Escaping eBay – My Story, Concerns, and Questions About Selling Here

Greetings everyone,

As you can probably guess from the title, I’m brand new here and trying very hard to escape from the clutches of eBay. AI actually recommended this platform as the #1 alternative to eBay, which impressed me, so here I am.

I’ve been an eBay Power Seller since eBay first opened, and while I’ve made a lot of money there, the platform has shifted drastically in recent years. Management decisions have changed how sellers are treated, and I want to explain why I’m leaving eBay and what I hope to find here.

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My Sales Strategy
• I always price extremely high—often higher than competitors.
• My philosophy [URL removed] build the best listings possible and pay heavily to promote them.
• This strategy worked well for years, and I was fine paying high promotion fees when sales were strong.
• Unfortunately, eBay’s shift in management has undermined this approach and created serious issues.

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The Major Problems With eBay

1. Forced Returns & Scammer Bias
• eBay increasingly forces returns, even when scams are obvious and well-documented.
• [URL removed]
• I sold an $800 telescope. Packaging alone cost me $100 and hours of careful prep.
• The buyer raised red flags immediately, admitting he had another telescope like mine and suggesting he’d use mine for parts.
• When it arrived, he demanded $20, then more, then suddenly filed a damage claim.
• I had FedEx insurance through eBay and arranged an inspection, which the buyer initially agreed to.
• eBay promised repeatedly not to issue a return label until FedEx inspected the package.
• On the inspection day, eBay broke their promise and issued a label.
• The buyer rushed to return it before FedEx could inspect, and sure enough, it was missing many parts when I got it back.
• Despite clear evidence, eBay denied seller protection and gave me a defect.

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2. Data Loss & Vanishing Listings
• eBay has had mysterious data losses where Good ‘Til Canceled listings just vanish—years of work gone.
• I’ve had this happen many times, and eBay denies it.
• I believe it could be a data breach. If true, eBay would be required to report it publicly, exposing them to lawsuits—which might explain their silence.

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3. Vacation Mode Glitches
• Before leaving for my honeymoon, I called eBay and walked through vacation mode step by step to ensure nothing would go wrong.
• Despite this, 19 items sold while I was gone.
• I reimbursed buyers and got bad feedback and defects anyway.
• One buyer refused a refund, waited two months, and then hit me with another defect.
• When I got [URL removed]
• My account was below standard.
• At first, sales flowed as normal, but after two weeks, sales completely stopped.
• I tested visibility by listing high-end watches at $1 Buy It Now. They were invisible, even when checked from another account.

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4. Contradictory Support & False Promises
• Reps constantly give contradictory answers.
• One told [URL removed] “Sell seven items and request manual review to restore your account.”
• I even bought my own items through another account to meet the quota.
• When I called [URL removed]
• Another rep said it was impossible.
• Another said it would take “way more” sales but refused to give a number.
• Another said sales without uploaded tracking don’t count, even for local pickups.
• I spent thousands in lost sales and fees, but they never honored what their reps told me.

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5. Broken Phone System
• eBay’s phone system is awful.
• Even with a new iPhone and no spam blockers, I often get “missed call” emails saying I blocked them—which is false.
• It feels like they’re discouraging calls or dealing with major technical glitches.

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6. Unfair Pricing Guidance
• eBay’s “pricing recommendations” are misleading.
• I once sold a clock for $900 that they claimed was only worth $22.
• Afterward, they adjusted their “guidance” for other sellers to show $900 as the going rate, but only after I proved it could sell.
• I’ve learned to ignore eBay’s pricing advice and trust my high-value strategy.

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7. Better Business Bureau (BBB) Success
• The only way I’ve beaten eBay is through the BBB.
• [URL removed] I sold a rare, autographed Star Trek concept drawing (~$600).
• The buyer damaged it, claimed it was faulty, and rushed a return before inspection.
• eBay denied seller protection and insurance coverage despite dozens of calls.
• I filed a BBB complaint, and within 24 hours I had the money in my account.
• I’ve repeated this many times successfully.
• Lately, however, my BBB complaints are being blocked before processing—possibly interference.

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Why I’m Leaving
• I’ve been loyal to eBay for decades, but I finally [URL removed]
• They don’t value sellers.
• They don’t take accountability for glitches or fraud.
• They side with scammers and punish honest sellers.
• I’ve invested years building 5,000 listings and millions in inventory, but eBay has left me with zero sales and mounting expenses.

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My Current Situation
• I’ve started moving to this platform.
• eBay had ~3,100 active items, plus ~2,000–3,000 unsold drafts waiting for inventory checks.
• I tried the listing mover, but it only brought over 130 auctions instead of thousands.
• I also use InkFrog, where I’ve saved all my listings in case eBay deletes them.
• My [URL removed]
• Can I sync this platform with InkFrog to bring everything over?
• Or is there another workaround?

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My Questions for You
1. Can I make similar money here compared to eBay?
• Is the buyer audience here comparable in size, or much smaller?
2. High-priced [URL removed]
• I specialize in high-value listings.
• Does anyone else here successfully sell higher-ticket items?
3. No Returns [URL removed]
• If I specify no returns, is it truly enforced?
• Or can buyers force returns anyway, like on eBay?
• This is especially critical with consignment sales, where consignors expect quick payout and don’t want to risk returns weeks later.

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Final Thoughts
• I sell everything—collectibles, antiques, automotive parts, clothing, and more.
• I refuse to compete on cheap items (e.g., $5 shirts). I target high-end buyers who value exclusivity and pay for rarity.
• I’ve had enormous success with this strategy on eBay (despite the chaos) and hope I can thrive here if management is better.
• If this platform values sellers, I’ll happily move my entire business here.

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? That’s my story, my frustrations with eBay, and my questions for all of you. Thanks for reading, and I’d appreciate any advice you can give!