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

2008/9/26 Mark Blackwell <mblackwell1958@xxxxxxxxx>


> The whole issue of monopoly is one that is decided decades later in courts.
>  It has a number of very gray areas that can be argued longer than a senator
> in the middle of a filibuster.
>

   That really is the gist of it all. You have to prove that Ebay is in fact
a monopoly and then prove that they are using coercive tactics or predatory
pricing..

  I think the first would tougher to prove, the latter not so hard.
Australia stopped Ebay using this sort of logic. None of us here are going
to prove of disprove this point.

  But like you say Mark, it's the kinda thing that doesn't come out of the
wash until years later. Usually by that time, Tim's argument plays out and
someone else *cough* Google *cough* comes out as a competitor and Ebay
shoots itself in the foot.


  I'm wondering though if there isn't another way to fight this. I'm
shooting in the air here so bare with me. When I buy something through Ebay,
do I not enter into a legal contract with the seller and he with me? Ebay is
just a facilitator. This is how they get away with not being liable when the
transaction goes south. They just setup and facilitate in creating this
legal contract. As a seller I have a legal contract with Ebay to pay their
fees and they to list my item and facilitate the sale. Ebay is not involved
in the actual selling and buying of the item and therefore are not entering
into a legal contract of sale with the buyer or the seller in regards to the
specific item.

   If that's the case, how can Ebay dictate the terms of the contract
between me and the seller ? If Ebay forced me to use Paypal to pay for Ebay
fees, fine. But Ebay is forcing me to use Paypal for a legal contract that
they have nothing to do with.

   Like I said, I'm just throwing ideas out. I have probably missed
something obvious. Let me know if I have and what it is.

  J

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