eBay/Craigslist Banned From Ebay???

TheSmartFarmer · Sep 29, 2005

Guess what! I got a phone call today saying that someone turned 2 of my listings in as being against policy? I asked the gentleman what policy that was and it was that I had a phrase that could be linked to an outside source (www_TheSmartFarmer_dot_com) which they had decided to make illegal at the beginning of this week. I really did not understand how that could be illegal as it is not a direct link to the site but you know eBay they can not loose a dime. SO anyways I go on about my business and at about 6 pm this evening they call again and say that I am banned for at least one week from eBay /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I simply asked the guy why I would be banned and he told me that there have been eBay member that have consistently been bidding on my auctions and then he accused me of being those people :1336: That is so far away from the truth that I do not even know what to say back to him!! So he hangs up and I sit and think about it for a while and call back, I asked him what items these eBay members had been bidding on? He tells me the item number and it is one that did not even reach the reserve :fing20: Anyways to make a really long drawn out story I am banned from eBay for 7 days. Can you believe that??? I have never heard of such BS.

PineRidge · Sep 29, 2005

Ebay takes shill bidding pretty seriously at their site. If you were accused of shill bidding and lost your privileges as a result I might suggest contacting one of their senior managers to explain your position better.

Ebay also claims to have the technology in place to substantiate shill bidding. I don't know if that is the case or not.

JayC · Sep 29, 2005

What's shill bidding? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

PineRidge · Sep 29, 2005

Shill bidding is placing a bid on an item that you or a friend is selling to artificially inflate the bidding activity and thereby jack-up the end price.

JayC · Sep 29, 2005

Got it. Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I rarely ever visit eBay. I only bought one thing off there back in 1999. Probably won't buy anything else off there. I just don't trust it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Soundguy · Sep 29, 2005

The term 'shill' isn't limited to ebay.. It's a long time 'auction' term... you refer to the actual fake or 'straw' bidder as the 'shill'.

Soundguy

BillG_in_TX · Sep 30, 2005

Having an internet address in the body of the auction didn't seem to stop this auction.
Or maybe they just haven't noticed it yet? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Gatorboy · Sep 30, 2005

( Having an internet address in the body of the auction didn't seem to stop this auction. ) 

There is no policy against putting a web address in an auction -- especially if it's the SELLER's website. Now, if you are trying to get eBay visitors to visit your website to SELL something, avoiding selling it through eBay, bypassing their fees -- well, that's a no-no. You can't use eBay as a portal to your own online store.

There is more to this story -- we've only heard one side. Bidding up your own, or a friend's auction is downright ROBBERY.

MrSteve · Sep 30, 2005

( Having an internet address in the body of the auction didn't seem to stop this auction.
Or maybe they just haven't noticed it yet? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )

LOL why would they, what would be their cut on a 3.9 mil sell...