Question
***Responding to Hurricane Katrina***
September 09, 2005 | 02:51PM PST/PT
Like many of you, people here at eBay have struggled to comprehend the crisis that's unfolding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This disaster is upsetting for all of us - millions of lives have been affected, including many thousands of eBay Community members in the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
We've given a lot of thought to how eBay and our Community can make an impact on relief efforts in the affected areas. I want to give you update on what we're doing, and how you can join in.
To assist the eBay Community directly, we've set aside $1 million which we're putting into the hands of eBay business owners in the region. From talking with a number of them, we know that some were very fortunate and suffered minimal impact, while others were devastated. Within the next few days, we'll deposit $1,000 into the PayPal accounts of our top 1,000 sellers who reside in the affected areas. They can either use these funds to help get back on their feet or - if their needs are met - we'll ask them to share this money with others in their local community, either directly or through local or regional charity organizations. They know best what their community needs, so we'll rely on them to make these dollars work as hard as possible. And we believe that getting these funds to them via PayPal will enable evacuees to access it faster.
In addition:
-When you sell an item via eBay Giving Works [http://pages.ebay.com/givingworks/?ssPageName=CMDV:AB] with 100% of the final sale price benefiting a certified nonprofit organization, eBay will continue to donate Insertion and Final Value Fees to your selected organization. Some Community members have asked us to expand the number of listings eligible for the eBay Giving Works Fee Donation Policy to enable you to set aside some of the final sale price to cover your selling fees - so effective immediately, if you donate at least 90% of the final sale price of an eBay Giving Works listing and the item sells, we will donate the Insertion and Final Value Fees to the organization you specify within your listing. We'll soon be updating our site information accordingly.
-We ask that you continue to be patient with buyers and sellers who may live in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. To help ensure that eBay members in the region aren't unfairly penalized for not completing transactions in a timely way, a message will appear to users about to leave negative feedback, reminding them that their trading partner may be impacted by this disaster.
-In case you missed Rachel Makool's announcement board post last week [http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200509011245562.html], the eBay Foundation made a $250,000 donation on behalf of the eBay Community to the American Red Cross and is matching employee donations dollar for dollar up to $500 per employee. We also dedicated a section of the eBay homepage to relief efforts and information - including how to make a cash donation using PayPal [http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...ffort-outside] and how to buy or sell an item with eBay Giving Works [http://pages.ebay.com/givingworks/?ssPageName=CMDV:AB] to support a relief organization. We also established a Natural Disaster & Relief Information discussion board [http://forums.ebay.com/db1/forum.jsp...eName=CMDV:AB].
The Hurricane Katrina crisis is horrific, and its toll continues to grow. This is an opportunity for the eBay Community to demonstrate how we can mobilize to help others in need and make a difference in their lives. I know many of you already have taken up this cause, and I hope many more will, too. Along with our efforts as a company, I'm enormously proud of the eBay Community.
Sincerely,
Bill Cobb
President
eBay North America
Answer
Too freaking unreal Are they really serious?
Originally Posted by likearock
***Responding to Hurricane Katrina***
September 09, 2005 | 02:51PM PST/PT
Like many of you, people here at eBay have struggled to comprehend the crisis that's unfolding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This disaster is upsetting for all of us - millions of lives have been affected, including many thousands of eBay Community members in the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
We've given a lot of thought to how eBay and our Community can make an impact on relief efforts in the affected areas. I want to give you update on what we're doing, and how you can join in.
To assist the eBay Community directly, we've set aside $1 million which we're putting into the hands of eBay business owners in the region. From talking with a number of them, we know that some were very fortunate and suffered minimal impact, while others were devastated. Within the next few days, we'll deposit $1,000 into the PayPal accounts of our top 1,000 sellers so screw everyone else in the area, lets only help the top 1,000 and everyone else be damned who reside in the affected areas. They can either use these funds to help get back on their feet or - if their needs are met - we'll ask them to share this money with others in their local community, either directly or through local or regional charity organizations. They know best what their community needs, so we'll rely on them to make these dollars work as hard as possible. And we believe that getting these funds to them via PayPal will enable evacuees to access it faster.
