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TAGnotes Mon 11 Feb 2002 Vol 4 Number 11 Issue 393
  

The Auction Guild Notes for Mon 11 Feb 2002
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Quality, variety & great deals, shop the experienced EMPORIUM
auction sellers http://www.lynnet.com/~jmm/emporium.html
     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
$Buck98 Event Starts 12 Feb 2002 All items start at $1.98 with No
Reserve
GREAT BARGAINS http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/$buck98/
     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Shop Henrietta Digital Art Show Global Vote For Best Picture!
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     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
New, gently used and vintage women & men's clothing-low shipping!
Visit ddeva's store today at http://shop.auctionwatch.com/ddeva!
     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Surprise your Valentine with relaxing candles and aromatherapy
oils at http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/skarbek@mc.net/
     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TAGnotes readers get 10%discount on two or more purchases within 7day
period Use code TAG28 in response to EOA
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/copper-maven/
     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Support the people who support TAGnotes. Click on their links,
bid on their auctions and buy their products. Support TAG and
promote your website or auctions at the same time. Subscribers
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Advertisements are not endorsements of the products advertised
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The TAGnotes archive is available in a searchable format at     
http://www.escribe.com/business/TAGnotes/
More info about TAG is on our website at http://www.auctionguild.com
You can find contact info for several sites and services there, along
with editorials and other info.
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Thanks for your help with the TAG RESEARCH PROJECT. So far we have
received 177 responses. We are still collecting information so please
send the number of User ID's you have on ebaY, active or inactive. If
any of them are no longer registered (NARU) please let us know that
also. ************************************************************
ebaY - On 8 Feb at 04:05:20 PT ebaY posted that their ebaY international
sites were down following scheduled maintenance from 03:00 PT to 03:35
PT. Users reported at 20:40:48 PT that the Computers and Peripherals
categories were down.

Users posted on 9 Feb at 09:56:13 PT that the ability to create an ebaY
store was down. At 13:24:39 PT ebaY noted that users could not register
with a credit card or pay for an account with a credit card. The
Accounts tab in My ebaY was also down. At 13:30:14 PT ebaY posted that
the ability to register with a credit card or pay for an account with a
credit card was down from 13:10 PT to 13:24 PT. The Accounts tab in My
ebaY was also down during that time. At 18:46:22 PT users reported
problem relisting on ebaY motors. The relist function was triggering
"illegal operation" messages.

On 10 Feb at 13:37:18 PT, users reported the sell your item form was
intermittently down.

At 10:38:24 PT on 11 Feb, ebaY posted that several ebaY pages, including
the Home Page were down . Users reported at 11:44:32 PT that access to
completed auction pages was down, and users received "connection reset
by peer" messages. ebaY posted at 17:20:35 PT that the ability to view
account status in My ebaY was down from 16:37 PT to 17:15 PT. The
account status was available elsewhere on the site throughout this time.


ebaY Billpoint payments problems, some solutions, and why you should not
have a Billpoint account can be found on the TAG website at
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=63

TAG recommends that IF you are going to list on ebaY, do NOT use
Billpoint, ebaY pic services, Checkout, or ANY ebaY provided service
beyond the most basic ones. None of ebaY's services are reliable, and
the feature and site reliability continues to be problematical.

TO REQUEST REFUNDS from ebaY go to
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=33
Don't take NO for an answer; keep requesting until you get them.
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=17
If you don't get your refunds complain to the BBB Online at
http://www.bbbsilicon.org/index.htm
And also file a complaint with the FTC
https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm

Pink Quote of the Day at 04:44 PT on 7 Feb when asked if it would be
okay to add a newsletter list to store listings, Jerry@ebaY said, ".....
I think the implementation of your newsletter could be problematic.
Unfortunately I do not have a definitive answer for you now. Having
thought about the whole idea and the eBay links policy, I think there
might be some problems in putting it on your listing pages. You can of
course place this link on the About My Store pages, and on all you
customer communications. I need some time to get an official ruling on
this. Regards Jerry eBay Community Development" Needless to say, no
definitive answer was forthcoming. TAG wonders why Jerry just did not
tell the ebaY store seller that he could get around all the rules by
signing up for the Merchant Kit, and take buyers directly to his website
where he can have a newsletter tab or link without ebaY batting an
eyelash. Or is it just the corporate sellers that ebaY has told about
this new feature.

