Ebay's total disregard for sellers...re: new 15 day limit on putting items on sale

[coniferclothingcompany]

I have been a seller for a few years, have done everything right according to Ebay, gone along with new policies (offer guaranteed delivery, free shipping, have 100% positive fb etc) and was a TPS Plus until the free shipping requirement. This morning I found out that Ebay has instituted a policy that an item that was on promotion cannot be put back on sale for 15 days. I sell clothing and this policy is going to significantly hurt my sales. Over the weekend I put a large part of my store on promotion and consequently had a significant boost in sales. I now can't put any of those items back on sale for 15 days. If I were to put some of these items back on sale next weekend and would get a similar boost in sales how is that a bad thing? I called Ebay and was told that buyers have complained about sellers marking items up and immediately putting them on sale. So instead of targeting those sellers and working with them Ebay institutes a blanket policy that affects all sellers. When I run a promotion it's generally 10-20% off. I do not mark up items before they go on sale. Increased volume of purchases as a result of a promotion is good for me and ultimately Ebay too. Also, there is no way to tell which items are eligible to be put on promotion. If I go to the promotions page and format a sale there is no indication as to which items are beyond the 15 day restriction. Finally, as a seller shouldn't I have received prior notice to this policy? I found out from another seller.

I have always been one to defend Ebay when others complain about policies as a great venue for selling but after they have made free shipping a requirement for TRS Plus and now this I am very discouraged. I would think I am the kind of seller Ebay wants to keep happy as I am making them money. It feels like Ebay is trying to get rid of sellers like me.

[lookng2015]

So basically you can't do a BOGO promo on a bunch of new listings you've uploaded specifically to sell that way?

[coniferclothingcompany]

Which means I will never edit a listing again...where is the good in that?

[luluathleta]

One of the things they use to promote sellers getting a store is that they can run promotions.   So, can I start a class action lawsuit against ebay for a partial refund on my seller fees/store fees?  Since technically that is false advertising????

[coniferclothingcompany]

Nope not for 15 days

[enjoytreasure]

I don't get it ! All my listings with discounts have at least 3 months old !! Why we can't put apply discounts ?? When the fixed price listings are relisted (because they have ended on the 30 day cycle) need to wait 15 days ?? This is a non-sense !

[luluathleta]

Correct.

[luluathleta]

Correct!

[enjoytreasure]

All my fixed price listings are 30 days cycle . So if I understand now I must put all my fixed price listings "GTC"  - Good till cancelled and wait 15 days and then put the discounts ? ........... I'ts soooo stressfull !!!!!!

[lookng2015]

What they've done then is basically say we can only run a sale (on the same items) now once a month.

All because buyers get upset when they find the deal they got isn't as big a "deal" as they thought?

[ittybitnot]

I don't know whose bright idea it was in the new store layout to change the store search choices dropdown to the same as general search but it truly sucks. Actually it looks more like just lazing coding to me.

It has been posted by ebay staff that this is an INTENTIONAL new feature to 'help buyers find the items the want regardless of what store said merchandise is located.   

[lookng2015]

But they were searching MY store. If they want to search eBay in it's entirity that's what the GENERAL search bar is for.

[hioctane62]

What really gets me about this new policy is that at the same time, ebay is testing a new feature where they want sellers to sign on to let THEM automatically reduce your price starting 10 days after you list it. So YOU can't put it on sale, but THEY can just reduce the price, which is not reflected as a markdown.

[bartholomr4]

Absolutely the dumbest thing (and there are alot of dumb things eBay has done) ever implemented by eBay.  They want our items to sell, charge a promotion fee, and a monthly store fee, but provides no freedom to the seller.  I really think this is lazy software development.

[blu_surfwear]

I agree this is without a doubt one of the most asinine things eBay has ever done.

We sell wetsuits primarily.  We use the sales markdown feature quite extensively in our main account.  While we don't "mark up our prices" we do strongly feel that price helps set realistic buyer expectations on the perceived quality of an item.  Our wetsuits are non-branded; even tho it may be on par with respect to the quality of a $115 wetsuit that is sold in the stores, if we set it at that price they won't sell.  If we set the price at $65 then the customer will think it is junk.  But if we price it at $100 then put it on sale for 35% off then the customer perception is that they are getting a great deal on a good wetsuit.

I understand not everyone knows much about wetsuits so just imagine it is a bottle of wine.  If there is a bottle of wine normally priced at $20 on sale for 40% off at $12 then it will be perceived by most as the customer getting a great deal on a better quality bottle of wine then one that normally just has a $12 MSRP etc.

Using the markdown sale feature also creates a set of urgency for the customer to act now before the sale ends.  

[coniferclothingcompany]

As the day goes on I am further frustrated by the fact that as I now edit some of my listings to lower prices on items that I would previously have put on sale semi regularly I am further screwed by Ebay by them resetting the 15 day clock every time I edit my listing. WHY????? How does this serve me, Ebay or the buyer? If I want to lower the price which should be a good thing in Ebay's eyes why would you penalize me?