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I've almost given up, but I'll tell you my story anyway.
3 years ago I formed a company selling online via eBay and processing payment through PayPal. The products we sell are all fitness related. For a couple of years we didn't have too many issues. Just the usual refund a customer for no reason lark and extra verifications etc. About 2 months ago I had a clear out and was getting rid of some tired old gym equipment that wasn't used anymore. There was a indoor gym bike which I listed on eBay and didn't sell, so I re-listed it. Within a few days PayPal had limited my account for a breach in user agreement. After a couple of phone calls and emails later I was told I had actually made a trademark violation in my eBay listing as I had listed the item as a 'spinning bike' so I explained to PayPal that it was obviously an error and I never imagined that spinning bike would ever be trademarked and they asked me to contact the rights owner. The rights owner was very understanding (it must happen a lot) and advised us to just re list the item without using the term 'spin, spinner or spinning' which in due course I did.
Bingo our PayPal limitation was lifted! Surely not. Yes it's true it was lifted. For all of 5 hours when it was permenently limited for breach of user agreement. What now I thought? Well the breach was the initial breach. Backwards I know! But guess what you have the right to appeal. Brilliant, surely this will do. Appeal process was in full flow. Proof of shipping, proof of business existence, proof of ID, utility bills, Supplier info etc. all given and handed over. I left it a few days as it was a lot of information. During this time I contacted the rights owner to discuss my situation. They actually apologised profusely for the inconvenience to my business and emailed PayPal to ask for my limitation to be lifted as the punishment was far to harsh for such a minor error.
So here it is D day. The day I get my PayPal account back and my business can start running again............
The day started with a conversation with a really nice lady called Louise - I gave her an update on my situation and asked if she had all the relevant documents for lifting my limitation. She said 'There is nothing more you can do, you have given us everything we have asked for and need' - wonderful news, all the information was sent and my account would now be reviewed and I will get a response within 48 hours. I left the conversation slightly more confident in getting my account back. But in truth it was still low. A whole 5 minutes passed when the annoying bleep on my iPhone went off indicating I had a notification.
APPEAL REVIEW REJECTED - perminent account limitation. NO APPEAL
Phone call no.2
After initial verification
Hello this is Stephen how may I help you.
Hi Stephen, I have a challenge for you. If we can have this conversation with out you once reverting to the term 'breach of user agreement' I will pay for you and your other half to go for a slap up meal.
Stephen - After looking at your account and all the details, unfortunately your account is limited perminently.
Yes I see that Stephen but your not giving me and explanation as to why?
Stephen - Because of a breach in user agreement.
Damn it Stephen we have only made it 30 seconds!!
My next move was to ask why it only took 5 minutes to review my case. This is not a review its a refusal. A review would of taken hours with all the information I had given over the few weeks. I wad told the 'back office' make the decisions and its final. Oh and guess what, the back office doesn't deal with the general public. Haha of course they don't! Ok then, next. Is the information you requested sufficient and is there anything wrong with it and if so why on earth did you ask me for it in the first place if you weren't even going to look at it! I never did get a straight answer for this question. Right next up. Why do you have an appeal process. In what situations are these appeals successful? Answer. In some situations once the information is reviewed we will overturn a permenant limitation. (you see the flaws right? My appeal was never actually 'reviewed' it was refused)
Ok let's discuss my situation.
I sold a second hand gym bike and made a listing error by writing 'spin' in the title on eBay. The item never sold! NO MONIES, where ever transferred through PayPal nor any other merchant for the item because it didn't sell, I still have it.
The rights owner, who made the original complaint emailed you asking to lift the limitation as it was too severe of a punishment and they didn't want to damage our business. You offered me a right to appeal and asked for all documents to be emailed over. Then you didn't even read the documents, refused my appeal and are now keeping hold of my funds for 6 months! If there was ever a situation that would warrant a overiding decision on a limititaion then this is definitely it Stephen. I understand you have the right to limit my account but you have also chosen to exercise that right without proper explanation. You also have the right to overturn the decision so can you explain why you haven't?
Stephen who I actually felt sorry for replied , looking at this, it's hard to understand and I feel for you, but it's never going to happen!
So I asked him what's next for me, my business is losing thousands of pounds per week, my business cannot operate without eBay and PayPal what can I do?
Can I open a new PayPal up and start fresh?
The next flabbergasted me I won't lie.
Unfortunately any account you set up, will be limitted immediately. Anyone who is connected to you or your business will also be limited!
I asked how long for. INDEFINITELY . What? A lifetime ban for writing Spin bike are you kidding????? I started laughing when the seriousness of the situation sunk in.
I have a warehouse worth North of 100k and no means of selling it! I am truly at a loss with this. I knew Stephen couldn't help anymore, he would of if he could I could tell he knew this was unfair. Reluctantly I left the conversation.
There is always a solution, I just haven't figured this one out yet. Thanks for reading this far. I hope your all having better luck than me with this North korean inspired dictatorship!
