Restricted account but even eBay doesn’t know why…

[melindaanne]

My eBay account was restricted today and they removed all 150 plus of my listings. But I have no idea why it was restricted and apparently neither does eBay. The email just says “We restricted your account because we noticed activity that we believe is a risk to our community, 
More specific details are provided below”. But there are no other details below at all. I spoke to a rep who transferred me to the department that handles the account restrictions and he told me that he can’t see why it was suspended either and that everything seams to be in good standing on my account, and that there was no actual reason listed… like what?!?!

And to top it off the info they want is all things they already have. They want all tracking from previous orders (which they already have since I use eBay generated labels for all shipped items) and to resolve any disputes I have (I don’t have any).

I have been selling for 3 months, I have over 100 ratings and not a single neutral or negative review, I ship everything out by the next day every single time, and I just hit top seller status a few days ago. I have also had no warnings or anything like that either for any reason what so ever. I have had a few returns but I refunded them immediately upon receiving the item, well within the 48 hour time frame. So what the heck? 

so I guess my questions are:

1. Does anyone see something on my account that would cause this? 

2. is it normal to actually remove every single active listing and to list in the email sent about the restriction of the account all of those listings that were removed when an account is suspended? 

3. anyone know why I can’t actually email them back? I have tried dif browsers, on my email, and my seller account, but I get the same error saying they can’t receive replies to that email after I send a reply, (even though it clearly says reply to this email). I’m just really frustrated as I don’t see any reason why it was restricted and apparently no one can tell me either. Of course it was on the day I receive my weekly payouts so I have a few grande in there to rub salt on the wound. 

[melindaanne]

Honestly I have no idea. 😂 It was a part of our contract since I started like 5 years ago ( my guess is it was just an extra incentive for the job). But when the irs started cracking down on influencers who got products for free in exchange for reviews a few years ago what I do fell into the same sort of umbrella and now I end up owing more than half of what I make every year in taxes. 

like I said it’s definitely a cool job since I get a lot of stuff that I get to use. But the stuff I can’t use of don’t need it’s been a headache getting rid of it just so that I can basically break even. Here I am trying to just get rid of it and break even after fees and shipping, not even including time, and eBay is like nope! Your prices are just too low. (Or at least that’s what I’m assuming it is since nothing else makes sense)

[stuff4divas]

@melindaanne   well, something else DOES make sense, you came along and suddenly listed a mega amount of items completely out of the ordinary of your previous listing habits

[jathibo-12]

Ebay in the long run is a giant CON,  they gave you increased visibility because your a new account.  Then you have good items priced correctly,  so you made sales.  Ebay does not want ANYONE  to grow or make money,  you were actually able to make a profit.  If you can  grow, then you'll this this horrible site; they can't allow this to happen.  Also, you sold entirely too much entirely too fast; automatic fraud alert. It will happen on every site. 

[melindaanne]

Also I have tried donating… it’s more complicated than selling on eBay! Anything over $5000 total and you have to have it appraised by an appraiser and pay for that. I priced them out and they want anywhere from $12-$20 an item. Then you can’t actually claim all of that on your taxes if it’s over a certain amount or %. Plus while I have receipts for all of the products (I can even use them for a warranty claim since there an actual receipt) the actual price paid that is shown on the receipt is $0 making it really hard to donate to negate the taxes I pay on them. And then there are only certain places you can donate too up to the amount of stuff I have (ie non profits only).

all that to say trust me I have tried that route. But I definitely appreciate the suggestion!

[stuff4divas]

@melindaanne   try selling on more platforms

[stainlessenginecovers]

You can 'gift' up to 5 people up to $14,000 so you can 'gift' that stuff as well. 

There is a percentage; but it's higher than you are stating and you do NOT need to get things appraised if you already know that amount that you are being 'given'. 

In fact, how would anyone know the value of what you are given? Does it ALL come from 1 place and they give you a 1099 for it? 

What's to say you don't just 'authorize' the packaging? 

Who says there's an item in the package for you to claim?

Who's to say you don't just throw the item away since all you are doing is authorizing the packaging?

[reallynicestamps]

And to top it off the info they want is all things they already have. They want all tracking from previous orders (which they already have since I use eBay generated labels for all shipped items) and to resolve any disputes I have (I don’t have any).

One way to confirm that the person currently running an account is to ask for information that the questioner already has then compare the answers.

I have had a few returns but I refunded them immediately upon receiving the item, well within the 48 hour time frame.

A "few" is actually high, not just for eBay but for online retailing in general. The "failed transaction " percentage is usually given as one percent.

anyone know why I can’t actually email them back?

Are you getting these emails through eBay Messages?

Not only can you respond to those, you can go back and respond a second time to the same question.

This might be useful:

The phone reps have a terrible reputation for getting you off the phone as soon as possible even if that mean giving you the advice you want to hear instead of the advice you need to have.


https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/ — Message button in upper right on landing page.

https://twitter.com/askebay?lang=en


https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/How-do-I-contact-Customer-Support/m-p/32016431#M1783851 -> Automated Assistant, type AGENT -> enter. You will then get more options.


The social media Chat accounts are covered by trained eBay employees with some authority.
And you get a transcript so you can compare what you heard with what you were told.
 

[melindaanne]

Yeah unfortunately everything is listed and broken down on one 1099 from my job. So I basically get my paycheck and taxes taken out of that, and then a separate 1099 for all of the items I receive. The only plus is that I don’t have to pay the extra self employment tax since I’m not self employed and it’s a part of my job. 

