If you're reading this, chances are ebay has sent you at least one email warning you of "policy violations" of the tyep OES_CONTACT_LINK. The complaint is that the cited listings include links to pages outside of ebay. Evidently, the fear is that outside links will facilitate transactions outside of ebay's watchful fee structure eye. Unfortunately, rather than examine links to see if they lead to contact information, ebay simply imposed a blanket ban on all links to outside pages.
The problem with trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer, is that the sledgehammer does its own damage. For example: I sell electronic devices that compete with a well-established product. My claim is that the ones I build are better. To back up this claim, I include a link to an impartial site that benchmarks and compares CPUs, showing that my device will perform better. Prospective buyers can easily click on it, and see for themselves a page of impartial test results on a well-known site that is outside of my influence. Suddenly I'm a credible alternative to a major manufacturer!
Now, in order to comply with their new sledgehammer policy, ebay suggests I copy & paste the test results (multiple screens with charts and other graphics) directly into my listings, and offer to send prospective buyers the original links on request! Do you suppose making people jump through hoops like this will make them more likely, or less likely, to take a chance on my device? Or will they just spend $50 more for the well-established product that they already know & trust?
As a top-rated seller, I don't appreciate being hamstrung like this, because ebay can't be bothered to distinguish legitimate informational sites from attempts to circumvent their contact policies.
