Switching to Tindie, eBay Disallows Links to Documentation Now
All, I'm moving all of my open source hobby kits/projects to Tindie. I received a nastygram from eBay last night that I needed to remove all external links to my project descriptions and GitHub repos or my listings would be deleted. What good is selling a bare PC board without a link to the documentation and design files?! Anyway, my Tindie store can be found at the following address: https://www.tindie.com/stores/glitchwrks/ So far, Tindie seems to be better in all ways than eBay, except for of course viewership. Hopefully people will use it rather than shying away from an unknown. The focus at Tindie is DIY/hobby/maker projects, often open source, and often one hacker's hobby efforts. At least the "suggested items" will likely be relevant :) I did call eBay's customer service, and after wasting an hour wading through tech support hierarchy, I did get a non-call-center manager who understood the problem, but basically said, "your business is important to us, but not *that* important" -- he admitted that not having links to documentation basically made my eBay listings useless, but also admitted that there are no exceptions because eBay is scared someone will sell a $10 item outside of eBay once in a while. Thanks, Jonathan
Here's an idea. put up an auction for each item. In the description, put "search for glitchwrks on tindie for documentation". Bill Dudley This email is free of malware because I run Linux. On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 2:59 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
All,
I'm moving all of my open source hobby kits/projects to Tindie. I received a nastygram from eBay last night that I needed to remove all external links to my project descriptions and GitHub repos or my listings would be deleted. What good is selling a bare PC board without a link to the documentation and design files?! Anyway, my Tindie store can be found at the following address:
https://www.tindie.com/stores/glitchwrks/
So far, Tindie seems to be better in all ways than eBay, except for of course viewership. Hopefully people will use it rather than shying away from an unknown. The focus at Tindie is DIY/hobby/maker projects, often open source, and often one hacker's hobby efforts. At least the "suggested items" will likely be relevant :)
I did call eBay's customer service, and after wasting an hour wading through tech support hierarchy, I did get a non-call-center manager who understood the problem, but basically said, "your business is important to us, but not *that* important" -- he admitted that not having links to documentation basically made my eBay listings useless, but also admitted that there are no exceptions because eBay is scared someone will sell a $10 item outside of eBay once in a while.
Thanks, Jonathan
yes, I was thinking something like that, list both places and figure out a creative way, maybe put into the photos a hint where to get more info. b On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 3:16 PM, William Dudley via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Here's an idea.
put up an auction for each item.
In the description, put "search for glitchwrks on tindie for documentation".
Bill Dudley
This email is free of malware because I run Linux.
On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 2:59 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
All,
I'm moving all of my open source hobby kits/projects to Tindie. I received a nastygram from eBay last night that I needed to remove all external links to my project descriptions and GitHub repos or my listings would be deleted. What good is selling a bare PC board without a link to the documentation and design files?! Anyway, my Tindie store can be found at the following address:
https://www.tindie.com/stores/glitchwrks/
So far, Tindie seems to be better in all ways than eBay, except for of course viewership. Hopefully people will use it rather than shying away from an unknown. The focus at Tindie is DIY/hobby/maker projects, often open source, and often one hacker's hobby efforts. At least the "suggested items" will likely be relevant :)
I did call eBay's customer service, and after wasting an hour wading through tech support hierarchy, I did get a non-call-center manager who understood the problem, but basically said, "your business is important to us, but not *that* important" -- he admitted that not having links to documentation basically made my eBay listings useless, but also admitted that there are no exceptions because eBay is scared someone will sell a $10 item outside of eBay once in a while.
