What do other sellers think about the Top Rated Sellers Discount on Final Value Fees changed to 10%?

[pinkrose442savings2018]

Meant to high light what you said...or board line didn't seem to figure out how to do it...?

[lintbrush*]

I've been TRS/TRSP for 6+ years.  It requires no extra effort.   I always ship 1 day.  I went kicking & screaming into 30 day returns, but my return rate hasn't changed.

The raise in USPS Commercial Plus pricing hurt more than this cut.  That previous discount was worth much more than the 20% off FVFs.

But I think it's not going to do what eBay hopes - by making sellers jump even higher and provide even better(?) service   (I don't know how much better one can get especially when the % buffer is often used because of outside issues and through no fault of the seller) 

If more people give up the carrot then buyers may see slower shipping times.    Today's society has been trained to expect delivery yesterday. 

[books...forthememories]

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@sharingtheland wrote:

Since the program began I've always been Top Rated but not Plus because I've never jumped through those hoops.  I've always had 2-day handling and just now sat down to change it to 5-day because we're going out of town tomorrow.

Even back when my fees were in the 4 digits, monthly, my pigheaded stubborn defiance sanity was worth more to me than the discount. 

To this day I don't know why ebay hasn't simply dropped the discount altogether instead of making more and more draconian requirements for a seller to keep it.   Everyone would have screamed for a month or so and then, well, kept selling.

Yup.  I never jumped through those hoops either.  Not worth it.   

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[Anonymous]

What do other sellers think about the Top Rated Sellers Discount on Final Value Fees changed to 10%?

I think they reduced the TRS discount from 20% to 10% to help offset the cost of funding for the annual Shine Awards. 

[sybyaz]

That could be it.  It was a wake up call for me.  I am not going for it anymore as the 20% motivated me.  I have changed my listings to 2 day shipping time and 14 day returns.  That is more reasonable and fits my life style more.  I am tired of jumping through Hoops for Ebay. 

[mallontown]

Hate it.

[pinkrose442savings2018]

Beginning in May changing the shipping, return status and going to render my crown (Star/Badge seal) back to Ceaser in chief eBay...it was good while it lasted...

[moondogblues]

"A friend of mine that has 3000 items on just sent 1/2 of his listings to Bonanza. I am going to check it out."

Good luck there...I sold about 3 things in 8 years there. I finally was just using it for storage.

I do better at a local Flea then anywhere online.

[lemarcheaupuces]

10% is still $20 on $200 FVF.

shipping the same day has never been an issue for me.

i just drop off my packages on my way to go shopping (not even a detour).

i even used to ship on Saturdays.

but not sure i will do it now.

this 10% discount drop will drastically affect the quality of service for buyers.

the % of late shipment a seller can get is based on the # of transactions.

i can bet you that more and more sellers are not going to care about having a zero % late shipment rate.

they will take advantage of the 3% allowed when necessary.

the same will happen when printing the shipping label as soon as paid but shipping later (bet many already do).

me? i no longer care...

moving to another country soon.will be a while before i do ebay once there.

but to Ebay;

this move was a "low blow" to small sellers.

it is bad for volume sellers too.

but the most likely to give up now on the TRS plus, are the small sellers.

it will affect many buyers.

i haven't read the new policies but...

is Ebay going to force sellers to ship by a certain time (down the line)?

wouln't be surprised if that ever happens.

wouldn't be surprised if that becomes a TRS plus, policy/rule.

(like the return policy)....

[yeshy_us]

LOL %20 to %10. I give up! we all give up! Look what you're done!

 But it's a sigh of releif for many of us who aren't full time ebayers (which is probably %95 of sellers). I think ebay screwed up this time.

It's just gets worse and worse. Same with shipping rates, those are even worse IMHO. They go up like 2X a year.

%95 tracking and 1 day handling time is hard to do if you have anything at all going on besides babysitting ebay. I've been a TRS for about 3 years and on ebay since 1999 but I think I'm giving up on TRS. Yes some items and are extremely nikle and dimed cut throat and the TRS will sell more but most people don't deal with those items - those are like the chinese items or the cheap $5 domestic items which I don't deal with (can't even sell anything with stamps mailing anyway for under $5 because it's not tracked - had to drop those items years ago and I was offering usable nice items no one else had but people can't have them anymore thanks to ebay).

I had an eye injury a few months ago and literally could not use the computer, and amidst a painful injury was worrying about the ebay black cloud 1 day handling when something is bought late at night means you wake up and have to mail it same day basically. Drop what you're doing no matter how important or your %20 discount and TRS will go into grace period and unless you sell hundreds of items a month, it literally takes years for the %3 or better Shipped On Time % to go back to above %3. Pack an item and drive to the post office if the mail man already came. It's for full time ebayers which most people arean't.

I have seldom orderd something as a buyer and truly needed it that quick, and if I did, it was sort of something I needed that was my fault, and basically was just being too cheap to buy it for more at the store for something I needed quick. It's usually not THAT important for buyers to get items so **bleep** fast like ebay makes it seem.

I'm %95 sure now I'll glady change back to 3 day handling time with no returns. It's just not worth the headache to sell a $20 item and save 20 frign cents. %20 (40 cents!) was kind of nice and it sort of added up but ebay can take a %10 discount and shove it. I think even the %20 though was sort of a placebo affect to be a TRS. I think they are causing a lot of sellers to change to  3-day handling, and NO RETURNS! thus making ebay look bad and loose buuyers.

