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Apologies if this query has been raised elsewhere, but I couldn't find any thing similar on a search.

Actually, several queries rolled together...

I've been selling on ebay (sporadically, under my username for this site) over the last 7-8 years. I use the ebay image-hosting set-up, which gives relatively small pictures of the stamps. So, as routine, in the listing blurb I state that I'll forward a large scan to interested parties on receipt of an email address. In the last month I've had several requests for scans in which the email address is deleted with the note 'email address removed as per policy'. Some addresses still get through, though.

Presumably, this is a new policy to try & stop people organising sales outside the ebay umbrella. It's a pain - to my recollection, I've never taken down a lot once listed & only sell through ebay.

So, several questions:

1. How are they discriminating? As I say, some addresses get through, some don't. I suspect they look for the phrase 'email address' in 'questions to seller' based on the four or five I've had problems with.

2. Is it possible to send a decent scan through the 'reply to question' option - I can't see a facility (talking about ebay uk here).

3. What are the alternative recommended image hosting sites if they really clamp down on this - I see lots of people use Auctiva, etc. Are they much hassle? Cheaper? I've been too lazy to consider alternatives until the last few weeks.

Cheers, Mike

Have you asked eBay for an answer to this yet

If not, ask them why (though you will no doubt get the packaged stock standard answer as other people may have asked the same question).

Please post up any response from eBay here.

Mike why don't you link your images to an image in photobucket which you can show at 1200 dpi in the description area on ebay

Link below may help

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=35754

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I AM ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE
Post your KGV faults on the stampboard wiki.

If your 'goods' are any good, why not sell them here ? No fees.

D.

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Visit my Website - http://WWW.DJMSTAMPS.COM for Australia & World Stamps, Collections and Accessories

All the above are good suggestions, but to answer your original question, deleting email addresses is a generic response used by a number of auction houses - not just ebay, which is used to protect the privacy of individuals.

This can be easily overcome (if you really, really, must do it) but I will not advertise the method on this or any other thread. The simplest answer is to do what GUTTERS suggested, and use the HTML code to insert photos from photobucket directly into your listings.

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FORESTS OLD, PASTURES NEW
(An expert is one who knows more and more, about less and less)

Hi Gutters

Having only been up here for a few days, I'm not that clued up on the intracies of Photobucket to post images here, let alone on ebay. However I'll investigate at leisure over the next few weeks!

Cheers, Mike

Photobucket is free and works well.

eBay won't send a response that answers your question, they just send a standard BS response to all enquiries.

Hi DJM

I suspect I've not been a member of this board long enough to sell directly. Anyway, the sales I've seen are essentially all 'buy it now' items (to use ebay terminology). (Does Stampboards host an auction facility - could be interesting).

I wouldn't know how to price stamps for an instant sale - and have found ebay brilliant for selling items outside my area of expertise - sales fees notwithstanding (I'm aware I may attract some stick at this point). Sure, some things sell for less than I'd hoped, but most get at least as much as I anticipate - and the exposure is unrivaled.

I'd guess that over about 3000 or so listings over the past 8 years I've less than 10 unsold - including many that I put up in complete ignorance as to what they were & where they came from.

I've gripes with ebay - post heading for example - but couldn't have returned to collecting on my present scale without them. That said - I must investigate the alternatives!

Cheers, Mike

Hi Lakatoi 4

No, I've not asked ebay (don't think I've ever asked them a direct query). I'll try, though, & post up any response

Cheers, Mike

Aren't you able to just put your email address in the blurb of your listing and let them email you direct?

You're not going to be able to attach a file to the ebay internal message system.

But the easiest is just to have a larger scan showing on the listing in the first place. Some of the items I've seen have ridiculously huge scans on the page.

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Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

Some comments in blue below:

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Tony

Email addresses can be identified easily by a computer software scan, the system just has to screen messages for an (at) sign, ie me@home.com. 'Harvesting' software for spammers (sometimes called 'spiders') does the same thing, their system will scan the internet in places such as Bulletin Boards like this looking for the (at) sign, then add that email to the database. Thus members here are advised never to write their email address in a post, unless you're really looking for a Russian bride, or little blue pills to help you with said bride.

eBay's messaging system doesn't have a way to attach images, that would be too sophisticated. I upload the images into Photobucket, then copy the link into the eBay description. At the top of the description box in the editing window, click "HTML format", then copy the HTML code from the Photobucket image into the eBay listing (its only a couple mouse-clicks once it 'clicks' in your head how to do it).

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/

Putting imbedded images in your ebay listing is the way to go.

It costs nothing.

And prospective buyers don't have to go to the trouble of asking for an emailed scan.

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A man might as well marry ... if he finds a good wife he will be happy ... if not, he will become a philosopher.
Collecting Greater New Guinea & Macropods (Kangaroos & Wallabies).

I don't think the "privacy" argument works here -- after all, we're talking about eBay removing an email address from a message where the sender would have had to specifically include it, presumably because they wanted the seller to have it and use it. This appears to be purely a device to make it harder for people to communicate outside of eBay.

The address remover doesn't seem to pick up addresses that are included in spam-proofing style -- e.g. "johndoe {AT} gmail (dot) com" -- so that's probably the easiest way round it.

Plea to all sellers though: the small eBay images are hopeless, especially for covers. Forget the expensive eBay options for extra/large images, and just include a link to an image on Photobucket (or elsewhere as convenient). It's easy to do and really helps your bidders.