eBay's inane stupidity is appalling. I am stunned that they are so successful...

[James_OldeTowne]

I checked my auctions this morning, and discovered that about half were missing .

 

So, since there is no phone support at ebay, I did the livechat thing. Here's what transpired:

 

While waiting for your chat to begin, you can start typing in your question. To help us address your questions as quickly as possible, please include your email address, eBay User ID and any other pertinent information such as item numbers, error messages, etc. (if available). We may also require your name, address and phone number for verification purposes.

Your entries will become visible to the agent once they have joined the chat. Thank you for your patience.

 

earlyus: I received the message attached below. What were the EXACT links that were in violation of ebay's policies?? I think all the links I had were appropriate.

 

earlyus: Date: Wed Mar 29 16:14:00 2006

From: <ended@ebay.com>

To: <jadecoins@excite.com>

Subject: eBay Listing Removed: Inappropriate Links (=LS &12362 JM8989505)

 

Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:14:11 PST

 

Dear earlyus,

 

We appreciate that you chose eBay to list the following listing(s):

 

8401414171 - Group of 18 tokens, mostly amusement or tax tokens

8401038524 - Who was Jack the Coin Ripper? Madman? Lunatic? Fiend?

8401422073 - POOR QUALITY counterfeit/replica of BaldwinCo CAL GOLD

8401419277 - FOUR Panamanian coins (2x 10c, 25c, 50c), 1947 - 1961

8400997282 - 1810 half, VF-35 details, rim nicks, net VF, ORIGINAL

8399888072 - FOUR Proof 1982 Washington halves, MINT PACKAGING, nice

8401080471 - 1871 IHC, VG details, grizzly bear damage (?) net AG-3

 

However, your listing was in violation of eBay's Inappropriate Links policy and has been removed from eBay.

 

earlyus: The ONLY links I ever have in my auctions are (1) enlarged images (2) me eMail for answering questions and (3) link to view all my ebay auction items.

 

earlyus: PLEASE EXPLAIN why my listings were targeted for removal.

 

Your chat session has started..

Chase: Hello, my name is Chase and thank you for using eBay live chat. As we are experiencing high volume at the moment, we appreciate your patience. I invite you to please share your feedback with me about our chat today by filling out a brief survey when we are finished. Please give me a few minutes as I review your concern.

 

Chase: I would like to express my empathy in regards to this situation, and although I am not specifically trained to assist and resolve this concern for you, I would like to connect to you with our Trust and Safety Department as they are specifically trained to ensure your satisfaction with this situation. Would you like me to provide you with the link to get in touch with them now?

 

earlyus: I don't understand. This is a "Trust and Safety" issue?? I thought it was an issue of a an "inappropriate link"?!

 

Chase: Our Trust and Safety Department is the department who is in charge of keeping the site safe, I assure you that they will be more than happy to address your concern.

 

Chase: Would you like the link to get in touch with them now?

 

earlyus: By "link", do you mean I will not be able to get help now, but will have to wait for eMail communications?

 

Chase: It means, you will have to email our Trust and Safety Department in order or address your listings.

 

earlyus: If that's the only way for me to find out what's going on, then of course that' s what I'll have to do. My experience has been that it is time consuming and painful to try and resolve eBay issues via email communications. It seems unfair that SOME of my listings can be instantly removed without warning, but others with the exact same links remain! OK, what's the link to "Trust and Safety"?

 

Chase: I understand where you are coming from, one moment please.

 

Chase: http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_b...e=Continue+>

 

Chase: On this link, please click on Email Us.

 

earlyus: Is there a phone number that I can call to initiate a live contact that will duplicate the function of sending an eMail?

 

Chase: No, ebay does not offer phone support.

 

earlyus: What about chat support for this issue?

 

Chase: Due to the indepth investigations their department offers, they handle all cocerns via email.

 

earlyus: OK, I sent the message. I have to state that it is extraordinarily frustrating and seems wholly unnecessary. I was trying to ramp up some of these minor listings because I've taken on a rather large consignment intended for ebay. The purpose of these preliminary listings was to get folks looking at my auctions again.

