Update on listing items

[cobwebcottage]

In view of all of the recent comments about how to generate more sales, I feel that I need to share some useful information which I have received from Ebay. It's ok to trade on a private account and share your contact details by adding them to your listings. It's ok to add a huge postage price to your listings even if you are not posting items. It's ok not to accept returns.

These decisions have been determined by a customer service assistant and not a bot so they must be true. Maybe we are all dim after all!

134940799959

We looked into your report and didn’t find the listing to be in violation of our policy.  This determination was made by a customer service agent.

[fotherbale]

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@cobwebcottage wrote:

'This determination was made by a customer service agent.'

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The 'Customer Service Agent' is a bot. 

There is nothing in any of the replies to reports that gives any suggestion that it is a human.  Indeed, when I have made a report and carefully explained the issue with a listing and included a link to the specific policy on the ebay Policies page, I invariably recieve the same (ie. word-for-word identical) reply, which makes it pretty obvious to me that it is definitely NOT a human being. 

[marco@ebay]

Hi pg_kicks, thanks for your question.

I am afraid that we are not in a position to disclose further information on it due to the nature of this query, as you may know we cannot reveal why a seller/listing was removed, or why it was left there as that is personal information. Also, some details we don't share to prevent users from bypassing our policies and procedures as well. However, I can guarantee you that these reports are always reviewed, and actions are taken accordingly.

Thank you,

Marco

[superchallenge · Accepted solution]

Fair enough. Could you clarify some questions that are definitely not specifically about the initial listing that was mentioned instead then, please?

1) Are we allowed to list an item for say, £42, and charge £200 postage, but add a message stating that we will not post the item?
2) Are we allowed to trade as a business on a "private seller" account so that we can get the private seller discounts that are frequently given out and to avoid having to offer a valid returns path?

3) Can we add our contact details to our item descriptions to enable potential buyers to make a deal with us outside of eBay?

I only ask because I've seen listings (that are definitely not the initial listing referred to in the first post of this thread) where things such as this occur. It's quite annoying that people seem to be able to get away with things like this, yet if I toe the line but try to do something as apparently heinous as use the word "offer" in my item description, eBay instantly rejects my listing because it assumes that I'm trying to facilitate an off-site sale. (No, I'm not kidding.)

[tommystrezures]

In addition marco@ebay  perhaps you could comment on this promotion please, by ebay and autoglym on the front landing page of ebay today. Seems a big own goal and somewhat embarrassing..... for all parties involved.

Why does every listing breach picture policy?

Example below:

Ebay's picture policy clearly states photos with added text artwork or marketing material is NOT allowed. I include the relevant policy statement, point 5.

[superchallenge]

Very fair point, although that image policy isn't enforced at all.

I wanted to put a simple informational banner on my images that says "This is a Japanese game - It will not work on a UK games console" and for months thought I couldn't because of that exact image policy. Contacted customer services and told them what I wanted to do, and they said there's no reason why I couldn't do it. Even quoted the policy to them and they told me that it didn't apply to what I wanted to do. So I've been doing it for months, on every item.

CS said "It's more about not putting logos or branding on the images" - which obviously isn't the case if you're Autoglym or any of the sellers in my niche that jam logos all over their images and never get into trouble.

[pg_kicks]

Thanks for the reply, havent been on for a few days.

I get you cant answer directly to a listing but could you please or dave@ebay (as i can see you are away for a month) answer the question of how listings which are clearly breaking multiple policies are still active after being reported (the correct way). I do not mean the one in the OP but just in general, are we all doing something wrong in the reporting as if they are being checked I can only assume either I am reporting wrong or the checking is being done incorrectly?

[**grandpa**]

However, I can guarantee you that these reports are always reviewed, and actions are taken accordingly.

My apologies for butting in as a buyer or, at least, a potential buyer.

I was looking for a certain item and found what I thought I wanted. However, two sellers had the exact same picture of this item. Perhaps not unusual but this item was from a limited edition issue and, therefore, each item is numbered. In other words, each item is unique.

I asked both sellers if they could send another picture to me from a different angle than those shown on the listings. Not surprisingly, only one did so. I reported the other seller for listing an unused (or non-new) item which they obviously did not have which, I believe, is against eBay policy.

They were also very obviously a business selling under a private account about which comment has been made by oh so many members. I may be old but I am not naïve. eBay obviously think I am because the following reply, to my report, was received instantly.

We looked into your report and didn’t find the listing to be in violation of our policy. This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence.

To say that the reporting system is ‘working’ is condescending and insulting to every and all sellers. To say that the eBay system has been programmed with any intelligence at all, artificial or not, shows the level of eBay’s unprofessional capability and lack of care for any of their users whether sellers or buyers.

I managed to buy the item from the real, very pleasant, seller but a bad taste is left because eBay obviously very deliberately protect those who game their system to the detriment of others and do nothing. Shame.

[sagr2519]

Have you read https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Important-update-on-the-use-of-watermarks-in-pictures-... ?

"we’ve decided not to enforce this policy and to keep it in place as guidance only."

Now eBay, please tell me which policies are guidance and which ones I need to keep to.

As far as reporting, I only report listings that are intentionally deceptive, not those where the seller may be unaware of the relevant policy. And yet, it seems you're allowed to type the words "UK seller" onto your images when your address is in China...