I got a call today from a Kline person at your Vancouver office regarding a supposedly violation of the listing rules in the title of an item #140269841210. I was told I was guilty of the offence without a chance for any change I offered to make to the title and without any recourse.
Here is my side of things (or the facts):
1) I think that the report came from a seller in the UK who was selling fake Moorcroft in the Spring, listing it in the Moorcroft category at high prices ($500/ 1000+). I contacted ebay and Moorcroft and eventually had Moorcroft file a VERO on him and have the item removed. He now has an axe to grind. In any case, it is irrelevant to my argument to follow but I am sure you can find out if the complaint came from the UK.
2) When I listed the Bergen pot, I used the automatic category suggestion on the SYI tool. I entered Bergen pottery and got a single category suggestion of Gouda pottery, which is the one I listed under. This is not a bad suggestion considering that the Bergen pottery was made very close to the Gouda region, just across the border in Belgium and that he potted in what is described in all reference pottery books as in the "Gouda style". It also tells me that other items by Bergen must have been listed under the Gouda category, otherwise your system would not likely have made that suggestion.
3) The offending title I used was :"Arts &Craft BERGEN Belgium Gouda style 5" vase c1920's Nr " I stand by this description. It is correct and not misleading, especially if someone was to read the full descripion. I would describe it exactly the same way if I were making an appraisal for a client, minus the NR of course.
4) When the poor little enforcer Kline called, he informed me that I had been found in violation of the title search rules. I explained fully to him what I have just stated in par.2) above. ME: So, if I use the only category suggested by the ebay tool for this pot, I am in violation of the ebay rules? KINE Yes! (I do hope that our conversation was taped and that you will have someone listen to it, especially the manager of your "customer clobbering department"). ME: Ok, I will make the change to the offending title, I offered after trying the logical explanation above, plus stating that I have been an antique dealer and "expert" for over 15 years. KLINE: NO was the basic answer.... the item was going to be delisted and that was it. I was GUILTY without trial, recourse or any discussion for following the ebay category suggestion for listing. I said to poor little Kline (who is not allowed to use any jugment from the sounds of it) that I had worked hard at listing many items during the ebay Canada sale yesterday and the effect of this enforcement was going to punish me for :a) being right b) following the suggestion of the ebay system and c) that I would then have to relist at the no longer "sale price" which I felt was unfair and wrong. I asked if this felt right, he basically agreed that things were not quite "right", but that this is the ebay Dictatorship rules (not his words, mine) and that was that. Sensing that maybe he did not have the authority to make any other judgement call (such as maybe allowing me 10 minutes to revise the offending but correct listing title before delisting it despite the illogical situation), I then asked to speak to a supervisor. This is something reasonable in such a case....I managed a call center in a previous life and always suggested that escalation should happen when something is beyond the first line of support authority. I was told "This is not going to happen" exact quote. I then asked for his supervisor name, he refused. I was guilty and once the automatic system had decided guilt, it was case closed!!!!! He could not do anything, nor the rest of ebay would do anything, according to little Kline. We'll see....were my thoughts.
5) I was really upset!!!
6) I then vented !!!!
7) I asked for a phone number to speak to someone in authority but was not given any. I at least managed to get the name of Andrew Sloss as the GM in Canada. I told poor little Kline that I would be following up with ebay until I get to speak to someone higher, which is what I am doing here, and he felt threatened by this, to which I told him it was not a threat but an indication of what would happen. I concluded our call by telling him that I had pity for him to be stuck in such a terrible job without any power.
8) By the way, I had two listings of Bergen pottery in the Gouda category. I did change the other one once I hung up; the offending one had already been clubbed.
So after all this, here are my thoughts:
A) You are in the same situation as the Americans are in Afganistan, where the reports of someone about a group being from the Taliban results in automatic bombing of the supposed Taliban, even when it is only an axe-to-grind-kind-of-report. This is wrong. Somehow, you should respect your clients first and have the ability to use judgment in cases like this one before using the club.
B) I was told by someone with no expertise that my "expert" opinion did not count....and that despite the category being suggested by ebay, that I was still guilty. WRONG attitude, unless of course you don't value long term clients selling professionally described and accurate goods for higher value.
C) You must allow recourse and the ability to escalate situations to a second line of support when asked, or give some small authority to the clubber to allow a change of offending title in the next x minutes or hours. I would have done so, and indeed did so with the other listing....I would also have felt some respect from ebay, something that sorely lacked in this case.
D) I still want the ability to repost this item at the sale price. This is based on the principle of being wronged.
E) I would like to speak with the manager of the customer clobbing department or higher and get an apology for the treatment I received (Kline was polite but put in an impossible situation where he cannot exercise any judgment, just apply the ebay club on clients).
F) I could very easily get online for a few days with the only mission being to find listings that show any kind of ebay rule problems (trust me, there are many 1000's of them). I am sure that I could singlehandedly and dramatically increase the number of such reports that would justify hiring many more clubbers. This is not something that I want to do, I would rather list in peace and make money for ebay and ourselves. But is is something that I will consider doing should I not get satisfaction.... again, not a threat but a statement of escalation out of frustration.
G) You should make any human contact somewhat easier. Your answering system is devoid of all human flavour and does not allow any option to speak to someone. Let's call your automated system your customer avoidance department!
H) If I did not care, I would not have taken the time to write this. I have cared about ebay since 1997, but I have watched the original rules of fairness between vendors & buyers disappear over time. I used to be able to report when vendors bid their own items up under different id's, but the system does not allow this anymore because we cannot id the bidders. Sellers used to be able to give a negative to bad apples, not anymore. etc., etc. ebay used to be a good community, now it is only a dump & sell buyer beware environment.
