A Sneak Preview of the Famous eNotes

If you've been to eBay Live! in the past few years, you've probably heard (or heard of) the eNotes. Made up of our Dispute Resolution guru -- and very own Chatter contributor -- Colin Rule, cross-border trade expert Sarah Brubacher, and Larry Friedberg of PayPal fame, they're well-known for entertaining crowds in the Community Lounge with their a cappella versions of classic love ballads modified to have an eBay twist.

But this year, we were treated to a sneak preview. We hosted a Voices of the Community group last week, and Colin and Sarah were guests at our dinner at Left Bank (Larry unfortunately couldn't make it). After some cajoling, the two agreed to do a few of their hits....well, ok, it didn't take much cajoling. We were on an outdoor patio, and I think we shattered the restaurant's record for "strange looks from pedestrians wondering what those crazy people were singing about." But at the very least, I think we entertained our fantastic server Milena and David, the restaurant manager.

Because we didn't want to limit this treat just to Voices, we did an impromptu taping of the session, so check it out below. It's a little grainy because we were using a handheld camera, and there's some lead-in to get through as they gather up their courage. But they end up doing a great job, and if you're with us at eBay Live! in Chicago this June, you might get lucky and be treated to the real thing.

Using eBay Giving Works for Relief in Myanmar

If you've seen the news, you're probably already aware of the tragic aftermath of the cyclone in Myanmar. We know that a lot of people will be looking to help, so our eBay Giving Works team has set up a special page at www.ebay.com/myanmarrelief to make it easy for you to buy or sell items, with some or all of the final sale price going directly towards the relief efforts. You can also read more about it on their WhatGives?! blog as well.

Where'd you get that truck?

Have you ever been driving down the street and see something that makes you do a double take or drive around the block one more time to validate what you thought you saw? Such was the case when I saw a certain diesel Ford truck. I just had to ask, "Where'd you get that truck?" (and for those that know me, I can talk to the wall if I think there's a chance of it talking back).

I was (pleasantly) surprised when when the driver of the pickup responded with 'eBay.' Now, most of us know that eBay Motors is a great place to buy a vehicle. But this was a really nice (read: expensive) truck, and buying a vehicle is a major purchase. I wondered what he thought about buying it from someone he didn't know, so I had to follow up with "why did you choose eBay and not go to one of the local dealerships?"

(By the way, If you've never used eBay Motors, it's the place to find the exact vehicle you want -- easily. Whether you know the exact make, model, and year of your dream collectible car, or you’re just starting out and still haven’t decided between a car and a truck, we have the tools and features to help you find the right vehicle.)

That's how I met Wyatt Bodray (wbodray on eBay) and learned about his Ford Diesel pickup. He even agreed to let me film his answers to my questions, although I've transcribed much of them below.

Me: What made you chose eBay over local dealers when looking for a vehicle?
wbodray: Price, selection-what they had to offer, you can search from your home…you can find what you want, you just have search for it.
Me: How do prices compare shopping on eBay to say, shopping locally?
wbodray: They're great! There are so many sellers/businesses out there willing to give you a good deal.
Me: How does one get their vehicle, I mean, due to the size, you can't ship it FedEx, UPS, or USPS
wbodray: Right. I actually flew to Weslaco,Texas. The seller met me at the airport, we went back to the dealership where I paid for the truck, signed the papers, and drove home.
Me: If someone were looking to buy a vehicle on eBay, do have any tips for the buyer to make that process a little easier?
wbodray: I think good communication is key! You have to talk to the seller, you have to keep the communication between one another going.  You tell them what's going on, they tell you, When you communicate, things turn out – it's great!
Me: Hey, I've got about 50K miles on my vehicle and maybe that's where I'll get my next one.
wbodray: eBay's the place to do it!
Me: Hey, thanks for your time!

When speaking with Wyatt, I asked him what his favorite eBay moment was (aside from buying the truck). Without hesitation, he replied, "When I received the forks for my bike from howlingwolfntx64, there was a thank you note from the seller included with the purchase. I still have a copy of the note."

And because I'm the curious type, I asked Wyatt what he typically looked for in a seller, to which he responded, "The biggest thing on eBay is the shipping. I look at what sellers are charging for shipping and if it's way too much, I keep on searching. I also look at their feedback. I have a hard time buying from someone with a 90% feedback. But you also have to consider the number of items they've sold in relation to their feedback." He went on to say one of his better buys were the oil filters for his pickup. "Napa charges $75 per oil filer. I can get a set of 3 for $59 on eBay."

