MC018 eBay Listing Removed: Search and Browse Manipulation
That was the subject line of an email I received last night from eBay.
the email advised me that eBay had taken it upon itself to terminate one on my auctions because I used the two-word phrase “Like New” in my headline.
It went on to say…
“Sellers are not permitted to include any information that does not describe or is not directly relevant to the item being sold within a listing. Any information included within a listing that may misrepresent the terms of sale is also not permitted.“
Apparently I was foolish enough to think that the term “Like New” actually described, and was therefore relevant to, a set of books I was selling that appeared as though they had just come off the shelf at Barnes & Nobles.
eBay’s thinking in not allowing me to use the term “Like New” in my headline is that I am misleading buyers who are searching for a “New” set of these books. Their logic is that some poor sap will be drawn into my web of deceit and, realizing that I’m out to mislead and/or defraud them, never again return to eBay to make a purchase.
Realizing that trying to logically discuss something with an entity that more and more is demonstrating it has a collective IQ of somewhere in the 30 to 40 range, I simply removed the offensive two-word phrase from my headline and re-listed the item.
However, on the off chance that anyone from eBay might ever read this post I do have a few questions that I’d be interested in hearing eBay’s response to.
1. If eBay doesn’t believe the phrase “Like New” should be use to accurately describe, or is relevant to, a book or set of books, why is that the phrase “Like New” is now one of the terms eBay now insists sellers use to describe a books condition in their Item Specifics?
2. Is there an intelligent human being possessing a smattering of common sense that actually reviews offending listings, or are they just automatically terminated by minimum-wage drones?
3. If I chose to, I could list a Ford Mustang, a piece of Mustang survival gear, an aftermarket Mustang seat for a Harley Davidson, a piece of Mustang heavy construction equipment, a Mustang dynometer, or a Cessna Mustang aircraft on eBay. Maybe even a horse. Using eBay’s line of reasoning, which one of those is it okay to use the word “Mustang” in my headline for and which one’s would just send hoards of disillusioned buyers away from eBay forever? Don’t you think you should give buyers credit for having just a little bit of intelligence and common sense?
4. Can I get you to change my seller ID from “paperpleasures46″ to “thekeywordterrorist”?
Photograph by David Neubert.
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September 17th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Reminds me of the eBay seller who had all his listing canceled for having “Next day delivery” in the title. Apparently it was keyword spamming for “Next“, a UK fashion retailer!
September 17th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Moronic. If they’re that concerned why don’t they just automatically run searches for “new” as “new -like”? They could even ask the searcher if he meant “like new” and provide that as an alternate option.
But hey, if it makes you feel better I had magazines with references to “cash” ended back when they banned cash payments. This, for example, ended an auction with a note of a Johnny Cash article inside.
Annoying.
Thanks,Cliff
September 18th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Hello, it happened to me a few months ago. Some people are using LK New, I don’t know if those listing are being pulled; maybe so since there are only 84 listing with ‘lk new’ right now.
Thanks for a GREAT blog!
Jean
See what others are watching on eBay.
http://theauctionsmostwatched.com
September 18th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Agree that their decision makes no sense, unless we look at it differently.
Just suppose that eBay is really smart as a cat, and this is their way of getting exposure.
They shut down an auction of a well known seller, which will tick him off. Seller makes blog posting berating eBay for stupidity. Folk who read post can not believe and go to eBay to see if they can “get away with it.”
In any case eBay gets free exposure and more business and makes more money.
Oh, you had to pay for the second listing didn’t you. More money in their pockets.
Based on the changes made, Best Buy etc., eBay has told us that they do not really want the small business operator or auctions, cause they make more money from the big boys.
It really is sad. Innovation and creativity are being kicked to the curb, in the name of corporate greed. Just like the housing-banking mess.
October 18th, 2008 at 12:02 am
This happens often..eBay cancels those auctions that describes about the products
http://www.sellerwise.net
February 21st, 2009 at 1:40 am
Ive received a total of 10 MC018 removal notices for the same single auction(4 notices in 3 days each containing the same repeated auction number 1 to 4 times), any insight as to why this would happen?
Kinda concerned, is someone repeat reporting the same ended auction, how many removals before they consider suspension.
Wierd never seen this before,
Thanks
May 20th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
I just had an item removed, not sure why, so I called ebay.
After being transferred to the team who removed ads I was informed that only one company can be mentioned when selling an item. So my gift card for Old Navy & Gap cannot be listed as such, I must choose either The Gap or Old Navy, even though the card works at both, I am in violation of search and browse manipulation.
While being scolded I realize there is nothing that states anything like this in the policy, I point this out and the ebay rep tells me this is an internal policy that I cannot see.
I ask if its possible to have this violation removed due to the fact this is an unwritten rule, she tells me that it’s written on their end so no, this violation will stay on my account. She assured me they will be updating the policies soon and this update should be in there.
This is the biggest pile of crap I have ever heard of.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am
eBay Listing Removed: Search and Browse Manipulation
Give me a break. There are some 15 thousand plus listings with “like new” in the title and some 5 million 800 thousand plus listing that include “like new” in the description. Surely you must be kidding. Don’t you think that there might have been some more appropriate way to have addressed what you believe is an issue. Quite frankly, what is the issue with “like New” it is an objective description. Where are you coming from with this?
I got some automated message and didn’t even get answered about my listing expense. How are you going to compensate me for my lost sale, and time to list this?
I do not appreciate the manner in which you handled this and given the effort you have put into the act, the same or similar action could have been taken that would have been less offensive to your “selling partner.”
Since you are the only game in town I guess your monopoly gives you the ability to behave in such a manner. Who does holds you accountable? The terms monopoly and antitrust don’t even ping back, so what is your selling partner supposed to do here? I can see that other than some weekend and evening garage sale effort, that I have not made a solid business decision. I am just glad this surfaces now, before I am really committed to the endeavor.
September 15th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I agree ebay is the devil. The thing that really pisses me off is how ebay holds payments for people with feedback under 100.
I listed several $1 consulting listings and had my friends buy them and give me feeback since my feedback number is 93. Ebay found them quickly and ended them.