Ebay to hide and block coin listings from buyers

Summary: The discussion revolves around eBay's decision to hide and block coin listings from buyers. bellemio initiated the conversation, which led to a series of exchanges among multiple participants including dryophelia, *smedley*, kibble-net, and others. The conversation was quite interactive with participants sharing their concerns and thoughts on the impact of this decision on sellers and buyers within the eBay platform. Views were exchanged over several days, indicating ongoing interest and potential implications for stakeholders involved in coin trading on eBay.

I buy coins on Ebay and just read a statement from Ebay where they will soon "hide" and "block" seller's coin listings from buyers. I never went to business school but doesn't hiding product from customers sound like a really bad business model? Why is this happening? I'd really like to continue buying coins on Ebay but it sounds like they will soon be making it much harder.

bellemio

730 View listings

Posted 4 months ago·Last reply 4 months ago

27 comments

tobaccocardyahoo

·4 months ago

5565 View listings

This does not sound like anything which has not already occurred in some other categories.

I too, join the voices who believe if a seller cannot or will not grade their items, they should not be allowed to offer them on Ebay.

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

I'm afraid that your words and actions do not appear to me to be congruent. I see that you are a seller of tobacco cards who has many Ebay lisitings of tobacco cards that you did not grade. You literally have some as "ungraded", some with descriptive terms like "pin-holes" and "creases" and many with "see scans (photos)" for the condition. What is about your tobacco card buyers that you believe that they do not need your grade and that they can determine for themselves if they want the card by looking at your scan that I cannot do while looking at coins without a seller grade but with photos that I can look at and form my own opinion of if it is wanted by me?

I still believe that it is a bad business idea to hide product from customers who might purchase it in an effort to make less sales and less money. I would be very angry if I were a stockholder. I do not understand why Ebay puts it's energy and time into hiding coins from buyers when still allowing Chinese listings of counterfeits. Blocking the counterfits seems like a better idea to me. I am not convinced otherwise.

tobaccocardyahoo

·4 months ago

5565 View listings

@bellemio wrote:
I'm afraid that your words and actions do not appear to me to be congruent. I see that you are a seller of tobacco cards who has many Ebay lisitings of tobacco cards that you did not grade. You literally have some as "ungraded", some with descriptive terms like "pin-holes" and "creases" and many with "see scans (photos)" for the condition. What is about your tobacco card buyers that you believe that they do not need your grade and that they can determine for themselves if they want the card by looking at your scan that I cannot do while looking at coins without a seller grade but with photos that I can look at and form my own opinion of if it is wanted by me?
I still believe that it is a bad business idea to hide product from customers who might purchase it in an effort to make less sales and less money. I would be very angry if I were a stockholder. I do not understand why Ebay puts it's energy and time into hiding coins from buyers when still allowing Chinese listings of counterfeits. Blocking the counterfits seems like a better idea to me. I am not convinced otherwise.

@bellemio

I have no choice but to list them as ungraded. In this category Ebay reserves all grades for third party graded cards.

When I list in non-sports trading cards, which has different rules, I apply a grade, albeit an Ebay grade which does not directly map to more conventional grading systems.

Ebay has not moved all categories to the same rules at the same time.

I had to upgrade many non-sports trading cards listings when Ebay made the change to that category.

It was an improvement to the site, even though it was an effort.

When it comes to hypocrisy, look in the mirror for an example.

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

You wrote " if a seller cannot or will not grade their items, they should not be allowed to offer them on Ebay." and you have items listed on Ebay as "ungraded".

You also wrote "I have no choice but to list them as ungraded. In this category" but you have some that ARE graded "very good" and "excellent" (Those are tobacco card grades for those reading this that are not familiar.) I never said you had none graded. You actually do have some graded and some ungraded.

And I'm the hypocrite?

I still think it is a dumb idea for a business to hide product from customers in an effort to decrease sales and make less money.

daveydempsey

·4 months ago

6206 View listings

On my eBay platform where I post my coins and other antiques for sale, there are no listing fees and no selling fees, I receive every penny of the final selling price.

If I list an item at say £100 and it sells for £100, I receive £100 and no deductions.

I don't have to have the coins graded and I can mention any grade I wish in the title and in the body of the description.

No coins are hidden or blocked from purchasers.

If an item sells I get paid right away and then ship the item using eBay's "Simple Delivery"

eBay automatically track the item and it has guaranteed delivery.

If the package goes missing eBay refund the buyer and I keep my monies.

If the purchaser is not happy they can receive a full refund on return of the item.

stainlessenginecovers

·4 months ago

5572 View listings

@daveydempsey wrote:
On my eBay platform where I post my coins and other antiques for sale, there are no listing fees and no selling fees, I receive every penny of the final selling price.
If I list an item at say £100 and it sells for £100, I receive £100 and no deductions.