Before I sign off, here's a bit of trivia - Did you know a passenger vehicle sells every 56 seconds on eBay Motors and that on April 17th, we announced that the 3 millionth vehicle was sold on eBay Motors!?! This is a testament not only to the site, but also to the Motors Community that has made eBay Motors the #1 automotive destination on the Web. My apologies in advance for the video quality - the wind was howling, camera battery was low - in spite of the technical difficulties, Wyatt remained a rock star. Now here he is to tell us (in his own words) why he chose eBay as the place to shop for his dream truck...

Connecting eBay Employees and You

On Friday, April 25^th, the Community Development team held a special event in the eBay Café to launch a very special new program. Normally, I don't blog about internal events since they would be of no real interest to anyone but employees. However, this is one that I think every buyer and seller will find of interest.

eBay employees say "Hello" to you!

I am a lucky guy. I have the honor and privilege of talking to thousands of eBay sellers and buyers in the course of a year, either in person or via email or through eBay Radio. Through our constant conversations, I learn volumes about you and your experiences with eBay and other eBay members. What I learn from you allows me to do my job well (as an instructor, guide, ombudsman and "ear.") I consider my connections with you to be priceless and the reason I get up in the morning. In fact, when anyone asks me what I love most about my job, I do not hesitate telling them that it's my daily interactions with you, our Community.

Many of my teammates in Community Development are equally as fortunate, as they, too, get to meet with so many of you throughout the year. But for many other eBay employees, the opportunities for direct interaction with you are limited. It's not that they are unwilling; the majority would love to learn more about you. For them, the obstacles are "how" and "when." Since we in Com Dev are experts at the "how" and "when," we created a special program to help every eBay employee who so desires or needs, to meet and talk with you. The program is called Customer Connect.

Customer Connect will facilitate a myriad of different connections between eBay customers -- that would be you -– and eBay employees using existing features like the Community forums, live events like eBay In Person, our Voices program as well as new features like home visits and customer support "listen ins." Our hope for the program is that it will bring more employees into direct contact with eBay buyers and sellers so that they, the employees, can attain a better understanding of your needs, your own challenges as either sellers or buyers, your suggestions for improvements and changes and in general, a better picture of your day to day experiences using eBay's marketplace.

 

The launch event was a resounding success. In two hours, our team members spoke individually to over 200 employees and signed up nearly that many as "early members" who expressed interest in connecting with you through one of four main channels: Voices, Visits, Forums or Community Communications. We gave away lots of specially branded tchotchkes like big glass mugs, t-shirts and tin flower pots with real grass seeds to water and grow (like a chia pet!).

Signing up employees for Customer Connect

In addition, we had four local eBay members come to the event to meet with and talk to employees (a special thanks to them!).

Employee Lisa Laursen (Lulu) speaks with eBay member Randy Hicks during the event.

We received quite a bit of interest from employees in all aspects of the program but especially in becoming "pinks" so that they could chat and converse with you on our forums (a definite need in the Community!) I feel confident in predicting that in the coming weeks and months, you will notice more employees actively engaging with you both on and off the site.

Spending time with (possible) future eBay employees

I spent a chunk of last Thursday spending time with the next generation of eBay employees. No, not at a job fair, but at our annual "Bring Your Kids to Work Day." It's a fun day - for at least a couple of hours, you get to see a side of your coworkers while they're with their families that you don't normally in the workplace. And the kids are having a great time getting their faces painted, playing carnival games (such as the "clown toss" game to the right), and munching on popcorn and ice cream sandwiches.

For the second year now, I was asked to do a really short presentation for the kids, who were generally between 8-12, so they could learn what eBay is all about. Since I don't have kids of my own (yet - it'll be a different story come late July), I put together a  demonstration of how my boss' kids use  eBay...with their dad, of course...to find coins and trading cards to add to their collections. I also had a secret weapon - the whiteboard, which several kids thought was the most interesting part of my talk.

But it turns out that these kids are already experts. Some were waiting for items to arrive (like a copy of Godzilla Unleashed for the Nintendo Wii), and others could perfectly state what it is eBay does. In fact, I almost hit the floor when one precocious kid described eBay as a "consumer-oriented marketplace." I heard a rumor our Marketing and Brand teams are already preparing employment offers.

