eBay Account Banned - Too Many Bargains?

AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 12:41
Last edited 05/01/2022 - 16:25

This isn't a rant, just a warning. Don't risk your eBay account by selling on it if you like bargains.

I was recently selling some electronics on FB Marketplace and Gumtree, and got the 'Free FVF if you list on eBay' ad and decided to bite. My eBay account has been active for 9 years, with eBay Plus for 2 years, but only as a buyer.

When my ad went up on eBay it triggered a review of my eBay account which was then suspended permanently without the opportunity to appeal, preventing me from selling AND BUYING on eBay ever again. I have 8 months of eBay plus left which they cancelled without refund.

eBay have a policy of not disclosing why you are suspended, but having never sold anything before I'm not sure what 'Suspicious Activity' possibly could have existed other than the fact that 90% of my purchases on there have been bargains (eBay Plus sale Airpod Pro, Apple Watch, iPad, other purchases only during 15-20% off sales etc).

My best guess is that I have been banned for not being profitable. So if you are on a good run, don't risk triggering reviews on your account by starting to sell!

Edit: Purpose of this was to warn people that in my case, trying to sell for the first time triggered a chain of events that got me kicked without explanation. I don't know more, because eBay refuses to explain more. I'm not flaming a twitter feed, or trying to start a boycott movement here - there it literally nothing in it for me either way so there is no reason for me to be making stuff up. I said 'my best guess' and put a question mark in the title, so if you think I'm wrong…. I could be! I'm guessing here! But eBay won't tell.

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Comments

  • HairyChickens on 05/01/2022 - 12:43

    Out of curiosity you can still buy from your other accounts/make a new account (i.e. address not banned)

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 12:47
      -1

      They have said in chats that any associated accounts will be banned, and if I create a new account it will be banned. Maybe I'll try again in a few months and see.

      • HairyChickens on 05/01/2022 - 12:56

        I guess if you are really desperate to buy from eBay maybe a new credit card and click and collect or send to a family address?

        • salmon123 on 05/01/2022 - 13:21

          I guess if you are really desperate to buy from eBay maybe a new credit card

          I doubt they care, if you're just buying. Open new accounts to your hearts content.

          • tajid on 06/01/2022 - 08:53

            @salmon123: Had similar experience with Paypal and they actually cared even if you only use to buy.

          • SirFlibbled on 09/01/2022 - 10:39

            @salmon123: They do. Years ago I was supended because my (then) girlfriend's ex-boyfriend did something dodgy. As she had logged onto Ebay on both our computers, we were basically 'linked' and I was suspended too.

    • azonki on 06/01/2022 - 08:20

      eBay monitor IP addresses as well as credit card details, PayPal accounts, items for sale, and of course, your identity, addresses, phone numbers, references, etc.etc.etc.
      When they think that you have been naughty, they just turn off your accounts.
      Happened to me.

  • FizzBalls on 05/01/2022 - 12:44
    +9

    Suuuuure.

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 12:48
      -2

      Whatever floats your boat, but I'm not sure what benefit I could possibly have from lying here?

  • tamckinnon on 05/01/2022 - 12:47

    Probably a phishing/dodgy link you clicked and your account was compromised and thus shut down.

    I'm sure you could probably re-activate it. Did you get any emails from eBay?

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 12:51

      I've spoken to them several times since. It is hard because they will not tell you why you were banned under any circumstance, so it is impossible to know if you've done something wrong or if there has been a mistake. But they have reviewed it twice (including after I asked to just buy, not sell) and they still said that they maintain their decision.

  • Drakesy on 05/01/2022 - 12:50
    +20

    There has to me more to this story

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 12:56

      Maybe? Bit hard when they won't tell you anything.

      When I reviewed it after, I do think I probably broke a listing guideline since the text copied over straight from Gumtree since it was using their listing plugin (text said I could be interested in trading consoles). But that is not worthy of a permanent suspension, and it is not something they raised.

