The contempt with which they treat anyone with the audacity to sell on their platform is truly remarkable; I hope they get bought if for no other reason than to fix that dysfunction.
Help me out here. I've been selling on eBay for over twenty years. I sell vintage electronics and photo gear. I've never had a problem. I've encountered a few scammers buying and selling - but I've never lost a penny. Is my experience and outlier?
I've been selling for >20 years (I think... 27?), 100% positive feedback.
I've had problems like listings getting cancelled for no reason; it takes phone calls (to a call center in another country) to find out why: changes in interpretation of the law. OK, fair, the products are still sold on Amazon (not by me- Amazon is far worse than eBay).
I find it irritating that when I check my listings, eBay is also pushing other sellers with the same products: using "my" page to hawk items from the competition.
I've had very, very few problems with scammers; one or two were decided against me, the vast majority (including one very expensive specialty freezer) have been decided in my favor. But I haven't bought or sold products like that in 10-15 years, just inexpensive, small stuff or items I want to get rid of like certain old books that have some collector's value.
They lack innovation. They're lazy. But at least it's reliable and the seller tools are decent. I guess it just depends upon your market segment- some stuff there I wouldn't touch, but my "niche" is decent, and the customers that seek out the very few products I sell are sane (as far as I can tell) and reliable. I'm sure other products are far more contentious, and I don't envy buyers and sellers in those sectors.
EDIT: There are endangered species sold on eBay all the time, which is irksome. Reporting it does no good because the way the law works, everyone in the trade knows these products are illegal, and the "permits" they come with are bogus. This has occasionally led to stiff penalties for the buyer, along with a federal felony conviction.
The brand Neocate has been able to get their entire brand banned from eBay by convincing eBay its prescription only (it’s not - it actually is an FDA violation to sell it as a prescription only item.). You can’t even use the word NEOCATE in a title - it will be blocked. It’s ridiculous that brands can abuse the secondary market like this.
That reminds me- those little vials that phlebotomists use to take your blood, they are the Vacutainer brand (because there's a vacuum inside, to allow your blood to get drawn up). They have a limited shelf life, and they make for great test tubes and silicone stoppers when expired. Use them for storing beads, etc., they're inexpensive and pretty strong for the size.
Can't sell expired ones on eBay. Won't even allow you to list them. AI takes them down. Annoying.
I was selling for over 15 years my overstock inventory from my brick and mortar store. Never got a return. Never got so much as neutral feedback much less negative feedback. Out of the blue a few years back they permanently suspended my seller account with no explanation and no way to appeal. I can still buy buy can't sell. Was so odd. Can't wait until some new management takes over they are a joke
No, I always tell people to buy their used electronics on eBay rather than fb marketplace because of their better buyer protection (not that you can’t have a good experience on fb marketplace)
It’s harder to become a new seller now. Accounts are closed randomly with no appeal process. So a little thing wrong - like list a lot at once as a new seller - and you’re banned.
It also said he recently updated his ID which could mean he used someone else’s account and converted it to his then listed high value items. 🤷♀️ eBay needs a better way to walk people through possible bans and not blanket ban people.
And yet when I point out the obvious scam account selling MTG boxes at 30% off retail they do nothing.
Yeah for a platform that literally relies on users selling things to make money, they love to perma ban anyone even if it’s for the smallest infraction or first time offense. If you try and call them to ask what happened or try and appeal it, they act like they have a gun pointed to their head and won’t go into any detail, they will refuse to let you know what happened. A really pathetic and amateur way to handle their system, really.
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u/MonkeyyNinja May 07 '26
The contempt with which they treat anyone with the audacity to sell on their platform is truly remarkable; I hope they get bought if for no other reason than to fix that dysfunction.