eBay Account Permanently Suspended
Discussion
Hello,
In a bit of a pickle, my Business eBay account has permanently been suspended due to asking a customer to contact us outside of eBay because despite sending them an offer which ebay wouldn't let them accept it, we have had prior warnings for giving telephone numbers out due to other issues with ebay, we took this onboard and only requested the customer get in touch direct this time because there seemed to be a technical error.
I need to get a lawyer involved or something as eBay makes up 75% of my T/O (well into 6 figures) and to be frank the business will sink without it.
Having had no experience with lawyers of any kind what is the correct course of action and whom is the best to contact?
Cheers!
In a bit of a pickle, my Business eBay account has permanently been suspended due to asking a customer to contact us outside of eBay because despite sending them an offer which ebay wouldn't let them accept it, we have had prior warnings for giving telephone numbers out due to other issues with ebay, we took this onboard and only requested the customer get in touch direct this time because there seemed to be a technical error.
I need to get a lawyer involved or something as eBay makes up 75% of my T/O (well into 6 figures) and to be frank the business will sink without it.
Having had no experience with lawyers of any kind what is the correct course of action and whom is the best to contact?
Cheers!
Having had similar in the past with eBay you'll struggle to get anywhere with them. Unless you are dependant on repeat business for the majority of your sales I would open a new account under a new name and address and start again. Yes it will hit you in the pocket but it should restore your income far quicker.
I had this last week. Account restricted for 7 days.
Basically like you i had contacted somebody that had some items i was interested in to see what else he had for sale. We agreed a price for everything and before i could buy it he ended all items. Big brother is watching.
I then had a message the next day from Ebay about the account being suspended, everything i sell is on Ebay so cue massive panic. Normally Im quite aggressive when Ebay have annoyed me but this time it was a major kiss ass / apologize / claim ignorance through the Live Chat process. Luckily the person i was speaking to accepted my petty grovelling and lifted all the restrictions.
So my advice would be get on Live chat ASAP.
Basically like you i had contacted somebody that had some items i was interested in to see what else he had for sale. We agreed a price for everything and before i could buy it he ended all items. Big brother is watching.
I then had a message the next day from Ebay about the account being suspended, everything i sell is on Ebay so cue massive panic. Normally Im quite aggressive when Ebay have annoyed me but this time it was a major kiss ass / apologize / claim ignorance through the Live Chat process. Luckily the person i was speaking to accepted my petty grovelling and lifted all the restrictions.
So my advice would be get on Live chat ASAP.
There must be something legally that can be done? At the end of the day I don't think the resulting action is justified which can potentially mean closing the business and laying off two members of staff.
With regards to setting up a new account I take it we won't be able to start again with the same company details? How far removed does it need to be from the original company to prevent them from closing the new account?
Yea, I did that the first time and since have never gave out our details, this time I asked the customer to get in touch directly because eBay were not allowing the customer to accept the offer we sent him. As found out afterwards it was because I didn't have Norway set as allowable country we sell too - apparently I should have known this!
With regards to setting up a new account I take it we won't be able to start again with the same company details? How far removed does it need to be from the original company to prevent them from closing the new account?
Yea, I did that the first time and since have never gave out our details, this time I asked the customer to get in touch directly because eBay were not allowing the customer to accept the offer we sent him. As found out afterwards it was because I didn't have Norway set as allowable country we sell too - apparently I should have known this!
Edited by Mudgey on Wednesday 14th June 15:33
It would need to be registered to a different address even for returns, card/business account and ideally "owner". I would also format/word your auctions differently as well. If you get caught you'll most likely get an immediate ban but I would consider it better than winding up the business straight away.
If you hadn't had previous warnings for similar then I think you'd be on stronger grounds with them, but as this will look like a repeat offence for what eBay sees as the seller potentially trying to cheat eBay of their fees, I can't see it going your way.
If you hadn't had previous warnings for similar then I think you'd be on stronger grounds with them, but as this will look like a repeat offence for what eBay sees as the seller potentially trying to cheat eBay of their fees, I can't see it going your way.
Not sure where you stand legally, they provide a platform for you to trade and you agree to their T&C's which includes transactions outside of Ebay are prohibited , this is what I was told when grovelling. The previous warnings may go against you thou, I had a warning about 6 weeks prior to this but it was never mentioned in conversation.
They must really be clamping down on this. We've just came off of a 7 day ban for an offer to sell outside of eBay, we were strangely still able to sell somethings but weren't able to reply to messages or do any listing. It instantly cut sales in half and was very worrying that the rug could be pulled away so quickly.
