Removed Listing

[340fish]

I've done far more buying than selling on EBay over the years, so I hope perhaps some of you more experienced sellers can answer a question for me.

I received a message stating my listing was removed due to a violation of the prescription drug policy. The item I was selling can be purchased at many retail stores and online, and requires no prescription at all. In fact, there are currently 59 listings for the same product active on EBay right now.  And of course the message included the threat to suspend my account should I ever violate the policy again, item can't be relisted, etc. 

Is this a common thing for sellers here? Am I wrong in assuming there's a check and balance process in place within EBay as to something's prescription/non-prescription status before taking these measures? 

[coffeebean832]

Other sellers with the same item listed is not something you should ever look at to gauge if an item complies with eBay policy- all of those sellers can be wrong- and how do you know some of them didn't see your listing and assume the same thing you did? "He has it listed so that makes it ok."

What was the exact item that was removed? We can help you look up the policy page to see if this was a valid take down or an error.

Either way- don't relist the item here. It will not end well for you.

[luckythewinner]

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In fact, there are currently 59 listings for the same product active on EBay right now.

Ther are also plenty of people speeding right now who have not been caught. That doesn't make speeding allowed. 

And of course the message included the threat to suspend my account should I ever violate the policy again, item can't be relisted, etc. 

Then it would be a very good idea not to relist it again. 

The item I was selling can be purchased at many retail stores and online, and requires no prescription at all.

First, is this true of every single jurisdiction where you offered to ship this item? Second, the eBay drug policy is as much about how you list an item as it is about what you list. What you about a product can violate policy even if the product itself is not an issue.  

Is this a common thing for sellers here?

Not common, but also not unheard of. 

Am I wrong in assuming there's a check and balance process in place within EBay as to something's prescription/non-prescription status before taking these measures

Yes, you probably are wrong.

And remember that everything you do on eBay is subject to this provision of the user agreement: "we reserve the right to refuse, modify, or terminate all or part of our Services to anyone for any reason at our discretion"

As others have noted, if you bothered to tell us exactly what you were listing, that would be a big help. 

[340fish]

Wow. I was hoping for a cordial and friendly dialogue with other sellers regarding a legitimate question I had. 

This is the first time I've ever posted in the forum and it will be my last. So much for helpful answers. 

And on a side note... I've been involved in animal medical care for over 15 years, so I was quite competently stating the product I was selling requires NO prescription in this country! 

[340fish]

Thank you for the friendly response. I've decided to remove the few listings I have on EBay and not be bothered with this anymore. I had acquired several boxes of non-prescription flea medication. I donated the majority and thought I'd list the rest here for a low cost so perhaps some people who couldn't afford the high price at various retailers might be able to get it so their dogs could be flea free. 

[chapeau-noir]

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@340fish wrote:

Wow. I was hoping for a cordial and friendly dialogue with other sellers regarding a legitimate question I had. 

This is the first time I've ever posted in the forum and it will be my last. So much for helpful answers. 

And on a side note... I've been involved in animal medical care for over 15 years, so I was quite competently stating the product I was selling requires NO prescription in this country! 

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I checked your products and they are definitely over the counter - I purchase them myself.  eBay made a mistake in removing them - you can call for an appeal, or you can try selling them on an alternate site.  It's too bad because in point of fact, those products are not cheap, even at Costco.  If you have quite a few products, I would call to see if you can get the reinstated, because they definitely have a market.

A lot of this stuff is 'bot pulls' and unfortunately, no human looks at them. I've had the same happen BTW. 

[wesk_36]

"Is this a common thing for sellers here? Am I wrong in assuming there's a check and balance process in place within EBay as to something's prescription/non-prescription status before taking these measures? "

From many of the posters here that have posted the same problem, it does seem to be common.

While some of the listing removals are legitimate and the poster was unaware of their violations, many are puzzled because there are no apparent violations, and ebay's generic responses that lack specifics don't help the seller to know what the problem was, if there actually was a problem.

I think many times that if a listing is flagged, it will get removed without cause or review, and the flaggers can be competitors or others with malice.

Unfortunately,  once a listing is removed, rightly or in error, the AI algorithms will catch a relisting and punish innocents the same as violators, so no, there are generally no checks and balances, at least no rational human interventions. 

Without knowing the product or how the listing was worded, or seeing the listing, it is hard to find a possible reason for the removal, if there was one, there are too many variables.

Just my opinion

[chapeau-noir]

@wesk_36   What I saw was Frontline products and the like - flea medication that you can get OTC, at least I do at Costco.  The OP has already sold quite a bit.

I agree, though, that something is off - and definitely you're right about not relisting unless the problem is cleared up or simply listing it elsewhere - different selling sites are set up differently.

[wesk_36]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

@wesk_36   What I saw was Frontline products and the like - flea medication that you can get OTC, at least I do at Costco.  The OP has already sold quite a bit.

I agree, though, that something is off - and definitely you're right about not relisting unless the problem is cleared up or simply listing it elsewhere - different selling sites are set up differently.

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Me too. I looked at the completed listings and they are legitimate. I also looked at maybe California banning this but nothing found like that.

This appears to be the flag-automatic-remove by the unintelligent artificial- intelligence "bots."

[340fish]

Thank you all for the feedback. I've certainly learned some things. I've decided to end the couple of listings I had and forego selling in the future. 

I've had my account with EBay in good standing since 1998 and I don't want anything to reflect negatively, particularly when I was careful in what I listed. I do believe this was an error on their part. 

Good luck to all of you.

[luckythewinner]

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@340fish wrote:

Wow. I was hoping for a cordial and friendly dialogue with other sellers regarding a legitimate question I had. 

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I gave very legitimate reponses to many of the points you raised.

If the matter-of-fact style of the responses that I gave offended you, my apologies. 

[upgradedendmills]

Most posters here are friendly, polite, and helpful. Keep posting if you have questions. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes not.

[eleanor*rigby]

I think you've made the best decision possible under the circumstances!

[eleanor*rigby]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

@wesk_36   What I saw was Frontline products and the like - flea medication that you can get OTC, at least I do at Costco.  The OP has already sold quite a bit.

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@chapeau-noir 

Please just indulge me while I tell one really short anecdote about OTC meds. Has nothing, really, to do with the original post; however, your mention of Frontline made me think of it.

Neighbor posted on Facebook yesterday about having a horrible toothache and inflamed jaw and whatnot. She was trying to get into a doctor or dentist.

One of her Facebook friends (whom I don't know), posted that Tractor Supply Company (can you tell I live in an ag state?) sells amoxicillin OTC. I was a bit taken aback by this, so I looked it up.

Good gawd. Someone recommended my neighbor take "fish amoxicillin." Something apparently given to fish--like goldfish-type fish--when they're sick.

I was flabbergasted.

End of story. Thanks for reading it.