Dealing With eBay's new rules in the Metaphysical Category

Monday, August 13, 2012

BOMBARD EBAY! Ebay Phone #'s and Email Addresses

UPDATE:MON. AUG. 13TH

From ebay FB - just now!

· · 29 minutes ago

- eBay
  
  Hi Lisa, as part of our latest Seller Release we announced the closing of some categories. Every year we restructure, close, and edit our categories to improve the shopping experience onsite. The Metaphysical category is going to be closed
  
  at the end of the month, and items from that category will not be allowed to be listed onsite. More details can be found here: http://pages.ebay.com/se

llerinformation/news/fallupdat
e2012/categoryupdates.html?ssPageName=categoryupdatesABPost ~terri

6 minutes ago ·

Lets start with Facebook! Tell eBay what you think!

Here is eBay's corporate Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/eBay

The petition-PLEASE sign it so it can be emailed too!

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/dont-ban-our-psychics-on-ebay.html

Ebay official Facebook sites:

http://www.facebook.com/eBay
http://www.facebook.com/ebaydotin
http://www.facebook.com/eBay.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/ebay.de
http://www.facebook.com/eBayPhilippines
http://www.facebook.com/ebaymotors
http://www.facebook.com/eBayFashion
http://www.facebook.com/EbayGivingWorks
http://www.facebook.com/ebaydailydeals
http://www.facebook.com/eBay.Malaysia
http://www.facebook.com/eBayCanada
http://www.facebook.com/eBayFrance
http://www.facebook.com/eBayanuncios
http://www.facebook.com/eBayClassifieds
http://www.facebook.com/eBayMainStreet
http://www.facebook.com/chodientu
http://www.facebook.com/eBayGreen
http://www.facebook.com/pages/eBay-Advertising/116856088369100
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shop-Ebay/133867573382861
http://www.facebook.com/eBay.store.Albania
http://www.facebook.com/ebay.it
http://www.facebook.com/ebayinc
http://www.facebook.com/eBayMarketplace
http://www.facebook.com/orderebay

Ebay Twitter
http://twitter.com/eBay
http://twitter.com/eBayInc
http://twitter.com/pierre Founder of eBay
http://twitter.com/Tallboy6 This is the CEO John Donahoe!
http://twitter.com/eBayCollectors
http://twitter.com/ebayinkblog
http://twitter.com/AskeBay
http://twitter.com/ebay_uk
http://twitter.com/eBayNews
http://twitter.com/eBay_Marketing
http://twitter.com/eBayDE
http://twitter.com/ebayindia
http://twitter.com/eBayforCharity
http://twitter.com/eBayGreen
http://twitter.com/eBayClassifieds
http://twitter.com/eBayPartnerNet
http://twitter.com/ebaygr
http://twitter.com/eBayEvents_SLC

The Founder of eBay's Website--it can't hurt to email here!
http://omidyargroup.com/

The info below will be updated as I get more info in. I'm waiting on an employee database to come in. I can't guarantee all phone number or email addresses below are good but most are 2010 or later. Once I get the employee list, even without email addresses-I have the way eBay assigns addresses so we should be able to (hopefully) have the email addresses of many eBay employees based on name alone.

CEO INFO---
FAX NUMBER: send a fax to the eBay CEO, here is his personal office fax number: 1-408-376-7414

EMAIL: jdonahoe@ebay.com / john.donahoe@ebay.com / john@ebay.com

BUSINESS/MAILING ADDRESS: John Donahoe, eBay CEO, 2145 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125

HOME ADDRESS: John Donahoe, 10 Palmer Lane, Portola Valley, CA 94028

HOME PHONE NUMBER: 650-851-9263

EBAY INFO-----
You can use either one of the following eBay 800 numbers to contact eBay by phone: 1-800-322-9266 and 1-888-749-3229.

The telephone number for eBay UK is 02086 053 000.

