posted on July 10, 2004 11:43:22 PM new
I was notified by eBay that I had several very old complaints against my account, 2 for non-delivery and one for misrepresentation. These were 3 problems out of thousands of sales and a feedback of 850+ and 98% positive. I was notified in the form of a suspended account which was to remain in effect until these matters were cleared up. I dug up the old tracking numbers for the non-delivery complaints which proved delivery though they were unfortunately a bit late. The buyers never notified eBay that they were eventually delivered. The misrepresentation turned out to be a bit of confusion about the color of a vacuum bid on and the color that was actually delivered. The original was a green vacuum that was damaged by UPS and had to be replaced with a red model though both were the same model price and features, same vacuum but different color. The customer later realized there was no problem but did not notify eBay.
EBay is my only form of income and things are tight even when I can sell regularly and bills are starting to back up. Though I am told by Safe Harbor that the matter would be resolved in days, weeks are going by at this point with no change in my account status. Getting a little worried I once again call and email eBay and explain the situation with no positive results. Though I later learn that opening a second seller account was not necessarily eBay protocol, I was told I could and I proceeded to do so. I listed quite a few items which sell but the account is immediately closed after the sales complete due to the original suspension. My customers complete the PayPal payments with the exception of one who requests to cancel the order once he sees the ‘No Longer a Registered User’ in red next to my name. I understood the nervousness of this customer wanting out but never imagined more would later demand immediate refunds because the registration issue. These items are bought, paid for, in stock and are ready to ship however before many are shipped, many of my customers are reversing their charges with PayPal due to the above problem. Several deliveries are refused because the customers had already reversed their charges and I am now stuck with very expensive, very beat up un-sellable returned merchandise and of course the shipping bills. These items cost me between $300-500 and I can’t resell them in the condition they are returned in. At this point my checking account is in the red as is my PayPal account due to the reversals, my inventory is destroyed and I have no way of making any additional income. Yahoos not selling, Amazon isn’t selling and I can’t sell on eBay. Not a problem, eBay says by email that this type of problem usually takes a matter of days though it’s been weeks. I email eBay as I have many times over the last few weeks and get the same vague timeframe but nothings changed.
My PayPal account is now well into the negative reading because of several reversals. At this point the vital bills have depleted my finances, it is now the end of the month and rent is about to go unpaid for the first time in my life. I figure I have less then a week to make some money or we are homeless and our credit is shot. I decided the only thing I could do at this point is use my second credit card to open a completely separate eBay account as well as a second PayPal account. I am honest and have been a reputable seller for years and years with very few complaints and certainly never expected this to cause any problems.
The second eBay account is still active and things are selling well enough to clear this mess up. Customer’s payments are coming into PayPal and I have a substantial amount saved up and am shipping these items out as payments come in. Because it’s a new account, my only option to withdraw the money is a 4 day electronic transfer or a 1-2 week check, I select the former. 1 day after the transfer was initiated, PayPal notifies me that “Because of unusual activity” the account is on hold and they canceled the transfers. I am told that since I have never withdrawn any money from that account, the large transfer sent up red flags and was canceled and I was asked to send in additional information to verify my identity, which I did immediately. Called PayPal and they stated they received the information and that the matter would be cleared up in 3-4 business days. A week later, the account is still limited but they assure me that the wheels are turning. As soon as the account is limited, I stop shipping as I have no idea about the state of these funds. I continue to wait a few more days with still no change in the status of the funds. Angry at this point I contact PayPal several times a day hoping to rush this process but am repeatedly told the process is in motion. Finally I ask to speak to a supervisor. 45 minutes on the phone and I am getting the same runaround. He assures me things are in motion but this could take some time. After apparently asking the right questions at the right time, I am told that the reason this account was on hold was NOT because additional ID was needed but was because my other account was in the red. Not a problem, I ask him to simply use a fraction of this balance to refund any of the reversals as was my original intention. After all, this is my bank account, eBay is my sole form of income and PayPal is where all my money is currently held and collected. This is my only option! PayPal tells me that’s not possible as I cannot use any PayPal payments to clear up the reversals and in fact PayPal had no intentions of releasing any of the funds now or in the future regardless of what I sent into them. I ask if I can simply deposit funds into the account to bring the balance up so that they could then release the other amount which was many times higher. It would be a miracle to come up with even more money at this point but I would certainly try anything. PayPal informs me that since I “misused” their service, I would never be allowed to use them again and in fact they would not allow me to access any of the funds in PayPal at anytime. I do not even have the ability now to direct PayPal to refund my customers the money currently in the account. I presumably cannot and will not ever be able to access these payments. I will never see the payments made by the customers for the items that did ship nor can I refund the money to the buyers that didn’t ship.
