Account restriction for strange reason. Help needed!

[organictas]

Hello community.

some hours ago my account was restricted (in my opinion) strange reasons.

Prehistory: My account is an old one, over 10 years, used mainly to purchase and sell here and there something we just around 550 positive feedback, 100% positive. 

Last week i saw the opportunity to sell a product and purchased larger amounts of it as i saw that demand is very increasing these days and i have cheap access to this product.

This said i prepared just 4 listings and begun to sell it with great success, at least for me as selling just "9.000 - 10000" items might be not that huge for others 🙂

Allready on first day after the first purchases my paypal account got limited. My paypal account is as well from 2007 year, not a new one. The paypal limitation is absolutly ok as they ask for tracking numbers, sending again a copy of my ID/passport which i immediatly did of course. The paypal limitation did not trouble me at all as after the buyers receive their tracked items and goods the funds will be released. So no big deal at all. This happened on Monday.

Now last night, a sudden all my listings disapeared right after i made another listing. Followed by an email that my account is restricted temporary and that i can appeal this restriction which i did immediatly as i have not violated any guidelines. I wanted even to chat with support but as it was night, no chat available of course.

Now the reason why my account was restricted sounds more than strange:

----

To appeal this restriction, please review the following guidelines:
-- Provide proof of delivery for all of the items sold on your eBay account. This may be in the form of feedback left from buyers. If you prefer, you can submit tracking numbers for each of the items posted. This will help show buyers more of your selling history and will also allow us to confirm that your items have been posted.

----

Now the strange thing here is that i daily add all tracking numbers. All items are sent with tracking numbers. 

This sounds more than strange that i'am add to provide tracking numbers after all tracking numbers after they are allready in place. Of course without these for buyers that purchased on friday as i send next day. 

What else can i do to appeal this strange restriction wich i think is absolutly unfair as i did not violate any guidelines? Some things that came into my mind are:

- Scan all bills from the post office where the tracking numbers and receivers are visible

- Scan all bills from my supplier that i actually have the items

Any other advice or recommendation? 

I really would like to have my account back to normality so i can continue business as usual. 

Thank you very much in advance

[red_magpie · Accepted solution]

It shouldn't surprise you that your account was restricted.

According to your feedback you hadn't sold anything for over a year.

Suddenly, if I understand you correctly, you spotted an opportunity to sell flu face masks (smart thinking!) and sold between nine and ten thousand?

If so, this will have set alarm bells ringing that your account had been hijacked. A dormant account that suddenly springs to life with high sales is the classic hijacking scenario.

Once you have reassured eBay on this point I'm sure the restriction will be removed.

[organictas · Accepted solution]

@red_magie

actually that's totally ok. What made it a strange reason is that they (ebay) asked for tracking numbers that are allready provided and my offer to send additionally my supply bills, ID, passport, whatever was declined.

Additionally as described allready due the very same reason my paypal account is limited and i can't withdraw funds anyway.

Maybe due my not native English it's not clear that the strange thing i wonder about is the tracking adress request that is only provided for each order anyway. An investigation, asking for additional proof, documents info whatever is absolutly ok, even i'am not sure if it was really necessary to have my ebay account on temporary resticted after the paypal account is allready on limited.

[papso22]

The only way to resolve an eBay restriction is to do what eBay wants, and if you have questions about their requirements you have to contact them. You are in Bulgaria,  eBay UK customer services can't help with this. 

[captain*obvious]

I'm going to guess - you started selling flu masks?

Edit because I've now looked.

You started listing flu masks in massive quantities on an account that hasn't sold in years.

eBay are making sure that you a) have the items you're selling, b) are the genuine account holder and c) aren't breaking the dropshipping rules.

[organictas]

You are correct with your guess.
I absolutly agree with your reasoning. However, what is wondering me why they ask me for providing tracking numbers that are allready added for ALL items send.

I just had a chat with support and offered to provide: copy of my ID/passport, bills of supplier or any other documents that may help solve this restriction. None of these is needed but again the tracking numbers have to be send again attached to the appeal. It helps of course to make pictures of the post bills and forunatly i have these where the buyers name, Destination country and Tracking Code is visible.

[captain*obvious]

I'm glad you agree with my reasoning, I wouldn't take a word live chat says as accurate.

I really hope that if my selling account were to spring into life after such a long period of inactivity eBay would cross every i and dot every t before allowing it to sell in massive quantities again.

The hysteria around the coronavirus has seen a massive surge in sellers listing ''flu'' masks - all of who recognise that people have stopped thinking for themselves and will panic buy masks that in reality wouldn't protect them from the smell of fish and chips.

I hope you get your account issues resolved, but I absolutely agree with eBay's actions.

[organictas]

"all of who recognise that people have stopped thinking for themselves and will panic buy masks that in reality wouldn't protect them from the smell of fish and chips."

I think that's not correct. A bit off topic. But as the topic has been fixed more or less it shoudn't matter much.
I use personally since 3 years myself medical face masks (flu masks) to protect myself from all kind of viruses. Bevor i did so i got ill every winter at least twice for a week and maybe in spring and autom once. Since i use these masks i didn't get ill even once in these 3 years.

I'am not going as far as saying they give 100% protection but i'am pretty sure they protect indeed to a given degree.

On a personal note it's worth maybe a thought that the huge pharma industry has no interest in protection as their business is to sell after you get ill. They don't make money from people that do not get ill. Worth a thought, not?

[tressygirl]

This  is bizarre.  I do know  that when accounts no matter how many years established,  have nit been used for a long time eBay do limit the number of items you can sell,  as dormant accounts do get hijacked,  so sudden buying / selling activity raises red flags to eBay.

