FORUM

After getting yet another warning from ebay about giving out my number through messages they then follow on to tell me that I can now include my phone number on sales to allow buyers to contact me through phone. How bizarre lol but good news.
You add this feature in your account information to allow buyers to get your phone number.

Well done Keith!!
I never knew this, just been and changed my settings.
I wonder if the relentless loss of customers to facebook/ amazon has got anything to do with it??

Useful. I guess and an option always forced for business sellers, but I have to admit if I ever sell, not something I would want to use. Also surely eBay should just allow sharing in messages, as I would only want to give out my number on a serious query wanting to view an item.

Tom it’s better than getting a 7 day suspension every time I try and send my number to people.

I can't see this working for Ebay. They just opened the door to off ebay sales. For them, it would have been better to lower the high commission rates they charge.
I run two business that use ebay heavily; one is about 90% ebay, 10% online shop. Ebay charges 10% on a sale. The shop works out at about 3% inc. yearly fees. What's to stop me re-directing all my ebay customers to the shop which also takes paypal and CC, plus I can offer the customers a discount through the shop, saving us both money! The only loser is ebay!

I once bought a machine on ebay and the seller sent me a photo of a coffee mug with their number written on it

Last year I bought a Sega Imperial one arm bandit at my local car boot. It was locked but seemed in good condition. It had come from Germany some years ago and the dealer told me that it was ex-NAFFI. It took pre-Euro 10 Pfennig pieces.
The machine was opened (me semi-retired locksmith - so new keys made ) and found handfuls of coins and after a little tinkering it worked fine.

It took up too much space in my workshop so decided to sell it on that e-place. Took nice photos and wrote a lengthy truthful description and listed it for 7 days starting price at £200 – buyer collects.

I thought nothing of it and got over 500 views and many watchers. (One collector even came and looked at it - though he might have been....) Then those e-persons at HQ pulled it, telling me that I had to have a Gaming Licence or some such rot!

So there it sits in my workshop……that online auction site is useful and I sell lots of old nick-knack on it - but …….

Selling things on here is a lot more informal, but doesn't quite reach as many possible customers.
(Although the QUALITY is better!)

I had same problem last year and spent an hour pointlessly arguing the toss with eBay so I agree with brigham but if you DO decide to go the "e-people " route this is the link you will need.

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/f ... rmits.aspx

The good news is that I avoided getting a Gaming Licence (£25) just to put the machine on E-place-thing.

By chance a while talking to a customer in the shop and while cutting the key the conversation got round to collecting. I mentioned my Sega Imperial and he showed interest and expressed interest. Having a keen interest in juke boxes, he came, saw it - and bought it.

So happiness all round!

Worth remembering that Ebay only removes machines if a member reports it first (we have been down this road sooooo many times).