[78-L] oooWEE policy change regarding feedback

[Benno Häupl]

. 
Cary,  
I beg to differ on your opinion about eBay's attitude concerning sellers and buyers. 

You probably have never sold on a European eBay platform where things have been different for a long time. 

Let me tell you that the European Union, as from 2012, will adopt most of the strict German consumer 
protection laws concerning all 
- internet sales, 
- sales in the streets, 
- sales over the phone (telemarketing, forbidden anyway, has no chance). 

This also includes any sales contract signed when the buyer did not SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR A SALES APPOINTMENT,  
for example buying stock from your bank or a broker, a car, a home...  

As I said, the following applies to internet sales and thus also eBay auctions and Buy-It-Nows: 

- contract may be cancelled within 30 days for any reason 
- item may be returned for any reason within 30 days, even if buyer does not like the color or so 
- seller pays for return shipping if item price exceeds 40 euros ($60) 
- seller must inform the buyer in writing about ALL his consumer protection rights the latest at the 
moment of sale, otherwise the right to return an item for full refund is ---  forever. 
- buyer is entitled to know before the bid or purchase who his business partner is going to be (full name, 
address, phone/fax number, email addy on the item page or web page), plus all terms of sale - otherwise: void. 
- minimum warranty for new items is 2 years (some commodities even 3 years) 
- minimum warranty for USED ITEMS is 1 year, including cars, shoes - whatever (not applicable to 
PRIVATE sellers who specifically EXCLUDE the warranty)    

You see, there some fundamental difference in business practices (and laws) in Europe and America. 
I am glad that most of this is now going to be the law IN ALL 27 EU COUNTRIES. 
BTW, since the introduction of these laws in Germany and other Central European countries, the sales went way up 
due to the increase of confidence on the part of the buyers! 
 
Benno