Is ebaY an Enron waiting to happen? Editorial on the TAG website at
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic81.html

ebaY is going to be redesigning the auction listing submission form and
are calling the new form Sell Your Item 2.0. They are testing a version
that incorporates a multi-step listing process that has a form that is
divided into sections of related listing content. Each section of data
is saved after each section is completed. Sellers will be able to
customize the form and minimize and remember fields in the listing form.
the seller will only have components of the form that are relevant
based on your seller eligibility, listing category, and format. For
example, if you do not have 50 Feedback or have been ID Verified, then
ebaY will not show the Dutch Listing Option on the form. The form will
act like a template and save the information already entered. Each
section will have Help through a separate pop-up window.

ebaY is currently beta testing the new form with a few sellers, and plan
to make it available next week. The International sites will receive the
new form next month.
During the Beta and user feedback period, the existing Sell Your Item
form will continue to be the default form. After the new form becomes
the default, ebaY will allow users to link to the old form for a period
that will be based on user input and adoption. For mock ups of the 7
page form, go to
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/sellyouritem2/index.html

Sellers and third party service providers should note that this new
system will probably make obsolete all the current software and web
based auction management systems, including seller made templates. This
will cause all the third party management providers to do major
revisions to their programs. Be warned that the mock ups ebaY provides
rarely resemble their final products.

In an unannounced change, ebaY now has a product they are calling the
ebaY's Merchant Kit. The Merchant Kit is free for a limited time to eBay
Store subscriber.   It gives sellers an ebaY showcase the seller can put
on their own websites. For more
basic info go to http://www.ebay.com/api/merchantkit.html
There is a self-administration system to accept a click-through
agreement in order to have your User ID enabled for Merchant Kit. There
is also a sniplet builder, which is a wizard,
to help create your sniplet.
1. Go to http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?SnippetCreatorLogin
2. After you click on the URL, enter in your User Name and Password, and
read through the agreement. If you can agree to the use, click the "I
Agree" button.
3. Once you have accepted the agreement, you will be taken to the
Sniplet Builder page. The idea is that after you customize your sniplet
on the first page, then you can preview and pick up the line of code
("sniplet") on the last page. This line of HTML code you will want to
add to your web site.
If you have any additional questions about this or how to set it up,
please send an email to powers-@ebay.com and someone will contact
you to help walk you through it.

For an example of an ebaY approved way this can be used go to-
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1331425239
and click on "Shop our full array of Auction Products here, at
RitzCameraauctions"
This will give ebaY store sellers a huge advantage over auction sellers.
It remains to be seen just how much ebaY charges for this service in
future. As TAG has said in the past, the auction sellers are
subsidizing the stores sellers, and both stores and this product will
give a much greater advantage to corporate sellers than to person to
person sellers.

Break the ebaY monopoly!   Provide ebaY the incentive it obviously needs
to provide better service to its users, and to its customers, the
sellers. Sellers need to develop other marketplaces so they can insure
they have an online marketplace for their goods into the future. TAG
has an editorial on the website titled 'ebaY- a solution NOW'.
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=78

Checkout and the related Billpoint problems continue and some users have
chosen to add a statement to their auction that "NO checkout required on
this auction" For another thread on checkout problems go to -
http://forums.ebay.com/dws?50@241.429mbsSudp8^-@.ef26f0d/2
ebaY Billpoint payments problems, some solutions, and why you should not
have a Billpoint account can be found on the TAG website at
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=63

ebaY is conducting what they are calling a Usability Study
To participate go to the TAG site for all info
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic79.html

Ongoing Issues and Information
----------------------------------------------------------------
Is Checkout interfering with your online business? Is the new
search slowing down your sales? Tired of the scam
Chargebacks form Billpoint? You pay ebaY for services, so file a
complaint against ebaY with the Better Business Bureau, the
FTC and or The Consumer Trouble Shooter.
http://www.troubleshooter.com/data/access.html
BBB Online - http://www.bbbsilicon.org
FTC - https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm
FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center at: http://www.ifccfbi.gov/

The ebaY Wanted board is STILL available - you just need to get to it
via a different route. Go to the ebaY Australia site and you CAN get
there from here -
http://cgi3.ebay.com.au/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewBoard&name=wanted

Another ebaY Wanted board alternative
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WantedBoard/

To move an item to another category go to -
http://cgi5.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ChangeCategoryShow
ebaY categories with the category number
http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/list/categories.html
An off ebaY category number locator page
http://www.kinem.com/files/cat.htm

TAG no longer reports ebaY numbers because we don't believe
ebaY is providing accurate numbers in their categories anymore.
These will become even more inflated by the higher Dutch
Auction Prices. To see the trends on ebaY go to the MedVed site
to view their long term records.
http://www.medved.net/cgi-bin/cal.exe?EIND

ebaY CONTACT for ebaY, ebaY UK, Billpoint, Half.Com,
information including analog mail and email addresses, phone
numbers, regular and toll free, refund info, close account info,
and insider trading info etc can be found at
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=17

ebaY Community boards
http://pages.ebay.com/community/index.html
ebaY news board
http://pages.ebay.com/community/news/index.html
ebaY status announcement board (SAB)
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/announce.shtml
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Opening 6pm, Saturday, February 2
KEN WEAVER
HILLBILLY HARDCORE : PROFONDE AMERIQUE
2 February - 9 March 02 http://www.g-module.com
g-module 15 rue debelleyme, 75003 Paris
telephone - 01 42 71 14 75, fax - 01 42 71 14 67
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Yahoo Auction/Warehouse/Classifieds
Has a Valentines Day Showcase -
http://user.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/showcase/valentine

Ongoing Issues -
In contrast to ebaY's 10 day or less limit on completed search,
completed search on Yahoo Auctions is available at the bottom
of the search result page and goes back approx 3 months.
Yahoo Auctions completed search only shows sold items.

