Listing
   >> eBay
Thread views: 22433 Previous threadView all threadsNext thread*Threaded Mode

Pages in this thread: 1 | 2 | (show all)
tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/06/08 07:35 PM
Mature Audiences errors  

I have this stag film from the '40s or '50s. Probably pretty tame by today's standards, but I have viewed only the first few yards with a magnifying glass and a lightbox. When I listed it recently in Videos, it got four fast bids (based, I suppose, on its title which is suggestive but uses no profanity), then eBay pulled it saying it violated their category policy (I sent them a treatise on how it shouldn't be relegated to Mature Audiences, especially since all I show is the film reel).

Anyway, I tried to list it in MA tonight but got a series of errors. On the first attempt without changing anything but the category, AW offered to display the error, but when I clicked to view it, I got nothing. I tried again and got another error saying Paypal is no longer available for this item (can't offer Paypal, apparently). I omitted the Paypal option and got another error: "The item cannot be listed or modified. The title and/or description may contain improper words, or the listing or seller may be in violation of eBay policy." I then deleted the old auction ID and tried again without the Paypal option checked but got the same error. And I got it again when I tried it with only US shipping checked.

Is eBay able to block me from listing anything in the MA category? I'm beginning to wonder if they are rejecting this listing because I said I hadn't view the film -- don't know how nasty it might actually be. But the computer wouldn't know that, especially since I deleted the original ID.

So does anyone know why I can't list this item?

Thanks, Sue



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/06/08 07:45 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue,

Have you changed Listing templates lately? If so, go back and double check the payment options offered as some of the listing templates have "Billpoint" and "Billpoint" must be deleted.

Paypal cannot be used to pay for an Mature Audience product. And Mature Audience items are anything that cannot be purchased by a minor (18 and under). You also cannot offer International shipping for mature Audience listings. So if you have any International shipping, you will have to remove those.

You might change the auction title line a tad and see if the listing will go through.

Does that help?

Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/06/08 08:51 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: bluepennylady]  

In reply to:

Have you changed Listing templates lately? If so, go back and double check the payment options offered as some of the listing templates have "Billpoint" and "Billpoint" must be deleted.


I'm just using one of my own, ordinary templates (no HTML). I've never used Billpoint.


In reply to:

Paypal cannot be used ....cannot offer International shipping for mature Audience listings.


I already removed both those things but still got errors.


In reply to:

You might change the auction title line a tad and see if the listing will go through.


I think I'll do some experimenting with the title. I can always revise it later to make it more like original.

Thanks, Sue



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/06/08 09:04 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue,

hummm, there has to be something or you wouldn't keep getting error messages. It would be so good if eBay would just tell you precisely what the problem is instead of the generic message.

I'll give it some more thought and see if this pea brain of mine can think of anything else.

Let me know if revising the Auction Title line helps.


Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/06/08 09:06 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Success! All I did this time was change the title just a little (didn't omit any words; added Title: and then wrote the same title). Also removed the words "don't know how hard core it is" and replaced them with ".....how X-rated it is," and this time no errors. Who knows???

I also wonder if a seller gets locked out for a period of time if you attempt repeatedly to list something that raises a red flag on their computers, same as you might if you tried to log in using guessed-at passwords at some sites. Maybe all I had to do was wait an hour or something.

Sue



tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/06/08 09:21 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: bluepennylady]  

In reply to:

It would be so good if eBay would just tell you precisely what the problem is instead of the generic message.


So true! This is an interesting topic. Ebay as moral standard-bearer. What a joke! You never know if your auction got scrutinized because someone complained, or if some young, eBay block captain was "doing their job."

When they pulled the first auction, I ran a search and found an auction for a book about the history of stag films. Showed only the cover. One could assume the interior of the book would have photos of naked people engaged in sex acts. My film showed only the reel (book cover) and you might assume the "interior" of the film showed people in the same activities. The title of my movie uses two words that are ordinary nouns -- one is synonymous with dampness, the other with rigidity. Neither word by itself would raise an eyebrow, but together, the words are very suggestive. So eBay's action was based on very subjective criteria and could be seen as singling me out. It's a wonder they don't get sued more often.

Sue



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/06/08 09:39 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue,

That is excellent news! Glad that worked!



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/07/08 06:43 AM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue,

Just this past week I made an inquiry to Trust and Safety concerning a disposable medical item. It can be obtained without a prescription most anywhere. but I wanted to check and be sure it would be okay to list it.

The response from Trust and Safety,,,they cannot tell me if it is restricted or prohibited until after it is listed. Even though I sent all the information. Another seller has one listed which I sent a link to the auction. The auction is still up and running.

But I found it really strange that the people who pull auctions cannot tell me prior to listing if the items is acceptable or not. and I emailed back and probably said more than I should have. I could be in trouble before it is even listed now



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

Ned
(member)
01/07/08 07:43 AM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: bluepennylady]  

"The response from Trust and Safety,,,they cannot tell me if it is restricted or prohibited until after it is listed."

What this tells me is that 1) "Trust and Safety" (or at least the ones who answer emails) are not the people who actually pull the auctions, and 2) the rules are (undefined, murky, made up as they go along, matter of taste, capricious -- take your choice).

Happy New Year, everyone.

Ned




bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/07/08 07:52 AM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: Ned]  

Ned,

That is the same conclusion I came to and welll, I sort of said something along those lines when I replied back to their email.

When I called the Power Seller help line, Trust and Safety is who they said was responsible for making that decision. They provided contact information. Along with a Trust and safety can assist you. "Assisting" was the last thing they did.