 

Chase: I understand

 

earlyus: These kinds of frustrations are the reason I've limited how much business I do on ebay. It's just much too time consuming to deal with all these hassles, especially when I strive to be extremely honest and to list my items with the highest possible integrity. Yet at any time, I can go on ebay and see many, many violations at any given time, not to mention the listings of fake coins, bogus "estates", and flat-out dishonest listings.

 

earlyus: Am I done? How does this conversation/livechat system conclude?

 

Chase: I understand where you are coming from.

 

Chase: If you require any further assistance, you can contact us anytime through our Live Help.

 

Chase: Thanks so much for using eBay Live Chat. It was a pleasure assisting you, and I hope you were very satisfied with my assistance. Have a wonderful day!

 

I could swear that "Chase" is a robot. I am positive he has a button or something he uses to spit out "I understand where you are coming from". Notice how often he mentions "I understand", but how little help I actually got from such a fine, upstanding and understanding nice fellow?

 

Can you feel my mounting frustration?

 

What's your take on this !@#$ ?

 

James

[James_OldeTowne]

For those of you not familiar with the infamous "live chat", here's what the screen looks like:

 

 

James

[Bruceswar]

I am familar with it. I think its a load of [embarrassing lack of self control] if you ask me..

[jtryka]

About 4 or 5 years ago I was a powerseller with eBay, selling lots of coins, primarily double eagles. Today I am lucky if I sell a dozen items in a year, it's just too time consuming and annoying. Now if I want to sell something I generally do so in private negotiated transactions, though I still buy some things on eBay when I can't find them locally.

[kryptonitecomics]

I don't typically have any issues selling on Ebay but the few times I have over the past 7 years.....it was a real pain in the butt as you are clearly illustrating now.

[MunkyMan95]

Newer to selling on eBay, I use that live chat system almost daily. I don't know why though, I hardly ever get my questions answered...

[Hoot]

There is not even the most vague resolution of your problem with "inappropriate links" in the entire chat session. I think you're right that Chase was a robot.

 

Will you pursue this with the Trust and Safety Dept.?

 

Hoot

[JamminJ]

So, since there is no phone support at ebay

 

There is if you sell enough.

[gmarguli]

James, I understand where you are coming from.

 

And JamminJ is correct. There are phone numbers for eBay and PayPal if you are one of the beautiful people*. This was from eBay just this past week:

 

 

 

*I'm not sure where they draw the line for beautiful people, but I'd guess it is $1K a month in fees.

[JamminJ]

*I'm not sure where they draw the line for beautiful people, but I'd guess it is $1K a month in fees.

 

It's good to be beautiful.

[Stanley]

ebay asked me to do a survey earlier this week and I copied and pasted the final question and saved it in my

Outlook Mail program.

 

In the servey Ebay asked…and I quote…“If you have any general comments about eBay's customer support, and how we can approve our service to you, please let us know in the space below.”

 

My response…In my opinion this survey is written more like a psychological test. In your closing question you ask how ebay can approve there service to me. The word approve was most likely meant to be improve, this sends me a signal that someone’s not paying attention and makes the whole ebay experience seem so impersonal.

[Here]

Check the currency forum across the street. Supposedly, there is a test program going on where eBay is testing a new phone help system.

 

I do have these phone nrs for eBay.

 

1-800-322-9266

 

1-888-749-3229

 

1-866-515-3229

 

 

 

Jerry

[HaydenTubbs]

 

It's good to be beautiful.

 

 

I think that I'll just stick with handsome,but it sure is nice being able to talk to a real person who can actually get something done...most of the time.

 

 

 

 

James,

[JamminJ]

 

It's good to be beautiful.

 

 

I think that I'll just stick with handsome,but it sure is nice being able to talk to a real person who can actually get something done...most of the time.

 

James,

 

[koincollector]

I hardly sell on ebay just buy and I too got the same message from them. It must be a random thing!

[James_OldeTowne]

With all due apologies if this is considered spam, I've relisted the eBay items. Now, I've made absolutely ZERO changes regarding links that were in the original listings, though I've made some superficial changes to the descriptions, though we shall see what transpires. As you know, they supposedly removed the listings due to some sort of unacceptable links. How incredibly stOOOOOOpid.

 

It would have been one thing to have the listings yanked due to alleged "offensive" language or materials, but I'm certain that any insufficiently_thoughtful_person can tell that my references to certain criminal elements are purely humorous. But we shall see.

