Selling On Ebay Discontinued

At the end of last year my selling account with ebay was discontinued by ebay on the basis that I did not meet their selling performance levels. I had been selling on ebay for 18 years both stamps and clothing. I had over 600 items listed, mostly my stamp collection of 60 years. As you must know there is a great deal of competition on ebay but I did my research with regards to price and was always competitive but you can't always make buyers bye. I now list on the Declampe out of Luxembourg.
I want to ask if anyone else has had the same experience?

Regards

minder1946

ebay has a "rating" for sellers. It has nothing to do with sales volume, but rather looks at the percentage of transaction defects and the percentage of time you are late in shipping compared to your stated policy. They also look at the percentage of items with tracking, which makes it almost impossible for stamp sellers to get to the top level unless you are willing to pay for tracking on everything (or to make your customers do it).

I should note that my comments apply to ebay US; the other ebay sites might handle things differently.

Well I don't know about ebay watching tracking. I have tracking on maybe 1% of sales. But I'm top rated.

I concur with paperhistory. Sales volume and sell-through rate have nothing to do with it. ebay is perfectly happy to take your fees even if you never sell a single item.

No, if they disabled your ability to sell, it's because you had a comparatively large number of dissatisfied customers.

To CanadaStamp, perhaps ebay Canada is different from U.S., but at least here, you have to provide tracking on 90% (?) of shipments to be eligible to be top rated, so I'm not sure how you're getting that designation.

Customers don't really care about TOP-RATED , from my experience they may check your feedback and make a decision based on other people's comments .

Canada does not have the tracking requirements of the US because our tracking for anything starts at around $15.00 and goes up from there.

From what I've read, seller performance on ebay is not just about your overall feedback rating -- that 99.5% thing -- but also about the detailed rankings for such things as postage charges, speed of delivery etc. If you perform badly on these aspects you can get kicked off, even if you have a 100% feedback rating.

ebay takes it very seriously when people do anything that might lose it customers.

The link below has the details for Seller Performance for US ebay. It explains all the areas where a seller can go wrong;

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/...ai=lucenceai

Thanks for all your comments, just a few points I would like to make, namely:
1) I'm in Australia and thus sell on ebay Australia, who I believe have the same policies as ebay USA;
2) I had a 100% feedback rating from my buyers, thus no dissatisfied customers;
3) My postage charges where standard, in fact I made sure they were below other sellers, although I did not have tracking because of the cost to my buyers;
4) I was never late with delivery;
5) I was never given any of the reasons you have noted, only that I was not selling enough of my items that I was listing.

Considering I never had a problem with ebay while I was selling cloths for the first 12 years, then started selling my stamp collection as well because my off spring are not interested in maintaining my collection and I did not want to sell to a dealer for a fraction of what its worth!! Therefore ebay were quite willing to take their % through fees etc so, I'm some what uptight with ebay and only wish there are other sites which consider their sellers and not their buyers.
If any of you sellers don't already use Declampe then I suggest you do because there are no listing fees and the % selling fees are good plus they do not have selling restrictions. If anyone can recommend similar sites, then please let me know.

Hi minder1946,
ebay's business plan has always been to get buyers to be comfortable with ignoring their common sense and buy something sight unseen from an unknown seller that could be half way around the world. Without this marketing effort listings would not get the number of eyeballs (and ultimately sales) that they do. ebay has had to 'slant the playing field' in favor of the buyer since the very beginning. You benefited from this approach 12 years but now are angry that they cut you off.

Delcampe and the other online stamp selling venues do not come close to the traffic and number of eyeballs that ebay has; this is documented in dozens of threads in this forum from very experienced sellers. The folks who have left ebay and migrated exclusively to other venues have largely been those have become disillusioned with ebay for one reason or another.

But something is not making sense here. ebay predictably does what is best for ebay which is making money as a percentage of sold listings. You asked in your first post if anyone has had the same experience as you and so far no one has said that they have and have replied with eBays documented reasons for cutting off a seller. I am also not aware of any seller who has been cut off due to a lack of sales.