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/08/08 01:03 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: bluepennylady]  

I finally got a reply to my objections to having my auction cancelled. Here's an expurgated version of their email:

..............................................................................
I have had a chance to review the listing that you posted and have
confirmed that it was correctly removed from the site.

Your listing contained the following description:

"Title of movie is [Noun & Noun - Noun]
(you be the judge of what the "story"
is about). Large-breasted Marilyn Monroe
look-alike (dark hair; maybe it's really her)
removes her clothing and rolls an apple
around on her body in the first few yards,
but I have not viewed the whole movie, so I
do not know how hard-core it might be."

This is an indication that the film may be pornographic in nature. In
order to sell this film you must state what kind of film it is and state
the rating [there is no rating; it's from the '40s or '50s]. If it happens to be pornographic you must list it in the
Mature Audiences section of the site.
..............................................................................

"If it happens to be pornographic..." I like that phrase! What about if it happens NOT to be pornographic? I don't have the equipment to watch this film, and I'm not going to run the whole thing over a lightbox, peering at every frame with a magnifying glass! And even if I had a projector, I'm not sure I'd want to watch this movie. Yeah, here's Grandma watching a stag movie in her kitchen. Sigh......

When it was listed in the regular movies category, I had an immediate four bids from four different people and several watchers and about 40 hits the first night. Listed in the MA category, it's gotten 19 hits in two days, no bids, no watchers. Searching on title & description, all categories, trying several of the words in the title, it does not show up in results no matter what I try. Do MA items ever show up in search results?? And of course, anyone just clicking to view my other auctions doesn't see it -- it's not on the list. EBay certainly doesn't make it easy for us downtrodden porn merchants.

Sue

P.S. One lesson learned is that for any auction you think might get cancelled, keep a record of your bidders. At least you can attempt to contact them to inform them of a relisting. I had done one AW update after the first bid was placed, so that was the only bidder I was able to contact.



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/08/08 01:15 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue,

Break out the popcorn and invite all the grandma's in the neighborhood over to watch a film made in the 40's and 50's. The stuff from back then couldn't be as bad as what we have today. Or I would not think so anyway.

Well at least you know what they want. Now if it is obtainable is another question entirely. And I don't have a problem one believing the search didn't pull it up. I am convinced there are simply some items in some categories that do not appear in a search no matter what search criteria values you enter into the search field.

Let us know how you manage to get the thing listed. It is almost a quest now!

Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/08/08 01:39 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: bluepennylady]  

Hilarious image, me and the other grandmas having a stag party (doe party??).

I did get it relisted, but it's in the MA category. That's what I was saying about how little notice it's getting. Bidders have to make a deliberate effort to search there, apparently. If you are looking for tame movies with risque themes, you may never venture "behind the dark curtain at the back of the store."

Sue



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/08/08 01:54 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue,

You know, I wonder if the movie will show up in the search after a couple of days. It might be interesting to check and see if it does. It might be like some collectibles and coins and such,,,, those do not pull up in a search sometimes for 36 to 48 hours. It seems they are sort of in a holding pattern until the listing is confirmed to be true and accurate.

Try checking later on this evening and tomorrow and let us all know if it show up then.



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

AquilaStamps
(addict)
01/08/08 06:26 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

Sue:
I noticed that it does show up in the search results if you search under your username. It shows up as ADULT ITEM user verification required.

Bet your "doe party" will be a hoot. Just remember to not all end up behind bars. It prolly would be a good idea if some of the grandmas park down the street a ways and walk to your house. Don't want all the grandma cars in your driveway and in the yard as well as pulled up at the curb. I can see the formation of a new club coming along - Sue's Movie Picks sort of like Oprah's Book recommendations. Then when you list them on eBay you could give the movie so many "Grandma Stars". Those stars will make as much sense as the new buyer star ratings they are now giving out to sellers. Oh well it's a thought anyway.

Garry



tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/13/08 02:11 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: bluepennylady]  

I finally got a reply from eBay Customer Support (I shortened the actual description quote and edited out the real names):
------------------------------------------------------------------
Your listing contained the following description:

"Title of movie is [suggestive title, no profanity]...Large-breasted [famous actress] look-alike (...maybe it's really her) removes her clothing and rolls an apple around...have not viewed the whole movie...do not know how hard-core it might be."

This is an indication that the film may be pornographic in nature. In
order to sell this film you must state what kind of film it is and state
the rating. If it happens to be pornographic you must list it in the
Mature Audiences section of the site.
------------------------------------------------------------------

I wonder if this individual is too young to know that movies didn't have ratings in the '40s-'50s. Evidently, we have to watch movies we list to gauge how pornographic they are (haven't owned a super 8 projector for a long time). So eBay trusts the judgment of its sellers to determine the degree of pornography involved (one man's porn is another man's PG-13)? Do we also have to read sleazy books for the same reason? Well, it's their site -- they make the rules.

The issue is moot now. I relisted it in MA, and it's got a bid. But as far as I can determine, even though the listing shows on my list of auctions, no MA listings come up in regular search results, even if you use exact words from titles. You have to navigate to the MA category and search from there.

Sue



tictictic_OnEbay
(enthusiast)
01/13/08 02:38 PM
Re: Mature Audiences errors new [re: Ned]  

Ned sed: "the rules are undefined, murky, made up as they go along, matter of taste, capricious -- take your choice."

Definitely. You'd have to hire an attorney to get anyone's attention and actually challenge a ruling.

Sue




Pages in this thread: 1 | 2 | (show all)
Previous threadView all threadsNext thread*Threaded Mode
Jump to

www.AuctionWizard2000.com | Contact Us Forums powered by WWWThreads