Wednesday, October 12, 2011

eBay-Hosted Photos Disappear from Listings Once Items End

I just heard from an incensed seller (and sometimes buyer) who told me the boards were aflame with people upset about how eBay-hosted photos now go bye-bye from an auction's listing once it ends.

(There is still one thumbnail pic, the main pic, but if there were multiple photos, as there are for many items, buyers can no longer see them).

I am trying to find out more about this, but I verified it on one of my recently sold listings: The main photo I used still showed up, but only in the small "My eBay" size; it could not be enlarged, and you could not see the other, more detailed photos I had posted. (Note: this is only for eBay-hosted photos, not other third-part photo hosts).

If this is true, it is going to drive me to a third party host. But this could also impact sales if buyers can no longer see detailed images of an item after they won it. Sometimes they want to see the photos after they win the auction but before they pay, and if the photos disappear, it makes them suspicious. eBay suggested to one buyer that he ask the seller to email him the other photos, but what seller has time to do that for all the buyers who might ask?

Another buyer complains, "eBay, bring back the completed item photos. If I purchase an item, I need to compare the item I receive to the photos. If you remove the photos from the listing, I cannot do this. It appears as if you are trying to make it difficult for the buyer to determine if his item is as described. If you continue to remove the photos in completed listings, buyers like me will no longer purchase certain items on eBay. Please reconsider this unwise decision."

Here is a sampling of comments from the eBay Discussion boards, (with eBay id's removed):

BUYER CANCELS TRANSACTION AFTER PICS DISAPEAR (4 Replies /38 Views)

BUYER CANCELS TRANSACTION AFTER PICS DISAPEAR
Oct 11, 2011 06:43 PM

ALL OF MY PICS DISAPEAR FROM MY AUCTIONS AS SOON AS THE AUCTIONS END EVEN BEFORE THEY ARE PAID. A BUYER CONTACTED ME AND IN A NON-DIRECT WAY ACCUSED ME OF TAMPERING WITH THE AUCTION AND WANTED ME TO EMAIL THEM ALL THE PICS AND THAT THEY WANTED TO CANCEL THE TRANSACTION FOR THIS 300 DOLLAR AUCTION. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT EBAY TRUST AND SAFTEY...YADA YADA.. WTF THANKS EBAY!!!!

Re: BUYER CANCELS TRANSACTION AFTER PICS DISAPEAR
Oct 11, 2011 06:51 PM
so the auction is now canceled. Paranoid buyer.

Re: BUYER CANCELS TRANSACTION AFTER PICS DISAPEAR
Oct 11, 2011 09:37 PM
I'm not sending payment for a recently won auction until I see the photos. eBay told me to get the seller to send the photos in off-site e-mail. I told eBay to do it. This is beyond outrageous.

Re: BUYER CANCELS TRANSACTION AFTER PICS DISAPEAR
Oct 11, 2011 09:47 PM
I'm going to cancel the auction I just won if eBay doesn't send me the photos. What were they thinking?

Re: BUYER CANCELS TRANSACTION AFTER PICS DISAPEAR
Oct 12, 2011 05:16 AM
I just found a temporary solution, for myself (as a Buyer) -
as far as saving completed listing photos ...

See this thread:

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Technical-Issues/Please-Change-The/5200032662

"FULL-Versions of COMPLETED-LISTINGS,
(w/ full-sized eBay Gallery Pics, not "thumbnails"),
ARE still visible IF viewed from ANOTHER COUNTRY's
eBay site… e.g. eBay U.K."

That just worked for me.

And:

Bring Back the Completed Item Photos
Oct 11, 2011 07:00 PM
eBay, bring back the completed item photos. If I purchase an item, I need to compare the item I receive to the photos. If you remove the photos from the listing, I cannot do this. It appears as if you are trying to make it difficult for the buyer to determine if his item is as described. If you continue to remove the photos in completed listings, buyers like me will no longer purchase certain items on eBay. Please reconsider this unwise decision.

Re: Bring Back the Completed Item Photos
I just had a paranoid buyer that made me cancel a 300 dollar auction because of this. They accused me of auction tampering and said they would talk to trust and safety tomorrow. I guess they have reason to be paranoid based upon my feedback and stars lmao

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