ANY help or suggestions would be appreciated at this point but I feel that I have been destroyed in every way. I am not sure I can hope to recover at this point.
posted on July 11, 2004 03:38:49 AM new
Hi cws. Sorry to hear of all your troubles. Gives one pause to hear these kind of things. I have not been around long enough to make any real maneuvering suggestions to you, except maybe lose the email route and call them. ?
Somebody will be along in awhile and might offer some things you can think about.
This might be out of line here, but sometimes it helps to go on your knees and ask for some supernatural intervening if you will..,. sorry if that offends you. But, if i get into too much of a bind, thats what I do. ::shrug:: Helps the state of mind if nothing else. Somebody will read your msg and respond with something...I dont know how many are up so early on a Sunday though. But do steady yourself, because it might not be what you want to hear either.
posted on July 11, 2004 04:34:55 AM new
My suggestion is to seek legal advice. If I'm reading this right, Paypal is keeping more money than you owe. In Paypal land that may be perfectly ok, but I don't think in the land of reality they can just keep your money. Have you tried live help? I wish I could be of more help to you because I know that any one of us could find themselves in the same situation.
Edited to add: Whoever told you to go ahead and open another eBay account when your first one was NARU, was way off base. That is where your troubles really began. And, remember with Paypal it's always - money in, money out!! Paypal can no longer hit your personal bank account
Cheryl
[ edited by cblev65252 on Jul 11, 2004 04:39 AM ]
posted on July 11, 2004 05:20:15 AM new
hello cws:
as of 7/5, sevral posters replied to your original thread...did you follow-up on any of those suggestions?
------------
the above 2 posters have offered what i think is 2 fresh "self-helps."
posted on July 11, 2004 05:24:15 AM new
QUESION-
how can refused delivery cause your merchandise to be beaten up to the point you can no longer resell them??
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
There could be a number of ways things come back to you beat up. I've had packages arrive beat up. A bidder can write "refused" on the package and drop it at the PO. That doesn't mean they didn't open the package up. Some bidders are capable of anything. Did you see the post some time ago where a USPS truck actually accidentally drove over a package? It's bad enough sometimes with a package going one-way. Boths ways can be a horror story! I've seen it personally.
Now, if he's send UPS, it's totally believable. I've yet to receive a box UPS that isn't already beaten up when I receive it. I've had numerous items arrive broken.
cws
You fraudulently opened that second eBay account, IMO. It's exactly what we moan and groan about here all the time. Bidders do it, sellers do it. When eBay suspends one account, they suspend all for the same household even if you are not related. So, unless you lied about your address and other personal information, you could not have opened a second account. On that, I cannot give you advise. You may have screwed yourself over that little error in judgement. Also, remember that Paypal is owned by eBay. It's amazing they haven't traced your new account to your old one yet. But then again, maybe it's not too amazing.
posted on July 11, 2004 05:51:11 AM newI was recently kicked from eBay for what they indicated where two items that were not delivered. I sent the tracking number for both items in however only one shows the item was delivered while the other tracking number doesn’t register in their system. These are very old auctions and in fact are so old; the item numbers are no longer in eBay’s system. I have sent numerous emails to the buyers with no reply. I have sent it all the requested information to them but am curious to know how long this process takes. Safe Harbor has no telephone support and they are not answering any of my emails. I have been a seller for 6 years with a feedback rating of almost 900 and a 98% positive feedback rating. Most of the items I sell are relatively expensive with an average price of around $300, none below $50. The suspension happened a few weeks ago and I am financial turmoil because of it. Because I have no income coming in and bills to pay, I am falling farther and farther behind on some of the items that were purchased but yet to be delivered. I must pay rent, car payment etc. or by the time they reinstate the account I will be selling from a homeless shelter. The longer the process takes the more complaints I may have before me. Does anyone know how long this process takes from the time you send the information into safe harbor and the time it is reinstated? Is there someone I can contact to plead my case? I am also interested in knowing of an alternate selling arena at least until this gets cleared up. I contacted eBay and they told me I could open a second account under another name. I did and immediately after those auctions ended they suspended that account as well presumably because of the previous suspension. This is my family’s only form of income and we are dangerously close to being destitute because of it. I am an honest and reputable seller and have been for quite sometime. I am extremely worried about this mess!
