Axe lost on e-bay

kronckew · 28th September 2008, 11:12 PM

mostly just venting, i put in a bid on this axe:

item no. 280269620965, which was 20% higher than the 'winning' bid. i did not get it.

it looks like a nice axe, i'll never see another like it at the price. looks much like one shown in a recent posts photo here (that one was decorated in gold tho)

why did i lose out?

e-bay has just instituted a policy of your having to prove you are over 18 on each bid for an item they class as a dangerous weapon. i was not informed of this till after the auction, so i lost. i am only 61.

apparently you can register a credit or debit card to prove you are over 18. if you use one of their two acceptable ones that is. my drivers license, bus pass, passport, birth certificate, bank account debit card, paypal account and many years of buying antique arms via ebay is not acceptable.

looks like i won't be allowed to buy via ebay anymore. any other on-line auctions i could frequent?

Robert · 29th September 2008, 12:31 AM

You have got to be joking!!!

When did they come up with this bright idea? Is this an ebay UK thing or is it everywhere? Do you know what cards they accept as proof of age?

katana · 29th September 2008, 01:14 AM

Hi Kronckew,
I too lost out on an auction, I put a bid in (manually) with 12 seconds to go....but instead of the confirmation screen...I got a paragraph about buying weapons...so by the time I went onto the next screen ( which is now the confirmation page).....the auction had ended.

Lost a 'sleeper'

To say I was unhappy, would have been the understatement of the year

I TRULY SYMPATHISE

Regards David

As to the credit card fiasco, I contacted eBay and was told either give the credit card details...or amass good feedback.....strange I have well over 500 feedback at 100% ...

Lew · 29th September 2008, 02:28 AM

I had the same problem last week but added the required info as they requested. Seems to be UK items only.

Lew

kronckew · 29th September 2008, 07:22 AM

they only accept visa or mastercard, which i do not have or want to get.

i also have 224 x 100% good feedback. i could maybe see some sense in ebay insisting i send a scan of my id to the seller, but this looks like a badly executed attempt to CYA. surely it's the seller who should check age if any. also seems silly that it appears i can sell stuff, just not buy it. when did a visa/mastercard become proof of age? and if so why do i (if i had one) need my bus pass and/or photo drivers license, or my PM's upcoming national id card for that matter? arghhh!

ed: just found i can apply on-line for a visa top-up card from, (guess who?*). i may be cynical, but as they are owned by (again guess who?**) i am assuming this is a ploy to help sell the card (costs £5 - approx $10). you only need to be 16 to get it tho, makes mock of using it to prove you are 18...

* - paypal
**- ebay

ariel · 29th September 2008, 04:58 PM

Boys, instead od fuming accept it as a compliment!
I recently ordered a beer at a local bar and a baby-faced bartender (ess) asked to see my driver's license to prove I was over 18 years old. I almost kissed the kid!

28th September 2008, 11:12 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	Axe lost on e-bay mostly just venting, i put in a bid on this axe: item no. 280269620965, which was 20% higher than the 'winning' bid. i did not get it. it looks like a nice axe, i'll never see another like it at the price. looks much like one shown in a recent posts photo here (that one was decorated in gold tho) why did i lose out? e-bay has just instituted a policy of your having to prove you are over 18 on each bid for an item they class as a dangerous weapon. i was not informed of this till after the auction, so i lost. i am only 61. apparently you can register a credit or debit card to prove you are over 18. if you use one of their two acceptable ones that is. my drivers license, bus pass, passport, birth certificate, bank account debit card, paypal account and many years of buying antique arms via ebay is not acceptable. looks like i won't be allowed to buy via ebay anymore. any other on-line auctions i could frequent?

29th September 2008, 12:31 AM	#2
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	You have got to be joking!!! When did they come up with this bright idea? Is this an ebay UK thing or is it everywhere? Do you know what cards they accept as proof of age? Last edited by Robert Coleman; 29th September 2008 at 01:50 AM.

29th September 2008, 07:22 AM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	they only accept visa or mastercard, which i do not have or want to get. i also have 224 x 100% good feedback. i could maybe see some sense in ebay insisting i send a scan of my id to the seller, but this looks like a badly executed attempt to CYA. surely it's the seller who should check age if any. also seems silly that it appears i can sell stuff, just not buy it. when did a visa/mastercard become proof of age? and if so why do i (if i had one) need my bus pass and/or photo drivers license, or my PM's upcoming national id card for that matter? arghhh! ed: just found i can apply on-line for a visa top-up card from, (guess who?). i may be cynical, but as they are owned by (again guess who?) i am assuming this is a ploy to help sell the card (costs £5 - approx $10). you only need to be 16 to get it tho, makes mock of using it to prove you are 18... - paypal *- ebay Last edited by kronckew; 29th September 2008 at 08:06 AM.*

29th September 2008, 01:14 AM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Kronckew, I too lost out on an auction, I put a bid in (manually) with 12 seconds to go....but instead of the confirmation screen...I got a paragraph about buying weapons...so by the time I went onto the next screen ( which is now the confirmation page).....the auction had ended. Lost a 'sleeper' To say I was unhappy, would have been the understatement of the year I TRULY SYMPATHISE Regards David As to the credit card fiasco, I contacted eBay and was told either give the credit card details...or amass good feedback.....strange I have well over 500 feedback at 100% ...

29th September 2008, 02:28 AM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	I had the same problem last week but added the required info as they requested. Seems to be UK items only. Lew

29th September 2008, 04:58 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Boys, instead od fuming accept it as a compliment! I recently ordered a beer at a local bar and a baby-faced bartender (ess) asked to see my driver's license to prove I was over 18 years old. I almost kissed the kid!