Of course, the most important part was the Good Humor ice cream cart which I promptly pillaged as soon as my presentation was over. Now to figure out how to stash one of those things in my cube.

Reforest the earth for $1 -- eBay Canada supports the Plant for the Planet Campaign

A billion new trees planted in 2008! That's how the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is planning to counter the massive deforestation that has ravaged the earth in recent years (the earth has lost over 80% of its original forest cover; each minute an incredible 2000 trees are chopped down across the world!) The Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign is hoping to reverse this phenomenon before it's too late.

Our friends in eBay Canada have teamed up with the Yves Rocher Foundation (Yves Rocher is a leader in botanical beauty care) to help people contribute to the effort to replant areas of the world where reforestation is needed the most.

Check out Yves Rocher's Plant for the Planet auction on eBay.ca, running from from April 22 to May 2nd. Here's your opportunity to buy groups of 2, 5, or 10 baby trees that will be planted on your behalf in parts of the world where reforestation will have a positive impact on the climate and create sustainable economic opportunities.

Every dollar collected will enable trees to be planted in Brazil, India, or Madagascar, three countries that have been severely affected by deforestation. (See details on Yves Rocher's planting programs.)

The goal of this auction is to get 10,000 trees planted. We've already had over 275 users participating and about 1,997 trees pledged. With only 7 days to go, you too can do your bit to reforest the earth for $1!

UPDATE! Thanks for all the Great Stories from New Sellers

I need to take a break for a moment from answering the avalanche of email I have received from my call for stories on Friday to thank all those folks who have taken the time to write out their own personal tales of starting to sell on eBay. I was not prepared for the sheer number of stories or the array of hardships conquered they contained. So many of you have weathered such extreme difficulties and have overcome them, with help from a little opportunity provided by eBay and a whole lot of dedication and passion for believing in yourselves, in spite of the odds.  I was, at times over the weekend, overcome myself reading them.

Rest assured, I will respond in the coming days, to each and every person who emailed in a story. It may take a few days so I thank you for your patience in advance.

Thank you again for taking the time to bring your testaments to life. You remind me over and over why working for you is such an honor and privilege.

regards,

Griff

Plant a Tree on Earth Day with StumbleUpon's "Thumbs Up for Trees!"

Hello everyone. I'm Katie Sween from StumbleUpon (an eBay company that helps users discover great websites) here to tell you about a cool Earth Day event that starts today and runs through May 2nd. Every day millions of StumbleUpon users discover great websites and give them a "Thumbs-up" so that other users with similar interests can also discover, or "stumble upon" them.

Starting this Earth Day, we want to harness the power of our Community and the "Thumbs-up" to plant trees for the National Forest Foundation. 

Simply visit www.stumbleupon.com/Earthday and use the StumbleUpon toolbar to thumbs-up the page. From now through May 2nd, with every thumbs-up StumbleUpon will plant a tree with help from the National Forest Foundation. Your thumbs-up means more trees for America's National Forests and more awareness for this cause. Join the National Forest Foundation and StumbleUpon this Earth Day and help us plant thousands of trees for the National Forest Foundation. No digging required!

You might also want to join Tiki Barber's Earth Day campaign on eBay, sponsored by StumbleUpon. The retired New York Giants running back legend and media personality is supporting Earth Day through an auction on eBay -- the winner and three friends will get to spend a weekend with one of America's most beloved sports heroes!

In case you're not yet familiar, StumbleUpon helps you discover websites based on your interests, learns what you like, and brings you more. For example, say you are interested in the environment (and something tells me you may be). With StumbleUpon you will discover great websites, photos, blogs and news about the environment. All personalized for you. Clicking the Stumble button will bring you to one new website after another. You can rate the websites as you are Stumbling and we use your ratings to determine which sites are best for you. 

Thank you and happy Earth Day!

Wanted: Stories from New Sellers!

Are you a new or even "new-ish" seller on the eBay?

Has recent news about the world economy motivated you, after maybe months or even years of putting it off, to start finally listing items on eBay, maybe to supplement your income or to convert your unwanted possessions into a nice little cash reserve (finally freeing up enough space in your garage to fit your car)?

