John, a seasoned eBay seller with a spotless 20-year track record and over 100 positive reviews, created a separate account for his custom poster side gig. Though eBay encourages account separation, his new account was shut down—apparently flagged for linking to his original account and pricing disparities—without explanation, warning, or recourse. The result? Both accounts became restricted, underscoring the fragile dependency on third-party platforms. Here’s what to do instead.