eBay

alan@ebay · ‎06-27-2017

Hi Community,

Please join the Community team at 1 pm Pacific on Wednesday 6/28 for our weekly chat. There isn't a set topic this week so feel free to ask us all of your eBay buying & selling questions.

Talk to you then!

Alan - eBay Community Manager

If a member's response helped, please give it a Helpful. If you are the author of a thread and a member's response resolved your question, please click "Accept as Solution." More on Accepted Solutions.

Check out the eBay for Business podcast! For your chance to be featured on the show, call in with a question at 888 723-4630!

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2017

Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly chat 🙂 Looking forward to talking with you today!

timemachine777 · ‎06-28-2017

Trinton

If you do not have tracking, then we would not be able to protect you in an item not received case anyway and there is no reason to ask a buyer to wait additional time.

Why should sellers even need protection from eBay? Isn't eBay suppose too be just a facilitator venue? If not...when is eBay going to remove this About eBay statement in the UA, because it's not an honest statement at all then.

About eBay

eBay is a marketplace that allows users to offer, sell and buy just about anything in a variety of pricing formats and locations. The actual contract for sale is directly between the seller and buyer. eBay is not a traditional auctioneer.

While we may provide pricing, shipping, listing, sourcing, and other guidance in our Services, such guidance is solely informational and you may decide to follow it or not. Also, while we may help facilitate the resolution of disputes through various programs, eBay has no control over and does not guarantee the existence, quality, safety or legality of items advertised; the truth or accuracy of users' content or listings; the ability of sellers to sell items; the ability of buyers to pay for items; or that a buyer or seller will actually complete a transaction or return an item.

What eBay states above is far from true when it comes to what it actually does regarding it's direct role in the processes of a transactional contract between all buyers and sellers on this venue. eBay gets directly involved in this contract also, and adds it's own contractual obligations that both parties must follow. These are not suggestions, due to the fact that sellers are faced with financial penalties if they are not followed. An it doesn't end there. Suggestions are not suppose to come with any type of penalty.

odditiesandantiquities1 · ‎06-28-2017

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly chat 🙂 Looking forward to talking with you today!

Hello Trinton and Alan. Nice to see you again.

Ok, I talked to you all about my awful April. Not sure what happened but May was out standing, up 110%. Unfortunately I am down in the weeds this June.....60% drop over the last period. I have altered pricing, changed pictures. Tried going with all Fixed Price.

Nada....no one is seeing anything. I don't understand at all. Please help?

Also, just to note, I spoke with a CS back in April and he thought my store and items were wonderful....well priced and presented well. He had no suggestions for me to improve at all.

lintbrush* · ‎06-28-2017

Monday sparked a HUGE thread about an INR being opened and automatically closed within 24 hours. We were told this was deliberate and a new thing if tracking wasn't uploaded.

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-open-up-a-case-for-0-99-item-during-the-weekend-and-got/t...

There is a very real issue with this new procedure as it is in direct contradiction to the written policy which allows the seller 3 business days to respond AND the message from eBay which also gives a definitive, absolute date based on that written policy.

I am not a lawyer, and I could be wrong, but I strongly suggest that this be brought to the attention of the legal team.

This action may fall under tort law for negligent misrepresentation and it appears to meet the prongs

eBay failed to exercise reasonable care.
eBay has a fiduciary responsibility/duty to the Seller.
eBay intended for the seller to rely on their misrepresentation.
The seller's reliance upon eBay's mispresentaion is justifiable.
The misrepresentation was the actual and proximate cause of the seller determining his course of action, and that action resulted in actual damages to the seller

And the damages to the seller were actually carried out by eBay themselves.

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2017

@timemachine777 wrote:

Trinton

If you do not have tracking, then we would not be able to protect you in an item not received case anyway and there is no reason to ask a buyer to wait additional time.

Why should sellers even need protection from eBay? Isn't eBay suppose too be just a facilitator venue? If not...when is eBay going to remove this About eBay statement in the UA, because it's not an honest statement at all then.

About eBay

eBay is a marketplace that allows users to offer, sell and buy just about anything in a variety of pricing formats and locations. The actual contract for sale is directly between the seller and buyer. eBay is not a traditional auctioneer.

While we may provide pricing, shipping, listing, sourcing, and other guidance in our Services, such guidance is solely informational and you may decide to follow it or not. Also, while we may help facilitate the resolution of disputes through various programs, eBay has no control over and does not guarantee the existence, quality, safety or legality of items advertised; the truth or accuracy of users' content or listings; the ability of sellers to sell items; the ability of buyers to pay for items; or that a buyer or seller will actually complete a transaction or return an item.