Then we want to hear your story! Well, not just us, but the whole world. We're looking for a few good stories to share with with the media in the coming months. This is an excellent once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share your story and put your eBay listings in front of millions of potential buyer eyeballs!

So if you are relatively new to selling on eBay and your main reason for taking the plunge was concern about the current state of the economy, and you don't mind reaping the possible rewards a national news story could generate for your listings on eBay, then why not email your story to me at griff@ebay.com today!

Griff

Romanian Fraudster Vladuz Arrested

There’s been some good news out of Romania  – cyber-criminal Vladuz has been arrested by the Romanian General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime. He had gained a measure of notoriety in the past year for numerous unsuccessful attempts to defraud members of the eBay Community.

This arrest came about because of great work between the Romanian Directorate, the US Secret Service, the FBI, and eBay’s global fraud investigation team, all of whom were directly involved.  You can read the press release here – it’s an excellent example of how eBay works with law enforcement around the world to bring to justice those who try to harm the Community.

More Info About the "eBay Security News" Announcement from John Canfield

Hopefully you saw the recent announcement from John Canfield about some new security measures we're putting in place to combat the fraudsters who try to break into eBay member accounts (usually after a successful phishing attempt). You can read the whole text here, but in a nutshell, we're going to start noting which computers members typically use to sell and buy. Then, around June, when a seller goes to list an item, we'll make sure they're using a trusted computer. If they're using one we've never noted before, we'll take a step or two to confirm their identity. This will usually be done via an automated phone call to a registered phone number. (As John mentioned, we hope sellers will take time to update their registered contact information and consider registering a cell phone as a secondary number - just in case we need to confirm their identity while they're on the road.)

This type of authentication is being used by other online industries, as well. For example, I need to answer security questions every time I access my bank account online from a computer the bank doesn't "recognize." And I know several friends who've received phone calls from their banks to verify their identity when they used their credit cards for an unusually large amount.

We've been doing some checking around our forums, and the reaction to the news has been pretty positive - a lot of "this is a step in the right direction" and "glad eBay is doing something about security"-type comments. We also saw some good questions, so we sent them over to John Canfield so he could provide some more detail.

John was part of this morning’s Town Hall event, and answered a few questions about this initiative – the archives will be available soon at www.ebay.com/townhall if you want to listen in.  His team will also be hosting an online workshop on May 6th to go over the program in more detail - stay tuned to the Announcement Board for the exact time. And without further ado, here are John's responses:

Q: What if I use multiple computers for my business - will I have to verify my identity every time I use one or the other?

A: We will definitely support multiple computers. During this information-gathering stage (now through June, roughly) we'll be able to tell which computer(s) you typically use to buy or sell, and as long as you're using one of these, you won't need to verify your identity. You also will be able to access multiple, different accounts from the same computer (such as in the case where a business has multiple IDs).

Q: How will you track which computer I'm using?

A: We generate a unique ID that identifies the computer you've used to connect to eBay. This unique ID is stored on your computer using cookies and Flash objects so that the next time you visit eBay, we're able to confirm that you're using the same computer. 

This unique ID doesn't include any personal information, such as your email address or eBay transactions, and won't be shared with anyone else.

Q: Will people who do not have a cell phone, or other alternate number that can be used when away from home, be able to verify their identity in some other way?

A: If you're away from your normal computer, you will be able to enter the telephone number where you are as part of the identity confirmation process. However, you'll also need to to answer your secret question to do so, as part of an additional security step. If you're not able to provide another number (for example, because you don't have a phone handy), you can use our Live Chat function so that one of our Customer Support Reps can verify your identity.

Q:  Why not just use a "challenge question" instead of phone calls?

A: Some businesses use challenge questions, some use phone calls, and some use a combination. We chose the phone method because we felt it provided the right level of convenience and security for the eBay Marketplace.

Q: What about ISPs that assign a different IP address for each session, or those that change the IP address each time the modem is rebooted?

A: We use a number of different variables to note what computer you buy and sell from. You won't need to verify your identity as long as you're using your normal computer(s), even if your IP address changes.

Q: How will listings submitted through a 3rd party listing service be handled?

A: You should not be affected unless you need to authorize 3rd party access to your eBay account. During that process, you will need to go through identity verification if we do not recognize that computer.

Q: Are you going to put similar security measures on bidders?

