Doc was the first Tampa Bay area used car dealer to sell automobiles online back in 1999. eBay was a growing company that opened up a new marketplace for used cars and other items where there were none before. Car buyers in the northeast area could buy a rust-free Florida car in the middle of a blizzard and have it shipped home, and people did just that. But fraud started chipping away at the founder’s trust and community values. Sadly so many buyers and sellers could no longer trust each other! 😥
The lengths this corporation went to punish outspoken former sellers, critics, and publishers who criticized their bad business practices are shameful. Doc founded the eBay motors sucks website in 2004 to warn consumers of fraud when used car scams were out of control on the site of the recently launched eBay Motors. Doc has paid a heavy price for his efforts. Trolls attacked his credibility as a seller . His girlfriend’s family was stalked. He was removed from his church because of lies told to his pastor. Corporate hate at its worst!
In the early 2000s, fraud started hurting the reputation of the newly launched eBay motors vehicle buying/selling venue. European scammers (mostly out of Romania) were stealing photos and descriptions from other listings. They listed collector and specialty cars at unrealistically low prices. Trusting buyers were being slaughtered by fraudsters who picked their pockets clean. 😥
Corporate insiders were stuffing their pockets full of cash and mostly denied the fraud. The venue built on trust was infested with scams that were killing the founder’s trust and community values. Regardless Pierre and Meg bankrolled the profits, as trusting members were defrauded.
Over the years eBay tried reinventing itself with mixed results. Failed adventures like eBay Valet and other ideas fizzled out. They had a well-established niche business in used merchandise but threw it away trying to compete with Amazon. The motors venue was once the highest income generator but has over the years lost its mojo. Bad buyers defrauded sellers with PayPal taking payments back from sellers, which drove another coffin in the eBay brand name coffin!
It’s a known fact among many car dealers that front-line-ready quality used cars will not make a profit on eBay motors. Sellers are offering bargain-priced autos that have been wrecked or in a flood and have issues. There are many good deals online but do your homework before buying!
There’s an old saying that’s often true – nothing hurts worse than the truth! Corporate execs literally screwed Pierre’s TRUST and COMMUNITY Values into the ground, as buyers and sellers were ripped off. But it’s OK, Meg and Pierre made billions, and what’s left is eBay history! 😥 View the Archive Here.
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