To contact eBay by mail use the following address:

2145 Hamilton Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
www.ebay.com

To contact eBay customer service via fax the number is 1-408-376-6554

Telephone number for eBay's main coporate office: 1-408-558-7400.
Other Ebay Numbers--
408-376-7400
800-322-9266
888-749-3229
888 221-1161

eBay Email Addresses---

exec.relations@ebay.com

matthewb@ebay.com ( Matthew J. Bannick, President, eBay International)

government_relations@ebay.com

billcobb@ebay.com (President, eBay North America)

paypal.robert@ebay.de
paypal.nico@ebay.de
paypal.eva@ebay.de
paypaldamon@ebay.com
bev@ebay.com

ccard@ebay.com

e-merge@ebay.com

hnutford@ebay.com

jamie.parkins@ebay.com

mfinnert@ebay.de

richard.green@ebay.com

safeharbor@ebay.com

spoof@ebay.com

ukbilling@ebay.com

ukboards@ebay.com

ukbuyerprotection@ebay.com

ukctywatch@ebay.com

ukfraud@ebay.com

ukmisterlister@ebay.com

uksuggest@ebay.com

uksupport@ebay.com

userIP@ebay.com

wynonna@ebay.com

gburnier@ebay.com

adcontext@ebay.com

ebayink@ebay.com

griff@ebay.com

vero@ebay.com

rswebhelp@ebay.com

deved@ebay.com

spam@ebay.com

customerhelp@ebay.com <customerhelp@ebay.com>

members@ebay.com

verifier@ebay.com

spoof@ebay.com

competitions@ebay.com

paypal@ebay.com

eBay Contact Information United Kingdom

0700 500 3229 (eBay General Number -- UK Calling Rates Apply)
020 8605 3111 (UK Power Seller's Help Line -- UK Calling Rates Apply)
0906 665 8030 (eBay Customer Service -- UK Calling Rates Apply)
0906 665 8030 (eBay Customer Service -- UK Calling Rates Apply)

eBay Address UK

eBay UK Ltd, Complaints Department
PO Box 659, Richmond-upon-Thames
Surrey, TW9 1TX

eBay (UK) LTD,
P.O. Box 9473
Dublin 15
Ireland

Alternatives to eBay?

Though the reason for this blog is to get together to try and save our places selling on eBay-many have brought up other selling venues.
While I think that our primary goal for now should be to convince eBay to let us continue, even if with changes, I see that many are looking for an alternative.
So many suggestions are coming in for alternative places to sell that I thought it deserved it's own section. Plus it keeps the other comment sections on topic AND allows anyone interested to easily find the recommendations all in one place. I'll update the post ASAP with suggestions in comments of the other posts.

Etsy--Lot's of shoppers-a big metaphysical section but 'different'.--has been reported that Spirit bound items are not allowed.
Bonanza--A great site but no sales seems to be the opinion.
eBid--
Wepay--a big push on this because they offer an alternate payment system to Paypal. I know many crafters and at least one psychic have stores. It is a new place just starting the last few months and many Etsy people moved shop here recently.
Artfire--individual storefronts
Tophatter- an auction site that does live auctions of all types. Fast going like an actual live auction. I have seen metaphysical themed auctions scheduled. They group things in themes to have the auctions. I have sold non meta items and bought too. I like it--- they are in their infancy but growing. People seem to love them too. Not sure it would work for many sellers though.
CH Marketplace-a few meta sellers use this but mostly customers re-selling or regular forum members.
eCrater--has some bad reviews
Amazon--
Hauntedshoppe-JanetKarmel--a meta seller with a large website who has offered to post items for others.
Gothauctions.com--
Prostores.com-stand alone websites synced to eBay so all your listings can be automatically transferred in their entirety easily and automatically-great for large sellers of BIN items. Owned by eBay.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

UPDATE ON INFO SO FAR

NOTE: Please see lists of eBay email addresses, fax #'s and phone numbers as well as all official Facebook pages on the Bombard Ebay post!

UPDATE: 8/13/12

From ebay FB - just now!

