Leslie Walker

• eBay.com • EBay's Profit Soaring (July 20, 2001) • Retail's Piece of the Auction (July 19, 2001) • EBay Opens Web Site to Retailers (June 11, 2001) • Leslie Walker's .com • .com Live Transcripts • Tech Thursday • Washtech.com

Leslie Walker's .com Live
Guest: Jim Griffith, eBay's Ambassador and Consumer Spokesperson

Thursday, Aug. 9, 2001, 1 p.m. ET

Internet auctioneer eBay has emerged as the shining oasis of e-commerce, the one place where there is a river of profit that grows stronger every quarter. Today's .com Live guest is Jim Griffith, one of eBay's first employees who still comes to work in baseball caps and red suspenders.

Jim Griffith (aka "Griff") (Courtesy eBay)

EBay aspires to make its community of 34 million buyers and sellers the largest trading community on Earth. As such it has been steadily expanding into new countries, price formats, merchandise categories and even recruiting new kinds of dealers.

During the tumultuous change accompanying its growth, eBay has struggled to preserve the sense of community that marked its early life as a spot where people traded Pez dispensers. In the past 18 months, eBay has beefed up customer support in Salt Lake City and launched an offline training seminar called eBay University that moves around the country.

Submit Your Questions and Comments: Griffith -- known for years as "Uncle Griff" on eBay's message boards -- is the lead trainer at eBay University and was its first customer support representative back in 1996. He joins .com columnist Leslie Walker to talk about the trials and tribulations of trading on eBay. Their one-hour live discussion will take place on Thursday, Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.

And don't miss Leslie's .com column, published weekly on Washtech.com. In today's column, she writes about eBay University. Click here to read it now.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

To read the most recent responses, click "Get New Text" or select "Automatically Update Page."

Leslie Walker: Hi Griff! Glad to have you here today. You're a legend on eBay. I loved reading how you got started, posting tales on eBay's bulletin boards about how you dressed up as a woman and supposedly lived--a la Norman Bates -- with your Mom. Ebay founders Pierre Omidyar and Jeff Skoll found you so entertaining they hired you as their first customer service rep.

So tell us, how much different was eBay then? Did you imagine eBay would get this big?

Jim Griffith: Good morning Leslie (or good afternoon. It's still morning here in Salt Lake City...)

Thank you on behalf of all of us here at eBay for providing this fantastic opportunity for us to chat with you and your readers.

So, was eBay different "back then?" Well, eBay was much smaller in 1996 - only several thousand registered users and about 5 to 10 thousand items on the site. Also, the site was known as "AuctionWeb" until September 1st, 1997.

Another aspect of eBay which is completely different is that the original web site was very plain. There were no graphics or colors except for a light gray background with black text for every eBay web page. Oh, yes... the title bars on each auction page where basically the same shade of blue-green they are today. Otherwise, the "look" was very basic and very bland.

Although we always had the highest hopes for the site's future, most of us who were a part of the first year of eBay never imagined it would have grown as popular and huge as it has become in the last few years. We were all so involved in the frenzy of the day-to-day operations of a start up company that we didn't have much time to stop and think, "Hey, I wonder where we will all be in 5 years..." One thing though, though it was sometimes a bit scary and we all worked ridiculously long hours, it was always an immense amount of fun.

Leslie Walker: Rockville, MD: Where can I get a list of cities and dates for the University? Leslie Walker: Here's a list on eBay's site: http://www.ebay.com/university

Vienna VA: What are the biggest mistakes you see people making when they try to sell something on eBay for the first time?

Jim Griffith: Hi Vienna VA,

The biggest mistakes of the new seller (and unfortunately, some of the more seasoned eBay sellers) are:

1. Not composing a detailed and comprehensive description of the item they are selling.

Some sellers just type a line or two and state "email me with other questions". It's always best if the seller anticipates each possible question about an item they are attempting to sell and answers them in the description.


2. Missing or incomplete payment and shipping terms.

Don't leave the bidder or buyer to guess how much it will cost to ship an item to them - give them some information. Also, make sure your payment terms are explicit. Consider offering an online payment option like BillPoint so that folks can use their credit card (if they choose) to pay for your item.

