Funds on hold policy change?

[goodbyetoallthat]

After 26 years selling on eBay, 100% feedback rating and just one negative many years ago, I learned today that an item I sold on the weekend has had its funds placed on hold by eBay. As the buyer had paid promptly, I mailed it straight away and then contacted eBay (dodging the chatbots twice) to find out why the funds were not being cleared as usual. The reasons given were just bizarre - apparently 100% feedback doesn't qualify as proof that I'm a dependable seller - and after pushing them about the absurdity of what they were saying, it finally emerged that eBay wants me to sell more items, more often. I explained that I'm not a business and I'm selling (and buying) as a small collector. Eventually I was told there's been a "policy change", which I assume means eBay can't be bothered sustaining small volume sellers any more. So I'm letting my current listings (94 at time of writing) run their course and then not relisting. Ever. Curiouys to know how many others have had this happen.

[countessalmirena]

This isn’t a recent policy change.

I - as a buyer - received emails some years ago concerning Managed Payments, and it wasn’t too much later that notifications went out clarifying that holds would be applied when a seller wasn’t selling regularly or sufficiently – that, in effect, such intermittent sellers would be regarded as “new sellers” until their selling was at the necessary level.

Did you perhaps disregard those emails and eBay messages, thinking they were just blah blah blah?

To avoid those holds, perhaps there are things you can sell on a more regular basis…? Otherwise, you may want to sell on Facebook Marketplace, or in Facebook Buy/Sell groups. There are risks involved as well as time wasters, but if you can’t sell regularly it may be the best option.

[*casey*]

" apparently 100% feedback doesn't qualify as proof that I'm a dependable seller "

eBay would rather have the site flooded with shonky Chinese sellers with appalling feedback , dropshipping rubbish and call them 'top rated sellers'.  eBay makes a lot of money from them

Seems they won't be happy until this site looks exactly like TEMU.

It's heading that way fast !

[*casey*]

And let's not forget these very same shonky sellers have multiple IDs so just start new selling accounts when  the old ones look  too bad.

Let's also not forget all the  counterfeit listings sold on this site along with all the dangerous items not passing mandatory Australian Safety Regulations.

Along with hundreds of thousands of  items sold  on hijacked Italian and German accounts, hijacked by Chinese scammers sending the items,  or not, from AliExpress.

And what about all the VERY OBVIOUS fraudulent listings for non existent items.

It used to be all about the money but these days the scammers  around the world are sharing and / or selling  buyers' details.

These details may be harvested to use at a later date.

Think about identity fraud !

Then eBay tries to get rid of sellers like the OP

It's an absolute disgrace !

[pnc75]

Completely agree.  Eventually though, it will lead to their downfall. I stress....... eventually. But not for a long time.  But when it happens, it will serve them right. They are already not what they used to be, and I suspect sellers & buyers are leaving in droves each day. What we see & hear on the forums only represents a minute number of us. 

[davewil1964]

Not me. I keep up with eBay policy changes.

As the countess remarked, this is not a new thing, so obviously you haven't sold anything for a while.

Have you signed up to Managed Payments (six years since implementation)? If not, you will never receive your money.

[*casey*]

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@goodbyetoallthat wrote:

" find out why the funds were not being cleared as usual.

 Curious to know how many others have had this happen"

---

You've had a small gap in selling in the last few months  so all of the items you've been selling and have been  paid out for regularly over the last few years, can sometimes count for nothing in eBay's eyes !

Our boards  here are very quiet but I've seen this reported  on both the US and UK sites when a seller hasn't sold anything for a couple of months.

[sandypebbles]

Hopefully there will also be some kind of consequences for buyers who choose to import non complaint garbage and put others at risk by doing so

No point only pinging sellers but leave those wanting to keep giving them air untouched 

[goodbyetoallthat]

So eBay wants to remove sellers who aren't selling in high volume? What a disgrace. No surprise really, but for those of us who don't buy and sell on eBay as a business, increasing our sales is not an option. And nothing would induce me to sell on Facebook.

[springyzone]

I'm with casey on this one.

The ebay policy for a long while now has been that irregular sellers are to be treated as 'new' sellers and so funds go on hold for a month.

The reason for it of course is ebay want to cover themselves as they have a money back guarantee.  Of course, if a customer makes a claim, ebay wants to get that refund money off the seller, not out of their own coffers. Buyers only get 30 days in which to open a claim though so ebay figures if it puts a hold on funds for that long, they are covering themselves. I see this as perfectly reasonable if a seller suddenly lists items after a long period of inaction.

But where it is unfair is when it applies to sellers such as yourself. I can see that you have sold quite a few things in the last few months to a year. You have a fairly steady pattern of recent sales and 100% satisfaction rating.

You've been an Australian member since 1999 and you've received over 4000 feedback, some as buyer, some as seller.

You're what I would see as a fairly regular seller or a steady seller at small volume.

Since you have that steady (though not high volume) record over the last 12 months, if I worked for ebay I would not see you as high risk.

You're the very type of safe seller who made ebay great in the early days. You're here in Australia and you're likely to have items that people won't see everywhere else.

But you're right, ebay has not been wanting to deal with small, occasional sellers for years now. I suspect they see it as potentially too much work, sellers who may not know the ropes etc and I also think they have been chasing sellers of 'new' stock.

Big mistake in my book.

I think the tide may be turning slightly, going on past posts I have seen, in that they may also start to push the image that they also cater to those looking for high end second hand designer products. That's not your market though.

Facebook isn't that bad for sales but depends what you sell. I'd guess your pet carry cages would sell on marketplace easily, individual books etc not so much.

For those, just persist with ebay but just mentally allow a month before expecting funds.