Paypal have a 21 day hold on monies in case of the above so then they have the money to refund the buyer, if the item is nit posted out tracking showing dekivery or good feedback releases the money sooner.

Never heard of active listings being taken down for the above reasons!  How long is this restriction for?  If for a few days you just have to wait fir this to lapse to list again.

All I can suggest is to keep caling eBay CS do so from the Help & Contact tab above,  type into bar there...    Account restriction query. lines open today between 9 a.m. and 6 pm.  On weekdays,  8 a.m. - 10 pm  You can get differents and incorrect answers from agents, so do keep trying.  Worth calling early,  as it is recomended to try and get hold of Dublin for this matter,  they usually answer first thing.

Ask how you can add tracking,  to reiieve this problem,   when you do so already.

[tressygirl]

OP reading papso's correct answer didn't notice you are in Bulgaria, so no do not call our help lines here, in the UK they cannot help you . @papso22  @organictas 

[organictas]

I had a chat with support and as allways the guys/girls on the line are very helpfull.

It seems all i have to do is make pictures (not scan!) from the postage bills where the tracking numbers are visible. Fortunatyl i of course have all of these where the names, destination country, date, tracking number and so on is visible.

That's ok, but stil somehow strange that all tracking numbers are added allready and can be tracked on the ebay site itself.

As well a bit strange, if the intention is to provide security for the ebay community, that my offer to send them additionally info like copy of ID/Passport/Supplier bills is not needed. Just tracking numbers they have allready.

So it be, as a honest seller i have no problems with the current paypal limitation and providing again all tracking info, just a bit strange as a reason to restrict a count temporary for some days as this of course is interrupting business a bit.

Thanks to everybody that tried to help. I appreciate the fast feedback. Thx!

[corred]

@organictas

Your problem is most likely that you are in Bulgaria but registered on the UK site

As a result the Bulgarian postal service tracking numbers will not be recognised on the UK site

You really need to be selling on the International eBay.com site not the UK site

[organictas]

Actually the Bulgarian postal service tracking numbers is recognised on the UK site. Even while entering the tracking number ebay recognizes it as "Bulgarian Posts". I as well check from time to time the status for given parcels by clicking on the "view tracking info" to see in which status the parcel is and i get full and correct info with it.

About selling on the ebay.com site. Doesn't make much sense as my target audience are europeans due faster and cheaper shipping. Ebay uk is perfectly fits my needs. English, support at least in Europe like me, european union law i have to follow anyway and target audience europeans.

Anyway, thx for your advice.

[tressygirl]

You are registered in Bulgaria, so you have to be on www.ebay.com to continue with your account, you cannot stay on the UK site..

Using .com you will still be able to sell to buyers in the UK. Just set your site preferences to reflect this.

[organictas]

@tressygirl

is this just your personal opinion?

Your opinion sounds more than strange to me. UK was in the EU (bevor Brexit) and it seems more normal that a seller from an EU country is using the UK site than the .com site, even if you want, for tax reasons (in the meaning of having things more easy with VAT and tax matters).
I know about of 100 other ebay sellers from outside UK who are registered only at the UK site exactly for these reasons.

Additionally: In the past (this might have changed meanwhile!) i was able without any problems just to login into the german ebay site and make a listing on the german ebay site with my ebay uk account.

Thinking even further i remember that when i changed my account to business on the UK site i got offered all the different EU VAT apprexiations to choose from: BG, DE, and so on. Which makes me sure that things are as i think: EU sellers can join whether ebay site they would like to join and are not limited to the .com site.

IF you think this is not correct i would appreciate if you could share the point in the guidelines please, to avoid future trouble in case i'am wrong.

[corred]

@organictas

You might soon need to rethink that as the UK is no longer part of the EU.......

We are currently in a transition period until December 31st.....but after that date we are no longer part of the EU, Single Market or Customs Union

[organictas]

@corred

true, but until that there is plenty of time and hopefully ebay will release a guideline/info/whatever on how the brexit changes things for non-uk sellers (maybe even buyers?).

[tressygirl]

Not my personal opinion at all , it is written in black and white on your profile..... Account registered in Bulgaria. So above corred has correctly pointed out , as I have, you need to log our of here and into www.ebay.com to continue. @organictas   @corred 

[organictas]

@tressygirl

Can you point me to the ebay guidelines where it is written that only british/uk citiziens and companies can register/sell on ebay uk?

[corred]

@organictas

You do not have to register anywhere but the UK site at present as many many Chinese seller are registered on the UK site

I think @tressygirl was making mention that eBay has already noted some info regarding Brexit

Selling on the UK site may become more complex as it is likely that import duty will be charged on goods into & out of the UK after December & this may cause additional issues selling from the UK site

Your best site to be registered on after Brexit might be eBay.ie as the Republic of Ireland still uses English & remains in the EU

[tressygirl]

Thank you corred for clearing that up!

[organictas]

@corred

I agree that it might get more complicated but there is a difference as you describe it " maybe become more complex" and what @tressygirl wrote "log out of ebay uk and you need to (must?) login to ebay.com to continue.

I fully agree that it might be more complex after Brexit, but like for all the chinese sellers on the ebay.uk site there won't change much as they are shipping from outside europe anyway. These chinese sellers, or better their customers allready have to pay import duty.

These are things a buyer/customer has to consider as he is the one who has to pay import fees/taxes/whatever, but this does not sound like a valid argument that outside UK sellers can't use the ebay uk platform anymore and have to change to another. Just doesn't make much sense in my opinion, but of course maybe i miss somehting here.