EBAY sent a warning message that was innaccurate while lecturing ME about MY listing!

[rosevelyn]

EBAY sent a warning message that was innaccurate while lecturing ME about MY listing!

ebay states in the message that they removed "FEATHER" from my title, but they removed the listing! And what is wrong with the word "FEATHER"?  It is not just an object--it is a VERB and DESCRIPTIVE TERM as I state "FEATHER LIKE" in title.

"Please understand that you used the unrelated keywords "FEATHER" in the title and/or description of the listing. Hence, we removed "FEATHER" from your listing #title and/or description#. As you may list other items on our site, please be sure that only keywords that are directly related to the item should be included in the listing. Keywords can generally be defined as product names, item conditions, generic style/model terms, materials that an item is made from or other much searched words. Unrelated keywords affect search results and may lead to a poor buying and searching experience on eBay.

Please make sure that your current and future listings follow these guidelines. If they don't, they'll be removed, and your fees won't be refunded. It could also result in additional actions, including loss of buying and selling privileges on eBay."

[gew6463]

Some dishonest people are quite creative aren't they? I would have never thought to put "not" before a brand name (sounds a bit of a dumb move actually). But I do think that sometimes when someone is searching for a particular brand or word, perhaps they might not notice the 'not'? I am not saying the buyers are dumb to not catch it. Goodness knows, they wouldn't expect a seller to say they are 'not' selling what they are actually looking for 😉 .

[castlemagicmemories]

What's funny is that many times a seller will state, regarding inaccurate listings, that seller can't state what the item is not, that would be too labor intensive, using that as justification. Yet they will do it for search manipulation. But the thing is, they just have to list what the item IS. Not doing so is what makes the item SNAD. No one is asking them to list what the item isn't.

[luckythewinner]

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I need to speak with the dept. that pulled it.

There is no "department" that pulled your listing. It was pulled by an automated computer program. 

This has raised more questions than provide answers by customer service reps I spoke with. 

Here is what the eBay user agreemnt says: 

"We reserve the right to refuse or terminate all or part of our Services to anyone for any reason at our discretion"

[castlemagicmemories]

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@gew6463 wrote:
Some dishonest people are quite creative aren't they? I would have never thought to put "not" before a brand name (sounds a bit of a dumb move actually). But I do think that sometimes when someone is searching for a particular brand or word, perhaps they might not notice the 'not'? I am not saying the buyers are dumb to not catch it. Goodness knows, they wouldn't expect a seller to say they are 'not' selling what they are actually looking for 😉 .

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Yes, creativity abounds!  It's just a trick to get more eyes on the item, hence search manipulation and keyword spamming.  They hope that the increased exposure will lead to someone deciding they don't mind that it is NOT what they were looking for, and that they will get a sale that way.  

[city*satins]

I'm curious what this item was that was like a feather but not a feather.

Is this going to be one of those How is a raven like a writing desk? puzzles or can you say what the item is?

[castlemagicmemories]

Op, I get a strong sense of "how dare they" from your title. You're indignant that they criticized you. I'm sorry you are upset, but there are rules that Ebay expects you to follow in order to have the privilege of selling here, and if you don't abide by them, then they can remove your privilege of selling here.

Perspective. Your choice.

[castlemagicmemories]

As someone said, there is no dept that pulled it.  The bots pulled it.

You may find this helpful:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/search-browse-manipulation-policy?id=4243

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

@rosevelyn

If it's any small consolation I once had a listing pulled for listing a mug with the words Friends like you............that email made no sense either = )

[penguins_dont_fly]

Instead of "feather like":

Feathery

Feathered

Plumed

What was the item?

[rosevelyn]

I spoke with cust. svc and supervisor before posting this, and they could not provide me with a definitive answer or allow me to talk to the person who made the decision (they claimed that a person made that decision.). If they have doubts and cannot for sure tell me what it was, then how could I know how to execute all of my other listings?

[rosevelyn]

Yes. I am indignant. Cust svc and their supervisor can only make guesses and tells me a secret group that I can't communicate with -- a person -- a team -- had their eyes on it and pulled it. The language states that they changed it -- not pulled it, on top of that. How am I supposed to know why if I can't speak with the team?

[southern*sweet*tea]

Customer service is generally known for telling a caller something just to get them off the phone. They read from scripts and are clueless as to how Ebay works and what's going on.

There is no "team" that has eyes on your listing. Whoever said that just told you something to get you off the phone.  The listing was pulled by a bot - a computer program.  "Like" in a title has never been allowed as it is a comparison word that can't be used in a title. An item either is, or it isn't. It can't be "like" something.

[pjcdn2005]

I couldn’t find the info in the help pages about using the word ‘like’ in titles but if you read the info it’s clear that using the word feather in the title when the item is not a feather is considered keyword spamming whether intentional or not.  It’s unlikely that it would have been caught if you hadn’t used the word ‘like’.   I can understand why you are concerned that cs didn’t point that out but based on the many sellers that have had similar problems and based on the help pages, it seems fairly straightforward what the problem was. 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/search-browse-manipulation-policy?id=4243&st=3&p...

[mikeystoyz]

I sell laserdiscs.  On most of my listings, in the description I use - THIS IS NOT A DVD.  DO NOT BUY IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DVD. and some other verbiage.  One day I guess I will get busted and then go from 2 returns a month because of - This isnt a dvd to maybe 4.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Most people search on title and item specifics. That’s the default

eBay is far more strict with keyword spamming in the title than the description.