Question for the eBay veterans about cancelled auctions

[borateen]

Last week I put up 10 auctions. I used the same format that I've been using since I started listing comics last summer. I list the titles, issue numbers and grades, writers, artists, cover artists, characters that appear in the comics, teams that appear in the comics, any cross-over titles (e.g. Fall of the Mutants, Crisis, etc.), issue title, and a brief synopsis of each issue.

 

I just received notification that six of the auctions were removed. I read the

reason given (search manipulation) and I understand it, but I think they failed to understand that there was no search manipulation used or intended. They stated that my listing, "inappropriately included a list of keywords. Sellers are not permitted to include words that are simply listed to attract viewers via our search engines and are not part of a context based item description. For example, it is not permissible to state the following in an item description for a an art print: "oil reproductions, art recreations, gallery, art gallery, impressionist, impressionism, oil paintings, reproduction, painting, recreation, copy, quality, reproductions, recreations, realistic, copies, paintings, old masters, replica, posters, prints, video..." The example they gave does not apply to my situation. The list of words that you singled out (Characters: Human Torch, Phineas Thomas Horton, Sub-Mariner, Nick Fury, Captian America, Vision, Blazing Skull, Toro, J. Jonah Jameson, Phil Sheldon, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Doris Sheldon, Betty Dean, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Thing, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Watcher, Attuma, Galactus, Punisher, Ben Urich, Goliath, Captain Marvel, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Power Man, Ghost Rider, Dr. Octopus, Green Goblin, Robbie Robertson, Gwen Stacy) is a listing of all of the characters who appear in the comic books I am trying to sell. The words ARE a part of a context-based item description. If, for example, an eBay buyer is looking for various comic books with appearances by the character "Thor," they do a search for that character and my auction comes up. They are not mislead, because the character actually DOES appear in these issues, thereby making the search outcome and my auction a valid result.

 

Furthermore, I have been listing auctions in this manner since June or July with

no complaints from bidders or from eBay. I found it very disheartening that they

would quickly remove the auctions, and now I will have to relist them, and at least one of them already had a bidder.

 

Has anyone else come across something like this? Was I actually in the wrong here? Would YOU consider it search manipulation since everything listed was actually in the book I was trying to sell? It's not like I listed all the members of the Justice League in a Spider-Man book just to get people to look at the auction. Or am I just overreacting?

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Rob

[rob_react]

Do you have a copy of the description for one of the closed auctions? How about a link to one of your current auctions?

[Tango 'n Cash]

Just list the comics you are selling, quit spamming and follow the Ebay rules. Using your strange set of standards just about any word could be used to describe anything.

[Aces]

Do you have a copy of the description for one of the closed auctions? How about a link to one of your current auctions?

 

Yep.

Hav'ta see it to judge.

[cavecarson]

Someone had to report you for keyword spamming, ebay does not police the listings. Not as bad as putting CGC, file copy etc. in a listing for a beat up reading copy. Most people search by title and not appearance so I don't think you'll lose much exposure by dropping the list of characters.

[davidking623]

Last week I put up 10 auctions. I used the same format that I've been using since I started listing comics last summer. I list the titles, issue numbers and grades, writers, artists, cover artists, characters that appear in the comics, teams that appear in the comics, any cross-over titles (e.g. Fall of the Mutants, Crisis, etc.), issue title, and a brief synopsis of each issue.

 

I just received notification that six of the auctions were removed. I read the

reason given (search manipulation) and I understand it, but I think they failed to understand that there was no search manipulation used or intended. They stated that my listing, "inappropriately included a list of keywords. Sellers are not permitted to include words that are simply listed to attract viewers via our search engines and are not part of a context based item description. For example, it is not permissible to state the following in an item description for a an art print: "oil reproductions, art recreations, gallery, art gallery, impressionist, impressionism, oil paintings, reproduction, painting, recreation, copy, quality, reproductions, recreations, realistic, copies, paintings, old masters, replica, posters, prints, video..." The example they gave does not apply to my situation. The list of words that you singled out (Characters: Human Torch, Phineas Thomas Horton, Sub-Mariner, Nick Fury, Captian America, Vision, Blazing Skull, Toro, J. Jonah Jameson, Phil Sheldon, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Doris Sheldon, Betty Dean, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Thing, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Watcher, Attuma, Galactus, Punisher, Ben Urich, Goliath, Captain Marvel, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Power Man, Ghost Rider, Dr. Octopus, Green Goblin, Robbie Robertson, Gwen Stacy) is a listing of all of the characters who appear in the comic books I am trying to sell. The words ARE a part of a context-based item description. If, for example, an eBay buyer is looking for various comic books with appearances by the character "Thor," they do a search for that character and my auction comes up. They are not mislead, because the character actually DOES appear in these issues, thereby making the search outcome and my auction a valid result.