The only thing you can do is contact them and plead to be reinstated. It might be best to remove your website address/phone number/email from listings and your store front too for the time being.
Longer term just try to build up your sales through your website and other channels and try to rely on them less. Its frightening that you can go from having a profitable business to very little on a systems say-so.
The only thing you can do is contact them and plead to be reinstated. It might be best to remove your website address/phone number/email from listings and your store front too for the time being.
Longer term just try to build up your sales through your website and other channels and try to rely on them less. Its frightening that you can go from having a profitable business to very little on a systems say-so.
Seems to be more common in the last few weeks, 3 other sellers i know got banned recently for 7 days and didnt fight it at all, which for me wasnt ever an option. From my own experience i think any items ended early with "No longer for sale" flags something and any correspondence relating to the item will be investigated.
I've worked my ass off to increase eBay sales, in fact it has doubled in the past 18 months, I have spent day and night re-doing all my photo's and product descriptions to make the presentation absolutely bang on, FB was 99.9% and was in fact 100% for a couple of months recently.
Absolutely sick to my core that this has happened, stiff drink tonight and now working out a positive action plan.
Absolutely sick to my core that this has happened, stiff drink tonight and now working out a positive action plan.
Already spoke to the CS team via phone, apparently there is nothing they can do despite explaining the situation and that it wasn't a deliberate attempt to cheat a sale outside of eBay.
I haven't asked to escalate to management so will perhaps explore that option once I've had time to calm down and compile myself.
I haven't asked to escalate to management so will perhaps explore that option once I've had time to calm down and compile myself.
Mudgey said:
Already spoke to the CS team via phone, apparently there is nothing they can do despite explaining the situation and that it wasn't a deliberate attempt to cheat a sale outside of eBay.
I haven't asked to escalate to management so will perhaps explore that option once I've had time to calm down and compile myself.
Had this last week when a customer from back in February needed some support with a product and emailed us their mobile number and demanded we call them. I believe ebay have some software scanning words in emails and will issue a 7 day ban automatically if they believe some sort of off-site dealing is happening.I haven't asked to escalate to management so will perhaps explore that option once I've had time to calm down and compile myself.
In my case live chat refused to lift the ban, but upon calling ebay the CS representative read the emails from the buyer and could see that the ban was a mistake.
I would advise calling them and asking them to read the correspondence relating to the ban. Try calling a few times to speak with different CS representatives as some know the rules better than others.
eBay done this to me 4 years ago started restricting the account due to dsr dropping 0.2% on delivery times. The items were custom made to the customer and they were told 7-14 days for delivery. When asked to rate the seller they are asked if they are happy with delivery times =no.
Was told to influence the customer with 5stars on the descriptions etc - Couldn't win and they shut it down.
Started a new account in different names but didn't really have the heart to go at it again because after all the effort they can and will stop your account.
So the latest ploy is to scan for telephone numbers in emails, that's basically screwed sellers.
Buyer wants to talk to the person about the product, buyer asks for number - seller a no I can't give you it because eBay.
Their algorithm probably looks that you had contact with a person that didn't buy the item - a few times of that happening, here's a restriction plead your case.
b
ks to them and google can fook off too.
Let the net neutrality st kick in and we can try to ween the kids of the Internet and back into real life.
Was told to influence the customer with 5stars on the descriptions etc - Couldn't win and they shut it down.
Started a new account in different names but didn't really have the heart to go at it again because after all the effort they can and will stop your account.
So the latest ploy is to scan for telephone numbers in emails, that's basically screwed sellers.
Buyer wants to talk to the person about the product, buyer asks for number - seller a no I can't give you it because eBay.
Their algorithm probably looks that you had contact with a person that didn't buy the item - a few times of that happening, here's a restriction plead your case.
b
ks to them and google can fook off too.Let the net neutrality s
t kick in and we can try to ween the kids of the Internet and back into real life. Had this happen to me just last week, I have gave out my number or directed people to my site in the past and they have restricted my account but last week they blocked it completely
I got on Live chat and played dumb, apologised and said it would never happen again now that the operator had went through the rules with me.
That worked and it was unblocked immediately, I wont be going out side the guidelines again as I think I will be permanently blocked next time.
Hate Ebay with a passion but like yourself I get a few sales from it.
I got on Live chat and played dumb, apologised and said it would never happen again now that the operator had went through the rules with me.
That worked and it was unblocked immediately, I wont be going out side the guidelines again as I think I will be permanently blocked next time.
Hate Ebay with a passion but like yourself I get a few sales from it.
Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff