"Greyed Out" Bank Deposit - COMPLAIN NOW (The ACCC is listening)

[*Brum6y*]

The 'greyed out' bank deposit payment option on eBay is considered by many to be very naughty of eBay - and some have made approaches to the ACCC on this issue, it seems.

I have been talking to a powerseller who has informed me of a response given by the ACCC to one of their companions on one such complaint.

It said, in essence, that:
 - they (the ACCC) have had some complaints about it
 - they have looked at the practice and are inclined to agree that it is naughty
 BUT
 - they have not had sufficient complaints to warrant taking further action.


SO, if you have a complaint MAKE IT.

Give details - dates, times, item numbers and screen shots if you have them. Nothing strengthens a complaint more than hard evidence!


Unless the ACCC gets enough support, they will not be able to justify further efforts - so if you want to see something done about this, please give them the ammunition!!



All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
(Edmund Burke)  

[Centuries]

brum6y, i have not encountered the 'greyed out' bank deposit option, but I have not bought much through eBay for ages.

I used to notice when the Bank transfer/deposit payment option details would have been less easily seen in checkout, particularly by inexperienced buyers who wished to use that option.

[*CountessA*]

The only thing I've bought (on eBay) in the last few months has been from a UK seller, so the issue of bank deposit did not come up. I will track down something I want locally and see what happens...

[*FluffyDuckee*]

I have bought a couple of things on ebay lately.  It absolutely, definately comes up as greyed out every single time.

Every other option whether that be Paypal or creditcard or check is black.  Only the bank deposit is greyed out.

The first time I saw it, was before it was bought up here.  I though the person did not offer bank deposit and was going to pay Paypal because of that.  I then happened to look at the email they sent and they had provided bank deposit details in it, so I then knew they did take bank deposit.  I went back and clicked on the greyed out option and it worked.  Weird, weird, weird.  I think it is so discusting and underhanded. 

[*wheels*]

I have also found the 'greyed out' bank deposits on all recent purchases.

I did click on them just to see if I got an error message or anything and I can only assume it would have worked as I paid by PayPal. All the items were all in excess of $50 and that is my max limit now for bank deposit payments.

[*Brum6y*]

Well, it is certainly deceptive - it goes against one of the fundamental navigational standards (if not a convention) that is universally implemented on websites across the world ... well, that is, if you exclude eBay.

The question has, I believe, been put to eBay and the response was along the lines of - they know it's there and they won't be changing it because they don't want to promote the use of an unsafe payment method.


Find an example, take a screenshot, lodge a complaint with the ACCC - irrespective of whichever payment method you use. This is about misdirection.

[Liisa-Sx]

I have already reported to the ACCC twice! lol

Interesting way to display an approved payment method don't you think? Here is what it looks like.

(bear in mind often ONLY the words "Bank deposit" appear in another language also)



EBay have said that they aren't changing it because their are not going to recommended a payment method that is not secure like Paypal, but have ONLY done it to the Bank Deposit and NOTHING else.

Ebay's reply to as to why it was greyed out:

"I understand you would like the payment options to appear the same for
your customers. I don't see this change being made any time soon.
However you can submit your suggestions through a link I'll provide
below as eBay is always pleased to hear from members of the eBay
community and welcomes their comments regarding eBay's products and
services.

Sending Suggestions to eBay:
Link

We encourage the community to pay with a safe payment method. The
benefits of PayPal, for both buyer and seller, far outweigh the risk of
paying /receiving via bank transfer. we do not force anyone to use just
PayPal, anyone can use Bank Deposit if they choose. But we are not going
to encourage a payment method that potentially be unsafe.

For more information about our Accepted Payments policy please refer to
the following link:
Link

I realise this may not be what you what to hear; however, but eBay has
this policy in place to protect the community. I am grateful for the
opportunity to have answered your question to your satisfaction."

Just how many complaints do the ACCC need? I forgot to ask and imho if it is 1 complaint or 1000, if it is wrong and not allowed as steering, then what does it matter how many complain, not permitted is not permitted.

[Centuries]

How long has this 'greying out' of bank deposit been occurring in checkout?

If someone chooses 'Other' as an option are they simply taken back to the seller's item description? That would be confusing if the seller did say bank deposit was acceptable and there did not appear to be that payment option in the checkout. 

It is deceptive and, I imagine, annoying for buyer's and sellers who wish to use the bank deposit option.

If a seller wishes to include that payment option it should be shown clearly in the payment options.

[*Brum6y*]

"Greyed out", also referred to as "Ghosted"


I know this is from Wikipedia, but it seems to state things pretty clearly.

Grayed out
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In computing, the term grayed out describes a user interface element that has been displayed with a light shade of gray instead of black — or, in the case of colored elements, displayed in a lighter color — to indicate that it cannot currently be operated or selected by the user.

This convention is widely used in graphical user interfaces, to quickly let the user know which actions cannot be taken in the computer's current state. The approach makes it possible to disable a control when it cannot be used, and give a clear signal of that state, while maintaining the control in a consistent location, thereby minimizing confusion for the user.

It says this is a convention, which suggests it is not a formally documented standard, but nevertheless, conventions are very powerful references when they are widely adopted - and I would be hard pressed to come up with something more widely adopted than this!

[Liisa-Sx]

Lets not forget that Ebay also replaces the words 'Bank deposit' with 'Money transfer' regularly as well as the foreign language version, they have categorically stated that they have done so deliberately as they WILL NOT encourage a so called unsafe payment method, in fact sometimes the radio button (the small circle that you click on) is missing all together... sort of..it's there it's merely invisible.

It is very deliberate and most definately not a glitch.

Brumby you are right, the 'ghosting' or greying out is widely known as a method of showing an inactive link, convention or not 99.9% of people think of it as an inactive and non interactable display method.

[lacey]

I made a purchase on the 18th of this month and made the payment by bank deposit.  it was not greyed out, like other times. 

[lacey]

" they have categorically stated that they have done so deliberately as they WILL NOT encourage a so called unsafe payment method"

I can't figure that out because I tried to pay my fees about 6months or so ago and they wouldn't let me pay through paypal, only bank deposit. 

I guess they don't trust themselves.   

[*Brum6y*]

I guess they don't trust themselves.   

Biting my tongue ... biting my tongue ...