I don't have a phone

[v.v6800]

How do i setup an account when I must provide a phone so someone can call/text me? Even when I try customer support all they provide is a phone number and not an email address. I don't like phones and not everyone has one, this is just dumb!!

[nubian_treasures]

A phone is one way to verify that you are not a fly-by-night scammer. If you do not have a phone, you can't sell. It's not dumb. It's security. In the past, ebay was practically overrun with Nigerian scammers. They would lie about where they were located in order to sell on ebay. After many buyer complaints of being scammed by sellers that ebay couldn't tell where they were located, ebay put in security measures. One of them being you have to have a phone in order to sell. Additionally, ebay allows buyers and sellers in a transaction to request each others information. You would be able to request a buyers phone number and it would be only fair if they could get a phone number for you too if phone contact were necessary .

[v.v6800]

I'm not a seller. I'm trying to buy.

[v.v6800]

Thanks for the answer nubian_treasures and I agree all that can be done to eliminate scammers is great (without invading anyone's privacy). However, I am not trying to sell anything, I'm trying to bid on something.

[v.v6800]

Plus, have you read what eBay does with your phone number? Just what i need, more people calling me to sell me stuff. Mostly the reason I don't have a phone. While security is likely partially the reason to collect phone numbers I highly doubt ebay is going to waste an opportunity to collect more ways to get a hold of you and either sell that information for profit or use it for marketing themselves.

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/user-agreement.html?rt=nc - look under the "Authorization to Call or Text You; Recording Calls" section of the user agreement

[reallynicestamps]

You could use your phone number at work. Or your mother's number. Or get a phone.

Life does not always go the way you want it to.