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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.

Message 1 of 58
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57 REPLIES 57

Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


I wouldn't have had such a problem with the category limits if they'd just been up front about it.  I knew that I had a 100 item/$5k limit, which was fine, but I only found out about the category limit when I was done entering a listing (photos uploaded, description written, etc) and clicked "List It".  I couldn't understand why it even let me start entering it if it wasn't going to let me list it, or why it didn't say anything ahead of time about my category limit or what it was - if I had known, I would have listed longer auctions or 30 day fixed price so I wouldn't be idle for 3 weeks.


 


Also, when I was listing, I decided to accept returns, which means a buyer can return something for any reason and get a refund... then I find out (only after something sold) that PayPal holds the funds for 21 days... if I had known about this hold, I wouldn't have accepted refunds, because now (I hope I don't get any returns) I have to tell the buyer they have to wait 3 weeks because I don't have their payment yet?  Or if someone buys multiple items and I need to refund part of their shipping?  What buyer wants to hear that?


 


And now I'm reading in this thread that I can't even revise to "Returns Not Accepted" because a revision counts as a listing?


 


I am going to call eBay tomorrow and ask them why they don't tell us this stuff up front so we can plan and list accordingly?


 


 

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 16 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


Good morning odyssey and welcome to thr Part Timers Forum.

Did you read post #13 2nd paragraph? Need more?> http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Part-Time-Ebay/Ebay-Customer-Servicecomments/5200084461?


 


 

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Message 17 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


honda: Yes, that was how I knew about my 100 item/$5k limit, but it does not say anything about category limits or paypal holds.

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 18 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


PayPal holds have been around for years.> https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/paypal-funds-availability


 


When some sellers receive payments, we may hold the money in their pending balance for up to 21 days. We want to make sure that there are no problems with the orders, such as disputes, claims, returns, or chargebacks. After we determine that the order was fulfilled and the customer is satisfied, we may release the money earlier.

Same with category limits.> http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sellinglimits.html#category


 


The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Message 19 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


honda, I have read all of that and I still don't see where it tells you what the limits are on categories.


 


The other problem is that most people won't go digging through the help files until they need help - such as when they hit an unexpected category limit and want to find out what the heck is going on.   I think any and all limits should be on the selling page along with the main monthly selling limit so sellers know what/how to list, for how long, etc. based on the limits.


 


Again, I don't have so much of a problem with them having limits, and I understand why they do it, I just wish they were more up front about it.

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 20 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


You ever buy a house? Sign over a hundred forms? Did you read everyone?

You ever get a CC application in the mail? Did you read the 6 page double sided Terms & Conditions included?



Did you read both the eBay & PayPal User Agreement before you clicked the "I Agree" button at the bottom of the page?


 


😉


 


 

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Message 21 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


As a matter of fact, yes, I have bought a house.


 


Thankfully, nobody came by after it was a done deal and told me that I could only live in my new house on Thursdays for the first 90 days, followed by "Didn't you read the fine print?"  🙂


 


Anyways, in the help files it says the category limits are 'per calendar month', so when I didn't get a refresh in June, I called again and it turns out that calendar month has nothing to do with it, it's 30 days after you first list... so the help file isn't even right...


 


 

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 22 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!


And now I'm reading in this thread that I can't even revise to "Returns Not Accepted" because a revision counts as a listing?



 


You need to know several things about returns at this point.


 - No Returns DOES NOT mean No Refunds.  If there is a problem you can be required by Ebay or Paypal to refund the buyer no matter what you have in your terms


 - Experienced buyers will know that "No Returns" is pretty well meaningless except for times when the buyer messaged you to say they changed their mind and want to return for a refund


 - Experienced good buyers will mostly back away and buy elsewhere when they see that policy since they probably won't want to deal with the hassle even when they know they would win.


 - Experienced bad/problem buyers will ignore it as being mostly nonsense.


 - This will have the unfortunate effect of restricting your pool of good buyers which is a very bad thing for sellers.


