[LINK] Consumer computer security

[Stilgherrian]

On 24/1/07 1:38 AM, "stephen at melbpc.org.au" <stephen at melbpc.org.au> wrote:
> *** Coming soon: Safe payment requirements for new sellers ***
>    
> 23 January 2007 | 10:29AM EST
> 
> Coming soon we will require sellers who register after 17 January 2007 to
> offer at least one preferred safe payment method of either PayPal or
> merchant credit card facilities, in their listings. [snip]

And since eBay owns PayPal, and since you can't get merchant facilities from
a bank without a written business plan and a whole bunch of paperwork that a
start-up home-based business will find difficult to put together -- and even
more so if you just want to flog off a few un-needed items from the shed! --
this will further entrench eBay's "vertical integration" of the market.

And it's all done in the name of "safe payment". Sweet.

Moreover, since PayPal isn't a bank, presumably you have far less consumer
protection that when dealing with a bank. And if there's a dispute, who do
you go to...? Last time I ran something on eBay,  I discovered that my
payments were being run through... where was it? Oh yes, eBay International
AG in Switzerland.

Chase that one, folks!

Stil


-- 
Stilgherrian http://stilgherrian.com/
Internet, IT and Media Consulting, Sydney, Australia
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