Policy Violation ???

[joebut48]

Ebay cancelled an item because of 'policy violation' - Reference ID

2-195217262219

but I cannot see any way to check exactly what the 'violation' was or fix it and/or relist it!

WHAT DO I DO? NO HELP HERE AT ALL!!!!

[*vyolla*]

I can't see a reason for it, there are others listed.

You didn't link to a third party website in your listing description, did you?

[joebut48]

Hello - thanks for responding.

I may have inadvertently done that , yes, to give information about the validity of the item - but how can I check it, revise it and relist the item ?- see the screenshot, all the options 'start appeal', 'endlisting' revise listing' are greyed out and I cannot open it , to review what the issue is, or relist, or even reuse the photos - it is  sooooo frustrating...the comms is poor. Why aren't they telling me specifically what the violation is? 

And I cannot get hold of anyone to explain it - useless!

Also, if that is the reason for policy violation, what I added as a description to this item is the same as other listings I've been selling for years so , why, all of a sudden is it violating policy?

Makes no sense. 

I had a bid on this item and it would have sold yesterday but for this.

Thanks

[*vyolla*]

It's always been a policy violation, but eBay have some bots that are better at spotting third party links now, which is why I suspected that this was the issue.

All you can do is to set the listing up again from scratch. 

[joebut48]

Well, that is ridiculous! why not let me put 'right' (not that there is anyhting 'wrong' as I am only supporting my listing with information !) and then relist it...?

Crazy, stupid, bureucratic nonsense - are they scared a potential buyer might read other information , there to help them make an informed decision, and buy it elsewhere - and therefore 'they' miss out on their precious and also ridiculous 'buyer protection fee' ?

Why are ebay driving away sellers who have been here for years and have a good record. The AI is killing it too...

I am Not happy, so is there any way I can at least register my dissatisfaction ... is anyone even prepared to listen and empathise?

Thanks for your help though...

[*vyolla*]

---

@joebut48 wrote:

Crazy, stupid, bureucratic nonsense - are they scared a potential buyer might read other information , there to help them make an informed decision, and buy it elsewhere - and therefore 'they' miss out on their precious and also ridiculous 'buyer protection fee' ?

---

No, it's a potential security issue. Somebody could place a dodgy link in their listing spoofed to look like a genuine one.  That's why eBay don't permit links to third party websites. 

[joebut48]

I get that - it wasn’t a link!

And in  my frustration I’m referring more to the way eBay communicate it! No detail and no guidance on what to do 

I am now being bombarded by repeat emails about the ‘violation’ asking me to revise and stating that the item is still active …

…but it isn’t and I can’t open it / revise it relist it !

so how do I find out what is going on? 

[*vyolla*]

---

@joebut48 wrote:

I get that - it wasn’t a link!

And in  my frustration I’m referring more to the way eBay communicate it! No detail and no guidance on what to do 

I am now being bombarded by repeat emails about the ‘violation’ asking me to revise and stating that the item is still active …

…but it isn’t and I can’t open it / revise it relist it !

so how do I find out what is going on? 

---

In post #3, in response to me asking if you added a third party link,  you say "I may have inadvertently done that , yes, to give information about the validity of the item".

I've just had a look at your completed listings and some of them do feature a third party link (to the Discogs site).

If you add this to a listing it's a policy breach and your listing may be removed. Just set up a new listing and leave the link out.

To protect our members, listings or products can’t contain links that direct customers to a site other than eBay, even if the link is not clickable.

While there are some exceptions, listings or item descriptions can't contain links that direct customers to any other site.

Taken from this eBay guidance page:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/listing-policies/links-policy?id=4248&st=3&pos=7&query=Links%20...

[joebut48]

Vyolla - you are missing my point .

there is a reference yes, it is NOT a link. 
obviously it’s been mistaken as such.

my beef isn’t about that - it is how do I revise it/ take it out etc. so I can relist the item WITHOUT THAT REFERENCE  , as eBay keep constantly emailing me and asking me to do that   - BUT  I can’t open it/edit it etc. ??? I cannot do anything with it… it is ‘there’ but dead and uneditable and not removable …

…when there is a suspicion of an inadvertent policy violation, why do eBay not contact that person with the exact details and ask them to correct it ? Instead of all this aggravation and stress !

(I know why because it is all AUTOMATED!!!) 

So , now, I am stuck in a loop, have had NO specific / precise information - just email after email.

it is not helpful!

[joebut48]

Also , the references (not links) to Discogs information , which potential buyers can use to validate the items as genuine, in some of my listings , I have been using for years - so why has this never been flagged before ?

it is totally inconsistent !

[*vyolla*]

I'm really not missing the point. See this screenshot taken from one of your completed listings? It contains a link to a third party website. You're not allowed to include this in an eBay listing. This is a policy violation.

