I just lost a years-old eBay account...

elmo · #23 05-11-2015

Could it have been a competitor actively seeking to get you closed through eBay? Were you getting listings flagged/reported for various reasons?

I don't think it would have been closed for various stealth reasons, as it sounds like you know what you're doing. I've consistently moved a lot more in sales through multiple accounts monthly so I don't think its a revenue issue.

This ones quite interesting

GhostOfAmazon · #24 05-11-2015

Jeff,

Anxiously awaiting an update on your situation. Very interested to hear what eBay had to say.

jeffweico · #25 05-11-2015

I called and the rep told me she had no idea what was going on and would have to have someone return my call. They didn't get back to me today, but to be fair, I DID call in the very late afternoon. So, we will see if they call me back tomorrow.

nobody999 · #26 05-25-2015

any update?

jeffweico · #27 06-17-2015

They never got back to me. Today, I decided to call in again and see what I could find out. The eBay rep was just NASTY about it and started reading from their script about eBay reserving the right, etc. etc. I'm letting it go. Even if I managed to save the account at this point, it's days would be numbered. I have already started creating new listings across 5 new stealths.

GhostOfAmazon · #28 06-17-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

They never got back to me. Today, I decided to call in again and see what I could find out. The eBay rep was just NASTY about it and started reading from their script about eBay reserving the right, etc. etc. I'm letting it go. Even if I managed to save the account at this point, it's days would be numbered. I have already started creating new listings across 5 new stealths.

Sorry to hear that Jeff....RIP Jeff's old eBay Account.

Still interested to know WHY they shut it down....but we'll never know. Oh well.

nickh04 · #29 06-17-2015

That's a bummer man. I would try calling one last time right before they close (9pm PT i think). I've had luck calling around this time because the rep is anxious to get off work and they just let stuff slide. Worth a shot

jeffweico · #30 06-17-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickh04

That's a bummer man. I would try calling one last time right before they close (9pm PT i think). I've had luck calling around this time because the rep is anxious to get off work and they just let stuff slide. Worth a shot

That IS an interesting theory and it DOES make sense.

GhostOfAmazon · #31 06-17-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

That IS an interesting theory and it DOES make sense.

Not trying to piggy-back, but yes, he's right....

eBays call center closes at 10PM Central (California) time, or 1 AM EST. Reps ARE generally nicer, and it's worth a shot.

Off-topic a bit, but whatever happened to your 5 year old book selling account that was shut-down in November? Did you get it back?

vogeltron · #32 06-18-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

They never got back to me. Today, I decided to call in again and see what I could find out. The eBay rep was just NASTY about it and started reading from their script about eBay reserving the right, etc. etc. I'm letting it go. Even if I managed to save the account at this point, it's days would be numbered. I have already started creating new listings across 5 new stealths.

You need to ask to speak to the seller venting department. Ask specifically to speak with the individual who decided to pull your account and the exact rationale. I would be very firm and be very persistent and account with 10,000 feedback and an Anchor store should have some weight with them. "Seller Venting Department" make sure to ask for that! Be absolutely demanding asking to speak to a supervisor, etc.

sergfro · #33 06-19-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

It was the strangest thing... Back in the day when I sold branded stuff, I would get these all the time. I always tried to send receipts, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't work.

But this account was not selling anything branded, copyrighted or high-risk. I got an MC011 notice asking for receipts for 2 items. My account was not shut down, but the 2 items were removed. When I looked at them, they looked like I ended them early.

I wasn't too worried, I thought eBay was just trying to make sure I had the items in stock and was not drop-shipping or anything. I thought for sure the account would be just fine.

Then, about 3 hours later, before I could even send the invoices, I get the "Indefinite Restriction" email. The account is open and I can still buy, but I cannot list any items and they removed the items I had listed on that account. There were 5,400 of them. I had an anchor store and everything. I was really trying to build that account as I have had it for years with no problems, except for the occasional kooky buyer. My refund rate was less than 1/2 of 1%. You would have to scroll down several pages to find a negative feedback (99.8% positive).

For months, I have kept telling myself that I needed to get rid of the listings that were not selling. Some have been up for 2 years without a single sale. But I got busy and that is not exactly a chore I like doing anyway, so it was low on my priority list.

The things that upset me about it was that it is my oldest stealth account, I put a lot of time and work into making all of those listings (these were not books or media items, so it was not like I just uploaded a spreadsheet of UPC codes or ISBN numbers), it was doing well gross-sales wise (I was improving the net), and I thought that since it had survived for so long, I could push it past the $5k per month mark.

I think that is where I made my mistake. At $5k, it probably went into risk management/underwriting and someone at eBay didn't like something they saw. I have no idea what that would be, but I'm sure it was SOMETHING. There is no way I am going through all of the listings to try to pinpoint what it was. Besides, it could be something other than the listings they didn't like. Maybe they tried to run a credit check on my stealth user. Maybe they just didn't like my stealth name. Who knows?

I shared to vent, but also to let people know how important it is to have more than one account. And also to put it out there that you may want to think twice before allowing a stealth account to go over $5,000 in monthly sales.

The attached PayPal account is fine and I don't think it will die. So, I could always use it for something else.

I'm taking a hit, but at least it is not a HUGE hit. It could have been a lot worse.

All my Stealth accounts go over $5000 a month in sales. They are all just over a year old - crossing fingers

muzzie · #34 06-26-2015

Well, you got 2 x MC011 in a short period of time, triggered by an automated system. That sentenced your account (it seems that the system VERY VERY dislikes when it asks for invoices and there are other items selling at this time), and it was killed by an automated system, as a result, real people did not touch it. The question is - what were these items, that got MC011? If it is possible, can you describe them in PM?

isitworththestress · #35 06-26-2015

Sorry to hear about the account but 5000 on a personal account is a lot IMHO

I agree with others that you should keep poking them with calls as you never know one of them may slip up and give you that little bit of knowlege that make the other accounts last much longer.

