eBay

cumberlandgapshop · ‎07-26-2019

Have others noted how many sellers are selling USPS free flat rate packaging on eBay? They are going to cause the honest sellers from getting free supplies. Soon they will probably be charged for these materials because of dishonest sellers. I don’t think they realize it’s a felony.

On twitter Wenig has been warned, tagged, and now USPIS (United States Postal Inspectors) are NOW actively investigating these practices. If you see them, report them. They will provide you with an email to send them information. I’m working with one. We need to stomp out these users by reporting them. Since the CEO will not be compliant, I’m not sure what they will do with that? If eBay is accepting commission one would think they are guilty of allowing this to go on knowing it’s very illegal, a federal offense.

I tried to warn a couple before I reported them. Boy do they deserve what’s coming for them. One told me to **bleep** off! Okay, I tried. Go to prison. I don’t care!!

myjunqueyourtreasure · ‎07-27-2019

Unless I'm being paid by USPS to be a snitch it ain't happening.

Especially considering either ebay or USPS (or both) could very easily search out and stop these listings if they wished without help from anyone else such as regular ebay users.

Reality is the leading cause of stress.

city*satins · ‎07-27-2019

@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
Unless I'm being paid by USPS to be a snitch it ain't happening.

Especially considering either ebay or USPS (or both) could very easily search out and stop these listings if they wished without help from anyone else such as regular ebay users.

My Dudley DoRight days are pretty much over, but last year I did refer my postmaster to an auction page where the seller was selling liquid mercury and offering Priority Shipping.

She turned 20 shades of pale and thanked me for it. The listings disappeared a couple of days later - could be a coincidence.

THIS SPACE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

cumberlandgapshop · ‎07-27-2019

I agree with you, but knowing personally someone who knows the government is telling me USPS iscoming down hard on USPS wasting of money. It’s also been mentioned here and there on the news.

I appreciate very much the flat rate boxes and envelopes. They have saved me a lot of money on my very heavy products. I have the benefit of using “their” boxes or when it’s fabric related and weighs a 4-5 pounds, I love the idea of using the padded flat rate envelope.

I’m just saying none of us have the same personality or traits (thankfully or it would be a boring place to be just alike). I have always stood strong on the principals of the matter. I don’t see it as a snitch, I see it as saving us to continue using “free” supplies from USPS and if you want to advertise for the USPS then give them the money.

I hate seeing con artists by deception preying on those who have no idea they are free and are thrilled to have some boxes cheap or envelopes.

myjunqueyourtreasure · ‎07-27-2019

I agree on some points but ebay needs to step up to the plate on stuff like this. It can't be THAT hard to monitor.

Reality is the leading cause of stress.

fern*wood · ‎07-27-2019

@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
I agree on some points but ebay needs to step up to the plate on stuff like this. It can't be THAT hard to monitor.

As quickly as some items are removed, it seems ridiculous they won't also remove these listings. When I first started out, I listed a purse as "like new" in the title and it was removed in no time at all.

I detest sellers that waste and take advantage of the free shipping supplies, but thinking the government is doing anything about waste made me laugh.

johnrj1226 · ‎07-27-2019

@ed8108

You asked this question: "Are you suggesting fileing a case under the false claims act ?

My Reply: No. But maybe that is what you think I stated. If so that is not what I meant.

"I have the right to remain silent but I didn't have the ability." Ron White, Fritch, Texas
"Stay away from negative people, they have a problem for every solution." A. Einstein
"The Devil made me do it!" - Flip Wilson
"If the band can only play loud - they ain't no good - peps too!" J.R. Johnson

vociferous_commenter · ‎07-27-2019

Keep up the great work @cumberlandgapshop and thanks for bringing up this issue here!

It's unfortunate that eBay can't be bothered to apply its amazing artificial intelligence and machine learning (or to set up a simple word filter) to preemptively mitigate this and other similar illegal and prohibited listings.

