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Hi Everyone,
I have just come online to check my auction to find that it had been removed by ebay because of what they call "a breach of ebay's keyword spamming policy"?????
the words in question were "old style mohair" I had in the title "old style mohair artist bear", which for the life of me I can't see anything wrong with it. I've used this wording before and see many listings with vintage style, antique style and old style...I am so annoyed because I had 250 lookers and 5 watchers with 3 days to go, and was getting confident that Henry might sell, now I'm back to square one. I'm really fed up with ebay, I see breaches everyday, for example Oz ebay is overrun with listings from China offering items for 99c with a $250 shipping charge...people selling dangerous weapons, daggers, swords knives etc, and they remove my auction because of these three words. I'm furious!!!!!
Sorry girls I had to let some steam off!!! 
hugs,
Denise.
Back Road BearsDenise,
Can you request a further explination from eBay? I completely understand your anger.
Does anyone belong to other message boards where people sell their things on eBay... not bears. It seems like bear artists are being targeted. I'm imagining it's not just us but it sure feels like it!
Daphne
Hi Daphne,
I'm also starting to feel like we are being targeted, like I said in the previous post, the sellers registered in China are getting away with murder, and ebay never removes their auctions. I was so fed up with their listings showing up in all categories of Aust ebay that I finished up reporting a couple of them because I thought some poor person is going to be conned into buying what they think is a cheap article and end up paying hundreds of dollars in shipping, anyway nothing was done, ebay didn't remove the auctions but they take mine off because I've used the word "style" These sellers are avoiding fees, and they still don't get a rap over the knuckles..I give up!!!
I've emailed asking why I can't use this word, but haven't had a reply as yet, and I'm not holding my breath...only good thing is that they did refund my fees. Now, I'm worried about how to word the auction, because with my luck if I get it wrong again they might cancel my account. Anyway it's back to the drawing board, I'll relist Henry bear later this evening and keep my fingers crossed that I haven't breached any of their stupid policies. Boy! I need a cuppa....
hugs,
Denise.
Apple Dumpling DesignsGina, are you sure those aren't spoof emails? I received an email a few months ago out of the blue saying I had won an auction I never bid on. I sent it to the spoof people (can't think of the email address) and sure enough...that's what it was.
Did you logged into Ebay and direct your question to the help desk and not just replied to the original email. I know Ebay is a pain but my one and only experience with them on a pulled auction was very friendly and they were very specific at what I needed to do to correct my auction.
Just a thought...
Shantell
Gina,
How frustrating for you... I don't understand why they haven't explained exactly what you have done wrong..did you happen to have a link to your website on that listing...I think ebay pulled one of Danni's listings(Delartful Bears) because of that, which is so petty, and they make you feel like a criminal....I had the same thing happen to me when I first started listing and they sent me a threatening email, I didn't know that you couldn't put a link to your webpage on your listing, and I'm sure most people don't know (or understand) all their so called rules & regulations.
Ebay would do better spending their time chasing real cheats rather than targeting people for such minor offences...most of which we aren't even aware of...it stinks!!! I didn't even get a warning, poof!! it just disappeared....I don't even know if I had a bid on him before they removed it...think I need a stiff drink!!! maybe a double cappuccino.
Anyway Gina I hope you get it sorted, and at least find out the reason for the warning, you must be feeling a bit in limbo at the moment not knowing what you've supposedly done wrong.....
hugs,
Denise.
Shantell, you might be right.... I'm always getting spoof emails, but mostly they are asking to provide details of my account or it will be cancelled....
Gina..it might be worth sending the original email to ebay and find out if it is a fake..
hugs,
Denise.
Gina, Yours is a spoof for sure...I had one of those and I sent it to eBay and they said it was a spoof. But for the life of me I can't understand why they would pull your auction Denise....I'd ask them for an explanation...and if indeed this is from them. These spoofers are getting very clever!!!
Jenny
Jenny...thanks I wish my one was a spoof but my auction has definitely been removed...my fees have been credited to my account and I'm still waiting to find out why I can't use "old style mohair" in a title??? I've emailed them but heaven knows when I'll get a reply.
hugs,
Denise.
Delartful BearsMmm please keep us in the loop - it doesn't seem right, but then, eBay really has some strange policies out there.
I didn't put my link in the auctual auction, LOL I made the mistake of letting people know my link was in the ME page LOL Sooo petty.
I am getting so fed up of eBay - if other places like The Teddy Patch were getting the watchers, I would use there instead of eBay.. but at the moment, we're stuck to use eBay - and they know it!
