Now it's getting beyond stupid.

[odditiesandantiquities1]

I went to contact one of my customers who had made a major purchase a couple of weeks ago. I put in a small gift with the items and she left glowing feedback for me.

I just wanted to say thanks again and tell her a little bit about the gift I sent her. I used one of her old emails to reply to. Well what do you think happened. Of course,  it would not allow me to send the message, so I had to respond to her through the purchase record. Good grief!!!!!!! Don't they want sales??? Communication is how to get them. I'm fed up.

You are attempting to communicate about an invalid item.

We monitor messages sent through eBay for fraud, abuse, spam, and other violations of our policy. 

[odditiesandantiquities1]

---

@coolections wrote:

@d-k_treasures

Well she came back and replied and basically admitted of doing shenanigans. Ebay can read the messages, thus the warning. Please stop blaming Ebay.

---

Cool, I'd really be amiss if I didn't say that you're not exactly coming across as warm and fuzzy. I'm no threat to you?

[odditiesandantiquities1]

---

@gramophone-georg wrote:

---

@ladypostingid wrote:

Are you making sales, or trying to get life long penpals?

Having went back to your past threads, I have to wonder if its not the latter. If so, you need to decide whats more important, friends, or cash

---

I have lots of customers who have been friends for many years. I don't know what YOU sell but in the antiques/ collectbles lines I deal in the one time customer is by FAR the exception.

This is just another example of eBay overreach. You don't need to tell the OP how she should run her business... and neither does eBay.

---

I have a very high repeat business. Who wouldn't want to have a high repeat business. It is ALL about communication and trust. Anyone who wants to build a business without excellent communication skills and developing trust with their buyer isn't aboout to go too far. That is the way of the selling world.  People come back to those they like with items they like. It goes and in hand. If they didn't like me, they sure wouldn't be buying. I think the success of my business speaks for itself. 

I bring in healthy fees for eBay. I don't sell anywhere else. I only buy on eBay. I'd say I'm quite an asset for them.

[odditiesandantiquities1]

---

@thenobletuckylife wrote:

---

quote from your OP...

"I just wanted to say thanks again and tell her a little bit about the gift I sent her."

purchase per your OP was made a few weeks ago.

it was way past the aspect of sale.

hey...

i know how good it feels to have a good sale.

but based on all the threads i have read about this topic,

all unnecessary conversation through ebay msgs is a potential risk.

---

Hi Lemar,

Found the other OP post which is confusing me...post #87:

She only received the items last week.

Mr C

---

Exactly Mr C. A woman who spends a great deal of money. The present I gave her was a ring I picked up from my old town in the UK. I thought she might like to hear the history about it. She is a repeat customer, several times over. This is how I make sales and have some incredible customers. I am not trying to mess with eBay or anyone else. I am just trying to work my business. So far it's working well. They get their fees, I get my sales, I repurchase 20% of my sales ON eBay. If I'm not the type of seller or buyer they want on eBay, then I guess I'll need to know what I am supposed to be.

[thenobletuckylife]

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

---

@coolections wrote:

@d-k_treasures

Well she came back and replied and basically admitted of doing shenanigans. Ebay can read the messages, thus the warning. Please stop blaming Ebay.

---

Cool, I'd really be amiss if I didn't say that you're not exactly coming across as warm and fuzzy. I'm no threat to you?

---

Morning Oddities,

First of all...I commend you for building a great business model that has allowed you to be successful, many folks never reach this level.

That being said, I think many folks are amazed at some of the challenges you face/raise in your posts.

Your success at selling seems to be in contradiction at times with your experiences here UNTIl you take your above comment into context...you know...the warm and fuzzy part.

This approach may work with your customers...but the posters here are not your customers, so the replies are going to be varied...all the way fromm Rah Rah to Ya got to be kidding me.

I think I fall in the middle with a bit of "Ya Got To Be Kidding Me" a lot of times.

Hope you have another great day of selling...That's what your here for and many of the posters have given you great suggestions on how to not be flagged by the bots because I think they definitely lean to the "Ya Got To Be Kidding Me" crowd.

Mr C

[odditiesandantiquities1]

---

@thenobletuckylife wrote:

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

---

@coolections wrote:

@d-k_treasures

Well she came back and replied and basically admitted of doing shenanigans. Ebay can read the messages, thus the warning. Please stop blaming Ebay.