3. Missing, unclear or unedited pictures.

For most cases, you simply cannot expect to get serious buyer interest if you don't include a photo or two of the item. Make sure the photos are focused and clear and most importantly, edit your digital images (photos) so they are not too large thus taking forever to download!

DC: You have no seminars coming in our area at all? Please, do plan to have some, you have a lot of enthusiastic eBay-ers here too.

Leslie Walker: Good question--I've had a few e-mails today asking when you're going to bring eBay University to the DC area. Can you tell us why we haven't been on the training schedule so far?

Jim Griffith: Hi DC (nice nickname!)

You will be please to learn that eBay University is coming to the Washington DC area on October 5th and 6th. Visit the eBay University page in the coming weeks in order to register and learn more about the workshops!

www.ebay.com/university

Alexandria: What's the best thing I can watch for to avoid fraudulent auctions or dealers on eBay?

Jim Griffith: Hello Alexandria,

A very good question! Trading on eBay can be a safe and satisfying experience IF you follow a few simple but important guidelines while shopping. When you find an item you are interested in at eBay and before you bid, you should:

1. Read the description carefully.

A good seller will include a detailed description for their item and they will also include very clear options for payment and shipping.

2. Check the seller's feedback!

Every eBay user has a number next to their User Id. That number is the user's eBay Feedback. If you click the number, you can view all of the past comments left by other eBay users. It's a unique public record of their praise or complaints about dealing with that user. If the seller you are checking out has a pattern of complaints in their feedback, then give serious consideration to not bidding on their item.

3. Look for listings that accept credit cards as payment!

Especially sellers who offer BillPoint as a payment option. You will have the safety and security of your credit card issuer behind you.

I have followed these guidelines myself as a buyer for five years now and I have never had an unpleasant transaction at eBay!

Alexandria, Va. 22305: I just signed up for eBay last week and won my first auction just the other day. It was great. But I found the service a bit overwhelming. I wanted to bid on wristwatches and had a hard time sorting through all the options. For a user like me -- a bidder/buyer -- what's the best way to learn the tricks of navigating eBay?

Jim Griffith: Hi 22305 (may I call you that? For short?)

There are several ways to search for items at eBay. Most folks use the Smart Search option. Go to Search on the top of any eBay page, enter a keyword that relates to the type of item for which you are searching and click "Search."

This type of search can be tailored to filter out any listings for which you are not interested. The best way to learn how to tailor your eBay Smart Search is to click on the link for Tips:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buyerguide/search.html

Note that you can also restrict a Smart Search so that it only searches one specific category. I use this method all the time when looking for things to buy.

Portland OR: Can you offer any sniping strategy tips. I've been sniped several times--people waiting t'il the last 30 seconds and then entering a bid, leaving me no time to respond.

But I hate to put a high bid in early because I feel that winds up driving up the price. What your thoughts about the smartest timing for entering bids?

Jim Griffith: I used to snipe... but the constant adrenalin rush was damaging Uncle's tired old ticker. Now, I give serious consideration to the exact, maximum amount I am willing to pay for an item and then I bid that amount and walk away. If I win, terrific! If I don't, then I am glad I don't have to write the check.

As for sniping itself, there are several methods of doing so. I found that opening up two web browsers and using one to update the auction page while having a bid typed in and ready to submit with the other worked best.

But then again, I no longer snipe.

Miami: I find the community message boards overwhelming on eBay. I want to know what the hot topics being talked about by other ebay dealers are. Which board is best to monitor for the most advanced dealers?

Jim Griffith: This is a toughie. I would suggest checking out the category specific chat boards. Chat on these boards tends to focus on the finer tips an tricks of buying and selling on eBay and the Internet in general.

Dallas TX: Does ebay have a way to let people click on someone's negative feedback,so I don't have to wade through 50 pages to find the complaints?

Jim Griffith: Hi Dallas,

In fairness to all, we don't provide a filter so that you can view only a person's negative comments. It could distort the meaning of these comments if they were veiwable out of context along with the positives.

Saginaw, Michigan: Besides a live discussion, does EBay have some simple directions to enter and sell, directions that I could print out and follow any time?

