“Openness, Honesty, and Integrity”
Navigational searches on Yahoo for “www.craigslist.org” or “craigslist.org” have been bringing up eBay textads featuring hyperlinked craigslist URLs, designed to confuse and misdirect users seeking craigslist onto eBay sites. Here is a link to a screen shot of one such search taken this morning, and an image of the text ad itself:
We’ve tried to give eBay the benefit of doubt, but it’s hard to reconcile deceptive, trademark-infringing ads calculated to harm craigslist and its users with statements like this one from eBay yesterday:
“eBay has, and will continue to be, a minority shareholder who believes in Craigslist, shares its values and acts with openness, honesty and integrity in its dealings with Craigslist’s board and the online community.
In fact, these ads suggest that they do not share our values at all, and that they are being anything but open and honest with the online community
UPDATE - Looks like these ads have been withdrawn! Ceasing unlawful behavior out of fear of legal consequences falls short of “openness, honesty, and integrity”, but it’s a step in the right direction.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I have nothing nice to say about ebay. I would really like to see ebay crumble to nothing. Long live craigslist.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I hope you manage to scrape off the Ebay leach.
I cancelled my Ebay membership & my Paypal membership last week after reading what those SWINE are attempting to do. We can fight with our feet!
Unfortunately, you are probably in for a challenging legal battle. Please watch your back, lest they stick their knife in and turn it.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Go, Jim! Go, CL!
CL users will come to the aid of CL, if you need a legal warchest. Just ask. CL rarely (if ever) reminds us to give. Cancelling PayPal accounts would indicate where the peoples’ sentiment really lies.
best regards for a simple and near-optimal product.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:37 am
I am glad you have spotted eBay’s faults. Ebay has done so many things that had hurt people and helped others who are a fraud. Just do right thing! Keep up good work.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get eBay’s Google Adwords account pulled for this?
May 15th, 2008 at 6:59 am
i wonder how much it costs ebay every time i click that ad
May 15th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Right down the Orwellian memory chute! War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, eBay acts with openness, honesty and integrity. Well, this is the unethical corporation you’re dealing with. Greedy scum with deep pockets for professional PR liars. I hope your legal team subpoenas them for records on these sleazy adwords.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I believe the attached URL paints an accurate picture of what Meg Whitman, the other EBAY insiders & E-Bay are all about.
“$$” & don’t let ethics get in the way of getting it.
Any time there is that much $$ involved, there is an arrogance of “we can do anything we want” attached.
I made my first (& last) purchase off E-Bay about 10 yrs ago. Lesson was well learned.
Companies like E-Bay are a sad commentary on the USA capitalistic society, the stock market & SEC.
If E-Bay is targeting CL, their deep pockets will probably prevail.
Wall Street $$ runs the government & Pres Bush is just a Empty Suit, puppet for Wall Street.
K Street Project.. (fourth branch of government.)
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=K_Street_Project
……..
Welcome to the Machine
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0307.confessore.html
……..
The Road to Riches Is Called K Street
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101632.html
To the great growth industries of America such as health care and home building add one more: influence peddling.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Being petty in these marketing strategy methods can only damage ebay’s reputation in the end. Ebay is the consumer capitalist giant whereas craigs list is the people’s perogative. Ebay survives solely on the fees it screws out of its users whereas craigslist is entirely user friendly and has no hidden agendas to rule the internet world! Long live free enterprise!
May 15th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Ebay cannot control what the millions of its users do. Anyone can place an adwords ad and direct it to Ebay. Should Ebay try to try to control their users by penalizing them for such behavior? Become the policeman of the internet? I think not, at least not until Craigslist decides to sweep their own porch.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:00 am
thats great that you are doing something about e-bay.cnaceled my account about 3 months ago along with pay pay.good job jim keep it up
May 16th, 2008 at 3:04 am
man i really misspelled alot of words in the last one it was supposed to say great job on doing something about e-bay.cancelled my e-bay and pay pal about 3 months ago.keep up the good work.
May 17th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Ebay used to have extremely loyal members and if they would have just been honest and treated people with integrity they would have continued to succeed. This was the straw that ended my long-time relationship with them.
May 17th, 2008 at 9:29 am
I have a very strong feeling ebay is behind the following also. For the last few weeks everytime I post an ad on CL (about nine times a week) I receive the e-mail response below within 24 hours. The link in the e-mail takes me to ebay and their search page with the key words of what I was looking for already in the search box. While the e-mail is disguised to appear as if it is just from a helpful user I receive the exact same e-mail every time I post. Also note that nowhere in the link does ebay appear. I find it very hard to believe that some concerned ebay user could do all this and on the scale that it is happening as several of my friends who also post on CL are receiving the e-mails. Is anyone else in other cities receiving these? Does anyone know what e-mail address at CL I could forward this to so they can do something about it or perhaps add it to their suit.