In addition:
-When you sell an item via eBay Giving Works [http://pages.ebay.com/givingworks/?ssPageName=CMDV:AB] with 100% of the final sale price benefiting a certified nonprofit organization, eBay will continue to donate Insertion and Final Value Fees to your selected organization. Some Community members have asked us to expand the number of listings eligible for the eBay Giving Works Fee Donation Policy to enable you to set aside some of the final sale price to cover your selling fees - so effective immediately, if you donate at least 90% of the final sale price of an eBay Giving Works listing and the item sells, we will donate the Insertion and Final Value Fees to the organization you specify within your listing. We'll soon be updating our site information accordingly.
-We ask that you continue to be patient with buyers and sellers who may live in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. To help ensure that eBay members in the region aren't unfairly penalized for not completing transactions in a timely way, a message will appear to users about to leave negative feedback, reminding them that their trading partner may be impacted by this disaster.
-In case you missed Rachel Makool's announcement board post last week [http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200509011245562.html], the eBay Foundation made a $250,000 donation on behalf of the eBay Community to the American Red Cross and is matching employee donations dollar for dollar up to $500 per employeewhooopeeee freaking dooo dooo betcha Meg's shoe collection costs more. We also dedicated a section of the eBay homepage to relief efforts and information - including how to make a cash donation using PayPal [http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...ffort-outside] and how to buy or sell an item with eBay Giving Works [http://pages.ebay.com/givingworks/?ssPageName=CMDV:AB] to support a relief organization. We also established a Natural Disaster & Relief Information discussion board [http://forums.ebay.com/db1/forum.jsp...eName=CMDV:AB].
The Hurricane Katrina crisis is horrific, and its toll continues to grow. This is an opportunity for the eBay Community to demonstrate how we can mobilize to help others in need and make a difference in their lives. I know many of you already have taken up this cause, and I hope many more will, too. Along with our efforts as a company, I'm enormously proud of the eBay Community.
Sincerely,
Bill Cobb
President
eBay North America
Answer
The generosity is overwhelming.
Answer
Well, they are in a budget crunch ya know. eBay offered roughly $5 billion for Skype
Answer
It's a good start.
They put a million dollars into play in the effected area that is immediately available and can have positive results with many impacted people deciding how it can be best used.
Some money will be wasted and other users still need help but I see it as a tremendous improvement over that PR tour Meg went on after 9/11, pledging our money.
I give Bill Cobb credit for a good call and look forward to additional programs through which we can all work together to help existing users from that area and the general impacted population.
Answer
I believe their intentions are good, but focusing on the top 1000 sellers is a little like saying Trent Lott's gonna rebuild a nicer house and you're looking forward to sitting on the front porch. No matter what you actually meant, it sounds elitist.
Other ways eBay could help eBayer Katrina victims: (1) Waive listing fees for 6-12 months to any seller with a billing address in the devasted area as of end of August. This could help folks rebuild their eBay business and move closer to self-sufficiency. (Although perhaps it would also make it easier to fence looted items...) (2) Work through American Red Cross and other agencies coordinating the evacuees to offer a partial PayPal credit on QUALIFIED items purchased through eBay (clothing, school supplies, kitchen utensils, etc.) to help people get back on their feet.
Whatever your feeling about Wal-Mart (and mine aren't terribly positive) you have to admire their response to Katrina. Compare their announcement to eBay's:
Following President Bush's announcement today that former Presidents Bush and Clinton will lead a nationwide fundraising effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Wal-Mart President and CEO Lee Scott contacted President Clinton and the White House and committed $15 million from Wal-Mart to jump-start the effort.
As part of this commitment, Wal-Mart will establish mini-Wal-Mart stores
in areas impacted by the hurricane. Items such as clothing, diapers, baby
wipes, food, formula, toothbrushes, bedding and water will be given out free
of charge to those with a demonstrated need.
Wal-Mart previously donated $2 million in cash to aid emergency relief
efforts and has been collecting contributions at its 3,800 stores and CLUBS,
and through its web sites [www.walmartfacts.com, http://www.walmart.com,
http://www.walmartfoundation.org, http://www.walmartstores.com, http://www.samsclub.com].
Through its Associate Disaster Relief Fund, the company will also give
displaced associates immediate funds for shelter, food, clothing and other
necessities.
From here.
Ms. C.
Answer
Ms. C-they are also giving out things for free to evacuees who've been displaced. I know they are here for the people who need help-clothes, toiletries, food, diapers, etc. are being alloted for people who come in and request it(I'd assume there is some type of verification for preventing too much abuse). I was VERY impressed by Wally's response-it was shocking considering how I feel about Wally on the whole.