Contact Information

[gibsonbk]

I have had my phone number in my listings for years now but tonight I got an email saying phone numbers are no longer allowed.  I have over 7,500 listings with contact info and each one will have to be edited to delete the phone #.  The email said these listings will soon be blocked.  I have been unable to find an actual deadline. Does anyone know? 

Thank You in advance

[lex-talon]

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@gibsonbk wrote:

I have had my phone number in my listings for years now but tonight I got an email saying phone numbers are no longer allowed.  I have over 7,500 listings with contact info and each one will have to be edited to delete the phone #.  The email said these listings will soon be blocked.  I have been unable to find an actual deadline. Does anyone know? 

Thank You in advance

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You can try calling ebay and ask them. I would start editing your listings and delete the phone #.

[gibsonbk]

I am and all new listings do not have the info but at my present rate it will be around a year before I finish. 

[cynthealee2]

@gibsonbk

On eBay

Active listings > edit > edit fields > Item decription > Edit listing in bulk find and replace

50 at a time you'll be done before noon.  Don't try and cram a bunch down and once it'll crash and you'll have to start all over again not knowing which ones got fixed and which ones didn't/

It works best if you replace it with something not just leave it blank to delete the phone number...

BUT since you have Auctiva it's easier.

Start on Auctiva > Active listings > Bulk Revise > Description > fill in the boxes.

Make sure you ALSO change out your contact us section so that all listings that post from now on will be correct. 

My links are technically kosher as they all go to some page on eBay... but since they don't auto open a new tab I'm getting the emails as well to go back in and fix them.

I put it on my list of things to do 😉

[gibsonbk · Accepted solution]

Thank You Thank You.  Worked like a charm.  Now it will only take half a year 

[tortugascuba]

This is a retarded eBay policy !!!

Why does it matter if there's contact info in the listing !!!

Their  RETARD bot flagged one of my listings. I know its because there are links in my listings. Those links are REQUIRED, so buyers can use my DIY products. They DO NOT contain any contact info, and I prefer they contact me thru eBays messaging system. I called eBay about the one listing, and they've fixed that one (by no longer flagging it - listing, itself, remains the same).  Now 10 more listings got flagged. eBay admits their mistake, by their STOOPID BOTS. Computers are stupid. Never let them think !

eBay is so paranoid about sellers doing deals outside eBay, they're resorting to these draconian methods. It will kill their golden goose. Squeezing so tight, that they'll choke the bird ! No system is perfect. Let it leak a little. Don't try to catch sale. If you allow some leakage, the potential growth, will outgrow any lost sales.

STOOPID. RETARDED MIDDLE MANAGER, that needs to be drawn and quartered !

[cynthealee2]

@tortugascuba

Several things.  You have a store why not put those instructions on "custom pages" instead of the word press site?

It's the fact that it's 1) taking them off ebay and 2) not one of the three allowed links off eBay.  http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-links.html

If you instead put them on the custom pages option (comes with your store) you can then link them to those pages and no more issues.

If you need help finding and creating custom pages put the @ symbol in front of my name and it will send me an email and I'll create the screen shots to walk you through it.

Next you have a blurb at the bottom of the one listing I checked that is definite eBay no no and you really need to fix it quickly or the links are not going to be your only issue.  eBay legally you are only allowed certain payment options, and they are paypal, your own credit card processing thingy, and a few other ways to pay electronically.  UNLESS it's a local pick-up listing only cash, checks, and money orders have not been allowed on ebay in 10 years or better.

Please pay or contact me about payment within three days after the end of the auction. Paypal preferred. Domestic buyers contact for other payment methods. Paypal ONLY from foreign buyers. If you are sending your payment thru the mail, please email me that you are doing so. I have recently cancelled my mental telepathy services, so I can no longer read your minds.

This can be fixed with bulk edit find and replace.

[tortugascuba]

Cynthealee2,

You clearly do not undestand my INSTRUCTIONS. I sell DIY items, that require assembly. The instructions are how to assemble these kits. They will no fit on eBay, and this is a general TECHNOLOGY site. Technology, like the Internet, that makes your job possible. There are people who still make things with their hands. Items just don't puff into existance "magically". They are made. Before the industrial revolution, by hand. You should really study the history of industry.

eBay's draconian contact information, will ultimately lose them business. They are try to stop 10 cents of business taken off eBay, that may inhibit $10 of real growth, by allowing this portal. The contact information policy can easily be bypassed by throwing a business card into the shipped item. I buy from many sellers that do this.

That blurb, you mention, at the bottom of all my listings, is just a joke. But it does tell buyers to contact me with any concerns. And that's thru the eBay messaging system. How's that a policy violation. Don't be a tool.

