One Radio and Too Many Controversies to Count

KR has kept us apprised of an ongoing controversy regarding a rare Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio. Now he updates us as the controversy continues:

From the seller maybe?

I'll take the time to dispell any ideas that there was something wrong with this auction. The issue is an inconsistency in Ebay's policies about payment. Here is what Ebay said: "Unfortunately, we had to remove your listing because the following information violates our policy: in description" : In the terms and conditions we added " Other methods can be discussed by calling us direct at 214-358-5195 to discuss options." Ebay has contradictory rules and they didn't have the decency to pull it until the last moment.

After an auction gets to 3-4K, they start sending messages to the buyers saying that a high dollar credit card payment may not be processed by their credit card company but we knew this as it has happened before. To post on Ebay now, since they have a defacto monopoly on these auctions and after they bought Paypal for 1.2 Billion $$ perhaps 5-6 years ago, they made it mandatory that you accept paypal and credit card payments as a secure method for a buyer purchasing from a seller. So you will see that this auction did not circumvent using a credit card or paypal because this is our normal prefered method of payment. But anticipating a buyer having problems with their card company, we added the note about "Other methods". Shame on us, on the one hand we adhered to their rules and in another in trying to be helpful, we apparently broke another rule. All I can say is that the radio will be reposted and to those that think REA was kicked off,
take a look at REAVINTAGERADIOS and you will find other auctions currently running on other items.

We used to take BidPay, Western Union, Cashiers Checks, and Personal checks as methods of payment, but now Ebay will automatically kick off any auction that has these names anywhere in the text or terms and conditions. In fact just try to post an auction for a Western Electric tube and it will be automatically be kicked off thinking that you are using the word "western union". Are they the only auction web operation? Well they might as well be and they are sure acting like they are the only game in town.

Frankly, we're disgusted that they didn't have the decency to give you a chance to change the wording. They change their rules so much that it is difficult to find the time just to keep up with all their self serving rules.

Just thought you T/O people would like to have the facts rather than all the conjecture that has already been put forth this morning.

Comments

[Angelo]

Add one more controversy to the list----that being that the radio was bidding for thousands of dollars and the plug was pulled on the auction. Someone should write a book about this radio and it's owners.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Or make a Cohn Brothers film.

[Kim]

I have 102 buys 100% feedback with US Postal money orders.I contact seller if they will except USP MO since rule change-80-90% say sure- no problem.

[Angelo]

Yeah, I buy and sell on E-Bay too and feel your pain. But others have tried and failed to do the online auction thing and they haven't been ready for prime time. E-Bay is dominant, like Castro (was).