ePrey "required" telephone numbers

Makes sense in my opinion. The phone number is worth something!
How often does one reveal ones email addresse to get $5 off with some online retailer? A real phone number is harder to obtain and can be linked better to an individual's identity and thus should be worth more than $5.

If eBay wasn't upfront about the whole deal that's what they chose to do and I hope they disclose that part of the deal before you are totally comitted to buy it. If they let you back out after revealing the whole deal then it's up to you how you decide what you think your phone number is worth vs the rest of the deal etc.
If however they force you to honor the contract and change things after that then that's shady and won't hold up in court.

I'm surprised at how many people think that a piece of their identity /privacy isn't worth anything.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Guest, I cannot find that in the Terms of Service. Can you give a reference?
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eBay User Agreement
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/user-agreement.html

Purchase Conditions
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/user-agreement.html#7

Rules for Buyers - Overview
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/buyer-rules-overview.html

False or Missing Contact Information Policy
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/identity-false.html

It is a very important feature that benefits both the buyer and seller. Though, as I stated before..... it is up to the seller whether or not it will be required to complete checkout, because the option to do so (or not) is under their general preferences.

Sellers on eBay are not the only entity that "require" buyers phone numbers. There have been a number of times where I was required to enter my phone number to complete a transaction through an online merchant.

Reasons why a merchant may ask for your phone number includes, but are not limited to.....

- Problems with the order or information given.

- Items out of stock or damaged.

- Protection from fraud.

- Shipping Carrier requires it. Yes, some shipping carriers (UPS & FedEx) require a phone number from customers for assistance, if needed. Things like being unable to locate a house or apartment, dog(s) in the yard, or lack of street addresses because of a rural environment can and will occur. And by you giving your phone number, it helps the carrier effectively, efficiently, and safely deliver your shipment. Plus, recourse if a problem arises.

Not to say, all the information provided above applies to you..... I'm just giving a few reasons why they would require your phone number. To reiterate, it's basically (and mostly) to protect both the buyer and seller, and not as malice as you may think.
 
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GuestWho101 said:
eBay User Agreement
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/user-agreement.html
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Does not say eBay or seller can require me to give a telephone number

Purchase Conditions
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/user-agreement.html#7
Click to expand...

Does not say eBay or seller can require me to give a telephone number.

Rules for Buyers - Overview
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/buyer-rules-overview.html
Click to expand...

Does not say eBay or seller can require me to give a telephone number.

False or Missing Contact Information Policy
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/identity-false.html
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Says: "eBay members are required to provide accurate contact information such as their name, address, or telephone number when registering on eBay. eBay members are not allowed to use a fax or disconnected number as a telephone number."

So why, after all these years on this one, and not subsequent purchases, does eBay say it requires the number; it does not require the number; and the seller requires the number? Seem unrelated to the language cited.

It is a very important feature that benefits both the buyer and seller. Though, as I stated before..... it is up to the seller whether or not it will be required to complete checkout, because the option to do so (or not) is under their general preferences.
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Where in the TOS does it say the seller can require a telephone number be given to eBay?

Reasons why a merchant may ask for your phone number includes, but are not limited to.....

- Problems with the order or information given.

- Items out of stock or damaged.

- Protection from fraud.
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eBay said it was either: 1) to allow the mailing label to be printed; or 2) to verify my address.

Shipping Carrier requires it. Yes, some shipping carriers (UPS & FedEx) require a phone number from customers for assistance, if needed. Things like being unable to locate a house or apartment, dog(s) in the yard, or lack of street addresses because of a rural environment can and will occur. And by you giving your phone number, it helps the carrier effectively, efficiently, and safely deliver your shipment. Plus, recourse if a problem arises.
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That may be but not in this case or in any other purchase by me from eBay over the years.

Not to say, all the information provided above applies to you..... I'm just giving a few reasons why they would require your phone number. To reiterate, it's basically (and mostly) to protect both the buyer and seller, and not as malice as you may think.
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I assume they do what is done for financial reasons or out of incompetence. Every contact resulted in a different story, each inconsistent with the one before. Only what the seller finally said made sense.
 
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I guess you don't "get it". :o

It's rather clear to me. :)

Though, no matter what I say..... you'll try to find a way to justify your actions. I guess it's one of those, "agree, to disagree" endeavors.

No hard feelings, buddy!

