Open letter directed at eBay (February)

An open letter to Ebay:

Here are some questions that a lot of us out here in Ebay-land would like to hear the answers to. And are frankly wondering why getting answers to them is seemingly impossible from Ebay. I will post any and all responses from Ebay as soon as I get them in their full, unedited, form.

1. Live Auctions are supposedly there to give people on Ebay the chance to bid on items that are also being offered for sale in a live auction somewhere. On Ebay's info page it says Click here for full page. "Bidding on eBay Live Auctions is very safe. All live auctions are run by reputable international auction houses, which are carefully screened by eBay before being authorized to sell to you. Many of them have hundreds of years of experience in the auction business and fully stand behind their merchandise."

Hundreds of years? Christie's and Sotheby's were both started in the mid - late 18th century, which makes them both a little over 200 years old. They are, so far as I know, the oldest auction houses in the world. Freeman's in Philadelphia is America's oldest auction house - and they just turned 200. How many other auction houses are even 100 years old? There may be some, but none that I can think of off hand. So how can "Many of them have hundreds of years of experience in the auction business"?

Why then is Go Antiques allowed to list its items under the Live Auction format? They do not hold any live auctions. They are not even - so far as I know - licensed in Ohio (their home state) as auctioneers. How can they be holding "live auctions" on Ebay?

2. When people report sellers who are selling blatant fakes, why is nothing done to remove these sellers from Ebay? Why are they allowed to continue selling?

3. What training, if any, do the people at Trust & Safety who revue claims of fraudulent listings under the Antiques and Collectibles catagories actually have in the areas of antiques and collectibles? How many people there are specifically trained in knowing what to look for when it comes to spotting fake Roseville, McCoy, Orientalia, Americana, Black Memorabilia, all types of glass, Nippon, etc. Does Ebay even realize that knowledge in one area does not translate into knowledge of other areas? That different experts are needed for all the different types of items?

4. Why are people pink slapped for reporting fake items on the discussion boards? It would seem that this is a valuable tool for disseminating information.

5. Why are links to sites that give information on fakes - and in some cases openly sell them - not allowed to be posted on the boards? Again, this information is invaluable.

5. Ebay forbids contact between anyone who spots a fraudulent auction and the people bidding on it. What protection does Ebay offer them? Who watches out for the unsuspecting bidders interests? Protects them from the criminals who are preying on them?

6. Why does Ebay allow sellers to hide feedback and the comments? That allows the sellers of fraudulent items to keep them from being pointed out as such.

7. Why does Ebay hire people to head up catagories and watch over the boards who know absolutely nothing about the subjects that they are supervising? The PGP leaders have had no knowledge at all about the subject before taking over the position, for example.

8. When we as users report a listing as being fraudulent, the form provided gives us only the opportunity to give the item number. Not the reason why we feel the listing should be pulled. Why is this? And what is the academic training that the people who review these complaints have in recognizing fakes and fraud? How much do they really know about Antiques and vintage collectibles?

9. Your policy states Click here for full page that "When suspicious activity is reported, we investigate and warn, suspend, or otherwise sanction accounts that violate our policies." What exactly is meant by this? What, precisely, is done? And how does the person doing the reporting find out? Oh, right - the person reporting is never told anything out of respect for "privacy rights". Also, the person reporting is never contacted with follow up questions, or otherwise advised or questioned about anything. Why is this? I would think that Ebay would find that getting more information is helpful.

10. I and others have repeatedly told you about 1 specific seller on Ebay who is selling blatant reproductions without saying this anywhere in his/her listings. And doing this under multiple Ebay ids. All with hidden feedback. Ebay has taken no action in this matter, and has not even favored us with a reply to our complaints and emails. Why is this?

11. Why does Ebay seem, and I emphasize seem, to be more interested in collecting the fees involved from illicit sales than it is in stopping them? I know of thousands (literally) of complaints regarding items that are brand new being sold as antiques, of items that are being sold as Nippon, Noritake, Roseville, McCoy, Daum, Galle, ivory, diamonds, gold, etc. that have been seemingly ignored. Certainly, those making the complaint were never responded to, and no action was - or is - being taken against the sellers in question. Why is this?

12. I have recently purchased items that are not as described. They are blatant fakes. I want to leave negative feedback, but the feedback for this seller is hidden. Plus, I know that I'll get a retaliatory negative in return. How can I leave the negative that this seller deserves without receiving a retaliatory neg?

I want to work *with* Ebay on solving these problems, not against you. But, I need someone there to work with. Someone who will take these matters seriously and enable action to be taken against the criminal element that unfortunately poisons the barrel for all of us. Please advise.

Thank you.
Lee Berkovits