What eBay states above is far from true when it comes to what it actually does regarding it's direct role in the processes of a transactional contract between all buyers and sellers on this venue. eBay gets directly involved in this contract also, and adds it's own contractual obligations that both parties must follow. These are not suggestions, due to the fact that sellers are faced with financial penalties if they are not followed. An it doesn't end there. Suggestions are not suppose to come with any type of penalty.

Happy to clear our role a little further; a protection program is a part of our platform as a way of building trust in our site and increasing sales for our members. This has become an industry standard and we are happy to help facilitate a resolution when needed. The quotes you have provided from our User Agreement do not contradict this offer of protection within our eBay Money Back Guarantee. If you have any specific case questions, I recommend you reach out to our customer service team so they can look over the details for you!

germancargarage · ‎06-28-2017

Hi,

It looks like the "big sellers" get treated differently?

The duplicate listings are not taken down?

This is how the big sellers do it... they list the same item multiple times with different titles a few cents diffrence in price, so they show up as best match on the first page with all their listings... of course they sell.

The small seller have no chance...

I reported sellers doing it and I hear always the same " we take care of it... it can take awhile...
Nothing has happend in weeks now, they are still selling...

Those guys don't have the item in stock, they get 100nds of negative per day.. and still they can do what they want.

It is frustrating...

copper.boom · ‎06-28-2017

Hi Trinton, Alan & team.

Any chance I can get a reply to post #25 from last week's chat?

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/Weekly-Community-Chat-June-21st-1pm-PT-Pro...

As I'm sure you're aware, changes happening unannounced by eBay is a sore spot for sellers. This particular situation would be a good change, but it would still help to be notified when it happens.

General comment: can we please strive for better communication from eBay to sellers?

Thanks!

tyler@ebay · ‎06-28-2017

@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly chat 🙂 Looking forward to talking with you today!

Hello Trinton and Alan. Nice to see you again.

Ok, I talked to you all about my awful April. Not sure what happened but May was out standing, up 110%. Unfortunately I am down in the weeds this June.....60% drop over the last period. I have altered pricing, changed pictures. Tried going with all Fixed Price.

Nada....no one is seeing anything. I don't understand at all. Please help?

Also, just to note, I spoke with a CS back in April and he thought my store and items were wonderful....well priced and presented well. He had no suggestions for me to improve at all.

Sorry to hear that your June is down @odditiesandantiquities1 . When it comes to sales there's not a silver bullet I can give you. If CS doesn't have any further suggestions to improve your visibility it may also be worth checking any marketing options you have through an eBay Store (f you have one). Marketing emails, search engine keywords, etc. Best of luck for a great July!

Tyler,

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2017

@lintbrush* wrote:

Monday sparked a HUGE thread about an INR being opened and automatically closed within 24 hours. We were told this was deliberate and a new thing if tracking wasn't uploaded.

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-open-up-a-case-for-0-99-item-during-the-weekend-and-got/t...

There is a very real issue with this new procedure as it is in direct contradiction to the written policy which allows the seller 3 business days to respond AND the message from eBay which also gives a definitive, absolute date based on that written policy.

I am not a lawyer, and I could be wrong, but I strongly suggest that this be brought to the attention of the legal team.

This action may fall under tort law for negligent misrepresentation and it appears to meet the prongs

eBay failed to exercise reasonable care.

eBay has a fiduciary responsibility/duty to the Seller.

eBay intended for the seller to rely on their misrepresentation.

The seller's reliance upon eBay's mispresentaion is justifiable.

The misrepresentation was the actual and proximate cause of the seller determining his course of action, and that action resulted in actual damages to the seller

And the damages to the seller were actually carried out by eBay themselves.

We appreciate the feedback we have received regarding this issue and have passed it along to the appropriate teams for review. We will update the thread when there is more information to provide on this topic.

odditiesandantiquities1 · ‎06-28-2017

tyler@ebay wrote:
@odditiesandantiquities1 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly chat 🙂 Looking forward to talking with you today!
Hello Trinton and Alan. Nice to see you again.

Ok, I talked to you all about my awful April. Not sure what happened but May was out standing, up 110%. Unfortunately I am down in the weeds this June.....60% drop over the last period. I have altered pricing, changed pictures. Tried going with all Fixed Price.

Nada....no one is seeing anything. I don't understand at all. Please help?

Also, just to note, I spoke with a CS back in April and he thought my store and items were wonderful....well priced and presented well. He had no suggestions for me to improve at all.
Sorry to hear that your June is down @odditiesandantiquities1 . When it comes to sales there's not a silver bullet I can give you. If CS doesn't have any further suggestions to improve your visibility it may also be worth checking any marketing options you have through an eBay Store (f you have one). Marketing emails, search engine keywords, etc. Best of luck for a great July!