[cynthealee2]

eBay custom pages (that come free with your store) can be as long or as short as you want them to be.  They can include photo's and as much text as you want to cram in them, html can be used and for those of us that are comp incompetent they also give you instructions on how to use the HTML.

Here is an example of a 'custom' page:  http://stores.ebay.com/cynsoddsnends/pages/comic-grading

The blurb about taking payments through the mail will get you banned. (eBay's payment policy http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/accepted-payments-policy.html)

Do what you want... it's your store and your business.

Have a nice day!

Fellow eBay seller

[tortugascuba]

The whole point of links is to write things once, and make it available elsewhere. I will not write this again (even if mostly cut-n-paste) in the eBay space. They, like many other large internet entities, are trying to create their own "iron curtain" island . These pages can disappear at eBay's will, if they want to punish me. My current site is outside their control. Its called freedom. If, I wish in the future to sell thru Tindie, or Amazon, I can still link them to the same site. If eBay balks, then I'll just tell eBay not to let the door hit them in the [backside], on their way out.

That closing blurb, has been on my listings since at least 2011, maybe 2009. If you want to report me, go ahead.

eBay is making a big mistake, by blocking contact information, and trying to inhibit sales outside their site. This is called "leakage", and not only should they allow it, they can ultimately profit by it. They can have different listing fees for sellers that make such a listing. Don't get greedy. Make them small. But then they'll get more sellers signing up, and could make 10 times their "leakage" loss, in just added base monthly fees (at the existing rate). They're IDIOTs, who can't think outside the box ! eBay should remember that all they are is a broker. They can make 10 cents on every sale of a dollar, on say 1000 sales, or 1/10th of a cent on every dollar on 1,000,000 sales. That's the magic of capitalism; exponetial growth !

[coolections]

@tortugascuba

No need to put them in your listings. Put a copy of the intructions with the item the buyer purchases and you'll be all good. I think you need to remove your website address off your listings also.

[k-mansparts]

CHECK OUT THE EBAY ANNOUNCEMENT

09-19-2017 08:00:19 AM

At eBay, we strive to make our policies clear and our services easy to use. As part of that commitment, we’re announcing some changes to the eBay User Agreement.

Our updated User Agreement will take effect on September 19, 2017 for new users and on November 1, 2017 for all other users. The updated User Agreement was posted on eBay.com on September 19, 2017.

The key updates to the eBay User Agreement is that we’ve made it clearer how we address attempts to bypass our policy on offers to buy or sell outside eBay. Sellers who violate this policy may be charged a final value fee for the applicable item, even if it doesn’t sell.

Thank you for being a part of the eBay community.

Sincerely,

The eBay team

[k-mansparts]

At eBay, we strive to make our policies clear and our services easy to use. As part of that commitment, we’re announcing some changes to the eBay User Agreement.

Our updated User Agreement will take effect on September 19, 2017 for new users and on November 1, 2017 for all other users. The updated User Agreement was posted on eBay.com on September 19, 2017.

The key updates to the eBay User Agreement is that we’ve made it clearer how we address attempts to bypass our policy on offers to buy or sell outside eBay. Sellers who violate this policy may be charged a final value fee for the applicable item, even if it doesn’t sell.

Thank you for being a part of the eBay community.

Sincerely,

The eBay team

[lacemaker3]

@tortugascuba

http://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContentScanner.htm

Seller name: tortugascuba

eBay site: US

results:

total listings:          29
OK listings:              6
with non-eBay links:     14
with bad link targets:   23

Links to non-eBay pages, and links with bad link targets are not permitted. They need to be fixed by Oct 15, 2017, or the listings will be removed or blocked. 

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2017-fall/policy-updates.html

Good luck with your future endeavours.

[cynthealee2]

I don't report sellers that come to the boards for help... unless I am reporting them to the board mods for being vulgar.  You weren't.

[tortugascuba]

I've been in contact with eBay, and my links are fine, when viewed by a human being. Their BOTs flag them, since computers are stupid. "Contact info" policy still a bad idea. Draconian measures only make people move elsewhere. My webpage has many usages. For one, I'm on several vintage electronics forums, and "links" are one of the prime benefits of the internet. Instructions for my items, is only one usage of many. Another benefit, is not printing paper instructions. They can print out the PDF files, if they want. You are allowed links outside eBay. I've had long conversations with eBay about this, way back when, when they announced the no active content policy. They really can't stop the exchange of contact information. A simple business card tossed into the parcel, is on example. Are they going to host videos ? I don't think so. I need videos to demonstrate my products. If I can't present my products properly, then I have no need for eBay. And so will other sellers, with similar requirements.