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Category Limits? Good Grief!

Listed a few items today and then the dreaded red flag popped up and I was told "no more buddy". You have reached your limit for this category. After 90 days maybe we'll let you sell again. 90 days! A full quarter?!!? Are they nuts?

I read about this happening to others, so should have seen it coming. Still it stings when it happens to you. It's like being reprimanded by a hall monitor back in grammar school! And I'm an A student! I have 100% FB and dingless DSRs. I'm running my little part time business just fine, eBay. Thanks for putting the brakes on the little roll I had going.

Okay, you know what? This is actually a good thing. Really. Blocked by eBay, I spent the time listing at another site... Sure, it doesn't have the draw that eBay does. But I had four sales there this month. Factor in not having to pay the 9% eBay commission, and it's almost like selling 5 items! Slow and steady wins the race.

Thank you eBay. Thanks for showing me the door. What other company goes out of their way to push it's clients off to competitors? It's sheer madness!

Sorry, just had to vent. Off to go list somewhere else.

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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Ive just run into these as well.

 

Called the call centre and they cant do anything about it. Tried to get passed to a manager, and they wont let you speak to a manager. Basically a bunch of drones who are just reading from a script and dont have the authority to actually sort any problems out.

 

I spend the morning getting them to increase my selling limit to 3500, which they did, and then straight away I hit the category limit. I've only listed about 7 items in there.

 

Such stupidity astounds me. Oh well I will be using another service because ebay is poor and has poor customer service.

Message 46 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Unfortunately have been put through the ringer, given the wrong information numerous times, not disclosed numerous other issues when I specifically of asked about. I really don't know what to do. Unfortunately I spent a bunch of money on inventory because I'm told one thing after another that's incorrect only for me to stumble onto the next new thing and each time the consequences to me get worse and worse. fantastic seller 100% feedback rating my customers really enjoy me and want to purchase more but I'm not able to sell them. Is there a place I can find out what's going to happen next since they won't disclose any of the information that I need to me is there a place I can maybe go read what to expect next? At this point I'm cash broke and can't bring any more money because I can't sell any of the stuff I have and I can't pay my bills. I'm not sure how to make this work. I've been in sales for 20 years I know if I treated my customers anything like the way they treated me id be very unsuccessful.. I understand why they have some of the rules they have but again some of them don't make any sense. Guess if I was selling earrings I can put them in multiple categories because they're considered accessories and jewelry and a bunch of other categories selling clothes and shoes are all combined in the one category and specifically when I recently found out about limits asked three different times with three different people to make sure I knew what was expected and what my limits were and not once did category limits come up. I know they can do something about it but they're unwilling to do because of the rules. This point it's obvious they're doing it on purpose because in the end they are able to profit off of it. Unfortunately we don't live in a black and white world so I'm not sure why Im penalized for wanting to make my customers happy. Instead I'm supposed to tell them to wait till next month? Latest was global shipping. I can ship item myself for $55 and add Ebays 10%... Ebay global is over $80 and only way for me to go back to my original settings and ship it myself would be to cancel is the purchase and relist item but I can't do that because of limits... and my limits are taken off till December 27th after everyone's already purchase hopefully really want to know is what's next so I can game plan for the setup of business model little be successful for what they want where can I see what's going to be next...
Message 47 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!


@azlifegrand wrote:
Unfortunately have been put through the ringer, given the wrong information numerous times, not disclosed numerous other issues when I specifically of asked about. I really don't know what to do.
Customer service is notorious for giving out the wrong information.  Read the boards and groups and ask your questions here.
 Unfortunately I spent a bunch of money on inventory because I'm told one thing after another that's incorrect only for me to stumble onto the next new thing and each time the consequences to me get worse and worse. fantastic seller 100% feedback rating my customers really enjoy me and want to purchase more but I'm not able to sell them.
All new sellers have listing and category limits for the first 90 days.  It's always best to ask questions on the board/groups before you spend money on inventory.  There is also a "help section" ~ go the the bottom of page "Site Map", scroll down until you see "A-Z" and type your question in the search box.
Is there a place I can find out what's going to happen next since they won't disclose any of the information that I need to me is there a place I can maybe go read what to expect next?
This is a link that will explain about listing/category limits:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sellinglimits.html
At this point I'm cash broke and can't bring any more money because I can't sell any of the stuff I have and I can't pay my bills. I'm not sure how to make this work. I've been in sales for 20 years I know if I treated my customers anything like the way they treated me id be very unsuccessful.. I understand why they have some of the rules they have but again some of them don't make any sense.
I am so sorry that you find yourself in this predicament, but until you have reached the eBay specified parameters to have your selling limits increased, there isn't much you can do except hang in there. And for what it's worth, there are many eBay rules that I also think don't make sense, but this is eBay's playground, and if you want to sell here, you have to follow those rules.
Guess if I was selling earrings I can put them in multiple categories because they're considered accessories and jewelry and a bunch of other categories selling clothes and shoes are all combined in the one category and specifically when I recently found out about limits asked three different times with three different people to make sure I knew what was expected and what my limits were and not once did category limits come up.
Well, shame on them for not discussing category limits with you.  Read the link I provided ^^up there and that should help you understand how they work.
I know they can do something about it but they're unwilling to do because of the rules. This point it's obvious they're doing it on purpose because in the end they are able to profit off of it. Unfortunately we don't live in a black and white world so I'm not sure why Im penalized for wanting to make my customers happy. Instead I'm supposed to tell them to wait till next month?
Yes, they are doing it on purpose!  Don't take it personally....we all have to follow the rules.  I also had the same limits imposed on my selling account when I started....as do ALL new sellers.
Latest was global shipping. I can ship item myself for $55 and add Ebays 10%... Ebay global is over $80 and only way for me to go back to my original settings and ship it myself would be to cancel is the purchase and relist item but I can't do that because of limits... and my limits are taken off till December 27th after everyone's already purchase hopefully really want to know is what's next so I can game plan for the setup of business model little be successful for what they want where can I see what's going to be next...
The Global Shipping Program is best suited to items that are fairly heavy and priced at $50 or more.  If you send an invoice to your buyer after they have purchased, it will void the GSP and you will be able to ship with USPS , etc. to the buyers destination.  In the future, you can also "opt out" of GSP in your "preferences" in your My eBay!
If you have more questions please feel free to ask!

