How can a customer send me a PDF or other vector design file?

[chuckpetersondesigns]

I posted this 2 years ago and am still wondering:

I sell custom bronze plaques and signs. My customers sometimes need to be able to send me their art in a finished art file such as a PDF or AI file so I can figure the cost BEFORE I can make a sale by creating a custom listing for them. They don't seem to be able to attach them. They ask me for my email address but Ebay doesn't like that. I want to keep transactions here that started here, but need a way to send files back and forth. I am selling here, sometimes by sending them my email spelled out, double spaced or disguised. I don't like that because eBay doesn't, but I have no other way. I don't want to lead them off of eBay and jeopardize my store.

Any suggestions? 

Thank you.

[slippinjimmy]

I don't think there is any safe way, Messages only allow image attachments so PDF's are not likely going to work.

By safe I mean a method that could lead eBay to think an off-eBay transaction might be happening.

[mcdougle4248]

@chuckpetersondesigns 

Maybe you would like to make your phone number available for them to call you to discuss options for exchanging PDFs?  You can select to share your phone number here https://contact.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ManageSellerFAQ 

[chuckpetersondesigns]

Thank you. I'll look into that.

[chuckpetersondesigns]

I added my phone number, but don't see it showing anywhere in my listings.

[mcdougle4248]

@chuckpetersondesigns 

I am able to find your phone number.  Your buyer needs to click on contact seller from the listing page.  A page will open to select a topic.  Any topic chosen will open your provided answer and at the bottom of that page there is a big blue button Contact Seller.  When I click on that Contact Seller button I go to the page that has your phone number.

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@chuckpetersondesigns wrote:
I added my phone number, but don't see it showing anywhere in my listings.

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Ebay makes an exception for sellers like you who must correspond prior to the sale. Look in your questions for Ask a Seller a Question area.  On the eBay US site, we cannot put contact info into the listing, except for a phone number there. Here is the policy:

"..Sellers may opt to provide their phone number as part of the Ask a Seller a Question (ASQ) function to facilitate a sale on eBay."

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/payment-policies/offers-buy-sell-outside-ebay-policy?id=4272

[chuckpetersondesigns]

Good. Thank you.

[richard1rst]

If it is only for quoting purposes, not the actual production, why not just have them send you a JPG file. You can see the design and quote from there.

If they then buy it they will have your email address as a part of the transaction. And/or you will have their to direct them your private email where they can send a PDF.

Inasmuch as the sale did in fact take place on eBay (therefore eBay got their fee) then there is no ding for trading information.

[kensgiftshop]

On your Coat Tree, you have an image of five, but you say they are sold separately, but no way to choose the one you want.

A buyer might get mad if they order, expecting to get five and only get one of them.

You offer Free Shipping, but in the description, you say the shipping is in addition to the cost.

If you offer free shipping, you can't charge the buyer shipping after they buy.