Ebay asking for ever more enhanced personal information...

[Artemesia's Garden]

I think I just gave up with Ebay. My main issue was that Ebay gives out your phone number to any courier that the seller chooses, which can include some pretty budget and unofficial-seeming companies. So often, a buyer states a price for 'Royal Mail Second Class' and then lo and behold it's Hermes ringing you and turning up at 7pm on a Saturday night trying to take photos of your hallway. I have no idea what is happening to my personal data. I don't like them having my phone number and prefer to organise deliveries via email at my convenience (not thiers). So I did as suggested by one customer services rep. and gave them my phone number with the last two digits reversed. Now due to another ramp-up of security they insist on calling my on my mobile number before I can log back into my account. So I'm now locked out and can't find the motivation to bother chasing customer services to give them the correct 'phone number. I noticed there was some other issue with selling recently where you have to let them retain the details of your main bank account, so I just stopped selling. I also heard that USA customers will have to let them retain thier socail security number. It just sets off alarm bells for me that Ebay are able to or enable other, almost anonymous companies to link up my mobile number, address, photos of my property, bank accoutn details, data about my lifestyle choices etc. I don't think it's worth it  On another note I soon ave up with Air BnB because I felt that they were demanding too much personal information i.e. things that can't possibly offer any additional security to hosts or other guests etc. but could easily be used to serve some sideline business model.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I can explain the USA thing... Starting this year, you are required to report sales on secondhand sites as taxable income if you sell more than $600 (gross including shipping prices). Mercari also has a little pop-up for this, each site is supposed to send a W-2.

The phone number thing is odd though. I hate having people call me. That does not sound like the safest way to handle your information.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Ah ok thanks for that. I think we have a limit here too but I've never been anywhere close. So are they keeping bank details just in case someone gets investigated? I guess eBay has lost that Only Fools n Horses vibe. And yes I completely agree about people I don't know calling me. Every time my phone rings I'm like 

[Taffeta]

I don't answer my phone if I don't know who is calling. Actually, I only answer my phone to family, these days, because most everyone else uses text or other messaging/email. Apparently people answering phone calls is generally less common these days so why they would get so fussy about it I am not sure.

I have more or less given up with ebay because of their disproportionate fees - I got fed up with shouldering the fee burden of the discounts given bulk sellers, and the fact the site has stopped being what it originally was when I first signed up in the late 1990s. I mean, then I had to literally pay my $ fees in cash but it still felt safer and less intrusive.

It's sad that the site has sold out to ordinary private sellers who just want to clear out junk or sell collectables without having an attached business.

[Artemesia's Garden]

It is sad, do you know I was a member for 23 years. It's just become a discount store for factory seconds. I guess what I need to do is start going to charity shops and jumble sales again like I used to.