Hi, all concerned:

Saw a listing the other day in which the term "hidden' feedback was used.
IIRC, the seller was touting a boatanchor.

Searched ebay policy for references, none found.

Anyone have an explanation, pls?

TIA & 73, Dave, N3HE

eBay allows a user to hide their feedback. I simply do not deal with those
who have hidden feedback.


"David J Windisch" wrote in message
...
Hi, all concerned:

Saw a listing the other day in which the term "hidden' feedback was used.
IIRC, the seller was touting a boatanchor.

Searched ebay policy for references, none found.

Anyone have an explanation, pls?

TIA & 73, Dave, N3HE

Hidden feedback means the seller probably has less than
stellar opinions of what he's selling. But I do know of one
seller with 100% positive who also uses hidden feedback.
So not sure what ALL the motivations might be. Clearly
some folks just don't like the whole feedback system.

Personally, I think Ebay should make it so you couldn't
post feedback for 30 days after an auction closes. That
way the two parties could 'work things out' if the deal went
south. Also should be able to change your words or rating.
I don't see why they make such a big deal of the permanence
of comments. If they have to be set in stone, then at least
make it 30 days before they can be written so that tempers
can calm.



"David J Windisch" wrote in message
...
Hi, all concerned:

Saw a listing the other day in which the term "hidden' feedback was used.
IIRC, the seller was touting a boatanchor.

Searched ebay policy for references, none found.

Anyone have an explanation, pls?

TIA & 73, Dave, N3HE

"David J Windisch" wrote in message
...
Hi, all concerned:

Saw a listing the other day in which the term "hidden' feedback was used.
IIRC, the seller was touting a boatanchor.



Most (not all) sellers who have hidden feedback are scammers and crooks!




Searched ebay policy for references, none found.

Anyone have an explanation, pls?

TIA & 73, Dave, N3HE

Ebay is strange. They pulled my auction because I refered to my
Hallicrafters World Wide as being like the Zenith TOs. They called it Search
manipulation and also I stated in my auction that Pay Pal Pymts must include
their transaction fee which is 2.9 percent+ $0.30 USD and they said:

Quote:
Pay Pal Pymts must include their transaction fee which is 2.9 percent+ $0.30
USD.

The above text is a reference to an additional charge for bidders who pay by
credit card or a separate payment processing service. This surcharge, which
is an added cost to the buyer over and above the final sale price and
reasonable shipping and handling costs, is not permitted on eBay.

Additional charges that are an added cost to the bidder over and above the
final sale price are not permitted by eBay. Currently, the only fees that
may be added to the final price of an eBay item are reasonable shipping and
handling fees, escrow service fees, and certain currency exchange fees.
More information about these fees can be found at the bottom of the eBay
listing policies page:

I don't see why I have to be gouged twice by Ebay and PayPal for offering a
conveinant way to pay. Gezz only they can charge for everthing I guess? Like
buyers can't read and make up there own mind.

--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/

Brian:

So if you want to cover the PayPal fee, offer a discounted shipping for paying
in CASH, or place a minimum bid or reserve that is the total of your minimum
price plus the ebay/Paypal fees. I know, 2.9 percent seems a bit high for using
paypal, but I'd be willing to bet a large number of people with merchant
accounts that take credit cards directly are charged more than a fair bit over
2% for non-swiped Credit Card transactions...

Of course, PayPal has to take their pound of flesh. They started with the idea
they were going to get rich on the float... that is, they charge the buyer
immediately (by credit card or from their bank account), and it sits in the
PayPal bank account (or elsewhere) drawing interest until they have to pay the
seller. This can be nearly a month in some instances, and banks are well known
for making a ton of money on this "float" time. Well, things got interesting,
and their automated systems didn't cost all that much, but they needed a higher
gross to cover a number of problems with disputed transactions and such so they
added a cost to sellers that mimics what they would normally pay to a merchant
account provider if they took credit cards. Knowing the volumes they must have,
Paypal can't be paying over 2% for non-swiped CC transactions, so the other 0.9%
is for their "overhead and expenses". Sounds like I'm writing for them doesn't
it? Well, it's anything but the case, because if you look at the cost they have
of doing business when the transaction is a transfer from the buyer's checking
account, then you see where they are making their profit.

eBay started with a good idea, and have expanded from there. They are clearly
the most popular of the auction sites, and everyone else I've looked at is
charging nearly the same fees as they are. If I remember correctly, they bought
PayPal a while back, so they are making it on both sides now. However, if you
look at the alternatives, PayPal isn't all that bad to deal with, compared to
some other payment solutions. If you think PayPal is bad, look at Western Union
BidPay... They charge the buyer 2.95 for an $11 transaction, and $7.92 for a
$110 transaction, and the seller doesn't have to pay a discount... Sounds great
for the seller, but the buyer gets gouged pretty good.... Personally, I won't
bid on an auction that uses BidPay unless they accept company checks or postal
money order as payment. When selling, I accept credit cards directly (I have my
own merchant account, and the discount rate I pay is under 2%).

