eBay asks me to supply a review and then rejects it

[markthomasz]

Bought a Casio watch on eBay.  One month-ish later, eBay asks me for a review.  It's a good watch, so I go ahead and write one (see it below).  eBay won't allow me to submit it, warning me that I can't include links, html, inappropriate language or references to seller.  I try varying my language, looking ofr anything that could be regarded as a link or inappropriate.. nothing.

VERY frustrating, and I won't respond to such a request again.

Review is below - can you see why it was rejected?...

I've always liked analog-digital combo watches, and the styling of this caught my eye. And it being a Casio at a very reasonable price.. So, does it stack up? Yes, and here's why, starting with the Good stuff:
- Lightweight, reasonably thin, very comfortable, very good looking (I think) and has a look of high quality.
- High technology - solar recharged battery good for 10 years, and the motor driven synchronised hands are very cool, no need for matching with the digital time as they do it automatically
- 100m water resist (and no pullout crown to worry about)
- Accurate - in over one month it has gained just 2 seconds! Way better than any previous digital I've owned.
- Easy to operate, and contrasty LCD display that is easily readable even for my older eyes.
- Very good stopwatch, lap timer, countdown functions, plus world times can be viewed via LCD
The Bad? Only minor quibbles:
- while the hands have good luminous paint, there are no luminous markings on the dial so it is a little difficult to tell the time in complete darkness without making sure the watch is vertical or using the LCD display. That display will probably be showing day-date if you are like me, so an extra key press or two is required.. But then when was the last time I needed that function urgently..?
- The LCD display can either show the time, or Day - seconds, or mm.dd - seconds. I'd rather see Day - dd eg Mon 23(rd) and not the seconds..
- there is no physical second hand. But the stopwatch and countdown functions are excellent, so I don't miss it.

All in all, I really like this watch. I own several others to choose from - but this is almost always the one I wear and it would be the one I took to that desert island..

[davidc4430]

nothing makes you feel less like doing reviews than after taking the time to do such a good job of one to then have some glitch stop you from lodging it.

ive never bothered, glad i didnt now.

[foxette-in-sox]

Did it have a word limit as your review is very lengthy.

[markthomasz]

A good suggestion, but no such limit was stated and on rechecking, there is a tiny little counter at the top right of the entry box...  But even with all that text it still has over 3000 characters left!.  And of course in just about every other text entry box across eBay, such a limit is simply enforced..

This sort of thing, combined with the way eBay will NOT allow any emails to be sent unless it is part of a very specfic topic area (and this isn't one of them) really cheeses me off.  And it also reflects very poorly on the incompetent programmers (and managers thereof) they use to set up this sort of idiotic and clearly over-zealous error-checking. </rant>

[mbselections00]

Awesome review, I'm sure the seller would have been delighted with it and it would have been great for prospective buyers - such a pity you can't send it.

And I couldn't agree more with your comments combined with the way eBay will NOT allow any emails to be sent unless it is part of a very specific topic area (and this isn't one of them) really cheeses me off. 

I had the very same problem a few days ago.  All I can suggest is click on anything that is even remotely related - perhaps feedback ? and request a call back, that way you can explain.  I have sent several emails in the past and my opening comments are - this message has nothing to do with the predetermined subject - the subject I wish to discuss is not listed !

[digital*ghost]

Are you typing directly into the text field, or have you written the review in a word doc and copy/pasted it?

I ask because some programs will embed your formatting to the text and eBay will read it as HTML etc  (even just the new line and dash, to act as bullet points). The same thing can happen if you copy/paste some text from a webpage and paste it to the text box on a post here, but usually after getting the warning, the offending "HTML" is stripped and the post can be submitted.

If that is the problem, the best thing I can suggest is to copy/paste it to a program like Notepad so that all formatting will be stripped, then copy the text from Notepad before pasting it to the text field on the review. (I had a look at a submitted review, and that contained no formatting whatsoever, just simple text and punctuation). 

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I got asked to write a review for a camera I bought on another ID.  I just ignored the request as I wrote a couple of guides a couple of years ago about buying cameras on eBay.  It was all good advice that I included in the guides, but some eBay members who read/accessed them rated them as unhelpful.  I suspected that someone took issue with something I posted here on the boards and saw that as a way of discrediting me, so I withdrew the guides.

What I wish eBay would do is ask me to write a review of eBay.  It would not be long and would go like this:

I loved eBay when I first joined.  I bought heaps of stuff and then started selling.  I was quite successful on several IDs.

Then came increased fees, seller defects and eBay's Money Back Guarantee.  I don't mind the fees so much as they did give me free listings each month, but defects and MBG are killers.

So, although I still like eBay, I don't love it like I used to.

Thanks for reading my review of eBay.

[digital*ghost]

---

@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:

I got asked to write a review for a camera I bought on another ID.  I just ignored the request as I wrote a couple of guides a couple of years ago about buying cameras on eBay.  It was all good advice that I included in the guides, but some eBay members who read/accessed them rated them as unhelpful.  I suspected that someone took issue with something I posted here on the boards and saw that as a way of discrediting me, so I withdrew the guides.

---

Do you still have copies of the guides? If so, you might want to republish them in the new format, as guides can now only be "liked" and shared. 😉 

Edited to add: they can also be commented on, but only via Facebook profiles. 

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

even if that is the case I am not interested in them being republished on eBay.  I will not have them as a guide on a public space.

I include in my descriptions much of the information about what to look for in film cameras on eBay as I only sell quality cameras that show all or most of the qualities I recommend buyers look for and I highlight these features in my description text.

edits: before anyone reports this post as advertising, I do not have any film cameras currently listed as my listing sold this morning for $350.  It only took eleven relists!

Also, if anyone reading this wants to know what to look for when buying film cameras on eBay just send me a Private Message on these boards.  I will help anyone who wants to keep film alive and would not look to sell anything to those that message me.

[markthomasz]

Thanks for the reply, but I typed the text directly into the box supplied and used no formattiing.  I even went back over the entire thing looking for anything that could be construed as spam or a reply to the seller, and tried deleting just those parts...  Still rejected.

I won't bother again.

And now I've received a lovely email from eBay, asking me to nominate which of the answers best solves my query and thanking me for participating in this helpful forum (which I'm sure it is, for other queries...).

None of them, eBAY, and it's not their fault - it's YOURS.  Thanks for ignoring your customers and making it virtually impossible to contact you with a genuine gripe.  And thanks, guys/gals for your kind and thoughtful replies.