Two Different Stores....... Same Seller?

[aussietastic]

Hi

Is there a way to tell if two different eBay stores are operated by the same seller?

It just seems like a coincidence that two identical new items that I was looking at, have slightly different prices, slightly different page style but exact same wording, same seller location, same courier company and sellers has the exact same arrogant, aggressive response to negative feedback. 

I had thought of this a while ago when I had a bad experience with a seller and had to return an item. Went to look for the same item from a different seller and found the same thing.... ended up buying from the shops.

I've just noticed this again now. Is it allowed? How can you tell?

Oh!.. I remember seeing a bit like this on Seinfeld, where Elaine was treated rudely by a sales assistant in a clothes shop. So she proceeded to the opposition, across the road I think and purchased a stack of stuff, then waved it in front of the sales assistant, mentioning the store where she bought it all. Later she found out the stores were owned by the same company. LOL

Sad, but true reflection of the world we live in.

Thanks

[audistarelectronics]

Hi, don't think there is any rule saying no to this one, as long as all the sellers accounts are operating under the ebay rules......oh yes, what rules I hear you say. Look like anything goes these days. Just buyer beware and more aware at that.

[aussietastic]

Yes..... How does it go?..... Caveat Emptor !

Thanks

[putney32]

no, there is no way to tell who owns the eBay ID

there is no rule stopping anyone having a lot of different ebay IDs but it is usually done to sell DIFFERENT types of products in each individual Store.

what you are encountering is probably a couple of sellers selling via a Drop Shipper or the same Wholesaler, who in turn provides the seller with photos / descriptions eetc....

[cq_tech]

Or it could just as easily be one person using two IDs so they can take advantage of the 40 free listing on each ID. The point is, we don't know and probably never will.

[aussietastic]

Yeah, maybe I'm just being paranoid, there'd be no dodgy stuff going on around here.

However, there should be a simple process implemented to be able to find out if different stores are operated by the same sellers. Due to the simple fact that who does the Policing on eBay..... It is certainly not eBay themselves. it is the users of eBay that do it, like with shill bidding, the only way they get caught is by a user reporting suspicion of the activity. I have reported what I thought to be shill bidding before and surprisingly achieved results, but that took my time to track the item and bidders etc and you still have only suspicions because of all the privacy.

With one seller using the multiple id's to sell identical items, the problem comes down to their ability to "manipulate the market place" by listing one item at a much higher price to encourage people to buy the item you also have listed at the price you want to sell at, but appears to be a different seller.

I would suggest this is wrong and should not be permissible, but who would know?

The users should have a right to know, because I have my doubts about eBay's policing activities.

Sometimes you get the feeling that eBay encourages fraudulent activities by their "Don't Know, Don't Care" attitude.

As usual it is up to the individual to do their best to protect their own bottoms (cannot say ars*, gets removed LOL), I suppose.

[cq_tech]

Really? I have no trouble at all saying ar$e on these boards. 🙂

[chameleon54]

You may be correct about the two stores operated by one seller. I have three selling IDs which sometimes sell similar products. Occasionally I have a buyer buy items from at least two IDs on the same day. ( it happened last week ).  I,m sure they get a suprise when the items arrive in identical packages with the same return address. I have a few regular international buyers of collectables from all three IDs and I combine post over the three accounts for them. ( Yes I know I could have problems but they are trusted regulars and it saves them considerable post costs. ). My reason for having seperate accounts is for online security after having my main account targeted for interferance. It was an extremly worrying time in which I had to turn my account off for an extended period of time, resulting in no income. Splitting my business provides greater online security and allows me to manage my taxation responsabilities in the most effective way. There can be many reasons for sellers having multiple accounts, not all of them being for unscrupulous reasons.

[aussietastic]

Ha Ha ..... very good ..... I might use that ..... Does that also mean you may have a bottom with some value?

[aussietastic]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

 There can be many reasons for sellers having multiple accounts, not all of them being for unscrupulous reasons.

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Sorry, I think you would be in the minority on this one.