      But as per my prior reply. I don't get anything out of this by sharing. I was happily hunting eBay Plus bargains, triggered a review by starting to sell (which is what they told me) and I am now banned. Not sure what else could have happened behind the scenes, but if I didn't make that listing I probably wouldn't be impacted.

      • WT on 06/01/2022 - 09:53
        +1

        (text said I could be interested in trading consoles).

        its probably this

    • Xistn on 05/01/2022 - 12:57

      There always is….

  • pharkurnell on 05/01/2022 - 12:55
    +6

    What exactly were you selling

    eBay have a policy of not disclosing why you are suspended,

    True, my first account was closed 15 odd yrs ago this way.. no appeal just knickers to u

  • garetz on 05/01/2022 - 12:57
    +4

    The only reason they would do this is if they think you are not the owner of the account, and the account has been compromised.

    I very much doubt they think you took advantage of too many so called bargains and closed the account for that reason.

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 12:59
      -1

      That's very possible. But the result is the same. I can't buy/sell, have lost my Plus subscription fees and have no opportunity for appeal.

      • garetz on 05/01/2022 - 13:03

        Not much you can do, ebay has no government oversight, best you can do is probably a charge back on ebay plus cost.

        • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 13:07
          +2

          Subscription was paid via PayPal so I logged a case yesterday. Will see if anything happens.

          But yes, they are just a private business with absolutely 0 interest in customer service (for reference, all emails and help docs they sent me are circular and don't go anywhere). My only thought was that I could share and tell people not to risk ruining a good thing by selling on there!

          • salmon123 on 05/01/2022 - 13:24
            +3

            @AutomationGuy:

            they are just a private business

            They're a criminal organization.

            Not refunding your ebay plus fees breaches so many consumer laws, but they seem to think they're above it.

    • outlander on 05/01/2022 - 16:58

      Yeah, we're not at that stage just yet. Businesses, especially ebay with their 'ebay plus' experiment, want to expand. It's one of the reasons they don't look too hard at multiple accounts.

      In the future, when the market is fully captured and they have all the data they've been collecting for a decade and can process it, they'll begin classing customers according to profitability. But even then I doubt they'd cancel them. More probably they'd just put them in a special group, where they could still buy (or sell) but at inflated rates.

  • godofpizza on 05/01/2022 - 13:28

    i thought Ebay promoted the ''Free FVF if you list on eBay'' via gumtree. Unless your we selling pet as electronics.

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 13:33

      Yes they own both, so it is fully integrated. I was selling a console, nothing crazy there. In the Gumtree ad I did have that I'd consider trading the PS5 for Xbox Series X which will be against eBay rules and I didn't think about that at the time since eBay grabbed the text directly from Gumtree, but that isn't something that they would ban an account over (and was a direct result of their Gumtree integration).

      • salmon123 on 05/01/2022 - 13:47

        Yes they own both

        It looks like ebay sold gumtree (and a bunch of other classified websites) last year.

        The no-fvf promo seems to be over now.

        • Chazzozz on 06/01/2022 - 09:13
          +1

          Can confirm. I listed a couple of items on Gumtree the other day, expecting to take advantage of the no FVF offer but it didn't show up. I tried in both the phone app as well as through a computer browser, same thing. I last saw it in December, so I'm thinking when the new year ticked over that threw the 'off' switch.

          • salmon123 on 06/01/2022 - 09:39

            @Chazzozz: I think they threw the off switch a few days before end-of-year. I had an item sell after boxing day, but was stung with the fvf.

            Live chat reps gave the usual speil about waiting 10/15/20 days for an "automatic" credit never arrives. They're also oblivious to the fact that the promotion might be over.

            • Chazzozz on 06/01/2022 - 09:49

              @salmon123: Oh, Lordy!!! I've lost count of the number of times I've had to argue with some numpty via online chat about this same thing. "Yes, Virginia, there really is a FVF promotion!" It got to the point where prior to listing I would screenshot everything: the initial offer web page showing promotion period, the page showing I'd accepted it on XX date, the listings I created during the period, and the date the disputed item sold during the promotion. The really switched-on reps could reverse it straight away, but generally I got the "We've made a note on your account…" story and told to wait until my invoice was issued to see the credit. It's gotten to the point where I simply CBF any more, and I'd like to find an alternative to eBay.

