OT: Is eBay Trying To Drive Away The Individual Sellers ?

[the_constructor]

There has been many posts on the groups about eBayso thought you may like to read and comment on this:

My wife just put the following on eBay discussion group ROUND TABLE so I thought others may like to read it.

QUOTE I am really annoyed at eBay. I'll tell you why.

My husband, was selling on eBay under the user name of yorkie_8 and without warning, eBay canceled all his listings and gave him a date to upgrade to a Business account and told that he could not list anything ever again unless he upgraded.

I have sold 7 items altogether in the last 12 months, but have purchased many items. Just recently, I have purchased items of clothing and also to improve the decoration in my home.

Now eBay have sent me an email telling me to upgrade to a business account by such a date or I will not be able to list items again.

I am not a business, nor was my husband. So what gives with eBay? Is anyone else getting these messages....?

I have no intention of upgrading to a business account so will be looking for other auction sites to sell on and also be using my husbands mycarboot group which he set up on yahoo where there are no FEES whatsoever. Everything is FREE.

Carol (whitegoldlady)

[Adrian C]

Well, "whitegoldlady". You are bulk selling birthday cards ...

You are buying goods to resell. That's a business.

It's pretty obvious why eBay has contacted you.

Private use of eBay is for selling things that you no longer have a requirement for, not trading.

[JimK]

Perhaps you should include a link to your husbands' venture then we could decide whether to join the other 65 people?

ah hang on tho i suspect that will be contrary to this newsgroup's rules regarding spam... best not then :>)

i.e. Please don't post anymore adverts here.

[geoff]

In message , the_constructor writes

That's called a Yorkie bar

[Bruce]

Your husband's account has had over 500 feedback ratings in the last twelve months and over 340 min the last six months. That's a lot of transactions.

eBay has an agreement with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that people selling more than a certain number of items, or above a certain total value of sales, are requested to take up the option of a business account or declare their account is private. This is something that was imposed on eBay because there was a perception that the auction site was being used to operate businesses that did not pay tax.

Something similar happened to my partner a couple of years ago when eBay contacted us after we has a big clear out and advertised many items for sale. The change to a business account was not compulsory

- there was an option to make a declaration that the account was not being used by a business. But there was a deadline, which made it seem as though it *might* have been compulsory, when in fact it wasn't.

Perhaps you should contact eBay by telephone and discuss it with them? We did, and were pleasantly surprised by how helpful they were.

I don't think eBay is trying to drive you out, just to give you the opportunity to confirm that you are legit, which of course you are.

[Bob Eager]

.-)

[Vernon]

Of course listing for 99p as a private seller there are no fees to pay if the items do not sell....

no no not a business at all - thieving git would be closer to the mark IMO

[pcb1962]

Clueless. You buy cards for 7 or 8 pence each and try to flog them for

2 quid. Most people who do that kind of stuff would at least have the sense to use separate accounts for buying and selling. And having 143 items of the same type listed looks pretty much like it's a business to me.

[Chris J Dixon]

It might be if more than half a dozen people actually wanted to buy. Right now it looks more like a banking business model. ;-)

Chris

[Andy Burns]

Splort! (considering your gruesome photo from the other week).

[Man at B&Q]

Strange that searching that group for keywords like yorkie_8 and whitegoldlady don't find anything

Go on then, Ebay will be a much better place without whinging tossers like you, but I bet you don't. Your listings are all still there today.

Why do you think you don't need a business account when you are clearly running a business.

MBQ

[F]

Or perhaps she's just looking to advertise her ebay wares on here?

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Man at B&Q" saying something like:

Busted.

"Personal Comments: I am not a business, just a private individual. I have many cards for all occasions, left over from previous years,"

Bullshit.

Bought in:

off:

[Bob Eager]

First time you've noticed it? !!!

[Andy Champ]

Oh no, that couldn't be it. Against the Ts&Cs.

Andy

[Andy Dingley]

You raise a very good question, but what relevance does it have to your wife's card shop?

[SS]

It could be genuine as I have started to sell off a load of `old` stuff and must have around 300 items listed. maybe 80 books from over the last few years and knitting patterns probably around 100 plus other stuff. I have never bought any of this for re selling. Then there was all my old bike related stuff maybe 50 items.

I dont make much on it but rather than bin it.

[Man at B&Q]

How?

She's clearly buying (see feedback listing as buyer) in bulk and selling on. That's trading. That's a business. If Ebay insist business users have a business account that's fine. Instead of getting her husband to whinge on UseNet, she should get him to show her how to contact HMRC to declare non PAYE income and register for the correct NI contributions.

MBQ

[SS]

How?

She's clearly buying (see feedback listing as buyer) in bulk and selling on. That's trading. That's a business. If Ebay insist business users have a business account that's fine. Instead of getting her husband to whinge on UseNet, she should get him to show her how to contact HMRC to declare non PAYE income and register for the correct NI contributions.

MBQ

"How?"

I didnt and wouldnt know how to check on them I meant I sell loads of similar stuff that has been collecting dust for 20 years in the attic, and if they were doing that (which clearly they are not as you have checked) then I could understand it. for example I am selling over 100 paper items one could easily think it was a business but it is just old collections which I know my kids will bin when the time comes so having fun selling it all off. I have also sold over the last few years about 20 old clocks (I used to collect them) but I am not an antique dealer.

And when I sell my wife I will not be into human trafficking, just geting rid of the old stuff :-)

I know you are correct I am mearly pointing out some of us are on a clear out.

[JimK]

messagenews: [e-mail]...

obviously, as you already own it, you won't be seen buying it in, to then sell it out will you?

clear your conscience, carry on until and if Ebay ask you, then answer truthfully - simples!

JimK