"Arkansas Mom Fails to Sell Baby Naming Rights on eBay for a Fifth Time"

What the headline doesn't tell you is that for eBay this is business as usual. Go ahead and list that item you think will bring you some bucks. eBay doesn't really care if it sells or not because you still pay eBay regardless.

What really frosts me is the fact that the highest bidder, a producer at an Internet radio talk show, told the mother of six that he had no intention of paying for the naming rights of her seventh child. He says he was just trying to help push the bid higher and several other bidders that bid more than him dropped out of the auction (I would presume by cancelling their bid). Said the producer of the internet radio talk show, ""This happens all the time on eBay."

Well now, far be it for me to question the thought process of this mother of 6, soon to be 7. Bless her because I've got two kids and there are plenty of times when my thought process isn't too clear. However, it would not have occurred to me to relinquish the right to name my own child via an eBay auction.

What really bothers me is the producer's attitude that "this happens all the time on eBay." Well Mr. Producer, just because it happens all the time on eBay doesn't make it right. Your bid is a contract that you agreed to. No one forced you to punch in the bid. eBay tells you that you are entering into a contract and that you are responsible for honoring that contract.

When you break a contract on eBay you are costing someone money. This may be someone who sells part time for extra money or it could be a family who makes their living on eBay. When you do this you're messing with someone else's livelihood. Not keeping your end of the bargain could mean someone doesn't get to go to the movies that week or it could be something as important as someone not being able to pay a bill they owe.

So Mr. Producer, the next time you decide to bid on something, remember that the person whose item you're bidding on is depending on you to complete the transaction. The deck is stacked enough against sellers on eBay as it is. You don't need to add grist to the mill by reneging on your obligation. I'd love to get this producer's id on eBay so I'd be able to block him from bidding on my items. Customers like him I can surely do without.

To see the story I read about this unfortunate incident simply click on this link:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,542605,00.html