Fighting The Man

In this case, The Man is eBay. I’m fairly pissed off at them. Here’s the text of an email I just sent to them:

Hi,

Let me start by explaining that I’m fairly annoyed at eBay, specifically the lack of useful help I’ve received with my problem in the past. It’s difficult to remain polite.

I moved from Canada to Australia three years ago. At that time, I tried to change my eBay account from a Canadian account to an Australian one. I filled out the form online, submitted it, and got a reply saying that it would take up to a month (!) to be processed. Okay fine. I waited, nothing happened, and I lost interest. About a year later, I tried again, with the same results. Just a few months ago, I tried for the third time – it also didn’t work.

So I used my account to place some auctions. As expected, I got a bill. Here’s the problem: the bill is in Canadian Dollars. I can’t pay it. I realise I owe eBay money, and I want to pay eBay, but I cannot pay in Canadian dollars. Foreign currency transactions are expensive for me, and I refuse to pay a premium to fix a problem that someone else created.

Yesterday, I received notice that my account is suspended until I pay this account, and that eBay is charging interest on the outstanding money. Not only did my original message accomplish nothing, I’m now worse off than I was before.

About a week ago, I sent a version of this letter to eBay Support, and got an entirely useless answer from someone named Mike. Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough in my original letter to Mike (reprinted below). I’ll be clear now:

* The automated system for changing countries hasn’t worked for me three times now. Don’t send me information on doing that. I also know that it won’t work until I’ve cleared my balance, which I will not do until I get a bill in Australian dollars.

* Don’t send me stuff copied-and-pasted from the online help. I’ve read it. I’m not an idiot.

* Solve my problem: Get me an invoice in Australian dollars and I will pay it right away.

Again, if you want to solve my problem, you will send me an invoice in Australian dollars and I will pay that.

Here’s the message I sent in last week:

I’ve been trying to do this now for nearly a year, and I’m quite frustrated with the process. I moved from Canada to Australia nearly 3 years ago, and have been trying to change my eBay contact information for the past couple of years. Once every few months I fill out the form, and am informed that the change may take up to a month to happen. So I wait. Nothing happens. I lose interest. A few months later, I try again with the same result.

Right now, I have a message in my inbox telling me I owe eBay C$88.20 for some auctions I created. I want to pay this in Australian Dollars, because that’s where I am. I actually cannot pay this in Canadian dollars, because I have no Canadian credit card. Please change my account to an Australian account so that I can pay your bill.

Feel free to contact me on my mobile 0415 276 127 if you have any questions.

I await your reply.

…..jurgen