By Adhemar Altieri*
If you’re getting ready for Christmas Shopping on eBay, here’s something you should know. I waited a good long time to write this, wondering if perhaps eBay would recognize its inappropriate behavior and decision-making process. Alas, nothing happened, so here is the story.
Last September, I tried to purchase a book on eBay. I’ve picked up several items on eBay over the years but this one, by comparison, was a small one – about $20. After a few attempts to conclude the purchase and being returned to the original product page without an explanation, I gave up. On September 6th, I got this on an e-mail from eBay:
We wanted to let you know that your eBay account has been permanently suspended because of activity that we believe was putting the eBay community at risk. We understand that this must be frustrating, but this decision was not made lightly and it’s important that we keep our marketplace safe for everyone.
Safe for everyone? Community at risk? I wrote and asked what exactly do they mean, and got a response, from Priya P. (no last name – transparency is a desirable trait when dealing with the public, eBay…). Here’s how that attempt to understand what happened went:
After careful deliberation and investigation, we regret to inform you that based on the information we currently have on record, we have decided that your account will remain indefinitely suspended. We understand that this decision may be inconvenient for you however, we must prioritize the safety and security of our platform and our users, and take all necessary measures to enforce our policies and maintain the integrity of our service.
Safety, integrity and security of the platform, again. And a reference to ‘information we currently have on record’. Pray tell, eBay, what information are we talking about? I did absolutely nothing wrong, and no, I am not inconvenienced at all not having eBay as an option for any purchases as there are numerous alternatives out there – anything you sell can be bought elsewhere. But I do have to know what it is that you are alleging I have done. So I insisted, and got this from Soumyadip D. (again, no last name):
Building a trusted marketplace is our first priority. We suspend any account that poses a risk to that. Your account has been suspended because the pattern of activities we have witnessed pose a risk to our eBay community. After careful deliberation and investigation, I regret to inform you that this suspension is permanent and there is no further opportunity to appeal this decision. I will have to refrain from sharing the exact reason why we have taken this decision because sharing the reason would mean disclosing our internal procedure.
Plus, this:
In addition, any other account that you own or is associated with this account, will also be suspended. While we realize that you may not agree with our decision, please understand that this decision is final and will not be reversed.
So this is clearly a decision against me, personally. Attention eBay shoppers, because if it happened to me and for no identifiable reason, it can happen just as easily to you:
1. I have done nothing wrong, except trying to buy a book on eBay. If a mistake was made, that would be it;
2. My account has been suspended, with numerous insinuations that I somehow pose a risk or threat to the eBay community and have behaved improperly. I do not take lightly anything along those lines being said about me, by anyone, including eBay. If you say it, you have to explain why;
3. After three tries, I have obtained no explanation for this from eBay, except for vague references to procedures and posing risks to the eBay community, none of which ever happened;
Why should you out there be concerned? Because eBay has massive, long-term data about consumer habits, personal information and preferences, which allows them and others who might use their vast database to establish trends or target specific demographics, communities and individuals. So, what does eBay data say about me right now? That I behave dangerously as an online shopper? Can that make its way to other platforms and cause harm to me? Am I now someone who other platforms should consider a risk? Blacklisted?
So, should eBay be allowed to not say why they choose drastic measures that directly affect a client’s image and reputation? Not being able to make a purchase on eBay is the least of my concerns, in fact it’s not a concern at all. Everything else that could happen involving my name, personal reputation and online profile is the real problem here, and in times when more and more of what we do happens online, this is potentially very serious. It should not be up to eBay what anyone, including eBay, thinks about me or you.
From my end, I will see to it that this makes its way to as many people as possible. I told eBay in my responses that if I didn’t receive a clear explanation for what they did, I would take this matter to the public. Since that made no impact and drew nothing beyond the responses I included above, I assume they are not concerned with what the public might think.
This has all the makings of a machine-made ‘decision’, without human criteria or interference – an increasingly popular cost-saving measure in companies like eBay. It should be easy to correct, but eBay refuses to explain their procedures and, apparently, is even more hesitant about admitting what really happened than willing to sort out a very simple matter with a client. It would mean showing the public just how fragile eBay’s assessment systems really are.
Keep all of this in mind when you shop online this holiday season, especially if your preferred shopping destination is eBay. Apparently, and until a proper explanation is offered, they have no qualms about treating a client, without explanation, like a common online criminal. And that’s clearly unacceptable.
*Adhemar Altieri is Executive Director of MediaLink Corporate Communications, a PR company based in São Paulo, Brazil. He is a former Producer with CTV News and CBC News in Canada, a former freelance contributor with CBS News and the BBC World Service, and a reporter and news executive in Brazil with TV Globo, the SBT network and the Estado group of media companies. His extensive, award-winning career in corporate communications includes key roles with the American Chamber of Commerce for Brazil (Amcham), the Hospitality Institute and the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry and Bioenergy Association (UNICA).
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