WTF has happened to ebay?!

hassleham

I was watching an item and the seller ended it early before I could bid on it. I messaged them to ask if it was for sale and arrange to collect it and ebay keeps blocking my messages. The message I was trying to send was along the lines of:

"Yes i'm still interested. Would it be possible to collect on Friday morning?"

And every time I clicked send I got an error message saying "You may not send phone numbers or contact details through the messaging system". I figured out it was detecting that I had put 'Friday' in my message, so I had to change the spelling in order to get it to send.

I've never had issues with this before. However, Ebay recently challenged me for arranging a sale through their messaging system instead of going through eBay properly, and I got told off. I'm not sure whether this block is just affecting my account or whether it's a new rule for all of ebay. Perhaps someone could try and send a message containing the name of a day and see if they get blocked as well?

And to top this off, i've just been back on ebay to buy the item as the seller has now relisted it, and I am unable to "buy it now" without paying for it up front via paypal/card. I have previously always been able to just click buy it now and confirm, and then pay in cash upon collection, which is what I would like to do now.

Again, i'm curious whether this is a new rule put out by ebay for everyone or whether it is just affecting my account because of my going against their user agreement.

John_P

I don't know about them blocking your messages - probably an overactive filter but I'm sure you can include a setting on BIN sales that asks for instant payment in order to complete the sale so he probably ticked that.  

TheBlueWolf

Given the other EBay threads on here it sounds like a normal day for them

dogload

I've had messages blocked in the past when I've included email addresses in the message. Obviously to prevent off-Ebay sales.

hassleham

@John_P thanks for that, hadn't realised it was an option. Sorted now! 

Still unsure about it blocking the word 'Friday' though!

Bidley

Can we have an eBay compaints megathread?

gavin_axecaster

It's been getting stricter for a while - they have been blocking any contact details in messages. The Powerseller boards on ebay have plenty of sellers complaining about the same thing - it is stopping sellers giving customers/potential customers their customer service numbers etc or arranging collection.
From July ebay are also banning any contact details within listings as well as sellers actually telling customers how to find the contact details!
As the ebay app hides seller contact info behind 3 clicks it is causing a mighty uproar.

underdog

EBay is terrible these days, I've had more luck buying and selling on alternative sites (both reverb and gumtree) they are both cheaper and a lot less hassle