I don't have to have the coins graded and I can mention any grade I wish in the title and in the body of the description.
No coins are hidden or blocked from purchasers.

If an item sells I get paid right away and then ship the item using eBay's "Simple Delivery"
eBay automatically track the item and it has guaranteed delivery.
If the package goes missing eBay refund the buyer and I keep my monies.

If the purchaser is not happy they can receive a full refund on return of the item.Y

@daveydempsey You are in the UK posting on the USA site so anything you say is not the same as it is here in the US (We ALL pay fees here)

daveydempsey

·4 months ago

6206 View listings

@stainlessenginecovers wrote:
@daveydempsey wrote:
On my eBay platform where I post my coins and other antiques for sale, there are no listing fees and no selling fees, I receive every penny of the final selling price.
If I list an item at say £100 and it sells for £100, I receive £100 and no deductions.

I don't have to have the coins graded and I can mention any grade I wish in the title and in the body of the description.
No coins are hidden or blocked from purchasers.

If an item sells I get paid right away and then ship the item using eBay's "Simple Delivery"
eBay automatically track the item and it has guaranteed delivery.
If the package goes missing eBay refund the buyer and I keep my monies.

If the purchaser is not happy they can receive a full refund on return of the item.Y
@daveydempsey You are in the UK posting on the USA site so anything you say is not the same as it is here in the US (We ALL pay fees here)

Yes very true but I've been posting here longer than you.

We had to pay fees here too until it was altered earlier this year.

Sellers were leaving in droves because of the fees, then a couple of other selling sites started competing with eBay and eBay began to lose money and they did not have a monopoly

But the good thing is we don't have to have graded coins and can mention grades in our titles

No restrictions.

Then again, you get cheaper gas and all those freedoms 😁

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

Another question....Why won't Ebay block or hide Chinese (or other fakes) counterfits on Ebay? That seems like a much better use of their time and energy if they really want to improve their site and/or the hobby.

*smedley*

·4 months ago

4214 View listings

@bellemio wrote:
Another question....Why won't Ebay block or hide Chinese (or other fakes) counterfits on Ebay? That seems like a much better use of their time and energy if they really want to improve their site and/or the hobby.

"we are just a venue"

moderncoins999

·4 months ago

668 View listings

If you look I, haven't seen A Chinese listing for about A month, & I, bin looking for them out of curiosity

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

I see them every day and I am NOT looking for them. I am looking for real coins. I also just checked by looking for a US type coin and the first six listings were all Chinese listings of Chinese counterfits.

ccomic

·4 months ago

118 View listings

@moderncoins999 wrote:
If you look I, haven't seen A Chinese listing for about A month, & I, bin looking for them out of curiosity

Then now is a good time to pick up MS-60 CC Morgans for under melt.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/397975961978

*smedley*

·4 months ago

4214 View listings

@ccomic wrote:
@moderncoins999 wrote:
If you look I, haven't seen A Chinese listing for about A month, & I, bin looking for them out of curiosity
Then now is a good time to pick up MS-60 CC Morgans for under melt.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/397975961978

problem with that listing is, they have pics of a real one...

ccomic

·4 months ago

118 View listings

That listing wasn't one of them, but saw some others with a once in a lifetime deep proof-like CC Morgan for under melt and ... believe it or not ... "more than 10 available".

*smedley*

·4 months ago

4214 View listings

i didn't say there was anything wrong with that statement... i also didn't claim that there was anything in there about hiding listings...

I DID NOT CREATE THAT PAGE

congrats... you've just made the very short list of users to whom i will not respond... you're #4 on the list...

stainlessenginecovers

·4 months ago

5572 View listings

@*smedley* wrote:
i didn't say there was anything wrong with that statement... i also didn't claim that there was anything in there about hiding listings...

I DID NOT CREATE THAT PAGE

congrats... you've just made the very short list of users to whom i will not respond... you're #4 on the list...

@*smedley* Yes, you did.

I've attached your posted reply to another member for you to read your response, again, and although I am now the 4th person on your list (WOOHOO!!) that you won't 'respond' to; I thought I would help you understand your own writings.

@dryophelia wrote:
@bellemio

Do you have a link to that information? I would like to read it first.

https://pages.ebay.com/coin-conditions/

moderncoins999

·4 months ago

668 View listings

Don't worry IM, PROBABLY THE 1ST PERSON on his CONCEDED list no matter how nice you are to him or reply to SmEdLy he always has A disrespectful attitude towards questions EVEN tho your POST IS WAY OFF with no proof JUST go to another seller ANYWAY HEAR WE GO AGAIN A CRAZY POST THAT HAS CARZY REPLYS

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

I am not aware of a link that will take you to it. They sent it as a message to some Ebayers and said it is starting in June. Maybe you can contact them and ask for it?

dryophelia

·4 months ago

already ready already9 View listings

@bellemio

Do you have a link to that information? I would like to read it first.

