posted on August 10, 2005 05:48:27 AM new
I am reluctant to do so, but at the weekend I was looking for yarn, and found someone with over 400 listings who was listing 1 skein in each auction, and then offering as much as anyone wanted, and in a bunch of different colors. They even had their email address in the listing and was telling people to contact them directly. I sell yarn, and list the number of skeins I want to sell, and pay the fvf's for it. It bothers me that someone gets away with this, on the other hand, and avoids paying the fees. I hate to be petty and report them. As it happens, I can't even remember the name of the seller!
What do you folk think about reporting such violations?
posted on August 10, 2005 06:09:20 AM new
Amber, I would find the seller and send a note to ebay let them take a look. If they feel its cool then it is... if this seller has listed improperly he/she will learn. 400 listings is alot of yarn gosh why not list 1 skein and say I have 399 more if you want them.... that would be a much cheaper way to bend the rules...A fair palying field is one of those things we all need and expect. My opinion for what its worth.
posted on August 10, 2005 06:14:02 AM new
I have a feeling Ebay will find that one on their own! I don't usually report listing violations, since they usually just do not affect me and I would never want to mess with anyone's way of making a living.
But in this case, they are adversely affecting your way of making a living (or a 2nd income perhaps). You should do what you feel is the right thing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on August 10, 2005 06:45:58 AM new
At first, we had no pulled auctions. Now, it seems that every week or so we have an auction pulled. I believe we've got people viewing us as threats to competition and looking for excuses to pull our auctions.
It's quite odd, because you'd think it'd be easy for eBay to detect listings that have a high chance of being a violation. For example, program some code to parse the listings for instances of "plated" or "filled" in all the Solid Gold (No Plate, Fill) category--pay someone to look at those detected listings to judge whether they're violations or not.
Edit to add clarification: We don't intentionally violate eBay policy, the pulled listings were for technicalities.
[ edited by ShelleysYes on Aug 10, 2005 06:49 AM ]
posted on August 10, 2005 07:05:27 AM new
Thanks for the comments. I am not sure what to do, this is a blatant avoidance of fees.
bjboswell: The auctions are each for a different type of yarn that she has in many colors. I checked out her feedback, and it said thing like "Looking forward to making a sweater with the lovely yarn". Now no-one makes a sweater with one skein of yarn!
I will have to think about it and decide what to do. I certainly don't want to shut anyone down, but I really think we should all be honest, and not avoiding fees, as high as they are, and as much as I hate paying them!!!!
posted on August 10, 2005 07:43:54 AM new
shellys: pay someone to look at those detected listings to judge whether they're violations or not..
Didnt you see that ebay show on A&E? They do pay people to scan through the listings. Obviously they cant get through every one of them, but I'm sure they have some type of system to accelerate that process somewhat.
I think even they realize many sellers unwittingly list things wrong (they have to know people dont really read up on all the minute details of the regulations.) But I also think a seller might kind of automatically get flagged after a few incidents,(he11 maybe even after just one) - whether it was intentional or not.
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[ edited by dblfugger9 on Aug 10, 2005 07:44 AM ]
posted on August 10, 2005 07:49:30 AM new
You won't be SHUTTING anyone down as in forever,,,,After they recover from having 400 auctions shut down they will just start the listings ALL over.....This time they WILL play by the rules just from the Shear Agony.
ONE, word in about 30 auctions of mine were ALL shut down once.......I was furious!! and then VERY depressed they were all custom typed auctions.....AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
posted on August 10, 2005 08:16:20 AM new
aww jack, you poor thing. And you hustle so hard to get your greens, anybody can see that. ~What a bummer!
Amber, if you feel this seller is unleveling the playing field for everybody else in that catagory, go ahead and report them. Thats my opinion. You probably wont have to, though. Ebay has probably already read about it here and checked into it. heh!
posted on August 10, 2005 09:49:26 AM newShelleysYes
Having been on eBay since 1996, I totally agree with you, that there are some on eBay with the "Flea Market" mentality, and have nothing better to do than run around trying to get their competitions auctions closed.
We seldom list items, which have competition, so have had little experience in ever having an auction shut down.
BUTAlthough, we don't list automatic knives on eBay at all, I know 85% of those listed as California Legal, are no more CA Legal than a cat is a dog. Anyone in the auto knife business easily recognizes most of these knives, and obviously, eBay is ignoring the issue. Have I turned them in, NO - no point, they will just be back up next week with the same lie about the length of the blade.
