eBay hack hit sales at 9 in 10 stores, survey finds

[Audrey McNeil <audrey () riskbasedsecurity com>]

http://news.parcel2go.com/article/ebay-hack-hit-sales-at-9-in-10-stores-survey-finds-10544

An influential e-commerce news website's research into the lasting impact
on sellers of the May hacking of eBay.com has reached the alarming
conclusion that as many as 93 per cent believe they had suffered some
financial repercussions.

Ecommercebytes.com got more than 2,000 responses in just over 24 hours when
it asked its readers how they thought eBay had handled the breach, on 21
May, and how it had affected their sales.

Just three per cent of those who answered said they felt their business had
escaped unscathed from the disruption, with a vast majority reporting a
fall in takings around the following days.

Posing its question exactly one month after the scare was revealed, the
research found that more than nine in 10 merchants (91 per cent) claimed
sales had not fully recovered.

Delving more deeply into the findings, Ecommercebytes.com's Ina Steiner
found considerable anger that eBay had seemed to know about the security
breach for some weeks before going public, and feeling that its response,
to urge all users to change their passwords for accessing the site and
their sales records, was insufficient.

Many also felt that eBay had shifted responsibility for limiting the
effects of the breach from itself onto its users, and kept sellers in the
dark as to what it had itself done to patch up its security.

One reader commented: "They [eBay]need a positive media campaign to assure
potential customers that it is safe to shop on eBay."

A vast majority (94 per cent) felt eBay's compensation offer, of free
auction listings for sellers affected, was insufficient, many saying these
were of no use to them as they listed their products at a fixed price.

"Giving extra seller promotions when no one is shopping does not help," one
merchant responded.

eBay's response included refunding sellers fees for selected auctions, and
opening an 11-day window during which they could cancel their listings.

Ms Steiner noted that her site's survey suggested "a recovery, though an
excruciatingly slow one" for many of eBay's traders, "and indicate eBay
could do a far better job communicating with users".

We reported yesterday that eBay had sent vouchers worth between £20 and £75
to vendors as recompense for the disruption the attack caused.

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