You didn't get enough answers the first time? and you changed a few "facts"
dug up the old tracking numbers for the non-delivery complaints which proved delivery though they were unfortunately a bit late.
If you need money, it is called getting another job... try the unemployment office they often have jobs available.
However I think this is just some BS story...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
[ edited by Twelvepole on Jul 11, 2004 05:54 AM ]
posted on July 11, 2004 06:02:08 AM new
It is against paypal rule to have more than one paypal account .
If you have stayed with your old paypal account and let the payments from your new ebay sales to be netted against the deficit in that account,you would still be on good terms with paypal.
The reason why paypal would not use the fund from your new paypal account to cover the deficit of the old account and then let you download the rest and then let you continue using paypal is that chargebacks can take months and even years to come in.
It may just be a matter of time for ebay to find out you are back selling on ebay.
I would start looking for a trading assistant now.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
[ edited by stopwhining on Jul 11, 2004 06:40 AM ]
posted on July 11, 2004 06:54:11 AM new
..s'cold has c/pasted the original thread
-----------------------
..today's post has morphed into a very convoluted set of statements..
to give example:
"The second eBay account is still active and things are selling well enough to clear this mess up"
**QQ..your second acct, narued on what date?
i ask because you said:
"The second eBay account is still active and things are selling well enough to clear this mess up."
----------------------------------------
example:
"several very old complaints against my account, 2 for non-delivery and one for misrepresentation."
**QQ..does this "several," mean no more than the 3 here referenced?
----------------------------
example:
"I dug up the old tracking numbers for the non-delivery complaints which proved delivery though they were unfortunately a bit late."
**QQ..at least 2 weeks apparently have transpired...paypal rules require online verification of delivery..
actually,no question, this just doesnt "compute."
-----------------------------
"original was a green vacuum that....""
you reshipped per your presumption that new color substitue was okay, ORRR,
**QQ..did you notify customer to secure permission to ship the different color?
---------------------------
"I can’t resell them in the condition they are returned in."
**QQ..can you not start damage claims?
------------------------------
you, having sold for years and owning the f/back you claim doesnt exempt you from making mistakes-i believe everyone can make one...but cheeeesh, to commit fraud, i.e., a new account is tantamount to stupidity-or incredibly nieve on your part-if you had asked here, not one person would have advised you to do this...AND THIS 'AINT' 20/20 HINDSIGHT SPEAKING!!!
then, to add insult to injury, set up a new paypal account makes this a serious grown up person problem..
------------------
i wouldnt even ask all of the above, except that you posted on 7/5; then came back today..
------------------------------------
i will stop here, except to say:
maybe you should try a third account, and just drop the paypal account alltogether!
while i may sound trite, you dont seem to have much to lose..
-----------------------------------
mot
[ edited by myoldtoy on Jul 11, 2004 06:55 AM ]
[ edited by myoldtoy on Jul 11, 2004 06:56 AM ]
[ edited by myoldtoy on Jul 11, 2004 07:00 AM ]
[ edited by myoldtoy on Jul 11, 2004 07:01 AM ]
posted on July 11, 2004 08:04:14 AM new
lol, m/o/toy...I thought this thread sounded familiar! But figured maybe there is a whole buncha this stuff going on with more people? Truthfully, I just kind of skimmed through it, though.
Well!! I never!! Fooled again! Guess I should watch better or more carefully look at posters tags and such.
posted on July 11, 2004 09:20:24 AM new
If you were my brother or my son, here's what I'd suggest:
Get a job--any job--right now to tide you over. Work in a real job long enough to have a contingency fund for such events in the future. If you're as close as you've said to losing your home, you've been gambling with Ebay. And Ebay may go down the tubes--or completely change its character--at any time.
