I was surprised at the number of responses for this page. Obviously, the idea of posting IDs struck a very deep chord in people on the Bidding Board.
englandboy
In 1999, I got into two separate disagreement with two posters on the eBay Soapbox. Both posters subsequently bid on two of my auctions, then left negative feedback within a minute of the auction's close. Needless to say, neither bidder paid for the items won. Due to their "off the board" auction interference, I have two negative feedbacks to go with the 5,000-plus positives and no neutrals I have accumulated in four years on eBay. Because of their actions, I now post to eBay threads with this ID.
basestealer
This individual exposed a shilling ring on eBay a while back. Several of the shillers bid on his auctions, pulled his contact information, then registered phony IDs using his contact information. Using these posting IDs, they began violating community standards with their posts. When the pinks went to look up their contact information, they all pointed to base. The end result was that the original user, basexxxxxxx, was unfairly suspended.
samby
I got my posting ID following the 4th of July "trollfest" on the Bidding
Board. I had little or no dealings with this individual but one morning
woke to find my name on a hate list of 5 other regulars. Looking at the
other names it appeared to be a random choice. Others who were not on this
list also were affected. This troll was garden variety. He insulted, threatened and then demanded an apology or he wouldn't leave. Very typical behaviour. Being ebay, however, he went a step further. On July 4 I found my auctions all had bids and retractions on them. The reason for the retractions were "Be nice or I'll snipe all your auctions," meaning he'd snipe them then feedback bomb me. I have a perfect feedback record and didn't want it ruined. The retractions looked so bad that I chose to close all auctions early for that week and haven't listed since. I will be listing again soon, now that my main ID is becoming a distant memory on the boards. I was accused last night by a poster on the board of being paranoid. I told him paranoia is a unfounded and unrealistic fear of something that may or may not happen. This DID happen. I can't afford to ruin my selling career. I was not paranoid to get a post ID. I think I was smart. I take helping new users on the boards very seriously. I try to make sure the info I give is fair and accurate and backed up by links and evidence. I also like to chat to ebay friends and have picked up so much experience being there. I am definately a better ebayer for it and I choose to "pay to forward" to other users. You want better ebayers? Educate them. But not at the risk of ruining your own career. I recommend all sellers consider this option.
samby (Updated Story)
I politely but firmly told a poster recently that it was against board
policy to commercially spam the boards. He'd written the same post on a few
boards promoting another online auction site and slamming ebay at the same time. He wrote back a very profane insult to me and then immediately put two
bids on auctions I had running, presumably with the intent of leaving
negative feedback at auction's end. Fortunately he wasn't bright or quick enough to hit Buy It Now on my auctions and it gave me time to cancel, block and report him. Unfortunately another poster on the same thread wasn't so lucky. She had not even answered him directly, but still became a target of his auction interference by virtue of the fact that she was seller and wrote on the thread. He BINned 2 of her auctions and immediately left negative
feedback. This was under yet another id. He further boasted he had many ids all with fake contact info and was out to get revenge on many people. He did this by bidding on over 30 auctions from UK sellers. We eventually got 3 ids of his suspended and the other seller finally got her neg feedback removed. When facing a poster of a particular mentality, almost anything you say can
put you at risk of auction interference. Sometimes all it takes is your presence on a board.
padme_amidala
I have a posting ID due to being a victim of auction interference perpetrated by a user who was harassing the Bidding Board regulars in early July. I had been posting to the Bidding board for a while, and was listing my very first auctions. Despite the fact that I was not posting much to the boards during the time the person in question was harassing the board (as I was having trouble adding pictures to the listings), I was targeted. The victims seem to have been random, as I do not recall posting directly to the person in question. The person bid on four of my auctions and left negative feedbacks. I requested the negatives be removed based on the following situations listed in eBay's feedback removal policy: "Feedback left by a user who provided eBay with false contact information during the registration process, and cannot be contacted. eBay will also remove feedback where eBay is provided with evidence showing that it was left by a minor. Multiple (3 or more) feedbacks left by the same user as part of a campaign to harass one or more users."
