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Just got Indefinitely Suspended - Digital Item Policy Violation
 

Hello,

I am new here but I have been browsing thru the forums for awhile in preparation of a suspension. I got suspended for the new digital ban policy. I have a question.

I have 2 ebay accounts selling identical things. Only 1 is suspended, the newer one. I've read up about not giving them more info to try to get reinstated. So my plan is to use my older account to list. It is currently not selling anything. However, I fear it will get suspended due to association. Both accounts use the same paypal account and both have the same mailing address.

I made $2000 a month selling 1 digital software. That is big money, which is why I want to continue to sell. Is there a good chance that if I continue to use my older account, it too will be suspended due to association? If so, is there anyway to disassociate them? Thank you guys alot in advance.

If I were you I would certainly be preparing backup accounts.

I'd be doing more than creating back up accounts... i believe Ebay are banning ALL digital delivery Items....

LINK: if you have a link to ebay to paypal to ebay to ..... the accounts are linked. That
second account that is suspended will make the first good account go down. Not necessarily today, but with a short time, it will be down.
Please read a lot more of the threads to get the picture to then understand all of this.
Good Luck & Welcome here.

Thanks. So is it only a matter of time? I thought only once you start selling.

It's a matter of time. Usually once you start listing on that account it'll go down.

Start on new accounts asap.

Thanks. I'd rather not if it can be helped. I have read up on the ways to do it and its way too complicated and annoying to make up ⊗⊗⊗⊗ info and different IP etc every single time I log into ebay. I have just changed my info on my old good account. Is there no way at all to disassociate the 2 accounts? Thanks.

You have to be careful of your information changes. What have you done? The bots 'watch'
everything. You are under suspicion right now because of that suspended account
aspkin is 1000% right about making new accounts. I would hope you quickly realize
this.

I changed my registered address, and payment address to my old place. I also changed my name by dropping 2 letters. I didn't change my shipping address because I plan on buying something and want it shipped to my real place. I heard paypal and ebay is linked so I plan on getting new bank and paypal accounts and link it to my old account.

This sucks big time. If there is no real way to disassociate them, then I will buy aspkin's ebook and start over. I already have access to my girlfriend's account but have not used it yet because I am not sure how to change IP via router. Anyways, a big thanks for any more info. I have read up in this forum but I didn't find ways to disassociate old accounts.

If your old place (address wise) has never had an association with ebay, it might work. But you are opening yourself to problems by having that shipping address. Can you not wait B4 you buy?

To disassociate old accounts is really hard to achieve: the best way to approach is to create a new identity. I had explained to me when I first started 'Think witness protection' and create a new you.:p
Absolutely buy the ebay Stealth book and consider subscribing:using these two tools will
work for your success.;)

Backup accounts are your friend. I always have about 20 of them ready.

If it is all automated then I don't understand why ALL penny items with certain keywords in the auction title aren't immediately taken down and sellers suspended. I understand the whole point system but there are many NEW buyers and sellers selling and bidding on digital penny items so what's the deal here with ebay?

Because it is ebay. There are rules for some rules for others.:eek:

My old address was used on both accounts until I moved and changed them. I guess its better to make up an address?

As for the penny auctions, I don't think listing pulls are automated. I think they are reported by your competition as I have seen numerous sellers with listing violations still up. I think your listings stay up even if it violates policy, until someone reports it. Those penny items are not used to gain feedback as many think. They are used to attract buyers into their other listings witch sell for much more.

I sold a program which allows you to watch TV for free on your computer. There were some serious competition there like 50 sellers. Since I had a better product and price, once I list, the competition don't get new sales. Then they report me. I know this is how I got suspended because me and this other seller were the only 2 selling in the same category.

Anyway, I don't wan to start from scratch because my old account has 700 feedback, and if I wanted to buy something, how the hell am I to get it, besides going to a po box.

I want to get my suspended account reinstated but today I got a reply saying that they will not reinstate my account. This new account I didn't even get a warning. My old account I was suspended for 1 day, then 3 days. If that account gets unsuspended then I don't have to worry about my old account or creating a new one with ⊗⊗⊗⊗ info.