A: Right now this will only affect selling. But depending on the results of this initiative and changing fraud patterns, we may apply this program to other eBay activity in the future.

Q: Won't bad guys just change the phone number as soon as they take over an account so they then receive the phone call?

A: If we see that you've just changed your contact details (or basically any time we feel that the phone number may not actually be the seller's), we will ask you to answer your secret question as an additional security measure. This will prevent fraudsters from changing your account details and using the new info to confirm an identity.

Today's Town Hall with Lorrie Norrington

In our ongoing series of Community Town Halls, Lorrie Norrington, President of eBay Marketplace Operations, and a panel of eBay execs will take questions from members today between 9:30 am -- 11:00 am Pacific time, on all things eBay. To make your voice heard, call our toll-free number during the event -- 1-877-474-3302 -- to ask your question on the air. Alternatively, you can email your question, now or during the event, to townhall@ebay.com.

I'll be putting up pictures from today's Town Hall as it unfolds. Stay tuned!

Here's Lorrie and Griff, our friendly emcee and host, a few moments before going live:

 

It's Tax Day! Tips from Diane Kennedy to Help Today....and Next Year

Time is nearly up for tax procrastinators - the deadline for filing state and federal taxes is midnight tonight. If you haven't done yours yet (and are still reading this), you probably need all the help you can get. For the immediate fix, here are some suggestions that will help you in the final tax-filing-frenzy (and get you better prepared for next year).

Diane Kennedy, CPA and best-selling author, hosts monthly online workshops focusing on how to be as tax-efficient as possible. Many of the tips below are from her workshops, as well as a few odds and ends via the IRS website - and my own experiences.

1. Use Free File to Prepare Your Taxes - Yep that's right. Free tax preparation and electronic filing available for taxpayers who earn $54,000 or less. Here's the link to e-filing.
2. Consider filing an extension if you need more time to file - If you need more time to get your paperwork in, make sure you file a Form 4868, Automatic Extension of Time to File
3. Request an Extension of Time to Pay - Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for the an extension of time to pay.
4. Call the IRS - When calling, you may ask questions to help you prepare your tax return, or ask about a notice you have received.
5. Double check your forms when filing - Make sure to check your social security numbers, that you have all the necessary signatures and dates, and if you owe the IRS, make checks payable to the "United States Treasury".
6. Copy all of your documents - If you don't have a copier available, check stores that sell business supplies - many of these offer copying services, sometimes free.
7. Get Help - AARP offers a service called Tax-Aide, and many preparation services like H & R Block have extended office hours today.
8. Locate a Post Office that is open late - Filing your taxes on time doesn't do much good if you can't ensure they're post-marked by midnight.
9. Take a break - break out the beverage of choice, or visit a pizza parlor, bakery, or coffee shop.
10. Don't panic - I know, easier said than done.
11. If using a shoebox as your filing system, consider getting rid of that and...
12. Be sure to attend the aforementioned monthly tax workshops hosted by Diane Kennedy.
13. And the most important tip - get an earlier start next year!

And for everyone that received a refund on your taxes - check out the great buys on eBay and celebrate!

PowerSeller discounts are here! A couple questions answered

It's spring, and not only have the daffodils arrived, so have the long-asked-for PowerSeller discounts.  That means eBay's volume sellers who deliver a great buying experience (as measured by 4.6 or higher DSRs) are getting rebates on their fees of either 5% for at least a 4.6 average, or 15% for a 4.8 average.  (Learn more about becoming a PowerSeller.)

Over on the PowerSeller discussion forum (a forum restricted to only those who are part of the PowerSeller program), there were a lot of "I got my 15% - whoohoo!" type posts.

While most people are happy, I noticed two points of confusion out there. I spoke to Edurne Jorda, Senior Manager in charge of the PowerSeller program, to get clarification on the points below.

1) Sellers do NOT need to have received 10 Detailed Seller Ratings during the period to qualify for the discount. In actuality, whether buyers leave DSRs or not, does not impact the discount.  However, the average of any ratings received must still meet the minimum requirement (4.6 or 4.8) to qualify for the respective discount (5%, or 15%). What the number of ratings received does affect is whether the Dashboard will display individual scores -- we do not display the individual ratings when there are fewer than 10 left for the period in order to protect the anonymity of the buyers.