Jim Griffith: Hi Saginaw,

There are some basic tips and tricks on the site itself. Also, we created an education section of eBay Help which we are adding to all the time. Check out

http://pages.ebay.com/education/index.html

Washington, DC: What protection do I have if I buy a software program like Photoshop through e-Bay and it does not work or cannot be registered as promised?

Jim Griffith: If you buy any item at eBay and find that it is not as described and you are not able to reach a resolution with the seller, you can take advantage of our Insurance feature. Check out the following URL to learn more:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/insurance.html

Quantico, Va.: Are you allowed to have more than one user ID on ebay. If so, is there a way to connect them, so you could have all your feedback combined?

Jim Griffith: Hello Quantico,

Yes, you may have more than one User Id at eBay however, they must remain separate, that is, you cannot link feedback from two or more accounts. You can refer to other User Id's on your About Me page or as links to auctions from your item description pages.

Some reasons people may want to have more than one ID:

* small companies with more than one employee who lists items for the company on eBay

* separate "bidder" and "seller" identities

Fairfax Virginia: I work in an Art Gallery where we sell about two Limited
edition prints a week on ebay. I am very intersted in finding
statistical information on sales and viewers in this category.
Does ebay post this information anywhere for the public to
see.

Jim Griffith: Hello Fairfax,

Alas, no, we do not post or provide this information. Take heart tho! With just a little searching (try searching on "Completed") for example:

http://pages.ebay.com/search/items/search_completed.html

every few days for a week or so, you can garner information about specific items you are interested in.

Leslie Walker: Griff, please tell us about customer service. How many folks work in the department, and how do they manage all the questions and complaints from 34 million users?

Jim Griffith: Well Leslie, eBay Customer Support, which has been based in Salt Lake City since 1999, consists of 500 - 600 employees (most of whom I have had the honor of assisting in their training). We have a email system that helps route questions based on topic to teams of reps who specialize in that area.

Originally, most of eBay Customer Support was based on a remote model. We still have about 40 or so of those original Customer Support reps working for us as full time employees (hi gang!).

San Francisco, Calif.: Do you buy and sell on eBay? Are you the "griff" that sells on eBay?

Jim Griffith: Most of us here at eBay are also buyers and sellers on the site and I am no exception. (My house and garage are overflowing with eBay purchases! Help!)

Silver Spring, Md.: Any tips on how to get people to leave feedback? I've transacted a lot on eBay and only about half the people left feedback. Is it considered kosher to ask for feedback?

Jim Griffith: Give feedback first! Most users are hesitant to leave feedback until they have received it. If you have received an item or payment for an item and are pleased, rush, don't delay, to the feedback section of eBay and leave them a comment post haste.

If that doesn't work, politely ask for it!

In an email to the seller or bidder, state, "Oh by the way, this was such a pleasant transaction, I am going to leave you (or have just left you) a positive feedback. Hope you will consider doing the same for me!"

It usually works.

Philadelphia, Pa.: I want to download a bunch of auctions and save them for future reference. Do you know of a software program that lets you search and then manually tag results for saving offline? It would be especially nice if it would save the results in a database or spreadsheet or something I could easily search later. I would appreciate any tips.

--a hard-core collector

Jim Griffith: I know of no software that will do this for you. If the list of items is not very large, say, 10 or 20 per week, you could save them to your hard drive or a CD-ROM for future reference. (

Open a closed or open eBay listing in Internet Explorer and click on File and Save As. In the resulting "Save As" box, make sure that the option for Save As a Complete Web Page is selected. This will save not only the page but all the pictures as well. I use this feature to save a copy of everything I buy at eBay.

Alexandria, Va.: I see so much fake bidding going on. At least, it looks that way. Someone with hardly any feedback comes in an pumps up the price, and if you click on that person, sometimes they have only bid on that same dealer's stuff repeatedly. What is eBay doing to monitor this kind of fake bidding.

Do you have software programs that automatically analyze bidding looking for this? I guess it would be hard to tell, though, because there are a lot of repeat buyer who might look like fake ones but they are real.

