Col posted about a bank deposit problem he was experiencing with his buyers. Theories abounded, and experiences were shared. It's also where the infamous "freckle-faced lieutenant" was born...Col: It used to be, when we received e-mails from buyers (via say an ebay checkout) that we could just hit "reply" within our own e-mail provider. But now, oh no, ebay doesn't like us communicating with anyone outside of the (unreliable) ebay message system. Why is this, is ebay SO tensed up because of all the upset they caused us and lost so many buyers and sellers that they are grasping at straws to try and keep some sort of control - or what?
When I receive a message (say a buyer is paying by...........shock..........bank deposit or money order, I like to fire off a quick thank you rather than have to login to ebay to send a message!
Now, if I want to send an e-mail from my own e-mail account, I have to click reply, then login to ebay, go to selling manager, retrieve the buyers e-mail address, then go back to the e-mail and replace the
ebay@ebay.com with the correct buyers e-mail address.
Sorry what a f*** on!!!!!
I don't always want to rely on ebay sending messages!
Why are you, ebay, making it more difficult for us to talk with OUR buyers?
putney32: Oh Col, that is a problem I HATE TOO..
why oh why? we are in a 'legally binding contract' with the person, so why cant we just email them back.
I do exactly as you outlined, (or rather DID), AND IT was quick and easy..
:_|
holydooly6Me three!!
bliss*charmsHow come you have to log in again?
Why not just reply to the coded buyer's ebay email x01ojodaetc
etc@members.ebay.com.au addy?
*penelope*pitstop*One minute ebay is "just a venue" then the next minute they want to control us right down to blocking an email address between two members who are simply trying to buy & sell.
Which is it ebay??
jaaatz5It's very very annoying.
Recently I was selling some items and a potential bidder emailed me a questions, I responded, they wrote back and I tried to respond again and it wouldn't let me.
I could only respond ONCE!
I had to go to their feedback page and write to the member that way.
How Annoying!!
mightyroomouse It's just as bad from the buyers end too.
I was a nervous wreck when I bought an item (washing machine) just before Christmas...trying to organise delivery times with the seller...and hoping my messages were getting through to them.
I ended up ringing them for my piece of mind.
It wouldn't be as bad if we knew we could rely on the messaging system...but let's face it...it has a lot to answer for.
I like to ponder
glasseyoz
I totally agree. This is basically the whip hand. eBay can check on any eMail sent back and forth. What gives them that right.Will they censor the emails we send?
It is not a very convenient way to communicate.
TAKE THE CHANCE --- DO IT.
putney32Why not just reply to the coded buyer's ebay email x01ojodaetc etc@members.ebay.com.au addy?Bliss, my 'I will be paying by Bank Deposit,'.. check out emails arrive with a return address of
ebay@ebay.com.aunot a coded buyer email like the 'Ask Seller a Question' ones!
col52Why not just reply to the coded buyer's ebay email x01ojodaetc etc@members.ebay.com.au addy?Same as putney said bliss!
peternt2001as a guess i would say that ebay are trying too make sure that they arent cut out of any fees by people contacting each other and conducting outside of ebay sales, and by going through there own message system they can monitor any irregularities or anything that looks suspicious.
johneltinAND - I can still reply DIRECTLY to eBay customers all over the World via my own email INCLUDING The Great Excited States of America - ALL EXCEPT Australian customers. WHY!!!
Is eBay getting a little paranoid here? It's like BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING. John
bliss*charms Putney & Col - do you mean ebay has deliberately filtered those emails, so you can't email back direct?
Its only happening on sold items that the buyer elects to pay via bank deposit?
As I've yet to encounter the same problem. Even looking a Congratulations Item sold emails, received before buyer checks out, their direct email addy has appeared in the buyers' details within the email.
And are your email preferences set up as per last Sept's announcement?
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/au/200809230922432.htmlberyl_greenhaven't sold for a while but buyers email address used to be in the "item sold" ebay email.
llama-spitWhen I receive a message (say a buyer is paying by...........shock..........bank deposit or money order, I like to fire off a quick thank you rather than have to login to ebay to send a message!
Not sure what the problem is... I just checked mine.
YOUR ITEM SOLD
- Sent by "ebay"
- Buyer's email address in BODY text
ITEM WON (copy of email sent to buyer)
- Sent by "ebay"
- Buyer's email in "TO" field, so just use "Reply ALL"
INVOICE REQUEST
- Sent by "ebay"
- Buyer's email address not shown anywhere
YOUR INVOICE FOR (Manual invoice sent from Selling Mgr)
- Sent by "your Ebay ID"
- Buyer's email in "TO" field, so just use "Reply ALL"
I WILL BE SENDING PAYMENT (ebay checkout confirmation for DD)
- Sent by "Buyers Ebay email address"
- So can easily reply to those.
PAYPAL EMAIL (Payment received)
- Sent by "Buyers Paypal email address"
- So can easily reply to those.
