3 day listing duration not allowed for certain categories

I made a call to GetCategoryFeatures for the CategoryID which I am using in the AddItem call and it does return the ListingDuration of Days_3.   However, when I make the Additem call with ListingDuration set to Days_3, but I get back the following error:

<Errors>

    <ShortMessage>The item cannot be listed or modified.</ShortMessage>

    <LongMessage>The item cannot be listed or modified. The title and/or description may contain improper words, or the listing or seller may be in violation of eBay policy.</LongMessage>

    <ErrorCode>240</ErrorCode>

    <SeverityCode>Error</SeverityCode>

    <ErrorClassification>RequestError</ErrorClassification>

  </Errors>

  <Message>

<div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td rowspan="5" bgcolor="#9999CC"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="1" height="10"></td><td colspan="3" bgcolor="#9999CC"><img src="" width="1" height="1"></td><td rowspan="5" bgcolor="#9999CC"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="1" height="1"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" bgcolor="#EEEEF8"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="1" height="5"></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#EEEEF8"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="10" height="1"></td><td width="100%" bgcolor="#EEEEF8"><table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top"><img src="http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/tbx/errorSm.gif">&nbsp;</td><td width="100%" class="error"><b>Attention Seller:</b></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top"><p>You can only list using 5, 7 or 10 day auctions for this item. Please go back and revise your auction duration time.</p> <p>We sincerely value you as a member of our trading community and look forward to a continued successful relationship. </p> <p><a href="http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/replica-counterfeit.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> for a window with eBay's policy on replica or counterfeit items</p></td></tr></table></td><td bgcolor="#EEEEF8"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="10" height="1"></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#EEEEF8" colspan="3"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="1" height="5"></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#9999CC" colspan="3"><img src="http://pics.ebay.com/aw/pics/s.gif" width="1" height="1"></td></tr></table> </div><font color="#BEBEBE" size="1">{e12202-214722x}</font> 

</Message>

Why is AddItem returning the error?

If you render the contents of the message field as html, it displays the following message:

 

		Attention Seller: You can only list using 5, 7 or 10 day auctions for this item. Please go back and revise your auction duration time. We sincerely value you as a member of our trading community and look forward to a continued successful relationship. Click here for a window with eBay's policy on replica or counterfeit items

{e12202-214722x}

There are certain categories for which 3 day listing duration is not allowed and the seller can choose from 5, 7 or 10 day listings.  Although GetCategoryFeatures returns 3 day listings for the CategoryID, there is underlying business logic that does not get surfaced in the GetCategoryFeatures response.   This is a similar situation as 1 day listing duration, where although certain categories / sellers qualify for it, GetCategoryFeatures does not surface it because there are underlying rules that need to be applied at the actual time of listing the item.

As a best practice, whenever you get ErrorCode 240 for your AddItem call, take a look at the message node and it will tell you exactly what the issue is and how to resolve it, since Errors.ShortMessage or Errors.LongMessage in case of ErrorCode 240 contains a very generic message.

 

• Knowledge Base:  GetCategoryFeatures does not return 1-day ListingDuration type
                               Error Code 240 - Improper words, violation of eBay policy error
   

  
  

How well did this answer your question?

Answers others found helpful

• VerifyAddItem returns Success with no Errors, but AddItem returns Failure with Errors
• How to find valid ListingDurations for the different types of items on each site
• Error Code 240 - Improper words, violation of eBay policy error
• GetCategoryFeatures does not return 1-day/Day_1 ListingDuration type
• Listing a 30 day or GTC item on eBay Germany