This guide is geared for new sellers but might be helpful for experienced sellers too. I want to share an experience I had a few days ago. I have been a buyer/seller on here for over a year. However, before I started selling I watched a few experienced Power Sellers to see how they worded their listings, etc. so I would know what to do when I did my own auctions. Since Power Sellers have to follow strict rules to be in that program I thought they knew what they were doing and followed their example. For over a year I didn't have any problems so you can imagine the shock (not to mention anger) I felt when I received an Alert message that said I was violating ebay policies and they removed 10 of my auctions. I didn't understand that I had done wrong and questioned them. They told me that I had violated their policy because I had said I would accept cash as a form of payment. I didn't understand why this was wrong because I had seen hundreds of listings (some from Power Sellers) with cash listed as an accepted form of payment. Again I questioned the removal of my listings and was told to read the policies and that I could be suspended if I kept violating the policy. I had 125 listings and spent hours revising them but I wasn't fast enough in doing this. In the end they removed 25 of my auctions (some with high bids) causing me to lose money. I was very upset but there really wasn't anything I could do about it. In the beginning I had read the policies on what you can and can't sell on here but I didn't even know the policy on accepted payment methods existed. I trusted others to show me the way and was lead astray. I learned my lesson the hard way.

I am posting part of the message they sent me so you can learn about their policy. Please read it thoroughly and carefully:

Sellers may offer to accpet Pay pal, credit cards including Master Card/Visa/Amex/Discover, debit cards and bank electornic payments online for eBay purchases. Sellers may also offer to accept bank-to-bank transfers, often known as bank wire transfers or bank cash trasnfers. Sellers may accpet COD (cash on delivery) or cash for in person transactions. Sellers may offer to accept personal checks and other negotiable instruments.

Sellers may not solicit buyers to mail cash.

For more information of Safe Payments Policy visit the following Help page:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/safe-payments-policy.html

Please note: violation of this or other eBay policies may result in forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings, limits on account privileges and account suspension.

Please review eBay's Listing Policies and User Agreement at the following locations:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/policies.html

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/user-agreement.html

I was also told that if I see anybody listing cash as a form of payment that I should report them. Here is another part of the message:

With tens of millions of active listings at any given time, it is not always feasible for us to be aware of all violating listings within the time frame of some auctions. This is why we rely on members such as you to report these listings and bring them to our attention. As such, you will see items on the site currently in violation of our listing policies. However, when we receive reports for these violations, we fully investigate each report. Regardless of the reporter's intent or the seller's status, listings that are found in violation are dealt with appropriately.

You may report listings to eBay by using our special webform and providing us with the specific item numbers. Unfortunately, we cannot accept reports of eBay User Ids, search results, or URLs. Please follow these steps to make your report:

1) Visit the following URL:
 http://pages.ebay.com/help/contactus/base/index.html

2) Select the option "Report a listing policy violation or prohibited
(banned) item"

3) Select the option: "Listing policy violations.."

4) Select the option: "Report other listing violations"

5) Select the continue button and complete your report.

Please be aware that it can take up to 72 hours for The Community Watch Team to review reported listings.

So, do your part and report any listing you see that is violating any of Ebay's policies and we can keep this site as honest and trustworthy as possible.

I hope you find this guide useful and informative.

Good luck and have fun as you continue to use this site.

God Bless You!!

Paula =^..^=