Our Beloved Friend Ebay

[LumpenDoodle2]

Finally did it, I left ebay selling yesterday.   Well, it could be better described as constructive dismissal by ebay (with a little goading from me).

i've been selling my leather items on ebay, for about 1 1/2-2 years now (doesn't time fly), and I also have a webshop.   Of course, because ebay just potters away, and sales were regular, I've never really pushed my shop regarding sales.   It's been busy, but  more by luck, than by my effort.

A couple of days ago, ebay pulled 6 of my listings.   Apparently,  I was breaking some ebay policy.   So, a few phone calls to ebay, and agreement from all that ebay policy did not make sense, I relisted them.   They were pulled another 3 times, with the final ebay policy infringement from me being.......   firearms......

Some of my listings include pictures of holsters containing children's toy guns.    These toys were bought from ebay, for the express purpose of displaying in the holsters.

So, I can look at a picture of a child's toy gun on ebay,  I can purchase a toy gun on ebay, but I cannot display a toy gun in a holster on ebay.    

Work that one out Ted.

I contacted the ebay ceo UK, who is as much use as a chocolate fireguard.     I then contacted ebay ceo US, after waiting without reply, or even aknowledgement from UK ceo, after sending him three emails.

I decided,  'buggrit!!', I've had enough.   Time to leave ebay, and concentrate on my own shop, so I relisted everything again, with no changes but one.  I took a leaf out of grannie Weatherwax's book, "If you're going to break the rules, break them good and hard!".    I added the statement that ebay policy was just silly, and hidebound, and that they were basically forcing me to leave ebay as I refuse to jump through their silly hoops.   Hoops which took them almost 2 years to apply.   Oh, and I added my shop web address (right little rebel that I am).

Of course, they pulled the listings (12 this time), citing firearms and other policy violations, and finally, the ebay UK ceo rep got in touch, to tell me they were restricting my account for 7 days.

I then had the pleasure of telling them "too late, I've pulled ALL my listings, and I will not sell on ebay again".    

Shame, I've been a loyal little soldier selling stuff since 2005, with only 1 negative feedback in that time, and that was from a weirdy person, who made no sense.

Last night, I started contacting my customers about the situation, to assure them their orders through ebay were safe, and have received 1/2 dozen replies so far, with nothing but support, and encouragement from them (bless their little cotton socks).

just to add, infringing on ebay policy didn't stop ebay from taking this months hefty amount of fees from my account, just before trying to restrict my account.  Wazzacks!!!!!

[WoodysWorkshop]

I buy on Ebay on occasion, but not that often. Only when I bid what I think a Vintage Model Rocket is worth to me and if no one out bids me, good for me. I have no fees to pay.

But as for you, it is a GD shame they did that to you. They make way too much money off of people anyways!

You might want to look into an Amazon Account, though I know nothing about Amazon or their fee system.

I do wish all the best in your business.

As a side note: It is against Ebay policy to sell pyrotechnics of any kind, including Black Powder model rocket engines. AND, you have to have a license to ship them...legally.

But more and more I see these offered on Ebay, and they sell, and people are getting away with it.

Honestly, I would like to see what would happen if just before a holiday, EVERYONE would pull all their listings on Ebay for 3 days in contention of the outrageous fees they charge.

But that's just me. The White Collars at Ebay probably would be warring Brown Under Panties by the 3rd Day!

[LumpenDoodle2]

Come the revolution.........first up against the wall.

And my wall gets longer every day.

I am having a little wander around Amazon just now.   I think I signed up for an Amazon account ages ago, but never did anything with it.

[Mark842]

Amazon is much better in my opinion. I sell on both venues but they are two different animals. People shopping on ebay think they are shopping at a yard sale and expect discount pricing. People shopping on Amazon expect new product from a professional business.

eBay drives me nuts with there constant rule and policy changes. They can't leave shit alone for 2 days without me having to go in and update a couple hundred listings. Just happened again today with new security protocol crap...

Amazon has very strict rules also. they don't give warnings like ebay. You violate them and your account is shut down until you can convince them your ready to make changes. Make sure you understand their policies on what is a new product or an existing product in their catalog. This screws most new sellers right off when they are coming from eBay. If your looking to sell Holsters that you are making and you search their catalog, find holsters and click on "sell similar" and proceed you will be screwing up. You will be listing your holster under the UPC or EAC code of whatever Holster you selected. Obvioulsy you are not part of that company so that code can not possibly be yours. The system will allow you to do this. Then the original seller that owns that product will report and your short and illustrious Amazon career will be done. Long story short...if your making your own products you have to have your own UPC's for every product you list.

