eBay violates its own policies! – What to do now?

[piummahazoo-0]

So, this happens to a friend of mine who is a seller here on eBay. I’m going to keep him anonymous for the moment in fear of retaliation against him from eBay. Considering what has happened, it’s a very real possibility he might lose his account for no reason. Seems like their own policies doesn’t matter to eBay staff.

The policy in question is the “Electronically delivered items policy”. Here is what it says.

What is the policy?

• Electronically delivered items that are not allowed, include:
• Software keys the seller is not authorized to sell
• Digital copies or codes of movies that were included as part of purchasing a physical movie item. The seller needs to include the physical disk with the sale of the digital copy or code
• Sellers need to be eBay approved to list electronically delivered items outside of the Everything Else > Information Products category 
• Sellers not approved by eBay to list electronically delivered items need to list their items in the Everything Else > Information Products category in the classified ad format. Exceptions to this policy include electronically delivered:
• Tickets 
• Domain names 
• Digital trading cards 
• Online gaming virtual items 

Link to the policy: https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/digitally-delivered-goods-policy?id=4...

My friend is a huge gamer. He plays so many games but has one game he loves. He has been playing this game for years now and have accumulated so many in-game items. We suggested he might sell them on eBay. The same items have been listed by other sellers in the video game category for years now.

Today eBay has removed all my friend’s listings. He had only listed the in-game items for that game he plays. The reason eBay said because he violated the above policy by listing his items. However, in the same policy there is a clear exception for his “Online gaming virtual items”. So we all thought it might be a mistake or maybe done by an automated system.

He contacted eBay and explained what he had listed and asked them why they were removed. eBay staff had transferred him to few different people and it’s almost funny how they ignore his clear questions. It’s shocking how eBay staff just ignores their own policy with such ease. If eBay violates and ignores their own policy, why is there a policy at all? What else they can get away with? eBay staff is making these kinds of illogical decisions and when they are clearly in wrong, they don’t even admit it. They just stick to what they already said even though any rational thinking person could understand what has clearly happened. Who keeps eBay staff accountable?

You can read the whole chat transcript below. I have replaced my friends name in fear of retaliation from eBay staff.  

[monster-deals]

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@pburn wrote:

@monster-deals 

I think there's a whole lot more to this story that what is being presented. My guess is it has nothing to do with eBay violating its own policies--secret or not.  😉

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ain't it always?

[kensgiftshop]

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@piummahazoo-0 wrote:

He has been playing this game for years now and have accumulated so many in-game items.

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Your friend didn't own the items he was selling.

[pburn]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

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@piummahazoo-0 wrote:

He has been playing this game for years now and have accumulated so many in-game items.

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Your friend didn't own the items he was selling.

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@kensgiftshop 

You forgot to mention the Sri Lankan connection! 

[mam98031]

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@piummahazoo-0 wrote:

Well, he's affraid his account will get suspended if he complains about eBay. It is understandable and not the issue we should be talking about here.

"Perhaps the company that created the game prohibits the sale of its in-game items"

No they don't. There are other sellers who have been selling the exact same items for years. The reason for the removal was a policy violation. Not a copyright violation. 

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The threads are full of people complaining about one thing or another.  It is what most threads are about.  

But if your friend is actually breaching the rules, then posting here could bring attention to them for those purposes and then more trouble for their account because they are still breaching one rule or another.

Just because another seller has done something or gotten away with something doesn't mean that your friend can or will get away with it.  It only means Ebay hasn't yet caught up to the other guy, nothing more.

The seller you are referring to that has been selling them for years may be approved by Ebay to do so, which of course would make a big difference.  So maybe your friend needs to find out what the approval process is about and go that route.

FYI, once Ebay removes listings for cause, if your friend tries to list them again, even disguising them a bit, will cause them to risk the health of their selling account.  So don't advise that for them as it is a quick way to a suspension.

[xedicl-0]

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@piummahazoo-0 wrote:

Well, he's affraid his account will get suspended if he complains about eBay. It is understandable and not the issue we should be talking about here.

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Do you really believe that?

[kensgiftshop]

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@pburn wrote:

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

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@piummahazoo-0 wrote:

He has been playing this game for years now and have accumulated so many in-game items.

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Your friend didn't own the items he was selling.

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@kensgiftshop 

You forgot to mention the Sri Lankan connection! 

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Didn't even notice that.😀

[slyders_finds]

Uh.  Op already explained clearly. This would be redundant. 

[soh.maryl]

This post is now about 2 1/2 yrs old.  Let's hope the issue has been settled.  

[ckimodog]

@soh.maryl 

Right? The OP never sold anything either.

PS Good morning!

[soh.maryl]

Am always suspicious when a post starts out "asking for a friend".  

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.