Please advise how to buy stuff from my client's store (for my personal use)

[emiguelina]

Hi All,sorry if this was already answered, but I did not found it.

So here is my dilemma: I afraid of how Upwork algorithms work, because they are not always right:

1.- I have a long term client, (Milestone No. 11 ) she has an eBay store that I work on it.
2.- I interest to buy from her store things that I would like to buy for my personal use (nothing work related)
3.- I (Freelancer) would like to pay her (Client) using PayPal and directly thru eBay (I already have and account there) (because I have to pay It's not free)
4.- But... I do not want Upwork's algorithms think that I'm suggesting other thing different than what I just explained above when we start talking or writing this in the Upwork chat. How do I avoid this?
5.- All our communications happens only in Upwork, and I want to keep it that way.

Please advise, Thanks in advance, Elba

Note: She's (client) not forcing me (freelancer) to buy stuff from her, by any means.  I usually buy stuff over the internet, so instead of going to the competition I prefer her's.

[dataextract]

If it is not related to Upwork at all, why discussing about it here?

[emiguelina]

Dear @Ramesh K

Do you really think it's not work related?? Please do read it again, this time slowly.

[tlbp]

It's a commercial transaction between buyer and seller. It is not work related, no matter how slowly one reads. 

[69297078]

Elba,
Upwork couldn't care less who you buy things from.
The only time Upwork would get invovled is if you agreed to refund a client money from your job on upwork to buy those things. You won't be freelancing here much longer if you did that.

[vladag · Accepted solution]

Hi Elba,

As long as you're not violating Upwork ToS, you're free to proceed with making a purchase you mentioned.

[tlsanders]

Why would you need to communicate about this at all? If you want to buy things from her ebay store, go to the ebay store and buy things.

[silw]

The day Upwork starts to care personal purchases should be the day you run. fast. =D

[craiggabriel]

I understand the original poster's concern, though.

She isn't asking if buying products from the client would be violating Upwork rules. She's asking if communicating about it on Upwork might cause her any headaches, even if ultimately they figure out she didn't do anything wrong.

That is, given that so much of what goes on here seems to be governed by clumsy algorithms and not always competent folks, might her and her client communicating about this raise a red flag somewhere that results in her being suspected and hassled. That doesn't seem an unreasonable concern.