Something I was totally wrong about is ebay. I vividly remember, back in 99-2000 (before the dotcom crash, but when it seemed pretty likely that the market couldn't keep booming forever) talking about who would survive the fallout, and I used to say that of the big players of the time ebay was one that wouldn't make it. Anyway, I was wrong. It has exploited network effects incredibly well and turned itself into a massive business. Although not one without challenges.
To date I've had a pretty-much perfect customer experience with ebay, but it's always interesting to see the other side of a person-to-person interchange. I was an underbidder on a reasonably expensive item the other day (I actually ended up bidding a couple of hundred dollars less than the winning bidder), but after it closed I was emailed by someone (presumably the seller) asking me to take up a second chance offer by emailing him back [ie. to buy directly from him, not via the ebay site]. The email was signed 'ebay inc' and purported to be an official ebay communication, but was so obviously dodgy it was sort of funny. I played along and emailed back, and got a further 'official' email assuring me this was indeed an ebay-sanctioned second chance offer.
Then today I get this from a totally different email address (identifying info deleted):
Can you please tell me if you are still interested in my item ? ( ####) > Item number: ####.
Let me know if you are interested.
Thanks
Some dodgy shit going down.
No complaints with ebay customer support 'tho - they've been v responsive (even over the weekend).
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