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Getting into Trouble with Ebay

By Art Micklewraith
Getting into Trouble with Ebay

By Art Micklewraith

Grown tired of your successful online auction business? Ready to toss it all in and head for the islands? If you're looking for new challenges, destroying your Ebay business can be as easy as violating a few simple rules.

If you listen to the many critical Ebay users getting in trouble with the auction site is fairly simple matter, just wait. Sooner or later Ebay will do something bad to your account. In the interest of those who prefer to take matters into their own hands below are a number of ways to get Ebay mad.

Probably the easiest way to run afoul of Ebay is by selling something from the long list of prohibited items. Very sensibly Ebay forbids the sell of illegal items of any kind such as drugs or pyramid schemes, live animals, fire works, and mailing lists. You aren't allowed to sell lock picks or human remains either. Don't let this list restrain you however there are literally dozens of things you aren't supposed to sell.

For the more timid Ebay has a class of items that might get you into trouble and should best be avoided. Included on the questionable list are cultural artifacts, food, tickets to just about any event, freon, and a personal favorite used airbags. There are many, many more. Of course infringing on copyrights is always a good way to attract the all seeing eye of Ebay. Selling unofficially licensed merchandise won't just get you into to trouble with Ebay it's illegal. They have in place what they call the VeRo Program to help the victims of your infringement get the offending items removed. Ebay promises quick removal of all copyright violation. Ebay is covered with warnings that nothing will get you in deep with them like counterfeit merchandise. After the first offence they just keep an eye on you but repeat offenders are shown the door.

Since it impossible for Ebay to always know when a copyright is being trod on they invite the victims to fill out a form that will lead to your punishment. Ebay does show a little simple human understanding and encourages the offended to contact the merchant, who will remove the item on his or her own.

If Ebay catches you ‘shill-bidding', that is getting friends to artificially raise the price of an auctioned item, your account will be suspended and fees assessed before you know it. Like the copyright violations ‘shill-bidding' attracts the law in some places.

Multiple listings for the same item can get your account clamped in irons as well. Ebay generously allows only ten listings for identical items. Normally one would be enough but you get ten. Having more than ten can get your listings cancelled, which you still pay for as well as get your account suspended. These are just a few suggestions. A visit to Ebay's policy page ( http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/ ) will provide a wide variety of rules and detailed explanations of how you could break them.

 

Art Mickelwraith is the author of the Wholesale Buyer's Guide at TopTenWholesale.com. He can be reached at artmicklewraith@gmail.com.