Despite meeting those criteria, my first two requests to get the negatives removed were ignored by eBay. It took over a month, and many emails, to get the negatives removed from my otherwise excellent feedback record. I also had to file for Final Value Credit fees, and my listings were ruined. Three of the items had other bidders, and would have been sold if not for the harasser. I chose not to relist, as the person responsible was still sending vulgar and threatening emails. Anyone who frequents the board is at risk for harassment and auction interference. Having a posting ID protects my contact information and my auction listings. Because of this experience, I now use this ID for posting, as well as some bidding. All selling activities will remain on my main ID.
sillyisme
I chose a posting ID because though I was not directly effected by the events of July 4th, there was a lot going on on prior to that which made me think the best thing for me to do would be to get a posting ID -- especially since my other ID is fairly new having created my own account to separate my eBay transactions from that of my hubby's (whose account I previously purchased under). Being new to selling, I didn't want to start out having to deal with the mess many of others were having to contend with. I realized in that short time that being frank, open and honest on these boards can often times cause more harm than good, so a posting ID is certainly the way to go....
saesee_tiin
If anyone wants a valid reason for having posting ID's, one only has to think back a couple of months ago, to the incident that you guys had over here on the bidding board. Fortunately, the damage done was not permanent, but it certainly could have been, and almost was. What happened to a certain regular of your board is reason enough for everyone to have a posting ID. What has happened to Base is just another reason for people to worry about posting the truth, exposing fraud, or even giving their honest opinion about something. It sickens me to watch, as this whole thing unfolds, and see that eBay could not care less about what happens to honest members.
oneshotstop
I have been a long time member of ebay, I started as a buyer for a while, then decided to start selling about a year ago. I did post under my selling ID for a while but did not feel comfortable doing that. So I created a posting/buying ID. I have done this for the sole purpose of being able to speak my mind to the fruitloops and not worry about retaliation. Anyone can come here and boast about how brave they are and say "I post with my real ID". Chances are they will be naive newbies who will someday realize the value of a posting ID. I am lucky....nobody has ever sabotaged my auctions...And I want to keep it that way. So I will keep posting under this ID and do it knowing that if I do happen to offend someone (not intentionally) I have nothing to worry about.
sippi*
A little while back when some crazies targeted my auctions, I got off light, and managed to salvage a lot from my account. Other people were not so lucky, and wound up with loads of bad false feedback, non-paying bidders, and a great deal of headaches.
snipes_it
I feel very fortunate not to have had any problems thus far, but got this posting ID after lurking and reading threads here (and on the Feedback Board) for a while.
maxsniper
[T]this board has shown me the importance of a posting ID. Especially when my first two threads got Pinked and Plucked in rather short order.
urdiain
http://forums.ebay.com/dwc?50@@.eea1595/251 Perhaps this can explain my posting ID. [Five auctions closed with BIN; five negatives left a few minutes later.]
seafarerii
Posting IDs are a must now as far as I'm concerned. If one always uses their "real ID" on the boards, one can expect nothing but major trouble. As you and others know, I have a extra ID but dont use it. But I am going to start.
If you use a regular ID "kiddies" bid and dont PAY on your Auctions. I've always been under the impression that is one has nothing to hide, then use your regular ID. But you know these boards are totally full of fruitcakes! I would advise EVERONE to use a posting ID. If for no other reason, if one posts on these boards then everyone knows what you are bidding on. Think on that. You will indeed see us with our posting ID here soon if not today.
evbay39
When I first came to the boards to post I used my current selling ID, and almost immediately got a horrible email from someone who misread what I said! I replied to them on the board and they apologised as they realised they had gotten upset over the whole situation and lashed out by mistake but it was enough for me. If a decent person can send a nastygram by mistake (and I do think it was out of character) I wasn't going to risk junk in my mailbox from real trolls, so a posting ID was the obvious think to do.
therecipenut
I hated to do it, but after seeing what happened to others, and receiving a couple nasty emails, I just don't want to take a chance.
justpostingthanks
I got this posting id after receiving a couple of nastygrams from people who didn't like something I said on the board. No big deal but who needs more aggravation? The email addy for this id is a throwaway hotmail that I seldom check mail for. Nastygrams can sit there and rot before I ever see them... [B]idders possibly incur less immediate risk than sellers but there are some risks even for bidders. I'm strictly a buyer; never sold anything on ebay and don't plan to. However, I don't want to be bothered with flame mail and spam from people who didn't care for my opinions on the board. It's also possible for a vindictive troll to stalk someone's bids and deliberately out-bid them at a ridiculous price just to cause trouble. The bidder loses the item, the seller gets a NPB and the troll gets the satisfaction. Why leave yourself open if you don't have to?