The pre-release version of the Dashboard can be confusing when a seller didn’t receive at least 10 DSRs, and also did not qualify for a discount. In this case, we don’t show individual scores that did not meet the 4.6 minimum, but only say “Your detailed seller ratings did not meet the minimum requirements.” When the full Seller Dashboard is released in May, this confusing content will be fixed. 

2)Inconsistency between the Dashboard and the Invoice.  eBay calculates all sellers’ discounts a few days (an average of 5) before the end of the billing period, taking a snapshot of the seller’s DSRs at that time. Therefore, by the time a seller sees his discount displayed on the Dashboard and on his invoice, that seller’s DSR scores may have changed since the discount calculation. The bottom portion of the Dashboard will reflect those up to date changes. This means that there are a very small number of people who may see they don't qualify in the dashboard, but then actually do get the discount  afterall ...and vice versa.  This shouldn't be an issue for the majority of sellers.

The eBay Value Proposition (for math nerds)

I saw this web comic the other day about eBay and thought it'd be great to share.  Certainly makes figuring out optimal sales routes less complicated!

xkcd is a clever strip that bills itself as a "webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language."  It's a very funny look at the world from the perspective of science, mathematics, and the internet.

Katy, we'll miss you

Real, human connections are built on eBay.  Members find people with the same interests here, they find and build business networks, and they make close friends (or even spouses). Despite the internet medium, the connections built can be just as close and meaningful as any other connections we build.  So it is no surprise that when an active Community participant and friend passes away, we grieve the loss.

This week, old-timers are grieving the loss of a former Community Development employee, Katy.  Katy was one of the "pinks," the affectionate name members call staff who engage with members on the forums because of the pink header on their posts.  In a memorial discussion thread, staff and members alike have described Katy and how she influenced them -- her humor, her vivacious energy and spirit, her uncanny ability to charm people, and, especially, her loyalty to eBay and its mission and to all the people whose lives were better because of the opportunity eBay gave them. 

Katy left the company as an employee a few years ago, but she never left eBay.  So many people have been touched by her over the years, including me.  I remember working with Katy and the other "pinks" during site outages and other problems back in "the old days."   Her sense of humor was contagious, and she could defuse a tense situation with members and staff alike with her spontaneous quirky observations and stories that usually left us LMAO.  There was also a serious side to Katy, however -- her belief in eBay's mission and in the people who were part of this amazing marketplace.  The "people" part of the mission was most important, and Katy was a passionate champion for the Community.

I learned a lot, I laughed a lot (sometimes until my sides hurt)...Katy, we'll miss you.

Welcome the New (eBay) Kids on the Blog

eBay is invading the blogosphere! It's been a busy week, as we've launched three new blogs that will hopefully help keep our readers informed, engaged, and even laughing (at least sometimes).

Each one has its own twist, so make sure to add them to your regular reading list - or even better, to your RSS feed.

eBay Ink, run by blogger extraordinaire Richard Brewer-Hay, gives you an inside look at the wide world of eBay, Inc. Not only will he be covering topics related to eBay Marketplaces, but he'll tackle PayPal, Skype, Shopping.com, and the rest of the eBay family. For more background, check out this interview he did with Fortune Small Business.

eBay Insider is your source for inspiration, trends and tips from eBay’s team of unparalleled fashion, home, tech, toy, and pop culture experts. Connoisseurs in their respective fields, Constance White, Karen Bard, Cat Schwartz, and Shawn Henderson search eBay to uncover great buys and extraordinary auctions while sharing the inside scoop, helpful shopping advice, and up-to-the-minute buzz. Whether another piece of Paris’ trash lands on eBay or shoes keep selling every four seconds, you’ll hear about the latest and greatest eBay trends here.

WhatGives?! is run by the good folks with our Global Citizenship team, and highlights good, great, and green deeds going on in pop culture - or anything else they think will make the world a little better. In fact, swing over right now to check out this post from Adam Duritz of Counting Crows about the band's new nonprofit and auctions on eBay Giving Works.

"Go Big" with a Hollywood Hair Stylist - I don't mean Bee-hives

Have you ever been at the movie theatre or sitting at home watching television and thought to yourself, "I wonder who styles that actress' hair?"

Or perhaps you've always wanted to have a brand new hair-do styled by one of those posh, Hollywood stylists to the stars? Well, here's your chance to bid on a similar experience.

