BBE - Unfair restriction of my eBay account
Summary: amsportscards expressed frustration with eBay's new evaluation method, which led to permanent selling restrictions due to canceled orders caused by international shipping issues. Other participants clarified that the Bad Buyer Experience (BBE) algorithm applies strict defect rates, impacting sellers even without disputes. They highlighted the difficulty of appealing these decisions, emphasizing eBay's buyer-centric policy. amsportscards explained that shipping restrictions due to high costs led to cancellations, which other participants noted are still considered bad transactions despite immediate refunds and positive feedback.
Hello everyone,
I'm writing to show everyone that this new evaluation method is the worst thing eBay invented:
1. I've been a member since 2010, and never had issues whatsoever with eBay or anyone else on the eBay community;
2. I made several sales, and everything ended with 100% excellent transaction;
3. At the moment (until I had my account with seller restrictions), I have 100% positive feedback, with almost 1000 votes;
4. All the buyers were satisfied with my products, and I don't have any kind of disputes;
5. Recently, due issues with shipments to some countries, I was forced to cancel 4 deals, because I couldn't ship the product to buyers. Ebay can confirm that. I refunded all buyers immediately and sent messages to explain the reason.
6. Therefore, with this new evaluation method (BBE), my selling privileges have been permanently discontinued.
That is very unfair to me. eBay Customer Service says that they understand me, but they can't do anything!
7. So, as eBay do not have a manual process of reinstatement at the moment to review my situation, my question is: How can I get my funds available but on hold?
Do I have to start selling on other platforms?
Or, for some kind of miracle, is it possible to sell again on eBay?
Thanks for your time and please write me with solutions.
Adriano
dhbookds
·1 month agoWhat was wrong with buyer's address?
amsportscards
OP1 month agoSome countries in Europe doesn't allow me to ship to some countries (US included).
The only way to ship is by TNT or DHL, but they asked me around 90 euros instead of 10 euros on regular shipping.
Buyers didn't accept of course, so I had to cancel.
Here is the reason:
"Shipments containing goods destined for the U.S. and Puerto Rico are currently suspended.
Global postal services have suspended shipments of goods to the U.S. and Puerto Rico, effective late August 2025, due to the elimination of the "de minimis""
dhbookds
·1 month agoSo, if you had excluded those countries buyers could not have bought?
amsportscards
OP1 month agoThe problem eBay doesn't allow me to exclude US... 🤷
jonathanbrightlight
·1 month agoThey do if you’re not listing on eBay.com. List on a different country’s site instead of the US site if you need to exclude the US.
kensgiftshop
·1 month ago"I'm writing to show everyone that this new evaluation method is the worst thing eBay invented:"
Ebay doesn't think so.
They want sellers that provide a good service and they don't like it when sellers cancel orders.
chapeau-noir
·1 month agoThe problem was the large number of cancelled orders - what you did afterwards doesn't really weigh into this decision. eBay is very buyer centric (as it has to be, even if we sellers take the lumps for it, because there are never enough buyers).
I suspect because eBay doesn't want to expend the resources to deal with international shipping issues for what's probably not much of a return.
authentic*vintage
·1 month agoThese two sentences contradict each other, unfortunately.
amsportscards
OP1 month agoI don't think so.
All products I sold people were satisfied.
I had to cancel some deals due buyer's address issues. Nothing to do with bad transactions.
ruby_c_took
·1 month agoIf that's true, I do think it's a pity that customer service can't intervene on your behalf. Although cancelled orders are negative and surely are what triggered the algorithm, there are instances where the cancellations aren't the seller's fault. I would hope a buyer-requested cancellation, for example, wouldn't be used by the BBE algorithm. Unfortunately, it sounds like there's no further way to appeal.
authentic*vintage
·1 month agoExcept the 4 buyers who did not get what they wanted - they count.
amsportscards
OP1 month agoYes I know, but there were issues with their address, I couldn't ship to them...
authentic*vintage
·1 month agoCan you elaborate?
roccotacodad54
·1 month ago"All products I sold people were satisfied. I had to cancel some deals due buyer's address issues. Nothing to do with bad transactions."
So the people you cancelled on got a good transaction?
amsportscards
OP1 month agoI refunded immediately and explained the situation. They agreed. I didn't get any kind of dispute or negative feedback...
roccotacodad54
·1 month agoI can assure you they weren't pleased and eBay knows this. They made no dispute on getting a refund, of course.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 month agoThose are bad transactions. Whether it is your fault or not.
BBE was created because the level of bad transactions associated with international orders reached a level which is harmful to the buyers and the entire marketplace, including other sellers.
It is totally automated, and no sellers who has lost the ability to sell to the US has reported that they have been reinstated after telling their tale of woe on this forum.
amsportscards
OP1 month agoOk, that's your opinion.
If one cancellation (good decision) is compared to a bad transaction (negative feedback for example), it's something eBay should analyse in the future.
I have 100% positive feedback, and others no... And they still sell.
Cheers
jonathanbrightlight
·1 month agoIt’s eBay’s policy, not opinion. And that’s all that matters.
eoma689485
·1 month agoSorry to say that while you believe it is unfair, eBay does not.
eBay's Bad Buyer Experience (BBE) algorithm relies on strict percentages, not intent. If you are a lower-volume seller or if those 4 cancellations happened within a very short evaluation window (like 30 or 90 days), 4 defects will cause your defect rate to skyrocket past eBay's allowable threshold.
As for the funds on hold - eBay holds funds on restricted accounts to ensure all previous buyers receive their items and no chargebacks are opened. If no disputes arise, your balance will automatically transfer to your linked bank account once this window closes. So you will have to wait.