Trouble Posting Listing Due to eBay Offensive Language Policy Help

[voguevintage]

I recently purchased a large stack of vintage movie posters, media kits, promo photos, lobby cards, etc. from an abandoned theater I picked.

Today I tried to list the press kit for a movie with a very offensive title, but it would not let me because it was flagged as inappropriate by eBay. I eventually had to take out a letter and use an asterisk (*) to censor the title to make it post, but this will likely make it harder to come up in searches.

I consulted eBay's policy on this, and as I suspect, we are allowed to use profane or offensive language so long as it is part of the title of a film, book, etc.

So I should be in the clear since the word in question is in the title, but it's still not allowing me. My guess is if I was posting in the DVD category it would let it go through, but because I am posting in a category for press kits (where it belongs) I am being restricted.

Any ideas short of calling them? Not thrilled about trying to explain to an eBay rep that I need to be allowed to use the n-word.

[this*old*attic]

Hmmmmmm. Put it in the movie category?

Does anyone actually drill down categories anymore? I’m not sure putting it in movies would hurt sales.

[7606dennis]

You might try calling eBay since that is probably the only way to avoid talking to a bot.  Don't know if that will help though.  It appears that when it comes to eBay's own policies, its AI and CSR's are pretty equally ignorant. 

[richard1rst]

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@voguevintage wrote:

 I eventually had to take out a letter and use an asterisk (*) to censor the title to make it post, but this will likely make it harder to come up in searches.

Interestingly, if you do a search for the N word you will get 734 results.

Books, records and DVDs, and at least some of those results are movie posters for the movie Boss N

You might want to open those listings and see what eBay category they are listed in.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@this*old*attic wrote:

Hmmmmmm. Put it in the movie category?

Does anyone actually drill down categories anymore? I’m not sure putting it in movies would hurt sales.

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That's "Search and Browse Manipulation" 😞

And, yes, collectors of ephemera (and other categories) DO search by category ... And have saved searches for new items in the category.

Plus ... eBay does something called "implicit category search"... searches will only return items from a single category that most closely matches the search terms.  That means that a search for "Blazing Saddles Poster" will return items in the Movie Poster category ... not the DVD.

[gracieallen01]

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

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@this*old*attic wrote:

Hmmmmmm. Put it in the movie category?

Does anyone actually drill down categories anymore? I’m not sure putting it in movies would hurt sales.

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That's "Search and Browse Manipulation" 😞

And, yes, collectors of ephemera (and other categories) DO search by category ... And have saved searches for new items in the category.

Plus ... eBay does something called "implicit category search"... searches will only return items from a single category that most closely matches the search terms.  That means that a search for "Blazing Saddles Poster" will return items in the Movie Poster category ... not the DVD.

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Hahahahahaha, when I started reading that line, I was thinking that you were going to say 'in the Equestrian' category. 

I wonder if that would be considered an 'opinion' on ebay searches? 

[siayan]

If it were me I would not put the word in with a asterisk. Someone will complain and the listing will be pulled and will cause problems getting it straightened out. . Since you have a set price I would work around it without the word and just be patient until someone finds it. It may take more time but in the long run it will save a headache.

[luckythewinner]

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@voguevintage wrote:

Any ideas short of calling them?

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I have an idea - just don't list that one item here.