eBay restrictions duration

[medical_surplus_party]

Quick question, I sell bulk medical equipment and recently received a 10 day restriction over something minor and annoying. Do the counts on violations fall off or reset after 30-60-90 days or do they accumulate indefinitely and eventually even if it’s been years, you get suspended? 

[simba6]

Good question. eBay has never disclosed how any of that is done.  Some things like non paying bidder do age off as do bid retractions.  If they removed an item, they seem to keep a record of it forever and keep a watch for it on the account.

[farmalljr]

Every mark you get sticks with you for a year. Late shipment, negative feedback, or even a strike for a bad listing. 

FYI you can't sell medical equipment here, in general. If it requires a prescription/license, it's a no go. Things such as breathing machines, masks, etc. are not allowed here. If it's not commonly on the shelf at walmart, it's probably not OK to sell here. Even things like dust masks, require the OK from eBay to sell here. 

You can however, sell things like dental instruments, autoclaves, etc. 

Anything that has an expiration date, you must exercise caution too. Some things can't be sold out of date. 

[bangordiscount]

Here's my experience.

No matter what you're told, no matter if you appeal and the violation is "removed" they all stay on your account and will never fall off.

I've received several MCxxx violations since I started selling 20 years ago. Almost all were instances where eBay misapplied an existing policy that at that moment in time they were trying to make an emphasis. And in every instance except one I appealed and eBay found in my favor and "removed" the policy strike.

Then last year during the PS5 scalping fiasco eBay gave my account a violation because I was selling an empty retro video game box as a collectible (which is allowed) and because they were trying to prevent sellers selling empty PS5 boxes to unaware buyers, their algorithm incorrectly flagged my account.

I had no prior violations for this, no MCxxx violations in years, but because I had them in the past, and even though they were supposedly "removed", my account was suspended for 30 days and all my 400+ listings were ended.

It took me about a week to appeal and get my account reinstated but eBay was not able to reactivate any of my listing which means I had to manually do so.

I didn't get an apology, a credit reimbursement, only a "thank you for being a valued seller" canned response.

Absolutely unacceptable.... but the point of my rant is take those violations seriously and heed the advice of not getting more strikes again even if you think you're in the right 

[fashunu4eeuh]

If you received a 10 day suspension, it was not a minor violation.

Policy violations do have a cumulative effect. As for when the violation falls off, this may not be a known factor. Ebay is not known for its transparency. 

[theteamsetguy]

Cobl69,

why were you suspended? I think it depends on the type of violation you had. Were your previous violations for the same reason?

[house*of*paws]

Hi @bangordiscount 

I know of a number of sellers who were ‘dinged’ for listing empty boxes in the same Category as the item that originally came in the box … instead of in the Classified ‘Everything Else’ Category.  That is what makes it deceptive.

If that’s what you did … then your listing did violate policy.  These listing violations appear to be handled differently than other types … but I don’t know how long they remain on your account.  😕

[luckythewinner]

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@medical_surplus_party wrote:

Quick question, I sell bulk medical equipment and recently received a 10 day restriction over something minor and annoying. Do the counts on violations fall off or reset after 30-60-90 days or do they accumulate indefinitely and eventually even if it’s been years, you get suspended? 

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If you are asking whether the slate gets wiped clean after you serve out a restriction, I think you are dreaming. 

[slippinjimmy]

Years ago (like 20) policy violations "went away" (they never really go away) after 90 days "usually".

BUT

Even then it depended on the specific violation.

ALSO

Repeat violations are/were treated differently than a second but different policy violation.

HOWEVER

That was a long time ago and even back then was not set in stone.

Bottom Line

If you get a serious policy violation you need to try really hard not to get the same one within the next year or your restrictions will be more severe (I know from experience).

[gwzcomps]

For whatever it is worth, last I knew eBay was the last place a person wants to sell medical stuff on.  They are too inconsistent on their policies.  I had a friend who used to sell that kind of stuff here till eBay kept attacking his account.  Once eBay starts targeting you for listing related restrictions they won't stop.

[slippinjimmy]

Not worth much given that hundreds of millions of Dollars of medical equipment is sold on eBay every year.

[bashort]

I recently had a listing taken down because it was a "medical device".  It was a ice pack.

Several years ago had a listing removed because of violation of the "Ivory policy". it was a  ivory colored electrical switch plate.

[gwzcomps]

Didn't know you were in expert in the field.  Most of the vendors I have worked with over the years quit selling on eBay in favor of more qualified sites like dotmed because of the same problems OP seems to be dealing with.  Pretty sure the specialty sites would easily surpass the supposed "hundreds of millions of dollars a year on eBay" that you claim.