Unethical Sellers On All Venues Hurt eCommerce

Posted by admin in Internet Marketing, ecommerce on 12 2nd, 2008 | one response

Over the past several years many internet buyers say they have been scammed by sellers on sites such as eBay, Amazon (to a much smaller degree) as well as virtually all other ecommerce sites. The news media is constantly reporting on situations where either buyers have been ripped off or online sellers have been accussed of stealing items to sell online.

Most of these reported events seem to involve individual sellers vs. large scale businesses. While eBay has repeatedly stated, 99.9% of all transactions are completedly satisfactorily, they have instituted policies that they claim will further protect buyers. However it seems that these policies are not being enforced uniformily.

In an article posted today on Tamebay, one apparently new seller in eBay’s Diamond Seller level program seems to be immune from the rules. On top of receiving very poor feedback, on it’s first three transactions, one only has to look at the Terms of Use this seller has posted:

3.  Accuracy of Content; Future Modifications to Store; Limitations on Quantity.  The information on this Store is believed to be complete and reliable; however, the information may contain typographical errors, pricing errors, and other errors or inaccuracies. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to correct errors as soon as practicable. We reserve the right to: (i) revoke any stated offer; (ii) correct any errors, inaccuracies or omission; and (iii) make changes to prices, content, promotion offers, product descriptions or specifications, or other information without obligation to issue any notice of such changes (including after an order has been submitted, acknowledged, shipped or received). We also reserve the right to limit quantities (including after an order has been submitted and/or acknowledged). If a product offered by us is not as described, your sole remedy is to return it in unused condition.

As I read this section of this sellers Terms of Use, basically they reserve the right to change anything they want including the price even after the item has been purchased! This apparently is bourne out in the feedbacks.

Whether the seller is a one man/woman operation or a corporation is irrelevent. If they employee unethical policies or practices, they hurt everyone selling online. We as online sellers must do all we can to bring attention to these unethical merchants. Sellers like this affect us all in a negative way!

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1 Comment »

  1. avatar comment-top

    I have read a lot of the Store Polices at ebay and other places.
    and there is quite a few ,that try to cover their self in every way.
    I think the most used is not liable for.
    This person is not taking the responsibility for what they say are write. In other words they do not stand behind their product.
    It would probably be a good idea not to buy there !!

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