But good luck either way

ebayerOG · #36 06-26-2015

Did you use ship station with this account?

did you ever have a learning curve using it...

jeffweico · #37 06-26-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebayerOG

Did you use ship station with this account?

did you ever have a learning curve using it...

Actually, YES, I WAS using ShipStation. But this account was on its OWN ShipStation, so there was no possibility of a link.

ShipStation is NOT difficult to use, I wouldn't say there is a learning CURVE with it, but you DO have to learn it. It took me less than 30 minutes to get the basics down and that INCLUDES the reporting. After using it for a few months, I found other good uses for it as well. It is VERY POWERFUL, but the user interface is intuitive and if you have any problems setting it up, you can call ShipStation and they will help you. But you probably wouldn't have to make the call. They have made it so that your grandmother should have no problem using it. It is VERY easy to use.

ebayerOG · #38 06-27-2015

is there any possibility they linked the two accounts you had together on the one computer... any at all?

jeffweico · #39 06-27-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebayerOG

is there any possibility they linked the two accounts you had together on the one computer... any at all?

I only had ONE eBay account on this computer. Also one PayPal and one Amazon. But we know that eBay and Amazon DO NOT share information.

This computer also had its own internet stick.

I do run a few computers with more than one of each account, but most of the time I use a new laptop for each set of accounts - 1 eBay, 1 PayPal and 1 Amazon.

So no, I do not see any possibility of a link.

bluegrass1 · #40 06-27-2015

I would say it was triggered because of the 2 violation back to back I lost a years old account said I was selling outdated medicine WHAT I called them till I was blu in the face and just kept getting someone reading from a script And what I was selling was miles away from anything that would have been confused with medicine Just keep calling till you get that one that tells you why you were suspended.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

I only had ONE eBay account on this computer. Also one PayPal and one Amazon. But we know that eBay and Amazon DO NOT share information.

This computer also had its own internet stick.

I do run a few computers with more than one of each account, but most of the time I use a new laptop for each set of accounts - 1 eBay, 1 PayPal and 1 Amazon.

So no, I do not see any possibility of a link.

solefoodbk · #41 06-28-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

That IS an interesting theory and it DOES make sense.

I do this ALL the time. Well only when I have a major problem..

It sometimes works...

I firmly believe almost ANYTHING can be overturned if you talk to the right rep. Too many times I've been told something is "impossible" to get removed or overturned and then I come to find out a rep still can.

The times where I overturn something where the odds are heavily stacked against me are when I relate my problem to them. You can extend the truth with overseas reps, I've done it plenty of times and it works.

If I lost that big of account without reason I would NOT take no for a answer. You call enough you will always get at least 1 rep who understands where your coming from. My pride kinda gets sidelined when it comes to talking to them, but then again I'm not "me" I'm whomever my stealth name is haha.

I would be like "could you imagine if your boss just fired you on the spot and you had kids you need to feed"? "This limitation is my source of income, I might be homeless because of it etc etc" That's to the extreme and I don't know what I would say word for word but when you go to the extreme and firmly trick yourself into believing what your saying, eBay reps can work magic.

I just got a negative removed using this method. I really honestly shouldn't have gotten it removed and was told by 4 reps there was NO way I could get it removed. I called and got this guy who sounded around my age and I just talked to him like a friend in a sense... He understood where I was coming from and even though the negative by how it was worded SHOULDN'T of got removed he removed it and any defects from this buyer WILL get removed.

When you call them and they give you a reason WHY they wont remove something in this case your suspension, listen to what they are saying, then flip the script with the next and so on. Don't keep saying the same thing, as we all know they follow scripts themselves. You will eventually say the right thing that gets a rep to consider what your saying (this is important because when you say the wrong thing they just read you a script on WHY they can't and anything you say after it means nothing ...they just keep reading the script)

sln531 · #42 06-28-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

Just venting and letting everyone know why it is best to have more than one eBay account...

I just lost a years-old stealth account with over 10,000 positive feedbacks, 99.8% positives, and just over $5,000 per month in sales.

Those of you who know me, know that I always go above and beyond the stealth techniques in the guide to keep my accounts safe and that I rarely lose them.

This account was not selling anything branded or copyrighted, so no issues there. I just received the "Indefinite Selling Restriction" email stating they were not comfortable with my business practices, etc. etc.

I have two observations from my experience that may help others:

1) It is VERY IMPORTANT that you have more than one account. Even though this DOES represent a loss to me, it is only about 7% of my total profits. Had this been my ONLY account, I would be totally screwed right now.

2) I really believe that ALL stealth accounts should stay under the $5,000 per month in sales mark. I believe that is where I went wrong. I broke my own rule and am now paying the price. $5,000 seems to be the magic number where they start doing underwriting and risk assessment, which would make sense as it is the same as PayPal and most merchant account providers.

I'm just putting this out there, as I had to write SOMETHING to vent and I thought this may be helpful to others.

Sorry to hear about this Jeff

doL · #43 06-29-2015

SSN Verified Stealth? I imagine that's the only way to get around the 200/2k annual limitation through PP, right? Curious how we can push those kinds of monthly numbers without getting hit with the dreaded email. Also, if it is SSN verified, does the ssn that its attached to get tax penalties?

solefoodbk · #44 06-29-2015

There is no such thing as a ssn verified stealth.

That's called identity theft.