Retailers Banning eBay Sellers

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AuctionBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on
ecommerce and the online auction industry
by Ina Steiner, Editor of AuctionBytes.com

August 08, 2007

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

By: Ina Steiner

Wed Aug 8 2007 11:36:30

AuctionBytes ran a piece on Tuesday about Pottery Barn Outlet stores banning eBay sellers from making any purchases. As expected, this is generating lots of discussion. Some sellers who were banned from the stores wrote to me to share their experiences, and I'd like to give them the opportunity to share their thoughts here. Please feel free to comment below.

Here are some questions I have for these sellers, plus I'd be interested to hear what others think about this, and if they have had similar experiences at other retail stores.

How important are Pottery Barn Outlet store purchases to you in your eBay businesses (for example, what percentage of your eBay inventory is sourced through Pottery Barn purchases)?

Have you been banned? If so, what was the reason given? (and from which store?)

If you were banned, how did the store staff know you were a reseller? Had you ever given the store your tax-exempt reseller number?

What kind of behavior did you observe from eBay sellers in the store, was it ever disruptive? If so, was it an ongoing problem? What did the store staff do to try to minimize the disruption? (which store?)

If you were banned, did you send someone else in your stead to make your purchases?

I've read that retailers often will put limits on how much of a particular item a customer may purchase. Would that work in the case of the Pottery Barn Outlet stores?

Why do you think Williams-Sonoma's Pottery Barn banned eBay sellers from their Outlet stores, and is there anyway they could ever enforce such a policy fairly?

There's also some talk about Williams-Sonoma's activity in terms of asking eBay to pull auctions that violate their trademark/copyright through the eBay VeRO program. Any observations?

This is an issue I'm sure I'll be revisiting, thanks for your comments, and feel free to email me as well.

Comments (130) | Comments Off | Permalink

Readers Comments

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: BeenThere

Sun Feb 17 20:09:04 2008

A retail store is private property, and entering the store as a customer is a privilege, and as a result the store can kick a customer out at any time and/or bar a customer from coming into the store in the first place. The store does not have to tell the customer why it's doing what it's doing. If the customer feels that the store's reason for its actions has to do with some sort of discrimination based on a recognized, protected characteristic (e.g. race, disability, etc.) and the customer can prove this in court, then the store will have a problem, but otherwise the store is in the driver's seat.

Yes, it might seem that eBayers are doing stores a favor by helping them move merchandise, but the stores may view it differently. If eBayers come in and take all the good stuff, ''regular'' shoppers will sooner or later decide that there's no point in going there because there's not going to be anything worth finding.

And the stores should be concerned about unauthorized sales channels; there are plenty of examples of people selling a bunch of legitimate stuff on eBay to build up a reputation and then dumping a load of fake merchandise on unsuspecting customers. Obviously the stores don't care for it when this happens.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: PBJ

Mon Feb 18 09:17:15 2008

Beenthere,no one is saying the stores didn't have a right to do what they did.Fact is Pottery Barn had this policy in effect for years and looked the other way because they profitted from the ebayers for years.

The stores didn't view it differently.The ebayers were told to buy buy buy as stuff came in and when sales were low.It also didn't stop so called regular shoppers from shopping there.Ever been there on a Saturday or Sunday when the lines are around the store waiting to checkout?

Pottery Barn ebayers have not and do not sell fake pottery barn items.All their items come from Pottery Barn.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Hey Targa!

Fri Feb 22 23:43:38 2008

Targa grow the hell up! You go to all the websites posting all this CRAP about how ebayers should owe WS/PB money, posing yourself under all these alias names. You are and always have been completely obsessed with people selling on ebay, even though you've got plenty of ebay id's of your own. You've sold on ebay right? And bought PB products off ebay too, right?? Do you deny it? So does it make you scum? In my opinion you are scum, but it has nothing to do with what you've sold or haven't sold on ebay. That is not what defines a human being, or a rattlesnake like you. You live by the do as I say not do as I do rule. You are a hypocrite and a control freak and you run off at the mouth WAY too much!

