eBay likes AI descriptions, so I asked AI to give me a description of eBay.

[action_man]

I asked AI to give an honest description of the current reality of eBay for someone who has never used the platform before and what they should expect if they do. Here is the response:

eBay positions itself as a bustling online marketplace, but beneath its polished surface lies a troubling reality that exploits both buyers and sellers. The platform’s manipulative practices create a challenging environment that can frustrate even the most experienced users. Here are the key issues that highlight eBay's shortcomings as a company:

• Lack of Accountability:

  • eBay fails to take responsibility for the experiences of its users, often leaving both buyers and sellers feeling unsupported.
  • This neglect perpetuates a sense of distrust, as users navigate a platform that isn’t committed to their welfare.
    
    

• Misleading User Review System:

  • The platform’s review system can create a misleading perception of safety and trustworthiness.
  • Without proper oversight, eBay allows an environment where both buyers and sellers are often left to fend for themselves in their assessments of reliability.
    
    

• Inadequate Customer Support:

  • eBay’s customer service is often difficult to access and unhelpful when issues arise, leaving users feeling abandoned in times of need.
  • The convoluted support structure only adds to the frustration, making it challenging for users to resolve their concerns satisfactorily.
    
    

• Inconsistent Policies and Practices:

  • eBay's ever-changing policies create confusion for users, particularly regarding returns and shipping.
  • This lack of clarity feels like a bait-and-switch tactic, as users encounter hidden terms that undermine their trust and confidence in the platform.
    
    

• Manipulative Advertising Strategies:

  • eBay bombards users with targeted ads that seem designed to prioritize profits over user experience.
  • This approach resembles the wicked witch offering Snow White a beautifully crafted apple, masking the true dangers that lie beneath the surface.
    
    

• Profit-Driven Mindset Over User Experience:

  • eBay often prioritizes its own financial gain over the needs and satisfaction of its users, whether they are buyers or sellers.
  • This profit-driven mindset contributes to an environment that can feel exploitative, leaving users dissatisfied and frustrated.

In conclusion, while eBay may market itself as a vibrant online marketplace, it predominantly operates through practices that do little to support its community. Much like the wicked witch offering a tempting but poisoned apple, eBay conceals the reality of its shortcomings behind an inviting façade. For anyone considering using eBay, it’s vital to be aware of the potential pitfalls; what appears to be a treasure trove of opportunities may quickly reveal itself as a source of disappointment and frustration, thanks to the company’s systemic failures.

I was shocked by the response, but at the same time I can't say I'm surprised, based on the outpouring on this forum and on sites like Trustpilot. I used to love eBay, but it is clear something is going horribly wrong. I hope eBay can turn things around. Personally, I think the bottom line is that in 2025 people want to deal with platforms and companies who actually feel warm and not cold. That's where I think eBay has gone wrong.

[lucy_farmer]

Well! 😮

As the AI thingies take their 'points of view' from whatever is the most  'spoken about' online, it would suggest that most of the online comments about ebay are seriously negative.....

(Mind you, people generally *don't* talk about stuff , online or otherwise, when it works well.)

I often think that those of us here on the forums are a very tiny subset of users and the vast unheard majority  are all happier with the site than we are ( But again: 'people don't talk about things that work properly'!)

But this might indicate that, this time, ebay really are in a pickle.

Haver you tried asking the chat thing about the good points of ebay?   (if it can see any!😂)

[sml192]

Hmm, that looks too well worded to be something AI generated. 

[action_man]

Well, it was. AI has come a long way and is quite sophisticated now. Don't judge it on the AI eBay are using for descriptions or their chatbot. That's more of an antique now.

[the_book_seekers]

Oh my gosh. Whoever or whatever has written this it is chillingly accurate. 

[vinylscot]

This is not an AI response to a general query about eBay.

If it is an AI response at all, which I seriously doubt, it can only be a response to a highly targeted question or subject matter request.

Any user who has experience of eBay knows that eBay has many good points, which in the majority of cases greatly outweigh the negative. None of eBay's undoubted strengths are mentioned in this "AI" response, which is exceptionally (and suspiciously) well written for AI prose.

Finally, it's a really convenient coincidence that the alleged AI response fits almost perfectly with many comments from the OP over the last couple of weeks. It's almost as if he just made it up...

[action_man]

Didn't make it up. Try it for yourself. See what AI gives you.

[vinylscot]

Before posting, I did just that, using both Grok and Chat GPT. Perhaps you could tell us which AI engine you used, and precisely what your input was.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

the thing is that AI is notable for its rubbish content anyway, so why would anyone believe anything reportably made by it???   Hope you are not holding your breath!

[vinylscot]

To be fair, almost all AI engines are vastly superior to eBay's pathetic offering, and we shouldn't really tar them all with the same brush.