Thanks, Jonathan
Sure, there are ways to skirt the regulations -- for instance, my URL is on every board I sell, and is clearly visible in the listing images. I suspect that eventually this will draw attention, and end up with my listings removed or my account suspended. The root of the problem is that eBay blatantly does not care about supporting small DIY hardware projects. I guess they're focusing on trying to compete with Amazon or something. Hopefully it gets more people to alternate venues. Tindie also has other things going for it -- for instance, the international shipping rate calculator actually *works*. I've never once had eBay correctly calculate combined international shipping, even though I've set up rules and rates for it. I always end up having to give a non-trivial refund to the buyer. For example, eBay recently charged a buyer around $60 to send five of my 48T02 repair modules to France! I suspect that part of the "international shipping is hard" bit on eBay is to try and push sellers toward using the GSP, where they make a little more money. Thanks, Jonathan On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 3:46 PM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
yes, I was thinking something like that, list both places and figure out a creative way, maybe put into the photos a hint where to get more info. b
On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 3:16 PM, William Dudley via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Here's an idea.
put up an auction for each item.
In the description, put "search for glitchwrks on tindie for documentation".
Bill Dudley
This email is free of malware because I run Linux.
On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 2:59 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
All,
I'm moving all of my open source hobby kits/projects to Tindie. I received a nastygram from eBay last night that I needed to remove all external links to my project descriptions and GitHub repos or my listings would be deleted. What good is selling a bare PC board without a link to the documentation and design files?! Anyway, my Tindie store can be found at the following address:
https://www.tindie.com/stores/glitchwrks/
So far, Tindie seems to be better in all ways than eBay, except for of course viewership. Hopefully people will use it rather than shying away from an unknown. The focus at Tindie is DIY/hobby/maker projects, often open source, and often one hacker's hobby efforts. At least the "suggested items" will likely be relevant :)
I did call eBay's customer service, and after wasting an hour wading through tech support hierarchy, I did get a non-call-center manager who understood the problem, but basically said, "your business is important to us, but not *that* important" -- he admitted that not having links to documentation basically made my eBay listings useless, but also admitted that there are no exceptions because eBay is scared someone will sell a $10 item outside of eBay once in a while.
Thanks, Jonathan
I too have had similar issues with eBay these past months. All my RM Wiki links are now the issue. Any text about "contact me for bulk discounts" is an issue. All my links and email addresses in messages for SUPPORT are filtered. Breathing is now an issue. I literally can't do business there anymore in any reasonable fashion or even tell people to email me for links and support without reverting back to leet speak most times to which I then need to explain why I am doing so. I have my website name all over the listing with the hopes people will visit the Store and see the lower prices, but seems only a few are able to read or think. I fear in the coming months this "work around" too will cause issues and so will my name in the image watermarks. eBay also seems to be the land of impulse late night purchases most times. Noobs go there on a whim, where as more experienced users know about vendors. So I plan to adapt. I'll charge a LOT more for things on eBay with the hope people go to my URL and buy there. Some text in the listing about "This item is currently being made, and this is just a used refurbished item which bursts in to flames". If something sells then I will include a flier in the shipment starting where they should be buying and other vendors and where better to find things. But let's face it, 99% of vendors can be found with a quick google search anyway. So places like Tindie and WordPress stores like Woocommerce are just the way to go. eBay is just now a place to dump higher priced items or for hobbyists to sell parts from their collections, and hopefully it means their downfall. www.ebluejay.com for example is one such eBay like place with zero fees from what I read. There is quite a bit of Apple II hardware there now. So if we all make an concerted effort to move there and spread the word that they are "retro endorsed" perhaps all retro vendors could move away from eBay. In my case, and those with existing Stores, it's a bit painful to setup and maintain another store, although not impossible. $.02 Henry S. Courbis Office Toll Free: (800) REACTIVE (732-2848) Office/Mobile Direct: (856) 779-1900 www.ReActiveMicro.com <http://www.ReactiveMicro.com> - Sales, Support, and News, Our Headquarters on the Internet ReActiveMicro.com/wiki - Support, Software, Manuals, and History. Create your own page today! Facebook.com/reactivemicrousa - Our Social Media Outlet and Support On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 3:59 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Sure, there are ways to skirt the regulations -- for instance, my URL is on every board I sell, and is clearly visible in the listing images. I suspect that eventually this will draw attention, and end up with my listings removed or my account suspended. The root of the problem is that eBay blatantly does not care about supporting small DIY hardware projects. I guess they're focusing on trying to compete with Amazon or something. Hopefully it gets more people to alternate venues.
