Item Removed - Why?

[godwulf]

I was just alerted that one of my items for sale had been removed - for allegedly violating an eBay rule about police-related items. The item in question was an old, obsolete Mexican police inspector's badge for an agency that hasn't existed since 1975. I've always understood that older, obsolete police badges and other items could be listed and sold; there are hundreds of such items being listed on eBay at this very moment and I have sold a few others myself.  The email that I received, notifying me of the removal, stated that the badge was removed because it was from a "non-U.S. police agency" - which is not any part of the rule about listing such items.

A couple of weeks ago I received a question from (I assume) a potential Buyer, who was upset at my asking price for the badge - $85 - because although it did state that it was a "federal police" badge, it also made reference to a government program to eliminate a certain type of fly and had on it the logo of a Mexican government agricultural and ranching agency.  I did not bother to respond to this individual, and now I wonder whether they complained to eBay as a result and somehow convinced the powers that be that the listing was in violation, when in fact it was not.  

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, sorry your listing got removed. There is no telling how it got reported. It could have been a competitor. Ebay does not divulge such matters.

Whatever you do, don’t relist a pulled item. You are on the eBay radar now. If there are subsequent removals, eBay could penalize you with suspension, and enough of those can eventually lead to revocation of one’s selling privileges. It is just not worth it to relist.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Just went to the policy page for police-related items. The verbiage about defunct or obsolete badges is gone. Now it just states no badges are allowed to be listed. 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/policerelated-items-policy?id=4319

[katzrul15]

Police-related items policy | eBay

According to this link to the e-bay policy, none can be listed, regardless of age.  No idea when this change was made, but it now says none.

[godwulf]

Wow, that's strange! If they're going to start pulling every listing for a law enforcement badge on the site, regardless of age or other consideration, that's going to be a sizeable purge. How about a replica of an old Marshal's badge from Tombstone or Dodge City? Or a replica of a prop badge from a fictional t.v. town? Too weird. Okay, thanks!

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, i did a little more digging around in the policies, and did find the government related item policy. It has the notation about allowing vintage and antique items that are government-issued, using similar language that i believe had once applied to police badges. It reads as is:

“The following or similar items are not allowed:

• Government, private transit, or shipping company uniforms and accessories such as hats, pins and scarves 
  • Vintage or collectible uniforms and accessories may be listed if they meet all these requirements: 
    • The item is 10 years old or older 
    • It's no longer in use 
    • It doesn't look like a current uniform or accessory 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/government-items-policy?id=4318

I know there was text that referred to obsolete and defunct badges being allowed in the eBay policies because i had, at one time, wanted to list an old Texas Ranger badge, and had looked up the policy. But it is gone now.