As with everything Ebay, it's shoot first and ask questions later (and only then, if consumers scream bloody blue murder) How they keep claiming (with a straight face) that they are 'responsible corporate citizens', beats me. These days they're a bloody nuisance.
My expectation of a Responsible Corporate Citizen is one that recognises the imbalance of power, and doesn't take advantage of it at every turn.
This so called 'Venue' that claims no relationship or role in the negotiation of contracts, or the transaction between buyer/seller, has done nothing else but impose unwanted 'innovative disruptions' (an ebay oxymoron) on sellers and buyers alike, to the point of dominating the entire transaction between buyer/seller.
If they wish to argue 'Venue' whenever the shite hits the fan, then they need to 'butt out' of the transaction process, and be more involved in setting the ground rules (and accessible dispute resolution remedies) for all parties including themselves, according to the TPA and consumer protection laws. Simple.
If ebay learned to harness the power of consumer loyalty and gave its consumers and traders what they want, i.e. a fair, safe and accountable marketplace, we'd all be singing their praises. At least then, the huge increase in fees over the past few years might have been somehow justified if Ebay as a marketplace were safer and more accountable, and its consumers and traders actually better off. But it isn't and we aren't.
Speaking as a consumer, All I can see as the focus of Ebay's innovative disruptions in the past two years, is how much profit they could seize via manipulation of both parties, under their 'take no prisoners' UA.
They don't seem to care about the horrendous reputation they are building for themselves in their quest for total dominance. Just imagine if Ebay could turn that negative sentiment around by being more responsive and responsible to its marketplace/consumers? That's all it would take.