Jim Griffith: You are referring to what is commonly known as "shill bidding". The actual incidence shill bidding on eBay is very small since we do have special software that can indeed scan, track and report any activity that fits a profile of shilling.

I would caution all users to not jump to a conclusion of shill bidding on the basis of bidding activity alone. Many new folks tend to come to eBay (with 0 feedback. That is how we all started!) and many tend to bid on the same type of items and thus, the same bidders who offer this type of item.

We believe people are basically good and assume all are innocent (unless they prove otherwise.)

washington DC: what's the most fun item you've bought on ebay?

Jim Griffith: Whatever it is I last purchased... which remains true until I purchase something else!

Washington, D.C.: I've found it difficult to make some generic items stand out from the crowd. For example, purses. When I sell a name brand purse and put the name brand in the title, no problem. But if I'm selling a gorgeous generic black leather purse, it seems there are no takers. Any suggestions how to make "generic" items stand out?

Jim Griffith: Here are some tips:

If the item is worth the cost, consider featuring it in the category in which it is listed. It will cost you $19.95 to do so but it can be money well spent if it draws potential bidder's attention to your purse.

Use a Gallery image! I cannot stress how important the Gallery is for items like a beautiful purse, especially if there are so many other purses in the same category.

Start your item with a low, low, low minimum opening bid (and use a Reserve if you must.) Bidders like to hope the might possibly get a bargain so they will be more likely to bid if the item starts low. Once a bidder starts bidding, they tend to keep bidding. It's a quirk of human nature.

Leslie Walker: We are more than halfway through today's chat, folks. Great questions! Keep them rolling in.

Dulles, Va: If I accidentally click negative instead of positive when I leave feedback from someone, can I get eBay to change that? What's the process for correcting erroneous feedback?

Jim Griffith: Currently, if you make this sort of mistake, it is impossible to get it changed. Make sure that you do not make this mistake!

Leslie Walker: Griff's fan club sends along this:

San Jose eBay Crew: Your crew in San Jose, just wants to say Hello and send you love. You're the best!

San Marcos, Calif.: Griff, -when- are you going to come by and visit the DNF board? We miss you!

Jim Griffith: Soon... (I miss you all terribly!)

St. Louis, Missouri: Paypal is preferred over Billpoint by a 5-1 margin! Paypal rules, Griff!

Leslie Walker: In case some of our readers don't know, PayPal is an electronic payment service used by many eBay buyers and sellers. It competes with eBay's own Billpoint as a way people can pay for their auction purchases.

Griff, any comment on PayPal?

Jim Griffith: Size doesn't neccessarily matter where quality and security are concerned. Uncle prefers BillPoint over all other payment options for two important reasons:

1. It is integrated into the eBay site so seamlessly that it is the easiest way to pay.

2. BillPoint is the only online payment service that will charge your credit card as a purchase; all the others charge as a cash advance. Credit card issuers will not allow you a charge back for any charge made as a cash advance so if you, heaven forfend, should need to contest a charge and you used one of the other online payment services, you, as a buyer, are clean out of luck.

Springfield, Va.: I inherited several Victorian pieces of furniture-- not my taste for sure! I'm thinking of selling them on eBay. I'd be a new seller, with no track record for buyers to use as a reference. What do you recommend I do to establish myself as reputable?
Signed, Lambchop

Jim Griffith: Hmmm.. Uncle is looking for a few select pieces of Victorian for his parlor...

First, follow all of the guidelines I posted earlier in this chat for successful selling tips.

Since it is furniture you are offering, make sure you are clear about shipping costs.

Offer the option of escrow to potential bidders and offer to pick up the fee as well. When you go to list your item, the option for escrow will be there for you to select. You can learn more here:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/escrow.html

Finally, make sure you offer BillPoint as a payment option so your potential customers will have the safe and secure method of credit card payment to use if they choose.

Arlington, Va.: I'm finding it increasingly difficult to navigate my way through items offered on e-bay by companies, rather than individuals. It's really taking away from the site. I'm sure you love, as you're making more money, but it's going to start to hit at your core audience--the general public.

