Today speaking at the Internet World exhibition in London Richard Ambrose announced a new program of “Trusted Reporters” on eBay UK.
Starting within the next few weeks pilot program with a couple of dozen users will be launched with a fast track for action to be taken. By the end of the year, if the program proves successful it will be expanded to include hundreds of users.
eBay have discovered that a dedicated core of around 1000 eBay members generate about 50% of all accurate reports on the site. It is from this pool of experienced reporters with a history of accuracy over several years that the Trusted Reporters will be drawn.
One concern from similar pilots in the past, carried out in the US, is that the accuracy of reports could deteriorate once they’re aware of their status. eBay will continue to verify the quality of reports from the Trusted reports to ensure the program isn’t open to abuse.
Users have often complained in the past that reports weren’t acted on, it’s great news that those who have actively, consistently and accurately reported violations over an extended period of time will be prioritised.
14 Responses
ah we are now going to have olympic standard snitches
And will they get little icons to go after their user name, like ME page and PS status? 😆
So ebay get “Olympic Standard Snitches” (copyright North) for free, and doubtless they’ll feel all empowered to report ever more listings.
Quite a good move from a multi-billion dollar organisation.
How about they use some of that money to actually EMPLOY people to police their venue.
Although knowing most roll-outs of new ebay policies, the snitches will probably get their own listings zapped the first time 😆
Amazing what people will do for a free mug and a roll of eBay packing tape 🙄
@ Blighty: Are you really sure that’s what eBay users want? When they brought out safeguarding members’ IDs, the absolute OUTRAGE when eBay stopped the self-appointed shill-hunters and said they had their own anti-shill programmes in place. I suspect a lot of the people who do the most reporting probably *like* reporting.
I gave up trying to guess what ebayers want a long time ago Sue, except for a teleport machine 😆
I do think that those 1000 need to get out more though….
Am I the only one that thinks this is very similar to the communist states, having informants in ever neighborhood and work place ?
Anyone doing this must have very sad lives, and lets remember from our school days, no likes a tattle tale.
(please note, i’d rather there was less wrong doing on ebay, but I don’t think an untrained and unregulated vigilante force made up of my competitors is the way to go)
can you imagine the hoards of rampant self important curtain twitchers ,
stalking the isles of tesco and asda. if they encouraged such a thing
“Anyone doing this must have very sad lives, and lets remember from our school days, no likes a tattle tale.”
Were the kids in your school committing fraud? And it’s funny how many people change their tune about that once it’s their categories which are flooded with fakes.
no objection to policing and fraud prevention
what I object to is unpaid, un-trained, non professional, amatuers being used and relied upon as a first line of defence
lets not kid ourselves about fraud prevention and community spirit ,
its often used as a business tool out of self interest, to inconveniance and harrass competitors for minor transgressions
Were the kids in your school committing fraud? ‘
I’m sure they were busy with more serious youth crimes like joyriding, underage drinking and drug taking.
Anyway very few of the long list of listing violations that can be reported have anything to do with fraud.
the reporters finger ends will be bursting into flame with friction today
reporting those that dont have an address showing to comply with the new showing address rule