---

Cool, I'd really be amiss if I didn't say that you're not exactly coming across as warm and fuzzy. I'm no threat to you?

---

Morning Oddities,

First of all...I commend you for building a great business model that has allowed you to be successful, many folks never reach this level.

That being said, I think many folks are amazed at some of the challenges you face/raise in your posts.

Your success at selling seems to be in contradiction at times with your experiences here UNTIl you take your above comment into context...you know...the warm and fuzzy part.

This approach may work with your customers...but the posters here are not your customers, so the replies are going to be varied...all the way fromm Rah Rah to Ya got to be kidding me.

I think I fall in the middle with a bit of "Ya Got To Be Kidding Me" a lot of times.

Hope you have another great day of selling...That's what your here for and many of the posters have given you great suggestions on how to not be flagged by the bots because I think they definitely lean to the "Ya Got To Be Kidding Me" crowd.

Mr C

---

Thank you for that Mr C. and I do appreciate the efforts of many people on this board who have helped me out when I've needed it.  As for the warm and fuzzy....it only takes a quick run through the responses on here to see where that came from.

[siayan]

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

---

@thenobletuckylife wrote:

---

quote from your OP...

"I just wanted to say thanks again and tell her a little bit about the gift I sent her."

purchase per your OP was made a few weeks ago.

it was way past the aspect of sale.

hey...

i know how good it feels to have a good sale.

but based on all the threads i have read about this topic,

all unnecessary conversation through ebay msgs is a potential risk.

---

Hi Lemar,

Found the other OP post which is confusing me...post #87:

She only received the items last week.

Mr C

---

Exactly Mr C. A woman who spends a great deal of money. The present I gave her was a ring I picked up from my old town in the UK. I thought she might like to hear the history about it. She is a repeat customer, several times over. This is how I make sales and have some incredible customers. I am not trying to mess with eBay or anyone else. I am just trying to work my business. So far it's working well. They get their fees, I get my sales, I repurchase 20% of my sales ON eBay. If I'm not the type of seller or buyer they want on eBay, then I guess I'll need to know what I am supposed to be.

---

@odditiesandantiquities1

If I had a jewelry store you would be the person I would hire. But most sellers on eBay are just running a clam rake on the bottom of the bay trying to scratch a clam anyway they can. Ebay is an equal opportunity slammer.

Why don't you take a little extra time and start a small blog or business facebook page. After you get the sale  get the email from PayPal and send them over for a chat. Since you only sell on eBay you can even put your items there. That way they can keep in touch and you can even get closer. Then you could totally eliminate any need to do personal communications by eBay messages.

[odditiesandantiquities1]

---

@siayan wrote:

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

---

@thenobletuckylife wrote:

---

quote from your OP...

"I just wanted to say thanks again and tell her a little bit about the gift I sent her."

purchase per your OP was made a few weeks ago.

it was way past the aspect of sale.

hey...

i know how good it feels to have a good sale.

but based on all the threads i have read about this topic,

all unnecessary conversation through ebay msgs is a potential risk.

---

Hi Lemar,

Found the other OP post which is confusing me...post #87:

She only received the items last week.

Mr C

---

Exactly Mr C. A woman who spends a great deal of money. The present I gave her was a ring I picked up from my old town in the UK. I thought she might like to hear the history about it. She is a repeat customer, several times over. This is how I make sales and have some incredible customers. I am not trying to mess with eBay or anyone else. I am just trying to work my business. So far it's working well. They get their fees, I get my sales, I repurchase 20% of my sales ON eBay. If I'm not the type of seller or buyer they want on eBay, then I guess I'll need to know what I am supposed to be.

---

@odditiesandantiquities1

If I had a jewelry store you would be the person I would hire. But most sellers on eBay are just running a clam rake on the bottom of the bay trying to scratch a clam anyway they can. Ebay is an equal opportunity slammer.

Why don't you take a little extra time and start a small blog or business facebook page. After you get the sale  get the email from PayPal and send them over for a chat. Since you only sell on eBay you can even put your items there. That way they can keep in touch and you can even get closer. Then you could totally eliminate any need to do personal communications by eBay messages.

---

An excellent idea Siayan. Thank you for that. 

[siayan]

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

---

@siayan wrote:

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

---

@thenobletuckylife wrote:

---

quote from your OP...

