eBay

lunechild94 · ‎09-22-2023

I'm a relatively new ebay buyer who had several wonderful weeks on this platform without immediate payment being shoved into my experience. Oh how do I miss it now!

I would LOVE to meet the UX person that thought this would be the solution. I understand that non-payers have been an issue on ebay but why on earth would you think THIS is the fix instead of just implementing a strike-out system? Just get rid of the non-paying IDs perhaps? Or asking SELLERS if they want to implement on their store instead of mandating this onto BUYERS? At least then I have the choice of where to purchase.

I am now forced into a situation where if I want to purchase several items from a seller I have to contact them prior to see if they have been forced into this program, not even to just ask if they combine shipping. To be honest I'm not even sure if it matters since I was one of the unlucky chosen ones. I had a situation where I had to confirm payment but it also didnt autopay? So it's really a crap shoot. Prior to this change, I did win a couple of items from one seller and was allowed the option to request the revised invoice for shipping. It was so easy!

I understand that sellers can refund shipping for individual items but that is so incredibly annoying for both parties. I also just don't want to overpay immediately?? Like shipping adds up if multiple items are purchased, hello??? Sometimes I like to buy multiples from a seller because it makes the shipping price more palatable. I'm so annoyed by this whole thing that I am considering not even doing that and forgoing purchasing all together. Also what about gift cards? The only option to use one would be if I choose a buy it now item, not an offer (I'm assuming) or an auction....that's annoying as well.

Until ebay finds a fix for this issue, I will be reconsidering purchasing. I understand that auctions are the backbone of this platform and that's why non-paying is such an important issue but why punish those who are paying in a timely fashion? I understand that as a newish user to ebay I definitely have some blind spots on how certain things work but for those few good weeks I had no complaints. Perhaps the other platform that starts with E is more my speed because at least the customer interface is customer friendly.

Not sure if anyone is going to read this, but I had to rant. I've found some wonderful things on this platform and would love to continue purchasing but not if I'm going to be jumping through hoops to buy and not being given the option on how I would I like to pay post winning.

ittybitnot · ‎09-22-2023

@lunechild94

eBay auto enrolled all sellers into this program. They just didn't bother to tell any of them that the new preferences were added to their accounts. They didn't work anyway until the BUYER ID was also forced to participate. eBay has ramped up the forced enrollment for buyer IDs, and sorry you were the (un)lucky winner of this professed random "test". Sellers can opt out if they wish to encourage offers on multiple items and multiple auction wins from the same buyer.

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements

Buyer Payment Requirements

*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they place a bid.

*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they make an offer.

Some sellers don't even know this even exists. Other sellers come here wondering why they don't get many offers anymore, and bidding has declined. Still others are thrilled.

Indeed there are other ways eBay could reduce non-paying buyers without discouraging buyers that DO actually pay, and have done so for years. This plan is more monetarily beneficial for eBay buy eliminating combined shipping for a lower fee and limiting buyer payment options, regardless of the miserable buyer experience it produces. When enough buyer's refuse to play this game, perhaps they will change course and man up to the problem instead of trying to monetize it.

lunechild94 · ‎09-22-2023

Yep, the one seller I reached out to said they hadn't heard of this happening but I'm also not sure if they went to look at their settings. They promised to refund the shipping if the auto-pay occurred but I'm annoyed we even have to go through that.

Good point! Hopefully more people put in this position will realize how ridiculous it is and voice their concern especially with their pockets. I know I'll be doing that and take most of my business elsewhere.

tobaccocardyahoo · ‎09-22-2023

This change suits some sellers and not others.

It suits some buyers and not others.

Obviously, some sellers who are using auctions who have buyers bidding on and winning multiple auctions will feel it is discouraging bidders. As for combining shipments, sellers can do this and refund excess shipping costs. Maybe there are more of these than sellers who complain of slow pay, but auctions are clearly not the way most items are sold on Ebay any more.

Some sellers expect to sell at their listed prices. They do not enable make an offer, but that does not keep buyers from making an offer, and those sellers from accepting it based on their sense of self-interest that day. Having to wait for payment is an extra insult, and buyers should consider that a quick sale with immediate payment may make sellers more likely to take their offer.

It is true that many Ebay buyers are looking to pay as little as possible for everything they buy, but they are the buyers who are least able to buy when times are hard. And we are in hard times.

Whatever Ebay does, someone will feel inconvenienced. A few will even see their very existence challenged. The choice which makes the most money for Ebay which means the most money for the entire seller community, is probably the correct choice.

Looks like we can wait and see whether Ebay has chosen properly.

ed8108 · ‎09-22-2023

Ebay appears not to care if this new policy results in the loss of some sales.

I would suggest a symbol appear on a seller listing to alert or warn a prospective buyer that this seller has not opted out of ebay's "smoother checkout" program.

toomuchstuffagain35 · ‎09-22-2023

It would have been nice if they'd used some kind of actual criteria for this instead of dumping buyers into it who have never NOT paid for an item and alienating many of them.