___________________________________
posted on July 11, 2004 09:38:00 AM new
Maybe they shut down his puter too. Lots of inconsistancies, I tend to ignore threads where the facts are mixed with fiction.
posted on July 11, 2004 11:19:18 AM new
It has always been my understanding that if an account is NARU, and a seller opens a second account and gets caught, he/she will be banned for life from Ebay. If that's still the case, it looks like the OP painted himself into a corner and had better migrate to a real job for a regular source of income and hope to make an occasional sale on Yahoo.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on July 11, 2004 11:19:54 AM new
Some people just don't learn. Some people just don't learn from the mistakes of others. Today the eBay gestapo want the BLUE stamp on your papers. However the Paypal gestapo wants the GREEN stamp, which voids the Blue stamp. If you have the RED stamp on your papers, from yesterday, you get a free trip to camp.
______________
You know...the best way to defeat a liberal is to let them speak.
posted on July 11, 2004 12:27:33 PM new
"Unbelievable" is definitely the operative word here.
What's ironic in these long, sad sagas is that while there are undoubtedly some truths embedded in this tale, they're tainted with exaggerations and attempts at justification.
In other words, cws probably is hurting. But I don't believe for a second that anyone in an official eBay capacity told him it was OK to open a second account after the first was suspended.
I am also in a raised-eyebrow state over the suspension-for-non-delivery claim that starts out this saga. If that were true, I would have been suspended years ago as I have gotten dozens of non-delivery accusations which have never been retracted. So there's something else going on there.
Lastly, lest anyone think I'm beating up on cws for the sheer fun of it, I want to point out that there are knowledgeable people here who can help, BUT THEY MUST BE GIVEN ACCURATE INFORMATION!
posted on July 11, 2004 12:40:44 PM new
The first thing I would do is go to a bank where they have free checking and open 2 accounts. Along with that free checking there usually is a free savings account. I would never use PayPal as my bank. With all the problems sellers and buyers have with PayPal it is time you get your own bank account. I never leave money in PayPal longer than 2 weeks. It then goes to my 2nd checking account where it does not connect with my savings account. I empty this checking account into another one immediately so PayPal cannot retrieve any of my funds. PayPal checking account is always empty. I hope that doesn't sound to complicated. It isn't when you get a hold on it. Good Luck
Next, if you need the money so bad I would go to my nearest McDonalds and work the morning shift I think they open at 6 and then I don't know if they require you to work a full 8 hours or just 4. Now I am not being smart as this is probably the quickest way to obtain a little cash and give you some piece of mind.
posted on July 11, 2004 12:52:44 PM new
Actually, I'm thinking that in the future, we should simplify this whole "my life is ruined because of eBay" posting hassle into a simple multiple-choice process.
And with that, I present:
----
MY LIFE IS RUINED BECAUSE OF EBAY FORM
1. I was suspended from eBay because:
a) I posted "before" pictures of Meg's plastic surgery
b) The "eBay Barbie" I tried to sell had also been suspended from eBay
c) Even the Romanians refused to do business with me
2. If I don't get my eBay account back, in order to survive I will have to:
a) Sign up Democratic voters in Chicago graveyards
b) Become one of those people who wave big arrow-shaped signs on street corners
c) Run for President
3. When I spoke to eBay, they told me:
a) I just needed eight more merit badges at "Camp eBay"
b) To sprinkle Evian water on the entrails of a chicken under a full moon
c) This is my punishment for not plumping the attendance numbers at eBay Live
4. I know I shouldn't have, but I:
a) Opened another eBay selling account
b) Maxed out all my charge cards buying Two Buck Chuck
c) Sent a mash note to Janet Reno
posted on July 11, 2004 02:37:22 PM new
libra,
paypal can no longer dip into our bank account.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
posted on July 11, 2004 04:00:50 PM new
I have used paypal since August 2000, in that time I have had no problems. I have over 4500 transactions completed with them.
They reversed one transaction, I provided an eDC and they reversed the reversal in a timely manor.
They key to working with them is to keep your records meticulously.
I use stamps.com and have shipping manifests for everything that is shipped.
I answer emails immediately even if it not what the buyer wants to hear.
In all the years I have been shipping (over 30,000 items) the post office has lost one or two. I have covered them out of pocket immediately upon verifying delivery status.
