Making formal legal complaint against eBay, any advice?

[clubcar]

We are a Golf Cart business that operates a showroom and our own industry leading website. We advertise vehicles on our website, eBay as well as Facebook and sometimes even Instagram.

I recently advertised a Petrol golf cart which are very rare. We listed this item on eBay and received a few messages. The vehicle was on display in our showroom. We received a few messages from customers in regional areas asking about delivery costs to various areas. One customer sent a phone number (I did not ask for it or respond to their message). In the meantime, as often happends, a customer came in and bought it. So I ended the item on eBay as it was no longer available.

Now we are suspended from eBay for selling the item outside of eBay - when I queried this with eBay, they say, we were suspended from eBay because sharing contact details is not allowed - At no point did we share any details, at no point did we request any details. At no time did we reply to the customer who sent their details. When I asked how we can be responsible for what other people say, their arrogant response is simply "we understand but the decision is final". So now we are suspended because of something a customer did and may do again. Obviously it is impossible for us to be res

What is the best way to make a formal complaint against eBay? Is it worth contracting a solicitor? Anyone had any success on making a complaint through the ombudsman?

[eol-products]

Your items show up for sale and I am able to purchase so as far as I can see you have not been suspended.

[padi*0409]

Usually for the first "transgression" eBay will only stop you from messaging anyone for 7 days, as eol says I can see your listed items so I suspect it's only a message ban that you've got.

In hindsight it would have been better for you to reply to the buyer asking for details that you cannot provide those due to eBay's policies.

[enigmabear]

I also see your items

If you were suspended from eBay, they would not be showing

Were you told you were suspended from eBay or suspending from getting/sending eBay messages ?

How did you complain/to who?  

I ask, because if you rang the call center, staff there work from scripts and most do not know bee from bull's foot

[lyndal1838]

There does not seem to be any restriction on your account now.   I can access your store and there seems to be no impediment to me buying anything.

From what I have seen on the boards when ebay imposes these crazy restrictions is is only for 7 days in the first instance.   If it happens again they can get more severe in their restrictions.

[brerrabbit585]

From what I've read (others in the same situation), the first 'suspension' stops you from doing any new listings for a certain amount of time. I think some have been suspended permanently after three violations.

I know it's not your fault if people contact you with their details but it really doesn't pay to advertise things for sale on ebay if they're also available elsewhere. That's the only real way to stop this happening. Ebay have no way of knowing whether you rang the person who gave you their details and sold to them privately. By ending the listing they'd assume there's a high possibility that you did sell to someone who contacted you.

[clubcar]

Thanks for all the replies so far - just to clarify, we are suspended from listing new items or replying to messages. They openly admit we did nothing wrong and are suspended because the customer sent their phone number through. They refuse to lift restriction, this obviously isn't at all fair or reasonable.

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

Put up a post about it on their Facebook page, laying out everything you've posted here - they hate that! More chance of getting action from them that way...

[collect247]

I'm just throwing it out there OK but would that person that sent you their phone number perhaps be a competitor knowing that would happen to you?

I've been informed that is why some sellers have been suspended or shut down.

Other sellers of the same products doing their sneaky little tricks.

[kopenhagen5]

Just wear the 7 days and move on.

In future respond to messages when contact details are sent by stating that your company does not deal off the site when responding to an eBay listing and that you are happy to answer any queries through eBay messages.

I think the problem was because you didn't respond to the message, the automated system has just flagged the initial message and assumed you called the buyer.