Phone Numbers shown within listings

[imf_electronics_australia]

As far as I've always known eBay don't allow contact details such as phone numbers to be shown in listings.  This has always been the policy due sellers using eBay as an advertising platform and then flogging the item off outside the system.

Strangely though eBay seem to turn a blind eye to this practice in vehicle listings and as such nearly 99% of cars are sold offline.

Why would they do this ??

[collect247]

Because vehicles are exempt as they're listed as a classified listing 

[enigmabear]

*Beat me to it

[imf_electronics_australia]

So When it's an active Auction that's ok ?? I understand if it's a designated "Classified Listing", but not an Auction.

[lyndal1838]

The listing policies are different for vehicles.

No-one in their right mind would buy a vehicle without inspecting it first.

sellers of vehicles don't have to use paypal either.....do you find a problem with this also?

[imf_electronics_australia]

No, but I didn't realise that conditions were totally diferent for vehicles, honestly 9 out of 10 cars don't sell on eBay for the exact reasons you suggest, and that is not being ablle to inspect personally.

Also who in their right mind would use PP to buy a car anyway ?

[*tippy*toes*]

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@collect247 wrote:

Because vehicles are exempt as they're listed as a classified listing 

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Is this still the case though with eBay's intense paranoia at things being sold off eBay? You have to be so careful sending messages because if they even get a whiff of something being sold off eBay, it's off with your head. Given they make good fees off vehicles, it would surprise me if the paranoia hasn't moved over into vehicles. I'm asking, because I don't know, not to sound nit picky.

I've neither bought nor sold a car on eBay and I don't think I've really looked at the ads. Maybe the only time I would is if someone came here with a question and have left a link or item number. Do cars have a standard insertion fee, to make up for most being sold off eBay?

[padraicpaul91]

It seems eBay has only targeted sellers regarding contact details. I have had a number of savvy buyers give their details, as a quick call saves on a lot of typing.

I am not one to try to sell off eBay,as I factor in fees with my prices. But the opportunity appears to remain.

[lupercal]

So far as I understand it, once the transaction has been completed (i.e. you have a buyer who has paid) ebay don't mind if you exchange details. Well, they told me this themselves, and I've had customers say the same thing. It's rarely been something I've needed to do, but sometimes it's been important for one reason or another. It seems a bit silly in one way,  because if you sold to the same person on separate occasions, you'd have to go through all the non-disclosure on the second sale, even though they could easily have your details from the first one.

I guess I know why they get antsy about this - though the only times they've ever hassled me over it was due to some completely innocent message which they misconstrued for some unkown reason.

[padraicpaul91]

Just to be clear, it appears that any (potential) buyer can leave their contact details, not just those who have purchased.