussion, and germane to the interests of a lot of the users here.

clydepepper · #17 07-12-2017, 04:46 PM

Now that the Ebates 5% back promo is over, I've been making my purchases through Beckett Marketplace...and I say, (at least for now) **** you, Ebay!

I'd rather just give up that final 1%, than work with them.

.

Tabe · #18 07-12-2017, 05:58 PM

If you REALLY need to send your email address in an Ebay message to someone, create an image of it and send that instead.

Beastmode · #19 07-12-2017, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Actually they are following the UCC to a "T." The UCC states unequivocally that a bid is NOT a contract until the item has been called sold and may be retracted at any time until the item is called sold.

Also it is not possible to sign away your UCC rights, so if you accept someone's bid you HAVE to accept their retraction regardless of what you say your policy is, even if the bidder has agreed to your policy!

However there is nothing saying that you have to continue accepting bids from someone who has retracted bids in the past.

I know this won't be a popular post but I am 100% confident on my knowledge of the law on this issue since it was beaten into me in class very recently

You can search elsewhere on this site for a discussion between myself and a lawyer/member on this very issue. I think it was an interesting discussion, and germane to the interests of a lot of the users here.

E-bay is in the Republic of California, so let's start there. We don't follow half of the federal laws here anyway. Here's 2328 California Commercial code (which I think is similar to your UCC reference)

(3) Such a sale is with reserve unless the goods are in explicit terms put up without reserve. In an auction with reserve the auctioneer may withdraw the goods at any time until he announces completion of the sale. In an auction without reserve, after the auctioneer calls for bids on an article or lot, that article or lot cannot be withdrawn unless no bid is made within a reasonable time. In either case a bidder may retract his bid until the auctioneer's announcement of completion of the sale, but a bidder's retraction does not revive any previous bid.

We maybe be talking the same language here, but the problem is e-bay is moving the under-bidder into pole position after a high bidder retracts. That is violating law as I read it, or at a minimum, the intent of the law.

I can quote you on some other California Auction Codes that e-bay is ignoring if you want. In the near future, these AH's, and e-bay, are going to have skin in the game. They will not be able to throw up their hands and declare "i had no clue", or "we're just consignors", when they're enabling listings of the highest degree of fraud on their software platform.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #20 07-12-2017, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beastmode

E-bay is in the Republic of California, so let's start there. We don't follow half of the federal laws here anyway. Here's 2328 California Commercial code (which I think is similar to your UCC reference)

(3) Such a sale is with reserve unless the goods are in explicit terms put up without reserve. In an auction with reserve the auctioneer may withdraw the goods at any time until he announces completion of the sale. In an auction without reserve, after the auctioneer calls for bids on an article or lot, that article or lot cannot be withdrawn unless no bid is made within a reasonable time. In either case a bidder may retract his bid until the auctioneer's announcement of completion of the sale, but a bidder's retraction does not revive any previous bid.

We maybe be talking the same language here, but the problem is e-bay is moving the under-bidder into pole position after a high bidder retracts. That is violating law as I read it, or at a minimum, the intent of the law.

I can quote you on some other California Auction Codes that e-bay is ignoring if you want. In the near future, these AH's, and e-bay, are going to have skin in the game. They will not be able to throw up their hands and declare "i had no clue", or "we're just consignors", when they're enabling listings of the highest degree of fraud on their software platform.

That's all I was saying (the bolded portion) they HAVE to allow retractions. If you look at the other thread mentioned earlier we did discuss remedy after retraction. There are basically two ways a reputable auctioneer handles the situation. They either start the item over or ASK the under bidder if they would like to maintain their bid. Said under bidder is under no obligation to do so. There may be another way to legally handle the situation, but I agree that ebay's way certainly seems to violate the UCC (and yes it appears 2-328 is identical between the UCC and the CCC)

Zach Wheat · #21 07-12-2017, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

I'm not a computer expert, but eBay probably runs some sort of "script" (if I'm using that term correctly) that checks for the @ symbol. I bet if you spelled it out like "John.Doe at gmail dot com", you wouldn't have been flagged.

I believe they also check for phone numbers in messages through their automated system.

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