It should be noted that email addresses are only hidden for NON-winners.
col52as a guess i would say that ebay are trying too make sure that they arent cut out of any fees
But this is happening with buyers who already purchased!
Putney & Col - do you mean ebay has deliberately filtered those emails, so you can't email back direct?Yup!
Its only happening on sold items that the buyer elects to pay via bank deposit?
Possibly!
It should be noted that email addresses are only hidden for NON-winners.
Not with me llama! and it only started happening just recently.
No "real" e-mail addresses in ANY of the ebay e-mails.
col52This is what I get in "I WILL BE SENDING PAYMENT" e-mails:
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"eBay"
When I click reply, the e-mail is going to:
ebay@ebay.com.auj*oonoI got the same thing yesterday Col. I've alway just hit reply on those checkout emails, but you can't do it anymore.
I replied using the contact member button against the transaction in my ebay, but I prefer to reply to the checkout email so that the buyer can see exactly what info I've been given.
guitargod1409Hi Col, yes very very annoying.
eBay flatly denies that there is a problem with the new system, but we keep getting the same messages from customers, 'why haven't you answered me' when we have, through this carpy email system.
Problem is eBay oz think we are all a bunch of crooks who want to sell outside of eBay and we are not to be trusted.
We are losing lots of sales as a result of this very bad new system.
We make lots of postage quotes and answer heaps of questions daily and we know FOR A FACT that the replies are not getting through.
It is NOT our server, bigpond, it is NOT spam filtering, it is NOT junk mail settings, etc. it IS THE NEW EBAY DISFUNCTIONAL EMAIL SYSTEM.
Sure, many, if not most of the emails go through, but there is a significant number that do not and I, for one, am FED UP with all the changes that are meant to improve the eBay 'experience' but only hurt eBay sellers
Message to management:
Bring back the old email system, AT LEAST IT WORKED
putney32 bliss on ANY of the emails I got this week
I will be sending payment of AU $22.10 shortly for eBay item: a Home of My ----blah blah
the buyers Name and Address are at the bottom, but no mention of their ebay id.. no email address and hitting REPLY goes to
ebay@ebay.com.au!!
so, as col says you need to go back, find their email to just respond with 'thanks, I'll mail the day the money shows in the ANZ'
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
brumbymgWhy are you, ebay, making it more difficult for us to talk with OUR buyers?
as a guess i would say that ebay are trying too make sure that they arent cut out of any fees
But this is happening with buyers who already purchased!
But only for THAT sale. Once you have completed a successful transaction, the buyer and seller are likely to be happy to deal with each other. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that if a level of trust has been established, it is much more profitable for this to occur outside eBay and Paypal. While there is that increased risk of being scammed, that is in the minority and each party would fully carry responsibility (gee, remember those days?).
My opinion is that eBay is paranoid about loss of revenue and they are impeding communication to: 1. Minimise the opportunity for off-ebay transactios and 2. Create mistrust between buyers and sellers through 'bad communication' - which they cause, but don't readily admit to.
Call it a conspiracy theory - but it's either that or they are hopelessly incompetent.
brumbymgIf anything, I think eBay is actually CAUSING people to look to off-ebay.
When things become so painful, you can't expect people to hang around and put up with it.
I'll make a bold suggestion to eBay - loosen up!
Back off on some of the draconian measures and you might find people won't bother making the effort to go elsewhere - because it will be nice to just use eBay.
I have a personal experience which showed USA staff bow down before the tall poppies - even when they make asanine statements... but the aussies just laughed. It caused the US staff to look at them in absolute horror!!
Sorry. For Aussies, a spade is a spade.
bliss*charms*sigh* I've jinxed myebay now. I wasn't having problems, but now today, emails are struggling, as I keep receiving the same Qs, with a pleeeassse reply.
Have had to pull the contact details & ring a couple of buyers to ensure they've got the message
col52but I prefer to reply to the checkout email so that the buyer can see exactly what info I've been given.Exactly, joono!
I, for one, am FED UP with all the changes that are meant to improve the eBay 'experience' but only hurt eBay sellers
Add me too, guitargod> It does not "improve the buyers experience" either!
Call it a conspiracy theory - but it's either that or they are hopelessly incompetent.
I'll hold judgement on that brumby.
*sigh* I've jinxed myebay now.*penelope*pitstop*I tried to ask a question of a seller a few days ago. When I clicked the send button I got an error message of some sort. So I hit the back button and tried to send again. I got the same error message so I gave up.
I would have made the purchase if I could have had an answer to my simple question. Sadly for both myself & the seller, the purchase did not proceed.
I wonder how many others are missing out on sales because of this ineffective system?
ishywishyIm a buyer only and I have had issue after issue trying to get questions etc thru to sellers using the new messaging system.
I even stopped buying for a month or so and only began again recently...im still having some issues every so often but ebay do seem to be getting it all sorted/fixing those bugs.
