Changes at eBay are here, like it or not

While the popular online auction site eBay (www.ebay.com) is the undisputed leader of its category - as well as one of the few dot-coms to make a profit - there are several changes under way that make me wonder why something that isn't broken needs to be fixed. I've been using eBay for years and have, for the most part, really enjoyed it. While the company no longer lists the exact number of items for sale at any given time, it claims 'Over five million items for sale.' I've been able to find some really obscure movies and the like that I would never have found in a lifetime of searching. In addition, another unforeseen bonus is that people with similar interests have contacted me - and vice versa - about our shared enthusiasm. The time and expense it would take to find other diehard fans of obscure interests is beyond the budget of most fans like me. Sadly, whenever such a new media offers such a good way for people to communicate, there are always people who will abuse the privilege. Every time I bid on an item, I can count on my e-mail inbox being filled with the usual get-rich-quick, lose-weight and other assorted unwanted spam, or unsolicited junk mail. And, apparently, people have been canceling auctions early to deprive eBay of its commission and then selling the item to the highest bidder. Not only have people been doing this, but then people complain to eBay if there is some sort of fraud - after defrauding eBay of its percentage of the auctioned item's final sale price. For most items, eBay charges an 'insertion fee,' which ranges in cost between 30 cents and $3.30, depending upon the value of the item. Plus, if the item is sold, there is a closing fee based on the final sales price, which has a range of 1 to 5 percent. Other online competitors have tried to lure eBay buyers and sellers by offering 'free' listings, but that hasn't proved successful. (Just last month, online auction behemoth Yahoo! started charging insertion fees, but still not closing fees.) So, eBay has made some changes. Later this month, eBay plans to block potential buyers from being able to look up a seller's e-mail address. Instead, users will have to send their e-mail via the company's e-mail server. The company says it won't read or store the contents of any e-mail. However, someone who has made a bid on an item will still be able to contact the seller directly. Also, eBay will no longer allow users to register their e-mail address as their user name. For now, those who have identical user name/e-mail addresses will be allowed to continue doing so, but are 'encouraged' to change their user name. Anyone caught violating these rules will first be warned, then suspended. 'We realize that you establish relationships with other members through eBay and may complete future transactions based upon those relationships,' the company posted on its Web site. 'However, the use of eBay contact information to enable a transaction outside of eBay is not condoned and is a violation of our User Agreement.' While I understand - and support - eBay's attempt to stop people from defrauding the company of its due fees, I'm not sure how they can, or should, be able to enforce what people do in future transactions. Steve Segal is the computer columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at computer@tribweb.com .