Ebay Has a Policy On Listing Too Many Cards That Don't Sell? WTF?

[Qwasian]

Ebay Has a Policy On Listing Too Many Cards That Don't Sell? WTF?

how many more strange rules can they come up with?

I got a message today saying atleast X amount of my listings must sell when I list them or my account will be limited......

I have been using the free listing days to list a bunch of cards for sale. and it's been working out, but I don't really understand the point of this rule they have?

they want you to have everything exactly perfect and sell everything in order to sell now?

[imnotded]

Mind posting the message?

[Qwasian]

We're writing you to share some important information about your selling account that requires your immediate attention. You've recently had a large number of unsold duplicate Auction-style listings resulting in a low conversion rate. This violates the Duplicate Listing policy and makes it more difficult for buyers to find what they want.

The Duplicate Listing policy ensures sellers don't list in a way that clutters the buying experience and hurts the overall marketplace. In general, sellers should not list duplicate Auction-style listings. If you have duplicate Auction-style listings, we may at our discretion, remove them. Only inventory that lends itself to the auction format-such as hard-to-find or high-demand inventory-and sells at nearly 100% of the time should be listed as duplicates.

If you'd like to continue to have duplicate Auction-style listings, you must comply with the Duplicate Listing policy and maintain a 30% sell-through rate for your duplicate Auction-style listings. That means at least 30% of your duplicate Auction-style listings must sell each week and you must at least maintain that rate going forward. Otherwise, your duplicate Auction-style listings may be removed and could lead to selling restrictions or account suspension.

To ensure your weekly sell-through rate is at least 30%, and to download a list of your active, duplicate Auction-style listings, go to www.ebay.com/auctionduplicates.

Have a great day and thank you for selling on eBay,

eBay Selling Team

[Qwasian]

comes from posting alot of cheap cards, I guess they don't agree with doing that. basically don't want people just loading up on listing a ton of cards they have copies off on free listings.

don't really grasp the point of it though? because when they sell, they retain fee's for the cards? so why would it matter, even if they were duplicate?

[astrosox]

This makes sense to me. You're listing items using the re-list feature, right? Is re-list less expensive than doing a completely new listing? If you list a bunch of stuff that does not sell, and just keep re-listing it at a price that doesn't sell, then you're just creating a bunch of listings that apparently no one wants. eBay hosts these ads, doesn't get additional fees from the listings, and buyers see a bunch of ads for things that are apparently not selling.

So eBay is effectively saying to post ads that sell. If it doesn't sell, then make the item more attractive to sell. That's the point of re-listing something.

I think. I see where they are coming from. And I see how this might seem annoying. But for both sellers and buyers.

[Qwasian]

I see what you mean, I have a really hard time with it though because I sell a ton of cheap cards and I never really know whats going to sell. sometimes people just buy stuff up because they like a team or whatever the case may be.....

like I had a guy come thru and buy all yankees cards, or all red sox cards, even the duplicates. all the way down to other teams like kansas city royals..... but it's almost impossible to guess which teams people will buy at what time is the reason why I've been listing them like that.

it directly effects my selling strategy and basically takes me away from buying/selling cards all together based on the fact I was operating with just selling alot of cheap cards.

just posting a debate on the topic more than anything, not really mad or happy about it.

[vatechhokiefan]

Do you have duplicate listings of the same card? If you have more than one of the same card available I think eBay prefers a single listing that shows more than 1 quantity available of that card. If you are listing the same card in more than one auction, that seems to be where the email refers to "clutters the buying experience".

[imnotded]

Originally Posted by vatechhokiefan

Do you have duplicate listings of the same card? If you have more than one of the same card available I think eBay prefers a single listing that shows more than 1 quantity available of that card. If you are listing the same card in more than one auction, that seems to be where the email refers to "clutters the buying experience".

This is what I was thinking as well.

The biggest thing to remember is that eBay's policies are not only applicable to sports card sales. The policies cover everything. So where a policy like this might not be so good for our selling purposes, it can help in other areas.

[Qwasian]

Originally Posted by vatechhokiefan

Do you have duplicate listings of the same card? If you have more than one of the same card available I think eBay prefers a single listing that shows more than 1 quantity available of that card. If you are listing the same card in more than one auction, that seems to be where the email refers to "clutters the buying experience".

yeah, I was avoiding makes the 1 auction with multiple quantities because it cost 50 cent to list that way and listing each one on free auction day is free. and you can't really tell if you list them on a week auction? multiples sell sometimes. I completely get where they are coming from, just doesn't really make sense because i'm paying them constantly. I would think a buyer would complain before ebay would. Im giving them a nice chunk of change monthly.

