AuctionCut

I want to report a number of listing violations (miscategorized items) on eBay, but I do not have an account with eBay. To report listing violations, you have to sign in.

I browse categories on eBay, but I have noticed over time that it has become disorganized and messy with a lot of miscategorized items. This makes the browsing experience poor, and it doesn't make me want to buy anything on eBay.

There is one particular seller that I would like to report, but you can't report sellers (only items), and I don't have an account. Is there anyone out there with an eBay account willing to report almost 50 listings from the same seller? I can compile item numbers and links if necessary.

I wish eBay would change its policy to allow for the reporting of listing violations without having to sign in (unless its required such as image theft).

This does seem a highly suspect request.

For all we know, you could be a seller and this could be a competitor of yours.

The fact that you've registered an invalid email account when registering at the forum hardly adds to any credibility. Is there a reason you've done this anonymously?

I can't see many users helping you out on this one.

Since Mark ignored my private message, I will address his accusations here.

The reason I make this request is because I do not have an eBay account. I do not register for internet sites because of privacy reasons and a general disdain of registering for sites, and that is why I did not disclose my real e-mail address. The admin accuses me of being an eBay seller trying to get competing listings removed. If that is true, then that means I have an eBay account and I can report the miscategorized listings. But I don't, and that is why I came here to ask nicely.

Whether or not I am a competing eBay seller is irrelevant (I am not). If a listing is in violation of eBay's policies, it will be removed regardless of who reports it (competing seller or otherwise). As far as I can tell, listing violations need only be reported once to get removed. So if I am a competing seller with an eBay account, why would I come here to ask others to report the listings?

All am I trying to do is ask someone to report about 50 or so listings that are miscategorized from one seller. Thats all. If you are willing to help, unlike the admin, please reply here or send me a private message.

Hi,

Since Mark ignored my private message, I will address his accusations here.

I have not received a private message from you otherwise I would have replied. You should be able to clarify this yourself, by selecting the private messages option and any sent messages will be in the Sentbox.

The admin accuses me of being an eBay seller trying to get competing listings removed. If that is true, then that means I have an eBay account and I can report the miscategorized listings. But I don't, and that is why I came here to ask nicely.

I wouldn't say it was an accusation, more of a questioning behind the motive. We've had a few instances previously where members have come to the forum to complain about certain sellers and their products. On investigation, we've discovered the members complaining are directly competing sellers who are just trying to make their competitors look bad.

Also, one reason why users do not wish to report eBay listings themselves, is because in the past eBay customer care have been known to let slip, the member id which reported them. It's happened to me on a few occasions, when users have reported my listings. Therefore, we have a duty to question such requests when they occur.

If a listing is in violation of eBay's policies, it will be removed regardless of who reports it (competing seller or otherwise). As far as I can tell, listing violations need only be reported once to get removed.

If only it was that easy! Ebay seems to please itself in regards to which policies it polices at any time. As others on the forum will tell you, the results you achieve when using eBay customer care mainly depend on what mood customer care is in on that day!

I think a more serious violation, such as Fraud, copying descriptions and images, selling prohibited items, etc would have had a more active response. Miscategorised items, while annoying most people won't go out their way to help.

Having said that, if anyone wants more details they can contact you via PM or by replying.

My apologies to the admin; he probably didn't see or received my private message.

It would seem eBay doesn't place a high priority on removing or correcting listing violations, especially low-level violations. The usual cut-and-paste responses I get from eBay and the generally unorganized listings I see on eBay attest to this. This of course makes me less inclined to buy on eBay.

My thanks to the admin for the explaination. If anyone out there is willing to report some violations for me, just respond here or send a private message.

I report things all the time, some get removed, some don't.
Actually I listed a bulk entry of items, some with correct listings, and one incorrect listing, and they only removed the "incorrect" listing. So honestly, they do have people looking over things, and doing their job.

As for someone helping you, and I having no affiliation with the admin here, also find it also suspicious that you cannot do it yourself. Registration only takes what like 3-5 minutes? And you could simply then report them yourself, and do a proper job of it also. Your the one who found them, and knows the most information about them, therefore you should be the one responsible enough to report these listings.

Again, I do not like to register with sites; I try to avoid this if possible for privacy reasons. Since I doubt I will ever buy anything on eBay, there is no reason for me to register. In addition, I do not want to give eBay my credit card and I do not necessarily agree to the terms and conditions of registering on eBay.

Exactly what is suspicious here? What harm will be done if you report some listing violations that I point out? The admin thought I was a competing seller, but as you can read above, that is irrelevant (and I am not).

Visitor wrote:Again, I do not like to register with sites; I try to avoid this if possible for privacy reasons.

You ask how is anything suspicious, read the above line... What privacy do you have to hide? Why are you any different than hundreds of thousands of people who browse the internet? You realize by simply browsing a website, your ip address is logged, and that can be traced to your ISP, who has you on record, you give out information just by looking at a web page.

Visitor wrote:Since I doubt I will ever buy anything on eBay, there is no reason for me to register.

eBay is an online auction web site, people go on there to buy/sell items, why else would you be on the website?

Visitor wrote:What harm will be done if you report some listing violations that I point out? The admin thought I was a competing seller, but as you can read above, that is irrelevant (and I am not).

Then what harm is the listing doing you if you are not a competing seller, or a buyer?

Perhaps privacy is not important to you, but is to me and many others. I do not give out information about myself online unless really necessary. If you hadn't realized, when you register with eBay you have to give your name, physical address, e-mail address, phone number, and credit card number (real information, not fake). You do not have to give these kinds of information when you basically browse the Internet. That's the difference. In addition, your IP address that is logged when browsing sites does not automatically give the site more specific information about you.

There are people who just browse eBay to look instead of buy or sell (to get pricing information for example).

There is no harm to me as a browser with all those miscatergorized listings. I only want to report them because they are so out of place and very annoying. I just want the seller to understand this is against the rules.

This is the weirdest request I have ever heard. I think it is rather absurd for a non Ebayer to ask someone else to do his dirty work for him. In the first place perhaps people are not as adamant about the postings as you are. Secondly if you feel so strongly then you would register and do it yourself. Sounds to me you don't want to stick your neck out but are asking others to stick out theirs for you.

In my dealing with Ebay I have come to the conclusion that they really don't care. As long as they are collecting revenues from sellers they are in no hurry to rock the cash cow boat. This is just my opinion.

Topic Locked as original posters account, has been deleted at his/her own request.