Totally legal items reported as illegal and removed by ebay

[autocro]

Hello, 

It's been a while since ebay took down all my listing containing a particular seashell, the queen conch shell. All my shells are collected legally ( with no animal inside). My shells of this specie were in perfect natural shape, no fishery hole in the spire. Nevertheless when you search on ebay those who reported me sre selling illegally harvested shells with open holes in the spire to kill the molluscum.

Any  idea of why I've been targeted?

Thanks

[inhawaii]

You haven't been targeted.

It's just one of those things.

You got caught, the others didn't ... yet.

They will eventually.

You are welcome to report their listings all you want.

[caldreamer]

I have no idea your conch shell was removed.  All I do know is that EBAY uses Ai bots that target and remove items they believe are illegal.   Now that you are on their radar it is important that you don't relist this item or EBAY may terminate your account.

Sorry this happened to you.   

[pikabo-icu]

@autocro 

Sorry this happened. 

It sounds like you know a LOT more about these shells than any of us here would since your store focuses on seashells.  Are there specific eBay policies about shells? 

I'm sure you know better than to relist them after take down..

Perhaps you could contact eBay on their FB page, they have knowledgeable reps there. Use the message feature, not a post. If you have/know the eBay policy have it to send to them as well as any documentation or evidence that your shells are within the law & eBay policy. 

https://www.facebook.com/ebay/ 

Good Luck

ETA: Ignore all that.. Lacemaker(kudos) found the policy and they are forbidden.. 

[bashort]

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@autocro wrote:

Hello, 

It's been a while since ebay took down all my listing containing a particular seashell, the queen conch shell. All my shells are collected legally ( with no animal inside). My shells of this specie were in perfect natural shape, no fishery hole in the spire. Nevertheless when you search on ebay those who reported me sre selling illegally harvested shells with open holes in the spire to kill the molluscum.

Any  idea of why I've been targeted?

Thanks

---

ebay is notoriously incompetent at subtle differences between illegal and legal items. They struggled with the fact that ivory switch and outlet cover plates are not actually made from elephant tusks.

[lacemaker3]

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@autocro wrote:

Hello, 

It's been a while since ebay took down all my listing containing a particular seashell, the queen conch shell. All my shells are collected legally ( with no animal inside). My shells of this specie were in perfect natural shape, no fishery hole in the spire. Nevertheless when you search on ebay those who reported me sre selling illegally harvested shells with open holes in the spire to kill the molluscum.

Any  idea of why I've been targeted?

Thanks

---

@autocro 

eBay doesn't allow products made from endangered species:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/animal-products-policy?id=5046

Effective March 15, 2024:

https://friendsofanimals.org/queen-conch-finally-gets-endangered-species-act-protection/?

[pikabo-icu]

@lacemaker3    Good find!   I was asking about their policies..

@autocro   Ignore what I suggested in my post above.. 

[12345jamesstamps]

I saw an item sold...title had 'bone' in it.

Just a thought.

It is strange how one seller gets picked on and others don't.

Will the others get picked on...probably not.

Could have been another seller who 'reported it'.

[toysaver]

If you had a listing removed the best advice is to never relist it or risk a lifetime suspension of your account.  

[luckythewinner]

Any  idea of why I've been targeted?

Some possibilities: 

• Something in your listings caused them to get flagged
• They aren't permitted (I'm not going to read ECOS and CITES to see)
• eBay decided to end them at their discretion*

*we reserve the right to refuse, modify, or terminate all or part of our Services to anyone for any reason at our discretion

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/user-agreement?id=4259

[autocro]

The export is not permitted without a CITES document, but there is nothing in the law prohibiting the sale inside the territory of UDA as long as the shell is collected empty ( no cracks in the conch to kill the animal). And when you look on ebay all the shells of this type listed are the illegal ones with the hole in the shell.

[lacemaker3]

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@autocro wrote:

The export is not permitted without a CITES document, but there is nothing in the law prohibiting the sale inside the territory of UDA as long as the shell is collected empty ( no cracks in the conch to kill the animal). And when you look on ebay all the shells of this type listed are the illegal ones with the hole in the shell.

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@autocro, as I said before:

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@lacemaker3 wrote:

eBay doesn't allow products made from endangered species:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/animal-products-policy?id=5046

Effective March 15, 2024:

https://friendsofanimals.org/queen-conch-finally-gets-endangered-species-act-protection/?

---

It would be impossible for eBay to distinguish between items gathered before or after the ban, and gathered legally or not. They don't even try. Just like they don't try to distinguish between ivory, rhinoceros horn, or tortoise shell products that were collected before those products were banned, and those from after.

If there are any queen conch shells for sale on eBay now, they are not allowed. Apparently they haven't been reported yet.