By the way, people recognize your post no matter what (or how MANY) alias' you write under because it's always the same manic furious raving lunatic narcissist rant. You try to make it look like people support your side of the arguement by manipulating the message boards and writing the post as a supposed ''bystander opinion'', but it just makes you look stupid. We all know who you are and what your agenda is. You aren't faking anyone out. You are completely and sickeningly obsessed with ebayers, your tendancies to email them, their customers, buy from them, collect their private and personal info, etc... to me is clearly stalking and I think it could definitely be tried in court. And you and I both know that is the tip of the iceburg huh? So you better know all THOSE laws inside and out. It's corperate idiots like you (and sis?) who made this decision to ''ban'' ebayers and has it worked? Heck no! The truth is that there are still a ton of Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma products on ebay and the biggest powersellers then are still the biggest powersellers now, and still with Pottery Barn product. So who have you stopped? A few people who are honest and willing to abide by the ban, a few grannies and granpaps, but not many of the others. I guess you didn't really have the power that you THOUGHT you had did you? Awe, I can feel your blood boiling from here. It just galls you to no end doesn't it.

Check out the auctions of idancelikeaduck and t-o-b-s just to name a few. They are making a fortune off PB product. Paying off the farm, pardon the pun tobs, lol. Nobody is stopping them, nor dozens and dozens of others like them. In fact, with t-o-b-s selling large furniture items like sectionals and sofa's then it's obvious she isn't sneaking them out of the store, so anyone with a brain can see it's done with someone's blessing. So are you in on that, or does it drive you insane? Hmmm...

And I'm not the only one who noticed it. I've seen others post about it.

So do you want to rant again about how WS is a privately owned and traded company and how you have the right to discriminate against anybody you want to? You posted something like that on ebay boards. One of your many ''I think I'm so smart but I'm really such a dumb Freaker'' post. Tell me how you got your big important ''smart guy'' job? Did you earn it? Or were you given it by your sister? You may have come out on the winning end of a lawsuit with your previous employer but don't get too cocky, you've made a lot of mistakes with the ebay thing, and left a huge trail of bread crumbs and you just may lose this one. One thing is for sure you are the LAST person on earth who has the right to be breathing down anyone else's throat. One thing I can say for idancelikeaduck, tobs, and the rest of the ebayers is how dare you say they need to get a real job. Like you? Is it a real job what you do?? I don't see it that way. These people actually work their ass off. Because ebay is very hard work, very time consuming, back breaking at times, and it's REAL WORK. Much more so than anything I've ever seen you do. Tell us how hard stalking and manipulating and lying is? Maybe that is hard work to you.

I am laughing my ass off at your post, every pathetic one of them, and WS pitiful profit margins. Which are obvioiusly going to continue to get worse. WS could show a morsel of sense and up their profits significantly in their outlet division by allowing ebayers back in. Or they can just wallow in their declining profits. They aren't going to get any pity from consumers or the economy.

You know what makes me feel great?There is one ebayer that can wipe the floor with you in court. You know it, WS knows it, and most importantly, SHE knows it.

There are a lot of people trying to talk her into running with it. You better pray she doesn't. Because it's a hell of a lot bigger than this trial ebay ban isn't it?

I know a lot of people don't understand this post, but TARGA, YOU DO. Many others may as well.

Yes, everyone do write the investors. It couldn't hurt to bring this out into the light. That is exactly where WS doesn't want it. They want to keep all their dirty little secrets under the proverbial rug. Dirt doesn't sell in home decor, now does it?

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: l.h.

Sun Mar 16 20:37:11 2008

i think the re-sellers at ebay are getting a lot of money for the merchandise they re-sell....are they not? i can't be bothered with them. i'll drive to an outlet store directly so i can buy something 'rare' 'in great demand...no longer in stock at PB'as they so often put it. listen i hope they earn an income....but they are asking for a lot of money and are getting it...i'm not to sorry for them when i realize what THEIR markup is.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Re: Elliot

Thu Apr 17 17:31:18 2008

Whether or not they are working hand in hand with corperate or not? Can't say. However anyone with eyes can see they are working with someone, pb employees or someone, maybe it is or isn't on the record, because like you said wildwonderfulbuys hasn't been stopped, nor others. Maybe someone at pb doesn't get what across the board means. Either stop them all, or stop none of them.