Good Luck
-_Rick

Brian Hill wrote:

Ebay is strange. They pulled my auction because I refered to my
Hallicrafters World Wide as being like the Zenith TOs. They called it Search
manipulation and also I stated in my auction that Pay Pal Pymts must include
their transaction fee which is 2.9 percent+ $0.30 USD and they said:

Quote:
Pay Pal Pymts must include their transaction fee which is 2.9 percent+ $0.30
USD.

The above text is a reference to an additional charge for bidders who pay by
credit card or a separate payment processing service. This surcharge, which
is an added cost to the buyer over and above the final sale price and
reasonable shipping and handling costs, is not permitted on eBay.

Additional charges that are an added cost to the bidder over and above the
final sale price are not permitted by eBay. Currently, the only fees that
may be added to the final price of an eBay item are reasonable shipping and
handling fees, escrow service fees, and certain currency exchange fees.
More information about these fees can be found at the bottom of the eBay
listing policies page:

I don't see why I have to be gouged twice by Ebay and PayPal for offering a
conveinant way to pay. Gezz only they can charge for everthing I guess? Like
buyers can't read and make up there own mind.

--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/

Brian Hill wrote:

I don't see why I have to be gouged twice by Ebay and PayPal for
offering a
conveinant way to pay. Gezz only they can charge for everthing I guess? Like
buyers can't read and make up there own mind.

It cuts both ways. A normal operating business considers expenses like
that as part of doing business. As a customer I would be outraged if I
went to a merchant and they charged me extra because I chose some
particular form of payment.

-BM

exray wrote:
It cuts both ways. A normal operating business considers expenses like
that as part of doing business. As a customer I would be outraged if I
went to a merchant and they charged me extra because I chose some
particular form of payment.

Agreed, Bill.
People work at Ebay and PayPal, and they have families to feed, too.
They provide an outstanding service for reasonable money.
The service charges, when compared to the costs of doing business
in the old "brick and morter" way, are far less.
Traditional auction houses are going to get 10-15% of the
final bid price, so the buyer gets nailed good.
Then the seller gets stuck with an average 5.5% charge
if the buyer uses a credit card. Ebay and PayPal fees
are way below this, and they both seller and buyer
an outstanding, low-overhead market in which to do business.
Personally, I think they're the best thing since sliced bread.
Selling a few things on Ebay is the only way I can afford my
radio hobby, and it also helps Kay stay home
to take care of the babies.
The Ebay and PayPal fees are less than half traditional,
and the market is orders of magnitude larger.
I'm grateful for their service.
73 Dave S.

David Stinson wrote:



exray wrote:

It cuts both ways. A normal operating business considers expenses
like that as part of doing business. As a customer I would be
outraged if I went to a merchant and they charged me extra because I
chose some particular form of payment.


Agreed, Bill.
People work at Ebay and PayPal, and they have families to feed, too.

Its not just that, David. Its the attitude that some sellers have that
you should have to pay them additional to take your your money. Same
mentality often tries to gouge unexplainable "handling" fees because
they need to be paid extra for their time. One clown charged me 50
cents extra for his having to print an invoice (which I didn't need or
ask for) and another 50 cents for printing an address label! After all,
"these things cost money".
Can you imagine having to pay for a portion of the roll of cash register
tape at the supermarket or them charging you for using the cashier?
Where do people get off thinking that these are legitimate things to
charge to a buyer?
-BM

"Rick Frazier" wrote in message
...
Brian:

So if you want to cover the PayPal fee, offer a discounted shipping for
paying
in CASH, or place a minimum bid or reserve that is the total of your
minimum
price plus the ebay/Paypal fees. SNIP

I don't have a problem with Pay Pal or Ebay and I do agree. My only problem
is I can't state in my auction the things I would like to charge to cover my
cost of doing biz. Yes I can set a reserve but there again is another cost.
I just think its funny they won't let the bidder make up his/her own mind.
Believe me I love capitalism.

--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/