Why did Ebay remove my PREORDER listing?

[alxbejm]

Hi folks, 

I'm trying to understand what happened here. Yesterday, I preordered a Playstation 5 and decided to sell it on Ebay. First time I've ever listed a preordered item. I created a listing that stated clearly that it was a PREORDER both in the title and in the item description. In the item description, I clearly spelled out the item's availability date of Nov 12. I also mentioned that I would be shipping it out to the buyer within 24 hours of receiving it from the vendor, and that I'd contact the buyer once I received shipping confirmation from the vendor.  About 8 hours after I posted my listing, I receive an email from Ebay telling me that they had removed my listing for violating their "presale" policy and that if I listed this item again 30 days before the item availability, there will be further consequences.  This is a part quote:

"You have listed a pre-sale item that will not be available for shipment within 30 days, which is required under eBay policy.......As we have already removed this item from your account once today, and it was immediately relisted, if your account is found to be relisting this item again outside of the 30 day delivery window, your account will receive additional consequences including selling restrictions up to account suspension."

This really shocked me.  For one thing, my listing was exactly like so many other active listings selling preordered PS5s, and those listings are still up there. The other thing is, Ebay's accusation that I "immediately relisted" the item the first time they removed it comes as a complete surprise to me. I didn't even know there was a problem until I read the email from them.

I'm not a big seller on Ebay, an occasional item here and there. I have a perfect track record. Yet, here I am, feeling like I'm being treated like a criminal.  To say nothing of the fact that there are hundreds of PS5 preorder listings with the same conditions and the same verbiage that I used. Yet, I can't post my item, at least not for another month.

What happened? What did I do differently from the others that warranted getting singled out and my listing removed? Thank you for your help.

[corvettestainless]

Preorders have to ship within 30 days; if they are being listed later than that, they are in violation. Plus, not sure you can resell a preorder.. you don't have it, the people you are getting it from don't have it, and you are not a dealer. Probably turned in by another seller knowing you were not an authorized dealer. 

[cajun*martini]

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This really shocked me.  For one thing, my listing was exactly like so many other active listings selling preordered PS5s, and those listings are still up there.

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Feel free to report the listings that are violating the pre order policy.

Also, it's been a while, but in the past, eBay has restricted those who could sell video game consoles at the time of their launch, both to cut down on fraud but also issues that may come up with less experienced sellers dealing with high priced/hard to find items.

But definitely don't try and relist or you may find your account permanently suspended.

[donsdetour]

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/presale-listings-policy?id=4252 

[alxbejm]

This is what I assumed happened, someone reported my listing.  Thank you for your reply. 

[alxbejm]

Thank you for your reply, cajun martini 🙂

There are literally hundreds of listings and people buying and selling preorder PS5s but it was mine that got singled out. I don't intend to relist the item. It's definitely not worth the trouble. I would also not want to report any of the active listings. I believe most of them are just honest folks trying to make a few bucks is all. And in the time of a pandemic, when most of us everyday folks are trying to make ends meet while our ~600 billionaires added nearly a trillion dollars to their net worth in just the past 6 months, that's perhaps a forgivable infraction. 

[cajun*martini]

Honestly, if I had gotten my hands on a pre order, I wouldn't sell it on here anyway. You know the Office episode when Dwight makes a ton of money selling Princess Unicorn dolls the week before Christmas? I'd hold on to it until December and sell it locally for a fistfull of cash to someone desperate to get buy their teen's love for Christmas 😛

[alxbejm]

What I don't understand is why if Ebay has a policy, and they're going to enforce it, they won't do it proactively and fairly, rather than wait for the community members to turn on each other. But I guess that would mean less profit in the end. 

[austihamme_0]

They took a lot out because they don't like scalpers gg tho

[donsdetour]

Hi :

This item has been a problem: in which the bots are still looking for, even though the item is now in the pre order dates. They are still pulling the items that they find.

Do not relist it.

As for the others report them if you desire.

[toysaver]

I don't want to pay the higher fees we'd all have if there was an eBay Police Force.  

[inhawaii]

Why did i get a speeding ticket when all the other speeders out there did not?