              • salmon123 on 06/01/2022 - 09:57

                @Chazzozz:

                It's gotten to the point where I simply CBF any more, and I'd like to find an alternative to eBay.

                Same. Gumtree/FB don't have the same reach as eBay.

                Amazon is good, but there's no way to avoid the selling fees. If you're paying the selling fee, then there's no dispute with eBay.

  • pharkurnell on 05/01/2022 - 13:32
    +1

    What exactly were you selling

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 13:33

      PS5

      • iamherenow on 05/01/2022 - 13:44
        +4

        Brand new and above RRP?

        • godofpizza on 05/01/2022 - 13:55
          +3

          probably hatred towards scalpers got OP banned.

        • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 16:34

          Because nobody on OzBargain has ever bought in the heat of the moment and changed your mind? That doesn't make you a scalper.

          I already stated above that I was after a straight swap for a Series X, or yes the market value of a Series X, but it was so cheap that it sold within 2 hours on Marketplace. And I now have an over-priced Series X.

          • iamherenow on 05/01/2022 - 16:46
            +1

            @AutomationGuy: Just saying, quick search on Google suggests if you advertise above RRP you will get your outcome. A ban.

            • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 16:50
              +1

              @iamherenow: Interesting. I will note it was for sale notably cheaper than the recent completed items and other listings on eBay, so I don't understand why it would apply to my account but not all the other accounts. But maybe?

        • Lurk Hartog on 06/01/2022 - 08:18

          Lol, mystery solved.

          Banned for scalping a PS5, not for buying too many bargains.

  • Jugganautx on 05/01/2022 - 13:50
    +1

    What did they say when you called them?

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 16:16
      +1

      They say to call them, but you physically can't now. They don't have an inbound number.

      Via chat and the one time I managed to find a callback they said that they said there was 'suspicions activity' and that for privacy reasons they will never disclose any more than that, and that they won't appeal the decision.

  • tio on 05/01/2022 - 14:03
    +1

    I have 8 months of eBay plus left which they cancelled without refund.

    If I paid for that membership and I were bored enough, I would try to recoup that $

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 16:17
      +1

      Yeah, I will make some basic attempts (I lodged a PayPal case) but not going to waste much time on it.

      • Nugs on 07/01/2022 - 14:27

        8/12 of $10 is not much
        .

  • SF3 on 05/01/2022 - 15:13
    +1

    Account Banned - Too Many Bargains?

    Correlation does not imply causation.

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 16:19
      +2

      It doesn't. Hence a '?'. Just sharing my experience. Since eBay won't tell you their reasons I don't know any more.

  • MS Paint on 05/01/2022 - 15:18

    I only sell with $1fvf offers and never had an issue.

    • Chazzozz on 06/01/2022 - 09:16

      I'm beginning to think these are either on hold for now or else gone away. I haven't seen any in the past couple of months. That's about the only time I list anything on eBay is when I have a low-cost FVF offer, but the last time I recall seeing one is November of last year.

      • MBix on 08/01/2022 - 01:39

        I thought the same thing, however tonight when listing something on Gumtree I founddddddddd the juiciness. It actually pops up before you press submit on Gumtree OR when you edit your Gumtree listing:

        Post your Gumtree Ad on eBay
        FREE*
        Increase your chances of selling with access to up to 11 million Aussies each month. *Limited to 2 items per month. Pay 30 cents when the item sells.

        https://sellercentre.ebay.com.au/promo/c2c-baytree-promo-728…

        Edit: I may have got a bit too excited, I clicked it and it said added, but I can't see the listing being imported to eBay at all

        Not sure how they work out 30c being free, but 30c is better than the standard fees!