Has anyone been successful at reinstatement?

Part of the problem to answer if anyone is successful at reinstatement is that each case
is different. All I might say is yes accounts can be reinstated. BUT and because it's ebay,
likely not. You are right that very often it is a competitor that causes problems.
Your category is one being watched by ebay which makes your life difficult.
What I suggest is step back and really consider that ebay Stealth book. Truly you are going
to need to use it to overcome your current situation.

to sell such item as said you would need alot of backups at your disposal, or ebays really

Guy, think for a couple of minutes. Paypal and EBAY are linked. If you didn't take precautions before to keep them from linking your accounts, they already did. They took down the first to give you a warning.

I am not sure what you are selling, but if it is such great money, it is probably bootleg software. If it is, of course they are going to take you down.

But let's say it is not. Then think again. Suspensions occur for a reason. You were doing your thing for a while and getting away with it. Then someone complained to EBAY. Someone got angry at you and started complaining. Why? Competitor most likely.

Were you undercutting your competition in a price war? You are new to the game according to your description, so it is very likely you stepped on someone's turf and they want you gone.

One thing to think about is EBAY folks, friends, family sell on EBAY too. Plus some folks much bigger than you in your pond. Maybe you are crossing one of them.

From your description, your accounts are already linked. They took one down as a warning. I figure you have to figure out who is targeting you. Check out who is selling the same exact merchandise.

I was selling a product on EBAY, I won't even say what it was because it is irrelevant. I got a fantastic deal on 10 of an item and listed it cheaper than anyone else. 2 days later, two listings taken down. I sent an email, why did you take these down, I didn't do anything. You violated rule 101 (won't get detailed) was the response. OK, I read the rule and it didn't seem to apply at all so I relisted. Two days later, taken down again. So I listed at a higher price than my competition. No problems at all. Lasted the week, but theirs sold and mine didn't. Did it again, same result. Lowered the price to their price. Lasted the week. No problem. Undercut their price half way through the auction. Listing taken down...suspended. Who do you think was watching?

You are a small fish in a big pond. I am willing to bet a bigger fish is reporting you to EBAY. Be smart. Take it slower. Let the big guys win for a while or they will come down on you hard. This was a shot across your bow, heed it.

,,,stupid You hit the nail on the head in that post. Newbies have to know this to succeed in the mission to beat ebay/paypal. Many thanks for your input.:D

Have you thought about selling them on flash drives, or CD's instead? That way you are selling an actual product.

Yeah I guess I was stupid. I'm not a noob to ebay, been on since 2002 but I was never really making big bucks, just selling crap I didn't want. Then hard financial situation hit me and I had to get money fast. I didn't even know you could report a listing.

What I sold are a compilation of 10 programs which can be found online for free if you really tried. Therefore, it was legal for me to sell per ebay policy.

I have not tried burning the product onto CD because of them time/effort involved. Burning disc by disc, packing, driving to post office etc. Also some buyers want it now and it so much easier to deliver digitally. I had it set up that when I sold one and they paid, email was sent to them with download link. I even had it linked to my cellphone so I would get a text everytime I sold one. My phone was blowing up all hours of the day lol.

I found out my main competitor is saying he is now selling a CD but I in fact he is still doing downloads. I read his feedback and buyer left feedback same day he bought it. This is what I plan to do.

So questions:

Is my old good account gone for good? Can I sell on it, if not can I even buy on it? FYI its is pre 11-2007 btw.

I appreciate all the comments and suggestions thus far.

Well, if eBay have banned digital delivery, then you will be wasting time trying to sell digitally. Creating new accounts takes time and effort, and you will get banned at the end of the day if they catch you doing so.

Surely a trip to the post office on the way to work or whatever isn't to much hastle? If anything, pop em in an envolope, and post box them.

Could have been a copyright violation...
 

did you get permission to re-distribute the software? Or did you read the licenses carefully in that regard?

Any one of the companies' software you had on that CD could have seen your EBAY ad and reported you for copyright infringement.

And that is way more serious than anything I did, and I couldn't get reinstated.

