E-Bay and Some of the Issues That

¶ … E-bay and some of the issues that the company faces. The writer explores the legal issues, and possible solutions to those issues. In addition the writer examines conflicts in the international laws and which laws will apply as well as which court would decide any case against the company or customer. There were two sources used to complete this paper. The technological boom of the past few decades has taken mankind to places never before imagined.

Today, with the click of a mouse one can plan vacations and purchase tickets, manage stocks and conduct complete businesses. Along with the benefits of being able to go online and exist, there are pitfalls too. E-business have dominated the Internet for the past few years. One only has to be familiar with setting up web pages, open the ability to accept credit card payments and one can have an existing E-business. One of the most well-known international e-businesses today is E-Bay.

E-bay provides a forum for people to place their goods or services online for sale and have customers bid on them in an auction. E-bay also provides the ability to buy items and services outright for a predetermined price. With running an international business comes international conflict regarding the laws of that business.

If a customer is unhappy with a product or service, or eBay itself, or if eBay becomes unhappy with a customer which laws apply? The nation that the customer is in or the American laws where the EBay home office is located? It can become quite complicated until one understands the bottom line of international Internet business and the laws that cover it. "U.S.

companies engaging in international electronic commerce activities can encounter a confusing landscape of foreign rules and regulations which can make complete implementation a daunting proposition (Gutierrez, 1999)." When all is said and done an e-business needs to follow the laws of its home nation. If the business is located in America as eBay is then eBay has to follow American business laws as far as disclosure and other business practices are regulated. "E-businesses that follow U.S. Web site laws pave the way toward compliance with other nations' laws.

Accurately describing goods, charges, and fees is a good start to venturing into foreign markets (Gutierrez, 1999). " While this is an important first step for eBay to follow it is also important that eBay be knowledgeable and make an attempt to follow any laws in the nations that it does business in besides the states. "The laws of copyright and trademark governed by the Berne Convention, a foreign treaty, quickly come to mind.

Web-related issues frequently associated with these legal areas include the registration and use of domain names, ownership of Web site content, use of materials created by others, and protection of a Web site's look and feel (Gutierrez, 1999). " EBay has always been careful to comply with such laws thereby reducing the chance of legal action being taken against it. In the event legal action is taken against the company has a solid defense because it can show that the laws have been complied with to the best of eBay's ability.

Another way that eBay protects itself is to protect the privacy those who do business with the company (Privacy, 2003). This is a growing concern of international e-businesses and their customers and one that eBay has addressed since the beginning of its existence. Protection of the customers credit card information is extremely important when dealing on international levels as it is difficult to prosecute internationally once the card has been used fraudulently. CONCLUSION In the world of technology the ability to open and run an e-business is extremely exciting.

EBay is one of the largest and most well-known.