MS/Bing are working with eBay/Paypal, and this is pushing up prices one way another so you are getting an 8% discount on an artificially inflated price, so other people are losing out even if you aren't. I prefer not to be a collaborator.)
dude, this just isnt true. you can in fact buy from those "other people". In fact, you can buy from any seller (including private individuals) who list on ebay, and still get the bing cashback. Those private individuals have nothing to do with the ebay/paypal/bing deal other than that they happened to have listed, for their own personal reasons, their item for sale on ebay, which millions of people do every year anyway.
You're no more a 'collaborator' than if you bypassed the bing deal and simply went on ebay and bought an item from a private individual. There is no difference to that individual. That individual did not call MS and jack up his personal price just because they know you're coming along and are planning on using bing. That individual set his price for his own reasons and would have set that price regardless of whether you use bing or not.
if you're accusing ebay/paypal/bing of "jacking up listing fees" on ebay to get their 8% back, I dont think thats true either. Ebay listing fees didnt go up 8% when bing started. Whether you like ebay listing fees or not is a different topic; every one on ebay does pay them and have paid them since the inception of ebay.
If you're saying that in some grand milton friedman style social trickle-down theory of economics, that that 8% is eventually and ultimately paid by "the consumer", thats true for all sales anywhere, all discounts anywhere, no matter their source. There's nothing there that is unique to bing. Welcome to the cost of participating in a capitalist economy.
I've never in my life met a bunch of people so insistent on
not getting a free discount. It blows my mind
Right down to the "I'd rather not 'collaborate' on a sales event!' argument, which frankly I dont think i've even ever heard that line before! Most people I know are delighted with sales events. Collaboration? Jesus christ. You make it sound like i'm complicit with the third reich if I buy toothpaste thats been marked down in this week's Walgreen's sales flyer. I mean,
what?!
I can see Raj marching into Walgreens, and insisting on paying the extra dollar for the toothpaste. The manager, confused, queries him: Sir, you dont understand, Pepsodent is on sale for $2 this week!
Raj: No thank you. I'd like to pay the usual $3 please.
Manager: But sir... you dont understand, thats our price this week for pepsodent! I dont think it will even ring up at the register for $3!
Raj: I'd like to pay $3, please.
Manager: But you can have it for $2! Its on sale!
Raj: You lie! The consumer will eventually pay $3! I do not wish to "collaborate" in your "sale". I'll pay $3, thank you very much!
Manager: But sir! The price of Pepsodent is in fact $2 this week!
Raj: Look. I'm going to put the extra dollar on the counter. You can take it while I look away. No questions asked and no questions answered!
Manager: Sigh. *walks to back room and shoots self in the head*.
On sale this week (except for Raj):