Reply to L.H., I agree some are greedy!!! Yet it is the biggest greediest ones that got around it. The people who were starting their auctions at .99 cents and passing on the bargains, they were letting the ebay bidders decide. Those bargains aren't on ebay anymore in the PB genre. Less and less were able to do that because PB began marking returns and even damaged merchandise up to nearly retail. That's why their rugs are piled up in the store. When I walk through now, it is plain to see how much the banning hurt their business. The stores are overflowing and in shambles. Ebayers helped drive demanda and excitement for their product. Now it's kinda becoming a thing of the past. People WANT to shop on ebay. If pb products get scarce on ebay, people will jump brands and go with something else that they can get on ebay. Restoration Hardware's ebay sales are way up! PB cut off their own nose. When you put idiots in charge, that's what happens.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Banned PB ebayer

Fri Apr 18 21:31:38 2008

I am a pottery barn seller that sold from the outlet.I am one of the big sellers.I still have stuff from when we were allowed to shop at the outlet.I have not shopped at the outlet since the ban went into effect.I can't speak for the other sellers and have no idea if they are being allowed to shop at the outlet unofficially or have PB employees helping them.If they are well thats not right or fair to the ones who are banned.I can tell you of some new sellers who have popped up that have not been stopped.I recently seen one that has been selling for a couple of months that has had 6 cribs,6 kids benches,6 of the same bedding sets in kids and adults and 6 of different style bedding sets.That alone should be a huge neon sign that they are a reseller but yet they have not been stopped.Yes the bargains that you use to find on ebay for PB stuff is no more as PB raised prices in the outlets to retail price and some mark off.25% markoff of a $299 dollar quilt is not much savings.I have heard that the outlets are filled because we are not there to buy stuff that just sits and sits until finally they have to lower it so low just to move it.Its a shame they had to ban us.In todays market that was not a very good idea.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: another banned

Tue Apr 22 10:06:38 2008

I was banned on April 15, 2008 from Pottery Barn Kids Outlet in Lancaster.

After the manager bagged my merchandise, she followed me out of the store with a male employee to tell me I am banned from buying, exchanging or returning from any Pottery Barn outlet. Why did she not inform me that could happen while I was making the purchase? I would have put back the few items I was not going to use personally. I felt like a criminal. Isn't this what they do when they catch a shop lifter??? I thought because of their policy of limiting the number of items you could purchase to 6, it was okay to resell. Who needs 6 of the same quilt for personal use??? The manager claimed their right to not sell to resellers or wholesalers was on the receipt-it was not. I went back into the store to see where it was posted and couldn't find it. An employee showed me a type written page of store policies which was not by the cash register they had open. Why don't they put a very large visable sign which states they have the right not sell to resellers and wholesalers??? And what does that mean?? How do they pick who they are going to ban?? I have purchased over $4,000 in the past few months for my own home and daughter's home. I am not a power seller, I just opened an ebay account last month. I have sold 13 items on ebay. Why are they trying to make enemies rather than keep a good customer??????

