Gumtree want my business ad in services not stuff wanted but...

St2398

Hi, I've a problem with Gumtree, an ad of mine for records wanted was placed in audio - stuff wanted and knocked back with a message saying I could only put the ad in services as it looks like I run a business.

Now I do actually run a business so they're right about that, but then they allow ads from other buyers that also look like businesses, even though some may profess to be a "private buyer" if they say something like records must be in excellent condition (an actual record grading term) or they write things like Cash Waiting in big letters with an accompaniment of exclamation marks then chances are they may well be selling a few of those records on.

I even had a look gumtree uk, i.e. to see all their records wanted ads and there was even a featured ads ad from a business in stuff wanted.

Although you can see my ad if you type records into gumtree on the main page, the logical place to start looking is stuff wanted, and another thing with this is that if someone wants to find someone to buy their records if they type in records wanted into google, a gumtree link appears which takes them straight into audio wanted and you can't even see gumtree services on the same google search page.

Bit of a long post / rant (apologies) but this has really annoyed me off, I take buying on gumtree quite seriously, I reply to all enquiries, even obvious non-starters, it all takes a bit of effort and care and I feel like there just trying to shake me down to pay for a featured ad which I can't really afford - although I might consider it if my ad could be in stuff wanted too.

Hermione_Granger

So what's the problem?

stuff wanted and knocked back with a message saying I could only put the ad in services as it looks like I run a business.

Now I do actually run a business so they're right about that, but then they allow ads from other buyers that also look like businesses

So because other business sellers are able to get away with breaking the law by not declaring their business status, you think that you should also be able to do this?

Many people get away with speeding, drink-driving etc, and just because they have managed to evade the law doesn't mean that I feel that I should also have the right to do this.

St2398

Forgive me, but I think your post is a little over the top, I'm not trying to deceive anyone, it's more a case of gumtree's inconsistency as I tried to make clear, rather than wilfully trying to evade the law (!?).

I take it that anyone buying to sell (even a small amount from that buy) is sort of running a business, I cannot imagine a scenario where someone would buy and keep everything they buy on gumtree, which is sort of my point.

St2398

Any sensible responses to my original post are more than welcome.

in_the_Cotswolds

Gumtree is inconsistent because it's owned by Ebay. I've had the same thing happen to me. I do photography as a hobby put a post on looking for models, no problem, renewed it, then had a email saying it had been withdrawn. Re posted the original no problem.

When I was having problems I even copied (wrong I know) another ad changed the wording slightly and it went through no problems. Really does make me wonder at times.

St2398

Thanks for your reply mechanic, I didn't realise they were owned by Ebay but that more than explains it, they can be a touch opaque or even counter-intuitive at times. The gumtree thing is just wilfully awkward, why not have a section for business wants then at least you'd have a fair chance of competing with people who say they're not running a business.

In the grand scheme of things this doesn't seem that important but after comparing the views I got on my ads with gumtree and trade it, it's a definite problem, the views on trade it were about double that of gumtree which is compounded when you think of which one is the obvious site to look at and where it appears on any generic "records wanted" google search.

I was mildly irritated by the current Ebay adverts on telly the other day, and I'm starting to flinch a bit when the Gumtree ads appear, both ads seem to promise a nice easy experience but nothing be further from the truth - bl**dy amateurs!

Hermione Granger - apologies if I sounded a bit rude.