Genuine trader got suspended - Ebay asking for bank statements to prove

[Aztecraindance]

Hello everyone.
I am in a pretty stressful situation as my eBay account got suspended a couple of days ago.

I recently imported furniture products from China using a UK based agent. I started listing them and was making decent sales. I used my dad's eBay account because it had a few hundred feedback.

eBay increased its limit on chat request to 25K a month but then all of a sudden one day they removed all my listings. These are genuine, proper, physical products that I am dispatching to my customers using a private delivery network (they don't offer tracking). Ebay asked for proof of purchase and I provided the invoices. Now eBay is asking for bank account transfer to my supplier as a proof. Unfortunately I did the purchasing by borrowing money from a friend (so my friend paid the supplier, I have proof for that).

All forum experts on the matter, my passionate appeal to all of you to please advise me what to do in this nerve wrecking situation. I have thousands worth of inventory in my warehouse and no way of shifting these products.

If I open a new account it will have very low selling limits and I fear eBay might ask the same questions again !

Please help!

[Bigblackdog]

I have seen similar to this once before

Your problem is not the products (as far as I can see) it is that your account has suddenly taken on a momentum of its own. Ebay may suspect you are dropshipping.

You cannot prove you have paid for these goods - they want to see the bank transfer because, surprise surprise, there are people who create dodgy paperwork - it's a lot harder to create a financial trail

You are correct in your assumptions about new accounts.

In theory you could move your stock through third parties but anyone listing on Ebay is going to have similar problems as you have had. It depends on the corporate set up of your current operation

A word of caution - your post could well encourage a few people to contact you - please take care and in your desperation please do not leave yourself open to being scammed

[Doitright]

Hi,

I had a pretty decent selling limit of 100,000k. I sold rare items. In any case, eBay started asking me increasingly invasive questions. When they asked for my proof of purchases I stopped. I felt I had already provided products to my customers, showed tracking numbers and any disputes I had were 7 months ago. I knew if I provided invoices they would just ask more questions. If I were in your situation I would just stop and get a new account.

But you can't just sign up without knowing how because it will get suspended again. I suggest going stealth. I feel once eBay starts this line of questioning they won't let up. They have gotten even more aggressive with Covid-19. Since Covid they are primarily reachable through chat and email. The suspension and high risk management team are not available by phone. This means they everything you say in writing. It is much easier to access written transcripts than recorded conversations. If you trip up or type something inconsistent they will continue to investigate and refer to previous transcripts. Start a few stealth accounts and spread out your merchandise across a few accounts.

[Aztecraindance]

Originally Posted by agent006140

what are these items you are selling?
Is that something everyone is selling via dropshipping?

No, my products are in furniture range. I am not a dropshipper. I have my own warehouse.

Thank you for the response and advice. I think I will start taking pictures with my inventory. Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought that I'd do something like this.

[Aztecraindance]

Originally Posted by agent006140

He is using his father's Ebay account.
Someone else is paying for his inventory
and there is no tracking.
May be your father should call Ebay

Is courier tracking an absolute must have to make progress on eBay? I knew it helped but I had no idea it could be detrimental - as I am finding out the hard way.

[Aztecraindance]

Originally Posted by tinsoldier

You need to recognise ebays genuine concern. Lets be honest your arrangement is very contrived and needs presenting in a plausible way.

Which courier are you using that does not provide tracking?

I am trying as best as I can to allay their concerns.
Any idea on how to set course straight now? Should I open a brand new eBay account and start afresh? I will make sure future financial transactions with my supplier will be done keeping eBay's intrusiveness in mind.

I used a local company that has a few vans and delivers throughout England and Wales. Sort of men with vans concept. No proper courier company was willing to accept my larger items at reasonable rates.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by Aztecraindance

Any idea on how to set course straight now? Should I open a brand new eBay account and start afresh? I will make sure future financial transactions with my supplier will be done keeping eBay's intrusiveness in mind.

Welcome to the forum - all the best as you master stealth

YouTube (Short URL)

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Always a good idea to have backup stealth accounts

[Aztecraindance]

I wanted to thank everyone who responded to me whilst I was in extreme distress.
Ebay has just lifted restrictions on my account after I provided all the documents. Really can't thank the community over here enough.
Special thanks to agent006140, Doitright, BigblackDog. You guys were very supportive and helpful.

[Aztecraindance]

Originally Posted by tinsoldier

I think this arrangement is dead, your account creation and supplier merry-go-round is implausible as is your claim about a man with a van. If I can smell bull$hit you can be sure ebay will.

However you could learn to be a bit more positive.

[Bigblackdog]

Originally Posted by Aztecraindance

I wanted to thank everyone who responded to me whilst I was in extreme distress.
Ebay has just lifted restrictions on my account after I provided all the documents. Really can't thank the community over here enough.
Special thanks to agent006140, Doitright, BigblackDog. You guys were very supportive and helpful.

Well done and good luck with it

[assad]

That is awesome.