eBay Reviews

eBay Approved My Appeal, Restored My Listing Then Removed the Same Listing Again

Review

I am extremely disappointed with the inconsistent way eBay has handled several of my FedEx-related listings.

The clearest example involves a vintage FedEx work jacket. eBay initially removed the listing under its Government Items Policy.

I appealed the decision and explained that the jacket was more than 10 years old, was no longer in use, and did not resemble the current uniform the exact conditions stated in eBays published policy for qualifying vintage or collectible uniforms.

eBay reviewed my appeal, approved it, removed the action from my account, and restored the exact listing to full functionality.

Then, only a short time later, the same listing was reported again, hidden again, and subsequently rejected on another review.

That is extraordinarily frustrating. The item did not change. The photographs did not change. The jacket did not suddenly become a current uniform.

Yet eBay went from saying the listing complied with its policy to saying that FedEx-related clothing was prohibited because of the potential for impersonation.

Those two decisions appear contradictory, and nobody has adequately explained why the first review approved the exact listing while the subsequent review rejected it.

What makes the situation even more troubling is that I can currently search eBay and find numerous FedEx jackets, uniforms, hats and other FedEx-related items actively listed for sale including items similar or even identical in nature to mine. I am not asking eBay to remove other sellers merchandise. I am asking eBay to explain what standard is being applied to my listings that apparently is not being applied consistently across the marketplace.

The problem has now extended beyond the vintage jacket. A separate FedEx promotional/novelty hat not an employee uniform hat was also removed.

My appeal explaining that distinction was rejected under essentially the same broad carrier-clothing explanation.

If eBay intends to prohibit all FedEx, UPS, USPS or other carrier-branded clothing regardless of whether it is a uniform, vintage collectible or promotional merchandise, then the published policy should clearly say so and that standard should be enforced consistently.

If qualifying vintage items are permitted, as eBays published policy states, then sellers deserve to know why one qualifying item is approved one moment and prohibited shortly afterward.

Adding to the frustration, actually reaching someone who can provide a meaningful explanation has been extremely difficult.

Even a Get in touch link provided in one of eBays communications led me to an invalid page.

I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for consistency, transparency and a clear answer.

eBay should review how these reports and appeals are being handled, because having the same listing removed, approved, restored and then removed again leaves a seller with very little confidence in the fairness or predictability of the process.

My question to eBay remains simple: What written standard presently governs these items, and why was that standard applied differently to the exact same listing on two separate reviews?

It has come to my attention that eBay shows favor to buyers because it's the only way they can make money; they charge sellers a transaction fee, and if it weren't for these fees, eBay wouldn't make money. I have had an account with eBay for 21 years.

Most of those years, I purchased items, but recently I started selling. This has been a huge mistake. eBay representatives have lied to me twice, and today the agent hung up on me. I sold an item for $225.

Subsequently, I sold another item, and eBay forced me to accept a return from the buyer even though I expressly listed it as no returns accepted. The buyer said the item was not as described, but I took my case to eBay. I won the case, but eBay went behind my back and took funds from my eBay account to pay the return, then said I never paid it and took the same amount from my account the second time. Therefore, instead of making $225 minus fees, I now owe eBay money.

Either eBay does not have their algorithm set correctly, or they are scamming their sellers. Since eBay has lied and hung up on me, I have to believe I am being scammed by eBay.

Terrible customer service! I buy sell lots on this platform and have done for years.This isnt the first time I have been undoubtedly treated unfairly.I bought an item that I was informed by courier was going to be delivered late.The courier then posted a card that they had been holding my item at my local sorting office for about 14 days because the seller hadnt paid enough postage.The sorting office only holds items for 18 days so I immediately contacted seller and sent evidence with *** recomended next steps which only the seller can apply as he made the transaction and held the receipt and I had paid him the £2.75 postage fee he asked for which I know is enough to get the small item delivered to me.Seller was uncooperative and refused to do anything.I immediately then contacted an eBay agent thinking that they would be holding my transaction money until delivery was proved tracking was successful so could refund me the £3.50 so I could pay courier to release and deliver my item as seller would not enquire about the problem and this as a buyer was all I was permitted to do and was essential as time was running out before my item got sent back to the unhelpful seller.(Could this be more sinister than just an arrogant, selfish and unhelpful human being?)The eBay agent seemed very helpful and said he understood every point of my problem to get my item that is legally mine and he would start by advising the seller to do the obvious and refund the £3.50 to me to pay the courier.The next day an eBay auto message informed me that the seller had updated tracking information which wasnt going to do anything and was the same tracking number we all had from the start and told us what we already knew and in 4 or 5 days if I hadnt received the item I could ask eBay to step in.I made the agent fully aware of the importance of time due to courier would be sending item back to seller before the procedure he set up could be of any use and that I had already complained about the same thing happening to me just last year.I was left with only one legal and sensible but still not ideal for me option, which was pay the courier charge because they had held the item for 17 days and on the 18th day they would send back to seller or to *** to be destroyed.The item was delivered to me 2 days later and with linked tracking in place eBay automatically ended the dispute of seller not paying the courier enough postage which as I now have the package was due to the seller packing a small lighter in a box that was much bigger and exceeded the couriers £2.75 dimensions limit which is commonly used and and has dimensional limits that accommodate any lighter including my one sent by the seller in a massive box.The item was a well used one described as good condition which must of pushed the sellers imagination when describing his listing so at about £17 + £2.75 postage I had already paid this wasnt the best value second hand lighter ever sold on eBay and now over half a day of my time and an unnecessary fee of £3.50 is a large percentage adding what must be about a fifth to the price I was promised and that was on the invoice sent to me by ebay all paid for at my expense and neither of which my responsibility.My next immediate move was to contact an eBay agent in my opinion a customer who is now owed compensation plus the £3.50 postage fee I paid which was the sellers responsibility under eBays advertised legally binding contract.I was under no illusions an knew that any requests for compensation would of been futile but informed agent of the payment I made of £3.50 due to seller flatly refusing to pay it or even enquire about it or even reply to my messages regarding the release of my item after his refusal and that I would like the money refunded to me from the payment I made for the item and the postage of my item.This simple request was a phone call that left me on hold 4 times, involved 2 agents and more time on hold waiting for a manager which I didnt request and that I was given no explanation for and ended with one of the agents taking me off hold and telling me that a manager wont be speaking to me but repeatedly asking me who had told me to pay the postage fee to the courier.I embarked on explaining this whole story to him again where I was repeatedly interrupted with the words I am not entitled to any refund until after the fourth time I was advised by the agent that I wasnt entitled to any refund he simply terminated the call without any warning or courtesies.I am now wondering with even more of my time unnecessarily taken, the rude manner i which I have been addressed by an organisation which has profited from me for many years and my money which may be being held illegally by the giant electronic sales company ebay whether compensation is such a disillusion after all?