*smedley*

·4 months ago

4214 View listings

@dryophelia wrote:
@bellemio

Do you have a link to that information? I would like to read it first.

https://pages.ebay.com/coin-conditions/

our illustrious hosts now expect everyone to be a coin grader...

special attention should be paid to the "Please note" at the bottom...

kibble-net

·4 months ago

8324 View listings

@*smedley* wrote:
@dryophelia wrote:
@bellemio

Do you have a link to that information? I would like to read it first.
https://pages.ebay.com/coin-conditions/

our illustrious hosts now expect everyone to be a coin grader...

special attention should be paid to the "Please note" at the bottom...

Counterpoint:

If you can't properly grade the coin you're selling, maybe you should find another niche to sell in.

They literally have a chart written out for you that spells out how to grade your coins. It's not "rocket surgery".

*smedley*

·4 months ago

4214 View listings

back in the wild wild west days of ebay i bought a morgan with no pics in the listing... no pics wasn't uncommon back then... it was described as mint state... what it was, was a highly polished and worn POS... when asked, dude said his buddy told him it was MS...

about a year and a half ago i sold a group of foreigns with all identifying info written on the 2x2s... mind you, i listed them a little under silver spot (and not all of them were silver) and the buyer got them for under spot, PLUS free shipping... buyer lied, said they were harshly cleaned (they weren't, they were AU at worst) and negged me...

so, you'll forgive me if i don't have the greatest confidence is uneducated ebayers when it comes to coin grading...

@kibble-net wrote:
They literally have a chart written out for you that spells out how to grade your coins. It's not "rocket surgery".

by that logic, everyone with access to print media should be expected to be a rocket surgery expert because everything is literally written out because again, by that logic, experience doesn't matter...

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

I am not selling ...I am buying. When buying, the only opinion that matters to me is mine. I do not care what anyone else's (sellers included) opinion is because it is just an opinion. I have a brain and can figure out all on my own if I want to buy something. Ebay is removing my ability to make that decision for myself by hiding listings from me which I believe is a huge insult to buyers(or at least this one). Also.... there is no such thing as "properly grade the coin" in my opinion. Even PCGS and NGC will sometimes give a coin different grades when the SAME coin is submitted multiple times.

ps Rocket science is easier than coin grading because it relies on science and not opinion.

stainlessenginecovers

·4 months ago

5572 View listings

@*smedley* wrote:

special attention should be paid to the "Please note" at the bottom...

I still don't see anything in that 'Please Note' that says anything about 'hiding' listings. In fact, I don't see anything wrong with that statement.

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

They sent out more than one statement.

bellemio

OP4 months ago

730 View listings

I went back to the person who showed me and got a copy:

Upcoming Mandate: Coins Condition Requirements

Hello Team,

As part of the ongoing rollout of the coins condition requirement updates, upcoming enforcements will soon require condition data for all applicable listings.

Beginning next week, condition requirements will become mandatory for all new non-API listings. Enforcement for new API listings will begin first week of June.

Enforcement for existing non-API and API listings will begin in phases from mid-June through early July.

Once enforcement begins, listings missing required condition details may be:

Blocked from being created
Hidden from buyers
Unable to be revised or relisted

Important: In some cases, eBay may assign a condition to an item to help streamline the transition and reduce customer friction. As the seller, you must confirm any assigned conditions to your listed items.

Reminder of impacted categories:

253 - Coins: US
256 - Coins: World
3377 - Coins: Canada
4733 - Coins: Ancient
18466 - Coins: Medieval

What you should do now

To help ensure a smooth transition, we recommend that you:

Start adding condition details to all new listings
Review any automatically updated listings for accuracy
Begin updating existing listings that are missing condition information
Check your listings periodically and confirm any assigned conditions

Taking action now will help minimize disruption once requirements become mandatory.

Need further help?

If you have questions or need support, please visit the help page or Coin Condition Guide.

Sincerely,

The eBay Team

stephenmorgan

·4 months ago

1221 View listings

What you should do now

To help ensure a smooth transition, we recommend that you:

Start adding condition details to all new listings
Review any automatically updated listings for accuracy
Begin updating existing listings that are missing condition information
Check your listings periodically and confirm any assigned conditions

This sounds similar to what has been done with the new requirement that the Country of manufacture has to be in the Item Specifics for items being sold. I have only put in the Country for items that were made outside of the US and were not made for or distributed to the US market. Now I see quite a few of my listings have the Country entered.

I have no idea if eBay put the correct country but I am expected to open each listing one at a time and see if the correct Country was or was not put. But since this can and has been done outside of my control I wonder if it can be changed without my knowledge once I verify and or entered the correct Country?