Hi, @azlifegrand As a brand new poster you are probably not aware that it is best to start a new thread when you have a question, as you will be more likely to receive answers.  The thread that you replied to is from last July ~ also, try and use paragraphs, as it makes reading much easier ~ not picking on you, just trying to help because asking questions is one of the best ways of learning how to sell on eBay. 

 

I have tried to answer/address each problem above in red.

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!
Message 48 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Hidy

You did all that, and the poster (whose questions you answered), will not return.

 

Let's see,  they are a Seagull? 

 

Message 49 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

True that, nomo!   I had to ask what "seagull" meant in relationship to a poster ~ so now I know that like a seagull that swoops in and takes what it wants and is never to be seen again, so does a seagull poster. Hopefully other posters may be helped with the information provided ~ yeah, right ~ all three of them!laughing emo.gif

 

                                                                 

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!
Message 50 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

I sold on Ebay in the early 2000's with my mother and came back recently, this category limit has things all screwed up. I was only allowed to sell 20 of my 120 watches before they blocked me on it. It seems like ebay is actively trying to put themselves out of business. First I was told I had to get my limit increased, they failed to tell me they check my records against state databases so when I gave them my address I gave them the temporary address I was working out of rather than my house. This cost me 30 days. Now they come tell me that I'm only allowed to sell 20 items a month in a particular category, so now they are costing me another 30 days. I will literally be sitting here for 25 days doing nothing but twiddling my thumbs. Now I'm hearing they have brand limitations, So now I'm concerned that if I list too many of one brand ill be sitting for another month doign absolutely nothing.I would go to amazon but since this is currently the only stock I have to sell I'm not sure how viable an option that is. I swear this is like living in communist Russia. Since when do people who already have access to your funds for refunds not let you sell things?

Message 51 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Maybe if Ebay did what ESTY DOES and Amazon they would not have so many scamsters.   Lumping legitimate business into a mix of gutter sellers is a horrible business models.  I looked at EBay's stocks and they are sinking.   34.00 after being in business for almost 20 years is not a good value.  It is because of the way they treat most of the sellers who do have good reputations and how they lump them into risk when it is not necessary.  They will eventually die off.   I am a legitimate business and just wanted to promote my products and they limited me.  I don't have to tolerate that.  I won't do business with them.

Message 52 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

You just need to prove yourself and get established with eBay and provide them with what you're trying to do.
Of course you don't have to tolerate them and they don't have to tolerate those that don't want to prove themselves.

Everyone has options. Just be sure the best option is right for you.
Message 53 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Same thing happened to me, they dont let you grow, but as you said that is an opportunity to start selling in other sites like amazon that dont impose that on sellers, I bought a liquidation lot and was limited on my item number 10 in that category, Really??? that is insane, my guess is they have too much money and they want to push people to the competition

Message 54 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Actually its a violation of the interstate commerce clause or law or act.  We either are self employed or ebay is making us employees and violating the Workman's Comp. laws.  

 

The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 is a United States federal law that was designed to regulate the railroad industry, particularly its monopolistic practices. The Act required that railroad rates be "reasonable and just," but did not empower the government to fix specific rates.

 

Railroads once owned by the shippers, charged competitors more for shipping and this was illegal.  I testified in Federal Court in Chicago 1995 when they banned aersol spray paint.  ebay bans several items, another violation of commerce .

 

Sherman Antitrust Act - Legal Definition. n. The definitiveantitrust statute, passed by Congress in 1890, that prohibits monopolies or unreasonable combinations of companies to restrict or in any way control interstate commerce.

 

ebay has nearly a monoply.  They ban sales of items not under the laws, but in an effort to be politically correct.  I too got restricted and until now, never heard of this restriction.  Like you I am 100% on my feedback and have almost 18,000 positives and have been with ebay off and on since 1998.  Like you I put 300 items up on another site, figuring I had an alternative.  

 

In 2006 during the Summer revolt ebay made listings free for China, increasing fees to American sellers, as well as trying to force ebay stores back in to auctions where their profits were.  Some day sellers will pull off a class action and some lawyer will make a name for him or herself.

 

If we are really independent contractors self employed, then ebay is dictating how we do business and if we are employees, we are not getting paid minimum wages!

Message 55 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

RollingEyesSmiley5.gif

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!
Message 56 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Man this is messed up! I got my limits doubled, then I bought a store subscription to list 1000 listings because I have more than 250 items.... then I get to 205 items and get a limit restriction in button down shirts for men and jeans for women! What a joke! The sad thing is, its much easier to get your selling limits raised when you have your account maxed out, now I can't even list my max amount because of category limits in clothing! That's rediculous! 

Message 57 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

I think what has happened is he possibly may be a new seller on eBay, and i’m Guessing that because the same dreadful thing just happened to me!

I mean, I knew because i’m New to it there was a limit to how much I could sell, but I didn’t know it was based on catergories.

Unfortunately, when your a new seller, store or not, you are in a probation period for 90 day’s which then after the 90 day’s the limit will then l lift, and then you can list away until your little heart can’t list no more!

But only if you meet the two requirement’s which is 25 sales and of course, 90 day’s of running shop.

 

 

 

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