MC011 We restricted your account!! I've Sold Over 3.4k Items in 3 Years Help Please

[seebz13]

So I am going to start by saying that I am a Top Rated Seller with over 3,400 items sold in the last 3 years.  I average over $40,000 in revenue a year typical.  Today I received a message with the subject "MC011 We Restricted Your Account"  called customer service and three times they kept saying send screen shots of all sales and reply to message.  I couldn't send screen shots so I went through all the forums to figure it out.  My guess is I was flagged because I listed a bunch of items from my personal collection and sold $5K this week which is higher than usual.  But the message says to upload tracking and proof of delivery and reply to this message.  Well I just finished packing and printing the label to the last order and all labels I buy through ebay get auto uploaded to orders.  I have over 400 items sold in 2023 alone and all are showing delivered except the recent orders still in transit that show tracking and alerts if you select.  But I replied to the message saying all orders have tracking and some items are still in transit but should be delivered in a couple days.  My understanding is that this will be reviewed and then I may have to provide some ID or receipts and then hopefully my account can get unrestricted.  I have attached the exact message below.  Can someone tell me if there is a way to speed this up?

"

Hello seebz13,

Restore your selling privileges: Action required

We restricted your account because we noticed activity that we believe is a risk to our community. 

This restriction means the following: 
- Your selling privileges are temporarily restricted. You won’t be able to create new listings or revise any listings that are live on our site. You also can’t register a new account at this time. 
- If you're a seller participating in managed payments, we are withholding your future payouts. You’ll start getting paid again after you resolve your restriction and your account is reinstated.
- Some of your listings may have been removed. You’ll find details of any listings we removed below. 
- Any fees paid or payable for listings that are ended and/or hidden from search will not be refunded or otherwise credited to your account.

To help us remove the restriction on your account, you’ll need to:
- Provide proof of delivery for all of the items you sold on eBay by uploading tracking. Track items you've sold. 
More specific details are provided below.

Once you complete these requirements, reply to this email, and we’ll review your account. We may ask you to provide additional information during our review. 

The safety of our community is a top priority for us. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Thanks,

eBay  "

[frommichel]

I agree with you completely that direct communication is how it should be, such that tattling to eBay should be the last resort. However, no, many many buyers would rather complain to eBay instead of communicating with the seller. Reporting to eBay involves far less potential for confrontation or negative communications. Also, some sellers are less professional with their customers than you or I might be. This is not in any way an excuse for their behavior. I have read studies about the big decline in person-to-person communications and even the decline in forming actual (not online) friends/communities over the last few years. Perhaps your thoughts about why you 'got flagged' are correct. But, as you can see, many of us see other possibilities. This is a great thing about communications - we can learn from and try to help each other.

[kensgiftshop]

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@seebz13 wrote:

The Ebay for Business page said I just have to reply that I did my steps and they can see my orders and tracking so now I am waiting.  Also you said buyers could get ticked about the media mail thing but all my items have arrived on time and also wouldn't I know about any complaints via feedback?  Would buyers report me without me even knowing in the first place?  I honestly think I got flagged for the drastic increase in sales and also earlier in the day I was at a place with a secure network VPN and I also heard that can cause red flags since I accepted offers while on this network.

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Those reps are not the ones reviewing your account and they can see the information.

For some reason, the ones reviewing your account don't have access to the tracking information on the orders, that's why you have to upload the tracking numbers to them.

You would only know through feedback if they left any about it.

Buyers could report you, but they probably wouldn't do much unless you received a lot of complaints on the shipping.

You can upgrade the shipping, but can't downgrade it.

Logging into other networks/WIFI can cause problems if anyone else that has used it has had their account suspended.

If one account get suspended, any account they associate with that connection can also be suspended.

[dryophelia]

@seebz13 

The items over $750 require signature confirmation of delivery. Did you ship with signature required?

It might be worth considering putting your listings on Time Away while you work to figure this out. 

[dryophelia]

Here is a link to eBay’s help page about setting Time Away. 

Take it a step further and hide your listings as well. Just until this gets figured out. 