 


You were probably fortunate that you could not make the change until you've had a little time to think it through.



Newt
“Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country and giving it to the rich people of a poor country”. Ron Paul
Message 23 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!


 


honda: Yes, that was how I knew about my 100 item/$5k limit, but it does not say anything about category limits or paypal holds.



 


Just to clarify one thing - if the funds are on paypal hold, you can still process a refund to the original buyer - that was one of the reasons they put the hold in place, so you can't withdraw or spend the $$ in case there's a "problem".  That way they aren't on the hook for refunding the "buyer"... they got tired of having to pay for buyer protection and transferred the risk to the sellers that they thought posed the most risk.

Message 24 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


janewt - Thank you for the info.  In general, I wanted/want to accept returns but was mainly concerned about having to tell a buyer it was going to take 3 weeks to process a refund.  As it's turned out, they haven't held my payments for more than a few days though so it's been ok.   I just am not crazy about this 'surprise at every corner' approach they use.  I think they should have their policies more visible from the selling page.


 


dbgb - That helps a lot, and no I didn't know that either.  That was my main concern, even if there wasn't a 'problem', maybe a buyer just changes their mind, but if I accept returns, I accept them for any reason and it helps to know I can still refund.


 


 


 


 


 

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 25 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!


 


 


Thankfully, nobody came by after it was a done deal and told me that I could only live in my new house on Thursdays for the first 90 days, followed by "Didn't you read the fine print?"  🙂


 


 


...


Welcome back Odyssey!

What I was trying to say is eBay does tell you in the fine print, just like buying a house or applying for a CC. http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sellinglimits.html#category If you apply for a credit card and don't read that after charging over $1K in 30 days during the first 6 months even though they gave you a $5K limit, your next charge will be refused (It happened to me with a new AMEX card in San Antonio TX at a restraunt on the River Walk, quite embarrasing!) then it's not the CC issuers fault. As you sell mostly women's clothes it is clearly stated at the above link:


Categories with limits


 


Clothing, Shoes & Accessories > Women's Clothing


 


Clothing, Shoes & Accessories > Women's Handbags & Bags


 


Clothing, Shoes & Accessories > Women's Shoes


 


Clothing, Shoes & Accessories > Women's Accessories


 


Considering you joined a month and a half ago it also states you have another 1 1/2 months to go before they will be lifted if you meet all the other requirements:

Once you've been a seller for more than 90 days, confirmed your personal information, have sold multiple items in the category you want to list in, and have a proven track record of providing excellent customer service and following our rules and policies, these specific category limits will be removed. Other limits may still apply. Since these specific category limits are automatically removed, you don't need to do anything else.

Hope this helps & good luck!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Message 26 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


hondamedic, I hope you didn't think my frustration was directed at you...


 


If you notice though, it says:


 


"In certain categories, for certain sellers, we limit the number of items that can be listed in a calendar month. These limits may apply to your account if:"


 


So even if I had seen that ahead of time, I wouldn't have know what my limit was, or that it actually isn't by calendar month at all.  I found that out the hard way when I tried to list something on June 1st (the next calendar month).


 


I hope you get where I'm coming from, they just need to be clearer is all...

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 27 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


I see where you're coming from.... 


 


But then eBay wouldn't be able to make it up as they go along!:_|


 


 

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Message 28 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

Odyssey -  It's called the "School of Hard Knocks" and unfortunately, most eBay sellers have attended class.  


 


It's just another eBay "eccentricity" that we have to learn to live with, as so many of their rules and regulations could be the poster child for "vague", and I do empathize with your situation.   

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!
Message 29 of 58
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Re: Category Limits? Good Grief!

 


I agree, hidy-hoo.


 


I'm sure eBay's competitors are loving all these restrictions though, as it pretty much forces sellers to go to (or stay with) their competition to list the items they can't list here.

Buyer Opinion is Not Necessarily a Seller Defect.
Message 30 of 58
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