Soccer fans (yes, other countries, we know you call it football) in Brazil trying to score resold tickets on StubHub in that country have been blocked from doing so after the site suffered a large denial-of-service attack and shut down. This, amidst the insistence of soccer’s governing body FIFA and the Brazilian government that all tickets to the upcoming World Coup tournament should come directly from FIFA. [More]
ebay
What Is This Scary Heartbleed Bug, And Why Is Everyone Freaking Out About It?
By 4.9.14
One second everything on the Internet appears normal, and the next thing you know, everyone is talking about some security bug called “Heartbleed” that’s out to get us all. So what is it, and is it as scary of a problem as it seems to be? [More]
eBay Issues New Coupons After Non-Coupon Ran Out Of Money
By 4.3.14
A recent promotion where eBay sent $10 coupons via e-mail to selected users was very successful. It was so successful that the money allocated to the promotion apparently ran out, and users who tried to apply the coupon only got an error message telling them that the coupon had “no remaining funding.” As promised, eBay has issued a new coupon that reportedly works. [More]
eBay Issues $10 Non-Coupon, Not An April Fool’s Day Joke
By 4.1.14
Recently, a lot of eBay users received a great coupon in their e-mail: $10 off if you complete a sale on the site. It expires on April 6, this coming Sunday. What a great idea: it will encourage customers to make eBay purchases! Well, it would have been if it worked, at least. Instead, customers were told that the coupon had “no remaining funding.” Oh. [More]
Bank Of America, Monsanto, Verizon Move On To Next Round Of Worst Company Competition
March 21, 2014
After three days of Worst Company In America voting, nine big businesses lie battered and bloody on the sandpaper mat of the WCIA Dodecahedron of Doom. But we are not here to mourn the fallen, but to hurl rotting fruit at the victors who survive to fight another day. [More]
If You’re Into Rashes, Recalled Fitbit Force Goes For About $200 On eBay
By 3.7.14
Since we broke the story of the Fitbit Force personal motion tracker causing contact dermatitis in some users, the company has begun its own recall of the devices and told authorized retailers to stop selling them. The problem is that hot gadgets are always available through unofficial channels as well. Like eBay, where you can still buy the Force, and it’s selling for a premium. [More]
Bidding Is Open For The Microwave Stephen Colbert Stole From Bill O’Reilly
By 2.13.14
We like to think that Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and Stephen Colbert are secretly super best friends who sit in a treehouse and giggle about their next moves, because how else would an auction of the microwave Colbert stole from O’Reilly’s green room in 2007 be possible? Or we’re all just lucky the universe loves comedy. [More]
Your Old American Girl Doll Could Buy You A Round-Trip Cross-Country Flight
By 1.8.14
True story, someone at Consumerist has four American Girl dolls stashed away. So maybe we were a bit spoiled as a kid, but now we’re going to be rich. Okay, maybe not rich, but we’ll have more money than we started the day with. That is, if there’s any truth to these eBay listings for gently used, retired, original American Girl dolls. [More]
Don’t Buy Those Brains For Sale On eBay — They’re Probably Stolen
By 1.2.14
Are you in the market for some nice braaaaaaains? Er, brains? If you see some jars of human brains for sale on eBay, it’s probably best not to purchase them. Police in Indianapolis say a man had been breaking into the Indiana Medical History Museum and boosting brains and other preserved body parts and selling them, because apparently there’s a market for such a thing. [More]
Alleged Original iPhone Prototype Pops Up On eBay For $1,499
By 12.30.13
An eBay seller says his wife is making him part ways with some of the stuff he’s collected over the years, which is why he’s listed what he claims is an engineering prototype of the original Apple iPhone for sale for $1,499. [More]
eBay Bucks Makes Loyalty Program Changes, Annoys Loyal Customers
By 12.30.13
eBay Bucks is a rewards and loyalty program meant to keep buyers shopping on eBay and using PayPal to pay for their purchases. Seems like a nice idea: lots of stores have loyalty programs. Shoppers and sellers alike are angry at eBay, though, after learning about some big changes to the program that begin in the first quarter of 2014. [More]
Man Says He Was Tricked Into Paying $750 For Photo Of Xbox One On eBay
By 12.6.13
It’s a truism as old as time: Wherever there are people willing to pay a ton of money for a new video game console, there will be scammers willing to take that money and leave them empty-handed. Well, not technically empty-handed in this case, as the customer did get a photo of an Xbox One for his $750. [More]
Yeah, People Are Doing That Thing Where They Pay Too Much For New Gaming Consoles On Ebay
By 11.15.13
As the sun does rise in the east and set in the west, people who didn’t pre-order are destined to panic and consider paying too much on eBay for the newest video game console. This time it’s the Sony PS4 whose disappearance from retailers both online and bricks-and-mortar has resulted in a slew of overpriced consoles popping up on eBay. [More]
Is eBay Purging Small And Medium Sellers? Why?
By 10.11.13
Is eBay purging accounts from their system? Some sellers report on forums and in e-mails that their accounts have been restricted with no warning, taking away important sources of income and/or fun. “My account, that I’ve had for twelve years, has been essentially closed. My wife’s income is now severely restricted, and I’m starting to panic,” writes reader Michael. [More]
Angry Mom Punishes Daughters, Makes Profit, By Auctioning Off Their One Direction Tickets
By 9.20.13
I’m not a parent, but I do remember being a horrible teenager and occasionally being yelled at by my much put-upon mother. Like most parents, there were times when she took items and privileges away from me as punishment, but I don’t think she ever made a hefty profit off me by selling anything — and venting angrily — on eBay. [More]
Some Target Stores Accidentally Put New Phillip Lim Line On Sale A Week Early
By 9.10.13
Some bargain-hunting label-lovers have been waiting eagerly for Target’s Sept. 15 launch of a new clothing and accessory line from designer Phillip Lim. But thanks to a handful of stores that screwed up and put the clothes out for sale a week early, some items are now available to snag on eBay. [More]
eBay Pulls Craze Sports Supplement Amid Concerns Of Amphetamine-Like Ingredients
By 8.13.13
Following in the footsteps of Walmart.com and Bodybuilding.com, eBay has announced it will stop selling a popular sports supplement accused of containing amphetamine-like compounds. This, after an investigation revealed some dark spots in the past of one of Driven Sports’ executives’ pasts, including a criminal conviction, a pending federal charge and repeated sales of allegedly risky products over the years. [More]
Your Kids Are Smarter Than You: Toddler Buys Car On eBay Using Dad’s Smartphone
By 7.11.13
Winning something on eBay is such a thrill — except when you didn’t realize that you were even bidding because your toddler got her hands on your phone and oh my god, we own a car now that we didn’t before? That’s exactly what happened to one family after a little tyke got her hands on her dad’s smartphone, complete with the eBay app. [More]