[seebz13]

Yep always insured and signature.  I've been selling about 1,000 items per year for the last 3 years.  The only thing that changed this week was a 350% increase in sales and I think the wifi I was on at for an hour this week was flagged or something

[seebz13]

Yea I understand the reps don't see this but this was the Facebook Ebay for Business.  The email gave me no links to upload the tracking and I read it again and the email makes no sense.  More details provided below but then don't provide details just to upload tracking and have a link that takes me to the help page on how to Add, Edit or Delete Tracking and I do those steps everytime.  So the Ebay For Business person assured me that they can see my tracking on their side but you're right, of all the people who should have the ability to see it should be these people reviewing accounts.

[ittybitnot]

 The only thing that changed this week was a 350% increase in sales....

@seebz13 

After reading similar posts by sellers over the years, it does seem your account tripped some "bot" somewhere on eBay.   Seller success seems to make the "bots" nervous, and the form letters start going out.  

Have they frozen your payouts as well? 

Simply from historic observation, the phrase "We may ask you to provide additional information during our review" should be of a concern as well.  The NEXT thing they usually require is physical receipts showing where you purchased each of your products that you have sold on eBay (seemingly since your first sale).  Selling off a long time personal collection is problematic for that requirement.  Sourcing at auctions, thrifts, or gifts etc. makes it impossible to comply with this.  Not saying that it is something that WILL happen to you, but it is indeed a possibility, especially if they have decided not to send you any money while restricted as well. 

Read the post upthread that provided you information on how to "hide" your listings.  No sense letting the money pile up if the plan is to eventually suspend your account anyway. 

[seebz13]

Yea I’ve used manage payments for 2 years now and they put a hold on that as well.  I’ve read similar stories as well about providing proof of inventory.  Unfortunately about 80% of my items were my personal comics and cards and also items I inherited from my uncle.  But for the other 20% I have gathered all the invoices I can.  My hope is that they review my orders as delivered and go off of my feedback and see.  But I am in the process of saving all my invoices including the grading services I use for cgc and psa to at least show some kind of proof that it is me and I do own the items.

[seebz13]

It for sure was the pokemon booster boxes.  They all quadrupled in value the last 3 years.  They were my personal collection, so thankfully I already found and saved all the orders for them and have them ready to show I purchased them from amazon, tcg player and even ebay lol.  I also saved as many invoices I could find for all other items.

[seebz13]

Hey everyone!  A quick update.  I received an email today that my account was reinstated.  I’m so appreciative of all your help and advice.  Thankfully I always followed my selling to the book as eBay would expect and when I replied to the email i complied and essentially begged them to thoroughly look at my track record of excellent customer service.  I’m the end, if you cooperate and do what is asked you will have success I. Getting your account reinstated.  Thanks again for everyone chiming in and I hope this helps anyone in the future!

[44012]

😅😄😀 Congrats! I appreciate the update! Your weekend is instantly better!!!

[queengemz]

I am having the same issue with MC011 restriction, did yours ever get resolved?

[keyfobs4thelowestprice]

This just happened to me with the same message. I immediately uploaded tracking and all items show delivered. It then asked for I’d and proof of address. I provided that immediately. I’m now waiting. Did they reinstate your account? I’m kind of worried that even though I did nothing wrong but cooperated with their requests that they are still going to pull some dumb crap and ban me or something. 

[lacemaker3]

@queengemz,  @keyfobs4thelowestprice,

You should read the thread first ...

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@seebz13 wrote:

Hey everyone!  A quick update.  I received an email today that my account was reinstated.  I’m so appreciative of all your help and advice.  Thankfully I always followed my selling to the book as eBay would expect and when I replied to the email i complied and essentially begged them to thoroughly look at my track record of excellent customer service.  I’m the end, if you cooperate and do what is asked you will have success I. Getting your account reinstated.  Thanks again for everyone chiming in and I hope this helps anyone in the future!

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[tobaccocardyahoo]

I had a look at your sold listings, and the thought arose that you had a lot of similar items which you accepted offers on which you may have combined into a single multi-order shipment.

If you had invoiced them into a single shipment for which you bought Ebay shipping for the issue might have been less likely to occur than if you were paid separately and entered the tracking for each order separately and manually but shipped a single shipment.

That could have resulted in this restriction which could last until they are sure there are no buyer complaints.

Pardon me for thinking like a theft protection bureaucrat might think.