Danni
Sorry Danni,
I thought your link was in the listing...anyway it's all so petty, as if Ebay doesn't make heaps from all us suckers!!! and you're right at the moment we're stuck with them! although, the way the sales generallyappear to be going ebay might be in for a big shock...they'll be losing seller's left, right & centre. I've read quite a few posts on their discussion boards and seller's are getting fed up with outrageous fees and low sales results that many are just tossing it in....anyway goodluck with your auction, hope you get a good price for your little grumpy angel...he's a sweetie!!
Gina...pity it wasn't a spoof...I also got the link to examples of "the offence" which told me nothing... let us know if you find anything out..
hugs,
Denise.
Bears-a-Bruin!Big hugs to Gina and Denise :hug: - I hope you both get to the bottom of these eBay problems you are having :(. As far as I'm aware, ebay relies upon people reporting auctions. I suggest you, and anyone else using eBay, becomes familiar with the ebay community forums. Questions related to pulled auctions often come up and there's a lot of information there if you sift through the discussions. It also used to be possible to talk directly to eBay staff (I think!), but I'm not sure if that's still available.
If you decide to post on the community boards (there's even one for dolls and bears!) register with a different ID than the one you use for selling. That way, if you ever get into any heated discussions on there no-one will know what your auctions are, so cannot cause problems for you... it happens. Honestly, my eyes opened wide when I started reading those boards....
Good Luck and let us know how it goes 
Doodlebears Oh Denise, big hugs to you my friend. Isn't it a shame that some people feel happy to report others for what as far as I can see is nothing. I can't for the life of me see any reason 'old style mohair' would cause a problem, seems crazy to me. Boy, have I got away with eBay snoopers. The first lot of bears I sold had my website address printed on every picture...not a word was said. I now sell under a different name and I don't know why but I stopped putting my web address on the pictures. Thank goodness I did!
I do hope you both can sort out the extreme nonsense, eBay needs a big kick in the butt, don't the idiots realize it's people like us that keep them in business!
Jane
Just Us BearsDenise, you have every right to be furious! I have never heard of anything more ridiculous! Next thing we won't be able to use the word 'Bear'! Hmmm...maybe somebody has copyrighted the words 'Old style Bear'...I know it sounds impossible, but remember all the fuss a while back with the thread teds?? What's the world coming to?
Gina, I can understand your frustration too....heck, we don't even know what circumventing fees means, so how you are supposed to not do it is beyond me. There are too many people out there with little or no life!
Hope it works out for you both.
Sue Ann..ready to jump into ebay yet?? :doh:
Matilda Huggington-beareDenise, have you thought of putting in a complaint to the consumer board.
About the international sellers that get away with everything.
One way to fix e'em and get publicity is go to 'Today Tonight' 
That would fix 'em.
All the best 
Matilda
Helena, Jane, Hayley, Matilda,
Thanks to you all, this is such a great group of caring people and even though I still feel very upset, your thoughts have given me a real boost!! I really put a lot of work into my bears, I love making them, creating them & I felt so upset when this happened...anyway I just want to say thanks to you all for being such a great lot of thoughtful people. thanks guys!!!!
big hugs, :hug: :hug: :hug:
Denise.
Matilda...that's what really bugs me, they seem to pick on the little person, going about his/her business doing the right thing, nothing ever happens to the rip off merchants...thanks, for the idea, maybe eBay needs a bit more bad publicity via the current affair programs....I might just send them an email.
Jane...how are you going??? hope you're on the mend...did you get my email??? :hug:
UKPlease be careful ladies that the emails you are getting are NOT spam emails, always log into your account and goto your Inbox in there. anthing legit will be there !!
Do you think someone is scouring the bear artist listings and turning everyone in or somethin?? seems to happen alot lately, 
Nova Scotia,CanadaGirls ,I hate to be a party pooper but after ebay pulled my auction (because I was not allowed to donate to the hurrican on my own) I emailed them back and forth trying to find out how to "reword" my auction.I only ever recieved nonsense emails back that did not address my question or come close to answering it.Then about three weeks later,they emailed thanking me for reporting an auction that was violating ebay policy and told me they would deal with that auction and posssibly suspend the seller.The shocking part was that the seller was me and the auction was the one they had pulled but they were finally responding to my emails from before for help.My auction was long over but now that I have brought attention to myself and reported myself as a potenial "policy breaker",I'm worried I will be watched closely and have my auctions pulled or end up suspended.
I hope you girls have better luck dealing with this.Maybe you should call them as I have heard that you can talk to a "real " person and get results.