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Mom of three

Wed Apr 23 21:37:39 2008

I am floored to think that ANY reputable company, well known or other wise, has a problem with THEIR items being resold on EBay. Really People!!
Does this “Cheapen” their name? Nooooooooo, I think not.
Women for the most part are ALWAYS happy to get a good deal. Where they purchased it is irrelevant. If you get a good deal at Bloomingdales Great! If you get e good deal at ROSS Wonderful! A deal is a deal! Just like if you buy someone a birthday gift… If the quality is good and it’s something you like, that’s what matters. Not what price was on the tag? If you are receiving the gift, are you offended if you find out it was purchased on sale vs., paid full price for?? If the tag says Pottery Barn or what ever “name brand” and it was the item you desired then great!
I agree you shouldn’t steal photos from catalogues or make up a replica and then call it “Authentic”. That’s plain out dishonest! If you are going to list it on EBay, then be responsible, take the time to take your own photos and give your own description.
There are people all over the world that aren’t near a favorite store or are unable to get the store they like. (Stay at home moms, disabled people, full time working class people who can’t venture out to shop at 9pm because all the stores are closed. So guess what?! Shopping on EBay is a great asset to them. Perhaps the item they are interested in was discontinued a year ago but they just found out about it and can’t find it anywhere. That one wonderful guy on EBay happens to have it… and because he purchased it from an outlet for $39.99 that originally sold at a PB Store for $160.00 and now he is selling it to ME for $99.00…. does that really take away from the Quality or Perception of the PB item or name? Uhhhhhh Helloooooo People?! No! It doesn’t. And that goes for any item or Brand. Lucky Jeans, Coach purses, Blackberry’s, What ever else out there in retail land. If it’s a hot item and someone else is profiting from it because they go and purchase all 30 items from a store and then turn around and sell it for more money, then so be it! My loss for not getting out there to get the item before it was gone, or my gain because I found the item on sale from the guy on EBay. It’s the same item! It doesn’t add or take away from the VALUE! Isn’t it all about supply and demand?
*Here’s another situation, Mrs. Money-Bags buys a $3,000.00 purse, decides two months later she doesn’t really like it. She GIVES it to her maid Maria. Maria has no use for such an expensive purse; she needs to pay her rent! Not really knowing the value of the purse or doesn’t really care, she passes the bag off to her sister Linda and asks her to sell it on her EBay account for the extra money to help pay her bills. Linda sells the bag at a fraction of the original cost. Maria gets to pay her rent and buys groceries. Linda gets a small percentage that helps pay off her EBay fees. Rebecca buys the bag on EBay and feels stoked that she got such an awesome deal on a bag she always wanted but couldn’t afford to acquire. Mrs. Money-Bags buys a few more expensive purses to make up for the one she gave away. The Purse Company profits from Mrs. Money-Bags numerous purchases past and present. EBay profits off of the sales. Now who is loosing out here? It’s a win win situation. Right? Please tell me what the REAL PROBLEM is here folks?
Let me just say, Pottery Barn should be ashamed of themselves for preventing people from purchasing and shopping at their stores. Banning people for crying out loud!?
I think the people being escorted out should picket outside the store to show others the “true” story behind discrimination. It does not make any since to me. I am a normal person doing every day shopping and I don’t mind them being there. Why should you?

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: o.c.d.collectibles

Wed Apr 23 22:10:35 2008

Now that I know how WS/PB treats their customers I will boycott their store and their products. Not that I favored much from them anyway..their items are all produced in China or Taiwan, and I see their stuff at yard sales and Church bazaars, still new in packages and boxes before they even get used!LOL!I have one bowl that I paid $1 for and I enjoy using it, but that's about it! There's plenty of good stuff out there in yard sale and thrift store land that sellers can make use of and make a very good profit, and there are plenty of discount stores where some great stuff can be found on the markdown shelves, with a little bit of time and effort, you don't have to patronize stores that don't want you, or auction sites who don't want you either, for that matter!

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Chrissy

Thu May 15 07:45:34 2008

I recently received a letter from a COACH manager stating that I could no longer shop in their stores. The letter stated I was buying to resell and blablabla. First off I have purchased to resell, no doubt. But I have always been a carrier of COACH as well as purchased many items for friends and family. I am very bothered by this and I am going to sell all of my COACH items and give their corporate office a piece of my mind. Is it illegal to resell? I think not. I hope their sales go way down because of their ban on Ebay sellers and really feel it. They are getting what they want for the purses so what is the problem. The real problem will come when us Ebay sellers decide to move on to some other brand and leave Coach and get all of our customers to move on too. Fairwell to the too good Coach stores.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Just a thought

Thu Jul 3 14:53:27 2008

Just a thought... Pay using Cash :) Then they can't track you or your purchases and they have no proof of you re selling things because they don't have your name :)

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Banned ebayer

Fri Jul 4 09:03:19 2008

Cash won't work as they are looking for people with a large sum of cash as they believe they are ebayers.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: A Banned Ebayer

Sat Jul 19 15:27:03 2008

Anyone notice that WSM stock has tanked since the ''ban'' of ebayers last year? One year later and the stock is half it's value. In this economy, anyone who turns away business just is setting their company up for problems down the line.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Banned Mom of 6 from Pottery Barn Outlet In Lancas

Sun Jul 20 19:36:22 2008

This is ridiculous. I am a mom of 6 kids (2 in cribs) who just moved into a brand new 6 bedroom home. I am the youngest of 7 children so I have nieces and nephews and I have great nieces and nephews. I also have lots of friends with kids. I did a bunch of shopping for myself and others and for my church nursery because of such good deals at this outlet. I sold some on ebay to help pay for my own purchase. The manager followed my and my infant son (8 weeks) out of the store and said she had reason to believe that I was reselling and that I was no longer allowed in the store. She didn't accept my answer of my big family--all of my kids have their own bed and all have summer and winter quilts. She made me feel very stupid and like I did something wrong. I'm still in shock!