Where do you get them? Go back to your favorite venue, eBay. you can buy 1000 of them for about $2.

[LumpenDoodle2]

Upc - unique product code?   

So much to learn, so little time.

Many thanks, I shall google.

[480volt]

2 hours ago, LumpenDoodle2 said:

And my wall gets longer every day.

Arya has a little list....

[mikesc]

The UPC s that you can buy on ebay ( and elsewhere ) for a couple of dollars for a few hundred are those that were issued to others ( and not yet used ) and are surplus to them so they sell them, some people/businesses pay for a block ( smallest block is about 200,000 ) and then sell them off in smaller lots ( like wholesale to retail )..you can think of these lots as "generic", they will not have been issued specifically to you or your company.
If you are selling an item in red and blue and yellow etc, you need one code per colour and the same for each size of item..But one code covers a size 38 in red of any specific widget, you don't need a separate code for every size 38 red widget type #123456 that you sell.
If you buy a block ( smallest block that you can buy is 200,000 codes, and depending on which issuing authority you purchase from you may have to buy a larger number in each block, AFAICR )..Buying a block means that anyone reading the code can see that it was issued to you or your company, can help fight fake goods a little, depends if you need that kind of protection, last time I bought blocks ( a couple of years or so ago now ) I think I paid around €250.00 ( inc VAT ) per 200,000..prices have probably risen since then.
More about them, EAN/UPC here
https://www.gs1.org/barcodes/ean-upc

Bear in mind with Amazon that depending on how successful what you sell is, upon seeing your success ( they control the shopping cart ) Amazon frequently then either contact your suppliers ( if you are selling 3rd party goods and appear to be doing volume and making loads of money ) and make them an offer to buy the same direct, thus cutting you out of the loop..Tends to happen more with the stuff that , sellers "warehouse" with Amazon, and is then sent from Amazon directly to the end customer.

Much less of a problem with "bespoke" small production runs from "craft workers", but, Amazon are not above making enquiries in Asia with short run manufacturers about making things directly for them that they see sellers doing very well with.I know some leather OEM goods manufacturers in Asia who also work for Amazon, they were contacted with "how much to make "this" item in runs of 500 ?" type approaches..Not all stuff that is sold as coming direct from Amazon bears an Amazon label, and you'd be hard pressed to compete with a company that can source "widgets" in Asia and that also knows how many "widgets" you sell per day, and exactly when you sell them and what the buyers have looked at before hand and where their mouse hovered and for how long on each page..

Advice would be to only put a few items onto Amazon ( or any platform ) just enough to get some lookers ( with maybe a few orders) , but use it to drive "pre-qualified" ( interested in what you are selling ) visitors to your site(s). The "driving" must be done with subtlety , so as not to fall foul of Amazon's TOS.

Where Amazon is ( ATM ) particularly useful, is that along with pinterest, Google has been in love with them both for a few years now ( although in the light of Google's tie-up with Walmart in the USA, and Bing's tie-up with Amazon this may change )..Google "boost" Amazon and pinterest in their results ( they say they don't, but "if it walks like a duck..." etc ), an attractive listing on Amazon, or an attractive page on pinterest gets you high placings in Google SERPs..and you don't have to be paying into their adwords scam ( what else does one call a system where 80% of all clicks are by bots ) to be visible on page one.

Edited September 1, 2017 by mikesc

[WoodysWorkshop]

What is with the spool of cable??? I'm confused....

[LumpenDoodle2]

I believe it is steel towing type cable.   

As to confusion, that is my default position nowadays.

[Mark842]

9 hours ago, mikesc said:

Advice would be to only put a few items onto Amazon ( or any platform ) just enough to get some lookers ( with maybe a few orders) , but use it to drive "pre-qualified" ( interested in what you are selling ) visitors to your site(s). The "driving" must be done with subtlety , so as not to fall foul of Amazon's TOS.

9 hours ago, mikesc said:

 

Good luck with that since it is against policy to have anything mentioning your website name or email address anywhere in your listings or correspondence using their messages. A simple look in the seller help forums at all the people that are crying daily about having their account blocked for doing so. About the only thing you can do towards this is I put a business card in every package I ship from eBay and Amazon sales after someone has made a purchase. I have found that 90 % of my repeat customers will then shop directly from us and they also recommend us by website to their friends.

Also if LumdenDoodle2 is manufacturing her own stuff she doesn't have to worry about Amazon trying to pull and end around run to her supplier.

I do extremely well on Amazon. Far better than I do on eBay and frankly Amazon is easier to deal with as far as listing.  A leather craftsman can do well on there, just follow the rules!