Users can attempt to seek user to user help at -
http://experts.yahoo.com/expertinbox?b_id=383051397&t_id=openboard
and community chat boards at
http://auctions.yahoo.com/html/community/
Live chat
http://chat.yahoo.com/?room=Chat%20Central::1600326456
Yahoo Buyer Protection Plan
http://auctions.yahoo.com/phtml/auc/us/ins/protectionpromo.html

Yahoo contact Information
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic.html?pid=38

As of 24 Nov 01 Yahoo Auctions had 274,047 listings on the site.
As of 5 Dec 01 Yahoo Auctions had 399,258 listings on their site
As of 7 Dec01 Yahoo Auctions had 504,507 listings on their site
As of 23Jan02 Yahoo Auctions had 313,102 listings on their site
As of 25Jan02 Yahoo Auctions had 620,132 listings on their site
As of 25Jan02 Yahoo Auctions had 333,846 listings on their site
http://auctions.yahoo.com/
* * * * *
Amazon Auctions, zShops and Marketplace
On 8 Feb at 01:10 PT Amazon posted that some zShop listings were coming
up blank in My Account and on search requests. At 14:12 PT Amazon
posted that they had fixed the problem.

Friday sales, where many sellers pick up great bargains for
resale -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/548166/ref=outl
et_nav_fs/103-1162116-7199055
Find links to all events on the Outlet tab.
http://www.amazon.com

Amazon Announcement Board
http://prospero.amazon.com/n/mb/listsf.asp?webtag=am-sellan
nounce&nav=start&ctx=0

Amazon chat boards -
http://prospero.amazon.com/n/mb/listsf.asp?webtag=am-sellcon
nect&nav=start&ctx=0

Amazon live telephone customer service 16 hours a day
Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: (800)201-7575
Auction Pro phone number 1-877-251-0696
http://auctions.amazon.com
* * * * *
BidFields.Com a new general item auction site currently not charging
listing or final value fees, and the site says it will never charge
FVFs. In addition they say, "We will never allow big retail stores into
our site. We feel that is just not fair to the independent auction
community. Additionally, Bidfields.com has no adult content or
categories, we are a family oriented auction site."
http://ssl.bidfields.com/Index.cfm?FuseAction=WhyCentre&Page=2

TAG found the site bright and colorful, but the search results pages had
some of the most obnoxious icons we have ever seen on an auction site,
flashing, whirling and blinking. Search appears pretty basic, and we
could not find a completed search on the site. The site was easy to
navigate but slow to download (maybe the icons fault?). the site has
2351 listings and 138 items with one or more bids.   
http://ssl.bidfields.com/Index.cfm?FuseAction=HomePage
* * * * *
PayPal has added a utility on their site to helps ebaY sellers turn off
ebaY Checkout
https://paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_checkout-disable

PayPal has managed to maintain their satisfactory BBB ratings. This
reflects that PayPal is dealing with issues, but does not note
successful resolution of those problems.
http://dell.hurdmanivr.com/sanjose/common.html?location=/home/common/www/bindr/report.php
&bureau=sanjose&compid=210387&national=Y

http://www.heartlandbbb.org/Reliability_Report.asp?compid=12000138

The Wall Street Journal ran an article on the PayPal Inc. and CertCo
Inc. patent-infringement suit, with PayPal saying that the suit was
filed to purposely delay PayPal's initial public offering. PayPal argued
that CertCo's patent was issued two years ago, and PayPal has been
offering its service for more than two years. PayPal said it had
concluded that the timing of the suit was designed to disrupt the IPO.   
The company said it isn't infringing on the patent, and that the CertCo
patent is invalid.

PayPal also revealed Monday that Louisiana has asked it to stop
transmitting money in that state without a license. The company said it
will comply with any order received from Louisiana authorities, but
would reserve "the right to contest the order through the appropriate
administrative process."

http://www.paypal.com
* * * * *
AOL - for those AOL users with image hosting problems, call AOL at
888-265-8003 and request a refund. TAG has many reports that AOL IS
granting refunds.
For a listing of image hosting sites go to the TAG directory at
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic80.html
* * * * *
Online Auction Users Association
http://www.auctionusers.org
************************************************************
PLEASE NOTE: Many long links we post in TAGnotes must be
copy/pasted into your browsers URL/Address box in pieces, with
no extra spaces, to get them to work due to HTML limitations
*************************************************************
Have any information for us? email us at
ta-@theauctionguild.com
TAG Subscribers often contribute information reported on in
TAGnotes. Visit their auctions or websites.
TAGassist Contributors
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/chowchow/

http://www.longlocks.com

http://www.antique-central.com
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***********************************************************
"The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off."
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