One time a few years, back I did turn in some of these liars in, and saw no change in the amount of postings listed as CA Legal, which were out and out lies. Therefore, I conclude, eBay does not care, and the only ones, which get pulled, are turned in by the Power Sellers in this category.
NOW I do agree if someone turns in this person with 400 same auctions running, that having that many pulled, would teach them a lesson, and if it were a category I posted in, I would turn them in.
~"It does not matter what I think, it does not matter what you think. The only thing which matters is: What is the TRUTH!"~
[ edited by jwpc on Aug 10, 2005 09:51 AM ]
posted on August 10, 2005 10:29:07 AM new
I found the auctions again. Now comes the problem, I can only report 10 at a time. Does anyone know where I can report listing violations to eBay without filling in those little boxes with 10 auctions at a time? I want to explain that the email address is also in the description asking people to contact the seller directly, I know that's not allowed. I don't want to shut them down, I just want eBay to inform them of the violations.
I remember when I started selling I put on 2 yarn auctions and stated "I have more of the same yarn if you need a bigger quantity". Well, they were closed down before you could blink, and with a warning. I have never done it again.
posted on August 10, 2005 10:30:53 AM newdblfugger, they must not be paying these people a lot. At least 80% of the items in the fine jewelry categories are extreme misrepresentations.
Then again... thinking about it... I know a jewelry misrepresentation because I'm somewhat familiar with the categories I'm selling in. In jwpc's example, I couldn't tell a CA Legal knife from a plastic picnic knife.
Okay, some categories may be forgiven (heaven knows I've mistaken a repro for an original often enough) but why do they let such blatant Tiffany/Vitton/etc forgeries go on? Do those workers really think that Chinese people with $1/day wages can stockpile that stuff?
posted on August 10, 2005 11:37:03 AM new
Amber, you really only need to report the one seller eBay will do the rest. The ten limit is for auctions by 10 different sellers. Guess the cats out of the bag! Been there done that! Would I turn in someone mentioned in this chat, Naa do your own dirty work.
To believe that eBay has a room full of people scanning auctions for violators is wishful thinking. They use a computer to do word and phrase searching and it may be doing just a random check like every 100th, 1000th, or 10000th auction or some other such number. Sellers can slip by the sys for years, then ping gotcha. Violators may very well get put on a watch list so all their listings get checked, once again by a machine 1st then a person. I know nothing about how eBay works it just makes sense to use computers to do these checks. Cheaper & they work 24/7 without lunch, breaks, or vacation.
posted on August 10, 2005 11:46:14 AM new
Amber, although you want to tell on this person, I wouldn't. You'll run across a few sellers that don't play by the rules but I think you'd feel better in the long run if you stayed out of it. It'll catch up with her sooner or later.
posted on August 10, 2005 12:05:22 PM new
I haven't turned anyone in but sounds like yours is not a case of nit-picking. This seller is in blatant violation of the rules and should be prevented from continuing the practice. Maybe you could get a newe id and contact him/her and tell her her auctions are in violation of this ebay rule and that ebay rule and ask her to stop or she will be reported for rules violation. Any new auctions entered after the date of your email could be reported in good conscience since you did give them a chance to "shape up". I don't think using your real id is a good idea because of the possibility of retaliation.
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posted on August 10, 2005 12:13:41 PM new
I understand why anyone would be apprehensive to turn someone in, but we are not talking about a couple of auctions here, or a just one violation. I have checked the feedback, and this has been going on for a long time, obviously eBay has not seen it, or if they have, they have done nothing about it. I can't believe they would allow themselves to lose out on all those fees.
alldings: the place I found for putting in the item # was definately just for one buyer.
posted on August 10, 2005 12:29:42 PM new
Post a link to one of the auctions in this thread. That was done in the keyword spamming thread and it got 20 of them shut down.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 10, 2005 12:51:58 PM new
Alldings, oh I am sure it is done randomly with computers. As a matter of fact, on that show they filmed the massive computers that are ebay. But if I remember it right, they also showed actual employees perusing auctions as well.
Amber, I wonder if although they make the suggestion to buy more, they have yet to sell more than what is listed in the auction? Wouldnt that be somewhat determinable looking at the invoiced price of the closed auctions? Unless it's padded into the shipping?
