This sucks!

[anathema]

<rant>
eBay have just suspended my account, cancelling 37 auctions I was running in the process.

They have done this because I have not provided them with a contact phone number. I have been completely unable to hammer into their thick skulls that I do not *have* a bloody phone number to give them! And considering that eBay themselves refuse to provide a contact phone number, I think their behaviour is hypocritical to say the least.

They never used to mandate the provision of a contact number - I've been an eBay user for over six years and this is the first time there has been a problem. They're not answering my questions, so: can anybody confirm whether this is a recent change to their terms & conditions that I was unaware of, or whether it's always been there and they've just started enforcing it?

</rant>

 

[Fozzie Bear]

At first I thought this was going to be a thread about vaccuum cleaners. Still, I wonder, why didn't you just give them somebody else's phone number, or make a number up?? That's what I do when I write checks.

 

[Aaron]

is that legal

 

[anathema]

At first I thought this was going to be a thread about vaccuum cleaners. Still, I wonder, why didn't you just give them somebody else's phone number, or make a number up?? That's what I do when I write checks.

I did. Apparently they check. Specifically, I filled out the phone number field with zeroes, as I don't want to provide a number that might turn out to be a real one.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Oh, Alex, they'll figure THAT one out!! So what if they call someone else's number--it's not like those folks know you...unless it's friends.

So, why don't you have a phone? Suppose "I" wanted to call you up?

 

[anathema]

Oh, Alex, they'll figure THAT one out!! So what if they call someone else's number--it's not like those folks know you...unless it's friends.

So, why don't you have a phone? Suppose "I" wanted to call you up?

Providing a fake phone number is also against the T&Cs, so as soon as eBay discovered that's what I'd done, I'd get suspended again.

I didn't say I didn't have a phone. I just don't have a phone number that I'm prepared to publish, which is what this amounts to. eBay aren't going to be ringing me - the reason they want my phone number is so that when another user requests my contact info, they get my name, address and phone number. I have an unlisted ex-directory number for a very good reason, and I have no intention of giving it to anyone other than friends and family. I use my cellphone for all business calls - it's the only point of contact my bank, credit card companies, utility companies, etc have for me - but I do not intend to give *that* to eBay either. They say that a company phone number or a voicemail number would be acceptable. Fine, except that the only voicemail service I have is on my cellphone, and I'm not authorised to give out my office's phone number for non-business purposes!

I do my business by email, period. And I absolutely do not want some US buyer who doesn't realise/doesn't think/doesn't care that 6pm on the west coast is 2am in the morning over here ringing me!

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Ugh. Lousy luck. What do you sell over eBay? You must have an awful lot with 37 auctions going on right now! So will they let you back on after a while, or are you out of luck?
Erin

 

[anathema]

Ugh. Lousy luck. What do you sell over eBay? You must have an awful lot with 37 auctions going on right now! So will they let you back on after a while, or are you out of luck?
Erin

Oh various things In this case, I have a pile of laserdiscs that I'm trying to get rid of before I move house...

I am appealing their frankly rather irresponsible decision. It's not just me they're inconveniencing - several of those 37 auctions had bidders who are now presumably just as narked as I am.

If eBay decide to be pricks about this, there are options open to me...

 

[King Jim]

I'm very sorry about you losing your account.

 

[McFraggle]

I'm sorry too. Hopefully it gets resolved in a nice manner.