eBay Forcing User ID

forgotmyname

I could probably give you the name of 20 - 50 websites that auto suggest a username based on your real name you used.

Where is the problem? When you deal with other members they will get your name and address anyway.

kaya

holy mother of mary and Christ on a bike, if it disturbs you this much I would like to point out that you are under no obligation whatsoever to use ebay

soolin

Can I suggest that you don't go anywhere near etsy then....they do the same.

RFW

If you register as a business seller (I think) you still get to pick your own user name first.
Not really sure what the point of Ebay picking it for you is.

That said I'm fairly sure it's not worth getting upset over and if this has caused you "three hours of pure distress and discomfort" you may live a very charmed life indeed. I do hope so.

No one is actually going to see your account unless you buy or sell something. People rarely read item descriptions these days so finding anyone who checks id history is going to be very tricky.

Do you know if the Ebay generated id stays in your id history? It used to be that you could only change id after 30 days, so perhaps this never appears if changed within the first 30 days.

This_Year

RFW wrote: »

Do you know if the Ebay generated id stays in your id history? It used to be that you could only change id after 30 days, so perhaps this never appears if changed within the first 30 days.

Yes, it does. Being nosey I created a new account and under ID history it shows the 4 letters of my name it chose interspersed with 4 other letters and a number.

A bit like if my name was a car registration. :rotfl:

suzeesu2000

Maybe I am being a bit thick but....if you are an honest seller, why would you mind anyone knowing your name? you need a persons name and address when posting their purchases or, if a buyer, when returning goods. Why is anyone knowing your name an issue?

Unless you didn't want Mr Taxman to know.....or planned on selling hooky merchandise.....just a thought

kurgon

barmonkey wrote: »

I am thinking TSFE

I had to google that one, and found this as one of the explanations!


Transverse Superior Fascial Expansion

mrs_sparrow

Wow.

I hope that none of you are ever reduced to having had to move and live almost in hiding because of escaping domestic violence or something else such as having reported something and having your anonymity breached.

I can only assume that none of you posting these comments have been in this situation so please consider yourselves very, very lucky. Having been in one of these situations, realising that your 'real name' is readily available for people to see is actually a very scary experience. The person that you are hiding from can buy something from you and get your name and address - and phone number - in an instant.

Please stop saying the things you are to this woman as you have absolutely no idea of why she does not want her real name on screen.

OP, I do understand. Can you amend the screen so that it does not show your real name, address and phone number?

campdave

mrs_sparrow wrote: »

Wow.

I hope that none of you are ever reduced to having had to move and live almost in hiding because of escaping domestic violence or something else such as having reported something and having your anonymity breached.

I can only assume that none of you posting these comments have been in this situation so please consider yourselves very, very lucky. Having been in one of these situations, realising that your 'real name' is readily available for people to see is actually a very scary experience. The person that you are hiding from can buy something from you and get your name and address - and phone number - in an instant.

Please stop saying the things you are to this woman as you have absolutely no idea of why she does not want her real name on screen.

OP, I do understand. Can you amend the screen so that it does not show your real name, address and phone number?

Name and address fairly useful on a shopping website.

Sellers should not be giving false information either, otherwise scammers prosper as identities cannot be verified.

Perhaps I have not been in a similar situation, but if anonymity is essential, ebay is a frippery that is not needed.

George_Michael

mrs_sparrow wrote: »

Please stop saying the things you are to this woman as you have absolutely no idea of why she does not want her real name on screen.

When you sign up to ebay, it doesn't show your real name on screen.
What it shows is a user id that is loosely based on your real name.
I have just set up an ebay account giving my name as George Michael, and the use id given to me is ukgeorg-8alr4i