Someone suggested emailing them. Thats not a bad idea if you buy into this whole community thing and you think it is being done in complete innocence. I'd guess only you can determine how much it bothers you (both in principle and financially as a competitor) to decide what you do. But I gather from the 10 auction question/thing you've done it already?
posted on August 10, 2005 10:12:50 PM new
Is it really true you can't put your email address in your listing.
I listed 6 auctions over a week ago, all closed now, with bids & did just that. If it's against the rules then I got away with it, but I won't make that misrake again.
posted on August 10, 2005 10:22:52 PM new
Confused,,,,,did having your e mail address in there have any EXTRA added benies? I THINK, it's the WEB SIGHT addresses they frown on. Once they do a ask seller question thing as far as I can see we just have a Jolly ole time e mailing each other back and forth.......Hello New York,,,HeY California hows the weather,,,,Weather or not,,,,,Oh everythings just great here, how about you? Did you hear the latest gossip? Mrs. Smith baked some cookies and sent them to Mrs. Brown,,,,WOW! that's unreal!!!!!!
posted on August 11, 2005 01:56:48 AM new
That's right; you ARE allowed to put your email address in your listing, but are NOT allowed to type-in, nor 'picture' your dotcom sales site name. (you CAN make a simple mention of your dotcom on your 'Me' page).
posted on August 11, 2005 03:28:08 AM new
You may be allowed to put your email address in your listings but you are NOT allowed to say "contact me at blahblah.com to purchase the other 9 skeins you need to knit your sweater or to purchase yarn in another color that I was too cheap to list OUTSIDE of ebay and to pay FVF on"!
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posted on August 11, 2005 03:37:48 AM new
Yes, I can see that most people purchased more than the 1 ball of yarn listed, people would rarely buy just one ball.In her store she has her website also, and is telling people to contact her directly to buy more. I was going to report her yesterday, but lost my nerve. I will keep my eye on the auctions and see if eBay finds them.You would think with that many, someone at eBay would find them. I am not comfortable about posting a link to the auctions here, that would be the same as reporting them.
posted on August 11, 2005 03:50:59 AM new
The seller has an ebay store? Then there is no excuse for the fee avoidance! It is easy to set up a "dutch" listing in the store with multiple quantities of each type/color of yarn (cost the same 2 cents as 1 items) with a link in the auction listing to the store. This seller is obviously trying to avoid FVF - I wouldn't count on ebay pulling the plug though - doubt that they will catch it.
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posted on August 11, 2005 05:16:00 AM new
What is the problem?
The seller is violating ebay's rules. Type in the numbers of the auctions and forget about it.
And DON'T email them....what a waste of time...they already KNOW what they're doing.
posted on August 11, 2005 09:48:58 AM new
I agree with Mingotree. PLEASE, post a link here, or give us a hint of what to look for. That's all you need to do.
posted on August 13, 2005 09:54:51 PM new
I would turn them in for simply having 400 auctions for yarn. The limit is ten. And not too long ago, ebay changed the rules to include color options in the limit. So if they have 10 red, 10 blue and 10 green, that counts as thirty of the same kind of listing. Give this guy the double wammy.
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Alive in 2005
posted on August 14, 2005 07:16:28 AM new
stonecold:These were all separate auctions, each one stating that they had that particular yarn in different colors, and more in quantity. I don't think there is a limit on the number of auctions you can have in one category.
Anyway, I reported it to eBay, and thankfully they were not closed down, but every auction has been revised and the "bigger quantity" clause, and "more available, contact me" has been omitted, which is all I wanted.
posted on August 14, 2005 08:58:23 AM new
"Does anyone ever report listing violations?"
In a word NO. I learned young in life that what goes around comes around. I am on Ebay to sell. If I am honest and have what a buyer wants it will sell. I don't care about what other sellers do nor do I look over there ads for ideas or violations.
Getting involved in other sellers lots can only lead to grief sooner or later.
posted on August 14, 2005 07:04:30 PM new
David: I suggest that NOT getting involved in other sellers' auctions is dangerous--for Ebay and for all sellers.
All we ask (and we women tend to care more about this) is a level playing field. Any shady practices bring all of Ebay down a bit, in what I think of as a slippery slope.
There's nothing wrong in reporting shady sellers; they make all of us look bad, and they discourage buyers.
Caroline 
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