:hug: , Shari
DoodlebearsHi Denise, yep I did get your email...you're making me feel guilty now so I will have to answer you very soon. I'm doing ok, although last night was rough, my breathing was bad so I couldn't sleep, I kept gasping for air. I'm feeling better today though. :thumbsup:
Jane
UKOOhh Shari that is AWFUL!!!! why arent you allowed to donate to the hurrican on your own ?? it's upto you what you do with the money off sales... :twisted:
Bears-a-Bruin!You're welcome Denise :hug:
Shari, I'm curious too, about why exactly you weren't supposed donate the money to the hurricane appeal. Are we not allowed to have charity auctions? Eek!
Jane, glad to hear you're feeling better today.....
I had a thing through after a customer contacted me via my eBay contact button..I don't think I even got the email she sent me but I received a warning.....about using the contact button for matters other than the auction...When I asked them about it they said it was a spoof and sent me loads of stuff about the kind of things that are spoofed and how to deal with them.
It's often hard to know what to believe...at least with Paypal for example it's easy to verify it's them you are talking too as they send out code numbers etc...but with eBay....it could be anyone. I can understand why they'd want to protect their business but sometimes I think they are OTT.
Jenny
Jellybelly BearsOh boy!!! I don't believe it! What is their problem, really...do they not know we pay them to use their service!!!
Denise I hope you can get your bear back on and sold for lots more :rose:
Okay, I have to ask...what was the issue with Thread Teds, or am I being really stupid not to see it!
Feel better all :hug:
Shari, how ridiculous!!!!! on both counts, that they won't let you donate to the hurricane appeal and cancel your auction because you have a decent heart and want to help these people, it makes you sick!!
As for "reporting yourself" obviously these idiots that work for ebay don't even read the emails..they push a button and send an automated response...
I've just changed the wording and relisted, from what I can fathom the word in question is "style" they appear to think that I am likening my product to a brand name??? don't ask!! it doesn't make sense...it's not like I'd put Versace style...but I don't even think they look, if someone reports you for having one of their "spam keywords" your auction is cancelled..
Jane..I'll let you off the hook!! just as long as I know you're okay...get some rest & take it easy for awhile :hug: :hug: :hug:
Pipa, thanks I wish it was only a spam email, but it's in my account, Gina's was for real too! she checked...
hugs, Denise.
UKThat's awful Denise. i dont understand what is going on with ebay at the moment. they seem to be pulling everyone left right and centre for single words used, 
Canna Bear PaintCouple of thoughts from an eBay veteran. Before I say anything else, let me just state that I don't agree with their policies when it comes to things like this, but I think I know what the problem is.
Keyword spamming is a big problem with brand name items. I know people complain about it a lot in clothing auctions. Someone might have a cheap imitation handbag made to look like a brand-name handbag, we'll say Prada in this example. If they list it as 'Prada style handbag' in the title, this is keyword spamming. It means that every person searching for a Prada handbag (who wants an ACTUAL Prada handbag) is also going to come up with every fake Prada auction who used wording such as 'Prada style handbag'. It's just the way the search works on eBay. According to eBay, you are using the word Prada to sell at item that even you acknowledge is NOT Prada. I presume what is happening in this case is that 'old style mohair artist bear' is that eBay perceives that someone searching for an 'old bear', 'old mohair bear' and so forth would get your listing in their search, for a bear that is not actually old. Thus the keyword spamming slap. (And no I don't agree with it, it's petty and I think it's ridiculous of them to do this.) And yes, eBay is also awful at being consistent about enforcement of their rules... some people seem to always get away with things, others get slapped hard for minor stuff.
On another note... I am not aware that eBay does ANY searching of auctions on their own for auction violations. My understanding is that you must be reported by another eBay user. If numerous bear artists have been having problems with being reported lately, I can only presume that there is someone (or multiple people) that browse the bear auctions currently and have nothing better to do than report people for minor infractions. Very sad. On the plus side (if you can call it that), if multiple bear artists have had auctions pulled for this kind of thing lately, then NONE of you should take it personally.
Gina, fee circumvention is another 'biggie' that they like to slap people for, and it could a lot of things. Without seeing the auction in question, I can only say that they'll get people for things like what is perceived as 'too high' a shipping quote, a high handling charge, offering a choice auction (such as, the winner can choose whether they want this item in pink or blue), saying that you have other items that the auction winner can choose from for additional discounted purchases after the auction is over... the list goes on and on.
It would be nice if eBay had some stiff competition in the online auction world, maybe it would force them to offer better customer service :rolleyes:
Best wishes to all,
Kelly
