Well, it's all over. After selling off much of my oversized CD and books collection over the course of nearly 20 years, Amazon has restricted my account, unverified my bank details and demanded I register as a business, even though I am a hobby seller and always have been.

I've never had more than one of any item, and never replenished stocks of the same thing after it sold. However, the fact that I have listed a handful of things as being in 'new' condition means, in Amazon's eyes, that I cannot possibly be an individual, rather than a business.

Those 'new' items that I have listed are based on their condition, as per the Amazon name for that variable. They are pristine books I never got round to reading; CDs that came with Amazon Autorip (so never needed to be taken out of their shrinkwrap if I didn't like them enough to keep a physical copy); and the occasional unwanted gift.

But, apparently, Amazon now conflates its own 'condition' category with provenance: i.e. where I sourced an item, and for what reason.

I have refused to register my status (or 'legal entity') on here as a business, as I am not one, and I believe that to do so would therefore constitute fraud.

I have tried to raise this with Amazon four times, but have been met with deliberately unhelpful responses every time.

So, with no other alternative, I quit. I will make use of ebay and Discogs to shift my remaining CDs, and the books can go to charity.

Frankly, it's a relief. Amazon Marketplace has become increasingly unuseable and the fees grotesque. Selling a CD for less than a fiver has become essentially pointless.

But I wish I was leaving by choice, rather than being told that, in order to stay, I have to register false information.

Why am I sharing all this? Who knows. It's mildly cathartic. But only mildly. Thanks for reading.

S