eBay Ends Customer Support on Social

by: Rexford

Does this signal another shift to automation over customer support?  If so, this will lead to unresolved problems, customers feeling (further) ignored, and lower trust.  Over the years I've heard many sellers state that this was their preferred channel for getting problems resolved.  Most received better and faster resolution to issues via Facebook than eBay's internal customer support. So, instead of fixing the issues with internal support, eBay removes the alternative.

The visible problem solving on Facebook was a trust builder for eBay.  It demonstrated transparency and responsiveness and other users could see the solutions to problems and they benefitted from the solutions.  Too bad eBay did not recognize this.

They say that small companies can't compete with the "big boys".  They can, if they offer stellar customer service.

by: Shanna

One place eBay customers can still get help is the San Jose Better Business Bureau. For the longest time, eBay had an F rating with the BBB, but something change a few years ago, maybe the leadership was embarrassed and decided to join them instead of sending their goons after them. Now they are a member with an A+ rating, and it looks like they are working hard to keep it. I filed a complaint over a billing issue that eBay CS told me time and again they would not fix, not they could not fix it, they just refused to do it. A simple online complaint, and 3 days later I had a refund in my account.

by: pace306

When ever there’s an opportunity to do LESS, eBay steps up to do so.

Save a penny? Do it! Customers be damned.  

by: etectra

"One place eBay customers can still get help is the San Jose Better Business Bureau. For the longest time, eBay had an F rating with the BBB, but something change a few years ago, maybe the leadership was embarrassed and decided to join them instead of sending their goons after them. Now they are a member with an A+ rating, and it looks like they are working hard to keep it. I filed a complaint over a billing issue that eBay CS told me time and again they would not fix, not they could not fix it, they just refused to do it. A simple online complaint, and 3 days later I had a refund in my account."

You got to be kidding.

BBB receives subscriptions from eBay and other businesses.

There is a HUGE conflict of interest!

Having sold on eBay for 27 years I know many of eBay's past and present sins. I could file at least 50 complaints against eBay, each on a different subject regarding eBay defrauding their users.

I've filed multiple complaints on different subjects and the San Jose BBB marks them as duplicate complaints and then closes them.

Of course their rating is up because the San Jose BBB is their paid agent.

The San Jose BBB should have their non profit status revoked.

Check eBay on other rating sites and you will see it has a horrible rating.

by: etectra

No loss.

Same lying incompetents as you get through their regular help system.

If you really want to get a call from eBay go to your unsold item page.

Click on the small "?" on the bottom right corner.

Click on the "Hall us call you" button in the small popup window on the right.

This will refresh the contents of the popup window with an estimated wait time and enter your account number in a editable textfield, with a large button "Have use call you". Press the button or enter different number and press button.

by: Nonesuch

I'd be fine with AI agents if they can be always available, responsive, and accurate.  

by: Snapped

“… fine with AI agents if they can be always available, responsive, and accurate. ”

AKA “the rub”, per the Bard.  It also seems reasonable to consider that the “AI” in question is the SAME AI, literally the same bits bytes and chips, and accessing the exact same data set, that has too often placed what has always been to eBay, the pesky customer, in the given predicament in the first place.

Which men’s that if an AI agent finds a basis to override an AI cop bot, this brings questions to bear on the bot’s accuracy, and thus applicability.  Alternately, if there is no agreement to override, even in the face of evidence that has ALREADY been ignored once, then what is the utility basis of the AI agent if no more empowered than the already well below ‘stellar’ CS human staff?

To be, or H1B.  That is the new question.

by: airbrake

I think they're just circling the wagons 'cause they know a fights comin'.