Carl Finley
3 years ago I formed a company selling online via eBay and processing payment through PayPal. The products we sell are all fitness related. For a couple of years we didn't have too many issues. Just the usual refund a customer for no reason lark and extra verifications etc. About 2 months ago I had a clear out and was getting rid of some tired old gym equipment that wasn't used anymore. There was a indoor gym bike which I listed on eBay and didn't sell, so I re-listed it. Within a few days PayPal had limited my account for a breach in user agreement. After a couple of phone calls and emails later I was told I had actually made a trademark violation in my eBay listing as I had listed the item as a 'spinning bike' so I explained to PayPal that it was obviously an error and I never imagined that spinning bike would ever be trademarked and they asked me to contact the rights owner. The rights owner was very understanding (it must happen a lot) and advised us to just re list the item without using the term 'spin, spinner or spinning' which in due course I did.
Bingo our PayPal limitation was lifted! Surely not. Yes it's true it was lifted. For all of 5 hours when it was permenently limited for breach of user agreement. What now I thought? Well the breach was the initial breach. Backwards I know! But guess what you have the right to appeal. Brilliant, surely this will do. Appeal process was in full flow. Proof of shipping, proof of business existence, proof of ID, utility bills, Supplier info etc. all given and handed over. I left it a few days as it was a lot of information. During this time I contacted the rights owner to discuss my situation. They actually apologised profusely for the inconvenience to my business and emailed PayPal to ask for my limitation to be lifted as the punishment was far to harsh for such a minor error.
So here it is D day. The day I get my PayPal account back and my business can start running again............
The day started with a conversation with a really nice lady called Louise - I gave her an update on my situation and asked if she had all the relevant documents for lifting my limitation. She said 'There is nothing more you can do, you have given us everything we have asked for and need' - wonderful news, all the information was sent and my account would now be reviewed and I will get a response within 48 hours. I left the conversation slightly more confident in getting my account back. But in truth it was still low. A whole 5 minutes passed when the annoying bleep on my iPhone went off indicating I had a notification.
APPEAL REVIEW REJECTED - perminent account limitation. NO APPEAL
Phone call no.2
After initial verification
Hello this is Stephen how may I help you.
Hi Stephen, I have a challenge for you. If we can have this conversation with out you once reverting to the term 'breach of user agreement' I will pay for you and your other half to go for a slap up meal.
Stephen - After looking at your account and all the details, unfortunately your account is limited perminently.
Yes I see that Stephen but your not giving me and explanation as to why?
Stephen - Because of a breach in user agreement.
Damn it Stephen we have only made it 30 seconds!!
My next move was to ask why it only took 5 minutes to review my case. This is not a review its a refusal. A review would of taken hours with all the information I had given over the few weeks. I wad told the 'back office' make the decisions and its final. Oh and guess what, the back office doesn't deal with the general public. Haha of course they don't! Ok then, next. Is the information you requested sufficient and is there anything wrong with it and if so why on earth did you ask me for it in the first place if you weren't even going to look at it! I never did get a straight answer for this question. Right next up. Why do you have an appeal process. In what situations are these appeals successful? Answer. In some situations once the information is reviewed we will overturn a permenant limitation. (you see the flaws right? My appeal was never actually 'reviewed' it was refused)
Ok let's discuss my situation.
I sold a second hand gym bike and made a listing error by writing 'spin' in the title on eBay. The item never sold! NO MONIES, where ever transferred through PayPal nor any other merchant for the item because it didn't sell, I still have it.
The rights owner, who made the original complaint emailed you asking to lift the limitation as it was too severe of a punishment and they didn't want to damage our business. You offered me a right to appeal and asked for all documents to be emailed over. Then you didn't even read the documents, refused my appeal and are now keeping hold of my funds for 6 months! If there was ever a situation that would warrant a overiding decision on a limititaion then this is definitely it Stephen. I understand you have the right to limit my account but you have also chosen to exercise that right without proper explanation. You also have the right to overturn the decision so can you explain why you haven't?
Stephen who I actually felt sorry for replied , looking at this, it's hard to understand and I feel for you, but it's never going to happen!
So I asked him what's next for me, my business is losing thousands of pounds per week, my business cannot operate without eBay and PayPal what can I do?
Can I open a new PayPal up and start fresh?
The next flabbergasted me I won't lie.
Unfortunately any account you set up, will be limitted immediately. Anyone who is connected to you or your business will also be limited!
I asked how long for. INDEFINITELY . What? A lifetime ban for writing Spin bike are you kidding????? I started laughing when the seriousness of the situation sunk in.
I have a warehouse worth North of 100k and no means of selling it! I am truly at a loss with this. I knew Stephen couldn't help anymore, he would of if he could I could tell he knew this was unfair. Reluctantly I left the conversation.
There is always a solution, I just haven't figured this one out yet. Thanks for reading this far. I hope your all having better luck than me with this North korean inspired dictatorship!
Carl Finley
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