Policy violations
Summary: crofty2267 is experiencing issues with eBay flagging two of their listings for policy violations: one for a sizing issue and another for allegedly offering sales outside of eBay, which they dispute. They can't delete, amend, or relist the flagged items and are concerned about the impact on their sales. suelel1968 suggests avoiding sensitive phrases and including 'Ref' before any numbers that might be misinterpreted as phone numbers by AI. tommystrezures queries if links might be responsible, but crofty2267 confirms there are none, believing it might be a glitch.
This has probably been covered before but I had 2 listings flagged for policy violations - 1 for a sizing issue which fair enough it didn't match the new sizing fiasco in clothing, the 2nd one was offering to buy or sell outside of ebay - which I absolutely am not doing. I have been over the listing with a fine tooth comb, and there is nothing that suggests this, so I ended both listings which I didn't mind as they weren't selling anyway and they are now sitting in my inactive listings file with red flags at the side of them and I can't do anything with them. I can't end them, resolve them or relist them, so am I stuck with with these glaring listings until they time out?
I also think they are doing something to the algorithm as my sales completely died at the same time despite doing regular new listings.
Has anyone had anything similar?
jeffremington
·2 weeks agohad a policy violation on an item on a different account with ebay AI claiming the 'Black American' item was a violation. Appeal to ebay CS agreed the description was actually an African head carving. Still got nowhere and the violation sits there cannot edit nor delete. AI doesnt know geography, we are doomed.
suelel1968
·2 weeks agoHi @crofty2267 I notice you have a 5 digit number at the bottom of your descriptions, probably a reference for your own purposes, but if AI thinks it is a phone number it will get cross! You dont want this to happen to all your items, so perhaps put "Ref" in front and a letter in the number from now on.
crofty2267
OP2 weeks agoAbsolutely no links, hashtags or anything different to all of my other listings. I think it is just a glitch on ebays part and will just have to wait for them to time out to get rid of them. I am just concerned they are affecting the algorithm though as my sales have died since this happened.
tommystrezures
·2 weeks agoAre you by chance including a link in the listing for say the manufacturer or similar? IF there is a link this will be why you are getting the message.
crofty2267
OP2 weeks agoThanks suelel1968, there are none of these phrases in the listing, it is the same text I have used in all of my listings. The only thing I can think of is the brand is "Made in Italy" so maybe they think I am trying to sell it in Italy - LOL.
I'm resigned to not being able to do anything with the ended listings, but just wondered if there is a way to get them off my inactive listings file as I can't delete, amend or relist them.
suelel1968
·2 weeks agoHi @crofty2267 It's hard to say without seeing the text or knowing the item type.
Avoid:
“Contact me”
“Cash on collection”
“Offers welcome”
“Listed elsewhere”
“Negotiable”
EBay AI is a sensitive beast and very often wrong. I think you will just have to relist.