Actualy what I think I'll do is change to 3 day handling to give me a cushion but I will usualy mail the next day or two and will note that in the listing (but not the whole explenation of ebay's new policies of course) and I will offer the shortest return window as possible just because I think it looks super sketchy when an item says NO RETURNS! FWIW I sell maybe 30 items a month and only get maybe two returns per year so it doesn't bother me, but 30 day return is like almost a guaranteed headache that the buyer used it and then it won't be in same sellable condition when received and just not worth the point of offering 30 day return to save %10 to then deal with a case against the buyer for returning a used item.

The sigh of releif on not having to constantly babysit my ebay for 1-day (or same of bought 11pm the day before) handling time, I'm pretty sure not having to deal with that anymore will allow me to look at ebay in a differnt way now that I will actually sell and make more.

With the 1 day handling, I sell alot of items that I custom box. And from start to finish of the listing process, the biggest PITA of it all was knowing I'll have to custom box items after work after cooking dinner showering unwinding etc no matter what else I might want or need to do.

If I sell a $100 item and save $1 with the new rules, that's nothing! I'd rather feel free from the 1 day (or same day basicalyl if bought at 11pm the day before) handling and hopefully that translates into easier and more selling.

Ultimately I dont' think I'll loose buyers because I don't have a TRS badge. Most buyers probably don't even know what it means. They go by price mainly and then they look at feedback, and I have %100 positive feedback.

I'm not being ebay's cuck with these new rules. I'm not bothered by it actually. When I first wrote this, I was thinking I'd save $10 on a $100 item if I comply but it's actually $1 I'd loose on a $100 sale.

I think the smartest thing to do is list as 3 day handling but say "most items are shipped the next day". And offer the shortest return window just so it doesn't look super sketchy with NO RETURNS (again I only get maybe 2 returns per year but think it looks shady set at NO RETURNS).

[sybyaz]

I am with you, my feelings exactly.   

[sybyaz]

I agree, you don't know what Ebay is going to require next to sell on its site.   I wouldn't be surprised at anything they do.  Selling on Ebay used to be fun, Not So Much Anymore!!!

[yeshy_us]

I think ebay realized what I said which is that buyers just don't care that much to get items same or next day shipped. With USPS Priority, it's almost always significanly cheaper than parcel select and only takes 1-3 days anywhere in the US, AND it even includes insurance like up to $100 which parcel select doesn't - I never understoon that.

But anyway almost all my items are 1st class (2-7 days or something) or Priority , and if it's parcel select, it means it's a large heavy item and that UPS ground is usually much much cheaper.

If a buyer can get an item 1-3 days transit, the extra 1 or 2 days handling time isn't a big deal to them, and what buyers are mostly looking at is PRICE and FEEDBACK, not SAME/NEXT DAY HANDLING.

I think they figured out they are not getting more buyers to the site simply because of the 1 day handling (it's already quick enough- ever order something from like bed bath and beyond? or any other online store? and their handling times are sort of ridiculous like 5-6 days - with ebay 2-3 days is considered fast and usually 1-3 day priority shipping = very fast overall).

I think ebay figured out that buyers aren't really lost if everyone changes from same/next day handling to 2-3 days. The CEOs probably figured by giving back %20 of FVF to TRS before this strict change meant they were loosing like a quarter mill a day in fees and would rather pocket that money themselves.

They know TRS will drop with the new changes and sales should stay around the same (and maybe using some of the FVFs they aren't giving back using it towards advertising).

This TRS is all a placebo affect for most of us. Without adhering to the new rules, you pay $2 fee for a $20 item. WITH adhering to the strict rules, you pay  $1.80. You save 20 cents! and have to deal with the headache. Capisce?

Wanted to note though after rethinking this, I still think 3 day handling and noting "most items sent the next day" (and actually doing that or within 2 days), BUT I would change what I said about having the shortest return window to something like 14 days instead. Again, I get almost no returns, and if it is a return, it's the buyer usually has buyer's remorse and just changed their mind later (NOT a SNAD case which is differnt all together). So 14 days looks good to a buyer just for the placebo affect (30 looks overkill), 7 looks a bit time-pressed.

I suggest 14 day return window, 3 days handling (but actually try and mail next day or at least in 2 days) and keeping you sanity and sell sell away, take it in stride. Who even cares about saving 20 cents on a $20 item?? If saving $1 on a $100 item is make or break for you, then something is wrong. Saving $3 on a $300 item should not be in the equation either.  

TRS should now be changed to TRB - Top Rated B**CH.

[kanoskorner]

ilost my top rated seller status all the while having 100%feedback about two years ago or so. I just got it back. I twas all due to the hoop called tracking numbers..

On on e account i selll bumper stickers for a $1 and $1 shipping . Guess what no rtracking with that cheap firsat class ship and ebay expects me to put in a tracvking number at my expense. How completely disrespectful to sellers can this company get. they have nearly completely destroyed many many sellers businesses including mine. either ebay is going broke or they are trying to adopt a pay for paly as in promted listings , much higher listings upgrades, and a bucketful of very deceitful moves i believed  designed to make them more money. For instance when they give free listings and for some reason they end up charging you anyway. I has happened to me several times and one who has less experience dealing with it will be duped everytime because it is sim[ply in the process of listing. After all i, it says rifght on the bulk lister thatb the fees shown may not reflect the actual prices so when you click the button it may charge and it may not.   This is just one example of ebays methods and policies destroying peoples businesses.  Oh yeah i guess i mentioned two. Maybe i should just post a list of deceptions , unfair policies, practices and lies.  Unbelievable.

I am a seller  since 2003 and i am barely hangin on. I no longer have internet access at home because my sales are so slow. Thanks alot ebay.!

I opened up two new accounts last year hoping they would do as good as the dwindling forst one and surprise!  Zer sales in 9 months on both of them.   Unbelieveable.

[pauliesthriftshop2016]

Its not fair to store owners who pay monthly for reduced fvf that's what I think.