vamphyri
I got my posting ID for several reasons. I wanted to be able to give advice without having a disagreeing poster cause problems with my auctions. I was posting on two different boards consistantly around the 4th of July, and did not feel comfortable with my real ID in the mainstream due to the problems that were occuring. My main ID, has my email address (for convenient selling purposes) and I was getting email from posters going directly to my email address (used copy/paste) without going through Ebay. And, a note from the same situation as above, I was also, getting more spam than normal, due to posting on these boards. So, alas, a new Vamp was created and am able to utilize the knowledge gained to help others in distress. And, also, have a little fun on the side.
lqqmanobids
Bidders risk nothing from posting here under their normal IDs. Sellers, however, risk their reputations & livelihoods by posting under their selling ids. Or worse... On another thread, a seller was concerned because he received an email describing his home...
rferdick
I dropped using my other, but if the action heats up and I want to get into it it's still there, along with another brand new one. As most know I got caught in the 4th missdress mess but did manage to get it fixed.
roadie5
As strictly a bidder, I never felt the need to have a posting id. After some recent events here and the garbage that Base is going through, I'm in the process of rethinking this.
sneakbuyu2
I don't post often, but use this posting ID because you all taught me to get one, and I was made fun of when I posted under my real ID on the BB last year.
melestine
I've never been able to understand why people have a problem with posting IDs!! With the exception of a very few, no one uses their real name on eBay. A name, whether it's a posting or bidding, develops it's own personality. When I'm posting I really don't relish the idea of someone checking all the items I'm bidding on. I hate people to gawk at my grocery cart as well. Or stick their noses in my mail box. Or sneak a look into my purse when I open it. What I have to say on the boards has no relativity to my bidding. So what does anyone care if I call myself Greta Garbo or Mortimer Snerd! Some people really need to lighten up!
snipe_to_win
I was not directly attacked on the 4th of July. Fortunately, as soon as
I saw the threads in question degenerate, I stayed out of them. I had several
auctions running at that time. After seeing xxxxx's feedback bombed, I got this posting ID. The posting ID does another thing for me. Since I give advice and answer questions, I get a lot of email now. These have all been good questions and nice comments. Many people are afraid to ask in the public forum, but really need help, so they use the email system. By having a posting ID, all of this email goes to one place. I can answer their questions without cluttering up my main address book and inbox with things I will never look back on again.
target_earth
Since the mad feedback bomber's rampage, documented in the link provided by "Urdiain" in message #105, and eBay's lack of a common sense approach to quickly removing the 5 BIN negatives left, I decided to start using a Feedback Board posting ID! The "mad bomber" escaped without punishment for her actions! Later, she was invited by eBay to become a "PowerSeller"?
paranoidposter
No, in my case it's total paranoia. I don't want somebody I respond to in these forums to head over to my auctions and mess me up by buying and then not paying and leaving me negs just because.
So I use a posting ID.
clearblur
I found that opinions are like...well, you know the saying--everybody's got one. And when posters from different backgrounds converge there is bound to be MUCH misinterpretation without facial and voice inflections as major cues to what is really being said...and some people wouldn't know sarcasm/humor if it fell on them. And there are too many retards these days playing games on the boards to leave oneself open to trouble....just ain't worth it!
disney_watchfreak
I will tell you I use a posting ID only because my husband sells and buys with my other ID. I wouldn't want people to confuse our views. Also, I was a lurker during the time when many regs were subject to auction interference. I just thought I would be cautious.
booksnoop
I would think telling the story of the suspension of a very prominent regular here would be warning enough for those who don't see the need for posting ids.
anonymous #5
I use posting ids on the Feedback board because somebody came out of nowhere and started calling me names, and telling me they were watching me. I prefer not to use one, but feel more comfortable using them over there.
hugsforever
And yet another posting ID. We should all be using them right now. I encourage users to register for one.
adevilsadvocate
When I first came to he boards looking for help (which I didn't get from ebay) I got advice from people with shades. I felt they had good advice, but I had to "questions" the information being provided becasue they all seemed like newbies to me. I was QUICKLY enlightened to the reason/need for posting ID's. I continued to lurk and found the reasons quite valid. Had I possibly used my selling ID when commenting on the fake Honus T. Wagner baseball card for sale, my auctions or my identity may have been messed with just because I had an opinion. Too scary to use a real ID IMHO.
censorship_is_bad
Here's one for you. I sell gold jewelry and diamonds under my seller name.
