In 2011, when AT&T convinced the Supreme Court that the inclusion of a mandatory binding arbitration clause buried deep in a contract effectively precludes customers from filing a class, it was immediately obvious that more and more companies would begin including such clauses in their terms of service. The latest company is eBay, which has given users until Nov. 9 to opt out — in writing — of the clause. [More]
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Ebay: No But Seriously, Our Newly Redesigned Logo Is Totally Different From What It Used To Be
By 9.13.12
Listen, everyone: you might think that eBay’s new logo is pretty much the same as its old one, but really it’s totally different and is definitely going to launch the company over its competitors. At least, that’s the thinking behind the update, which keeps eBay’s signature colors but lines up all the letters in a straight line instead of the previous jumbliness it had going on. [More]
Now You Can Own Guns N Roses' Old Dryer (If You Outbid Me)
By 9.4.12
Like many a 13-year-old in 1988, Guns N Roses’ Appetite for Destruction had a near-permanent place in my Walkman (or whatever knock-off my mom had told me was just as good). And as an adult, one of my proudest moments was getting yelled at for nearly 90 minutes by Axl Rose’s lawyer (it’s a long story; catch me after a couple of cold beverages and I may tell it to you). But now I — and multitudes of others who still know how to play the solo from “Rocket Queen” — have the chance to bid on a souvenir that will tag you as a super-fan: the band’s clothes dryer. [More]
You'll Soon No Longer Be Able To Sell Your Magic Spells & Potions On eBay
By 8.16.12
If you’ve been making a nice living selling get rich quick potions, love spells, or tarot readings on eBay, your days are numbered. After Aug. 30, these are among the items that will no longer be available on the online auction megasite. [More]
I Sent eBay Buyer A Pair Of Sunglasses, They Sent Me Back A Brick
By 8.14.12
Someone bought a pair of sunglasses from Nataly on eBay. That happens. Usually it’s a good thing. The problem for Nataly was that the buyer claimed to be unhappy and wanted to return the sunglasses, even though she had a strict “no returns” policy. Thanks to eBay’s strict pro-buyer stance, she was ordered to send the customer a refund. In return, they sent her a package back. That package did not contain the sunglasses. [More]
Ebay Partnering Up With Target, Best Buy & Other Retailers To Test Same-Day Delivery
By 8.6.12
While you might not be able to get your mitts on that pair of burnished silver cufflinks in the shape of Robert Pattinson’s face* from a seller living in Pocatello, Idaho on the same day you win them on eBay, the company is testing out same-day delivery in cooperation with major retailers like Target, Best Buy, Toys “R” Us, Macys and more. [More]
No Credit Card? No Problem — EBay Is Now Going After The Under 18 Crowd
By 7.27.12
Kids under 18 are all over the Internet — Facebooking, Twittering and generally being on top of all things technological — but one big thing they’re not allowed to do on the Word Wide Web? Shop. Teens without credit cards have prevented retailers from carving out a definite piece of the money pie in that market, but eBay is planning to change all of that soon. [More]
Man’s Tireless Search For His Stolen Car Pays Off 42 Years Later When He Spots It On eBay
By 7.16.12
Dogged determination and persistence in the face of likely failure paid off for one man, who never stopped searching for his 1967 Austin Healey 3000 after it was stolen 42 years ago in Philadelphia. He kept searching the Internet and looking at similar cars to see if his was out there, despite the fact that it could’ve been broken up and sold for parts by whoever had taken it. And then, voila — a hit on eBay. [More]
Man Sells Video Game Collection On eBay For $1.23 Million
By 7.9.12
A man in France who sells and collects video games says he has just unloaded his largest collection ever — around 7,000 games — to an eBay customer for a whopping $1.23 million. Let’s just hope the buyer didn’t use PayPal. [More]
Why Am I Being Charged Sales Tax On A XBOX Live Subscription?
