Reporting infractions

[karensvariety]

I am trying to find out as much information as I can about reporting infractions to ebay. Someone has decided I'm "it" and I find myself defending myself against report after report. I am waiting to hear from Safe Harbour. Apparently you can't phone them or email on line. If someone reports something, are the emails to the seller automatic or does someone actually take a look at the listing? Does anyone check if the same person reports over and over again (ie. the competion or someone annoyed with receiving NPB's). Since these emails say you will be suspended if it continues, how do you know if these "strikes" against you have been removed? Any suggestions or information would be appreciated.

[sunward-hobbies]

You are missing the point. Ebay is too big too worry about a little seller in Canada. You might try photocopies, but I am sure you may still get a warning.

Don't see copies of an old book. CD-r or photocopies.

Make up your own and sell that. Lose the title of the previous book and come out with a new title:
"Karesvariety book of pattern - based on old establish beautiful ones"

Since you are putting lots of new stuff in it, comments, tips, etc, you would be able to copyright it.

Sell that.

Angelo

[karensvariety]

I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my standing with ebay. I just don't understand why they won't answer my emails. Their letter says to write if I need information, etc. but they do not answer, just ignore me. I have also written the seller outreach contact but again no answer. What good is the seller outreach program if your emails are ignored? Very frustrating as I always thought ebay was the greatest, now I don't know what to think.

[imagi.nation]

Karensvariety:

Believe me on this -- if you're looking to eBay for prompt responses to answers that can't be answered by a canned form letter, you will be disappointed.

It's a numbers game; there are millions of buyers and sellers and only a few thousand eBay employees. eBay has put in place a basic help system to help with the simplest of questions. If you have a more pressing concern, they've set up these forums. Anything further and you get placed in a long queue with many thousands of other questions awaiting answers.

In my experience, if you find you still get no response, then it is because eBay believes it has answered your question already. They rarely get into prolonged discussions once a decision has been made. There are times where you can get a human being to discuss a matter with you by e-mail or by phone, but these are very rare instances.

Ernie.

[shoplineca]

The other problem when reaching someone is that one eBay person can agree with you and the next one disagree with you however if you are talking about policy change, then forget it. You will not receive any answer aside from the possibility that the poilicy may be reviewed in the coming year(s).

This defdinately sounds like Policy change and Ernie is 100% correct about so few serving so many. It is a case of automation and taking the easiest road.

I also support and really like Angelo's idea about renaming your CDs to your oa an adaption of earlier, famous patterns. Unveiling the Secrets of Yesterday through modern technology.

Go For It!!!

Malcolm

[karensvariety]

I like his idea as well but again, I don't want trouble over it. I would like to get permission to do that. Also, there are sellers on ebay who sell copies of patterns on CD exclusively, that is their entire business and they are power sellers. I would like to know if the way they word their ads makes it OK but don't want to ask because I have no desire to get them in trouble. I would just like a clear rule or someone to give an OK to an ad that I create.

[imagi.nation]

You probably won't get an answer from eBay regarding "Can I can do this" questions. I went through this a couple of years ago regarding their "choice" policy and the fact that clothing sellers cannot offer a choice of different sizes for the same clothing item in one listing. They just reiterated the choice policy back to me time and time again.

It is likely those other sellers you are talking about are the ones reporting your listings. Many sellers in certain categories are _extremely_ aggressive and actively look for ways to get competitor's listings shut down. If they are successfully selling the same items then it may just be that nobody is reporting them -- yet. One way to test if their ads are not in compliance with eBay policies is to try reporting some of their items and see if their listings are pulled. It's nice of you to say you don't want to get them in trouble but if they are listing the same things you are then it's not fair that you are getting listings pulled and they aren't. Also note that many sellers will abuse policies until they are shut down and then come back under new IDs and start abusing policies all over again.

I concur with Malcolm about Angelo's idea of making your own creation out of this. If the designs on the CDs you were selling are indeed in the public domain then there is NO reason you can't include those designs re-arranged in one or more new compilations with your own material and copyright it as your own. There is NO eBay policy about selling CD's of your own compilations -- at least one seller in this group does so, just make sure you place the copyright notice front and center in your listings. If you do run into problems from this, there are Intellectual Property lawyers that will be happy to send a letter to eBay about it. eBay DOES respond quickly to lawyers. 😉

Cheers,
Ernie.

[karensvariety]

Thank you. Great information! Regarding your choice issue, I very recently got a good answer on that one. I had an ad where you could choose your pattern. The problem ebay has with choice is how to bill it properly. The way it was handled was one ad with a set number of items for a set price. Then in my store, I put a z in each ad which could be included in the choice and a link to the z's. Buyers could "choose" which items they wanted, eg. 10 items for $10 out of a choice of 20, 30 or whatever you as seller choose to include. You could do this with sizes instead of different patterns. This was worked out with the live help specialist and with their approval. Of couse, I pulled those ads as they were copies of patterns. If CD's are the problem, this ad could be rerun with photocopies. That will be my next question if I can contact them. I don't care if I use CD's. I am quite happy with photocopies.

[vesivus]

I have to say I like your business... customizable patterns. I can imagine why its so successful!!! 🙂

Keep fighting! Find another way to keep doing what you love to do. Don't let other sellers (or even the eBay wall) stand in your way.