It is strictly forbidden, but can I just reply with some standard refusal text, or am I obliged to call eBay and report those who offered it?
Posted May 26, 2017, 5:59 AM UTC
From the eBay policy 'Offers to buy or sell outside of eBay'
If you receive an offer to buy or sell outside eBay, please report it.
Practically I wouldn't waste my time, eBay has full access to the messaging system and even automated triggers to find out these sort of things. They used to even block phone numbers and emails, but that might have changed. Don't explicitly tell people to buy outside of eBay and you should be fine.
So if I just reply that I am not allowed to contact the buyer or seller by email, I will be ok, and eBay will not take any actions against me?
As long as you don't violate policy they won't take any action against you. These days i simply tell any potential buys that that is my price on eBay or use eBay's make an offer to facilitate selling an item lower that the listed price.
You can give the customers your details for inquires, as long as its not for selling outside eBay.
Thank you.
You don't have to reply at all. Just ignore and block. People who try to do things like that will most likely end up causing you problems later anyway.
After reading another thread I think it might be better to respond and tell them no. That way if they look at your messages it's clear that you then just didn't contact them outside of eBay
Sounds reasonable.