· · 29 minutes ago

- eBay
  Hi Lisa, as part of our latest Seller Release we announced the closing of some categories. Every year we restructure, close, and edit our categories to improve the shopping experience onsite. The Metaphysical category is going to be closed
  at the end of the month, and items from that category will not be allowed to be listed onsite. More details can be found here: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/fallupdate2012/categoryupdates.html?ssPageName=categoryupdatesABPost ~terri
  6 minutes ago ·

UPDATE:
this is to just give a synopsis of what eBay reps are telling people so far.

It is CERTAIN that any INTANGIBLE item that is not mailed is OUT. No direct cast spells, body bindings of spirits (conjures), readings of ANY type-psychic, tarot, aura, angel, etc..., distance energy work and healing, Reiki, rituals for any purpose, candle rituals, prayers, etc... ANYTHING NOT MAILED.

It seems what is in question is whether the term 'intangible' is being applied to energies (magick casting,spells, spirit bindings, blessings, energy empowerment's) placed on or already upon jewelry or other items making them become worth more than the actual intrinsic value of the item.

It has been stated by several eBay CS reps that this 'intangible' factor will NOT BE ALLOWED either.

Other eBay CS reps say anything in the metaphysical>paranormal>jewelry or metaphysical>paranormal>other is OK but there is conflicting info about whether this means adding spells and spirits to these pieces is OK.

Some CS reps say certain 'keywords' must not be used--'spirit', 'spell', 'enchantment', 'haunted', 'psychic', 'reading', 'potion', are some being mentioned. Some CS reps feel taking these words out of the title alone is sufficient others say they must not be used in the listing at ALL.

So what is needed now is a final clarification on the points above. We know the two categories of 'metaphysical-paranormal-jewelry' and 'metaphysical-paranormal-other' are remaining for now (but some hint not for long) BUT how we can use these categories is in question.

WE NEED CLARIFICATION BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
Each listing eBay might remove can be considered a policy violation and too many policy violations lead to suspension or limiting of even our compliant listings and our ID's.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Let's Discuss a Plan of Action

IMPORTANT!
I have gotten so MANY emails from sellers who have been contacted saying they talked to eBay and their listings are allowed and it's business as usual. PLEASE do not put your business in the hands of a CS rep! What they tell you ultimately means nothing if they don't have the right info-words are just words. Based on the many conflicting reports NOTHING is certain yet. STOP BEING OSTRICHES WITH YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND! If eBay allows spell cast or spirit bound jewelry it will be wonderful but it's looking more and more like it IS out. Come the end of the first week of September you could get so many listings pulled and the resulting policy violations your accounts could be suspended for good. Maybe THIS IS eBay's plan?

NOTE: Please see lists of eBay email addresses, fax #'s and phone numbers as well as all official Facebook pages on the Bombard Ebay post!

People are coming up with many good ideas as an option to offering our items on eBay but unfortunately, none are as currently good as eBay itself. Many take time to build traffic and get established. These are options for our futures yes, but in the immediate we need to unite and petition eBay not only for clarification of the changes but to keep our particular items around in some form. If they are concerned with 'intangibles' then perhaps making sure all spell casters, conjurers, and psychics actually mail an item would be fine. A broad ban, or even a 'pick and choose' ban on anything psychic, magick or of a certain alternate belief seems drastic and draconian on eBay's part. Some have said it reflects a type of religious discrimination even.

I'm certain this ban is in answer to the many 'hit and run' meta sellers who list .99 cent buy it now spells and spirit bindings, collect money and then disappear after a few negatives and leave a slew of claims in their wake. We have all seen this happen over and over again. BUT I ask, and we should ask eBay, HOW is this different than what happens in ANY category as long as an item is mailed.

Most Metaphysical sellers have great feedback. Probably better in percentages than electronics sellers. ANY category has it's share of fraud and bad sellers.

I know many of us offer full money back and or exchange. With a reading this is complicated since it relies upon the subjective opinion of the buyer. Perhaps some type of refund compromise could be worked out. Say all meta listings must offer 30 or even 60 day refunds.

