[meteorite-list] eBay no longer a community

From: Mike Bandli <fuzzfoot_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:44:22 -0800
Message-ID: <20070122044429.AA1C71058F_at_mailwash5.pair.com>

This pretty much sums it up:

http://collectspace.com/ubb/Forum36/HTML/000154.html

Kind regards,
 
Mike Bandli
www.Astro-Artifacts.com
A Destination For Space Related Artifacts
 

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Nicholas
Gessler
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 8:35 PM
To: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Subject: [meteorite-list] eBay no longer a community

Hello All,

I was grossly disappointed at eBay's new policy of hiding the
identity of all bidders
in auctions over $200. Knowing at least a few of the bidders made
one feel like he
was taking part in a community. "Oh, Fred bought that," or "Sam
didn't bid high
enough," was part of the fun of knowing who was who - who was
building their collection
with similar items, who was buying and who was selling. Knowing who
was present
at the auction made a person feel he was among friends. Entire
networks of collectors,
list-serves, and even get-togethers evolved because of that comradery.

Now eBay has killed that!

Imagine going to a live auction where everyone who entered was hooded!
I'd like to see Sotheby's or Christie's try that. What a damper that
would put on
the friendly competition.

If anyone has an "in" to the eBay policy makers, please let me know how to
make
a very loud protest heard!

I just called eBay and talked to a junior customer "handler." He was
really only
interested in giving me "the party line." "Is eBay likely to go
back?" I asked.
"No, that won't happen," he said.

The "official" BS reason is to prevent us from getting fraudulent
counterfeit eBay
offers. Yes, I get 20 of those a day. Also adverts for Viagra,
notices that someone
wants to send me $20,000,00, mortgage and lottery offers, etc. That
is the price
that one pays for a freely networked community.

Wait until one of the massive online communities starts putting up
auctions, where you
can walk into a bourse and see all the meteorites or cryptographic
equipment nicely
displayed. It is coming, and eBay won't be there...

Cheers?
Nick
gessler at ucla.edu




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Received on Sun 21 Jan 2007 11:44:22 PM PST