eBay

omegakap · ‎07-31-2016

I'm trying to list a motor feedback cable, and get a message that says

"It looks like you used the word "feedback" in your listing title. The only time you can use the word "feedback" in a title is if it describes the item you're selling. For example, saying "Guitar feedback amplifier" is OK."

Despite that, it won't let me list it.

eBay just keeps on making things more difficult for legitmate sellers with legitimate listings. Why the heck do we need to "protect" people from the word "feedback".

Thanks eBay for wasting half an hour of my sunday.

momcqueen · ‎07-31-2016

Your best recourse may be to call Customer Service and see if they can lift the restriction for you. Do you still get the error if all your Item Specifics are completed?

The reason 'feedback' is prohibited as a listing keyword is because enterprising buyers and sellers once tried to buy and sell positive feedback ratings on ebay, so the practise had to be banned.

rose-dee · ‎07-31-2016

You can try to battle it out with CS, but be prepared to be extremely patient and persistent, and to go through several completely clueless people before you get someone who even understands what the issue is. Good luck!

rose-dee · ‎07-31-2016

I should add that I fought a very similar battle with eBay a couple of years ago over a generic term that the eBay language experts had decided should not be used in a title.

I went through, if I recall, about 7 or 8 CS reps over as many calls, before I finally got a call back from someone near the top of the eBay ladder. He did actually understand the issue and my position, but was adamant that eBay would not allow it. Ultimately I was directed to remove the word wherever it appeared in my listing titles. I had no choice, for I was now on their radar and would have had my listings taken down if I didn't comply.

Have you got, say, a trade advertisement or article handy that shows this item actually being described with the word "feedback"? That might help, as it appears from your post that eBay hasn't heard of anything other than guitar feedback and their own "feedback" system.

As you may or may not know, the reason eBay disallowed that word in your listing is that their policies prohibit feedback solicitation of any kind in listings. I really do wish you the best of luck with this.

pierrelebel · ‎07-31-2016

" over a generic term that the eBay language experts had decided should not be used in a title. "

Been through that years ago with Canadian postage stamps showing Jacques Cartier. Somehow the good folks at eBay suggested the postage stamp could be confused with "Cartier" producer of luxury products.

momcqueen · ‎07-31-2016

I had eBay.co.uk reject a toy car named after Carlo Masterati. The CSR couldn't even tell me the reason I wasn't allowed to list it. It took me two years to figure it out.

i.am.vivian · ‎07-31-2016

@omegakap wrote:
I'm trying to list a motor feedback cable, and get a message that says

"It looks like you used the word "feedback" in your listing title. The only time you can use the word "feedback" in a title is if it describes the item you're selling. For example, saying "Guitar feedback amplifier" is OK."

Despite that, it won't let me list it.

eBay just keeps on making things more difficult for legitmate sellers with legitimate listings. Why the heck do we need to "protect" people from the word "feedback".

Thanks eBay for wasting half an hour of my sunday.

Everything the others have said is true. You will have to try to get a CS rep to understand that a "motor feedback cable" is like eBay's "Guitar feedback amplifier". Prepare to be annoyed.

If you do a Worldwide lowest price search for "feedback" there are loads of people selling feedback. They list "feedback" in the title and it has nothing to do with the photo. The listing says if you buy you get 5 star feedback. They have a really high score too, lots of other people are buying this feedback even though it is supposed to be what the policy prevents.

Is that it then? If "The only time you can use the word "feedback" in a title is if it describes the item you're selling" then if feedback IS the item you're selling it's OK? Stupid eBay sometimes.

momcqueen · ‎07-31-2016

Meanwhile, I'd be adding International Site Visibility to the listing and paying for it, and it would be pulled. Customer Service couldn't even tell me WHICH listing was violating their international agreements. It was trial-and-error for me.

rose-dee · ‎07-31-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
I had eBay.co.uk reject a toy car named after Carlo Masterati. The CSR couldn't even tell me the reason I wasn't allowed to list it. It took me two years to figure it out.

So they thought you might somehow be trying to pass off a toy as a real Maserati? Typical complete lack of common sense on eBay's part. They are positively paranoid where anything resembling a brand name shows up in listing titles.

momcqueen · ‎07-31-2016

I honestly don't know the logic behind it. Like I said, ebay CSR was never honest with me about which listing was in 'violation' or the reason for it. It's as if they had no idea.

