How are private sellers still able to list 1,000+ items when they're only meant to have 300?

[comrie-antique-books]

Hi

I'm slightly puzzled as despite the HRC changes and the 300 listing limit I'm still seeing business masquerading as private accounts with 1,000s of items listed. Yesterday I saw one with 1,900+ items and another with 2,400+ items. The later was generating a revenue of £800 per month, so I doubt their paying £700 in listing fees. How is this possible? Are these sellers doing this through Ebay's free listing offers? Or is there some kind of catch I'm unaware of? I've not received any free to list offers on my private account and those offers would make the 300 limit pointless. 

I'm not normally one to complain and I'm quite willing to bite my lip on low volume business sellers using private accounts. I seen one lately who's photo's all show their bookshops shelves and card reader. It just makes me laugh and I should image they're still registered with HRC. However, large sellers selling the equivalent of most of Ebay's average sized businesses is just taking the *bleep*. 

[moldosgifts]

Because it a rolling allowance and not a cut off allowance that businesses get.

So 300 remain live then next month another 300 can go giving then 600 active.

You get eg 300 then they all end and you get 300 next month leaving just 300 active.

[cobwebcottage]

and adding to @moldosgifts 

If they had 2000 listings before the new rules, they were allowed to keep them.

It's a mad world.

[comrie-antique-books]

Yes I remember reading something like that in the forums before the new rules came into action. It makes sense. I assumed at the time they didn't understand the rules. Obviously I was wrong. However, it still just seems completely illogical to me, hence the reason I thought they were wrong. I have a feeling the new HMRC rules and 300 limit is not really going to change anything on this platform at all. 

I've seen so many threads over the past month on private sellers outraged by the fee structure and the 300 limited. Even one person complaining that this was the cause of falling sales. I don't see what the problem is as nothings really changed. Obviously apart from the falling sales. 

[moldosgifts]

My view they should be the same 300 reset at the beginning of the month, i also believe the fee structure should be the same for both, Just business sellers can list within their allotted allowance, so example i have a  10million allowance both cash and listings and can list up to that limit. Private should have a limit of eg 300 listing and £10,000 cash.

But that is jus tmy opinion

[jlovie]

If they do that with private, then business shops should be allowed to add their allowance of new listings every month, and keep the old listings active.

[moonspender]

Anyone who sells on Ebay as a business sellers knowns how much time to takes to source, prepare, photo then list 300 items month in month out .. let along deal with the postage and admin ... 300 cap IMO for a private seller and no rollover.

If you can list 300 a month thats no side hussle thats a PT or FT job

[moldosgifts]

What I'm saying is private should be the same as business reset at the beginning of the month.

Never understood why being private gives you the massive advantage of rolling over every month giving them the chance of thousand of live listings.

Surely they've got the back to front.

[reskufashion]

I fully agree with this!

It is completely the wrong way round. A private seller could get up to 3,600 listings for free in 12 months of being on eBay (assuming no sales) which would cost a business seller hundreds of pounds each month just in store fees.

There is a lot of hostility on here towards businesses selling under private accounts but this issue is one of eBay's own making. To quote Charlie Munger: 'Show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome.'

[bravergrace]

Yes, it is frustrating.  I noticed a seller this week selling her "private collection" of used knitwear, about 2000 listings, in a full range of sizes and colours.  No fees, no returns, of course.  It is very unfair to honest sellers.

[rainbowtrax]

Saw one last week with 18,000 listings, openly trading, not even pretending to be anything but a business. The worst I've seen was about 49,000 listings.

[moldosgifts]

Report them for fee avoidance

[gemini-project]

It doesn't work, all i get these days are this.

"We’ve noticed a pattern of unfounded reports from you. Please see our emails following up to your previous reports for examples.

What this means for your account:
We know this might have been an honest mistake. As of now, there is no impact to your ability to submit reports.

If this continues to happen, your reports will automatically be closed and your ability to submit reports will be temporarily suspended.

Why do we have this policy?
Users shouldn’t misuse our reporting processes – when they do, it’s disruptive for our community.. Under the eBay User Agreement, eBay may stop processing reports from those that frequently misuse our reporting process. You can read our guidelines below."

You can plainly see that the accounts i report are from a business abusing the system but ebay seem to not think the same.

[rainbowtrax]

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@moldosgifts wrote:

Report them for fee avoidance

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Why waste my time? Ebay never act on any reports made by users, they just get filed straight in the recycle bin. It's not like I'm spending any time seeking out these accounts, the ones I mention are just ones I've noticed when searching for things. Ebay don't care so I just notice the number of listings but then move on.