Banned On eBay About 15 To 16 Years now

[2013bluewave]

I don’t even remember now why eBay banned me 15-16 years ago. I believe it was about a balance that I contested. Over the years, I’ve called and attempted to take care of any arrears so I could get unbanned. As you can guess, the Indian CS I spoke with repeatedly read me a script that took us in a merry-go-round. Basically, I wasn’t going to get my selling privileges back. Not, “you can only get it back after you pay your arrears” What sort of entity does that?

And this doesn’t appear to have anything to do with strictness or policy. I think Chinese sellers, who list hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of goods, don’t get the same treatment. I have bought a few 3D-printed car parts listed as OEM by Chinese sellers on eBay. There was a specific case where I confronted the seller about his knockoff. I asked him to either take the product down, or remove the OEM claim. He agreed, but never did. I filed a complaint with eBay. The CS rep. promised they took that very seriously and the seller would be addressed accordingly. Months later the seller was still active. And the fake VW parts were still listed months and months after. Now imagine that seller was a small-time American seller selling fake parts listed as OEM! Heck, you could be banned for selling a couple of genuine old parts sitting in your garage. Folks have been banned for selling a couple of shirts they bought in department stores with receipts to show. And then we and our politicians all turn around and blame the Chinese for dominating the world’s economy. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@2013bluewave wrote:

I don’t even remember now why eBay banned me 15-16 years ago. I believe it was about a balance that I contested. Over the years, I’ve called and attempted to take care of any arrears so I could get unbanned. As you can guess, the Indian CS I spoke with repeatedly read me a script that took us in a merry-go-round. Basically, I wasn’t going to get my selling privileges back. Not, “you can only get it back after you pay your arrears” What sort of entity does that?

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After 15-16 years, ebay considers you a deadbeat. 

Had you paid at the time they suspended you, you probably would have been reinstated. 

[slati_2013]

Unless you were contesting some huge amount, with eBay it is just best to accept what they tell you than try to fight or defy them. A few sellers unfortunately let their emotions get the best of them in disputes with eBay and make decisions they soon regret. Defying eBay and getting banned is something many sellers regret. Fact is eBay is the best place to sell anything. 

As to the Chinese sellers selling knockoffs, many buyers are well aware of what they are buying. Many manufacturers no longer sell replacement parts for many things and the Chinese have moved into this market selling these parts. Without these sellers, many will not be able to get replacement parts to fix stuff. And remember the manufacturers could get the knockoffs removed but many look the other way because they know these sellers are providing parts they no longer produce. 

[mam98031]

While you may not remember why your account was sanctioned, Ebay does and they are not likely to allow you to sell here again.

[luckythewinner]

What sort of entity does that?

An entity that has no intention of ever letting you sell here again.

[tools* · Accepted solution]

Just start over, not that it's really worth selling on eBay anymore.

[2013bluewave]

Thanks for the insight. Selling AFTERMARKET parts definitely fills out the void that original parts can’t fill. Either because of scarcity or cost. I buy a lot of aftermarket parts knowing they’re aftermarket. And some of them are as good as OEM. Selling 3D printed parts, or just any feeble parts a group of friends machined in their garages while claiming they’re OEM, however, is a totally different issue. That’s fraud in the first degree. People have died because of fake parts. Imagine your engine suddenly stopping on the highway when everyone else is going 80! 

But that’s besides the point. My primary point is why eBay bans American small time sellers who sell a couple of genuine items from their garages, ban folks who owe arrears, but boost KNOWN Chinese sellers pushing fake engine parts that in the best case scenario leaves people stranded on the highway. 

[2013bluewave]

And that’s the scary part! They’d rather permanently ban someone who challenged a charge, than known big-time sellers selling dangerous and misrepresented parts. To call that hypocrisy is understatement of the year. 

[2013bluewave]

Also the sort of entity that bans legitimate and well meaning sellers while turning a blind eye on others they know for a fact are selling fake automobile parts. I wonder what the Dept. Of Transportation will digest that. And it’s not like I’m trying to sell on eBay anymore. That was years back. I’ve been selling on Amazon for 15 years now. 

[powell-collectibles]

A lot of sellers are glad that you posted.

[2013bluewave]

You’re right. But What a criteria for considering someone a deadbeat. I’ve been successfully selling on Amazon for about 15 years! Amazon is the number one shopping and selling platform. And let me tell you, when it comes to non payment, Amazon will limit you from creating new listings. But will run your current listings. That limit will be lifted when you bring your account current.

An entity that deactivates accounts of small time sellers in the twinkle of an eye, but not big-time sellers, most likely does that for an unethical reason. They don’t like banning rich sellers, no matter their illegal activities. It’s called ‘the righteous suffer for the wicked’.
Disclaimer: I’m not saying that eBay is unethical. 

[bonanza125]

Well you contested the charge originally so Ebay has permanently banned you from using the site. There is nothing anyone here can do about it. Bringing up the point about Chinese auto parts is a separate situation from you being banned. Ebay handles each seller individually so all anyone can do is report those types of parts.

When you say "There was a specific case where I confronted the seller about his knockoff. I asked him to either take the product down, or remove the OEM claim. He agreed, but never did. I filed a complaint with eBay. The CS rep. promised they took that very seriously and the seller would be addressed accordingly. Months later the seller was still active."

What you do in this situation is click "Report item." That's all you can do. Calling Ebay about this type of thing is a waste of time and it's up to separate agents to make the decision to remove the ad you reported. That CS agent you spoke to doesn't removed the ad. They just send your complaint off to another department. Remember Ebay agents who make the decision to remove an ad aren't experts. They have to make a decision based what is in the ad. The threat you made to the seller of contacting Ebay unless they put OEM really meant nothing as far as getting there ad removed.

[sakic92710]

Consider yourself lucky.  The changes to this site have not been improvements.  Not a single one.  They constantly downgrade the site & the quantity of actual buyers has declined.  Remember when you would get several views?  They changed it so you see the true # of human eyes looking at your items.  It is pathetic.  When we thought 40 people were checking out the listings, it was actually about 6.  I've been a seller for over 23 years.  The last 3 years have been dismal for me.  I'm not alone.  My sales dropped by 95% or worse.  If, for some unforeseen reason, I was to be banned, I would feel relief.  It would just finalize my decision of should I stay or should I go.  

[luckythewinner]

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@2013bluewave wrote:

I wonder what the Dept. Of Transportation will digest that.

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I seriously doubt the DOT pays much attention to the sale of car parts or the treatment of sellers on eBay, any more than they do for the same on Amazon, Facebook, Craigslist, or at flea markets or junkyards.

[mam98031]

My primary point is why eBay bans American small time sellers who sell a couple of genuine items from their garages, ban folks who owe arrears, but boost KNOWN Chinese sellers pushing fake engine parts that in the best case scenario leaves people stranded on the highway. 

Since you don't remember what happened some 15+ years ago, it makes it extra hard for you to understand what brought you to this point.  But again Ebay does remember so they are one step ahead of you.  Ebay doesn't ban sellers just for some little policy break but because of repeated disregard for the rules.  

While clearly you are willing to move on and try again, Ebay isn't.  But you have been without Ebay all this time, you should be fine.

No matter what you do here or say here it isn't going to change things for you here on this site.  Sellers get banned to protect the site and its members.