I do wonder tho about the few sellers where I have recieved very little communication from though....
Are sellers paying the price in their DSR's?
neoleftwingfrutandnutcaseI haven't bought anything on ebay for ages now ... in fact, not since I was bidding on an item and used the "ask seller a question" feature, only to receive a warning from ebay and an accusation that I was attempting an off-ebay transaction. ... wtf ?
brumbymg"I do wonder tho about the few sellers where I have recieved very little communication from though" - hmmm, that sounds familiar.
ishywishy - the sellers are most certainly wearing this in their DSRs.
EBay don't admit their culpability, let alone try and cop some of the flak - so the buyers only see the sellers being slack.
Even for those who might have an idea - the DSRs are the only way they can express their disapproval.
Unfair but simple way to get rid of sellers - create rules to disadvantage them and then create the conditions where they fall foul of the rules.
It would be more subtle if they fired a bullet at a paper target and then pushed a seller's head in the way.
col52Unfair but simple way to get rid of sellers - create rules to disadvantage them and then create the conditions where they fall foul of the rules.Seems right!
It would be more subtle if they fired a bullet at a paper target and then pushed a seller's head in the way.
:O
All I want is the freedom to contact MY buyers as I see fit from MY listings and sales from a site that is (or should be) a VENUE, not a controller!
barny1944Hello Col,
If I was a cynic I would say that, due to eBays' shrinking profits causing the fall in share value, they are grasping at preventing any leakage of revenue, by attempting to minimize off eBay trading.
Whew, what a mouthful.!
Cheers
If the enemy is in range, so are you.
mightyroomouse Could it be possible, that Ebay are being a bit selective when it comes to messages going through?
It seems that most problems in communications seem to occur with smaller sellers...the ones that Ebay seem to want to get rid of.
It just seems too easy...let buyers have heaps of problems communicating with these sellers..and their stars will go down..and they will be restricted from listing.
Ebay wins!
They get the desired effect..with very little effort.
I like to ponder
countessalmirena Young freckle-faced lieutenant: "Captain, my Captain, you'd better see this!"
Grizzled captain with greedy eyes: "What, what is it, you young wet-nosed feller-me-lad whipper-snapper scumbucket? And stand up straight when you talk to me! Don't slouch like an orangutan's coat-hanger. Straight, me lad, straight!"
Lieutenant: "Yes, sir. Captain, I am sorry to report that" [gulp] "... that..."
Captain: "What, what? Stop mumbling, you scab-tongued barnacle-feeder. My goodness, what do they teach the lads these days? Mumble mumble mumble - SPEAK UP!"
Lieutenant: "Yes, sir. I am sorry to report that one got through."
[Deadly silence. The wind chops up the waves with the slap of fish and salt and thick wetness.]
Captain {spacing out his words]: "One - got - through."
Lieutenant: "Yes, sir, Captain. I'm sorry. We tried. We all tried, but the crew are tired, sir, from being on duty 25 hours a day and scrubbing the decks until their palms are bleeding and stopping the..."
Captain: "One - got - through."
Lieutenant: "Yes, captain. One got through."
Captain: "You actually - you actually allowed an eBay message mentioning bank deposit details to go through."
Lieutenant: "I'm sorry, captain! I'm desperately sorry! We tried! It just slid out of our hands! It was as slippery as a greased eel, sir, we couldn't stop it!"
Captain: "One - got - through."
Lieutenant: [breaks down and sobs uncontrollably]
Captain [menacingly, while running a leather strap through his stubby fingers]: "One - got - through."
[--- Important note: the rest of this drama cannot be posted here. Some things are just too brutal. ---]
putney32ha ha Countess, good one!!!!
COL.. you think the emails are a problem.. wait until you start getting PayPal Payments today/tomorrow.
New 'you got funds' notification emails... very sloppy, very unprofessional, and the text does not even fit the text box, it runs off the side into the SPONSORED LINKS advertising box!!!
messy messy messy looking email too
ishywishyUnfair but simple way to get rid of sellers - create rules to disadvantage them and then create the conditions where they fall foul of the rules.The same thought crossed my mind also..
How can it not when ebay themselves have said they want to rid the "mum and dad" sellers?!
lancesgreatgear Slightly off topic really but I setup customized end of auction emails with bank details in them so despite the ebay PP push, they still get the bank details before they even see the pay now button. Every body can do this if they want.
lancesgreatgearBTW you can opt to have that email sent to you so you can see what it looks like.
col52 Hello barny, you could be cynically right! (& roo too!)
:^O countess, you are becoming increasingly hilarious and with a vivid imagination! Oh, the pain of the strap on one's beneficiary. :O
Oh putney, putney, putney...............did you HAVE to say that? I started getting them. :_|
I've been doing that for a long time lancesgreatgear
Can't have buyers upset coz they can't find those elusive BANK DETAILS can we? :-p
brumbymgCol is getting emoticonal - Quick, somebody give him a slap!
(not you, pinks)
