ShipScript has been an eBay Community volunteer since 2003, specializing in HTML, CSS, Scripts, Photos, Active Content, Technical Solutions, and online Seller Tools.
I am not familiar with the availability of that guitar item, and neither are eBay support personnel. If the item is not as obtainable as the number of listings indicate, then there is a problem afoot.
From reading various seller feedbacks, it seems that there is a trend among some sellers in Japan of finding an item in a store and posting it on eBay, even though the item is not in their possession. Multiple sellers are posting the same item that they saw in that store. The first to sell will be able to provide the item, while the others will have to cancel for various reasons, like "sold it locally" or "broke the neck while packing". While not a scam, this process violates eBay policy because it disappoints buyers, and those sellers will quickly fall below eBay standards, to be shepherded off the site. I can already see that happening in the feedback of some of those sellers. I can not find a reporting path for this type of listing practice.
While these sellers are self-terminating, I'll ask eBay staff to look at this situation to ensure eBay is aware it exists, and to determine if eBay can (or should) address it in future reporting options.
The more serious problem arises if the items are part of a scam, but scams are more readily detectible by looking at the seller's normal sales items and the age of the seller's feedback. If the item for sale is incongruous with the seller's other items and feedback, or if there is a time lapse in feedback, the listing is likely a scam and can be reported directly from the listing. When reporting scam listings using the "report" option in the listing, select these options:
1. Listing practices
2. Fraudulent listing activities
3. You suspect that a listing is fraudulent