[XL5]

Originally Posted by Qwasian

yeah, I was avoiding makes the 1 auction with multiple quantities because it cost 50 cent to list that way and listing each one on free auction day is free. and you can't really tell if you list them on a week auction? multiples sell sometimes. I completely get where they are coming from, just doesn't really make sense because i'm paying them constantly. I would think a buyer would complain before ebay would. Im giving them a nice chunk of change monthly.

My guess is that they'd rather you do the multiple quantity at $0.50 than a bunch of free auctions.

Probably listings like this are what they're talking about.

[dthimesch]

It is just their way of getting your account limited. They will do anything or everything they can to cause your account to be limited. After the first month my account was limited and I was allowed to call and talk to them about raising my limits, the guy at ebay told me specifically that by the end of the year they want to have limits placed on EVERY seller on ebay.

[kinar]

interesting sketch card business you got going there...

[Qwasian]

Originally Posted by dthimesch

It is just their way of getting your account limited. They will do anything or everything they can to cause your account to be limited. After the first month my account was limited and I was allowed to call and talk to them about raising my limits, the guy at ebay told me specifically that by the end of the year they want to have limits placed on EVERY seller on ebay.

really? I wonder why? they just wanted the amount of items sold limited? or?

[Qwasian]

Originally Posted by kinar

interesting sketch card business you got going there...

mainly just a hobby, not really a biz, one set of markers to create the cards cost more than all the sketch card profit i've ever made. lol...... I just enjoy doing em. similiar to the trading cards, not alot of profit on it, just enjoy opening em etc.

[dthimesch]

Originally Posted by Qwasian

really? I wonder why? they just wanted the amount of items sold limited? or?

The number of items and amount sold is pretty fluid. They look at it as, what ebay told me, "a preventative" measure so they can make sure that sellers can handle that amount of volume.

[JasonH]

sounds like they really want you to have one listing showing how many copies are available especially if it's a listing that doesn't sell. I think in these instances you'll need to pony up the money. I may be wrong but I still think you are ok on the other listings no?

[Russman]

I think they mean to do a free auction with all the copies you have of that card in it

[illadelf]

Wow. I did this ONE time (had multiple listings of the same card) and my auctions got removed with a "warning." Can't believe you got away with it with that many in the first place.

[Qwasian]

Originally Posted by illadelf

Wow. I did this ONE time (had multiple listings of the same card) and my auctions got removed with a "warning." Can't believe you got away with it with that many in the first place.

definately won't be doing it again, lol

[Frankp2311]

This is nothing new. If you have multiple listings with the same title and a certain percentage don't sell you'll get this email.

[7290morint]

Originally Posted by Qwasian

I see what you mean, I have a really hard time with it though because I sell a ton of cheap cards and I never really know whats going to sell. sometimes people just buy stuff up because they like a team or whatever the case may be.....

like I had a guy come thru and buy all yankees cards, or all red sox cards, even the duplicates. all the way down to other teams like kansas city royals..... but it's almost impossible to guess which teams people will buy at what time is the reason why I've been listing them like that.

it directly effects my selling strategy and basically takes me away from buying/selling cards all together based on the fact I was operating with just selling alot of cheap cards.

just posting a debate on the topic more than anything, not really mad or happy about it.

Originally Posted by Qwasian

yeah, I was avoiding makes the 1 auction with multiple quantities because it cost 50 cent to list that way and listing each one on free auction day is free. and you can't really tell if you list them on a week auction? multiples sell sometimes. I completely get where they are coming from, just doesn't really make sense because i'm paying them constantly. I would think a buyer would complain before ebay would. Im giving them a nice chunk of change monthly.

It sounds like you are just trying to avoid paying fees by listing auction style with multiple listings that don't really sell. Obviously the proper way to list them would be to set up in a "quantity" style listing. I mean, it makes sense that eBay wants people to list things that are going to sell, especially if you are listing on days when they don't charge. I cannot imagine that it is seriously worth your time to list several cheap/base cards (even on free listing days). Sounds like you just need to change up your business model for selling cards on eBay.

[Qwasian]

Originally Posted by 7290morint

It sounds like you are just trying to avoid paying fees by listing auction style with multiple listings that don't really sell. Obviously the proper way to list them would be to set up in a "quantity" style listing. I mean, it makes sense that eBay wants people to list things that are going to sell, especially if you are listing on days when they don't charge. I cannot imagine that it is seriously worth your time to list several cheap/base cards (even on free listing days). Sounds like you just need to change up your business model for selling cards on eBay.

agreed..................