[pure-silver] Re: OT Ebay to take Paypal only..

Richard Knoppow wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Daneliuk" <tundra@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 7:44 AM
> Subject: [pure-silver] Re: OT Ebay to take Paypal only..
> 
> 
>> Bogdan Karasek wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Just to add my two Loonies worth to the issue.  I am very glad that the
>>> Australians did something about eBay's  preposterous attempt to set up a
>>> monopoly but you must remember that  the current US American President
>>> has stated on numerous occasions that the government has no right to
>>> interfere in the free market place, after all "government is the
>>> problem, not the solution" (Ronald Reagan) .  So I wouldn't hold my
>>> breath.  eBay will do what it wants, after all it is looking after our
>>> interests :)  (This is sarcasm on my part)
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Bogdan
>>
>> Uh ... you're all missing the point.  eBay is a private sector company
>> that cannot use the force of government to make you do anything.  If
>> you or I don't like their policies, we can simply choose not to use
>> them.  They are not being coercive.  They are not creating a monopoly.
>> They are not evil.  They are simply running their business as they
>> see fit.  They have this privilege and I have the privilege of
>> participating
>> or not.  I don't see what all the screaming is about.
> 
>     There is something subtley wrong with this logic. First of all they
> ARE trying to create a monopoly, namely the method of paying for stuff.
> The first part of the argument assumes that government is the only way
> of forcing something: its not. If eBay takes payment only throught
> Paypal _that_ is force and you have no choice. Of course one can simply
> refuse to use eBay and I think people should. eBay is not quite a
> monopoly but probably comes pretty close.

First of all, at least in the US, being a monopoly in and of itself
is not illegal.  It is illegal to be a monopoly and thereby use
so-called predatory pricing practices. (Unless you're the government
and have set up many diffent monopolies but that's another story.)

Secondly,  there is no *force* here.  You are not forced to use
eBay.  eBay is merely making it a condition of doing business with
them, that you pay using their preferred mechanism.  This is identical
to the local store that accepts Visa but not American Express.

>     Thirdly, I challenge the idea that simply running a buisiness as
> they see fit is sufficient reason to accept any sort of corporate
> behavior. Taking your argument to its conclusion it would allow

What you personally "accept" is, of course, your own decision.
You don't like their policy, I say don't do business with them.
But demanding legal intervention to prevent them from doing this
seems to me to be an extreme and unwarranted response.

> practically anything to be done. For instance, the current economic melt
> down (to borrow a TV news phrase) is the sort of thing that happens if
> one allows business to simply pursue the path of least resistance.

That's certainly how its been trumpeted by the popular media ... and it
is almost entirely wrong.  There are many contributors to this mess - and
yes, the financial industry bears some blame.  But so too does the
borrowing public who way overextended themselves, and so too does the
government for spending money it did not have (for generations).   It
seems very popular these days to blames businesses and markets.  But
these are the only instruments we possess for actually *fixing* any of
the problems.

>    I, for one, claim the right to complain if I think someone is trying
> to cheat me and demand that that behavior be stopped.

You have the right to complain, but I defy you do demonstrate that you
are anyone else is being "cheated" because eBay instituted this policy.

> 
> -- 
> Richard Knoppow
> Los Angeles, CA, USA
> dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Tim Daneliuk     tundra@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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