Jim Griffith: Although I always champion the individual seller and tend to buy items from them (I spend most of my time in the Antiques categories which, by nature, is made up mostly of single proprietor sellers) the eBay trading platform is indeed open to all, individual sellers as well as corporations and the playing field at eBay is kept equal and level for all. Although it is indeed more fun usually to buy from an individual seller, most buyers are concerned with variety and selection buy type and price and are very pleased to have access to all types of sellers.

Bethesda MD: eBay removed several of my listings because I linked to my own Web site. But I see literally thousands of other items for sale that contain links to outside Web sites. How random is your enforcement of this policy?

Leslie Walker: For readers who might not know, the policy Bethesda is referring to is one in which eBay prohibits sellers from linking to their own Web sites from listing pages. They're only allowed to link to their own Web sites from their "About Me" pages.

Griff, can you comment on the enforcement question?

Jim Griffith: Yes I can Leslie,

The policy is actually not a new one. The reiteration and enforcement is however, recent. The enforcement however, is not random.

We do not currently actively scan the listings for violations of the links policy. We do rely on the reports we receive from our community members and act on them as we receive them. Until the policy about links is realized by all sellers, there will continue to be some who are not aware of it.

Fairfax, Va.: Why did they kill eBay magazine? I really liked it. Any chance of another one any time soon?

Jim Griffith: Both eBay and the publishers of the old "eBay Magazine" agreed to not renew the contract past the first year. There are no current plans for another "eBay Magazine."

Reston, Va.: What specs should I buy in a digital camera to show the products on Ebay?

Jim Griffith: This is a topic we cover in eBay University.

You don't have to have a high-priced camera to take high-quality images for the web (and your eBay listings.) Here are my basic spec suggestions:

1. First, buy new if you can but don't fear buying used. Many of us gadget nuts are constantly upgrading to the latest hot digital camera and we tend to sell our older models on, oh... let's see... where would I sell my older digital cameras?... Gadget nuts tend to take really good care of their gadgets and we even like to keep the original boxes, manuals, software, cables, etc. If buying used, look for those (eBay!) listings that include all the original stuff!

2. You can get buy on 1.2 mega pixels and take lovely, clear photos.

3. You don't necessarily need zoom features but most cameras have it.

4. Make sure your prospective digital camera has Macro ability. Macro is what allows you to get your camera an inch or so away from an item to take a tight, clear closeup. This is crucial for time when you want to show a maker's mark, signature, imperfection (always highlight the imperfections) etc.

5. Go buy a book on Basic Photography.

Leslie Walker: Here's a question from someone in DC::

Jim Washington, DC:

This has been extraordinarily useful thanks to Jim Griffith's good answers. How can I download it all to edit and keep the answers I need. I got a message saying I can't download it.

Leslie Walker:

You can save this page when it's finished. Just go to the menu at the top of your browser (Internet Explorer), click on File and Save As. It will ask you to give it a name in the box next to "file name" and ask you where on your hard drive you want to save it.(the box nex tto "save in") Then click the "save" button on your right, and you will have saved a copy of this page to your hard drive. Hope that helps!

Fairfax, Va.: What's the best strategy on opening bids? Is there any research to show how much difference it makes when you set a low, medium or relatively high opening bid?

Jim Griffith: The best strategy for opening bids is to start as low as possible. If you simply must protect yourself, use a reserve price with your low opening bid. When I sell, I start all my items at $1 and I don't use a reserve. I let the market choose the value. I do alright in the end.

There is a reason for a low opening bid, even if you do use a reserve. As I mentioned earlier, people tend to keep bidding once they start and the best way to get folks bidding is to give them the incentive of a possible bargain.

Spinach-eater in Frederick, Md.: I've been selling on eBay for over 3 1/2 years now and have sold thousands of items. I always package my items for shipment with great care using bubble wrap, peanuts, stiff cardboard mailers, etc. These materials are expensive, what is your opinion/eBay's position on passing these costs onto the winner/bidder as shipping/handling charges? What do you think is an appropriate amount to charge, if any?

Jim Griffith: You may pass your packing costs on to your customers if you like. Many sellers do so as a "handling charge." eBay has no recommendations except we discourage sellers from inflating their handling or shipping charges to amounts that are obviously more than the materials or time actually cost.

