I just want to share my recent experience with ebay and to se eif anybody had any opinions or ways to help me out:
One months ago I listed several autographed items that I own. A few day later Ebay ends them saying they violate their autograph policy and if I want to list them again I would have to get them authenticated by one of their 4 companies they have approves. At first i did not want the expense of the authentication, which could cost over $100 each, but I soon realized youy get your money back and some if it has been authenticated by one of ebay's 4. SO I send my items to GAI after careful research to decide who I felt was best for the job. ALl my items passed and were sent back to me.
I sold the items on ebay last week (NOT ALL OF THEM JUST A COUPLE, LUCKILY EVERYONE PAID W/O ANY ISSUES) Yesterday I got an email from ebay stating they ended my auctions for the exact same reason they ended them last time. I thought it was a mistake, obviously they did not realize I had gotten the items authenticated by one of their four approved authentication companies. I continued to read the email, and this time it stated, in order to list these items I must use one of their approved authenticators from their list on their website. (except GAI).
No explanation why I can't use GAI? If you search ebay's help topics it styates that GAI is one of their four companies that works with their Trust and Safety and is one of their four you may list as a pre certified item.
SO I just spent $6000.00 on authentication services by one of the four companies ebay said I had to use and now they are saying, I must use one of the other three companies and spend another $6000.00 or I can't use their site.
How can one email form them tell you to do something. Then after yopu comply, they say , you know what we changed our minds, do this instead.
I copied the emails below in case anyone wanted to see for themselves.
Thanks everybody for all the great information. If I find anything useful to share with this great forum I will do so.
FIRST EMAIL I RECEIVED LAST MONTH
As you may know, eBay has instituted a policy to address concerns from the eBay Community over the potential sale of forged autographs and, as part of this policy, eBay has established a relationship with two independent autograph authentication companies. These companies offer services to buyers and sellers in an effort to educate users about autographs, and also to identify autographs that may be inconsistent with known exemplars from particular sports or entertainment celebrities.
eBay's Autographed Items policy can be viewed at:
eBay: Redirect
Your listing(s) have been evaluated by at least one of the independent authenticators described in this policy and they have determined that there are inconsistencies with these signature(s).
Please understand that this limited online evaluation is not a determination that the item is forged, nor that you have done anything improper, however; due to the inconsistencies identified by the authenticator, eBay has elected to exercise our option as outlined in the User Agreement to remove the listing and refund all fees associated with it.
We understand that you may be disappointed with this decision and that the item you have listed may have been accurately represented, however; eBay believes that buyers and sellers alike benefit by a program that has some independent online evaluation of autographed items.
Furthermore, eBay has created a policy that gives sellers in your position a limited appeal mechanism.
eBay will allow you to relist the item if it has been authenticated by one of the companies represented in the following link:
eBay Help : Community Standards : Authentication & Grading: Overview
Should one of these companies find that this item is authentic then you may relist it (unfortunately, opinions from autograph authenticators other than the companies represented in this link will not be accepted to appeal this action).
Finally, to prevent this issue in the future, I suggest utilizing one of the independent authenticators promoted on eBay to pre-authenticate autographs before listing, thus giving you and buyers confidence in the item. Of course, you may also choose to use other reputable authenticators for such pre-listing reviews, although their decisions may ultimately be re-examined by one of eBay's approved authentication companies.
We appreciate your cooperation with eBay in its endeavors to create a positive, well informed marketplace for autographed items.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Customer Support (Trust and Safety Department)
2ND EMAIL I RECEIVED YESTERDAY: I HIGHLIGHTED THE CHANGE IN BOLD TYPE:
As you may know, eBay has instituted a policy to address concerns from the eBay Community over the potential sale of forged autographs and, as part of this policy, eBay has established a relationship with two independent autograph authentication companies. These companies offer services to buyers and sellers in an effort to educate users about autographs, and also to identify autographs that may be inconsistent with known exemplars from particular sports or entertainment celebrities.
eBay's Autographed Items policy can be viewed at:
eBay: Redirect
Your listing(s) have been evaluated by at least one of the independent authenticators described in this policy and they have determined that there are inconsistencies with these signature(s).
Please understand that this limited online evaluation is not a determination that the item is forged, nor that you have done anything improper, however; due to the inconsistencies identified by the authenticator, eBay has elected to exercise our option as outlined in the User Agreement to remove the listing and refund all fees associated with it.
We understand that you may be disappointed with this decision and that the item you have listed may have been accurately represented, however; eBay believes that buyers and sellers alike benefit by a program that has some independent online evaluation of autographed items.
Furthermore, eBay has created a policy that gives sellers in your position a limited appeal mechanism.
eBay will allow you to relist the item if it has been authenticated by one of the companies represented in the following link (in this case, excluding GAI):
eBay Help : Community Standards : Authentication & Grading: Overview
Should one of these companies find that this item is authentic then you may relist it (unfortunately, opinions from autograph authenticators other than the companies represented in this link will not be accepted to appeal this action).
Finally, to prevent this issue in the future, I suggest utilizing one of the independent authenticators promoted on eBay to pre-authenticate autographs before listing, thus giving you and buyers confidence in the item. Of course, you may also choose to use other reputable authenticators for such pre-listing reviews, although their decisions may ultimately be re-examined by one of eBay's approved authentication companies.
We appreciate your cooperation with eBay in its endeavors to create a positive, well informed marketplace for autographed items.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Customer Support (Trust and Safety Department)
