Funds on hold multiple times

[uk2014.codde]

This is beyond frustrating. I've sold 4 items on eBay this year as a casual seller (soon to be 5 when my next item finalises bidding in an hour or so), and each time my funds have been put on hold for 2 weeks "Because you have a limited selling history on eBay, your funds will be on hold until 14 May" - which is crazy!

As a casual seller who does not have an ebay store, I don't think an average of 1 sale per month this year is a 'limited selling history' - I've never had a bad feedback on my sales, I always add my tracking where applicable, and I've had multiple good feedback from these sales. I also use the platform to buy items multiple times per month.

Why on earth am I constantly being met with this hold on my funds? I don't know what else I can do to bypass this filter...

Thanks

[four_mid_able]

"Why on earth am I constantly being met with this hold on my funds?" because you sell so infrequently is the exact reason your payments are held.

"I don't think an average of 1 sale per month this year is a 'limited selling history'"

1 sale a month is a very limited selling history as far as Ebay are concerned.

See above.

[uk2014.codde]

"Limited selling history" is subjective and differs between people. Whereas Seller A might have a shop on eBay, sure they'll be selling 10 items per day. However the average joe, Seller B, sells items that they no longer need for some extra cash.

My point here is that it shouldn't matter that I sell an item per month, what matters is that I've had this exact same hold 4 times this year and I've never had a problem with any of my buyers, and receive good feedback from them. It's a failure from eBay's point of view that this hold is then still being implemented.

I would understand if I went away for 6 months and then suddenly started selling again, but that isn't the case.

[papso22]

You fall under the definition of 'infrequent'.

[4_bathrooms]

eBay don't state what the threshold is for a "new or infrequent seller" but they definitely have one and it appears you are under it.

[theelench]

As has been said ebay does have a threshold for "infrequent sellers" and don't specify exactly what it is.  

I feel I'm teetering on the brink of being down-graded to "infrequent seller" as in both '22 and '23 I only sold 13 items each year, pretty near to an average of one per month.  So far this year I've sold 2 items so my average is probably going down (again).

You ask what you can do to get around the filter.  Two things that might help.  

Although I don't sell much, I start a new listing every week-end.  Ebay can take fright at the combination of infrequent listings coupled with higher priced items especially in 'riskier' categories.  Their concern is that an infrequently used account might have been highjacked.  By listing regularly I might have established that I'm not "here today, gone tomorrow".

When I was moved to Manged Payments, I opted to have any sales paid out once a week not, as many did, daily.  Again, it is possible that as I'm in no great hurry to get my money, perhaps ebay feels I'm less likely to be up to no good.

It's said that once a new or infrequent seller has completed a certain number of problem free transactions, ebay will stop the Holds, but again exactly how many that is, it doesn't say. 

Best of luck !!