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]

 it says more details below but then just jumps right into this. 

[slati_2013]

In less than two months, you sold over three hundred, high end, brand new stuff. That more than most sellers sell the entire year. It is simple; eBay does not know where you are getting your stuff from. Your explanation of how you got them will not fly with eBay. I doubt it is flying here with many.  I don't think in your case taking your own pictures would have made a difference. There is simply too much expensive new stuff for eBay to ignore.

The biggest mistake too many new sellers here make is selling too much, too quickly. If you had spread all you items over the year, you might just have slipped under the radar. Even then, all that new stuff would soon have caught the attention of eBay.

1. Too much new, expensive stuff.

2. Once all the listings are gone, odds are they are never coming back.

3. No contact means their decision is final. It is always good to insist on your payouts from eBay immediately. Weekly means you could leave a good chunk in there once you are suspended. 

Good luck. Sometimes good things happen. 

[monica-sells]

Here are the tracking numbers sequence:

Go to:

Seller Hub | Reports financial overview | eBay

Click the little down arrow (to download the .csv report)

open the .csv file in excel and go over to column "AJ" (Reference ID)

Expand and Sort column "AJ" and all your Tracking Numbers will be consolidated on the same line with the product. Delete all the extraneous columns (or copy the relevant columns)

[djvp53]

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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'. 

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?

---

Most of this is nonsense. Part of it seems to be advocating tax fraud.

OP, I have no idea what's going on with your eBay account but if you are declaring the value of these items as income on your taxes, you have tax basis in the item.  When you sell the items, you should be able to deduct your tax basis as the cost of goods sold.  Make sure your accountant understands that the "$0" on the receipt is not your tax basis. Your basis will be a function of the amount of revenue on the 1099 attributable to those items.  You may have complicated matters a lot by keeping some of the items for personal use and selling only some of the items but I'll leave that for you and your accountant to hash out.

[anasazirose]

I'm 26 miles south of Pittsburgh, straight down 51.  Do you have any Milwaukee tools? I'm looking for a Hatchet.  They and their batteries are more than I want to spend to cut branches. 

If you're still on FB MP at all, I'd love to see your items. 

Another thought, can you have a yard sale / flea market at the storage unit? 

Another venue for you, and a quick one at that, would be an estate sale, Crow's Nest on FB is located in Monongahela.  She would come, set up and sell the items in a yard sale type setting.  I believe she charges 10-15%. 

Even better might be an auction company like Fred Peters from Brownsville.  His small crew comes, takes photos, advertises it online.  All the bidding is online and I've seen people go bananas for NIB items.  I am not sure what he charges the seller, but the buyers all pay a 15% buyer premium.  If for some reason you don't want them in your storage unit, they can take the items to their building in Brownsville where the bidders can come for a preview and he keeps it there until pickup.  His site is https://fpauctioneers.com/ and you can check out past auctions as well. 

With one of these options, you could be free within a month with a couple phone calls and no taking pics, listing, packing, shipping, or having all your work undone in quick second.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@jathibo-12 wrote:

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. 

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Oh the irony! ^^^^ Those comments are coming from someone who has 1600+ active listings! 

[dhbookds]

On one question.......I "think" I've seen others post in these kinds of cases.......that the first thing Ebay asks for is the tracking numbers......then they come back and ask for invoices........

One suggestion that you might look at is talking to an local auction house.....that could be an easy way out: they would come take the stuff from storage units....and stage them where ever they do auctions.

[reallynicestamps]

devon@ebay

[albertabrightalberta]

FWIW, I believe the OP's story. (And I tend to be one of the most cynical people when it comes to "stories!")

Although those messages you received @melindaanne seem to be missing information, they DO say the restriction is temporary and if you comply with all their requests, I don't think you're going to be restricted forever. 

My suggestion in cases in which sellers have high-fraud and commonly dropshipped items is to give yourself credibility and buyers and ebay reassurance that you aren't a scammer is to show your own pictures of the actual items. 

I don't believe for a minute that it's not a PITA to take pictures, crop, show multiple angles and upload them to your computer and listings, they do show that you have those items in your possession and that you take pride in proving it. 

It may or may not help with ebay but it certainly won't hurt, especially if you decide to use other venues to sell. 

Regarding the 1099s that the OP states show MSRP for the items as being highly inflated, that's simply how they do it. 

Many years ago, I remember getting "gifts" from banks for opening a new account or from time-share presentations for just listening to their spiel. Those free gifts came with 1099s that showed retail prices at which I could have purchased 3 of each item from retailers! 

https://www.berrydunn.com/news-detail/the-hidden-tax-cost-of-bank-incentive-rewards#:~:text=In%20cer....

[bigjsa-44]

Just had it happen to me on my newish account I have given them all my banking information to set up the account all my payouts have gone smoothly and I have perfect feedback on all purchases. All of a sudden boom 75 listings gone they pulled them all they gave me no explanation no reason and offered me no help. They just kept telling me we sent you a MC011 message telling you what to do but I never received said message or email. They said well we can see the link you need on our end I said great can you share it with me please? No we already sent it to you we are not going to give it to you again. I couldn't believe how ignorant and rude customer service has been to me. Remind you I have perfect feedback no strikes nothing and they treat me like I'm a scammer or something. I'm disabled started this for extra income to survive and it all is gone in one sweep with no explanation other than we sent you a message that you didn't receive oh well are you kidding me. They said that I need to load a picture of my license back and front my debit card connected to my account with my name on it back and front another form of ID all my banking statements that matches my sale payouts even though they have that information and I really don't know what days the sale actually came through as a payment into my account all my purchase records for everything I'm selling with my name on it even though I paid cash for some of them and a utility bill with my name and address matching my eBay account which I also don't have. But now I know what I need which some I have no way of possibly getting I just can't create things that don't exist but I don't have this link to load it on that they have in front of them but say they can't give it to me for a second time even though there was never a first time. Is your head spinning yet reading this because mine has dam near fallen off. They know exactly why they shutdown your account believe me and they know exactly what you need to do to get it back but they don't care about you unfortunately you are just another number that will just be replaced by someone else so you mean nothing to them. I've come to learn that eBay doesn't care about the sellers they don't care if you loose everything they don't care if they made a mistake and it's screwing you over which they will never admit they don't care if you don't get your payouts they are holding they just don't care. I don't know what to do I'm in serious hot water with no idea what to do and customer service could care less. Not to mention the thousands and thousands of dollars in merch I'm sitting on counting on selling for extra income. I put my extra savings into more merchandise because I had a eBay account to sell it on everything was going great and they just ripped the rug right out from under me. I'm barely scraping by there are many days of a empty refrigerator now this I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm physically disabled and can't just go get a regular job. If you figure out how to get your account back or if anyone has any suggestions please share them with me I need all the help I can get. I also hope and wish you the best with your situation sorry this is so long but just had to put it all out there and see if anyone can give me any tips thank you 

[bigjsa-44]

Have you had any luck with other platforms? I'm going through the same thing she is my perfect feedback perfect record account just got taken out. The things they want are impossible for me to get I can't just create things that don't exist. So I'm trying to figure out what other platform I can sell from. My items are really for like Amazon or Etsy has been overloaded with Chinese sellers selling counterfeits but if you would try that you would get removed right away it's like some things are ok for some but not others. If you have had any luck with any other platforms for selling I would greatly appreciate it if you could please let me know thanks 

[leastra-13]

May I ask what the outcome of your situation was?

[ebooksdiva]

You may never know, this thread is from a year ago. 

[ckimodog]

Old thread 2023

[kh_nipun]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread  if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.