Question
Fluff's main account was mistakenly (yes, really) suspended last Thursday and all her auctions obliterated. Repeated emails vanished into the Black Hole of Salt Lake City. Fluff bleakly examined her remaining options:
1. Get a boob job and industrial-strength liposuction, then apply for employment as a pole dancer at the Bada Bing, or
2. Picket eBay headquarters on Hamilton Ave in San Jose.
Armed with signs that read "EBAY TOOK MY INCOME" and "JEWELRY SELLER (since 1999) UNFAIRLY SUSPENDED", Fluff took two iPods, a jug of water, a big floppy-brimmed hat and a determination to see justice done in the Old West.
9:10 am: Fluff arrives, stations herself next to eBay's driveway, and starts rocking out to the strains of Dire Straits. People stare. This is good, even though her dancing is painfully bad.
9:22 am: The sinister black SECURITY truck makes the first of many, many trips past to make sure Fluff isn't on eBay property. Meanwhile, Fluff waves at arriving eBay employees and to her surprise, some wave back.
9:45 am: Sweetie arrives with his big impressive digital camera to document the event.
9:48 am: Two eBay employees come by and give Fluff a liter of ice water. It is much appreciated and introductions are made all around. (Thanks Micah and Sarah!)
9:52 am: Another man arrives to take pictures, introduces himself as Oscar. Fluff tells her story, hands Oscar a press release and he promises to get the information to someone who can help.
10:38 am: Oscar returns with an offer. Someone will be calling Fluff, he says, as soon as she gets home. That's, what, 20 minutes from here, so he thinks she'd better leave now so as not to miss it. Fluff points out the 2 cellphone numbers on the press release and says she'll consider leaving. (Yeah, right.) Oscar finally admits he's on the security detail.
11:16 am: A woman introduces herself to Fluff and offers legal services in this obvious David vs. Goliath situation. She gives Fluff a business card and DVD.
Fluff notes that last Friday she couldn't even find a lawyer who'd talk to her.
noon: Fluff moves to the Bascom Ave side of the campus; much more traffic there as people go to lunch. This confuses the security truck momentarily but soon he's making sweeps every two minutes again.
12:05 pm: iPod #1 gives out.
12:36 pm: Fluff gets voice mail from a woman who introduces herself as from the Office of the President in Salt Lake City. The message says that there is email waiting at home that will explain how I can -- maybe -- be reinstated.
1:00 pm: Fluff figures she's made her point and is a nice bright strawberry color by this time. She looks forward to returning on Tuesday and trying out a few new dance steps. On the way home she gets a live call from the OOP. Her account has been reinstated and her auctions restored. Mirabile dictu.
Lessons learned:
1. eBay is a huge entity but it can be embarrassed.
2. Most eBay HQ staff are disquietingly young. I saw almost no one over 40.
3. The person who said, "You may get your account back but you'll never get an apology" was correct.
fLufF
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you rock
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Pictures. You must share pictures.
And BTW, You Go Girl! Flullytheonewomanpicketline
edited to add...why is there a space between the "i" and "n" in my post?
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So, fluff, if it ever happens to one of us who lives on the opposite side of the states, can we hire you to go on our behalf?
P.S. You might be able to take bids on that legal person's business card!
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Way to go!
Glad you don't have to go back out into the sun tomorrow...
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Rock on! Call the newspaper or local news--they'll love this!!
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Congrats!
I think you are giving eBay staff too much age. I think most are not close to 30.
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I think you were very smart, very brave and very successful.
Your initiative may have helped us all, since it connected real people to cold, impersonal and uncaring policies. So much of what eBay does is half-assed, and yours is a classic example of know-nothing hirelings ruining long term relationships and undermining their business.
It is too bad it takes that kind of effort to get someone at eBay to care. I also find it interested that security "lied" to try to get you to leave. They were more concerned about your creating a small swirl of attention than in finding someone to help solve the problem.
My confidence in the Salt Lake City customer service operation remains dismal. I am sure the grommets there show up on time, smile a lot, and follow orders well, but they don't do much for eBay's bottom line, that's for sure!
Larry
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You GO, girl!
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I'd save the press releases and media interviews for the time in which they reinstate the NARU. Indeed I'd be worried that continuing might cause retaliation in the form of undoing the reinstatement.
I think you worked a miracle and should be commended.
I'd be trying out other venues at the same time so that the next time most of my eggs aren't in one basket.
Best wishes.