It was a Cars character that sold primarily to people overseas because it hadn't been packed into any cases for distribution there yet. The character is named in tribute to the man, that is plainly stated and known in the Disney Cars universe. It's a miniature diecast car made to resemble a Maserati. This would have been done with full permission of the man himself, Disney doesn't make mistakes like that.

I paid for ISV on that listing for probably two years and after relisting a batch of Unsolds, would get an error message stating one of my listings had been removed from ebay.co.uk for violations but not which listing or the reason it violated rules.

It was only after I search tested which of my characters, one by one, did I find it was this one that wasn't showing on ebay.co.uk despite paying for it.

The whole situation was impossibly dumb.

On second thought, the OP may be better off to raise this with ebay Canada staff at Board Hour on Wednesday than to call Customer Service.

rose-dee · ‎07-31-2016

@i.am.vivian wrote:
If you do a Worldwide lowest price search for "feedback" there are loads of people selling feedback. They list "feedback" in the title and it has nothing to do with the photo. The listing says if you buy you get 5 star feedback. They have a really high score too, lots of other people are buying this feedback even though it is supposed to be what the policy prevents.
Is that it then? If "The only time you can use the word "feedback" in a title is if it describes the item you're selling" then if feedback IS the item you're selling it's OK? Stupid eBay sometimes.

Yes, consistency in applying policy has always been a problem on eBay. Strictly speaking of course, what you describe is completely against eBay policy. But there it is, loud and clear. Meanwhile, sellers like the OP can't legitimately list an item because the bots have targeted him.

What you describe does make me wonder whether policy exemptions or concessions are granted by eBay to the biggest sellers. That would certainly be an incentive to a large volume seller of any kind, wouldn't it? I know, I know, some here will be crying "conspiracy theorist" again! 😄

For the sake of any new sellers who may be wondering what all this is about, here's the link to the current policy, such as it is: http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/feedback-manipulation.html

Note that the policy does specifically state as prohibited: "Offering to sell, buy, barter, or give away Feedback". As we all know, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen on eBay.

momcqueen · ‎07-31-2016

I searched some of the examples i.am.vivian cited. They are as fragrant and blatant as the day is long, and I cannot imagine how they were allowed to go live.

rose-dee · ‎07-31-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
I searched some of the examples i.am.vivian cited. They are as fragrant and blatant as the day is long, and I cannot imagine how they were allowed to go live.

Yeah, it's egregious, isn't it? This particular guy: item 152186629291 -- just imagine -- boldly advertises that he provides free shipping. Well, well, he'll probably get an extra visibility boost for that. He even has the cheek to point out that the free e-book he'll provide as part of the deal doesn't violate any eBay or VeRO rules!

It would be hilarious if it weren't so unfair to other sellers. These shenanigans are really something that should be brought to Raphael's attention to pass along up the ladder. I'll try to remember to mention it this week.

mr.elmwood · ‎07-31-2016

What you are not seeing is all the listings that have been pulled, will continue to be pulled, and the sellers suspended, permanently.

Go by what you can't see.

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mr.elmwood · ‎07-31-2016

Motor feedback cable for what? What categories are you trying to use?

I am seeing items with that sort of title under:

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2nd-time-around-jewelry · ‎07-31-2016

I had a similar problem with eBay. I have been selling faux ivory bone jewelry for years with no problem. I always used the word faux & bone. And then one day eBay removes some of my listings saying you can't use the word ivory. Hundreds of other sellers use that word all the time. I phoned up customer service & complained that if I can't use the word ivory then no one else should be able to. Why target one person & not the rest. Very unfair!

pierrelebel · ‎07-31-2016

"Why target one person & not the rest. Very unfair!"

That is because your listings were reported by an unhappy competitor.

a52split · ‎08-02-2016

In the automotive world there's a part called a Limited Slip Differential. Many car guys just say LSD. Even when clearly defined in the description, you can't have LSD in your title.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-02-2016

@dustmite007 wrote:
I had a similar problem with eBay. I have been selling faux ivory bone jewelry for years with no problem. I always used the word faux & bone. And then one day eBay removes some of my listings saying you can't use the word ivory. ...

Ivory or equivalent ...

Recently I got flagged for using "crossed elephant tusks" in a description and the eBay bot said "ivory" was a restricted item. Ivory was not even mentioned.

What was I describing? - A bronze African metal coin.

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