eBay is killing coupons sales with new policy

[kalamazooclipper]

Last week (9/21/10) eBay posted a new listing policy to start on Oct 26--duplicate listings will no longer be allowed, all dups will be removed by eBay after that date.

The problem with this and couponers?

The current coupon listing policy is the opposite--in order to sell over 20 coupons, the overage must be in another listing. So, 100 coupons must be in 5 separate listings of up to 20 apiece.

Coupon selling is at the brink of getting pushed off eBay. There just aren't any workarounds for these 2 policies. Listing "legally" for one policy violates the other.

We coupon sellers would like the coupon listing policy to be changed to allow for more than just one lot of 20 per listing, so those 100 coupons could be posted as 20 coupons x 5 lots. (This would allow multiple lots "quantity available" for coupons.) Not only would the pages of the same coupon by 1 seller be cut out--the purpose of the no-dups policy--but would save us on listing costs.

Specifically, the current coupon listing policy needs to be changed to allow for multiple quantities of the same lot to be allowed in one listing. If this doesn't make sense, it's the same thing as I wrote above, just in eBay-speak. LOL

Please call eBay and ask for the change. To get eBay's phone number, go on eBay, click on Contact Us at the very top of the page, and type in "where am i" in the search box. Click on the phone icon, and you'll get the phone number and a pin number.

It will take a few minutes to save coupon selling on eBay...please help.
Thanks -- the more buyers who contact eBay, the more important the problem will seem to eBay -- squeaky wheel concept!

Lorna, kalamazoo clipper

[Kriket]

I used to sell videogames on eBay and the feedback/powerseller rules pushed us off. I am interested to know how it goes for you. Isn't selling coupons a legal grey area anyway? I have bought coupons before, but it does say on them, not to sell, transfer yadda yadda, maybe eBay is getting heat from the ad companies?

[meggers]

I have an easy solution: Pay HCW $20 & post your business in our entrepreneur forum where you'll get tons of business for a low, annual fee. I have used you before on ebay & you're quite reasonable, but you could be even more reasonable here cause you won't be paying ebay everything.

Personally, I would love to help, but I'm a little busy moderating HCW auctions to spend my day on the phone with flea-bay.

[allie8302]

About the legality of selling/buying coupons

In order for something to be illegal, there has to be a law against it.

There is no local, state or federal law against selling coupons, which is why there are ebay sellers, sellers on AFC, and clipping services out there. It may be against the "wishes" of the manufacturers, but it is not illegal. The manufacturer has the option not to honor any coupons it thinks was sold or bought. (I have never heard of this happening).


If this policy goes into effect, as a buyer, you can buy more than 20 of the same coupon, just not from the same seller. If you wanted say 60, you would have to buy 20 from 3 different sellers. AND pay 3 different shipping fees. That is how it breaks down for the buyer.

Read the entire "Overview" in the petition, it should answer any questions.

It will not be against eBay's policy for a buyer to buy more than 20 coupons, you can buy 3 sets of 20 different coupons from the same buyer, or 3 sets of 20 of the same coupon from different buyers.

It will help the cause if you can message the sellers and buyers you have come into contact with on eBay about this (and about the petition), that is the only way to spread the word.

Allie

[$Saving!]

I have an easy solution: Pay HCW $20 & post your business in our entrepreneur forum where you'll get tons of business for a low, annual fee. I have used you before on ebay & you're quite reasonable, but you could be even more reasonable here cause you won't be paying ebay everything.

Personally, I would love to help, but I'm a little busy moderating HCW auctions to spend my day on the phone with flea-bay.

I agree, I will not shop ebay for anything, I used to be a seller there for years, and they became oppressive to the small sellers in any market item.

The minute they brought in corporate accounts, they favored them and the little guys kept getting fee'd to death.

I buy all my coupons here on HCW either in auctions or flat out deal making and could not be more pleased, thanks to the great moderation and upkeep done here!!

And no, I'm not 'sucking up' I'm as serious as a heart attack - HCW has it ALL.

[meggers]

And no, I'm not 'sucking up' I'm as serious as a heart attack - HCW has it ALL.

For future reference, sucking up is fine with me.

[$Saving!]

For future reference, sucking up is fine with me.

So noted -

[Merczilla]

I've never been an Ebay seller and don't know if this works for coupons or not, but I know I've seen auctions that have a quantity listed, such as baking sheets, for instance, they have quantity:12 ,so you can buy one up to twelve in the same auction format. Is that not kosher to list 20 sets of the same in the one auction? I have never bought coupons off Ebay, either, so have never paid attention to how that's done, so if I'm off, just ignore me. lol

[allie8302]

I've never been an Ebay seller and don't know if this works for coupons or not, but I know I've seen auctions that have a quantity listed, such as baking sheets, for instance, they have quantity:12 ,so you can buy one up to twelve in the same auction format. Is that not kosher to list 20 sets of the same in the one auction? I have never bought coupons off Ebay, either, so have never paid attention to how that's done, so if I'm off, just ignore me. lol

The current coupon policy does not allow multiple lots per listing, so no a seller cannont sell twenty sets of 20 in a single listing like in other items (like baking sheets). So how sellers have followed this rule is by making a separate listing for each lot (or set of 20). The new Duplicate Listing Policy will make it so they cannont have any more than one lot of any one coupon. So if you wanted to buy 40 of the same coupon, you would have to buy two sets from two different sellers, and pay two different shipping rates.

[thorrocks1]

The current coupon policy does not allow multiple lots per listing, so no a seller cannont sell twenty sets of 20 in a single listing like in other items (like baking sheets). So how sellers have followed this rule is by making a separate listing for each lot (or set of 20). The new Duplicate Listing Policy will make it so they cannont have any more than one lot of any one coupon. So if you wanted to buy 40 of the same coupon, you would have to buy two sets from two different sellers, and pay two different shipping rates.

I can't imagine that it would be worth putting so much manpower to look at listing for $.99 - $5.00 ...

it seems silly to me that Ebay would want to limit SALES on their site unless they have been "threatened" by the companies whose coupons are being sold.

is this new rule strictly for coupons or is it across the board for all items?

I have a friend who sells for large shoe company. so are they going to limit her from listing running shoes even tho they are in different sizes?

that being said, I currently have 2 names I sell under on Ebay .. maybe I will consider a 3rd.