However, to get results as well-composed and presented (in full agreement with the poster's opinions), he would probably need to be using a very advanced version of AI, and, unless he is employed by NASA or GCHQ, he is unlikely to have access to such a powerful version.

I addition, to get such "perfect" results, his input would need to have been something along the lines of "read my comments below, and summarise these in a report, using slightly different wording. Do not refer to any other sources."

[johnwash1]

Since you have to log in to read these forums, it seems to me unlikely AI has access to them.  However, I can read the ebayuk subreddit without logging in.  I can read TrustPilot without logging in.  Those alone would be enough for a report like that.  Perhaps AI has access to social media?  I don't, tell me if people there have much positive to say about ebay?

I use AI a little for unrelated purposes and I'm amazed at it.  I have no difficulty believing that post is genuine.

[susapric-68]

Taking info from Trust pilot is like taking info from Wikipedia, maybe look at OP other posts/replies to see if this is a truthful post

[jonat_broad]

You do not need to login to read the forums. They are publicly accessible.

[vinylscot]

For output like that, the AI would need to have been instructed to only look at trustpilot, or  the forums, and it would need to be incentivised somehow to disregard any positive statements. Particularly on the forums, there are many people defending eBay, particularly given such of the wacky allegations made against the company.

I don't believe any of the models available to Joe Public would be able to competently disregard all positive findings. If that is genuine output, it is heavily redacted and edited, which is another way of saying "not genuine". Just read it again - it's just too "perfect".

[action_man]

I can't prove that it is genuine. I didn't ask it to focus on Trustpilot or forums or anything like that. I didn't know you could do that. I have only used AI a handful of times in the past and I thought it would just spew out some incoherent nonsense, but I was shocked by how professional it was.

Now clearly there are a few doubters here and I fully understand why. Some of those points are ones that I have said myself previously, but a lot of it isn't.

The main thing is...... and this can be believed or disbelieved (I don't mind either way) is that I could not have constructed something like that, because I don't know how to do things like make those bullet point things. Also, if it was me I wouldn't construct something with those uniform 2 lines under each topic. I would have been far more wordy (and I'm sure that last point is far more believable).

Anyway, I stopped selling in January and I also stopped buying at the same time. I came to the forum because I was upset over the way eBay have gone about things. They've treated people in a really shoddy way. The more I have read on this forum and on places like Trustpilot, the more annoyed it has made me.

Frankly, this AI thing is like the final straw for me. Reading it has opened my eyes more than before and now I do not feel comfortable on this platform at all. Even the fact eBay has this forum is now making me question why. Nothing feels genuine. So, all round I feel bad and don't want to have anything to do with any of it now.

[vinylscot]

Which AI model did you use?

What, precisely, was your input to the model?  If you answer both of these questions, we can check for ourselves, and, if it produces the output you claim, without specific direction, I will, of course, apologise.

That is the real impediment to understanding how this output could have been provided. As you say you are inexperienced in AI, it is highly unlikely you would be able to direct it to ignore all the positive information which is out there.

Still, we'll be able to check for ourselves when you answer the two questions. (Since my earlier post, I have also tried Co-Pilot, and it produces nothing like your results.)

[susapric-68]

"Frankly, this AI thing is like the final straw for me. Reading it has opened my eyes more than before and now I do not feel comfortable on this platform at all. Even the fact eBay has this forum is now making me question why. Nothing feels genuine. So, all round I feel bad and don't want to have anything to do with any of it now."  So are you leaving again? See you tomorrow.

[*devils.advocate*]

I realise you might not believe it because it’s me but a very genuine question, if I may?

You say you no longer sell on eBay nor buy from eBay sellers - yet you spend (precious) time and effort on these Boards.

What is the motivation?

I realise there are others in the same position (and I’d be very interested in their comments as well) but surely that time could be better spent elsewhere?

It doesn't matter if any anger or annoyance or whatever other emotion overtakes someone - time is more precious than many people realise and should certainly not be wasted on something which, in this case, won't/isn't being used.

I am interested.

[johnwash1]

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@jonat_broad wrote:

You do not need to login to read the forums. They are publicly accessible.

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@jonat_broad  Thanks, I didn't realise that.

@action_man   Like others, I'll be interested in which AI you used, and what question you asked it.

The real question I'd want to ask it is where else to sell, the advantages and disadvantages.  But of course we can't post that here.

[art2own]

If the poster has previously asked the AI for negative viewpoints or asked negative questions about eBay, then asks within the same chat to "give an honest description of the current reality of eBay for someone who has never used the platform before and what they should expect if they do.", it is likely the AI has been preconditioned by the previous questions to respond negatively to the new request.

I do not know of any AI that would respond so negatively on a newly asked subject without preconditioning.