"Aaaargh - EBay bunch of BLEEPS!!! Listing withdrawn." Topic

And Relax…….

I think it's always best to put these rants together while they are still making me fume. OK, so it makes for some unitelligable rambling, but some of it might be informative and or funny!

Ebay de-listed a game I put up for sale, because I had written As NEW in the title. (See the message from them below!), and my response. What are your views.
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We appreciate that you chose eBay to list the following auction-style listing(s):

120210639822 – Lord Of The Rings Game – Hasbro – as NEW!

However, your listing was in breach of eBay's Keyword Spamming policy and has been removed from eBay. We notified members who placed bids on the item that the listing has been canceled. We would like to take this opportunity to let you know what part of your listing is not permitted.

Your listing(s) contains the following information:

as NEW!

Keyword spamming is not permitted on eBay. Keyword spamming is using brand names or other inappropriate keywords in an item title or description for the purpose of gaining attention or diverting buyers to a listing.

For more information on copy this link into a new browser window:

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you relist this, or any other item that breaches eBay policy, your eBay privileges could be suspended. We value you as a member of our community and wish to continue this relationship, so we must ask you to refrain from further breaches of the User Agreement and eBay policy.

Please review eBay's Listing Policies and User Agreement by copying these links into new browser windows:

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For more information on why eBay removes s, or to write to us with questions, please review this Web page:

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We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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Here is what I replied.
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I really do not understand what the problem is with this listing. It is exactly as described. I am now in a real dilemma as to what words can and cannot be used without breaching this bizarre policy. Will I for example be punished for using such descriptive words as excellent or mint condition in relation to records?

As these words are sure to encourage people to take a closer look at rare records which can be available in all sorts of condition ranging from Good / Very Good / Excellent / Mint, etc?

Had I tried to mislead buyers by suggesting that the item was LIKE similar games made by other manufacturers, which could draw potential customers looking for board games in general – ie Waddingtons / Gibsons / Pepys, etc, etc. Then perhaps I could understand it.

I notice I cannot even review my listing, and have to re-write it all now.

Yes, I am a little annoyed by this!

Are you impressed at the lack of expletives?…. Beleive me. I had to do some serious editing from the words that came into my head!

It does seem daft.

Perhaps you could try 'played only once, in excellent condition' or something along those lines, similiar to read-once books.

Did they object to the phrase 'as new' in general, or just because it was in the title?

If it was just because it was in the title, then I'd suggest relisting and explaining 'as new' in the main description.

An alternative to 'as new' for your title could be 'opened, never played'.

What about the abbreviations NIB (New in box)

or NRFB (never removed from box)

LNPO (like new played once)

I hear those used in collectable circles

I have relisted it (I have included the link here, not to sell, but to see if any of you can see any other reasons for it being wirthdrawn!) – I am still in a somewhat miffed mood about it at the moment…..

BUT, I have refrained from using any potty mouth throughout. By jove I'm impresseed with myself!

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I was so tempted to include that picture of the chap showing the "WE ARE IDIOTS" banner at a demonstration, with all the signs altered to "Ebay Empoyee Of The Month"….. But thought better of it! :)

I suspect that the 'overzelous ebay employee' might object to you defaming him on the listing, but it's nothing they don't deserve, as I don't see anything wrong with the listing of the item.

I'm not sure what "as new" means, but I'm suprised their filters are that sensitive.

They once blamed me for spamming for putting "Noguchi Eames era" in the description.

Weird.

i think their concern might be that saying "as new" will mean that anyone searching for a "new" one wil get this in the search results.

but at the end of the day using ebay is a privelidge not a right, so stick by their rules. (not that i agree with them!)

automation is a terrible thing.
dont try to understand the logic, there is none.
I suspect it was the "NEW" in capitals that triggered the bot.
ymmv,
R.

Is anyone else selling the same game? Sellers have been known to register complaints about competitor ads causing the ad to be pulled. It's happened to me. The problem is that when you write and ask for an explanation, you often get no repsonse, or at best a vague response.