I actually tried to donate the stuff last year and was told that anything donated over $5000 had to be appraised (it was

my tax advisor that I have to pay a bunch of money to sort through all this crap, but they are cool and honest with me) 

what do you mean by gifting though? Like could I “gift” the item and then write it off on taxes? 

Basically I’m not trying to just give it away, I mean I did still have to pay about 30% of the full retail on the stuff. But I’m not trying to really make money on it either. I’m just trying to lessen the insane tax burden on me that the “free” (but not really free) items out on me. 

and by the way I appreciate you giving me some ideas! 🥰

[m60driver]

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@melindaanne wrote:

I get that, and it’s because the brand actually sent it to me as part of my job. (I pay about 30% of the full retail price for the items in taxes but I own the products and have receipts for them all (from the manufacturers ironically)

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That is about what sales folks pay for samples.  There are usually restrictions on the reselling of those items when a company provides samples or similar dealings. Sales folks have to be rather discreet when selling such company's items.  I use to buy plenty of salesman samples to sell in my store but my store was small and did not advertise.  I would guess that a company had no idea who you were or how you got the product and complained to Ebay that something was not right.  Regardless of how you see it, I doubt you will get your account reinstated.

[anasazirose]

Considering that you're selling legal items on ebay for way less than retail, then paying ebay their 15ish%, then will have to pay taxes on the amount you make, why not sell them locally for cash or at a large yard sale, especially since ebay seems to not want your business?

[melindaanne]

I’ve tried marketplace, boy is that super not fun! Constantly having people not show up, then there are the people that will ask you a billion questions and spend 3 days messaging you every 20 min and end up not even buying. Then there are the ones that want you to basically give it away. I mean I was offering 14 day returns on all items (which is unheard of on marketplace only because I would feel horrible making someone keep something if it were defective). Most of the items I was selling for 40% retail, the most being 50% retail, and I was still getting people constantly like I’ll take it for $50 (on a $500 item brand new). Sigh. Also have 5 star rating on there too with no negative reviews at all, so that wasn’t an issue. 

I tried my local flea market this past fall… never again! Loading it and unloading it all to do it all over again. Bringing easily $100,000 in brand new items and people wanting to buy it for like 10%, and walking out of there with $1,000 but having sold items for less then the 30% I pay for them just to get rid of them.

Anyone live in the Pittsburgh pa area want to start buying my stuff for 35%-40% retail? 😅 only adding the extra 5%-10% for gas.  

[fashunu4eeuh]

So sorry you got caught in the eBay dragnet.

New legislation called the INFORM Consumer Act has contributed to eBay’s cracking down on sellers with new branded items being sold for under market prices.

Specifically, the law directs online marketplaces to verify high-volume third-party sellers by authenticating the seller’s government ID, tax ID, bank account information, and contact information.

The purpose of this is to deter online sales of stolen, counterfeit, and unsafe goods to protect consumers. But honest legitimate sellers are also being affected as seen here in the forums. There have been a number of sellers reporting the same experience as the OP.

@melindaanne reach out to the customer service reps that several posters have given you links to. You need to be able to clear your name so you can get reinstated. I am confident that if you do, that eBay will see it has made a mistake in restricting your account. You have all the documentation required to prove your case.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[melindaanne]

 

Any idea why I can’t reply to the message that they are asking me to reply to? I get these when I try on my eBay account, on all 4 of the browsers I tried, And on my email it will say it went through but then I immediately get a message saying that the address does not receive emails to this address.

 

😕 

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi again. The pop-ups in your screen shots are the kind of notices one gets when there is a temporary glitch in the system. It hasn’t been 24 hours yet. This all just happened today. So try again tomorrow to respond to their message. (Btw, have you tried inputting the eBay address into a “To:” box rather than just hitting the reply button?)

Also, i happened to notice the content of the message you are trying to send, stating that all your tracking is readily available to eBay thru your shipping labels. It states that a customer service rep told you to mention that. Did he also tell you it wasn't necessary to upload all your tracking data into your response to eBay?

I cannot stress this enough—give them exactly what they ask for. Whatever information eBay requested of you, regardless of the fact that some of it is already easily available for eBay to review in your Selling pages, make sure you follow their instructions precisely.

If they want the tracking numbers, upload them into your response and give it to them, despite it seeming redundant. If you fail to provide all the requested documentation, there is a distinct possibility you will suffer a permanent restriction of your selling privileges.

[pburn]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

You can 'gift' up to 5 people up to $14,000 so you can 'gift' that stuff as well. 

There is a percentage; but it's higher than you are stating and you do NOT need to get things appraised if you already know that amount that you are being 'given'. 

Be very careful giving this kind of tax advice.

One doesn't need to be concerned about tax laws surrounding "gifting" if one gives their sibling a new vacuum cleaner. The reasoning behind "gifting" is twofold: to reduce the giver's estate for tax purposes or to give the receiver the gift tax free. Neither would apply in the OP's circumstances.

Also, charitable contributions can only be deducted if one itemizes deductions on Schedule A.

@melindaanne 

It seems disingenuous to me to receive all this free merchandise and then donate it in order to qualify for a charitable contribution deduction--which it appears you're not considering doing. Selling them somewhere, somehow seems to be more appropriate.

I think it would have been a good idea to have taken your own photos of each item instead of using stock photos. It would have given credence to your claim that the items were in your possession. Little late for that advice, I know.

Good luck with this one. I have a feeling you'll be looking for other selling platforms.  😕