About 6 months back someone from the U.K. was lurking on the boards and "harvesting" auctions to bid on. This person came up with numerous ID's and bid on MANY thousands worth of auctions including a $1,600 bid for one of my diamonds. Of course none of these auctions were ever paid for. Forty-eight hours later I received a negative feedback from this person claiming that they had paid for the diamond, received it, had it appraised ( I had already had it appraised ) and that it was only worth 1/4 of what I had stated and what was clearly shown in the appraisal pics. Selling isn't a game for me. It is how I pay my bills buy groceries and keep a roof over my daughter's head. I don't have time to bother with people playing around on the boards. This is why I have my board ID.
emptykettle
I use a posting id because: quite awhile ago I came to this board with a problem I had with a buyer. I received some great advice - most especially from one whose name we apparently can no longer mention. Shortly after this I received a virus in my email and it shut down my whole computer system for days. I know the virus came from someone that saw my regular id here. Thus, I am indeed paranoid! And I now use a posting id!!
auction_luvr2
A year ago as a newbie, I had a transaction with a bad Ebayer. I came to the boards for help and this nutcase began stalking me and posting all of my emails complete with my name and contact information on the message boards. Each post became more and more bizarre to the point that they contradicted what they put in thier own posts. Ebay pulled the entire thread. I have also seen other Ebayers stalked and attacked on the boards. And that is when I learned NEVER to post with my real ID. It is insulting when a user suggests that anyone who uses a posting ID has something to hide.
this_is_my_posting_id
After four years on eBay, I found that the more I posted messages here trying to help people, the more phoney bids where placed on my auctions and I've started receiving viruses, often from the bogus bidders in reply to my thank you letters at the end of the auction. In a perfect world, we would not need to worry about placing our names on a public place.
wasabanker
I had a single ID and then had a problem. The folks on these boards were very helpful and I hung around reading and reading and reading some more. By the time I even felt comfortable with the posting concept, I had learned that a posting ID was almost mandatory. I got one and shortly thereafter, got a selling ID as well. It seems safer and saner to keep all three facets separated from each other. I have no regrets about doing this. It is, after all, better than having regrets for NOT doing it.
luv2shop2u
Another posting id checking in. I started out registering with my email address, and used that for posting. I started to receive spam, virus, tons of emails not solicited, membership to sites, etc. I changed my buying id, then also registered for a posting id. Neither is connected to the other.
ed_boon
Had to get a posting ID since there were unscrupulous sellers who blocked me from bidding because of controversial comments I made in these boards. You can't go blocking someone just because of something they post--this is a violation of the 1st amendment. How do you know if what they post is truthful or if they are just being goofy or outrageous on purpose? Sellers block bidders too often without knowing the real facts. They jump to conclusions.
snipe_mistress
I'm pretty new to ebay and to selling on ebay even though I have made quite a few purchases. I like posting on the boards and after reading all the horror stories about people having their auctions sabotaged I figured I would just cover my butt early so that I can speak freely on the boards and not have to worry about my auctions. This doesn't mean that I am rude on the boards but I can say what I truly want to say without having to tiptoe around and worry about upsetting anyone. Plus my auctions will stay safe.
anonymous #1
On posting ID's... If you are going to assign yourself a posting ID, there will be few that will question your personal reason to have made that choice. Many of the ones under posting ID's, have a better reason to have one, than you or I. Unfortunately, eBay doesn't hand out vest shields, so to speak. The people who answer questions and try to shed light to the dark areas, for those
that seek, put themselves in danger. If you have been posting to the boards,
over a period of time, you will become familiar with the regulars and they
will become familiar with you. It is not those posting IDs you see every day, that need to be feared. It is the one, that appears today, or came yesterday, or shows up tomorrow. Yes, you may call it unwarranted paranoia. I call it protection and defense. If you choose to do so, you are the one, that took the only protection you have, away. eBay is not your protection. Ebay, has thousands and thousands of user IDs. The stats say only 1% find their way to the boards. Is that 1% that found their way here, and posted? Do you have anyway of knowing how many people do not wish to participate, but lurk? Are you aware the community boards, can be viewed by non-eBay members? It is true, nobody gets paid or asked to help, with all the daily questions. It is something, you personally choose to do. Are you putting yourself at an unnecessary risk, to enjoy posting to the boards? I feel without an ID, for posting, you are in fact. I enjoy boating. Nobody makes me, I take the risk involved with the activity. I also go to great lengths, to make sure safety is implored on my boat, for me and guest. eBay is a business, for many of it's members. The boards are voluntary. TOS, payment methods and the power of blocks, from seller's auctions, give you protection, to some degree. Why you would choose to become part of the regular and familiar names, on the boards, without the protection of a posting ID. To me is the same as leaving your front door open, and hanging a sign out, telling anybody that's near about it.