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: banned

Mon Aug 11 21:43:07 2008

I see PB has opened a outlet in California and looks like are allowing ebayers in.I see quite a few sellers with quite a few items on.I mean someone has 3 of the same duvets on.Who needs 3 duvets that are all the same(and yes all the same size)? I have been watching this seller for a while and they have had lots of stuff.I also noticed two other sellers in GA that are selling lots of stuff from the outlet.Why are these sellers allowed to shop at their outlets when the rest are not? That is not right or fair.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Miffed

Sat Aug 16 17:57:37 2008

It appears that this entire ban has been put into effect to benefit the few rather than the many. It definitely does not benefit the stockholders who own this company if the stock price continues to decline since the time the ban was put into affect. It is the fiduciary responsibility of the Officers of a company to try to increase the value of the stock for the stockholders. This is not happening. Get rid of this ban immediately and the price buyers pay for the goods offered at the Outlet will increase as you will have more competition for those same goods. This is not a private company but a publicly held company. If the stock price does not rise those same Officers will be gone with the re-sellers who were banned.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Another banned Ebayer

Sun Oct 26 11:01:11 2008

Hi,
I am one of those individuals who try to make a small profit in Ebay. I started doing this just about 8 months ago.
Anyway, while I'm about to start my shopping yesterday, in PBK Outlet store, I was approached by the store manager and been told that I am no longer allowed to shop in their store (PB and PBK outlets) because they have a reason to believe that I am a reseller. I didn't deny it and even confirmed it to her. She's very nice about it and even said that I am still welcome in the store to look around but not to buy. That doesn't make sense, right? What's the use of coming in the store and just look? So, I just left and although she's nice and all, I still felt like a criminal and that I did something illegal.
I agree to most postings here that if the argument of WS to ban resellers is because they don't want to ''cheapen'' their products, then why open an outlet store??? That's the main reason why LV is very high-end because they never-ever open an outlet store. Besides, I think I speak of other resellers that say, we don't ask for special treatment in their stores just because we buy a lot. Just like the ''regular'' customer, I buy it at the asking price, no special discounts and I am just minding my own business and not disrupting any other customers.
And another thing, I've been going to PB/PBK outlets for years now, and not even once did I witness rude, obnoxious buyers, particularly those who come in groups and ''block'' the aisle so they're the only ones who can buy good deals.
I hope WS will reconsider this decision particularly in this down economy because we resellers are the ones who buy a lot and really keep their inventory moving. I also spent thousands of $$$ per month in their store for both my personal use and those that I sell in Ebay. So, by completely banning me (won't even allow me to buy for my own use), they just lost those $$$ sales.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: ebay is scum

Sun Oct 26 11:41:50 2008

1. USE SOMEONE ELSE TO GO INTO THESE STORES.
2. Act dumb, never ever tell them you resell.
3. ask for it in writing if you are banned - thats a great law suit waiting to happen.

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Phil

Mon Oct 27 12:44:15 2008

I WAS BANNED!! I can't believe it! My wife and I went to an outlet in Gaffney, sc and after buying $500 worth of discounted items, a manger approached me saying I was suspected of reselling PB items and I was no longer allowed in the store. I think I stand out because I'm the only guy looking though the discounted stuff; there are still many ebayers in this outlet and have been buying there since we've started. (about a year); I'm following this though...

Retailers Banning eBay Sellers - Your Experiences

by: Banned

Wed Oct 29 21:29:23 2008

Another banned Ebayer,What outlet where you banned at?

WS is about to report their 3rd Quarter earnings and just said today that profits were way down especially in the Pottery Barn brand.After they came out with that news their stock went down to $7.21.

I say its time to start hitting their investors with emails and letters and telling them how much WS loses by not selling to resellers.Not to mention moving inventory that just sits and sits.

I recently went into the PBK outlet and they had tons and tons of stuff just sitting.The store felt like a sardine can!lol

Not a good time to be saying no to money if you ask me!

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