eBay Discrimination!!

Can someone explain this to me?? I've posted a few auction listings on eBay selling Tritium glowrings and my listings have been removed for say.. 9 times with warnings to suspend me if i continue sellin' those little glowies.. (Hazardous items policy)
I found it very disturbing to see so many others are sellin' the exact if not totally similar(apart frm packaging) tritium glowrings and i'm the one who repeatedly gets my listing removed!

I have even tried reportin' a similar item sold by someone else but then, no.. it was still there right till the end of the auction!

I've even inspected the description of the item to see whether i mentioned something that was forbidden. But again, everything was identical to others' listings..

Why is this happening?!!
Any wise care to enlighten? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Perhaps the other tritium listings on eBay have disclaimers they only sell in the countries where the tritium glow-rings are legal?

For instance, here in the U.S. Tritium glow-vials are legal, but only for the small size that's good for watches, compasses, and the dots in gun sights etc. I believe the U.S. commercial tritum product regulations also state that products that use tritium cannot be for "trivial use" a.k.a, "toys".

It's dumb, since tritium is a beta (electron) emitter, arguably the "weakest" form of radiation possible, and as a Hydrogen isotope it's going to float away instantly if opened, so glow rings are very safe, but the regulations are on the books, US Customs enforces them to show they do a good job, and no one is going to lobby congress to change the rules over glowing key fobs.

I also suspect that eBay enforcement is so erratic because the people doing it, are just that, people. The monitor who "caught" you, just feels like watching you over and over. The other monitors that get your complaints about other tritium sellers are either busy with other things, or lazy.

AJ.. I kinda hav that gut feeling it's the last point you mentioned.. Thanks alot man..
Really feel like stranglin' that *! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

Someone pls tell me who's tail i stepped on!! Argh..
i'm pursuing this matter till i get a satisfactory explanation! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rant.gif

I would bring this up to eBay directly. They're the ones blocking your auctions and letting other stay; they're the ones who can tell you what's allowed on their site or not. We can just guess and hope you sell them elsewhere (hint, hint).

look at the decription the other sellers are using.
look at what words they are NOT using.
its not discrimination,just the bot finding the keywords that trip its trigger

Sometimes they are just arbitrary.

Years ago I was selling some little switchblade "knife" keychains there (blades less than one inch long and the whole thing so flimsy they were useless for hurting anyone). They were legal in every state, yet eBay closed my auctions and threatened to ban me, while letting real switchblade knives which were illegal in several states stay up for auction.

I asked them why they were picking on me and not the ones that were illegal in many jurisdictions. When they finally answered, it was "No one has complained about theirs, but someone complained about yours."

I found out later that the person who complained about me was selling the same thing I was, but for about 5 times as much.

That was the begining of the end of me as a fairly successful full-time eBay seller (~$50,000 a year), and cut down my buying there by several thousand dollars a year too. Now I don't buy anything off eBay unless I just plain can't find it elsewhere, and don't sell there at all.

hey.. guys.. thanks for the advice and experiences shared..

ya snakebite.. I did check that! The most possible banned word is "Tritium"! But others are using it too..
I'm guessing that i may have also a situation like yours in the beginning Silviron..
Now after i've reported the issue to eBay customer service for a few times, it morphs into the problem of being "eyed" by some moderator.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

Put them up for sale using the least amount of "bad words" and then link to your site or a CPF posting where you sell them at a fixed cost for less than your eBay rate. Use eBay and take advantage of them. I am starting to dislike eBay for many reasons. It has its benefits, but not like I thought. I buy and sell most of my stuff now from B/S/T forums, where you can usually get a good deal and get reasonable rates for your goods if you factor in eBay hassle, fees, Paypal fees, etc.

alrite.. now to wait till my account finds its way back.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleye11.gif