anonymous #2
I use a posting ID because I didn't read some interaction on the board properly
and but myself in a very uncomfortable situation. And because I wanted
to stay active posting and chatting changing my ID seemed the easiest means
to accomplish the task.
anonymous #3
I prefer you not use my posting ID or other identifying information.
I have no idea if you will keep your word, I'll risk it. March 2001 was the worst month I ever had with ebay sales. 14% of my transactions went to fees & my auctions were ruined by retractions from zero IDs registered since 1999 and so on. I got nasty email after answering potential bidder questions and I stopped listing items and stopped posting to forums. My basic attitude was and maybe still is that it is unnecessary and unprofessional to call people names and get into all sorts of off topic derogatory comments about individual posters over differing points of view. There are many circumstances where opposing points of view are both valid. Most of the animosity took place down in T&S. My auction items would proceed normally, until near the end and then, along comes a bid retraction from a zero feedback registered since 1999. My expensive electronic items were being sold to high bidders at chump change prices. I was losing money but kept going. Finally some of the email showed trends and it was getting a little easier to see the relationship to comments, the Trust and Safety board and late bid retractions. I ended up getting my posting ID in May and went on from there. It was very clear when my auction sales went back to normal after over a month of non-posting that activities, or more accurately, my opinions and suggestions, were not welcome and when they disagreed with the glee club my auctions suffered. I have since done very well over the summer--not a single NPB, which is more usual for me, & very few bids canceled. The only difference between the Trust and Safety Board and the Bidding Board is that the Bidding Board is a bit more amusing, although there are posters who also like confrontations, antagonizing others and to show off. I will never use my selling ID, which has been registered over 5 years, in the forums again. There are many forms of retaliation and I prefer to avoid them all. So if I don't care if basewhatever gets thrown off ebay, oh, well, I am use to being a minority. Base taunted people and on at least one occasion dared any one to try to use his ID information or try to get him. He asked for it, he got it. He is not irreplaceable -- there are plenty of people who can be helpful and who don't have to dream up an insult to any one who disagrees with him. There are also plenty of people just as disagreeable as he tries to be. At least the people at gegy.com had the sense to try something new since ebay didn't meet up to their standards. But the jealous, the disgruntled, the immature, on both sides, prefer the rut of their particular board and the havoc they cause gives them some satisfaction, assumedly. Posting IDs are a good place to expose the vulgar side of one's self without fear of selling repercussions, an opportunity to express a less than cheerleader response without fear of auction manipulation, offer a freedom of expression not generally available in a business environment. If the boards went away, I wouldn't miss them. I actually visit there less and less often because there are many habitual posters who are completely predictable and not very interesting. the fact that the boards do help some people is an assest but the sniping thing--a bunch of 7th graders or 4 year olds - "look what I did." Certainly I don't fault anyone, myself included, for using a posting
ID though it is more a commentary on the whole than a reflection of the
parts.
anonymous #4
I use posting ids on the Feedback board because somebody came out of nowhere and started calling me names, and telling me they were watching me. I prefer not to use one, but feel more comfortable using them over there.
And the only negative comment on the whole thread---from brice, of course
Well Englandboy, if anyone wants to see my feedback it is open to all, but not yours and a few others. Hmmm...I wonder what you are hiding?
englandboy's comment on brice's statement
Brice's comment was the only negative one on a thread that, at the moment, has over 300 posts. Of course, what's truly hypocritical about his statement is that brice posts to boards using two other IDs--charleygoforth and gargoylegerty. Because no one ever supported him, he created gargoylegerty a few months back, using it to agree with himself to give the appearance that he wasn't alone in his anti-sniping viewpoints. He was "outed" within a day, and admitted it was him. A little while after that, here comes charleygoforth, brice in another incarnation. Typical of so many hypocrites, it's okay for brice to have a posting ID, but if you or I have one, why, we're hiding something, of course.