Non existent item - got a 1 day suspension and removal!!!!! WTH?

[lenixyz]

Hi all,

Just got a message telling me that my item has been removed and I have incurred a 1 day suspension, stopping me from listing.

So what, you say?

Problem is, THE ITEM DOESN'T EXIST!!!!

I haven't had this item in stock for some time, so, naturally, it wasn't listed.

It doesn't show in my unsold listings, nor in my inventory.

So how could this happen?  How can they find an item that does not exist and slap me with a violation for it?

I know it was not listed, because I am the only one who lists and I am the only one who keeps the inventory.  I am also the only one who does the ordering and I KNOW I have none of these and have not listed any of them!

Do ebay use old listing info or something?  WTH?  I am at a loss as to how this can actually happen.

If ebay have humans crawling the system, then it is nigh on impossible to find something that's not there.  If they have a "bot" doing it, then maybe a BIIIG glitch?  But using old info?  How can it be?

I have emailed CS but will follow with a call.  I'll just see how far I get.........:(

Has anyone heard of phantom items like this before?  I'd love to hear if you have.

Thanks all.  🙂

[lenixyz]

Sorry, should clarify - the item is not something which is restricted or prohibited - that's what makes it more annoying!

I just don't understand!

[thecatspjs]

Maybe it has something to do with the big GLITCH fiasco yesterday.

I had a mystery sale of a $139 item, that the buyer swears they did not buy, and I believe them as I got no sale email advice and pretty much everyone was locked out of their account at the time of the sale anyway. 

[lenixyz]

Just got off the phone with CS and they told me that although the item was sold a while ago, they still have the power to remove it!!!

WHAAAAT?  Why?  I asked them how this can be and got a canned response that I still don't understand.

The sale, as far as I'm concerned is ancient history.  The customer received it, I was paid - everyone happy.

So I'm lost - still!

[digital*ghost]

I have heard of listing removal and policy violations being issued after the listing has ended - usually in the case of the seller ending the item manually due to errors like duplicate listings, or incorrect category, and the eBay removal / violation occurs within a few hours after...not heard of it happening weeks or months later before (listing info is archived by eBay for 90 days, so I presume it was within that time frame).

The stupid thing is the buyer would have received an automated email from eBay advising them the listing was possibly fraudulent and not to go ahead with paying for it, or to try and get their money back ASAP if they did pay. 

Sorry I can't actually help - the only thing I can advise is, depending on what the violation was issued for, appealing it if you can make a case to the contrary (eg suspected fake item where you have proof it was genuine).