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So the other day, I reported on a letter that I got from eBay, suggesting that I might be in violation of their policy on “site interference“. Â The letter said, in part,
Listings promoted on the eBay Deals have a cost factor associated with them. While we are happy to provide great deals to our customers, we do so with hopes that our customers will buy or sell other items on the site.
We have become aware of your purchase activity being focused primarily on high demand Deals items.
I was not the only person to receive that email – several people reported also getting the same form email, and some people reported getting their purchases canceled.
In the 2 days since I got the email, I have received no fewer than FOUR promotional emails urging me to hurry up and buy something on eBay. Â I have reproduced some of them below
and
I find it a bit disingenuous of eBay to, on the one hand, tell me to stop buying “deals” and on the other hand, pummel my inbox with promotional emails! Â Cmon eBay – make up your mind!!
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
Very strange! Did you buy a large quantity of the same item by any chance? I can’t imagine buying 1 of several different items would raise any concerns on their end.
It is the same as with credit card companies (getting email offers for new accounts even though you hold the card already) and, in the past, AOL. They used to send CDs out for free months every so often – but would get mad if you used more than one. 🙂
All of these companies have separation and lack of communication between their marketing departments and their compliance/accounts departments. Annoying, but that’s what happens!
Just 4 ads in a couple days. I think I get 4 or more *every* day! Even if I bought just one thing from each ad they send, I suspect I would get that dreaded letter sooner or later because that would be a lot of stuff.
They need to realize that they are asking people to buy and then to turn and punish them for doing so is bad business.
Plus, if they are losing money on sales, then they need to closely examine their business practices anyhow!
Tried one of their gift card deals and got an error at check out. Tried a gift card not on the deals and had no problems. I still don’t understand what this violation of their policy is regarding buying something that they put the price tagged themselves
Right – I always get amazed by companies that have great deals and then are SHOCKED and AMAZED that people want to buy them… 😛