Homeschoolers won't find IT on Ebay anymore

Posted on Tuesday 27 June 2006 at 3:17 PM in Homeschooling - Post Comment

I'm sure everyone has heard about it, I just haven't blogged about it yet.  Ebay is one of the websites that has been a huge blessing to those of us who are homeschooling.  I've been able to save SO MUCH money by buying used books and curriculum on Ebay.  But it seems that Ebay now has had a policy (or has always had but just never enforced until now) against selling teacher editions of books, curriculum guides, etc. because they think it's too easy for children to buy them and use them to cheat with.  HUH??  But yet it would be just as easy for these same children who are already buying on Ebay to view or purchase pornographic items, mature games, and yet there is not much to protect them from that.  Grrrrrr!  This policy doesn't just apply to current books.  If you have vintage books that may be collectable and just happen to be "teacher editions", be prepared for those auctions to get pulled too.

So it looks like I will be looking for other resources for buying and selling my used curriculum.  The first is one I've know about for a long time but have never really used and that is from http://www.vegsource.com/.  Doesn't seem like a place you would find homeschool materials, but they do have homeschool discussion and swap boards (http://vegsource.com/homeschool/).  There is also a new website that I've been checking out called "This Little Piggy Stays Home" (http://www.thislittlepiggystayshome.com/) and it looks like it's getting pretty popular.  I may be listing my used curriculum there.  The website www.christianhomeschoolers.com has a list of places to find used curriculum:  http://www.christianhomeschoolers.com/hs_curriculum_used.html.   Be cautious though.  You still never know who you are dealing with.

I dropped a line to Ebay to let them know that I wasn't happy with this policy against teacher guides/curriculum guides.  Most of mine are just lesson plans and don't have answer keys in them anyway so there is no threat that anyone is going to cheat from them.

In case you are interested, the address I sent my letter to was eBay Inc., 2145 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, California 95125.   

I'm with you

Posted by tioga12 on Wednesday 28 June 2006 at 8:17 AM - Link

I have had a couple listings pulled recently for the same reason...it just doesn't make sense. They are available for sale directly from the company, and anyone can buy them! It's just not fair.
Not to mention, I noticed TONS of listings on ebay titled as teacher's materials, and mine was much more obscure...only noted in description and photo.
Last week I purchased a geography study workbook for my son and she surprised me by just throwing in the key-I guess there was no other way to do it. I didn't even know that would be included! (Good deal for me, but not for her, I guess)

Edited by tioga12 on June 28, 2006 at 8:34 AM