Can you post the actual message that ebay sent you when they said that "I was not selling enough of my items that I was listing"? Have you tried following up with them and if so did their replies repeat the same justification?
Don

Dear Don,
I have outlined below two of my chat conversations I had with ebay which should outline my issues. Forgive me for some of MY dialogue which might seem inappropriate but I was angry.
I also realise that this site is sponsored by ebay so I my be putting a few noses out of joint!!
Regards
Andrew
PS Sorry if the following transcripts are very long

Account has been cancelled
2018 - 12 - 27
07:41:11 UTC Adele
Hello, welcome to ebay Australia Live Chat! My name is Adele. May I have your full name please?
07:41:48 UTC minder1946
Can you sing as good as Adele????
07:42:07 UTC minder1946
Andrew Keene
07:42:08 UTC Adele
Unfortunately, I can't. :)
07:42:17 UTC Adele
Hello Andrew, how are you?
07:42:22 UTC minder1946
That is a pity
07:43:01 UTC Adele
How can I help you by the way?
07:43:24 UTC minder1946
I want to know the reasons why my account has been canceled and wy wifee;s as been limited
07:43:55 UTC minder1946
!!!!!!!!!!!
07:46:02 UTC Adele
In regards to your concern, I can see that your account is in below standard. This means you weren't able to meet your seller performance. Do you want to make an appeal for the below standard restriction?
07:46:08 UTC minder1946
I;m not very happy!!
07:46:36 UTC minder1946
Say I do, but how?????
07:47:00 UTC Adele
I'll connect you over to our escalations team then. Please stay connected.
07:47:14 UTC minder1946
OK
07:49:43 UTC Niel
This is Niel from the account department. You have been transferred from other department about your concern. How are you?
07:50:17 UTC minder1946
Ki Niel, not very happy and unwell
07:50:38 UTC Niel
I'm sorry to know that you feel that way.
07:51:04 UTC minder1946
Yes and stop all the nice crap!!!
07:51:08 UTC Niel
This is because of the restriction on your account?
07:51:16 UTC minder1946
yes
07:51:45 UTC minder1946
By the way where are you based?
07:52:28 UTC Niel
I am here in the Philippines.
07:52:52 UTC minder1946
So you are not Australian or English
07:53:17 UTC Niel
I am a Filipino and I am ebay Customer Service Representative.
07:54:02 UTC minder1946
Ok, I do hope you can do something about my problem
07:54:55 UTC Niel
I've checked on your account and find out that you have been restricted for not meeting the standards for selling.
07:55:22 UTC minder1946
I have been with ebay for nearly 20 years and I'm gettiin a little fed up with what is going on with ebay
07:57:14 UTC minder1946
Why should we have to meat standards? You take our money in listing and selling fees + postage and paypal why should I be restricted??????????
07:57:30 UTC Niel
I truly appreciate your eagerness on this. At the same time, I found that the restriction on your account is permanent due to not meeting our minimum seller standards.
07:58:12 UTC minder1946
Does that means I cannot ever sell on ebay again?
07:58:16 UTC Niel
Yes.
07:58:33 UTC Niel
At this point, you may continue to trade as a buyer on the site and we wish you success in your future selling endeavours wherever that may be.
07:58:46 UTC minder1946
I there anything I can do to change this?
07:59:16 UTC Niel
There is now way for us to remove it.
08:01:58 UTC minder1946
OK you can tell your management and I will tell anyone that askes me NOT TO USE ebay, so much for loyalty. Can I spent to someone in higher autherity without any disrespect to you
08:02:35 UTC Niel
We have the same policy and process to follow It means that the same thing happen
08:02:59 UTC minder1946
What the does that mean?????
08:03:12 UTC Niel
You might not be able to continue your plans on the site but maybe on the other platform.
08:03:38 UTC minder1946
what does that mean?
08:04:05 UTC Niel
You can continue sell items on the other site but not on ebay. You can use your account for buying only
08:04:32 UTC minder1946
What other sites?
08:05:00 UTC Niel
It could be Gumtree or other platform
08:05:59 UTC minder1946
Gumtree, buyers don't want to but stamps on Gumtree
08:06:32 UTC Niel
You may look for another platform to sell your items
08:06:45 UTC minder1946
I already have
08:07:02 UTC Niel
I guess we are all good now
08:08:44 UTC Niel
Are we still connected?
08:08:56 UTC minder1946
No we are not good, tell your management that they have earnt a lot of money out of me over the last 18 years and I don't deserve this kind of reponse
08:09:39 UTC minder1946
or teatment
08:09:47 UTC Niel
I know that you want to make an appeal on this but we already made the decision.
08:10:18 UTC Niel
Please be guided that we base the action in your selling behaviour and the information we gathered.
08:12:05 UTC Niel
You have given enough time go back to track to improve your selling performance but you failed to do so and the reason why restrict your selling activity indefinitely.
08:13:36 UTC minder1946
No point in making an appeal you have already made up your minds So all I can say that I will be rubbishing ebay over the internat when ever I can, SO TELL YOUR MANAGEMENT TO GET ED AND I HOPE THESE TRANSCRIPTS ARE RECORDED, ITS YOUR LOST AT THE END O
08:14:48 UTC Niel
I will respect your opinion.
08:14:56 UTC minder1946
WHEN SELLING STAMPS I HAVE ALWAYS PRICED MY ITEMS BELOW ALL OTHER SELLERS SO WHAT CN I DO IF BUYERS DO NO WANT TO NUY
08:15:33 UTC minder1946
No you don;t respect my opinion you are just another cog in the wheel
08:16:51 UTC Niel
That would your opinion and It will not change the fact the restriction will remain.
08:17:14 UTC minder1946
WELL OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
08:17:51 UTC minder1946
AND TELL YOUR MANAGEMENT TO OFF AS WELL
08:17:59 UTC Niel
That would be your warning. We dont tolerate member to say any profane words
08:19:01 UTC minder1946
Sorry for my bad language but I feel very let down and frustrated
08:19:24 UTC minder1946
and angry
08:19:24 UTC Niel
I know where you are coming from.
08:20:50 UTC minder1946
But you, just being another cog cannot do anything about
08:20:52 UTC Niel
ebay dont stop you to continue your plan. You can still use the account to buy items on the site
08:23:19 UTC minder1946
I;m not interested in buying, I trying to sell my stamp collect before I die, I have been diagnose with terminal lung decease so do not have much time left
08:24:27 UTC Niel
I'm sorry if you have a status like that at the same time, we really cant lift the restriction. Thank you for your understanding
08:25:15 UTC minder1946
But I do not understand
08:26:12 UTC Niel
We restrict your account for not meeting the selling requirements.
08:26:50 UTC minder1946
Stop telling me the same thing, you sound like a robot
08:27:37 UTC Niel
I am not a Robot.
08:27:44 UTC Niel
there is no appeal on it.
08:27:46 UTC Niel
Thank you
08:29:12 UTC minder1946
I can't say I can thank you so good buy and have a bad day
08:29:18 UTC Niel
Bye for now
08:29:56 UTC minder1946
What do you mean for now I won;t be usinf ebay again
08:30:26 UTC minder1946
so anger and tell your management that ahs well
08:30:43 UTC Niel
Bye
08:30:57 UTC Niel
I will raise your report to the management
08:32:28 UTC minder1946
What will yhay do, nothing, so much for loyality You like taking my money but that is all
08:33:15 UTC Niel
I appreciate you for being a member quiet long but it seems that you are unable to meet the requirements then we need to part ways.
08:33:54 UTC minder1946
Yes and I feel it will be your lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
08:34:04 UTC minder1946
not mine
08:34:37 UTC Niel
Thank you for your tie
08:34:40 UTC Niel
Time
08:35:19 UTC Niel
I haven't got a response from you. Are you still with me?
08:35:29 UTC minder1946
Yes
08:36:04 UTC minder1946
Well in fact it has been a waste of my time
08:36:37 UTC Niel
I dont want to waste your time since the restriction will not be remove