One important thing! No matter what your shipping and handling terms, you really must state them clearly in the description! Don't surprise your bidders after the listing has closed.

Oregon: Griffith & Leslie, Any comments on why eBay's new store fronts are not performing?

Leslie Walker: Hmmm..I would like to hear Griff's opinion on whether or not they're working yet. But my perception is eBay stores is in a kind of beta mode and eBay will do more to promote them in the fall.

Yahoo and Amazon shop owners have told me they, too, find their results disappointing. On eBay, the fact that items listed for fixed prices in stores don't show up when you search from the main search box is the big issue. My guess is that not until a new habit of searching stores -- in addition to auctions--is created will eBay store owners see big results.

Jim Griffith: We expected that there would be a gradual adoption of eBay Stores both by sellers and bidders. It is a radical new way of shopping at eBay and we are confident that usage by the community of buyers and sellers will increase as the holiday's approach

Leslie Walker: Another fan weighs in:

McLean VA: Not a question, but a comment--it is so refreshing to come across someone like yourself who is so deeply and personally involved in their work. May we all be so lucky!

Kealia, Kauai, Hawaii: Will ebay University be visiting the small island of Kauai anytine in the future. It would be a great place to vaction and do business. Everthing is always in Oahu let them come to Kauai for a change!
Aloha,
Michele Tylor
Hawaiian LandMark Images

Jim Griffith: Although there are no immediate plans for eBay University to visit the fabulous islands of Hawaii, Uncle has his grass skirt and collection of Don Ho records at the ready for when the call does come.

Martinsburg, WV: I don't like my wife's cat. She's going away next month, I think the cat is rare or at least worth a couple of dollars. Can I sell him on eBay? I'm sure she won't mind.

Leslie Walker: OK, everybody loves a wiseacred, but the serious question here is, what kind of items are banned on eBay?

Jim Griffith: Live animals are banned from eBay, that is, we don't allow them to be listed. For a complete list of what types of items we don't allow at eBay check this link:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/png-items.html

McLean, Virginia: Hi there! Love eBay - have been using for more than 2 years. Can you tell me how people can run businesses on eBay without having to pay the taxes and go through other steps necessary for running a small business? Is the government concerned about this at all?

Jim Griffith: Let me preface my remarks (don't I sound like a lawyer?) with the following caveat:

I am not a tax attorney and I cannot give tax advice however, I can tell you that the IRS considers income from eBay (or from anywhere for that matter) to be reportable at the very least. I meet many folks in my travels who seem to think that since they consider selling on eBay a "hobby" that they have no tax liabilities.

If you conduct business, offline or online, you MUST make certain that you are in full compliance with all local, state and federal laws regarding taxes, their collection and payment.

As for the steps for starting a small business, I would suggest using the Internet as a resource. I just now did a quick search on "how do set up a small business" and obtained many results, one of which is

http://www.bizmove.com/StartinFAQ/startingFAQ20.htm

Arlington, Va.: I can't believe the prices on Madonna tix! Last week, some had started at $1 and went up to $200 plus! What is the deal with starting at $0.01 or $1? Can you get me some Madonna tix?!

Jim Griffith: As I mentioned earlier, it pays to start your item as low as possible.

The price of Madonna tickets is based on the tried and true laws of supply and demand. It appears that there are more people who want to see Madonna in the flesh than there are seats. Thus, the price goes up. This is a fact that any material girl could appreciate.

Martinsburg, WV: This is the wife...can I sell my husband on eBay?

Jim Griffith: I regret to inform you that, alas, you cannot offer your the husband for sale at eBay.

If he is that good that you are sure you would get a good price for him, then you should keep him since replacements are nigh impossible to find. If he is that bad, would you really want to inflict him on some other unsuspecting gal (or guy?)

Washington, D.C.: I bought a pair of antique brass candlesticks on eBay that turned out to be reproductions, and inferior ones at that. Does eBay do anything to help people like me get their money back? In my case, the seller refused a refund, insisting they were antique.