Hi,
I was looking for something similar the other day and found it
at a very cheap price at this site http://www.kosherinfo.info/forsale/?x=MCU3Yyt0b2RheSsrYW55K2dvbGQrK3NpbHZlcisrYWxsK2pld2Vscnk=
I hope you dont mind me emailing you but I wish someone had given
me that site when I was looking.
all the best
May 18th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Craigslist could cripple eBay by creating a section
for mail order sales.
Ebay sellers would leave eBay in droves.
A mail order section would be great for craigslist
buyers who can’t find items locally.
There is a big demand from sellers who would
like to list items on Craigslist and ship to all
areas in the U.S.
May 18th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
How exactly do you know that EBay was behind these ads? The timing seems a little bit suspicious. Also, the text is so poorly written and doesn’t look to be the same style as their other ads for Kijiji and EBay.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
^
Agreed. I don’t think Craigslist would want to do this though as their mission is localized.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
“Ebay cannot control what the millions of its users do. Anyone can place an adwords ad and direct it to Ebay. ”
This is an incredibly stupid statement. Adwords cost big money. Who the hell would want to pay everytime someone clinked on that spoof link? Ridiculous.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:37 am
I have a question and I am not sure if you have the answer.. Google has taken page rank from eBay. When you go to do a google search for lets say estee lauder ZERO of eBay’s auctions come up NONE… I did read an article that google and ebay had teamed up for text based advertising and click to talk…
So do you guys know if they had a fallout with eBay as well?
I think it is hilarious that this will lessen the traffic flow for feebay
May 21st, 2008 at 11:33 am
I’m on of the old timer developers from way back… yes, well before the net… OK… even before Atari! I’m highly qualified in software engineering, networking, et al.
I’m fully prepared with substantial coding done… to build an online auction system entirely in concert with Craigslist philosophy of community service, equity, and integrity… qualities easily lost on the net… but still as equally recognized.
If craigslist and/or anyone else is interested in doing this project I’m up for it. Launch could be as little as six months.
Please contact me at craigs@stanspublicmail.com.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:22 pm
>>>Agreed. I don’t think Craigslist would want to do this though as their mission is localized.<<<
Even local buyers (20+ miles) are asking me
if I can ship to them. People are realizing how
much it really cost to drive when they are filling
up their gas tanks.
Personally, I prefer buying and selling locally
and would not want to see any mail order ads
integrated with local listings.
I was suggesting a craigslist mail order section
completely separated from local listings.
There is a big demand from sellers who are fed
up with eBay but can’t find any alternatives
with enough traffic.
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Jim- DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HOW LOW EBAY WILL GO…. As each day passes- they set a new precedent to an even lower form of deception, lies, dishonesty,and underhanded.
Why would you give ebay the ” benefit of the doubt”-when they have not yet proved deserving of it?
Do not be distracted with these matters- although they must be tended to. In the meantime- You and Craig have much to do- stay focused- stay positive- and continue to do the great work you’ve both been doing.
Continue forward- and keep your guards up…. put absolutely nothing past them… and NEVER… give them “THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT”. I believe they’ve already showed their true colors….
I will continue to remain loyal to “Craigslist”.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:32 am
I couldn’t say for sure the exact number, but thousands anyway have gone to OLA.com to sell and are leaving ebay for good. You can only take so much toe stepping before you say ouch! ebay had been my bread and butter for the past 12 years, but since feb I’ve gotten two undeserved negatives and now my neutral are turned against me as well. Screew you ebay. OLA is here and you won’t be touching them anytime soon. Sellers? Looking for a new home. Try Onlineauctions.com!
May 26th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Why doesnt Craigslist evolve into a nation-wide listing service rather than a local service? What I mean to say is the searches are local, you cant search nationwide, at least I havent figured out how to without having to switch from local site to site. I am so sick of Ebay, their latest rule change doesnt allow any seller to leave feedback for a buyer… for me to leave feedback for a deadbeat bidder… I list items on Cragslist and appreciate the service, I just wish there was a way to list nationally w/o jumping from city to city. It would deffinately give Ebay a run for its money (which is all they care about for sure) and make my life easier. Any feedback appreciated!
July 8th, 2008 at 11:55 am
[…] details on how EBay supposedly spams Craigslist advertisers - based on insider info? […]
July 8th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
With all of this, CL still allows eBay to be one of their minority shareholders… 25% isn’t it?