eBay changing my start prices without my knowledge

[ian29gte]

I created four listings last week and saved them with a view to them going live yesterday. When I listed them to go live, I found eBay had changed the starting price of my stuff that is worth hundreds of £'s to 99p. Thankfully, I managed to change them all back again before I had any bids, but what the hell is going on here?

[ruby*tuesday]

Just wondered why you feel the need to use "Genuine" in each title? Surely it would be illegal to List them if they weren't?

[m25jet]

The most likely explanation is that you're using the bog standard selling form, which is why you're finding that eBay are changing the starting prices on your listings without your consent.

To stop eBay from changing your listings end any listings that may already have been set up using the bog standard selling form.  When you're asked the reason why you're ending the listings select "Error In Listing" as the reason why.  Once you've done that relist the items using the Advanced Selling Form, sometimes referred to as the Business Selling Tool.  Ignore any silly warnings from eBay that it's for business sellers only - anybody can use the Advanced Selling Form and you will not be penalised by eBay for using it to list your items for sale.

Once you have set up the first listing using the Advanced Selling Form and are about to submit the listing, click on the option to save that listing as a template.  All of the information from the first listing will automatically be saved and will be carried across to any further adverts that you create using that template.

When you come to list any similar items for sale pull up the presaved template and delete the photos and item description that you added to the original listing.  Replace the shots with some photos of the latest item being advertised for sale, then replace the original item description with one that has been written specifically for the latest item being listed for sale.  You won't need to fill in the Item Specifics fields again, as this information will have automatically been carried across from the original listing.  However, if at any time in the future you need to update any of the Item Specifics fields - for example, if you need to update the postage costs in line with future postage price increases - just type the new information over the existing information and then save the template again.  The updates will then be carried across to any further listings created with that template.

If you're selling a lot of different types of items set up a specific template for each different type of item that you'll be listing on a regular basis.  You can have as many presaved templates as you like, so make the most of them.  If you try listing your items in this manner it'll make listing your items for sale a damned site easier, as well as taking you less time to complete each listing.