Again I stress no problem with paypal. I have more hassles with my local bank.
posted on July 11, 2004 07:36:01 PM new
Paypal and ebay do whatever the hell they want. Always did, Always will.
Paypal offers no protection to buyers or sellers. If you have a problem with paypal they just tie up your money with long delays so they can earn income on it. Every phone call I have ever made to paypal has taken about a half hour to even talk to a human if you get through.
Don't keep money in your paypal that you cannot afford to lose.
With ebay fees and paypal fees anymore, they make the money and you do all of the work.
I cannot wait for someone to sue ebay and paypal for being a monopoly and abuse of customers.
posted on July 11, 2004 08:04:25 PM new
another rule of paypal to remember -thou shall not link other people's bank account to your paypal account.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
posted on July 11, 2004 08:26:34 PM new
This is too complicated. You need to learn how to do ebay in a simple mannor and not allow them to complicate things. First when you were naru ed that was the time to pull the plug on your ebay account and exhaust your paypal account and cancel it. Next start you a brand new account with ebay using a new account name and address with a new phone number (cell phone)or whatever. Forget about paypal and start selling immediately. You can always email the winning bidder and give them your old address. Thousands of people on ebay have been nru and start over this way. You can never win by using ebay rules you must create your own.
posted on July 11, 2004 08:43:50 PM new
You are forgetting IP address. If you want to avoid any recognition between old and new accounts, you not only have to make sure that different bank account and credit cards are used, but IP addresses have to be different as well.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on July 12, 2004 04:51:27 AM new
fenix.
how can a seller get a new IP address??using the same PC and the same ISP account
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
So, you are encouraging the OP to commit fraud? How honest of you. You are apparently part of eBay's problem.
The OP clearly did something that he or she is not telling us. eBay does not suspend you for two non-delivered items, especially if you have proof they were delivered and one not as described item. Many of us have had things lost in the mail. If your buyer didn't purchase insurance they're up the proverbial creek, IMO. If eBay suspended everyone for that, there would be very few sellers left on eBay.
Another thing, if the customers reversed their charges and the money was still in the PP account, how could it be in such a huge negative? Even at $10 per reversal, there would have to have been a heck of a lot of reversals done.
Something smells fishy with this whole story. Most of it doesn't jive. Since when does Paypal REFUSE money to clear up a negative account? I'd like to know what the true story is here.
April
Sorry to hear you are so negative about eBay and PP. I understand that both can be frustrating especially when you have a problem. Been there, done that. You are right - money in, money out. The only problem I've really had with eBay is with their VeRO policies. Seems just about anyone can claim you are violating copyright laws. They require very little proof as to who you are and who you work for.
OTOH, if you follow the rules you shouldn't have too many problems. It's when people try to take shortcuts or cheat (keyword spamming, etc.) that you run into problems. There are loads of other sellers out there waiting to jump on your auctions and report them to eBay for violations. That's one thing you should never forget. Competition is brutal on eBay. It's not like the good old days when you listed and it would definitely sell.
posted on July 12, 2004 06:22:45 AM new
To cblev65252
You wrote "So, you are encouraging the OP to commit fraud?" No not what-soever. OP can work out her differences with his or her customers on her own. But does that mean OP has to suffer business losses to the point of collasps? I think you are missing the point, that ebay rules are so problematic that to try and follow them is nearly impossible and do not provide the solution.
If honesty is following ebay rules then this is a case where trying to be honest and leading to failure. But this is a typical case that has happened 100's of time if not thousands. Now the problem with "cblev65252" and all these other ebay employees that constantly write on the board is they refuse to see that ebay is the real problem. Notice what "cblev65252" wrote "The OP clearly did something that he or she is not telling us". Why would the OP make up this story. There are many horror stories out there people have with ebay and paypal. Some people believe ebay can do no harm. They are in denial and refuse to see the truth.
I hardly work for eBay. I've had a few auctions pulled myself. You must have missed my scathing posts. But, I don't have to explain myself to you. You constantly come here complaining about one thing or another. You only post if it's a negative eBay thread. I've read your posts. This is not the full story from the OP.
When you are NARUd from eBay, you are NARUd. You can be NARUd for life by opening another eBay account using false information. Read the rules.