Yes, I have a store. Last year when I listed an item, within a couple of hours there would be at least 5 or 6 views. Now, somedays there are none....not even a Bot one. Something has seriously gone wrong with the search engine. I know myself trying to find things gets incredibly frustrating. As I said, I do promotions, emails, have many regular return buyers but they can't keep my store alive.

This is an example of the emails I get when I 'm lucky enough to have a buyer.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This will be a heirloom piece that one day one of my sons will give to their love! You have made me very happy! Now to shop for a 20in box chain! When I get up Friday morning I will get you paid☺ again,thank you! You have made my anniversary very special"

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2017

@germancargarage wrote:

Hi,

It looks like the "big sellers" get treated differently?

The duplicate listings are not taken down?

This is how the big sellers do it... they list the same item multiple times with different titles a few cents diffrence in price, so they show up as best match on the first page with all their listings... of course they sell.

The small seller have no chance...

I reported sellers doing it and I hear always the same " we take care of it... it can take awhile...
Nothing has happend in weeks now, they are still selling...

Those guys don't have the item in stock, they get 100nds of negative per day.. and still they can do what they want.

It is frustrating...

I want to take a look at the examples you have seen to make sure appropriate action is taken. Look for an email from me here shortly!

timemachine777 · ‎06-28-2017

@Anonymous wrote:
@timemachine777 wrote:
Trinton
If you do not have tracking, then we would not be able to protect you in an item not received case anyway and there is no reason to ask a buyer to wait additional time.

Why should sellers even need protection from eBay? Isn't eBay suppose too be just a facilitator venue? If not...when is eBay going to remove this About eBay statement in the UA, because it's not an honest statement at all then.

About eBay
eBay is a marketplace that allows users to offer, sell and buy just about anything in a variety of pricing formats and locations. The actual contract for sale is directly between the seller and buyer. eBay is not a traditional auctioneer.
While we may provide pricing, shipping, listing, sourcing, and other guidance in our Services, such guidance is solely informational and you may decide to follow it or not. Also, while we may help facilitate the resolution of disputes through various programs, eBay has no control over and does not guarantee the existence, quality, safety or legality of items advertised; the truth or accuracy of users' content or listings; the ability of sellers to sell items; the ability of buyers to pay for items; or that a buyer or seller will actually complete a transaction or return an item.

What eBay states above is far from true when it comes to what it actually does regarding it's direct role in the processes of a transactional contract between all buyers and sellers on this venue. eBay gets directly involved in this contract also, and adds it's own contractual obligations that both parties must follow. These are not suggestions, due to the fact that sellers are faced with financial penalties if they are not followed. An it doesn't end there. Suggestions are not suppose to come with any type of penalty.

Happy to clear our role a little further; a protection program is a part of our platform as a way of building trust in our site and increasing sales for our members. This has become an industry standard and we are happy to help facilitate a resolution when needed. The quotes you have provided from our User Agreement do not contradict this offer of protection within our eBay Money Back Guarantee. If you have any specific case questions, I recommend you reach out to our customer service team so they can look over the details for you!

I have in the past and they all have a different interpretation, or make no comment.

I n regards to the protection program...It would still contradict the UA About eBay statement unless it were voluntary for members to participate and/or funded by eBay and not debited from the sellers accounts when issues arise. That's also what postal insurance is there for.

copper.boom · ‎06-28-2017

Hi Alan, I just wanted to say thanks for taking such quick action accepting & posting the Community Glossary. I think it will be a handy reference, especially for new posters. And thanks to the posters from the Selling forum who made contributions!

Not everybody frequents the Selling forum, so for those who haven't seen it yet I thought it might be helpful to post it here: https://community.ebay.com/t5/About-the-Community/eBay-Community-Glossary/m-p/27131549#M14

I already have a bunch of updates to add next month.

goodluckselling · ‎06-28-2017

I would like to have the eBay staff participating in this thread to each give us an example of the language you would share with a buyer for a specific request. You the eBay staff are going to be the seller in this role play.

Okay we already know that accepting checks and money orders is not acceptable on the eBay marketplace and that only an approved form of electronic payment is acceptable for the eBay platform.

When a buyer messages us through the eBay message system and makes a request to buy products and then tell you they will send you a check or money order. How does eBay want us to respond to this request from a buyer who more than likely does not know the policy nor should they know it.

Is there a way to tell the buyer to go ahead and commit to buy and then (what are the next steps) if any you would suggest the buyuer to do?
Should they send another message telling you they are sending the check or money order
Should we just report the buyer for making unreasonable demands?
Should we not respond to the buyer at all and leave them wondering or upset?

Please help us sellers to do the right thing in the eyes and minds of eBay so we can be better sellers with a common goal of completing successful transactions on eBay that are compliant to the current eBay policies.

Please provide a couple different example of the exact language you would use as a seller on eBay to a buyer who is making this demand.

Thanks and Good Luck Selling!