eBay Coupons and The Boiling Frog

DeafMutePretender on 08/10/2019 - 22:39
Last edited 09/10/2019 - 17:46

Boiling Frog is where you put the frog in water and increase the temperature slowly so that it doesn't notice. Compare with boiling water where it will jump out ASAP. Well, I think eBay has been boiling us for a while now. Remember back when 10% and 15% coupons used to be COMPLETELY unrestricted and truly site-wide? But gradually they've been putting in restrictions until our beloved coupons are unrecognizable:

1) Increasing minimum spend ($30 -> $70 -> $100 etc)
2) Decreasing the % off (20% -> 15% -> 10% -> 3%)
3) Decreasing total max discount
4) Increasing category restrictions (can't use on gift cards, car parts etc)
5) Coupon only works on 10 items per transaction instead of unlimited
6) Big retailers only (or a bunch of sus small ones)
7) Can no longer use Australian coupons on eBay USA
8) Can no longer use American etc coupons on eBay Australia
9) eBay Plus users only
10) "Eligible items" only
11) I'm probably forgetting more.

I think "Eligible items" is the worst thing they introduced. Of course, you also got the usual eBay BS like pulling coupons off early, daylight savings affecting coupon use, and the price ejackulations. You realise what this is? Inflation. You basically indirectly lost some of your income. I wouldn't be surprised if they introduce more restrictions in the future:

  • Minimum spend: $10,000
  • 1% off
  • Max $10 discount
  • Coupons for women only
  • Coupons for boomers only
  • Coupons that only work on Chinese sellers
  • Confirmed OzBargainers banned from using eBay coupons

BTW, so about them frogs - boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew? Yeah or nah?

General Discussion

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Comments

  • ihbh on 08/10/2019 - 22:54
    +4

    Only buy from a platform when it suits you - best price, other benefits, etc.

    Otherwise just ignore. Life's too short to get your knickers in a knot.

    • DeafMutePretender on 08/10/2019 - 22:55

      I'm not wearing knickers ATM but I get ya.

    • blitz on 08/10/2019 - 23:05
      +2

      Life's too short to get your knickers in a knot.

      Now they tell me.

    • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 09/10/2019 - 01:09
      +2

      I have met a fair few frogs that had no issue with being boiled alive. Having said that I was as high as a kite.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/10/2019 - 18:10

        Please tell me this is a metaphor for your love life and that no real frogs were harmed…

  • xinyi on 08/10/2019 - 22:57

    If you look at the eBay share price, it's under performed vs facebook (a marketplace) and amazon (a marketplace), so that means that a platform like eBay isn't really ripping you off that much.

    • DeafMutePretender on 08/10/2019 - 23:01

      That's probably why they kicked out the useless eBay CEO recently. Out with the old, in with the new.

      • xinyi on 08/10/2019 - 23:25
        +1

        eBay for sellers is getting worse because the fees are increasing, but overall it does offer a lot of protection for buyers. I hope they are stay competitive vs amazon.

        • DeafMutePretender on 09/10/2019 - 17:50

          eBay for sellers is getting worse because the fees are increasing

          And by extension, eBay for buyers is indirectly getting worse as sellers raise the prices to cover their costs. Increased fees hurt everyone except eBay. But even so, it might also hurt eBay as buyers and sellers jump to Amazon (see the boring eBay Plus compared to the better Amazon Prime)

  • bdl on 09/10/2019 - 00:18
    +1

    Coupon: PFROG

  • spackbace on 09/10/2019 - 02:19

    Remember back when 10% and 15% coupons used to be COMPLETELY unrestricted and truly site-wide?

    You realise what this is? Inflation.

    2 rhetorical questions in that rant of a post.

    Last I checked, discussion topics normally pose questions if they want to open up discussion. Or did you just wanna rant?

    • DeafMutePretender on 09/10/2019 - 17:47
      -4

      Last I checked, here is what it says before you make a new thread:

      Talk about bargains, deals, coupons, shops and retailers, and anything related to finding a good bargain.

      I didn't find any rules stating I must ask a question. But you'll be pleased to hear that I added a question in my main post.

      • DeafMutePretender on 10/10/2019 - 22:19
        -2

        Now I know who has been negative voting my past posts because I beat them in an argument elsewhere.

        • spackbace on 10/10/2019 - 22:25

          Oh I hadn't voted. Hang on let me make it a -3 score. Not sure who of the other 2 you beat in an argument, or why you're so hung up on internet points, but you do you princess.

          • DeafMutePretender on 10/10/2019 - 22:28

            @spackbace: The person who upvoted your previous post was the person I beat in an argument elsewhere.

            Also, you're the one giving internet points so you're just as hung up about it. No need to project, princess.

            • spackbace on 10/10/2019 - 22:29

              @DeafMutePretender: Nope just felt if you're gonna point fingers then I'll jump in

              You know there's no winning or losing an internet argument right 😂

              • DeafMutePretender on 10/10/2019 - 22:33

                @spackbace:

                You know there's no winning or losing an internet argument right 😂

                Tell that to the person who's a sore loser and has to follow me around giving me downvotes. I've never given a downvote to anyone here. Ask admin, he can confirm.

  • joungs on 09/10/2019 - 02:54
    +1

    You know that's it not actually true. If you put a frog in water and slowly heat it up the frog will jump out once it's too hot. The experiment that the saying is based on had part of the frogs brains removed before hand.

    I don't know why this matters but ye. Maybe the message is use your brain to shop somewhere else then.

  • wei13 on 09/10/2019 - 07:13
    +4

    I really detest these entitled comments. Offer something to people and they think it's their right.

    Ebay can provide whatever kind of incentive they want, and you can spend your money however you want.

    The discounts are there to entice you to spend, if you are not enticed, don't spend. It's their money to make (or lose).

    Also a discount is better than no discount; Hardly comparable to boiling a frog.

  • theHMASfriendship on 09/10/2019 - 09:08
    +3

    price ejackulations

    I hope they cleaned up afterwards…

  • OzCheapo on 09/10/2019 - 09:47

    The more evil rationale is charging GST for all overseas items sold on eBay. While most new overseas items should incur import taxes, (exceptions where domestic stock is not available) I fundamentally disagree with charging import taxes for a used product.

    • DeafMutePretender on 09/10/2019 - 17:39

      Yes, I forgot this one. Coupons don't work on postage and GST. But GST applies to both item price and postage price… and Final Value Fees applies to both item price and postage price…

      eBay: Having our cake, eating it too, and eating your cake too.

  • ssquid on 09/10/2019 - 09:47

    Is it time for the weekly DeafMutePretender troll thread already?

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