        • Chazzozz on 08/01/2022 - 10:37

          Nope, still not working for me. I tried both a new listing and editing an existing one, no offer to list it on eBay, too. I always assumed it wouldn't last forever so I expect this is just the new way forward now.

          • MBix on 08/01/2022 - 12:16

            @Chazzozz: Yeh I got well excited by seeing that little box as I had never noticed it before, but upon asking Gumtree Live Chat they told me they just still haven't updated it as it's no longer something they offer.

            Could probably get eBay to honour it if you took a screenshot of the button and offer etc but it was hard enough getting them honouring it when it was a legitimate offer :D

  • fredblogs on 05/01/2022 - 15:28

    Can't see how they can legally cancel your ebay plus without refund. Can you do a chargeback on your credit card?

    • AutomationGuy on 05/01/2022 - 16:20
      +1

      It is in their terms and conditions that they can if you breach certain conditions, but they won't actually tell you what they allege you to have done, so you have no recourse which definitely feels wrong. I have lodged a PayPal case.

  • DoctorCalculon on 06/01/2022 - 00:01
    -3

    Why didn't you have separate accounts for buying and selling?

  • fprjet on 06/01/2022 - 10:32
    +2

    Surely ACCC would be interested in this, especially with no refund on existing months. By law they should need to inform you the actual reason for cancelling your account otherwise they could do it to everybody ….

    • AutomationGuy on 07/01/2022 - 11:47
      +1

      I am pro-business enough to admit that yeah as a private company they can choose not to have me as a customer - that is entirely up to them.

      But the thing that gets me is not refunding the eBay Plus. In their terms and conditions it does say that breaking policies may be cause for cancellation without refund, but they haven't accused me of breaking any rules. Surely to withhold money you need to provide at least basic evidence of why they feel entitled to do so.

  • BigBirdy on 06/01/2022 - 10:36

    Thanks Josh, that’s a useful warning.

    Could it be that when you accepted the free listing on EBay thru Gumtree, that EBay could then connect your EBay and Gumtree accounts and become aware of any possible issues you may have had on Gumtree? Personally, I’m a bit hacked off with EBay over this https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/663380

    • AutomationGuy on 06/01/2022 - 16:06

      That's very interesting. I hadn't considered that. My gumtree account sees a lot more action, including helping family sell things (3 cars in the last year, plenty of car parts, plenty of stuff around the house etc) so maybe that triggered something thinking I was a business maybe?

  • OzHunterNSW on 06/01/2022 - 14:20

    Sounds to be something different than someone being too profitable, after all, your sales are their gain.

    But your description seems perplexing.

    When your AD when on ebay, it triggered a review of your entire account.

    So how can you be "profitable" if you only listed an "AD"?

    What are you NOT telling us… what are the products?

    • AutomationGuy on 06/01/2022 - 16:03

      I've explained everything in the comments, feel free to read through them if you want.

      It is odd - I am stumped myself. I can't think of a legitimate reason why they have done what they have done.

      But at the end of the day, if I hadn't tried to sell on there this series of events wouldn't have started, which was the point of my post.

  • md333 on 06/01/2022 - 15:41

    I got in trouble with the gumtree cross listing, because I responded to people asking questions, suggesting they look at the gumtree ad.
    This is against ebay rules even though they own gumtree, and promoted the free cross listing through gumtree.
    Learned my lesson, not posting stuff on both anymore.

    • AutomationGuy on 06/01/2022 - 16:07

      The whole cross-promotion thing seems fraught with opportunities to get caught out - because the listing rules are so different between the two sites.

    • TilacVIP on 06/01/2022 - 20:55

      Makes no sense, as typically, the ad from Gumtree, when cross-listed to eBay will be exactly the same, therefore if its a corss-listing, why should there be any disadvantage other than to save 30c - $1??

      Then again, eBay being the runts they are, nothing would surprise.

      • Ughhh on 08/01/2022 - 12:34

        I assume eBay wants to divert Gumtree users to eBay, hence ebay is promoted on Gumtree, but Gumtree does not seem to be promoted on eBay.