If you can't revise or edit your listing, you need to set it up again from scratch (and not include a third party link).

[*vyolla*]

And another in your current listings, you cannot direct viewers to an off eBay third party site:

[joebut48]

I KNOW THAT !!!!

 Stop repeating the same thing. I get it !!!!

Bit - I cannot set it up from scratch as I cannot get to the data in the listing to edit it/copy it/revise it!

- even if I do a completely new listing , (which is a ball ache) that original  ‘violation’ will still be there , hidden or whatever , unable to delete or edit and I will still get Bombarded with repeat information on email !? 

My complaint is the way eBay handle thus , communicate this and make resolving it soooooo frustrating 

There is nobody to complain to or talk to - so , other than tell me to redo it from scratch and quote the same policy information to me over and over - is there anything actually HELPFUL you can suggest ? …..please …. 🙄

[joebut48]

…and by the way that is a reference and NOT A LINK , and as I stated , been doing it for years - people cannot get access to the site from it …

however I now understand it is mistaken as such so will not use it again 

still does not help me sort out this issue 

[joebut48]

So why has this never been flagged on thousands of previous occasions???

again , I get it , but it is INCONSISTENCY from eBay - the communication is very very poor ….

[joebut48]

By the way - I have managed an online chat with somebody now and they are escalating it 

still getting the emails though 🙄 

I have taken out anything that might be misconstrued in most of my current listings but some have bids on so I can’t  

…but I still have that one sitting in unsold items and can’t even delete it!!!

[*vyolla*]

---

@joebut48 wrote:

So why has this never been flagged on thousands of previous occasions???

again , I get it , but it is INCONSISTENCY from eBay - the communication is very very poor ….

---

I told you in post #4 that eBay are having a purge on policy breaches, so must've updated their software and the bots are now more sensitive and flagging up listings that aren't compliant. It's like speeding in a car - you might get away with it until they fix the speed camera, it doesn't mean to say that you can do it though, just that you've had a good run before getting caught.

As regards stating that it's a reference and not a link, an url is a link, and a recommendation to copy an url is a direction to a third party site. Whichever way you want to dress it up, it's against eBay policy, see guidance page posted above for clarification on what you can and cannot include in your listing description.

And, as regards setting up a new listing, if you're not using 'sell similar' and setting up a brand new listing you're not copying anything over. 

[joebut48]

Sorry  - no help.

I Cannot copy anything , open anything, revise anything, it is dead, in 'unsold' with no actionable options (see screenshots; yes, I have two, but can only attach one !)  - I don't get the options you refer to and every 'option' is greyed out ! So your  'sell similar'  point is useless. It asks me to 'resolve' but I cannot progress...and...

...please stop quoting and defending eBay's policies - I get them OK? - that is not the real issue here now. I accept that it violated 'policy' , albeit unwittingly ...

Clearly you are incapable of seeing anything from a frustrated customers point of view

[*vyolla*]

---

@joebut48 wrote:

Sorry  - no help.

I Cannot copy anything , open anything, revise anything, it is dead, in 'unsold' with no actionable options (see screenshots; yes, I have two, but can only attach one !)  - I don't get the options you refer to and every 'option' is greyed out ! So your  'sell similar'  point is useless. It asks me to 'resolve' but I cannot progress...and...

...please stop quoting and defending eBay's policies - I get them OK? - that is not the real issue here now. I accept that it violated 'policy' , albeit unwittingly ...

Clearly you are incapable of seeing anything from a frustrated customers point of view

---

I absolutely appreciate that you're frustrated, but we're going round in circles because you're not reading and digesting what I've written and you keep making posts wherein you're arguing that an url isn't a link, you've been doing this for years and not been pulled up, you can't appeal (no, you can't), etc.

I keep explaining that you need to set a brand new listing up from scratch.

Don't use 'sell similar', don't copy anything from the reported listed, you need to set up a brand new listing.

[joebut48]

OMG! DOH! "Don't use 'sell similar', don't copy anything from the reported listed, you need to set up a brand new listing."

That's what I have been telling you, and I can do that completely from scratch  - however - IT STILL LEAVES ME WITH THIS (see attached) AND I CANNOT GET RID OF IT!!! AND BECAUSE IT IS THERE I KEEP GETTING EMAILS ABOUT THE POLICY VIOLATION AND ITS REMOVAL - THIS IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF - YOU ARE THE ONE NOT READING AND DIGESTING , YOU ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THE VIOLATION POLICY 

FORGET THE VIOLATION!!! WE ARE GOING ROUND IN CIRCLES BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING I CAN DO TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE!

WHERE DO I GO ON EBAY FOR BLOODY HELP!!!!!!??????