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

ittybitnot · ‎09-22-2023

but they are the buyers who are least able to buy when times are hard

@tobaccocardyahoo

That is patently not true. I can readily afford to pay for my auction wins. I buy vintage jewelry and sterling antiques and most of it is sold in the auction format. Now that my 25 year old 4000+ feedback ID is forced into this program auto pay punishment camp, it is indeed NOT a favorable buyer experience.

A couple of days ago, I wrote to TWO different sellers and explained the issue as to how this is affecting me and other buyers that bid on multiple auctions. It limits my payment options, it prevents combining items for one shipping price, and costs them more money. I provided a link to check their preferences. Result:

Seller A ignored me. I did not bid on anything. The seller got nothing from me, and their auctions ended way below what I was willing to spend. I calculated that the seller's take was less than half they could have had, and many went unsold.

Seller B removed the block, and thanked me for the information. I paid for multiple wins to the tune of a few hundred dollars, requested an invoice and paid $10 in shipping instead of $75 for shipping alone.

This has forced program has NOTHING to do with any "improved buyer experience" or "smoother checkout". I cannot see how paying MORE in shipping is to my advantage. Been here entirely too long to believe that.

Always follow the money.

ed8108 · ‎09-22-2023

@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:
The choice which makes the most money for Ebay

Would the future for sellers be promoted listings ?

campanaelia · ‎09-22-2023

@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

As for combining shipments, sellers can do this and refund excess shipping costs. Maybe there are more of these than sellers who complain of slow pay, but auctions are clearly not the way most items are sold on Ebay any more.

Foreign buyers using an exchange rate lose money on refunds.

@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

auctions are clearly not the way most items are sold on Ebay any more.

I was first enrolled in this about a month ago for offers only and haven't made an offer since, and I'm not paying the BIN prices. Every offer I try to make has this so I don't even attempt it any more, I just buy the items elsewhere. I'm not sure how this is making ebay more money if buyers are buying less.

Auctions make up 99% of what I purchase on ebay. If and when my account is enrolled in auto-pay for auctions ebay will be totally useless for me.

I refuse to give access to my payments without me reviewing the total first. I've never allowed my utility companies to do auto-pay so I'm certainly not allowing ebay either. Ebay has so many glitches, I'm sure auto-pay won't be the exception.

I read a thread the other day here where ebay took the money from the buyers bank account instead of charging the credit card so their mortgage didn't get paid and was charged $200 in late fees. Then the phone reps lied to them saying they would reimburse the money.

Oh, and in 20 years I've never had an unpaid item

krazzykats · ‎09-22-2023

For myself, it's working fine. I am on the West Coast, and if I make an offer at 1 a.m. Pacific time, and the seller is several hours ahead of me, as soon as they accept they are paid while I'm still asleep in bed...:)

I wake up to a purchase on something I wanted NICE!

Just a different viewpoint...😊

KrazzyKats • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1998

12345jamesstamps · ‎09-22-2023

I will be bidding this weekend on auctions to see what happens. I was lucky so far but I did get an email from eBay stating my form of payment I guess for immediate payments?...last week.

susanvaldo · ‎09-23-2023

You weren’t buying multiples though right? I think that’s the problem with this system, not being able to combine shipping. It does work fine for single item purchases but would be a hassle for multiples.

little.font.lord.leroy · ‎09-23-2023

@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

As for combining shipments, sellers can do this and refund excess shipping costs.

My understanding is that when a seller issues a refund for shipping, eBay still keeps the fees that they would have charged. eBay doesn't refund the seller the fees originally charged on the shipping.

As ittybitnot suggested "This plan is more monetarily beneficial for eBay by eliminating combined shipping for a lower fee and limiting buyer payment options"

I am unsure how limiting buyer payment options would benefit eBay; Some buyers will use different sources for different kinds or amounts of purchases, or wait for the last minute to pay debit or credit (for an auction, say) by locking the buyer into a specific payment method that could frighten a potential buyer away.

Sadly enough, logic doesn't need to dictate the modern market places where They don't wish to provide a service to the consumer, as much as They wish to "train" consumers to respond the way They desire.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎09-23-2023

@little.font.lord.leroy wrote:
@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

As for combining shipments, sellers can do this and refund excess shipping costs.

My understanding is that when a seller issues a refund for shipping, eBay still keeps the fees that they would have charged. eBay doesn't refund the seller the fees originally charged on the shipping.

As ittybitnot suggested "This plan is more monetarily beneficial for eBay by eliminating combined shipping for a lower fee and limiting buyer payment options"

I am unsure how limiting buyer payment options would benefit eBay; Some buyers will use different sources for different kinds or amounts of purchases, or wait for the last minute to pay debit or credit (for an auction, say) by locking the buyer into a specific payment method that could frighten a potential buyer away.

Sadly enough, logic doesn't need to dictate the modern market places where They don't wish to provide a service to the consumer, as much as They wish to "train" consumers to respond the way They desire.

When a seller partially refunds they do get a partial refund credit.

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown