Can a seller use multiple ebay accounts to sell the same item/product?

[mintwares]

I attempted to look this up in selling practices policy and multiple account policy but couldn't find anything. I believe the term is called cross selling. I looked it up online and found 1 site that read, "Cross selling is NOT permitted: eBay strictly forbids users from selling the same item across their two separate eBay accounts. Which means you cannot have the same listings sold on both your eBay accounts at the same time." But I don't know where the author copy/paste it from because there is no link. Does anyone here know if this is allowed or forbidden?

[golfingaddict]

I believe you are looking for the duplicate listing policy.

Duplicate listings policy | eBay

We don't allow more than one fixed price listing of an identical item at the same time from the same seller. This includes:

• Listing an identical item in different categories or listing an identical item using different usernames

[soh.maryl]

Regardless of the rules, people still do it, thereby risking it selling in both places if the seller doesn't get it off the 2nd location immediately when it sells.  Awhile back, someone was complaining about that very thing and seemingly wanted to blame this on the buyer (s). 

[mintwares]

I tried reporting my competitor but the report an item under duplicate listing / fixed listing doesn't work. Comes up invalid.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

You're not even supposed to list the exact same product on multiple user names even IF you have more than one of said item.

[redlinear]

@mintwares 
   If you have one user ID selling "Snickles",  You are not "supposed" to use a different user ID to sell "Snickles" also.
 AND/OR/BUT.....
1) The way the search thing works now, that would be the best way to double your sales of "Snickles".
2) Seems like a whole lot of others are doing it, even though it's against the rules, and reporting it doesn't seem to do anything about it.   SO....... Just depends on how brave you are.  (See 1)
3) If "Snickles" come in a variety of shapes, sizes, years, differences?  Then there's no issue with one seller with two user ID's selling them.  Supposedly as long as both "you's" don't duplicate a listing, thus selling the exact same thing. 
4) If the 2nd user ID belongs (on paper) to somebody else. You, but technically not "you".  Then there's no issue there either (See 1)

[go-bad-chicken]

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@mintwares wrote:

I attempted to look this up in selling practices policy and multiple account policy but couldn't find anything. I believe the term is called cross selling. I looked it up online and found 1 site that read, "Cross selling is NOT permitted: eBay strictly forbids users from selling the same item across their two separate eBay accounts. Which means you cannot have the same listings sold on both your eBay accounts at the same time." But I don't know where the author copy/paste it from because there is no link. Does anyone here know if this is allowed or forbidden?

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@mintwares 

Yes you are allowed to sell the same item via different accounts or the same account but there are some caveats that must be met.

A) Items that are the same but differ in their condition.

i.e. a first edition copy of IT by Stephen King. 

1 New 

2 Like New

3 Very Good

4 Acceptable 

B) Item that are the same but differ in either price or shipping costs and or both.

i.e. a first edition copy of IT by Stephen King

1 $300 + $7.00 shipping

2 $400 with shipping included

[ebeths_eclectic_collectibles]

My guess is you could cross sell on different ebay accounts without issues if you were to use different photos, titles, descriptions etc.. but I don’t know why you would bother. For most sellers cross listing involves different selling venues

[mintwares]

I'm not interested in cross selling. My competitor and I sell a lot of similar items but I'm not his only competitor. One in particular we sell similar is NASA Voyager Golden Record 40th Anniversary Soundtrack. Its a popular item w/ many sellers selling at different prices. I don't receive many sales as him. In fact, between my last 3 sales (1 each month). He received 9 about the same time period but for each one of my sales seem to irritate him.

On Dec 21, I received a sale for $144.90 + shipping and his price was $114.99 + shipping at the time. Then on Jan 24, he received a sale for $131.99 and I received a sale on Jan 25 same price. In a couple of hours, he raises his price from $131.99 to $134.99. Then on Feb 19, I received another sale same price. His price didn't budge, but when I searched my title, I noticed what I thought was my own listing next to his in sponsored but mine aren't sponsored. Thats when I noticed the username was his other ebay account. Which is funny because like I mentioned before there are many sellers selling the same product at different prices.

[mintwares]

I know I can't report him for copying my listing but I find it annoying that he uses multiple accounts to cross sell the same item/condition/etc. to gain unfair advantage over the competition (myself included) in search results. I documented many examples involving this behavior with other competitors. Bare in mind, there are more instances than what I am typing here. If I had to guess, I'd say this seller is a habitual cross seller violator.  

[slippinjimmy]

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@mintwares wrote:

I attempted to look this up in selling practices policy and multiple account policy but couldn't find anything. I believe the term is called cross selling. I looked it up online and found 1 site that read, "Cross selling is NOT permitted: eBay strictly forbids users from selling the same item across their two separate eBay accounts. Which means you cannot have the same listings sold on both your eBay accounts at the same time." But I don't know where the author copy/paste it from because there is no link. Does anyone here know if this is allowed or forbidden?

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The term "cross selling" means listing the same item on DIFFERENT platforms (Amazon & eBay for example) it does NOT mean selling the same thing on different accounts on eBay.

[iamalwaysright]

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@redlinear wrote:

@mintwares 
   If you have one user ID selling "Snickles",  You are not "supposed" to use a different user ID to sell "Snickles" also.
 AND/OR/BUT.....
1) The way the search thing works now, that would be the best way to double your sales of "Snickles".
2) Seems like a whole lot of others are doing it, even though it's against the rules, and reporting it doesn't seem to do anything about it.   SO....... Just depends on how brave you are.  (See 1)
3) If "Snickles" come in a variety of shapes, sizes, years, differences?  Then there's no issue with one seller with two user ID's selling them.  Supposedly as long as both "you's" don't duplicate a listing, thus selling the exact same thing. 
4) If the 2nd user ID belongs (on paper) to somebody else. You, but technically not "you".  Then there's no issue there either (See 1)

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Ew, that's gross man.

I don't even want think about the various shapes and sizes.

[mintwares]

Thanks for clearing that up because when I searched it online, it had mix meaning. Whatever the term is called for what my competitor is doing. I wanted to know if its allowed or not.

[mam98031]

Are you talking about on multiple accounts here on Ebay or on other sites as well as here on Ebay?

Selling the same thing with multiple Ebay accounts would mean you are competing with yourself.  Not sure how good of a business model that would be.

Having one item and listing it on more than one site is called Cross listing [not selling, if you sold it on all sites you listed it on, you'd be in big trouble].  I never recommend this unless you are able to monitor all your accounts 24/7, which of course isn't possible.  While you are sleeping it could sell on one site and then another and then another, etc.  So multiple sales and you have one item.  Stuff like that will get you in trouble on all the sites you are selling on not to mention the buyers being upset and disappointed.

[glamis-junkie]

The Irony in this is:

Overseas companies do this with 10 plus different accounts with the same products to fill up the first page.

We have tried to fight this tooth and nail-like peeing in the wind my friends!😫

All products dumped in fullfillment warehouses. Most of the products are copied from U.S. companies and sold/dumped substantially cheaper. So ones odds are 1-20 for the honest hard working seller versus the imported multi-branded store owners. Hey-those funds leave here and never come back! YAY!!!!!