eBay is running a marketing campaign to encourage buyers to shop on its site by offering them coupons. One buyer sent AuctionBytes a coupon he had received (pictured) that offered $5 toward shipping on any one item. Part of the terms and conditions follows:
This Offer is valid only when you pay with, and seller accepts, PayPal. This Offer is intended for the recipient whose eBay User ID is printed on the Offer and purchase must be made on eBay.com with that eBay User ID. This Offer is not transferable.
This Offer is for one-time use. It may only be redeemed on the total shipping cost of an item or items on one purchase from a single seller, using a single method of shipping and single currency, in a single transaction. This Offer expires February 28, 2008 at 11:59:59 PM (PST).
I also heard from a buyer who received a phone call from PayPal recently. The call was followed up with an email containing a coupon for $50 off the purchase price of a single item on eBay.com using PayPal to pay for the item, excluding shipping, handling and taxes, with an expiration date of March 28, 2008.
Here's a page on eBay that explains eBay coupons.
One of the buyers who received a coupon (and is also a seller) wrote, "I assume that their generosity was another way to try and blunt the effects of the seller boycott during that time period." Of course, eBay does have marketing programs in place - it's unlikely we'll ever know if they stepped up efforts in response to the boycott or not.
