Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

What do you guys think about this policy in relation to selling vehicles. I just phoned ebay australia re their policy about a sellar giving out their contact details to a prospective purchasers so that the purchaser could come and inspect the vehicle before they purchased the vehicle. It is against ebays policy to give out your contact details until the prospective purchaser has bid on your car. Ebay advised that the buyer must commit to the sale of the car before you give out details. So what is the point of have a auction purpose for cars on ebay?  I'm sure most buyers would want to inspect the car before they purchase it and not have to commit to purchase it and then renig on the deal when they come to pay and pick up the vehicle. I understand ebay is worried about selling outside of ebay but maybe they should also consider the sellars feedback score in relation to this policy and the sale of vehicles. 

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Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

Quite agree, a silly way of trying to deal with the problem.

I have noticed though there is now an offer link in messages so if a buyer makes an offer the seller can send an offer to the buyer officially. Hopefully eBay will keep working on the solution.

In the meantime I have seen suggestions of sending a phone number as written. Zerofouronetwo etc.

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Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

I have my e-mail address saved as a jpeg (just typed it into a Word document, did a screen-cap, and edited it down), same with my contact 'phone number.

 

If a potential buyer wishes to contact me directly, I just slip one of those in with the message.

 

Yes, it could be used as a means of facilitating off-eBay sales by some, but there are often cases where the a potential buyer wants to ask questions about the item, which can best be resolved by a 60 second 'phone call, rather than several hours of "message-pong".

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Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

The policy is ridiculous. In many cases it makes it impossible to trade.

I recently wanted to purchase an ink stamp for my return  address on postal items but could not give my details, address, email, phone number to the seller making it impossible to purchase the item.

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Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

It's not quite the same, and nothing to do with cars.

 

Unless your seller is charging by the letter, why wouldn't you buy what is almost certainly a standard sized stamp, then give them the relevant details?

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Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

Because of the Ebay policy of not being able TO GIVE THEM THE RELEVANT DETAILS.
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Ebays policy on sellar giving out phone number to prospective buyers

I certainly haven't had any communication problems POST sale. Once there is a commitment to buy, even if not paid, exchange of details is allowed.

 

Which is an issue with vehicles and other pick up items, but not stamps.

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