2018 - 12 - 28
06:31:28 UTC Mark
Hi! Thanks for contacting ebay. My name is Mark can I have your full name please?
06:31:41 UTC minder1946
hi mark
06:31:53 UTC minder1946
where are you based?
06:32:20 UTC Mark
Hi! I am base in the Philippines.
06:32:29 UTC Mark
Can I also have your full name please?
06:32:29 UTC minder1946
What nationality are you?
06:32:42 UTC minder1946
Andrew Keene
06:33:03 UTC Mark
I am a Filipino Andrew.
06:33:47 UTC minder1946
I did not know Mark is a Filipino name
06:35:22 UTC Mark
Well we Filipino adapt to American culture even Spanish so our name our mix with other culture Andrew by the way I can see here that you want to know how to contact buyer.
06:35:37 UTC Mark
May I know why?
06:37:40 UTC minder1946
Yes, I need to contact them to let them know I have been stopped from selling on ebay because I have not met your selling standards
06:38:40 UTC minder1946
By the way do you respesent all of ebay or just Australia?
06:40:15 UTC Mark
Just Australia Andrew. You can contact them via member to member message or if they have purchase something from you can message them from that item.
06:41:16 UTC minder1946
Sorry but I do not understand that process
06:41:45 UTC Mark
Sorry for the confusion, do you have the buyer's user ID or the item they bought?
06:42:06 UTC minder1946
How can I do it from "MY ebay"
06:44:00 UTC minder1946
I want to send out a general email about my situation, how can I do that through "my ebay"
06:45:04 UTC Mark
So just to clarify this is not only 1 buyer but all of your buyer you want to send them notification on what happen correct?
06:45:17 UTC minder1946
yes
06:46:49 UTC Mark
Unfortunately we dont have that option on the website. What you can do message your buyer 1 by 1 or set up the settings on this link.
06:46:50 UTC Mark
https://contact.ebay.com.au/ws/eBay...STRK:ME:LNLK
06:47:33 UTC minder1946
OK I will try and do that, thanks
06:48:00 UTC Mark
Your welcome Andrew and I am so sorry for what happened but I hope everything will be fine.
06:48:11 UTC Mark
I am glad that I was able to assist you with your concern.Thank you for contacting ebay have a great evening..
06:50:20 UTC minder1946
No its not fine I'm very very unhappy with ebay so please let your management know, not that they will do anything about it they just want to make money so ebay have lost mine custome and thus any money they could have made from me
06:51:16 UTC Mark
I understand and no worry Andrew this chat is recorded and they will surely read this and on top of that I will endorse this to my superior .
06:51:25 UTC minder1946
They need to review their policies on selling
06:52:43 UTC minder1946
They are losing a lot of customers because of it and I will be telling everyone I know about Ebays restrictions on selling
06:53:34 UTC Mark
I can always transfer you to our account department about this restriction?
06:54:04 UTC minder1946
I have already receives emails from some of my buyers and they are amazed and feel it is disgraceful
06:55:06 UTC minder1946
What would that do I have already chatted with them yesterday and they where hopeless!!!!!!
06:55:19 UTC Mark
If you like I can transfer you to our account department so this restriction can be address.
06:55:48 UTC minder1946
OK but I don't think it will do any good
06:56:26 UTC Mark
We wont know Andrew until we try so for now stay on the chat I will transfer you now.
06:58:59 UTC Xike
Hello Andy, I see this a transferred chat. This is Xike from listing team, how are you doing today?
07:00:35 UTC minder1946
Not good, I'm dieing from terminal lung decease and I'm not very happy with ebay
07:01:02 UTC Xike
Oh! I am sorry to hear about that.
07:01:36 UTC Xike
At the same time, I just want to confirm if you're chatting in relation to our account suspension, right?
07:01:38 UTC minder1946
I suppose you are also a Filipino, strange you don;t have awestern anme
07:02:17 UTC minder1946
yes I am chatting about my suspension
07:03:00 UTC minder1946
and please don't give me the same spill I got from though mates yesterday
07:04:14 UTC Xike
Well, please don't take those information personally. It's just base on what we can help you Andy.
07:06:04 UTC Xike
Alright, let me then check your account information
07:07:50 UTC minder1946
But I do take it personally, I have been a member of ebay for nearly 18 years and I'm outraged regarding this suspension, is you that are losing my money respectable has to our little purchases I get
