AuctionCUT - Auction and eBay Forum

Maverick · Contributor Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

Hi,

I request advice from anyone that has experienced the following and been reinstated.

I was selling factory sealed legitimate software purchased from one of the largest mail order companies in America. I was able to obtain incredibly low pricing on two specific products. I started marketing them, making a killing for one week, then was suspended.

The charge was illegally copying copyrighted software which I didn't do. I never even saw the actual product (other than the one I purchased for personal use), it was dropped shipped for me under a blind label with no invoice. I handle tracking and customer service.

My feedback rating was 100% for 160 auctions. After I was suspended, I noticed another person selling exactly the same product I was selling at the same price, which no one else could compete with.

I spent 18 months learning eBay, trying and failing at selling items until I finally found this product. My suspicions are that another person saw I could sell this product below wholesale, bought one, saw an identifier of who I bought from, reported me under this bogus charge, then started selling it themself. There is in fact a person on eBay that just started selling the product at the same price. No one else is able to compete at this price.

I don't know if this part is a fact, but I am appalled that I was suspended (I was selling 2 products per day average for $160 per day profit) under someones false testimony, and I wasn't even given the opportunity to defend myself. I could have cleared this entire matter up with one phone call to their customer service, which I've learned really doesn't exist.

Any positive input on how to handle this problem would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Maverick

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Mark · Site Admin Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 725

Have you been suspended indefinitely?

Maverick · Contributor Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

Indefinitely Suspended?

I have no idea. Ebay have never responded to any of my emails. I just received one email stating I was suspended. It didn't mention indefinitely. I've been waiting about a week for some kind of response to my multiple emails. I called their Customer Service and that was a joke.

Regards,
Maverick

x_love · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:47 am Post subject:

Dear friend, ebay is really unreasonable! Especially target Chinese sellers, it charges a very high final fee of 10%! My account has just been blocked for the so-called Trademark Infringement, ebay said Nokia Corp. sent them a report to ask to suspend my account! Jerk! All my Nokia housings are recolored from the original ones and most other items of mine are 100% original Nokia made! ebay's email said my account has been suspended for 7 days at least, I don't know what is the situation after 7 days, now I have prepared the documents they requested to reinstate my account.! I hope you also will reinstate your account and be ok very soo. Regards!

Maverick · Contributor Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

Sorry to hear about your problems with ebay. Ebay hasn't ever responded to my request for reinstatement. I won't be reinstated because I don't have some of the paperwork required by them and I won't give them a copy of my bank account statement.

My financial affairs are none of their business. Besides, I have personally given my feedback and they failed. I won't support a shoddy and unethical operation like theirs. I won't put my business future in the hands of crooks. They charged me for 32 auctions they cancelled for the wrong reasons and never refunded my fees. I will find an alternative to ebay. They DON"T rule the world, and will lose their grip on the marketplace if they continue to operate he way the do noe.

Regards,
Maverick

x_love · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:20 am Post subject:

Thanks! In fact I have also tried to find some other auction sites, sure now there are so many auction sites on internet, but unfortunately up to now I haven't found one suitable! In China the most famous online auction site is www.taobao.com, it is totally free, no listing fees, no registration fees, no verify fees, no picture fees, no final fees etc, totally free! When about 10 years ago, eBay had came to China for development, at that time taobao site had just established, eBay thought he can beat taobao and dominate China's online auction effortlessly, but they never understood Chinese culture and the actual situation! Finally they lost and got out from China! But taobao now is the king of the auction site in China, up to now it is totally free! I am sorry taobao now hasn't had international site, it is just in China! I also want to find a site internationly like taobao!

LEAVE-EBAY · Just Registered Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Maverick let me tell you you are definately not alone here, i had my account suspended by ebay just weeks after setting up a company to operate on ebay as my full time business, the reason for suspension?? trademark violation, like many others suspended for this reason i was innocent, i contacted ebay and tried to resolve the matter, i offerred to send examples of the goods i sell to them to prove they did not breach ebay policy, they were totally uninterested.

I advise not to bother with reinstatement i tried and five days later i was booted off again!! i didn't even list the items i was origionally suspended for listing, this time they stated that i was using ebay while suspended so will now be barred for a minimum 12 months, i didn't use ebay once during my orgional 7 day suspension. i emailed them telling them this and wrote to them, their reply was basically we don't care, ask us again in twelve months.
I have found some great alternatives to ebay and paypal and will post a link to my new website tomorrow or wednesday where you will find all the links you need so check back here in the next day or two.