"I just wanted to say thanks again and tell her a little bit about the gift I sent her."

purchase per your OP was made a few weeks ago.

it was way past the aspect of sale.

hey...

i know how good it feels to have a good sale.

but based on all the threads i have read about this topic,

all unnecessary conversation through ebay msgs is a potential risk.

---

Hi Lemar,

Found the other OP post which is confusing me...post #87:

She only received the items last week.

Mr C

---

Exactly Mr C. A woman who spends a great deal of money. The present I gave her was a ring I picked up from my old town in the UK. I thought she might like to hear the history about it. She is a repeat customer, several times over. This is how I make sales and have some incredible customers. I am not trying to mess with eBay or anyone else. I am just trying to work my business. So far it's working well. They get their fees, I get my sales, I repurchase 20% of my sales ON eBay. If I'm not the type of seller or buyer they want on eBay, then I guess I'll need to know what I am supposed to be.

---

@odditiesandantiquities1

If I had a jewelry store you would be the person I would hire. But most sellers on eBay are just running a clam rake on the bottom of the bay trying to scratch a clam anyway they can. Ebay is an equal opportunity slammer.

Why don't you take a little extra time and start a small blog or business facebook page. After you get the sale  get the email from PayPal and send them over for a chat. Since you only sell on eBay you can even put your items there. That way they can keep in touch and you can even get closer. Then you could totally eliminate any need to do personal communications by eBay messages.

---

An excellent idea Siayan. Thank you for that. 

---

It seems kind of stupid that the thing they are trying to fix actually drives you to do the thing the don't want but, hey............eBay

[odditiesandantiquities1]

I know. It seems completely counter-intuitive. 

I've always wanted to write a blurb about how I sell on eBay. I could actually fit it in to less than half a page. Problem is, though, some of the necessities require a lot of study and research and that's the time factor. I can tell you what to buy, where to get it, how to price it, etc. But there's a foundation required in my field, which thankfully my mother was the absolute best teacher in. 

That being said, the process could be applied to a lot of markets. Who knows, maybe I could write a best seller....lol. 

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Well the message from ebay is clear--they are not going to accomodate you and are going to punish you for too much convos in your messages, so yes, take siayan's advice and have those convos elsewhere. 

As for those bashing you, I honestly think some of them are just plain jealous. You sell more than they do, you have better interpersonal skills, and some of them are here expressedly to instill fear and be mommy's tattle tales looking for a reason to turn you in even if none exists. Meddlers. You know who they are. They stink at reverse pyschology, but they keep trying anew everyday. 

[schansen]

My real problem with the messaging system policy is getting barraged with multiple messages. I have 17 questions I need answered to program a chip for a vehicle. On many occasions I have to sift through multiple massages after a sale when a single phone call can get the job done. Ebay's new policy has made selling for me so difficult I just gave up. I now use Facebook, Craigslist and my website. Ebay is going the way of the dodo bird due to they're own stupidity of biting the hand that feeds them.

[odditiesandantiquities1]

---

@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

Well the message from ebay is clear--they are not going to accomodate you and are going to punish you for too much convos in your messages, so yes, take siayan's advice and have those convos elsewhere. 

As for those bashing you, I honestly think some of them are just plain jealous. You sell more than they do, you have better interpersonal skills, and some of them are here expressedly to instill fear and be mommy's tattle tales looking for a reason to turn you in even if none exists. Meddlers. You know who they are. They stink at reverse pyschology, but they keep trying anew everyday. 

---

I sure wish I could be at the meeting today but unfortunately I have an appointment. Well maybe I'll raise some of this at next week's meeting.

[kh-missy]

This topic is now closed at the request of the OP. Thanks for understanding.

[tyler@ebay]

---

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

I went to contact one of my customers who had made a major purchase a couple of weeks ago. I put in a small gift with the items and she left glowing feedback for me.

I just wanted to say thanks again and tell her a little bit about the gift I sent her. I used one of her old emails to reply to. Well what do you think happened. Of course,  it would not allow me to send the message, so I had to respond to her through the purchase record. Good grief!!!!!!! Don't they want sales??? Communication is how to get them. I'm fed up.

You are attempting to communicate about an invalid item.

We monitor messages sent through eBay for fraud, abuse, spam, and other violations of our policy. 

---

Hi @odditiesandantiquities1 - I know we've closed this thread but I wanted to chime in and say that you should only be seeing that message if the message you hit 'reply' from was significantly older (like 60-90 days).

If you run into it again  will you start a new thread and tag one of us so we can take a look? Thanks!