Good luck with your findings!!! :thumbup:

(P.S.) The User Agreement you provided is outdated. :(
 
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Thomas Linton said:
The "item" is the only knife of its pattern I have even seen. It was made before WWII. In my view, eBay has no right to change the deal after it closes. Walking away was not part of the deal. The knife for the agreed price was the deal.
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Sounds super rare! Is it rare enough for you to give them your phone number? Is it rare enough for you to give up on this fight of what seems like principals? That is a personal choice you will have to make.

As for wanting to warn us about ebay? Thanks. Most of us know it can be a shady place at times.

I have won some things that if the seller asked for my left arm I would have given it to them (exaggeration for effect). I've also had people try to change the deal after they hit the buy it now button. Even if they came to their senses and agreed to pay full price I would not have sold them the item. Folks who don't play by the agreed rules aren't worth my time, and certainly not a big old GB&U thread ;)
 
Thank you, Guest.

The User Agreement link was provided by you in post 62. I merely copied the link. But it is the one that comes up on the top of the list from a Google search for eBay user agreement. Perhaps they have secretly changed the agreement?
 
Thank you, Guest.

The User Agreement link was provided by you in post 62. I merely copied the link. But it is the one that comes up on the top of the list from a Google search for eBay user agreement. Perhaps they have secretly changed the agreement?

craytab said:
... Folks who don't play by the agreed rules aren't worth my time, and certainly not a big old GB&U thread ;)
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Then should we change the name of the subforum to "The Good"?
 
If I remember, eBay requires you to list a phone number when you register. Any online retailer requires your phone number to complete an order. Nothing to see here.
 
As I said, eBay blocked payment and said I was required to give them my telephone number to complete the transaction.

Presumably, if eBay had my telephone number already as you remember, this incident would not have happened.

Presumably, if eBay already has everyone's number as you remember, the seller would not have said it always asks for the number and then apologized and admitted that it had not said a telephone number was a condition of this sale: "Thank you for the input. We have investigated this and see that you are correct. We will make some adjustments to our listings so this information is reflected. Thanks for the input! jm"

But if they asked for something they already had, recall that I did not rule out incompetence.

You are putting a lot of effort into this, Gk. Does this mean we are not blood-brothers any more?
 
There are things on eBay that are not in the user agreement. The seller has a bunch of options available to them in their control panel settings and in listing details. The seller seems to have clicked to box requiring the number which is allowed. I am not surprised that any if the customer service reps were clueless as to the rules and policies and probably just took a wild guess in their replies to you. I understand your point but I guess only you can decide if this US the hill you die on......how bad do you want the knife, you either need to walk away or forfeit a phone number. Sounds like a rare find to me and I'd be glad to donate my number if it helps you get it. Hope it all works out
 
Hope you get it under the original terms, Thomas.
I wouldn't want to give them my number either, and especially since it wasn't mentioned in the sales add.
Good luck.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Then should we change the name of the subforum to "The Good"?
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Or should we call it "make a bunch of threads complaining about a company yet continue to use that company and then be outraged when that company again doesn't treat you well"? Long title but it sure sums up your situation well ;)
 
Thomas Linton said:
So it's OK with you after all to report a company that "don't play by the agreed rules"?
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Over and over again? The question would then become why a person would continue to do business with them? You've already answered that. This is the risk you are continuing to take. I'm sure it sucks but why complaining about it to no end now? If you continue to use ebay you will continue to have ebay problems. Can we expect a thread every time you have a problem with ebay? At a certain point people will start to question the sanity of doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. I think that point has been reached.
 
craytab said:
Over and over again? The question would then become why a person would continue to do business with them? You've already answered that. This is the risk you are continuing to take. I'm sure it sucks but why complaining about it to no end now? If you continue to use ebay you will continue to have ebay problems. Can we expect a thread every time you have a problem with ebay? At a certain point people will start to question the sanity of doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. I think that point has been reached.
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Agreed ....... Please stick a fork in it.
 
Gastonknife said:
Agreed ....... Please stick a fork in it.
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Yup, I was surprised to see this thread pop up again. My iq definitely dropped a few points reading through this entire thread. [emoji12]. Dangit, now I'm at fault for bumping it. Sorry.
 
ebay's had my phone number for at least 10 years (my real #) and i have never had a problem with them or other companies contacting (soliciting) me. i get the principal of it but i'm just giving my experience/opinion. i really like ebay. i think they are fair and as a buyer and seller i can definitely say they side with the buyer more often than not. there are changes happening to their policies now that they split with paypal, might have to read some of the "fine print".
 
The solution is pretty obvious.

Just use one of the many other auction sites with millions of users selling and bidding...like uh...er...uh...
 
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