Why Did Ebay Cancel My Auction? Freeper advice/analysis requested

[UnsinkableMollyBrown]

On Friday I posted a regular old auction on Ebay. It was for a Government produced document entitled "Handbook on Fighting Corruption". Unlike all my other auctions, I added a bit of commentary/personal opinion. Within a few hours, I received notice from Ebay that my auction had been cancelled. I was, and still am, flabberghasted! The reason stated in the email was "Inappropriate Item". I have looked on their list of auction restrictions, and I can't find that "category." In addition, my email requesting clarification has been ignored. And so, I am presenting the information to Freeperdom, and asking for your ideas on why this auction was cancelled. For the life of me, I don't get it....

The auction text:

I am very disturbed by the events that have taken place in Florida with the Judicially mandated death of Terri Schiavo. That a county judge to so blatently abuse his office by ordering (from the bench) that another human being not be given food, even by mouth, is a travesty of justice. That Federal Jurists looked the other way and did not attempt to correct the obvious corruption in Florida is a travesty. The black robed, bench sitters have become a menace and great threat to our society and the fundamental freedoms upon which this country was founded. Though this text was written with an eye to fighting corruption in a specific organization, the principles may well be applied to our current Constitutional Crisis. The Inventory of Anti-corruption Measures may provide ideas and methods to effect changes to the way things are right now. /soapbox

A HANDBOOK ON FIGHTING CORRUPTION

U.S. Agency for International Development

This 1999 handbook on anti-corruption programming contains five sections. Section II lays out the development problems posed by corruption and articulates the need for anti-corruption programming. Section III provides a framework for developing responses to these problems. It identifies root causes of corruption which call for both institutional and societal reforms to address them. For both categories of reform, the handbook presents an inventory of anticorruption measures. The handbook then lays out a framework for selecting among these measures to design a USAID anti-corruption strategy in a specific country. This framework includes a methodology for assessing the nature of the corruption problem and the opportunities and constraints for addressing it. The framework links the assessment to a strategy, offering guidelines for prioritizing and sequencing anticorruption activities in various situations.

40 pages in electronic format. Winning bidder to receive data via CD in PDF Format.

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Here is the email that I received... PI NOTICE: eBay Auction Ended by Customer Support - Inappropriate Items

We regret to inform you that your eBay auction:

xxxxxxx HANDBOOK ON FIGHTING CORRUPTION Terri Schiavo

has been ended. All fees associated with this auction have been credited to your account.

The item you have listed does not appear to be consistent with eBay guidelines.

We have determined that your item is inappropriate for listing on eBay.

For information on infringing, prohibited or questionable items, please view: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/items-ov.html

For more information on why eBay has ended an auction, please visit: http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/png-endauction.html

Future auctions listed that fail to meet our listing guidelines will be ended early and repeated violations may jeopardize your account status. We value you as a member of our community and wish to continue our relationship, so we respectfully ask you to refrain from any violations of the Listing Policies or User Agreement in the future.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Regards,

Customer Support (Trust and Safety Department) eBay Inc

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[imfleck]

It probably got cancelled because you decided to editorialize your product.

Sell the product, not the editorial.

[HKTechBoy]

Take out the Terri stuff and you'll be fine. Your rant is about as appropriate as some hollywierd leftist talking about politics when promoting a movie. Nobody likes to get preached to when they are shopping. :)

[jocon307]

"Wait a bit and re-list it without mentioning Terri."

Yes, I think Andy's mom is right. There was an article that ran somewhere today (I read it here at FR, so you might be able to find it) which sort of bemoaned all sorts of creepy Terri Schiavo stuff that was being offered on Ebay. Your item doesn't fit what was described in the article, but you might have been caught up in some purge engendered by the piece.

[Godebert]

" Can't list guns on EBay. Don't know where you're at but they are legal where I live."

So they say....but I've seen two Imperial German rifles (pre-98) sell on eBay recently.

[Capn TrVth]

Remove the name and any reference to Terri Schiavo from the ad.

You can't go on Ebay to sell a 1968 Honda Dream and in your commentary dialogue write: 1978 Honda Dream, Harley Davidson.


If you are using Terry Schiavo's name attached to a product you are selling.

Well... 'nuff said.

It's not just a violation of Ebay's TOS, seems like an assualt on good taste as well.

My .02

[UnsinkableMollyBrown]

You know, I'm frustrated and angry about what was done to Terri. This is my attempt to give people information that may effect a fundamental change in the status quo. I had hoped that people care enough that they would do something. But you and others are mad about the way I chose to do something. I can't think of anything else that would have a real impact. Don't judge me.

[kvanbrunt]

going to the top works. I wrote to the President of Smith and Wesson about a defective 4015 and got a replacement SW99 with trijicon nite sites.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Many folks would find it unseemly to try to make money off of Terri Schiavo. (Only Michael Schiavo is allowed to do that!)

So yes, nix the Terri references and relist.

[Congressman Billybob]

It looks to me like the Seller got zotted by e-bay not for the product being sold, but for the introduction to the ad. There is the point that e-bay is a private outfit and can set its own regulations for participation.

Both points seem self-evident to me.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "The Fatal Attraction of the Inside Straight"

[VeniVidiVici]

So they say....but I've seen two Imperial German rifles (pre-98) sell on eBay recently.

Really? Hmm. I've heard they even pull magazine sales sometimes. I'll have to give it a shot. I really don't care if they ban my account.

Doubt they will though. They keep sending me emails asking me to verify my account by sending them my name and credit card info, so they must like me ;-)

[Capn TrVth]

"You know, I'm frustrated and angry about what was done to Terri. This is my attempt to give people information that may effect a fundamental change in the status quo. I had hoped that people care enough that they would do something. But you and others are mad about the way I chose to do something. I can't think of anything else that would have a real impact. Don't judge me."

Distribute the materials for free, then or for a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope.

"Don't judge me"... Sorry, that's what we do.

We look at what people do and we judge them, if we didn't, we'd all be fools, if I see a guy selflessly getting information out, to advance a cause he believes in, I judge one way, if I see someone hawking something on E-bay, and adding the name "Terry Chiavo" to the listing, I see only the Terms of Service Violation.. I detailed in the other post, -that's what E-bay saw too.

The Judgement I made was an aside to the TOS violation.

You may not be a bad person, but the idea was bad. And if you stood to make even a single penny off it, that's worse.

Getting information out good/ Adding Terri's name to the whole affair was wrong, you could have said "Recent Events" or something to that effect.

Not harshin' ya, just pointing out another perspective. ;>

[alisasny]

All I can think is the SCHIAVO name was flagged and all relating are removed.

I guess ebay believes Terri Schiavo is an unacceptable word.

[MoochPooch]

'Just to give you an example of what can be sold on ebay, last year I put up an ad selling "nothing"... My ad said "I am selling nothing and you will be shipped nothing" and I actually sold "nothing" for $9.99 (Yes there are people out there that stupid).'


Just today, I read that someone is selling his middle name on Ebay. (He actually got some takers.)

Others have offered the Brooklyn Bridge/their soul/their virginity -- you name it. Apparently, it's all right to sell tongue in cheek, but not with conviction.