ebay ai bot flagged my listing and had it removed.
I had posted body armor, unissued, vintage Vietnam body armor, meets all of ebays criteria for selling body armor but it was flagged as explosives and ordinance. they even say in the email, explosives and ordinance is not allowed to be listed but body armor is acceptable. My post was posted for us only sale and meets itar requirements and I put in the listing that it will not be shipped to New York. I've attached a screen shot of the email and a picture of the item, not for sure how it was flagged as there is nothing indicating explosives or ordinance and no where in the listing does it mention either of those. There is also several other listings of the same item that have been there for over a month as I've been debating on selling this for several months now and tracking prices of it. I did start an appeal a few days ago and got no where and can't look up my appeal or start another, just zero response. I tried to talk to customer service but ended up being left on hold or no response from until I just left chat or hung up. Any help or advice moving forward would be greatly appreciated! I've never had any negative marks or listings removed on my account and it's very frustrating to have some automated AI get something wrong and negatively impact my account due to its own errors. AI is not the way in my opinion.
tobaccocardyahoo
·5 months agoThe words you use in describing an item are the triggers for the bots.
Once you have a record of triggering the bot, fixing your words may be inadequate or get you into deeper trouble.
The occasional Ebay seller is much more likely to get in trouble because the instructions and warnings start with regulations written for professional sellers of the related items.
bonanza125
·5 months agoHere is my advice do not list this item regardless what customer service tells you. Is risking your account being suspended or permanently banned from selling worth this item being listed? Sell the body armor someplace else. Just because you see others selling items like your doesn't mean that it's allowed. Your listing was removed. Got to focus only on your listing. I understand you are frustrated about this but it's not worth the hassle.
caldreamer
·5 months agoI would not relist this item, once you are on EBAY radar, the bots will be on high alert. If you get flagged again, bad things could happen to you selling account.
petes_toy_den
·5 months agoEbays AI get's things wrong so relisting is an option. Military surplus body armor is not prohibited by ebay. "bad things could happen" doesn't explain anything. The first 3 results on ebay for "Vietnam War Body Armor" shows the listings do not have any of the information you just mentioned yet are allowed.
cazper6tc
OP5 months agoThank you for the reply, I feel like I honestly provided more information and correct information that meets ebays policy on body armor than some of the other still currently listed sellers listings. Nothing in my listing violates ebays policies and I practically spelled that out in my listing that was removed. I DID spell that out in my appeal which I just got an email this morning saying my appeal was denied. 🤦 Seemed very " automated denial " as well. I feel like if a human would actually interact... There might be some common sense no duh thing going on. Its clearly not explosives or ordinance and its clearly marked as body armor meeting ebays policy and unissued. Honestly it feels more like I've done something wrong and no one is telling me what except don't do it again. Lol cause it " violating a policy " but nothing provided as to what I violated isn't the answer.
cazper6tc
OP5 months agoI see you have bolded the " it isn't military issued ". That's why I said unissued in the first sentence. So not for sure why bolding that was a thing. But okay, I appreciate you posting to warn me something bad could happen to my account if I relisted.