 

Also, regarding the eBay phone numbers that some of you were kind enough to give me, all those numbers go to the same robotidiotic voicemail that basically says "go to our website to get help". It is all incredibly frustrating.

 

Wish me luck!

 

James

[Here]

What's even more incredibly frustrating to you would be people getting the new phone nrs. and you not getting them. Especially now that you have a problem.

 

 

 

Jerry

[Leothelion]

Also, regarding the eBay phone numbers that some of you were kind enough to give me, all those numbers go to the same robotidiotic voicemail that basically says "go to our website to get help". It is all incredibly frustrating.

 

James,

 

That was likely your good ole' buddy, Chase!!

 

If you thought you were interacting with a robot, why did you keep typing out questions to it? (just kidding)

 

Seriously though, I can't say I've had a better laugh in awhile! Good luck in your dilemma!

 

Leo

[jgrinz]

I might add that they did get you for two listing fees though didn't they ...

To quote a previous ... " I wonder how they are so successful " ...

 

 

Good Luck.

 

On a different note ... Ebay security has done a fine job with me in a few tansactions where my account was hiJACKED and repaired after, YES I talked to a person, and an Out of country money laudering scheme which I heard the Perp's in the UK were apprehended. Of course it took a HUGE AMERICAN BANK TO HELP THEM

 

m

[gmarguli]

I might add that they did get you for two listing fees though didn't they ...

To quote a previous ... " I wonder how they are so successful " ...

 

If eBay ends your auction, all your fees are refunded.

[MikeKing]

James, have you heard anything from ebay yet?

[braddick]

I might add that they did get you for two listing fees though didn't they ...

To quote a previous ... " I wonder how they are so successful " ...

 

If eBay ends your auction, all your fees are refunded.

But not Featured Item fees, I don't think. . .

[gmarguli]

I might add that they did get you for two listing fees though didn't they ...

To quote a previous ... " I wonder how they are so successful " ...

 

If eBay ends your auction, all your fees are refunded.

But not Featured Item fees, I don't think. . .

 

That, I'm not sure about. I've only had them end one of my listings and it was a regular listing and I know I got 100% of my fees back.

[James_OldeTowne]

Here's what's so wonderful about eBay. In the last six months, I'm sure I've received at least TEN voice mails from them asking if I'd like to participate in this or that survey, join up for some useless bonus service, whatever. But, can they call me when there's an alleged PROBLEM with my listings? Uhmm, of course not!

 

So far, well beyond the 48 hours that I'm supposed to hear back from someone other than a robot, I've heard nothing. No email, no phone call, no nice young men in clean white suits coming to take me away ha ha.

 

Guess what? The re-listings haven't been busted so far, nor have my other listings that never were busted to begin with but have THE EXACT SAME LINKS as the listings that were supposedly in violation of ebay rules!

 

To be fair, all my ebay fees were refunded, but the time wasted was not. Guess I'd better not hold my breath waiting to hear exactly why I was busted on for nonsensical reasons, huh....

 

James

[gmarguli]

Guess what? The re-listings haven't been busted so far, nor have my other listings that never were busted to begin with but have THE EXACT SAME LINKS as the listings that were supposedly in violation of ebay rules!

 

Someone has to report your auctions for violating an eBay policy. They don't have people looking for violations. Therefore, your listings won't get yanked unless someone reports them. Would you like me to report them for a links violation and see if they get yanked again?

 

BTW, relisting a yanked item before getting approval or removing the offending items can result in a suspension.

[braddick]

I was selling a PCI Concept dollar (flowing hair type) and had it listed as such. I even had Gallery Mint in the title.

 

eBay pulled the auction and gave me some type of a warning about selling counterfeits (?), but it was stern enough that I'll never sell anything like it again.

I honestly thought it was ok to do so. I've seen them sold, raw, all the time and I'd guess if I did a search right now I'd see some listed.

 

I think someone was bothered because the price was climbing on it although it started at .99 with no reserve so they reported it and eBay didn't really investigate whether it was a valid item or not.

 

Oh well.

[Here]

I hope I'm out in left field. It's starting to sound like somebody besides eBay is involved in this. At least initially.

 

 

 

Jerry

[EZ_E]

I still don't get what the issues were over?? I saw nothing misleading or inappropriate.