GUITAR BOARD

On Thu, 29 Jun 2006 07:29:15 +0100, [5x5] wrote:


I can see eBay as being home to all manner of undesirables.

As well as the obvious - touts, petty conmen, bootleggers and
counterfeiters - eBay could also be a refuge for:

Money launderers - what a perfect way to shift small amounts of goods
paid for with funny money without attracting attention.

Receivers - the perfect way to get rid of fenced goods.

Seconds being pitched as perfect - buy a load of substandard goods at
rock bottom prices then sell at a profit as perfect.

Lets face it, you dont really know what youre buying and who from.

Im sure this list could be added to..............

Maybe some sort of surety bond procedure could be implemented in which
only credit and debit card holders would be entitled to bid, sell or
buy and who would have to give card details to eBay so that a nominal
but fairly significant sum could be debited from them in the event of
dispute - say Ł100. This amount wouldnt be taken until that
eventuality occurred and would be returned immediately the matter was
reconciled.

OK, not faultless and Im sure that there are wrinkles in all of this,
but it is a system adopted when booking a hotel room for example and
it works for the majority of transactions, Im sure.

It would also mean more work for eBay, but I reckon that they could
stand the extra cost - theyve had their cake and eaten it too for
long enough.

Steve.