As others have said, it's likewise unsat that with eBay's vast resources (including Trust & Safety) that eBay appears to expect paying seller-customers (and their buyer-customers) to re-actively report these in a whack-a-mole game that goes on in perpetuity instead of implementing preventative measures.

dasarock · ‎07-27-2019

@greg5000 wrote:
@cumberlandgapshop wrote:
Not true. I have tons of screenshots where some have sold up to 60 of their free products. It is very illegal. I could add the investigator to this discussion who will tell you they are NOT legal.
I agree and eBay needs to clean up the site.

Having a Department called Trust & Safety is meaningless, if there is no Trust & Safety.

sure there is a meaning to having trust & safety department..... by my belief i trust they will abuse any safety guaranteed the seller is seller protections.... i would like to see that track record change though...

dasarock · ‎07-27-2019

i just did quick checks and didn't notice any listings for fedex and ups provided shipping items.

all usps really has to do is lodge complaint for ebay being non-compliant re vero for all of their products and listings... imho, since ebay is ultimately responsible for ALL listings on their sites, even if they do not wish to be

cumberlandgapshop · ‎07-28-2019

That’s their take anyway. I know somewhere along the way at times they say sellers are free to sell whatever they want, but true they should be controlling illegal activity.

I think as these sellers’ links to their products will be taken to eBay Trust & Safety will be notified. I believe I mentioned this before this post that I did try to tell some sellers they need to watch out and what the law says. It’s interesting how ugly they can be which shows why how crude these sellers are. They deserve what’s coming. Like I said they acted on four of them legally. I also saw one listing last week that said to be patient because it takes a while to ship. I am “assuming” that they are actually ordering the products through USPS and sending them directly from USPS.

cumberlandgapshop · ‎07-28-2019

I think if a buyer buys these and brags about the low price and the use of flat rate products, someone will know they are FREE. I believe that’s when ***BLEEP*** could break loose.

Fido, I hope some of the moderators on here will pass this along, but I’m not sure that’s how eBay works anymore just like so many things. EBay really needs to clean up their act. They are going to lose money hand over fist if they don’t.

JUST MAYBE. . . those who disagree with this type of action will take the time to phone eBay OR go to the listing and “report” this listing and let them know and then document it on here that they did so by date, time and who they talked to or when they reported it? If you go to list something like a new Coach Handbag, immediately you are taken down and possibly suspended.

eBay needs to be protected from themselves.

inhawaii · ‎07-28-2019

I know somebody who shipped a padded envelope recently via first class mail. The weight was slightly over 6 oz. but he put 6 oz. as the weight on his shipping label.

Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra

a_c_green · ‎07-28-2019

@city*satins wrote:
A couple years ago I phoned USPS to report that the local Goodwill store was selling USPS Priority Mail boxes for $1 each.

The response I got was that they don't care, and they wouldn't take my report.

No surprise there. USPS gave away the boxes for free originally, so those boxes are gone. The fact that a third party is attempting to sell them to a... fourth party?... is not something they can control.

Besides, putting it another way, if someone bought the boxes for use with Priority Mail, then the USPS still gets the original benefit from them that was intended when they gave them away for free in the first place.

greg5000 · ‎07-28-2019

@muttlymob wrote:
@cumberlandgapshop wrote:
Yes they will. I know that firsthand. I have a private email in which to report them to her. She stays in touch.

I’m just ticked that we are probably going to lose our free flat rate deals.
Think of it this way - yes, it is an issue. BUT, but, but, if the postal inspectors took it as seriously as you think they should, there is no need for any eBay member to be searching for the listings and reporting them to the USPS.

Because USPS could be doing that simple search all by themselves.

Since they apparently choose not to, doesn't that tell you something?

Selling the free supplies is wrong. But if the USPS chooses not to seek out these sellers on their own then they are highly unlikely to take away the priority supplies entirely based on people trying to sell them on eBay.

As another poster already mentioned, the supplies have been misused since they were first issued many years ago now. If USPS has not stopped their distribution yet, they aren't going to now.

I vaguely remember a case from more than 10 years ago of someone ordering huge bulk loads of boxes, and using them as fuel for a furnace. This kind of thing makes a seller on eBay look like the small potatoes they are.