There has been some success in the past getting reconsideration of certain decisions at the highest levels by using an email campaign. Directing a mass influx of emails to all corporate officers and department heads at eBay is an option I think we should all consider. Perhaps an email can be written up that can be passed around and even personalized by the sender. I belong to several wildlife and animal protection lobbying groups that do this all the time-they provide emails and email addresses to various government officials that we can send out.

So, please add you comments below with your ideas that we can implement to change eBay's mind and save our categories and businesses. Any and all input is welcomed.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Let's All Talk

From ebay FB - just now!

· · 29 minutes ago

- eBay
  
  Hi Lisa, as part of our latest Seller Release we announced the closing of some categories. Every year we restructure, close, and edit our categories to improve the shopping experience onsite. The Metaphysical category is going to be closed
  
  at the end of the month, and items from that category will not be allowed to be listed onsite. More details can be found here: http://pages.ebay.com/se

llerinformation/news/fallupdat

e2012/categoryupdates.html?

ssPageName=
categoryupdatesABPost ~terri

6 minutes ago ·

This blog has been created so we merchants who offer metaphysical items on eBay can gather and coordinate how we will deal with the new rules issued by eBay taking effect on Aug.30, 2012. We can compare what eBay reps tell each of us, which has been conflicting information so far, and plan a course of action to mobilize all metaphysical sellers and our loyal customers to contact eBay if needed.

It seems even eBay is confused!

This was posted the evening of Aug. 9th--

The following items are also being added to the prohibited items list: advice; spells; curses; hexing; conjuring; magic; prayers; blessing services; magic potions; healing sessions; work from home businesses & information; wholesale lists, and drop shop lists.

This was posted the morning of Aug. 10th.

Items that will be prohibited include: advice; spells; curses; hexing; conjuring; magic services; prayers; blessings; Psychic, Tarot, Reiki, and other metaphysical readings & services; magic potions; healing sessions; work from home businesses & information; wholesale lists, and drop ship lists.

Ebay is discontinuing the categories below---supposedly because of a high number of complaints.

Discontinued categories:

Metaphysical: Psychic, Paranormal > Readings
Metaphysical: Psychic, Paranormal > Spells, Potions
Metaphysical: Tarot Readings

From eBay Fall updates--
Category eliminations - Due to a large number of misclassified items and eBay policy violations, some categories will no longer be available on eBay starting the first week of September. Starting on August 30, 2012, attempts to list items in these categories will be blocked.

Transactions in these categories often result in issues between the buyer and seller that are difficult to resolve. To help build confidence in the marketplace for both buyers and sellers, eBay is discontinuing these categories and including the items on the list of prohibited items. The Digital delivered goods policy already covers all goods that can be downloaded from a website or received by email and includes requirements that items be listed in the Everything Else>Information Products category using only the Classified Ad format. By removing the Digital Art and Recipes categories we will be consistent in our enforcement of this existing policy.

Transactions in these categories often result in issues between the buyer and seller that are difficult to resolve. To help build confidence in the marketplace for both buyers and sellers, eBay is discontinuing these categories and including the items on the list of prohibited items. The Digital delivered goods policy already covers all goods that can be downloaded from a website or received by email and includes requirements that items be listed in the Everything Else>Information Products category using only the Classified Ad format. By removing the Digital Art and Recipes categories we will be consistent in our enforcement of this existing policy.

What is the last date I can list in these categories?

The last date you’ll be able to list in these categories is August 30, 2012.

What items will be prohibited?

How will sellers be affected?

The last date to list in these eliminated categories will be August 30, 2012 and sellers will no longer be able to sell these items on eBay. Sellers who continue to try to list prohibited inventory will risk having their items removed and could have their accounts suspended or removed.

Will my existing listings in these discontinued categories be removed?

You will need to remove any listings in these categories by the time the policy is enacted during the first week of September. eBay will terminate any listings not voluntarily removed or sold the first week of September.