Tindie also has other things going for it -- for instance, the international shipping rate calculator actually *works*. I've never once had eBay correctly calculate combined international shipping, even though I've set up rules and rates for it. I always end up having to give a non-trivial refund to the buyer. For example, eBay recently charged a buyer around $60 to send five of my 48T02 repair modules to France! I suspect that part of the "international shipping is hard" bit on eBay is to try and push sellers toward using the GSP, where they make a little more money.
Thanks, Jonathan
On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 3:46 PM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
yes, I was thinking something like that, list both places and figure out a creative way, maybe put into the photos a hint where to get more info. b
On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 3:16 PM, William Dudley via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Here's an idea.
put up an auction for each item.
In the description, put "search for glitchwrks on tindie for documentation".
Bill Dudley
This email is free of malware because I run Linux.
On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 2:59 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
All,
I'm moving all of my open source hobby kits/projects to Tindie. I received a nastygram from eBay last night that I needed to remove all external links to my project descriptions and GitHub repos or my listings would be deleted. What good is selling a bare PC board without a link to the documentation and design files?! Anyway, my Tindie store can be found at the following address:
https://www.tindie.com/stores/glitchwrks/
So far, Tindie seems to be better in all ways than eBay, except for of course viewership. Hopefully people will use it rather than shying away from an unknown. The focus at Tindie is DIY/hobby/maker projects, often open source, and often one hacker's hobby efforts. At least the "suggested items" will likely be relevant :)
I did call eBay's customer service, and after wasting an hour wading through tech support hierarchy, I did get a non-call-center manager who understood the problem, but basically said, "your business is important to us, but not *that* important" -- he admitted that not having links to documentation basically made my eBay listings useless, but also admitted that there are no exceptions because eBay is scared someone will sell a $10 item outside of eBay once in a while.
Thanks, Jonathan
I too have had similar issues with eBay these past months. All my RM Wiki links are now the issue. Any text about "contact me for bulk discounts" is an issue. All my links and email addresses in messages for SUPPORT are filtered. Breathing is now an issue. I literally can't do business there anymore in any reasonable fashion or even tell people to email me for links and support without reverting back to leet speak most times to which I then need to explain why I am doing so.
eBay is on a mission to stop people from selling around eBay. I'll admit, I buy a decent amount of stuff from eBay -- but it's usually very strange and ecclectic oddities. eBay has been on this road for a while. They started hiding user names, they started proxying all messages. I thought the day would come sooner, myself. They charge a lot of money to sell on there, so to sell off an odd item or two it's quite a huge hassle to pack up and ship the junk knowing that eBay beats you up so bad on fees, when their costs to operate are pretty low. When Paypal split from eBay, all of Paypal's debt was dumped on eBay I think. Paypal is there for the long haul. Craigslist probably eats into eBay's business. I know eBay owns a small slice of Craigslist (because a CL employee sold his share.) I would be willing to bet that eBay is losing even more (and to some degree Craigslist) due to the huge number of phone apps that have entered the local market (Close5, OfferUp, etc etc.) eBay is still the only good resource for people with the odd hobbies. eBay could use a competitor, and badly. I assume that when one does show up it will be a mobile site/app. If you visit the eBay community forums there is a lot of upset sellers. Be it from the huge amount of Chinese vendors or all the fees. I can only imagine what it looks like now. But no competitor has ever emerged, probably because of the huge fraud issue. And with Paypal being tied to eBay, I don't know how that would work -- they could shut out competitors by blocking their use of Paypal, because there will probably be a huge number of fraud complaints due to ... well fraud. The music instrumnet world (at least rock type instruments not sure about brass/woodwind) have started to embrace Reverb.com quite heavily. Of course the people seem to want more than eBay prices over there. Amazon is another alternative, their fees are similar to eBays AFAIK. - Ethan
participants (5)
-
Ethan -
Support -
systems_glitch -
william degnan -
William Dudley