Would you say my user ID violates the policy???

[funkywatch_com]

I received this email AND a phone call from ebay today!!!

Apparently, my ID funkywatch_com "violates" the policy...

What do you think?


Dear funkywatch_com

We recently became aware that your eBay User ID is in violation of our policy.

This notice is being sent to educate you about our User ID Policy and to request that you change your User ID to conform within our guidelines. Please make this change within the next 24 hours.

To help you create a User ID that agrees with our policy, please review the following summary of our policy

The eBay User ID Policy states that your User ID:

may contain letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and/or some symbols;
must be at least two characters long;
can't contain spaces;
can't be obscene, profane, or violate eBay's guidelines;
can't be an email address or Web site; and
can't be the same as another sellers' eBay Store name.

The policy also outlines the things you can't include in your User ID as follows.

- The @, &, ‘, <, or > symbol.
- URLs or Web addresses ("xyz.com" for example).
- Consecutive underscores "__".
- An underscore "_", dash "-", or period "." at the beginning of a User ID.
- Spaces or tabs.
- The word "eBay"(only eBay employees may use the word "eBay" in a User IDs).
- The letter "e" followed by numbers.

[funkywatch_com]

I have been using this ID since January 1st, 2005

[jakeeangel]

Yes it does. It's the .com part that they're cracking down on.

- URLs or Web addresses ("xyz.com" for example).

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[youreinthebook]

Yes.

Most people with internet experience would see that your ID is a website URL despite the "_" instead of "." Nice try though.

I've seen a couple of other user IDs with variations of web addresses changed this week. eBay must be doing a sweep.

I've heard of eBay also going after users who try the trick of using "corn" in their IDs, like "domainname.corn".

[funkywatch_com]

Their policy specifically uses the "."

I have been using this ID for 2 years... I don't get it.


Oh well, since I don't want to risk they cancel my listings, i am now funkywatch!


X-(

[jakeeangel]

There's nothing to be mad about. The policy has been in place for years, they've just never enforced it for whatever silly reason. Now they are. It's not a big deal. I'm sure you're not the only one. Personally I don't get having a policy that's not enforced but whatever. Not just this one either. There are many unfortunately.

And it says for example ".com" it's not a stretch to know that -com or _com or +com means ".com".

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[zarzuella]

I'm surprised you got away with it as long as you have.

...You're lucky that 'Funkywatch' was available!

[whoscloset]

Yep
Monique

Himalayan Salt Lamps - A Guide to Purchasing

[momosworld]

eBays level playing field is a joke. I'll send you a USER ID of one of eBays highest sellers shortly, I just have to look for it, try and send an email to T&S, you can send one email everyday for 1 year and they won't make them change it (with a _com name

Moez.

[youreinthebook]

eBay grandfathered in sellers who had domain or e-mail addresses as IDs before the policy was set by them.

Too bad they didn't bother to tell you that. Sounds like they could have saved you a lot of time.

[zarzuella]

I believe they rescinded that.

Ann

[youreinthebook]

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/newtoebay/user_id.html

"Information for members whose current User ID is, or represents, an email address or URL

eBay is constantly working to provide a safer and easier trading experience for our members. As a result, we have decided to no longer allow User IDs that are an email address, a URL, or a look alike for either. If you have a current eBay User ID registered after November 2001 (when eBay's User ID policy was instituted) that is also an email address, a URL, or is a look alike for either, you must change your User ID to comply with this policy. eBay may take a range of actions with regard to User IDs not in compliance, including suspension of the associated account.

If you have not used eBay in over a year, and your User ID was also your email address, you may have received an email informing you that a new temporary User ID was created for you. Use that new User ID whenever you sign in to eBay. If you like, you can change your User ID to another one that you prefer."