EBay Square Trade - we need it?

As an eBay merchant, I built a small business on eBay but pleasant. I pay the listing fees, final pay taxes, pay taxes PayPal. Not a problem. Now it seems that eBay wants more. We take this into context: if (as claimed by eBay) 3 million sites are paying for the privilege of showing the logo 'Square Trade' - what is creaming off eBay from this? The sums are easy - 3 million per month x $ 9.50 = $ 342 million a year. That's right. Read it again. $ 342 million! This is a staggering amount of money, probably more than the GDP of some countries! And for what?

You get to see a small green logo on your site. Whoa. eBay says that this will lead to -

A decrease of 43% negative feedback in the future. What is it? eBay are presumably assuming here that you will be dealing with buyers who are bursting at the seams to give negative feedback. Puh. In any business meet buyers who are, for whatever reason, decided to throw your service. It 's just life. It is up to you as a trader, to ensure that customers are satisfied with their purchase. Not a good eBay expected - or anyone else - you dance whether you are selling cheap junk. Dealing with customers on a professional basis, meeting their needs and rights, and respond with positive feedback. Ignore them, rip them off, treating them only as a revenue stream and you will fail in your business, eBay Square Trade logo or not.

eBay, seem to suggest that their logo Square Trade entice buyers who are looking for a vendor they can trust. It is a fair point, but surely eBay should do some 'cleaning inside and get rid of dishonest sellers who still seem to entertain? The United Kingdom BBC eBay hung out to dry with a documentary recently, pointing to the fact that some sellers - who are sure they are in the minority - happily flood eBay with fake and counterfeit branded products. Now, eBay is not the culprit here, and I would not suggest for a moment that justifies this behavior. Yet it would be interesting to know what millions and millions of eBay is spent combating this unwanted incursions - and what they plan to do to stop it.

Look at the Square Trade registration page. Apart from the tempter 'first month free' is a phrase very important - and here I think it's fair to quote - 'join eBay's largest community of trusted sellers. "It means that those of us who do not want more pockets eBay the line by joining the Square Trade program are unreliable? The implication is, I believe, present. eBay has discovered yet another lucrative income stream - the 'trusted seller'. It is a pity, because eBay is started a community project 'matey', you see now should promote these products, such as Square Trade Agreement. If eBay are so committed to dealing fairly and honestly, joined with the will to promote ethical and honest dealers, then why do Square Deal apparently offer this to anyone willing to pay their taxes?

I've just gone through the registration process (I have not signed). One very annoying is that eBay ask what kind of partner you want to be - non-US or U.S.. It 'the same level of thinking that, in these days thankfully gone now, that used to ask (in a job application) if you were' Catholic 'or' not Catholic '. EBay does not realize that by doing so, setting the U.S. on a pedestal as the recording of 'first', which are alienating members in the United Kingdom, Europe, India, Australia, South America - in fact, the 'Rest of the World' (which , in the case where eBay has forgotten, is much larger than the United States!). If all members have chosen to abandon eBay site for a more 'friendly' auction, one can not but wonder how long it would be before eBay became aware that they are not alone in the online world and reviewed their spending accordingly .

In summary, I would say that eBay is always on top of themselves. Yes, they are a great company. Big companies come and go (IBM where are they now?). Yes, they are (were) innovative. So are many others. Yes, they did a lot of money. I have no problem with that. And 'when companies squeeze their cash cow lemon seeds squeak so loud that they should think of a couple of things - like the fact that there are a myriad of other auction sites, biting at his heels. Do not take the mickey, guys .......