From: Rob Bell (rbell1_at_netscape.net)
Date: Tue May 02 2000 - 17:19:52 EDT
For anyone following the recent (and off-topic) thread about cheap 733MHz PCs
on UBid, here is the definitive explanation from UBid. While I firmly believe
that the actual seller (Computers uR Way) should take some responsibility and
attempt to fix the situation, I think the attached e-mail shows that UBid has
done their part. They earned a passing grade as far as I'm concerned.
Rob
____________________________________________________________________
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com.
attached mail follows:
Dear Customer:
We sincerely regret that you have had a negative experience in connection
with your participation in Auction #20538338 in the uBid Auction Community.
The purpose of this letter is to explain the nature of the error that was
posted by the listing merchant in Auction #20538338 (resulting in its
inability to fulfill winning bids), and to share with you the action
uBid.com has taken in response.
As you may know, uBid.com is primarily a so-called "business-to-consumer"
auction site, offering consumers and businesses close-out and refurbished
brand name products acquired from certified vendors. In many of our
auctions, uBid itself is the seller of products offered. In these auctions,
uBid undertakes responsibility for all aspects of the auction and the
auction listing, including product descriptions, identification of
quantities, establishment of starting and maximum bid prices, and shipping.
Our site also includes the uBid Auction Community, a distinct marketplace
area in which a variety of merchants may directly list their goods for
auction. uBid is not the seller of goods offered for sale in the Auction
Community and does not own, warehouse, ship or otherwise manage inventory or
goods offered by Auction Community merchants. Unlike traditional uBid.com
auctions, Auction Community merchants list their items directly, and
undertake responsibility for all aspects of their auction listings,
including product descriptions, identification of quantities, establishment
of starting and maximum bid prices, and shipping.
In this respect, the Auction Community area of our site is similar to other
online auction providers such as eBay and Yahoo! Auctions, where businesses
and individuals may directly place items for auction.
Auction #20538338, in which you participated, was conducted in the uBid
Auction Community. In this auction, the quantity and opening bid figures
were inverted by an Auction Community merchant in the listing of the
auction, such that the available quantity figure appeared in the starting
bid position, and the starting bid figure appeared in the quantity position.
As these figures are entered manually, human error, while infrequent, is
possible. Unfortunately, we did not detect the listing error in Auction
#20538338 prior to its closing.
uBid holds Auction Community merchants to high standards of performance and
service. Merchant performance is monitored to ensure that buyers receive
the appropriate service levels. It goes without saying that the merchant in
Auction #20538338 failed to meet our standards. We have, accordingly,
terminated this merchant's privilege to conduct further auctions on our
site.
Please accept our most sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to
you. While we are unable to fulfill orders under this merchant's erroneous
auction listing, we have offered you a coupon for use in a future auction.
We hope that you will accept this coupon as an expression of our regret and
as a gesture of our appreciation for your understanding.
Thank you for your cooperation and for shopping at uBid.com.
Very truly yours,
Jason MacLean
VP, Customer Care
uBid.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Thu Jan 23 2003 - 09:56:03 EST