This one may well seem off on a tangent but bear with me.
I've been using eBay on and off now for several years both as a buyer and a seller. It's ultimately just a hugely accessible marketplace, one where, in the past buyers and sellers could meet together on equal terms to come to a transactional arrangement. This was largely reinforced by their rating system for both buyer and seller. It was a win win situation.
A little while ago, eBay changed the rules so that the buyer was the only one who could leave feedback. Rightly or wrongly, it was no longer equal terms. The buyer has the power to 'punish' the buyer through negative feedback scores. In my capacity as a buyer I don't feel it benefits me much to have this potential 'hold' over the seller. As a seller however it brings constant frustration with less than genuine bidders who can hide behind these new rules without detriment. Now this certainly isn't every buyer, but more than expected.
eBay (the Company) is a business seeking shareholder wealth. It wants to protect the buyer to generate more individual sales and therefore revenue. However it is no longer facilitating a marketplace but a transactional service which largely works one way, the buyer's way.
So does this generate cooperation and value created by two equals? Does it inspire any kind of (tenuous as it might be) teamwork? Of course not. It breeds suspicion and worry. It promotes individual gain over others.
Equal standing and respect is essential for every healthy relationship (knowing even when a power balance is present, it will never be used). It is something that is fundamental to the way you can work with others.
As for me, I'm quitting eBay for a little while. I might give a few things away to charity, a win win for everyone.
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