07:08:34 UTC Xike
I certainly understand your point that you've been part of ebay nearly 18 years .
07:08:54 UTC Xike
Now, you're concern here is how you would be able to contact your buyers, right?
07:10:04 UTC minder1946
Im trying to sell my stamp collection 60 years because my offspring are not interested and the kisting fees and charges are so high with ebay that I have to try and sell on a different web site
07:10:52 UTC minder1946
Yes I need to contact my buyers to let them know I have been stopped from selling
07:11:11 UTC Xike
We appreciate your loyalty with us and at the same time, I have looked into your account and it shows that ebay no longer comfortable in letting you sell your items.
07:12:42 UTC minder1946
I know that, that is way I told your service guy before tht it would not be any good in transferring me to you
07:14:03 UTC Xike
I am sorry to hear if that's what you feel.
07:14:44 UTC minder1946
Why are you not comfortable with me selling, so long as I sell you make money. I try research the market to find the lowest selling price and undercut them it's not my thought that they don't want to buy
07:15:57 UTC minder1946
I must admit, as I told you guys yestereday that you all sound like roberts programmed to say the same thing
07:16:18 UTC Xike
At the same time, we already gave you the chance to work things with your selling performance beforeJuly 2018.
07:17:38 UTC minder1946
I will tell you has I have told all the other people I have chated with over the past few months that you are just coggs in a big wheel and need to let your management of mine and other of our discontent with ebay
07:19:26 UTC minder1946
I know that but I don't want to give my stamps away at silly prices, I took a long time and a lot of cost to put my collection together noy to just give it away
07:19:43 UTC Xike
I am really sorry to hear if you felt that way.
07:19:59 UTC minder1946
Yes I do
07:20:53 UTC Xike
The, we may need to contact the courier and let them re turn back the item.
07:21:14 UTC minder1946
So is there anything you can do for me?????????? otherwise its a waist of both your s and my time continuing this chat
07:22:25 UTC minder1946
Sorry what are you talking about returning the item!!!!!!!!
07:22:58 UTC Xike
Unfortunately, we are unable to reinstate your account at all. You may look for another platform as to where you can list your items.
07:23:17 UTC minder1946
This is not about an item but ebay stopping me selling
07:24:26 UTC minder1946
I already have so off ebay and I hope your mangement get to see this in Australia and the USA
07:24:56 UTC Xike
I mean, we can no longer lift your account suspension in selling items here on ebay.
07:25:40 UTC Xike
That's just base on the investigation by the management.
07:27:12 UTC minder1946
As I have already said you dummy (robot) I already know that. Let your management know that I have already started the process of informing ebay members and friends NOT to use ebay
07:27:55 UTC Xike
We would respect that.
07:28:42 UTC minder1946
I just hope it gets through to your dim witted management
07:30:23 UTC Xike
No worries at all. I'll forward your suggestions to the management.
07:30:52 UTC minder1946
I just cannot understand why your management would want to stop me selling, its ebay that loses out on fees ect, it does not cost ebay anything to list an item, we do all the work and ebay just take the fee money
07:32:16 UTC minder1946
Good but they will not listen, I just wish that someone from your management would contact me direct via email to explain their actions
07:33:00 UTC minder1946
I'm fed up with talking to small cogs in the wheel!!!!!
07:33:22 UTC Xike
The reason why that we ar no longer allowing you to sell your items on site since in the past 6 months.
07:33:53 UTC Xike
Due to your selling performance that you are no longer hitting the above standard selling performance,
07:34:53 UTC minder1946
You are telling me something I already know
07:36:38 UTC minder1946
Why is ebay setting limits on selling, as I said it does not cost ebay anything for a member to list items
07:36:49 UTC Xike
So how would like us to explain as to why we stopped you from selling your items?
07:37:10 UTC minder1946
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
07:39:12 UTC minder1946
Oh this is just WAIST OF TIME you lot are just a bunch of wankers

