An ebay seller is listings the same item multiple times

[the7thstar]

Hi All

I've found an item being sold by an ebay seller but he's listed it 9 times and it's clearly the same thing

They've slightly changed the price (+/- £5 on a £150) and one word in each description.

Is this legal or breaks the rules? 

[rusticrye · Accepted solution]

Duplicated listings are not allowed. If you're absolutely sure the seller couldn't actually have nine copies of this book, use the 'Report' button - there's one on every listing.

@the7thstar 

[the7thstar · Accepted solution]

The book is quite rare and fairly old so it's highly unlikely that he's got more than one copy, plus this is not the first time he's done it. BUT as I cannot prove he's not got 9 copies I suppose he can get away with it.

[tobiasd4 · Accepted solution]

If he only has 1 copy & it sells, better take the rest down quick before someone buys them as well or he will no doubt get bad feedback.

[tobiasd4]

Ebay has a policy for listing identical items as auction, not allowed.

To get round this, some sellers will slightly change description so it appears as different item & doesn't get picked up by ebay bots.

[john1297576]

That is deliberate to avoid being picked up by the Bots. Rather silly, if all at different prices anyone buying would go for the cheapest, but I can't imagine there is a lot of demand for books at that price.

The simple allowed way is tolist as a BIN with 9 items available.

Ebay is swamped with reports at the moment and so many seem to get ignored but if identified as deliberately trying to get round policy, I would think any action taken by ebay would be more severe than if it was just ignorance of the rules.