Phone number to buyer after the sale

[rw011164]

I have received conflicting information from customer service regarding sending a buyer a phone number after they have made their purchase

This is necessary when a buyer is coming to pick an item up in case they get lost or delayed.

I was originally told I could provide a phone number so long as the buyer had made a purchase. Later when sending the phone number to a buyer I received a warning and when I called I was told no phone numbers through the message system ever.

Today I had a buyer who purchased several pieces of furniture contact me to request the phone number for his carrier who is coming to pick the items up. I called and was told that I could not send the phone number I had to use the request to exchange information system only, which I did.

The information was not sent even though I sent the request. I found the buyers number on the white pages and called him instead to give him the number and apologised that the number could not be sent as he asked. I am glad I called him since he was upset with me for not sending the information he needed and asked for.

I then called eBay again to discuss this fiasco with them and spoke to the "special team". They claim that the information CAN be sent so long as the buyer has purchased the item on eBay. She said that most of the CSR teams do not have the up to date information on this but I can take her word on it. It makes sense until I get a violation for it, but she gave me strong reassurances.

Additionally she mentioned that there was a policy violation recorded against a buyer who contacted us last week and included her phone number so it looks like they are taking action against buyers also

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Geesh. Far too extreme. 

Until this mess gets cleaned up, how about messaging them through paypal if you can't find the number in the white pages? 

[*eponymous*]

Just pull contact information to be safe. https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=9

eBay's new policy about contact is ridiculous, has everyone paranoid, doesn't catch the ones actually trading off-eBay, and of course they don't even put in writing what the rules are!

[tarpedge]

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@*eponymous* wrote:

Just pull contact information to be safe. https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=9

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Seems eBay is no longer honoring those requests? Because OP said:

"I had to use the request to exchange information system only, which I did.

The information was not sent even though I sent the request."

[tarpedge]

You know how you could add a photo of a business card to your eBay message?

And did you know there could be a phone number on that business card, handwritten even, and not only that, it's on the back, where it's blank?

[*eponymous*]

Speed-reading has its drawbacks. lol

I'm going to try pulling contact info for myself.

[partial*eclipse]

I'm interested in learning the results of this experiment.  Why would eBay still offer the option to request contact info if they were no longer providing it?  Wait, don't bother answering that.

The last update I heard was that the "Find contact information" could now be used only after the buyer had paid.  Originally it could be used even if you had just bid on an auction, then it was narrowed so it could only be used when  there was a transaction.  

[*eponymous*]

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@tarpedge wrote:

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@*eponymous* wrote:

Just pull contact information to be safe. https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=9

---

Seems eBay is no longer honoring those requests? Because OP said:

"I had to use the request to exchange information system only, which I did.

The information was not sent even though I sent the request."

---

It took me one minute to pull contact info for 3 different sellers I've recently bought from.  There is just a lot of erroneous info on the boards.

I believe eBay is bound by federal law requiring mandatory disclose of a vendor's information.

Let's make that a little stronger:  ebay is required by federal law to reveal contact information about sellers when requested by buyers.

This message is an automated reply to a contact information re quest made by *eponymous*. This request is related to item XXXXXXXXX

Important Usage Guidelines:

• 1. This contact information should only be used for resolving matters related to eBay. Any other use is strictly prohibited.
• 2. Use of this information to complete a transaction outside of eBay is not permitted. Items purchased outside of eBay are not eligible for eBay services.

Contact Information for  

User ID

Name

Company

City

State

Country

Phone

Registered Since

[*eponymous*]

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@partial*eclipse wrote:

I'm interested in learning the results of this experiment.  Why would eBay still offer the option to request contact info if they were no longer providing it?  Wait, don't bother answering that.

The last update I heard was that the "Find contact information" could now be used only after the buyer had paid, whereas originally it could be used as soon as there was a transaction.  

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A year ago, I complained on the boards that the UPI notice I received included the seller's contact info!  My point was that users don't even have to make a purchase to get contact info.

Oh, and I did get a UPI and it was totally my own fault.

[partial*eclipse]

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*eponymous* wrote: .. It took me one minute to pull contact info for 3 different sellers I've recently bought from.  There is just a lot of erroneous info on the boards....

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Thanks for the quick update.  We presume that you had already paid for your purchases.   So we're still wondering whether contact information would be provided if  a transaction  hasn't been paid-for yet.  

ETA: A lot can change in a year, especially given eBay's recent streak of super-sensitivity about off-ebay transactions.

[pingpong517]

try sending it in three emails......

it's all so grey when these come up...yes it is practical and needs to be done, but yes it looks like out of ebay sale, but it's been paid for....

so with three email, looks like you're trying to pull a fast one, BUT it isn't picked up by the bots either and eliminates the issue...

it is all so confusing sometimes.

[d-k_treasures]

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@tarpedge wrote:

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@*eponymous* wrote:

Just pull contact information to be safe. https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=9

---

Seems eBay is no longer honoring those requests? Because OP said:

"I had to use the request to exchange information system only, which I did.

The information was not sent even though I sent the request."

---

That's because their message system is used up by ebay sending 50 emails when you bid on an item and more if you win it.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

If the buyer has already paid via Paypal. the seller has the buyer's e-mail address on the paypal transaction details screen.  The e-mail address need not be the same as for eBay -- remember that you can attach multiple eBay accounts to a single Paypal account.

Also, as both a buyer and a seller, I often see the other party's contact information on the Paypal screen.  This includes a name, business name, address, e-mail address, phone number, website -- all kinds of details that the buyer or seller adds to the Paypal profile. 

Now, if payment has not been made -- as is often the case for will call or personal delivery --  then it should be possible to add a phone number or other information via ASQ.  This information would be publicly available to anyone who wants to ask you a question, not just to actual buyers.  

~~C~~

[soh.maryl]

Am I missing something here? Once you're in a transaction with someone, buyer or seller, you can obtain that person's contact information through eBay as they can obtain yours.  You receive an email when this happens.  Has this changed? 

[soh.maryl]

And someone from eBay told you most of the CSRs are not up to date on this?

Seems odd when I am "up to date on this" and I am not a CSR.