Well, for one thing, heaping profanity and abuse on ebay support reps isn't an appropriate way to resolve things in your favor.

More importantly, per the transcript, it appears that they notified you in July of 2018 that your rating was substandard and that you needed to improve, and apparently you took no action.

Without specifics as to which metrics you fell below the peer average on, there's no way for us to know what specifically you did wrong, but based upon the above transcripts it had NOTHING to do with numbers sold, but rather the nature of your sales transactions and deficiencies compared to other sellers.

The prudent move would have been to take the time in July of 2018 to find out specifically what ebay wanted you to remedy rather than waiting until your selling account was canceled.

Good luck on Delcampe.

Thanks for posting.

I note there is a 2 minute gap and then a mention of 'contacting the courier'. This sounds like there may have been some delivery issues. Can you shed light on what ebay was talking about?
Don

minder1946: I noticed on your Delcampe listings that you have this under your shipping - "We cannot take responsibility for undelivered OR damaged items."

Did you have this same or similar condition on your ebay listings? Also did you have any claims from buyers for missing or damaged items in which claims were filed against you by buyers.

I'm bringing this up as sellers are responsible for any item lost or damaged in the mail that was sold on ebay. If you have enough claims against you in which you challenged and lots, ebay will drop you quick. I don't know if this is the case on ebay, but this can also cause problems for you on Delcampe too. If someone pays you via PayPal and the item is lost in the mail, you the seller is responsible, not the buyer.

To follow up on Battlestamps' post, it doesn't matter what disclaimers or other language you put in the body of en ebay listing. You, the seller, are responsible for delivering the merchandise, regardless of how you may think you're not responsible, or how you think any listing language absolves you. The listing text doesn't matter when it comes to your obligation. Period.

If you are concerned about loss or damage, then include the cost of insurance in your shipping and handling charges. If you cannot get cost-effective insurance coverage through the postal carrier, or the carrier mandates a much higher tier of shipment service in order to obtain their insurance, then look into third-party insurers.

It is not incumbent upon buyers to opt into paying for insurance coverage, as the coverage is there to protect the seller. Buyers are already covered by the terms of the selling platform and/or PayPal or their credit card company.

It looks like the OP was having problems with his ebay business and didn't choose to fix them and it got to the point ebay restricted him to buy only. I'm sure the OP knows what the problems were but is choosing not to tell us.

Rather than chastise ebay I think it's an example of ebay taking actions to protect buyers.