@4_bathrooms wrote:
@theelench wrote:
I know, so you will also have noticed that no-one else is interested in pointing out that it isn't just sellers mis-representing themselves that constitutes illegal trading.
I suspect that is because there are very few threads where it ever gets mentioned; in most cases a private seller has absolutely no way of knowing whether their buyer is purchasing as a business or not. A business using a private account to buy stock will not be apparent as such unless they mention that is what they are doing. A "private" seller with a history of listing dozens of BNWT items of clothing at a time - all in different sizes and pictured modelled on mannequins - is highly likely to be a trader masquerading as a private seller whether the seller realises it or not. However, it is far less clear when someone is buying as a business as you only have their feedback received as a buyer to go on and many private buyers (myself included) regularly buy things for other people.
That said, I actually believe the practice is more common than traders using private accounts for selling. The concept of traders using one account for buying and a different account for selling in order to hide what they originally paid for an item goes way back to before eBay even had distinct business and private account structures. A trader engaging in this type of arbitrage is almost certainly not going to want their details shown on their buying account in order to prevent their buyers from being able to link it to their selling account.
I agree with what you say but ebay, by allowing multiple accounts, has created a situation that is open to mis-representation and abuse when buying. Just as it has created the situation for selling.
In particular I agree when you say "I believe the practice is more common than traders using private accounts for selling...".
You've noticed that there are "very few threads where it ever gets mentioned" and I've noticed that even on the few occasions where it is, it's ignored.
There are regular posters that have opinions or advice to give on almost every topic that comes-up on the boards. But not on that one, any mention is passed over without comment.
There are those whose sole reason for posting seems to be outing businesses trading on private accounts. But even blatant examples of businesses mis-representing themselves to fool private sellers elicits no comment. e.g a vinyl seller boasting of having talked a private seller into selling them a rare record for their 'private collection', then flipping it to make a £100 profit, was completely ignored.
On one thread where I did mention the practice I was told by a respected regular that "That's business" not "That's criminal" and their comment went unchallenged. Just two examples which lead me to believe that the practice is rife and so widespread that it has become accepted business practice on ebay.
It's something that ebay needs to address IMO. When there were enough private buyers of collectables to give the traders some competition it wasn't such a problem, but now there aren't in many areas and their activities are becoming easier to spot. So are the 'bargains' re-listed at inflated (or real market value) prices easier to see by the original sellers and ebay's reputation takes another knock every time they do.