  • dutchman on 06/01/2022 - 20:56
    +1

    Ebay customer support is by far the worst on the internet.

  • TakeTheirMoney on 06/01/2022 - 21:33
    +1

    @Joshm12 I legitimately have the exact same issue and same response from ebay. Might stop those above questioning your story…

    TLDR;

    Perm suspension and refusal to pay me my sale money after not breaching any ebay policies, getting 2 bargains and making 1 sale.

    Long version:

    ebay notified me by email on 31st Dec of 2 bids cancelled (which I neither bid nor cancelled, but bought (and have received) the exact items weeks/months ago as very good deals, and then 3 mins later my account was suspended. Didn't breach any policies incl. cross-promotion. ebay refused to provide any explanation after 3 chats, email from 1 manager and further email from a bloke called Dane with no title who "'understands where I am coming from" in my complaint, but that ebay "are unable to take any further action" and "consider this matter as closed". Advises that for me to complain, their complaints contact requires posting a letter of complaint to ebay's appointed lawyers.

    1 cust service rep. advised I could recover my account by providing ID (which I had already done), but other 2 said case closed go away. I even spoke to a rep 3 days before suspension, who confirmed my account was all good with all ID's etc. provided ready for payment to my bank acc. of sold item once item was delivered and processed in ebay system.

    I wouldn't care except for the fact I just sold and shipped 1 item for around $70 revenue (sold for same price I bought it but couldn't return) and now they have advised they will not pay me for 60-72 days plus 180 days due to now being "permanently suspended". The money will then be transferred to the state and I will have to "call my local authority to receive your money". ebay advises that to do this I have to claim a return with the NSW Cheif Commissioner at the end of the financial year on the NSW Revenue website. Looks like earliest I can claim the money is 1st July 2023…

    Considering ACCC when I get time, to see if anything will happen. Might even send that letter of complaint to their lawyers for the sake of it. Anyone know of any deals on stamps?

    Also when I get time - my app seems to allow me to login and says payout on hold until account details are updated. I seriously doubt this will come to anything. You might want to take a look!

    Agreed, guessing I would be fine if not for the sale.

    • AutomationGuy on 07/01/2022 - 12:08

      Thanks for sharing! That's insane - I guess I'm lucky that the sale didn't happen! I seem to be getting a lot of hate but I think people are missing the point - eBay aren't alleging that we broke any rules. They just decide arbitrarily with no evidence or explanation that you aren't wanted and hit you with the ban hammer. If that is the field you are playing on, then the aim of the game is not to draw attention to yourself which is why I said not to sell.

      I had a few set up messages remaining in my account but I completed all of those before speaking to Chat the first time. Now my account is still there but they have removed access to all of the messages and history and everything.

      Still waiting to hear back from the PayPal case I raised - I am assuming that will take a while.

  • anthony t on 07/01/2022 - 16:31
    +1

    What op says happened, happened to me about 3 months ago. I started by updating my email address, then copy/pasted a sale listing I had on Gumtree across (not knowing Ebay had bought them) for wider coverage. I was 'welcomed' to ebay (?), pasted my listing, then the next day, they 'suspended me permanently' with no recourse. I didn't have ebay+, so sent one email with a reply from them saying only what I knew. I tried signing in anyway, but it was 'invalid', so I tried with my previous email address, and same password and it worked! But sure enough, my 'pasted listing' was gone. So…I recreated the listing completely, but a little differently. It went up, and I sold that item and another I listed a few days later. Ebay paid me, and that was that. I haven't retried my new email address, or even changing ebay's records - partly, because I couldn't be bothered, and because I have a redirect on the old one anyway. So it is the Gumtree thing. I think they 'treat' it as trying to avoid paying them their fees. Their program is wrong to do this but I don't care - after all the hassle of selling these items, the money I received was not worth the trouble - even if it had been problem-free. It's like garage sales - you feel good for doing it, but make about $3 an hour for all the work you put in.

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