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Problems Selling Prohibited Items
 

Here's my story….

So before making stealth accounts seemed necessary, I sold prohibited items that are borderline niche. Maybe because they are prohibited->literal lol. But there is still plenty competition but mine are mostly items I have custom designed and had made so in that sense…my market is niche. I sold on my personal EB using my person PP account. I figured it wouldn't get flagged because so many other sellers seem to have no problem.…stupid for thinking that I know…but you live and learn right?!

I have a great feeling my listing have all been removed by competitors. How I came to this conclusion?

1) I've worked in the manufacturing biz since I was a kid, know the ropes, and I get great deals on my products. I'm also CSS/HTML friendly. That being said, naturally my products were always the cheapest, best quality, different than everyone else's x100 and my listings were top notch.

2) My listings were detailed yet very subliminal. Nothing was like 'Hey look at me, this is not supposed to be sold.' The Title and Description was not written so you would know what it is unless you saw the images. And the images were taken by me personally so there wasn't a link to the images and the products name.

3) In the grand scheme of things, I didn't go 'balls to the walls' and put up tons of listings. Didn't have more than maybe 10. I wasn't selling enough to cause red flags on my account as it only took a day to have nearly ever item on my account removed.

The Listing Removal notices went;

-2 Individual Notices were for of 1 Listing (Removal for Prohibited Items)
-1 Notice was for 6 different Listing (Removal for Prohibited Items)
-I even had 1 VERO Notice for 1 Listing (Notice for VERO Items)

What I sell, there is no VERO. Not branded nor do they look like copies of branded items in anyway. :doh:

Ok yes, I'm dragging on the moral of the story, but basically I know my competition felt threatened.

My personal accounts are not suspensed…at least not yet. I stopped selling on them for obvious reasons->hints they're my personal accounts. I want to start making stealth accounts…

So here are my questions for the expert...

1) Given my stealth accounts are done the right way and I don't list 100 things on the first day, how do you Sell/ List a few items without other sellers feeling threatened and reporting my items?

[2) I feel like in order to sell enough items to 'pay the bills' I'd need to make 100 stealth accounts because if I only made a handful a stealth accounts that eventually had a decent amount of listings, it would make those stealth accounts a target to competitors, making feel threatened, aka giving competitors a motive to report my items.

Not sure how worth it it would be considering having a HUGE amount of stealth accounts would be very time consuming and hard to manage.

3) Eventually I assume, no matter how good you are at being stealth, someone will report your listings if you are selling items that EB prohibits. Whats the best tactic on making your stealth accounts last the longest before they get suspended?

4) How the hell do I see the same sellers list a ton of the same prohibited items I sell with a huge amount of listings? Most of them are decently new accounts and their listings are titled what they actually are? I don't even title them what they actually are and my account is somewhat established! None of them appear to be eBay's high roller clients and I doubt they are paying off EB. How are they pulling this off and how are their accounts still alive? Just curious.

Sorry for how long this is guys..and girls (; Everyone hates long posts from newbs I know. I hate them from anyone newb or not so I get it haha :FF: Any help from Experienced Stealthers is much appreciated!!!

There is no way to list anything on eBay and prevent certain people from seeing it. Why are some other listings still up when yours were taken down? Who knows, it happens all the time. Arguing the point with eBay will get you nowhere. However, the others will likely get shut down as well, it is only a matter of time. Nobody is bullet-proof. We have seen sellers with 10,000 positive feedbacks and a 99.9% rating get shut down.

Be prepared to make and lose a lot of accounts if you want to sell something on eBay that they specifically prohibit.

Can the product be MODIFIED to meet eBay's rules?
Is there anything else you can sell?

What I sell is something I hold close to me. Maybe time to time explore my options. The problem is, I could modify the title, put a hat, glass, and beard on the image I post for the product I'm selling, but no matter how I create the title, creative or not, sellers are 100 times better at searching their competition before the general public can. I almost feel like even if I make it appear into something legit to be on EB, sellers will still flag me.


btw, if a seller reports your listings, is it an auto removal? Seems that way at least. Appreciate your help! I read a lot of your comments. You're one of the people I want to be when 'I grow up.' (;

Seems like you have done a fair amount of research - now comes the part of experimentation. Have to explore what listings work.

All the best

Every account suspension doesn't have to be your competition either, even though it does happen. You are selling prohibited items so I'm sure that a lot of your suspensions is from ebay security software picking up on your listings. If ebay can see your headings that are disguised they can also see the pictures that are not which can cause suspension .

Do you really want to keep burning through accounts ,credit cards, and bank accounts all the time??? I don't know maybe your still making $20,000 profit before they shut you down or whatever is worth to you, but sure would seem like a waste listing prohibited items and getting suspended all the time. It's hard enough running accounts with legit ebay items.

Maybe you should sell those items at different venue and find something that ebay allows

Our goal at least mine is long term some members had accounts since 1995 still operating , why put alot of time and effort into something that is prohibited by ebay

Another name I recognize. Thanks for taking time to reply to my thread:yar: As you stated, I think it is time to explore how my items are listed. There's a perfect balance between making a listing that doesn't scream 'red flags' while still being searchable to the everyday person.

I'm not sure if asking to share experience/ tips on what works is something that is sacred to you guys but if you're willing to help I'd greatly appreciate it. If not I completely understand.

Yes, I agree with you. My products used to be somewhat of a 'grey area' until they finally banned them.

Different venues have been the hard part to all of this. Many have the same rules on what is prohibited. Also the traffic on other venues is not nearly the same. Guess that's why we all love/ hate EB. Can't live with them, can't live without them.


Thx for your advise.

It is really dependent on how you list and your credibility risk rating to the eB platform...those sellers who are successful are either just lucky with the "grey zone" items or have tried different listings and found one type that gets through the take down.

For me, I dont really have a sacred way or such because I dont deal at all with high risk or branded stuff...I'm exploring for new things to sell but my time is limited for research :(

Or they have exceptional quality products for the price which buyers tend to look the other way. I have seen some sellers sell nothing but phakes/"grey area" merchandise on eBay for 5+ years now. Some of them with over 10 thousand feedback. Obviously they have something their customers like, eBay isn't patrolling for and since they get good feedback and pay their bills on time and have few complaints they turn a blind eye.