Hollywood A-list Hair stylist, Ken Paves, seen frequently on T.V. on Oprah, is spearheading the "Ken Paves Big Give Charity Auction." Proceeds raised will benefit the EB Medical Research Foundation.

Check out some of the cool items from celebrities like Brad Pitt & George Clooney, David Beckam, Bette Middler, Courtney Cox, Duran Duran, and many more.

Here's your chance to "give big" by doing good through eBay Giving Works.  

Digital Downloadable Goods...your questions answered

Brian Burke, eBay's Director in Trust & Safety who manages the Feedback system, recently announced that Digital Downloadable Goods must be listed using the Classified Ad listing format effective March 31st.  This policy affects items like eBooks, MP3 files, content in PDF format, recipes, etc. -- anything that is "shipped" to a customer via email or download link. These items cannot be listed any longer as auction-style or fixed price listings.

The Classified Ad format is a lead-generation tool which gives sellers an "ad" that shows up in default Search results for 30 days. Currently, the only accepted category is Everything Else > Informational Products. (To learn more, read Help: Advertising with Classified Ads.)

The reason for this change is the concern about Feedback manipulation (or artificially padding a member's feedback score). Since Classified Ad format listings are not transactional, no feedback is exchanged between buyers and sellers and no feedback manipulation can occur.

Members on the forums, as well as callers into Griff's eBay Radio show this week, have been asking some good questions about this change. The Chatter team made some time with Brian Burke to get additional clarification and insights. Our Q&A with Brian follows:

Question: Why is eBay requiring sellers of digitally downloaded goods to list their items in the Classified Ads format?

Answer: Most items that require digital delivery, once created, can be very easily replicated. This ease of replication creates the opportunity for sellers to list thousands of the same item in an attempt to manipulate the Feedback system. It also creates a perception that even legitimate sellers of Digital Goods are manipulating the Feedback system. This dynamic -- real and perceived -- undermines trust across the entire marketplace.

We understand that digital goods, by themselves, are not the cause of Feedback Manipulation, but clarity of policy and ease of enforcement require all digitally downloaded items to be offered via the Classified Ads format.

Parts -- And Parting With Them

As the title indicates, parts are parts unless they're your parts as my car enthusiast-husband would argue. Over the years, we've collected too many parts for our '69 Dodge Charger (my opinion, not his). On the threshold of spring-cleaning, as one looks around (around is the operative word) our garage, one comes to realize it is time to thin out this collection. The other alternative is to build a bigger garage.

As we sat down to dinner one evening last week, I calmly suggested that we consider thinning out this vast collection of bric-a-brac by taking advantage of the 1¢ listing fees promotion currently going on on eBay through the end of March, and by listing the 'no longer needed' parts and accessories on eBay Motors. From the look I received, you would have thought I suggested unsubscribing to all the sports channels.

Okay, so perhaps this wasn't the best dinner topic. Not to be deterred, I put the collective brain cells (all 3 of them) in gear (no pun intended) and came up with additional, more creative ways to get my point across, one of which was to approach the subject with the 'but others are doing' scenario. Hence, the Goldberg Project (refer to Mopar Muscle Magazine March 2008 for the full story). Seems that Bill Goldberg, muscle car extraordinaire, found a low mileage Coronet on Craigslist.com and according to plan, decided the end result was going to have the look and feel of a '65 Super Stock Dodge but it had to be street-legal. Okay, so what does this have to do with convincing my husband we need to part with some parts?

According to the Mopar Muscle article, 'Bill spent time searching eBay Motors for vintage parts, such as N.O.S. taillight lenses, a vintage Sun Tach, and a radio-delete plate. He also found eBay a handy resource to recycle a few other unneeded parts. Which is exactly the point I was trying to get across my over-parted and accessorized hubby. My original plan of action was to ask Bill to convince hubby (and others) that eBay Motors is a great place to help create much need garage space by parting with automotive items no longer needed but Bill's schedule didn't allow for a house call so I had to settle on referencing the magazine article.

So I once again approached the subject of listing some of the unneeded parts on eBay Motors making sure to reference that a certain former wrestler and football pro didn't mind parting with parts and tried to strategize the cleaning of the garage and 'departing' the parts/accessories we no longer needed or used. When my husband gave me one of those 'you've inhaled too many paint fumes' looks, I responded with 'You're idling' (car talk for stop stalling). Realizing I had reached a stale-mate, I decided to drop the matter and list the items I knew we are no longer using and go from there. But my husband buys on eBay as well. Any bets that we end up with the very parts I sell?

