What happened to the "User Information Request"? deprecated?

[logicloot]

Has the "User Information Request" feature been removed from ebay? Or has it been moved?

I recently purchased a set of items from a seller. I have done business with them in the past. But, 3 of the 4 orders have had issues. They have resolved the issues in the past but when another one came up I wanted to phone them. I attempted to utilize the User Information Request feature but all I get is a "Feature Deprecated" page.

has the feature been withdrawn? How am I supposed to make direct contact with the seller rather than wait on the eBay message system?

[orangehound]

If you call eBay customer service, they can generate emails to both you and the seller with contact information (well, unless that has changed ... I was able to do this about 3 months ago).

[sodelight]

Ebay doesn't want direct contact between parties. They're afraid you'll be making off site deals.

Personally, I wasn't thrilled with my info being given away to someone I don't know. If they've done away with it, I'm all for it.

You'll have to contact the seller using the "I have a question about my order" option. You should be able to provide your phone number within that message. But it's best to have any exchange regarding ebay issues within the ebay messaging system.

[hafoster]

https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch/?_sofindtype=9

[logicloot]

Yes, that is the search that I have been wanting to use. Try it, it give me a "Feature Deprecated" response.

[happynewbie]

Does not work. Isn't ebay "Improving" and making it 100% impossible to contact BUYERS DIRECTLY! Worst experience ever in my life as ebay is nothing but aweful and in no way friendly.

[carlmarxx]

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@happynewbie wrote:
Does not work. Isn't ebay "Improving" and making it 100% impossible to contact BUYERS DIRECTLY! Worst experience ever in my life as ebay is nothing but aweful and in no way friendly.

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Yea you can't  contact  sell now also.      Which I found out, when I went  to get my sellers contact phone number  to let  him or her know about the postage due issue .   I  did get  a hold of  a Ebay  U.S.  supervisor   and had a U.S. Manager   on phone  about  it   both did say  that  only  members  like me that  have  great record  would  get  to contact directly  with buyers or sellers;i.e. trading partners  we have business with, once the tech setup the new system .   I will take a wait and see if they do get it the new system up.  If  and when  I have  use of the new contact info system  , I may  Keep   letting  ebay  do a officially  message   to the buyer  or seller  I buisness with  as needed.   

[redstar-9]

Try and request info it doesn’t let you yes it gives the same request page but doesn’t let you have the details - very irritating 

[castlemagicmemories]

Personally, I wasn't thrilled with my info being given away to someone I don't know. If they've done away with it, I'm all for it.

Just get one overzealous seller seeking to upsell call and you really begin to appreciate the new policy.

Most things can be handled via the message system, and that preserves a "paper trail".  That's a good thing~as even with that trail~there are those who insist you said something entirely different than what the messages show.  

Proof is a good thing.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@happynewbie wrote:
Does not work. Isn't ebay "Improving" and making it 100% impossible to contact BUYERS DIRECTLY! Worst experience ever in my life as ebay is nothing but aweful and in no way friendly.

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With all due respect, you can still contact the buyer directly through Ebay messaging.  Most buyers don't want or need phone calls anyway~rarely, if ever, does an issue require a phone call.

What was your issue?  Perhaps you have a unique situation that actually requires a phone call?  If you list it here, perhaps someone can help.

[castlemagicmemories]

OP, just contact them through messages.  As a seller, they will see your concerns that way.  If they don't respond, you can open item not as described cases, and communicate that way.

No need for the phone number.

I know you don't want to wait on the message system, but there is no guarantee that a phone call would yield a faster response.   Many don't answer their phones, many have other obligations and get to those messages when they can.  A seller is more likely to see the Ebay message when they check on their listings.   So just use the tools Ebay provides you.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@happynewbie wrote:
Does not work. Isn't ebay "Improving" and making it 100% impossible to contact BUYERS DIRECTLY! Worst experience ever in my life as ebay is nothing but aweful and in no way friendly.

Sellers might call buyers to try to upsell, even if the buyer has indicated through messages they are not interested, and they may try to arrange off Ebay sales, which cheat Ebay out of its' fees as the seller found that buyer through Ebay.  Most likely these are reasons why Ebay did away with that function. 

I am not sure how removing that feature equates to Ebay being awful and in no way friendly.  You can be friendly through messages, too.  You don't need a phone call to be friendly, and again, many buyers don't want a phone call.  Some are suspicious of one, knowing that Ebay prefers communication that uses the Ebay message system.

It's online sales, and shouldn't require a phone call. 

[maine351]

yes all sounds good what you are saying but totally untrue. You get "This feature has been deprecated " response even on pick up only purchases when you try to get contact info. Especially when it is needed for the address of the person that you need to pick up the item.ebay blocks emails with phone numbers and addresses.Another idiotic feature on ebay behalf.

I understand their frustration on the few in the pasty that has taken advantage with rules here and put high end items for sale on ebay for a dollar then charge hundreds or thousands for shipping,a way to escape fees. but from those few they started charging all sellers percentage fees on honest shipping charges even when you purchase the shipping through ebay itself,where it is 100% sure of price of shipping.which is completely wrong and possibly if not at least borderling illegal. One of these days someone with plenty of time on their hands will start a class action suit then someday all sellers in past should expect reimbursement from all those fees, I would not want to be in ebays shoes then to cough up all that money.

[maine351]

Oh,just forgot to add this in, I know this of the pick up only cause i just purchased a item for pick up only and we are having a difficult time with this right now,short of calling ebay to wait on hold for hours to get help with this.

[estate-archaeologists]

As a buyer wanting to reach out privately to the seller relative to recent transaction I was rudely introduced to this new policy when I attempted to get and exchange contact information. Frankly, the word 'deprecated' was unfamiliar to me. So then and when I looked up the primary meaning of this word in a dictionary, the apparent reason for this new eBay policy seems clear to me; Viz: 'deprecate - to express earnest disapproval of.'