eBay

ashwill-3742 · ‎19-08-2025

After yet another day of trying to compete with business on private accounts I really am at a loss as what to do

Todays was a real good one , pro account on another platform - private on eBay

Business name and logo , full shopfront and 5400 items sold !!

We all know its illegal to act as a private seller when you a business for multiple consumer rights reason so aside from getting mad about the free listings etc. From what I have read they are actually breaking the law, I'm sure many of you like myself have wasted there time reporting them to Ebay for nothing to ever come from it.

I've taken a look at trading standards website , and there is a form on citizens advice where such violations can be reported and they will be passed to Trading Standards I wonder if a mass report over the next couple of weeks of every instance you come across would get there attention enough to force ebay into some action.

I myself will be doing for every instance I see over the next couple of week but fear me alone wouldnt be enough so if you see one - google "Contact the consumer service about general consumer problems" and it should bring up the form.

Hope you can all get behind this and we can try to make some real change to get the platform we all love so much back to its best!

Appreciate you time

technthread · ‎19-08-2025

It would be a no from me. I’m uncomfortable with reporting other users so I have never done it.

You would mostly be reporting people who are small sellers struggling to get by. I don’t want the karma of thinking I have been part of turning someone’s life upside down.

Them being pro elsewhere shows that their decision is fee based and we should be on at eBay to correct the imbalance. I have brought this fee issue up before in the weekly chat but apart from a few regulars who have done the same, I read the chats each week and wonder where that same energy is from others.

ashwill-3742 · ‎19-08-2025

Appreciate the reply, I understand your point of view , that being said sat here with a family to support and doing it he right way its a hard pill to swallow.

My issues isn't really with the fees , ebay in truth have the audience and I'm happy to pay for it .The problem is we are all paying more when people who should don't if that makes sense.

In addition to that every time a customer on ebay buys from one of these "business accounts" in all but name and they don't receive the level of protection they should get it reflects badly on all business sellers.

I apricate it's peoples lives but if you went to your local brick and motor store and something went wrong and you found out they weren't registered as a business to give you the protection your entilited to I believe you would feel differently

papso22 · ‎19-08-2025

I've always felt that adverse publicity via the media might be a better way of drawing Ebay's 'blind eye' to public attention.

It doesn't help that ebay CS don't understand the relevant laws and so give out incorrect advice when a member asks about account status, such as 'you don't sell enough for a business account'.

Every law breaker should be held to account, if their business isn't viable when done legally they shouldn't be selling on ebay.

ashwill-3742 · ‎19-08-2025

100% agree it's a harsh reality but no other business in the world runs without some kind of expense

At the moment I work 3 weeks for me and 1 for eBay fees and I'm fine with it they have been good to me 👍

Its just one of those things its so obvious and an easy fix , it could be a big positive for them ,a couple of keen sales guys sat on a phone calling these people and converting there accounts in a positive way would be tens if not hundred of thousands in extra revenue which could go to reducing fees overall or extra marketing or offers or just some thing to give back

You're right in that the media may be the way to go , at the end of the day it's the customers being mislead , I appreciate eBay may not be able to be all over it but when they are made aware there far to slow to act it should be instant shutdown of the account until it's assessed and upgraded

👍

billtev · ‎20-08-2025

I am retired and have a small business on ebay. I am lucky to clear around £150 per month now with all the private business sellers on ebay selling second hand items like myself. If I can pick them out at a glance am sure ebay or their bots can. Somedays I wonder if all the work I put in is worth it now.

vinylscot · ‎20-08-2025

To a certain extent, I understand your reasoning.

But, looking at it a different way, these fraudulent sellers , are affecting MY ability to make a living and keep a roof over my head, because I abide by the rules/laws. So I'm all in favour of reporting every obvious culprit.

If someone was nicking the milk off your doorstep every morning, you would probably eventually report it to the police, even if the thief was "struggling to get by". This is no different.

Hopefully, at some time in the future, some action will be taken. I suspect eBay realises this is too sensitive an issue to be left to AI bots, and, even if they wanted to, they probably don't have the manpower to deal with it effectively, so won't do so unless or until they are forced to.

tressygirl · ‎20-08-2025

@billtev wrote:

I am retired and have a small business on ebay. I am lucky to clear around £150 per month now with all the private business sellers on ebay selling second hand items like myself. If I can pick them out at a glance am sure ebay or their bots can. Somedays I wonder if all the work I put in is worth it now.

Looking at your lovely and varied items you have for sale, granted you have over 200+ listings, but they are all second hand used toys, baby clothes etc. I would personally have you down as a Private seller. Your items don't look to be bought to sell, selling the same item in bulk numbers , and they're not Brand New.

books-from-sharon · ‎20-08-2025

I listed an item this morning and when I viewed the listing to make sure that all looked right, I saw one of the ads that appear right in the middle of my listing, so I decided to take a look.

The seller had 988 handmade bracelets and was listing as a private seller. Ebay staff don't have to be brain of Britain to see that this is illegal trading. When I pay my shop fee, listing fees and selling fees, how am I supposed to compete with this? I will be reporting her to Trading Standards.

4_bathrooms · ‎20-08-2025

@books-from-sharon wrote:
I will be reporting her to Trading Standards.

You'll probably be surprised how difficult it is to actually do that.

If you know the seller's identity you should be able to report them directly to their local Trading Standards department by email. If you don't know their identity (i.e. because they're using a private account) you'll need to use this form on the Citizens Advice website but you can't use it today...it only works from 5pm on Fridays until 9am on Mondays. The only other option is to call Citizens Advice on their freephone number; the advisor may or may not pass your complaint on to the relevant Trading Standards department. After mentioning eBay it might take a few minutes to clarify exactly what it is you are reporting depending upon the calibre of the advisor.

Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

books-from-sharon · ‎21-08-2025

It's not difficult. I did it before by simply emailing my local TS dept. I received a basic, thank you for contacting us, we will investigate and some weeks later the seller that I reported was gone. I don't know whether this was due to ebay or TS but either way, it worked.

krafty-kreations · ‎21-08-2025

Was that before or after you have to go through Citizens advice?

I emailed my local trading standards and received an email back saying they no longer have a front line advice centre and to go via Citizens Advice

I spoke to Citizens advice who would not pass my complaint on and said it was down to eBay to deal with it

billtev · ‎21-08-2025

But I am a business seller as ebay moved me many many years ago. Yes I do buy and sell just like the others I mentioned on my previous message. Pay my taxes although retired and have always done so and so should all these so called private business sellers.