8mm Forum: .. and now, the sad ebay surprise ...

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 24, 2012, 09:40 PM:

After posting earlier today, I decided to finally call ebay customer support to find out exactly why Steph and I are being penalyzed, and I was surprised by the answer.

It turns out it was neither of our faults and according to ebays new policy, there's no way the little guys can avoid it.

According to the lady I talked to today, (very polite, by the way), if you have fewer than 25 transactions in a year as a seller, ebay will automatically hold each and every payment to secure proper transactions. I asked her if there was any blemish on any of our transactions and she replied none.

In other words, it dosn't matter how honest or reliable you are as a seller, no matter how reliable you are with shipping or how honest your policies are.

If you have under 25 sales, you are automatically placed in the "we hold your money for three or four weeks club" on every transaction.

The logic (or lack of it) astounds ...

Therefore, if tyou have more than 25, you could be as crooked as the day is long, but you well earned dollars will not be held by ebay.

Apparantly, it's really all a plot to get the seller to sell more items, therefore, ebay makes more money, as they make a portion on every tranaaction, and that's whats really going on here.

The customer servcice rep did say our account did seem o fall between ther cracks, as the rulew was really meant to deal with bad sellers, but it labels any seller under 25 sales per year as a "bad seller".

So, if you are a constant ebay seller, you have nothing to worry about, but us little guys will get screwed.

By the way, this must be a policy that was initiated about a month ago, as we never ran into this before, as the customer service rep acknowledged that we have been there with this account foir three years.

Your thoughts, folks ...

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on February 24, 2012, 10:02 PM:

My wifes account has 62 items sold all with positive fb. They are still holding money. I think they are trying to force the little guy out.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 25, 2012, 01:58 AM:

This is disturbing news. I appreciate the heads up Osi. I haven't ever sold anything on eBay...but I was going to start selling a few items in a couple of months....25 items for me would be a lot. This policy seems rediculous...but it doesn't look like there's much that can be done about it....Bummer [Frown]

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 25, 2012, 02:37 AM:

It's a nuisance but that's the way it is. No point in complaining. Either use ebay or don't.
This be my policy [Smile]

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on February 25, 2012, 07:54 AM:

why not just list them here maybe the fourm should have our own auctions?

Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on February 25, 2012, 11:09 AM:

I have many sales so I guess that I am exempt from this. However I was glad for the outcome from a seller in New Zealand who shall be known as "FM" who sold me a pair of Elmo Speakers that were damaged in transit. Why? Because there was no packing material used at all and they arrived crushed on one side.
When I informed him of this he replied that it was "not his problem" he did his best.
Speak to the post office.
Paypal held his money for the standard 3-4 weeks. When I filed the claim he never got to deposit my money and I got it back.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on February 25, 2012, 11:37 AM:

One bad kid in the class...the whole class pays the price.

Now is that less than 25 transactions total or per year...if it's per year then that is pretty sad forcing you to sell a quota. I sell and buy on ebay and I have not encountered this...yet.

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 25, 2012, 12:19 PM:

Yes, it has to be under 25 sales in a calendar year.

Now, I'm sure that there are a myriad of ways for an ebay seller to get on a bad list and have thier funds held for the longest time, but this is a new policy that doesn't take into account how good of a seller you are; it's just, as stated earlier, ebay's way of attempting to make more money

... not for you, but for ebay.

Posted by Jon Addams (Member # 816) on February 25, 2012, 01:24 PM:

Sometimes eBay's front line support service representatives are not too familiar with certain policies, click here for an explanation on holds.

Jon

Posted by Bradford A Moore (Member # 426) on February 25, 2012, 02:04 PM:

There is a very easy way to get around this! You can except money orders. You get them directly from your buyer. Ebay only suggests, and doesn't enforce you to use paypal. I buy films from the same sellers all the time, and primarily only use a money order. Sellers are convinced this is not the case, but this not true. You can except a money order. The only thing is that ebay won't stand by them, because they loose out, because they own paypal.

Posted by Jon Addams (Member # 816) on February 25, 2012, 02:40 PM:

quote:
"There is a very easy way to get around this! You can except money orders. You get them directly from your buyer. Ebay only suggests, and doesn't enforce you to use paypal. I buy films from the same sellers all the time, and primarily only use a money order. Sellers are convinced this is not the case, but this not true. You can except a money order. The only thing is that ebay won't stand by them, because they loose out, because they own paypal."

This is incorrect Bradford.

eBay DOES NOT allow a seller to list a money orders as a payment method, the buyer may suggest it and send them for payment but the seller cannot asks for them – it is a policy violation and can get your listing cancelled!

There are exceptions such as eBay’s motors and other business to business transactions where the selling price is high. The policy is described in full here

Jon

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