 

Furthermore, I have been listing auctions in this manner since June or July with

no complaints from bidders or from eBay. I found it very disheartening that they

would quickly remove the auctions, and now I will have to relist them, and at least one of them already had a bidder.

 

Has anyone else come across something like this? Was I actually in the wrong here? Would YOU consider it search manipulation since everything listed was actually in the book I was trying to sell? It's not like I listed all the members of the Justice League in a Spider-Man book just to get people to look at the auction. Or am I just overreacting?

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Rob

 

Whether you like it or not I believe you are spamming!

 

Davidking623

 

 

[borateen]

Here's a link to an auction that DIDN'T get booted (I don't have any current ones at the moment...and I've got to go and change all the ones I've got ready to go):

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6510546844&ssPageName=STRK:MESO:IT

 

And through talks with some other people, I've taken their advice and will stop listing character appearances in my auctions. I thought I was giving the potential bidder all of the information they would want or need to make an informed decision on their purchase, but apparently others don't see it that way.

 

Rob

[FFB]

Here's a link to an auction that DIDN'T get booted (I don't have any current ones at the moment...and I've got to go and change all the ones I've got ready to go):

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6510546844&ssPageName=STRK:MESO:IT

 

And through talks with some other people, I've taken their advice and will stop listing character appearances in my auctions. I thought I was giving the potential bidder all of the information they would want or need to make an informed decision on their purchase, but apparently others don't see it that way.

 

Rob

 

For what it's worth, I don't think there's anything wrong with what you did, and anyone who would report you to ebay for it is an uptight @sshole.

[rob_react]

Here's a link to an auction that DIDN'T get booted (I don't have any current ones at the moment...and I've got to go and change all the ones I've got ready to go):

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6510546844&ssPageName=STRK:MESO:IT

 

And through talks with some other people, I've taken their advice and will stop listing character appearances in my auctions. I thought I was giving the potential bidder all of the information they would want or need to make an informed decision on their purchase, but apparently others don't see it that way.

 

Rob

 

I'm actually surprised that they pulled them since you're, in my mind, well within the rules. I report people for doing what you got busted for all the time and I wouldn't have reported you.

 

Which isn't to say I wouldn't WANT to report you... if I were doing a lot of "search title and description" searches your auctions would drive me insane. I would scramble to find a way to filter out your auctions since you must be catching a million false positives with all that text (text no one is going to read anyway.)

[borateen]

I got a reply from eBay:

 

Hello Rob,

 

 

We understand the frustration you felt when you were notified that we

had removed your listings. Please accept our most sincere apologies

regarding this issue.

 

After reviewing your account and the listings(6513662220 6513665308

6513651524 6513652945 6513656703 6513659709) in question, it was found

that the auction was indeed listed correctly. I have amended your

account to reflect the removal of the violation. This violation will not

be held against your records.

 

We truly appreciate your understanding in this matter and ask that you

can excuse us this error in judgment.

 

All of your listings fees for this item has been credited back into your

account. These credits will be reflected on your next eBay invoice.

Please feel free to relist the items as they were in compliance with the

listing policy guidelines.

 

Makes me feel a little better.

[cavecarson]

That was a lot of work for $12.99!!

You have credit card logo's showing but say no credit cards

 

 

 

paypal logo html with no credit cards

 

 

[borateen]

That was a lot of work for $12.99!!

You have credit card logo's showing but say no credit cards

 

 

 

paypal logo html with no credit cards

 

 

 

I'm accepting credit cards now, but I wish I would have had those two logos before. Thanks!

[nochips]

Glad it worked out.

 

A few free pointers.

 

You are spending way too much time on your descriptions. Most people, 90% of the ebay bidders, will not read it. They do not have time. They will not wait one minute for a slow picture to load, as a result, they will not read about every character that is also in the books you are selling. Time is money, I want to look at as many auctions as I can in the shortest amount of time. I do not care that "Joe Blow" was in issue 234. I will find out when I read it. I need to know the highlights, the things that are deemed important in making a buying decsion. Knowing everyones name in the book is not going to get me to buy it.

 

Most people want an accurate grade and a price. A few words about the book and move on. You spent more time on a 12.99 book that I spent on my last 50 listings. I bet I have sold more books, for more money and used 10% of the time you invested. I am not trying to make you uncomfortable, I am just trying to give you another point of view.

 

When I am looking for a certain character or artist and the listing has so many keywords in it, I can't find what I am really looking for. The seller brought me to their auction, upset me and wasted my time. I am not going to read 1000 words to find what I am looking for.

 

Keep it simple. People like simple.

[borateen]

Thank you for the advice. All of my future listings are all ready to go, they just need to be copied and pasted into eBay's listing machine. I worked on these during some downtime at work, so I don't really consider it taking up a lot of time. But I am going to go back and take out the character listings.

 

Rob