Reporting listings in violation of policy

[cobwebcottage]

Has anyone had any success with reporting listings which breach the rules? 

Is it even worth the time and effort as everyone comes back with 
'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.'

Recently tried the report for partial bottles of perfume selling for around  £100 a bottle and 14  'items coming soon' all duplicate titles and no descriptions (obviously to use the recent promo).

After receiving  'we looked in to your report' messages for all of these, I thought I would see what happened when you appeal the decision and guess what? Error page, We looked everywhere. The link is broken.

It feels like Ebay doesn't want anyone to report any listings so why bother?

[btr.style]

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@pillarboxred wrote:

If you are seriously concerned about perfume which should not be sent in the mail as it is a fire hazard in transportation or a health hazard when not sealed, you can report the matter to public authorities. They can speak to eBay.

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Rubbish I'm afraid. Many couriers absolutely accept fragrances in their network. Packaged to their guidelines, it's no different to sending anything else in the post. 

[eshopforce01]

Good afternoon,

I've reported a couple of listings for the past weeks.

Never managed to get one listing removed after reviewing (AI or Agent).

However, once I called eBay after a report to speak to an agent and understand the decision.

The lovely lady on the phone, had a look, and 24 hours later the listing was removed.

I hope it helps!

[btr.style]

Wow just had an email:

'The content you reported was removed

What happened:

We looked into your report and removed the content. It may take up to 24 hours for it to reflect on the site.'

Now I'm not sure whether it's true, I don't actually know what report it was. It might have even been something reported ages ago. 

[cobwebcottage]

Blimey! There is hope then.

[rainbowtrax]

A pig has just flown past my window. I wonder if more will be along soon. Perhaps the numerous posts regarding all the wrong decisions have finally been read.

[tommystrezures]

If you report used perfumes file it under prohibited and restricted items, hazardous materials other hazardous materials. Then in the text box put something like" it is illegal to send used perfume through the mail system, as its classed as hazardous materials. It also breaches ebay listings policy, read your cosmetics policy.

We have tried it, its viewed by a real human (according to the email) and 99/100 item will be removed. 

Generally if its anything looked at by AI you have two hopes, and Bob ain't one of them......

[cobwebcottage]

I am awaiting an outcome with baited breath. Considering it is being sold for over £400 ( one of many ) and seller already has a neg for sus perfume sales. 

[tommystrezures]

Can be anything from 30 mins to a few hours. I suspect it depends on how many/time of day etc. Do let us know though.

I think only a few of the headings eg the more serious are ones manned by "humans". I guess if you saw a weapon that would be the sort of thing that would be dealt with by a human, however a fake item eg a stamp then its AI it cannot distinguish or doesn't know enough. Its a poor show really - ebay have policies for a reason.....

[ducatimondo]

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@tommystrezures wrote:

Then in the text box put something like" it is illegal to send used perfume through the mail system, as its classed as hazardous materials. It also breaches ebay listings policy, read your cosmetics policy.

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Some good advice in here, however the game is stacked against us at every point.
eBay set it up with a text box with only a 100 character limit to describe why you are reporting an item or seller.

Some genius that, they want to know, but not really, as how are you supposed to explain anything in only 100 characters...

[cobwebcottage]

Well @tommystrezures 5 gold stars. It worked! 

It was quite concerning though trying to find the listing by using the search Perfume - New Other.

Over 30, 000 items listed. Most of them violating policy among the few genuine business sellers selling new unused without boxes. They don't stand a chance!

[sheba-knows-best]

@btr.style 

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@btr.style wrote:

Before we had exclusive supply lines, we'd head to trade auctions and stuff like that. One time in the early days I remember sourcing a load of stock from a sell off of various M&S excess stock. Lo and blehold many private account holders got there too, selling the stuff undercutting us because they had the fee promo. 

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I have a meeting scheduled with ebay for next week - discussing all things fashion and pre-loved. The lady already asked me what I wanted to discuss and one thing was the private/business seller debate and the dterimental effect it is having on genuine small businesses. She didn't qute believe me and wants me to email her some examples ahead of next week's meeting.

I have plenty of high-ish volume preloved sellers selling all of the same stock (900 bags, 300 fit flare coats etc). If you want to PM me 3-5 names of high volume private sellers selling branded goods BNWT in all sizes not offering returns I would be happy to include these names as examples. If you happen to know they are using offers because of the ' coming soon' thing that would be even better.

It might just be lip service. But who knows.  I'm asking you as you have been most vocal on this issue and seem to feel one of the worst affected.

[rainbowtrax]

I tested the reporting system again today just to check that nothing had changed. Sure enough, I got an almost instant response that the allegedly intelligent "AI" found no violation. So there's certainly been no recent improvement. Also, the appeal link in the ridiculous ebay response is dead and doesn't work.

When you've got "private" sellers with over 30,000 listings, "private" sellers trading for over a decade on five accounts each with a steady 1,000 listings, pharmacy medication, used cosmetics, dangerous goods that are all apparently "no violation" and no way to appeal the very obviously wrong finding, the whole system becomes a farce.

[iew-signed-books]

Let's face it, when eBay even refuses to remove Nazi propaganda on its German site - a country where it is against the law to sell such stuff - it is quite clear that the system isn't fit for purpose.

[sheba-knows-best]

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@rainbowtrax wrote:

When you've got "private" sellers with over 30,000 listings, "private" sellers trading for over a decade on five accounts each with a steady 1,000 listings, pharmacy medication, used cosmetics, dangerous goods that are all apparently "no violation" and no way to appeal the very obviously wrong finding, the whole system becomes a farce.

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Please see my mesage to BTR above. PM me a private seller name with 30,000 listings preferably in preloved, next best in fashion, but preloved vinyl will do...

I have to send it ahead of a meeting. At least I have a real person to get her feedback on it all... I have already spoken to her and it is on agenda so I think it will happen.

[btr.style]

A couple inboxed now. 

Plenty of dummy listings in said names listings. A few more to come (well many more to come) once I've had some early morning grub and got the mascot pug out of the office (he needs morning dins and to settle with his bear toy in our snug). 

[btr.style]

I just had that too on another. So definitely it's either no better than it was or only slightly better. 

[ett1954]

Reported a blatant breach of eBay policy yesterday.  19 minutes later AI determined no problem.

Appeal link still a 'dead' link.

Maybe eBay should return their AI ..... SNAD

[rainbowtrax]

Same, tested it again yesterday. Still returning multiple wrong "no violation" messages, all still with a dead appeal link.

[kempseykate]

The only upside is that on Wednesday chats, ebay staff can't keep coming out with 'you can't see what we are doing in the background' as the message is clear - there was no issue with the listing.

[pg_kicks]

This thread was mentioned in last weeks chat asking them to look at it and reply, to my shock we have not had any input from them. This thread clearly shows it is not working as described and a major fault.

I suspect tomorrow will be the same, we do not have any updates to the issue you raised 3 months ago, EDD is working as designed, reporting is working fine please use this link to report accounts as we do look into them and thanks I will pass that onto the correct department to look into.