Jim Griffith: Yes we do provide you with a recourse. If you cannot get satisfaction from the seller, click on the following link to begin the eBay Insurance process:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/insurance.html

As an eBay registered user, you are entitled up to $200 (less a $25 deductible) for any transaction where the item was mis-described or did not arrive.

Dulles, Va.: Are you going to put shopping carts in the new eBay stores so people can buy things from 3 or 4 different stores and pay all at once? I guess shipping would still be calculated separately, right? How might that work?

Jim Griffith: I love questions like this because I can answer...

YES! We do plan on adding a "shopping cart" feature to eBay stores in the coming months.

Silver Spring, Md.: Is there any way that if you search for a very specific item (i.e., search terminology) and it wasn't available at that time, that eBay could email you when such an item was available?

Jim Griffith: Yes!

First, search for the item in question and make sure you have tailored your search to filter out any and all unwanted results. Learn more on how to filter searches at:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buyerguide/search.html

Once you your search just exactly how you like it, run it and then, even if there are no results, scroll down to the bottom of the results page and look for the link that states:

Save this search in My eBay. You can also receive email when new items appear in this search. Learn more!

Click the link and the search will be stored in your My eBay page. (to learn about your My eBay page, go to the top of any eBay page and click the link for My eBay.)

Now the search is stored in your Favorites section of your My eBay pages. If you go to you My eBay page and click the Favorites tab, you can scroll down to the section for Favorite Searches (you can add up to 20 I believe) and check the box to the left of your search for that item in the column marked "Email Me when new items appear
"
Now, each time a new item is listed that matches your search, eBay will send you an email alert (so you can drop whatever it is you were doing and go bid on it!)

Leesburg , VA: But Griff, with the previous Madonna tickets, doesn't eBay limit the amount that a person can ask for tickets to sporting events? Something like 25% above the face value of the ticket?

Jim Griffith: A great question. There are restriction on what a person can ask for an event ticket and it depends on the laws of the state where the event is to be held. For more information, check out

http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/png-tickets.html

Branson MO: Griff: One of the first things I asked before joining PayPal was if it was a Cash Advance transaction and was assured that it was not. Where did you get your information? BTW...I accept both PayPal and Billpoint on my auctions and like them both. I would just like the information you gave for PayPal clarified. Thank You

Leslie Walker: Branson makes a good point. I met with the PayPal CEO last week and he disputes this point. He says you CAN do a chargeback if you pay via your credit card with PayPal. PayPal says it is the merchant of record. So my question to you is, are you sure about this point? PayPal was adamant on this point.

Jim Griffith: From personal experience. I used that other service and my credit card was charged as a cash advance. My credit card issuer would not issue a charge back.

Jim Griffith: Well gang, I want to thank all the folks who sent in questions and I would also again like to thank Leslie and the Washington Post for providing this opportunity for me to chat with you this afternoon.

Please do check the eBay website regularly for updates on not only our eBay University program but also for new additions to our ongoing eBay Education programs. You can find live and recorded interactive tutorials and news of upcoming events at:

http://pages.ebay.com/education/index.html

Goodby,

Jim Griffith
eBay Ambassador,
eBay Inc

Leslie Walker: That's it for today. Thanks so much for Jim Griffith for taking extra time to answer so many of your questions. We couldn't get to them all, but I'm sure we'll be doing eBay again.

Thanks for joining us, and I hope to see many of you again in two weeks.

Leslie Walker: An addendum to the chat:

PayPal telephoned to clarify that people who use credit cards to pay via its service have the same charge-back rights they have when making credit-card purchases in stores. PayPal said it does not count eBay purchases as "cash advances" unless a person specifically chooses "quasi-cash" in the pull-down menu for transaction type, rather than goods or services. Buyers who choose "goods-auction" when they make PayPal payments are considered to have made a purchase; the merchant of record becomes PayPal.

Jim Griffith: A correction: I did some further research and discovered that BillPoint is not the only service that allows bidders to "charge back" a disputed purchase on their credit card. The other major online payment services do so as well. Bidders could have a problem doing so if they are using a debit card but this varies from bank to bank. Check with the bank that issued your debit card for more information. Thanks and my apologies for any confusing my original statement may have generated.

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