Maverick · Contributor Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

I appreciate your candid information. I spent thousands of dollars setting up my ebay account, obtaining products, creating products, and building many websites in order to have access to their vast market.

I've learned the lesson you address, FORGET EBAY. I won't support a company that is apathetic to its clients. They are the paramount example of apathy and arrogance.

I tracked down their corporate office and when I asked to speak to someone in charge, they refused to talk with me and immediately transferred me to a worthless voicemail. They have never responded to any of my attempts for customer service. I don't understand why their state Attorney general permits them to operate in this manner.

I am setting up to try amazon.com auctions. It's not very impressive but may be one decent source to carry on my program. I would appreciate any suggestions as to other marketing resources I could use to replace eBay.

x_love · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:03 am Post subject:

My account has been reinstated. The only lucky factor is that all Chinese sellers must registered on eBay Hongkong, although my account was suspended by eBay US, it was Hongkong who can reinstate my account, they replied my emails very quick and gave me calls, I submited all the documents they asked and thanks godness now my account is OK! But now it is really a problem which items I can list, I don't understand which items violate the trademake policy, now I have decided to built my own website to sell my items, my company is one of the most famous cell phone entertaiment operator, we have our own website with a very high reputation in China and somewhere else, so now we have began to build the English version, I think we could be better than that on eBay!!!

FrankSmith · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:58 am Post subject:

Lesson Learned: eBay will punish you if you sell illegal products whether you know it or not. So what do you do? Clearly not sell illegal products. I am not sure how you found your drop shipper. 160 feedback at 100% is going to hurt but that's life. Try and get your account back but create a second one and watch out.

Any company that ask you pay a monthly fee to use their "drop ship" accounts are acting as middle men and eating into your profits.

Please send me a message and I'll help you find a one-or-two drop shippers for a product. In fact, anyone can send me a message for this. However, if too many people do I'll have to start charging Smile

lol, so only ask if you really need help.

Maverick · Contributor Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

FrankSmith,

I appreciate your comments, but I don't think you completely read mine. I DIDN"T sell anything against their policy. This issue isn't about getting reinstated with eBay anymore. Originally it was. As I explained above in previous postings, I sold FACTORY SEALED ORIGINAL SOFTWARE and shipped by one of the largest and most respected companies in the USA. My entire point here is there WAS NO VIOLATION OF THIER POLICY.

I DIDN'T make a mistake. They aren't the only game in town. It's true they are the biggest but they are not necessarily a workable solution or marketing source with apathetic poor customer service. Since this suspension, I've not had one response from eBay on my issue. You may consider this an acceptable way to do business, but I don't. My feedback rating to them is TOTALLY UNSATISFACTORY.

I see NO FUTURE in utilizing a service that is unstable. I have recently discovered MANY other sellers that claim to have similar experiences to mine with eBay. It makes no sense to me to develop a program at great expense in time and money, only to allow someone else to control my outcome as eBay did in this situation.

I have decided to modify my marketing program to work separate from eBay, not with them. Again, thanks for your viewpoint, but I'm done with them. I don't quite a project or give up easily when facing adversity, but there's too much at stake and clearly, to me, they have become an unworkable marketing tool. I MUST have cooperation from my vendors.

Kind regards,

Maverick

Matrix · Just Registered Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

simple you have a bigger competition selling the same item first on ebay.They claim they were there first and own stock in ebay......then your history......sad but true. Ebay wants money.

SuzukiSV · Just Registered Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

Maverick, exactly the same thing happened to a friend of mine selling DVDs. A competitor lied to Ebay that they owned the copyright and as a result, Ebay suspended her account without so much as a chance for her to present her case. Numerous calls and some paperwork straightened things out and her account was reinstated. The competitor complained again and her account was again suspended, so again, she had to jump through hoops to get her account back a second time.

The point to all this is just be persistent and present the facts to Ebay. If you're a power seller you can call a representative directly. You may also consider suing your competitor. Even if the competitor is in another state, they can be sued for tortious interference. You will need to subpoena information from Ebay and show loss of income resulting from the competitor's actions which basically amount to fraud.

Lastly, your competitor is a genuine scumbag.

Good luck!

Maverick · Contributor Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

SuzukiSV - Thanks.

I've finally been contacted by eBay after a month. They say it's be 3-4 more weeks until they can review my case.
Maverick