Good luck Jayster.

Well .. I wouldn't want to buy anying new.
Try in terrible condition or junk … anything you can do so prospective buyers don't find your stuff. That's why you posted it on EBay right? You don't want to sell it so why be encouraged to do so.

It might be the "as" in "as new" that might've done it. I think someone got overzealous. Perhaps if you put "NIB" (new in box) as someone already suggested, you should be fine. Also clarify that it was played once, or opened but not used and you'll be able to support the "new".

I never had any problems selling 1968 Matchbox cars as NIB – because I explained in my auction that they'd been in storage for 40 years.

Wyatt

2772827 items found for: new

It's a good thing they pulled your auction. If I found 2,772,828 items during my search I would of been ticked!

When you complete your selling blurb, you are asked the question whether the item is NEW or USED.

Strikes me that this is essential to define this, so I can understand why e-bay might be upset as what they may perceive as a circumventing of the policy.

Well I agree with EBay and what Brandlin says above…

It isnt "new" and if I am looking for "new" wargames stuff I dont want "used" stuff in there, if they didnt kick the auction soon everyone would find a way to put "new" in the title whatever the condition.

Contrary to what you think the title is not there to fool people to view your listing its their to accurately describe the item you have to sell to people who are searching for items, and "new" is misleading becuase it clearly isnt new.

Its been opened, possibly played with, thats NOT new its "used" but maybe in "excelent condition".

Then I would then understand, the condition is always subjective I take that with a pinch of salt becuase sellers rarely tell the truth, "new" or "used" are not subjective they are factual, it either is or is not.

Sorry if that bugs you but there is a difference between something that is being sold in the same condition in every aspect as if I walked into a shop to buy it and something which has been used once or twice.

I know if I bought something labelled "new" to give to someone as gift and they turned round and said "hey its been used" I would be annoyed and embarrased.

As a sometime collector I hate it when something not new is labeled as such. At least not without me being able to filter it.

Had it been titled "good as new" or "excellent like new" I would think it would have been left alone as the item could then be filtered out (ex: -good, -excellent) in a search.

I find it annoying that "new" equals "unopened" personally. The item in question is used (or just opened) but good as new. Simply truncating to "as new" is deceptive. Intentional or not. I'd rather not see the word new used at all. The actual condition should be used. So "execellent condition, opened" makes sense. All in my opinion of course.

BlackMamba hit the nail on the head!
A few years ago I had almost the same thing happen, my listing was pulled off because WarHammer objected to it! I even go a bit of a threatening email from them. I emailed back to their lawyer that it was on honest mistake. I had use the word warhammer…as in a warhammer used by a figure.
anyhow that was about 5 years ago.
nuff said
Headless

Hi Anthony.

Thank you for making me laugh. that certainly put it into perspective :)- Glad to see that there are some in america that can appreciate good sarcastic humour.

2772827 items found for: new

It's a good thing they pulled your auction. If I found 2,772,828 items during my search I would of been ticked!

And having read through it, I completely agree with Blackmamba and William White etc, and will have to use such descriptions as Excellent or mint condition rather than the potentially misleading "as new".

I did a search on AS NEW and found a lot of similarly listed items, in all fields – So I guess it's just pot luck if you get pulled on it or not.

Que sera. I will learn from it.

Thanks again all.

I have no idea why this triggered ebay's stupid filters. I used to get surprised when I was selling my old betamax videotapes -- I started finding that "Beta" was a forbidden word on eBay for some unrelated reason. All my Sony Betamax tape listings would get cancelled and I'd have to relist with asterisks in place of Beta characters (plus a long explanation was required in each listing why I couldn't write "B*ta" or "B*tamax". Really, really dumb, and a huge timewaster for me, especially when ebay at that time had a separate listing category for Beta videotapes.

Ebay is pretty black and white. It is either new or used. When I want to express an item that is practically new, I use the abbrev NM or 'Near Mint.'