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... Upon Their Cancellation of My Auction for Describing the Item as 'Like New.'"
Dear eBay,
Fuck you.
"Not new" = keyword spamming, the inclusion of a term that the item is NOT in order to catch people searching for new items. The same is true for "like Ford" (if item is a Chevy) or "not Ford" (if item is a Chevy). THAT is keyword spamming.
"Like new," however, is an accurate factual description of the condition, if the condition is substantially similar to when the item was new. If the item bears no physical indicia of having been used, and contains all the documentation / accessories it came with when it was new, it is like new. Whether your policy is to call it keyword spamming or not, it is not keyword spamming to describe an item that is like new as such. It is grammatically proper English. Ebay's policy may very well be to define grammatically proper English as objectionable / prohibited, but flawed policy does not alter reality. The item is like new. Describing a like new item as like new is not keyword spamming.
"Using these types of comparisons may affect members' ability to
effectively search for items, as they may be taken to a listing that
offers something other than what they are searching for."
I appreciate that policy often has to be tailored to the lowest common denominator, but "like new" is not a comparison. It is a factually accurate description. A member searching for a new item would only have found new items and items like mine: so indistinguishable from new, that they would likely be delighted to win my item for less than the price paid for a sealed new one (the only distinction between the item I listed and a new one: the seal on the package.)
like lik•er, lik•est, preposition, adverb, conjunction, noun, verb, liked, lik•ing, interjection
–adjective
1. of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: I cannot remember a like instance.
2. corresponding or agreeing in general or in some noticeable respect; similar; analogous: drawing, painting, and like arts.
3. bearing resemblance.
4. Dialect. LIKELY:'Tis like that he's gone mad.
5. Dialect. about: The poor chap seemed like to run away.
–preposition
6. in like manner with; similarly to; in the manner characteristic of: He works like a beaver.
7. resembling (someone or something): He is just like his father. Your necklace is just like mine.
8. characteristic of: It would be like him to forget our appointment.
9. as if there is promise of; indicative of: It looks like rain.
10. as if someone or something gives promise of being: She looks like a good prospect for the job.
11. disposed or inclined to (usually prec. by feel): to feel like going to bed.
12. similar or comparable to: There is nothing like a cold drink of water when one is thirsty. What was he like?
13. (used correlatively to indicate similarity through relationship): like father, like son.
14. (used to establish an intensifying, often facetious, comparison): sleeping like a log.
15. as; such as: There are numerous hobbies you might enjoy, like photography or painting.
–adverb
16. nearly; closely; approximately: The house is more like 40 than 20 years old.
17. Informal. likely or probably: Like enough he'll come with us. Like as not her leg is broken.
18. Nonstandard.
a. as it were; in a way; somehow.
b. to a degree; more or less: standing against the wall, looking very tough like.
–conjunction
19. in the same way as; just as; as: It happened like you might expect it would.
20. as if: He acted like he was afraid. The car runs like new.
21. Informal. (used esp. after forms of be to introduce reported speech or thought): She's like, "I don't believe it," and I'm like, "No, it's true!"
–noun
22. a similar or comparable person or thing, or like persons or things; counterpart, match, or equal (usually prec. by a possessive adjective or the): No one has seen his like in a long time. Like attracts like.
23. kind; sort; type; ilk (usually prec. by a possessive adjective): I despise moochers and their like.
24. the like, something of a similar nature: They grow oranges, lemons, and the like.
In closing, fuck you.
Sincerely,
Me
Dear eBay,
Fuck you.
"Not new" = keyword spamming, the inclusion of a term that the item is NOT in order to catch people searching for new items. The same is true for "like Ford" (if item is a Chevy) or "not Ford" (if item is a Chevy). THAT is keyword spamming.
"Like new," however, is an accurate factual description of the condition, if the condition is substantially similar to when the item was new. If the item bears no physical indicia of having been used, and contains all the documentation / accessories it came with when it was new, it is like new. Whether your policy is to call it keyword spamming or not, it is not keyword spamming to describe an item that is like new as such. It is grammatically proper English. Ebay's policy may very well be to define grammatically proper English as objectionable / prohibited, but flawed policy does not alter reality. The item is like new. Describing a like new item as like new is not keyword spamming.
"Using these types of comparisons may affect members' ability to
effectively search for items, as they may be taken to a listing that
offers something other than what they are searching for."
I appreciate that policy often has to be tailored to the lowest common denominator, but "like new" is not a comparison. It is a factually accurate description. A member searching for a new item would only have found new items and items like mine: so indistinguishable from new, that they would likely be delighted to win my item for less than the price paid for a sealed new one (the only distinction between the item I listed and a new one: the seal on the package.)
like lik•er, lik•est, preposition, adverb, conjunction, noun, verb, liked, lik•ing, interjection
–adjective
1. of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: I cannot remember a like instance.
2. corresponding or agreeing in general or in some noticeable respect; similar; analogous: drawing, painting, and like arts.
3. bearing resemblance.
4. Dialect. LIKELY:'Tis like that he's gone mad.
5. Dialect. about: The poor chap seemed like to run away.
–preposition
6. in like manner with; similarly to; in the manner characteristic of: He works like a beaver.
7. resembling (someone or something): He is just like his father. Your necklace is just like mine.
8. characteristic of: It would be like him to forget our appointment.
9. as if there is promise of; indicative of: It looks like rain.
10. as if someone or something gives promise of being: She looks like a good prospect for the job.
11. disposed or inclined to (usually prec. by feel): to feel like going to bed.
12. similar or comparable to: There is nothing like a cold drink of water when one is thirsty. What was he like?
13. (used correlatively to indicate similarity through relationship): like father, like son.
14. (used to establish an intensifying, often facetious, comparison): sleeping like a log.
15. as; such as: There are numerous hobbies you might enjoy, like photography or painting.
–adverb
16. nearly; closely; approximately: The house is more like 40 than 20 years old.
17. Informal. likely or probably: Like enough he'll come with us. Like as not her leg is broken.
18. Nonstandard.
a. as it were; in a way; somehow.
b. to a degree; more or less: standing against the wall, looking very tough like.
–conjunction
19. in the same way as; just as; as: It happened like you might expect it would.
20. as if: He acted like he was afraid. The car runs like new.
21. Informal. (used esp. after forms of be to introduce reported speech or thought): She's like, "I don't believe it," and I'm like, "No, it's true!"
–noun
22. a similar or comparable person or thing, or like persons or things; counterpart, match, or equal (usually prec. by a possessive adjective or the): No one has seen his like in a long time. Like attracts like.
23. kind; sort; type; ilk (usually prec. by a possessive adjective): I despise moochers and their like.
24. the like, something of a similar nature: They grow oranges, lemons, and the like.
In closing, fuck you.
Sincerely,
Me
You can list a " Hamer Kramer Charvel Jackson Style Guitar" with no problem.
I could be wrong.
I bought a Charvel 1A on a BIN that was up for about 1 minute and then it was pulled. I forgot the BS reason, but the listing looked good to me. We finished the deal and I have the guitar.
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