What should I do if everything I sell on eBay now falls into the prohibited items list?

You will have until the first week of September to sell or remove any existing listings. If you sell digital images, digitally delivered goods, and wholesale lists, you can list them in Classified Ad format in the Everything Else>Information Products category. You will no longer be able to list or relist the rest of the items and any remaining listings will be removed.

Will my insertion fees be refunded if my category is discontinued?

If your listing was submitted and ended by eBay for any reason before August 30, your fees (including optional feature fees) will be refunded within 48 hours of the item being ended. You can see the refund in your Seller Account page.

If you remove a listing that will be prohibited in September and it was not listed as one of your 50 free listings per month, contact Customer Support for a refund of your insertion fees (not including optional feature fees).

If eBay removes a listing in September when a category is discontinued, your insertion fee (not including optional feature fees) will be automatically refunded and the listing will not be counted as one of your 50 free items for the month of September.

Will eBay remove other categories in the future?

Other categories may be removed and items prohibited in the future if they are inconsistent with the spirit of eBay policies or impact the trustworthiness of the marketplace.

******************************************************************************
Sellers contacting eBay are getting a wide variety of answers when asking for clarification. (some being posted below in the comment section)

Some are told that it is only 'intangible items' being banned. Meaning listings where NOTHING is shipped but a service is performed. Direct cast spells, Reiki long distance healing, Prayers, Rituals, Candle Burnings, Psychic Readings, Channeling and the like. Tarot card readings are included too.

OTHERS are told that it is ANY mention of Magick, spells or spirits in any listing including those in the Metaphysical>Paranormal>Jewelry or Metaphysical>Paranormal>Other categories that have been left intact.

At least two were told that it would suffice to not mention 'Spell' or 'Magick' in the TITLE.

UPDATE:
this is to just give a synopsis of what eBay reps are telling people so far.

It is CERTAIN that any INTANGIBLE item that is not mailed is OUT. No direct cast spells, body bindings of spirits (conjures), readings of ANY type-psychic, tarot, aura, angel, etc..., distance energy work and healing, Reiki, rituals for any purpose, candle rituals, prayers, etc... ANYTHING NOT MAILED.

It seems what is in question is whether the term 'intangible' is being applied to energies (magick casting,spells, spirit bindings, blessings, energy empowerment's) placed on or already upon jewelry or other items making them become worth more than the actual intrinsic value of the item.

It has been stated by several eBay CS reps that this 'intangible' factor will NOT BE ALLOWED either.

Other eBay CS reps say anything in the metaphysical>paranormal>jewelry or metaphysical>paranormal>other is OK but there is conflicting info about whether this means adding spells and spirits to these pieces is OK.

Some CS reps say certain 'keywords' must not be used--'spirit', 'spell', 'enchantment', 'haunted', 'psychic', 'reading', 'potion', are some being mentioned. Some CS reps feel taking these words out of the title alone is sufficient others say they must not be used in the listing at ALL.

So what is needed now is a final clarification on the points above. We know the two categories of 'metaphysical-paranormal-jewelry' and 'metaphysical-paranormal-other' are remaining for now (but some hint not for long) BUT how we can use these categories is in question.

WE NEED CLARIFICATION BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
Each listing eBay might remove can be considered a policy violation and too many policy violations lead to suspension or limiting of even our compliant listings and our ID's.

UPDATE:8/13/12

From ebay FB - just now!

· · 29 minutes ago

- eBay
  
  Hi Lisa, as part of our latest Seller Release we announced the closing of some categories. Every year we restructure, close, and edit our categories to improve the shopping experience onsite. The Metaphysical category is going to be closed
  
  at the end of the month, and items from that category will not be allowed to be listed onsite. More details can be found here: http://pages.ebay.com/se

llerinformation/news/fallupdat

e2012/categoryupdates.html?
ssPageName=categoryupdatesABPost ~terri

6 minutes ago ·