I read the ebay policy on this and this is what I put in the listings"

Attention ebay: This listing is not copied from anyone else's. Slight similarities are unintentional, coincidental and unavoidable as we are selling similar products. The embedded video stream does not belong to anyone as it is hosted on the portal site steamick.com and is in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act/L DMCA Information. Furthermore, the product I am offering is 100% exclusively developed by me and is not a copy of any other listings. The download is a compilation of items in the public domain and are in accordance with ebay's downloadable media and unauthorized copies policy and in no way violates the compilation and information media policy. Thank you.

I know sellers who sell limewire and open office for like $5. AND both are free. I never had any problems. Just competition reporting me. I read up that it wasn't illegal as long as it was freeware. Either way, they don't know what software is in the download until they actually buy it.

The software was all developed by you?
 

OK. Then that isn't a problem.

But if it was you that wrote it, who is competing with you? Are others selling your software?

Yes I wrote it. I had listings pulled and other sellers claiming I copied them etc. Funny you should mention that because I've had 5 sellers that I caught selling my 10 programs. 1 guy even made a fricken website with a copy and paste of my listings. God know how many I didn't catch.

Other sellers I found out mostly sell the TVU program, which can be downloaded freely here:

TVU networks | Welcome

In fact they tvu even says if you bought it, that it was illegal etc.

Anyway, if you are aware of ebay's new digital ban policy, it states digitally delivered items can only be listed in classified ad format and you can't even place a paypal buy link. Buyers can only email me. Otherwise you can ship a physical CD.

To get around this, I noted competition saying that it was CD where in fact they were still emailing download links. That is what I plan to do. Do you think I will get suspended?

Info:
I had 2 accounts, 1 newer suspended for digital polcy violation.
The older one is still active but is linked to suspended on via:
same paypal account
same name and mailing address
same computer so same IP but I use explorer for one and firefox for other

What are my chances of getting suspended if I start selling again on my old account?

Much thanks.

Thoughts comments? Losing $100+ a day here while I see my competition making bank and even making the ebay pulse page. F*ck....

how does he do that ?
why don't you report him ?
(or tell me the trick :rolleyes:)

i once sold a similar software to you successfully on one of my accounts, after a few months the auctions got pulled and account suspended for good. (i think it was copyright violation) so for me selling software from the web is too risky now...

i also wouldn't put quotations from your ebay listings here in the forum as ebay people may spot it and also suspend your other account...

411guru, you just can not use that older account. There is a LINK. Link is nearly the most
dangerous means of having an account taken down. Sorry to say that account should now
sit there and not be touched. Please try to think that this ID you have is gone!
You have to start again. But you must be very careful since you seem to be selling something that others want.
I recommend that you buy the ebayStealth book and subscribe to the forum,members area. You can get one to one help.....if you get my drift.

Its easy. Just say in super small letters like "attention ebay: this product is on cd and physically shipped for free." Then make your listing free shipping, and when someone buys it, automatic email is still sent to buyer for download. If someone bitched, just say I will ship it but you have to pay $5 or just refund his money. Most won't complain.

What did you sell to me? 411guru is the suspended account and I never bought anything with it. All the digital stuff I sell on both accounts are not copied. I simply saw what was selling good and found it for free, improved upon my competitions products, and undercut them. I never had vero problems except when I was selling clone scripts of google. But you can still sell it, just dont put google in your title, but of course it won't sell as good.

You can't see any past listings on 411guru as its suspended and ebay deletes them. As for the other auction, they can't report me because I'm not selling on it now.

Greenbean, thanks for your comment. I think I get it now. So I hope to get 411guru reinstated so I don't have to worry about my old account. If it doesn't work my last resort is to buy that ebook and do ⊗⊗⊗⊗ accounts. But I want to try to advoid that if possible as its soooo much hassle.

Oh Dear
 

No, it is a spelling error. Steve was saying 'I once sold a software similar to YOURS'.:p
Unless ya'll have met somewhere other than here. ROFL.:)

Oh lol.

Steve, I have reported him numerous times. But his listings stayed up. I think ebay doesn't do anything because he lied saying he will ship on CD.