By 6.27.12
Victor found a great deal on an XBOX Live 12-month subscription card from Buy.com, but was surprised to see that the company charged him sales tax. No other online vendors that he tried charge sales tax on the cards––which are, after all, more of an intangible item, akin to a gift card. [More]
Here Is Your Chance To Buy A Chicken McNugget That Looks Like A Zombie
By 6.13.12
When you look down at your fast food meal, you don’t expect to see the terrifying, misshapen face of a zombie staring back at you. But that’s what happened to a McDonald’s customer in New Jersey, who could have just gobbled the offending nugget and never thought of it again. No, this nugget is bound for greater things. They’re selling it on eBay. The bidding currently stands at $2.75. [More]
PayPal Bans You For Life, Won’t Tell You Why
By 6.13.12
During his misspent youth, Jake’s PayPal account was frozen. He tells Consumerist that it was due to “suspicious activity” that he knew nothing about and that Paypal/eBay never identified. He was never able to prove his identity to their satisfaction, and PayPal apparently didn’t want a no-good ruffian like him as a customer. Even if they never told him what it was he did that was no good. Half a decade later, as a responsible adult with a real job and a good credit score, he bought something on eBay and set up a new PayPal account to pay for it. Not so fast, Jake! They shut down this account, too, and blocked his credit cards from use on eBay…and still won’t tell him why. [More]
Judge Allows Payment Monopoly Lawsuit Against eBay/PayPal To Proceed
By 6.1.12
When you go to the eBay Seller Information Center section about how to accept payments, there is no mention of any other payment service than PayPal, which as you likely know, is owned by eBay. This oh-so-close relationship is at the core of a lawsuit against the online auction site. [More]
Couple Faces $700 Tab For Listing Copy Of Rosetta Stone They Didn't Know Was Pirated
By 5.21.12
A Washington state couple thought that when they found a copy of the pricey Rosetta Stone language-instruction software in their late nephew’s belongings, they could sell it on eBay to help pay for his headstone. Instead, they are now being told they owe hundreds of dollars to the software company because the copy they listed is allegedly pirated. [More]
Fraudulent eBay Buyer Leaves You Minus $1000 And A MacBook Pro
By 5.21.12
Earlier this month, Jacob sold a MacBook Pro on eBay. His buyer appeared to be in Australia, but contacted him after payment and asked to have the computer shipped to Indonesia. Since he’s both a Consumerist reader and a person with a functioning brain, Jacob was wary of this change, suspecting some kind of fraud. He called up eBay to see what he should do. The customer service representative told him that he needed to mail the laptop, or it would negatively affect his seller account. So he sent it along, then heard from eBay less than 24 hours later that the buyer’s account had been compromised. You don’t say! Now Jacob is out both a laptop and the $1,023.74 payment. [More]
Invoking eBay Buyer Protection? Don't Use Multiple Accounts
By 5.10.12
Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea for De to purchase a diamond ring over eBay. But the site does have protections for buyers, and is notorious for siding with buyers in the case of a dispute. Just not in his case. Even though he got to deal with one of the rarest of beasts: an actual eBay employee over the phone, asking questions about the item using one eBay account and then using another to make the purchase was too much for eBay to understand. [More]
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over eBay's Automatic Bidding System
By 5.9.12
Back in January, we told you about the eBay seller who had filed a lawsuit alleging the auction website’s automatic bidding system was preventing sellers from getting the maximum amount a bidder would have been willing to pay. But earlier this week, a judge dismissed the proposed class-action suit. [More]
Where Do Smart People Sell Collectibles These Days?
By 5.9.12
When you have interesting collectibles in your house that you no longer have room for, what do you do with them? Reader pop top has acquired a collection of mint-condition Cabbage Patch Kids from the ’80s. Okay, she won’t be able to retire on them, but they must be worth at least a few bucks each. Years ago, the question of where to sell them was simple: eBay was the best and biggest marketplace for collectibles. But horror stories of frozen funds and scammy buyers now abound, and she wants to ask the Consumerist hive mind: where is the best place to unload some cuddly dolls? [More]