Doing Right by our Buyers

I feel that we in the eBay world don't do enough to highlight the good things that are happening every day in the marketplace between buyers and sellers.  Yes, we need to stay focused on preventing the bad experiences, and we have to do everything in our power to reduce the likelihood they will occur.  But I came across a story last week that reminded me why the vast majority of the transaction problems that are reported on eBay are worked out amicably between the buyer and seller without requiring involvement from eBay or PayPal.

Larry Phillips is an extremely experienced eBay stamps seller.  A month or two ago he received a multi-item purchase from a relatively new eBay buyer and he shipped the items out right away.  However, the buyer jumped the gun when the item didn't arrive in a couple days, and he filed PayPal disputes against Larry, firing off accusations of fraud.

Now this isn't a situation that comes as a surprise to any experienced eBay seller.  This happens quite frequently, as buyers often don't have any idea what a reasonable time is to wait for an item to arrive.  In fact, the number one type of buyer-reported problem we deal with on the site is Item Not Received, and the number one resolution we see to that problem is that the item eventually arrives and the buyer closes the dispute amicably.

As it turns out, that's what happened in this case.  The items eventually arrived, and the buyer was embarrassed that he jumped the gun.  In fact, he told Larry that he felt he had "egg on his face" and that he was "ashamed for causing any grief."

Now I have seen countless situations where the buyer reports a transaction problem and takes an aggressive tone.  As a result, the seller responds with a similarly confrontational approach, which generates ill will.  Then when the item eventually arrives, which should resolve the issue, the problem continues because of the tone taken between Buyer and Seller.  Such a clash can result in negative feedback and a sour taste in the mouth of everyone involved, even though the original issue was completely resolved.

Seller's masterful reply
Larry's response paved the way for the reconciliation in this case.  I think his email to the buyer (who, remember, had accused Larry of fraud unnecessarily) was masterful in its reserved tone in the face of buyer accusations.  Larry wrote:

"I am a reputable seller, and always try to treat my customers in the manner I want to be treated. Just please keep in mind that while I strive to give world class customer service every time, sometimes I get overwhelmed with orders, and being human, I sometimes make a mistake. But if you call that to my attention, I will always fix it immediately."

The beauty of Larry's language in his response is that it doesn't just fall back on "the customer is always right" platitudes. It emphasizes Larry's commitment to live up to his obligations as a seller, but it doesn't back away from the buyer's obligations as well. PayPal also played a key role in working this matter out. 

When the buyer emailed Larry to say that it was unclear how to close the dispute amicably, Larry suggested that a rep call the buyer to walk them through the process, which a rep then did.  That cleared the final hurdle, and then everyone could walk away from the process satisfied.

Research has shown that buyers who encounter problems and have them resolved to their satisfaction are more loyal than buyers who encounter no problem at all.  I think (and I suspect Larry agrees) that if we all stay committed to delivering these kind of smooth problem resolutions we can deliver a transaction experience that is not only equal to the direct shopping sites, but better.

Meet Kristin Davis on eBay!

Another Oxfam-ous celeb sighting on eBay, after last week's Scarlett Johansson listing. This time it's good girl Charlotte from Sex And The City who's doing the good works. Kristin Davis is auctioning off two tickets to the premiere of Sex And The City: The Movie, in which she reprises the role of good girl Charlotte.

It turns out that, in real life too, Kristin's been emulating the persona of the character that made her famous. She's been supporting Oxfam since the 2004 South East Asian tsunami. More recently, she's also devoted her attention to the efforts of women's groups and community-based organizations whose work focuses on the response to the HIV epidemic.

According to the listing description, the winning bidder will receive:

• Two tickets to the world premiere of Sex and the City in New York City on May 27, 2008.
• On camera meet and greet with Kristin Davis at the premiere
• Chauffeured car service to the premiere
• Hair and makeup for one person by Privé
• A pair of Jimmy Choo "Felix" shoes in your size. Size range: 35.5-40.5 (US 5.5-10.5)

In addition, of course, the winning bidder will also receive the satisfaction of knowing that the proceeds from this auction are going to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.

Visit Kristin Davis' eBay listing to watch a little video in which she talks about her support for Oxfam.