AI is ruining eBay

smokemdude · #1 12-18-2025

It happened again. Someone attacked my eBay account for no apparent reason. I got a notice from eBay that a dozen of my hottest listings were removed for “copyright” infringement, which is stupid. It’s now so easy to have a sellers items removed. Just a few clicks and you can get a seller suspended if you want. In the past, a buyer would have to call eBay and complain about an item. If they never bought the item, then the report was ignored, since it could obviously be a competitor trying to get your items removed. Now you don’t need to actually have an order. Just a few clicks and you can have anything removed. AI makes the decision, no customer service agents even have to get involved. If it isn’t removed, they can just try again until it is..

It used to be that only VERO could have listings taken down, but now anyone with a couple minutes to spare can take down listings!

Is there a way to stop AI from destroying eBay? I’ve been selling on eBay for almost twenty years, but now I’m considering finding another business. eBay sucks now that they allow AI to ruin it.

agent006140 · #2 12-18-2025

How does AI know what you are selling is not kosher?

smokemdude · #3 12-18-2025

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent006140

How does AI know what you are selling is not kosher?

Good question.. That is exactly the problem! AI is not very smart at all. It just removes anything based on whatever its algorithm says..

smokemdude · #4 12-18-2025

I tested out my theory last month.. In about 30 minutes I was able to remove about 150 listings that belonged to my competitor.. Just copy and paste the same thing over and over into the box. I think only 2 listings out of 150 didn't get removed..

It used to be that only VERO could have listings taken down, but now anyone with a couple minutes to spare can take down listings!

Maybe that is the only way to get eBay to remove this feature? If everyone has everyone else's listings removed until nobody has any listings listed, they will have to fix this stupid feature they added!

Phd · #5 12-19-2025

I'm starting to wonder if we have hit the peak of 3rd party selling, and it is starting to head back down to mostly manufacturers. Then the malls will have a resurgence. Could take 10-15 years, but starting to see this take shape.

Unless the AI becomes self aware.......................

PhD

rsot · #6 12-19-2025

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokemdude

Good question.. That is exactly the problem! AI is not very smart at all. It just removes anything based on whatever its algorithm says..

An algorithm that can be flawed, sadly

firebriar · #7 12-19-2025

I have a buyer that was annoying me about a listing that I recently sold. he was messaging me about the shipping price that I was charging, when the auction was live and he wasn't even bidding. just annoying me. I was tired of the back and forth. I put him on my blocked bidder list. Even though I'm done selling until February 2026, I still think he will watch my account when I start to list again...

xakche · #8 12-20-2025

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokemdude

It happened again. Someone attacked my eBay account for no apparent reason. I got a notice from eBay that a dozen of my hottest listings were removed for “copyright” infringement, which is stupid. It’s now so easy to have a sellers items removed. Just a few clicks and you can get a seller suspended if you want. In the past, a buyer would have to call eBay and complain about an item. If they never bought the item, then the report was ignored, since it could obviously be a competitor trying to get your items removed. Now you don’t need to actually have an order. Just a few clicks and you can have anything removed. AI makes the decision, no customer service agents even have to get involved. If it isn’t removed, they can just try again until it is..

It used to be that only VERO could have listings taken down, but now anyone with a couple minutes to spare can take down listings!

Is there a way to stop AI from destroying eBay? I’ve been selling on eBay for almost twenty years, but now I’m considering finding another business. eBay sucks now that they allow AI to ruin it.

How you can be sure that Ebay removes your listings because of a report ?

Sometime AI removed listings because of " This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence. This came to our attention through automated detection. "

Of course we dont know if this is true or not...

dsdominators · #9 12-20-2025

Same issue here.
I just lost a few 1000+ sale listings (2 year old some of them) over some pri*k reporting them cause they simply can not compete with me. And eBay arent any better too. I cant believe they are taking down listings with NO negative feedback on them.

agent006140 · #10 12-20-2025

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phd

I'm starting to wonder if we have hit the peak of 3rd party selling, and it is starting to head back down to mostly manufacturers. Then the malls will have a resurgence. Could take 10-15 years, but starting to see this take shape.

Unless the AI becomes self aware.......................

PhD

No,a good manufacturer relies on retailers to move its goods and take care of the retail customers,Tiffany does not,but many do,some can be rather selective like Leica,Meissen,Augarten,ROlex

rsot · #11 12-20-2025

Quote:

Originally Posted by firebriar

I have a buyer that was annoying me about a listing that I recently sold. he was messaging me about the shipping price that I was charging, when the auction was live and he wasn't even bidding. just annoying me. I was tired of the back and forth. I put him on my blocked bidder list. Even though I'm done selling until February 2026, I still think he will watch my account when I start to list again...

Hopefully he won't have so much negative energy to waste...better spread listings among other accounts

phaz0rz · #12 12-21-2025

Some A-hole a few weeks ago got jealous and informed me via eBay messaging that he was fixing to report all my listings to get my account shut down.

Nothing ever happened, lol. It's not as easy as your limited frustrated experience makes it out to be, OP. Because this was some ultra l33t whitehat hacker guy and he didn't even leave a dent.

solefoodbk · #13 12-21-2025

What I have found is many lower tier brands that are still relatively popular, just not on a Nike level will outsource their reporting to these 3rd party companies. Who then will use bots as described to flag. It's primarily a relation of how many items you list of said brand, and whether or not you are doing something in the listing that causes a flag for the bot.

There is always something new we have to overcome. This is not anything different. For the brands that I face this problem with, I just stop selling it on eBay and use other marketplaces and my website. Using any additional mental capacity on it is a waste, you cannot do anything unless you're able to directly communicate with the brand which is I would assume you can't.

And I would presume this will only get worse because these scam companies only get money off results which is listings getting reported. The idea they make money off this when they have no legal rights is kinda funny. But whatever. Ebay has never changed the policy where we have rights.

rswomA · #14 12-22-2025

New game new rules, its unfair unfortunately

rsot · #15 12-22-2025

Quote:

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

Some A-hole a few weeks ago got jealous and informed me via eBay messaging that he was fixing to report all my listings to get my account shut down.

Nothing ever happened, lol. It's not as easy as your limited frustrated experience makes it out to be, OP. Because this was some ultra l33t whitehat hacker guy and he didn't even leave a dent.

Morning chuckles

weak