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Below standard rating help
Summary: normanchas is experiencing difficulties with eBay's selling standards, which has led to increased fees and limited promotional capabilities due to defects, such as out-of-stock items and lack of tracking. They have been advised by wooden_flower to boost sales using strategies like BOGO promotions to reduce their defect rate below 2%. Despite efforts, normanchas faces challenges accessing promotional tools and is seeking further guidance to resolve issues with tracking and listings. wooden_flower provides detailed advice and links to assist normanchas in navigating these challenges.
About 2 months ago I was notified my rating went below standard because of defects with sales that were out of stock, and to a lesser degree shipments with no tracking.
I was never warned that I had too many of these ratings, so I did not know they were not allowed. So I have been talking to several agents and they promise help but I never hear back. Sp now I am being charged an extra 7% commission, have had promotions stopped, etc. I just received an email that soon I would be charged another 7% in fees (10+7+7=24%) and maybe be stopped from selling.
I have got my defect rate down to 7 and with one less I would be in compliance. Ebay refuses to eliminate 1. So now I will have to wait until January for the oldest to drop off by itself. By then I'll be at 24%.
I have not had any defects since my degrading, and no shipments without tracking.
I have 0% cases closed without seller resolution
I have 0% late shipment rate
over 5000 positive feedbacks (one negative that was totally uncalled for and ebay won't help)
have been a member for over 20 years.
I am just looking for a break here. Can someone give me some advice on who to contact that can take a humane look at this? This is my only income and it's just tough right now.
Thanks,
Norman Hinds
normanchas (user)
wooden_flower
Mentor1 month ago@normanchas
Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to the metrics. eBay must apply the rules equally to all sellers.
What you can try is to increase sales enough to get below 2% defects. The best way to do this is with a BOGO sale - buy one get on e x % off. This can quickly boost your number of items sold. I know it is difficult to sell at lower prices when you are paying higher fees, but it may be your only option.
You can look at the monthly breakdown on your dashboard to see how many sales you will need Oct 2025 - Sept 2026 to get below 2%. This will be for the 10/20 evaluation.
Does the notice say 7% plus 7%? The policy says 6% and then it increases to 7%.
https://www.ebay.com/help/store-selling-fees/selling/store-selling-fees?id=4809#section6
normanchas
OP1 month agoThanks very much for that info. I will have to try to get more sales. None of the other ebay people advised me to do that. I'm not sure if I will be able to do a bogo sale, as supposedly I was not going to be able to run promo sales. Norman Hinds
wooden_flower
Mentor1 month ago@normanchas
You still have a store, so you should be able to use the store tools to run a BOGO. This is different from being unable to promote your items.
Good luck.
normanchas
OPSep 5, 2026 at 10:41 PMThanks again. I'll get started tomorrow!!
normanchas
OPSep 6, 2026 at 2:34 AMIf I can ask another question. I just saw that I'm being charged with 6 not uploaded items. I figuered they were all from an order of 7 items. I entered the tracking for one thinking that is fine as they were all shipped together. Do i have to enter tracking for every item in the same payment and shipping? I have a call into an agent but it will take 30 minutes plus. If I enter the tracking for the other 6 items will my 6 items be deleted from a problem?
wooden_flower
MentorSep 6, 2026 at 8:30 PM · Edited@normanchas
You need to add the tracking to each order if the items were paid for individually. If the buyer made a single payment, the system should attach the tracking to each item.
When you have multiple payments from a single buyer, you can use bulk shipping to combine them into a single shipment. You can click buy labels in bulk in the upper right of the label purchase page, or use this link - https://www.ebay.com/ship/bulk
While the tracking no uploaded is annoying, it is not a defect that puts you below standard - only unresolved cases and cancelled transactions do that. I wouldn’t spend any time on those right now.
normanchas
OPSep 6, 2026 at 9:53 PMThanks again for the help. The payment for 7 lots was ALL a single payment. So that's why I didn't think I would have to put tracking on each item. Apparentlty the system didn't do that. Can some agent reverse that?
normanchas
OPSep 6, 2026 at 8:26 PMYou can look at the monthly breakdown on your dashboard to see how many sales you will need Oct 2025 - Sept 2026 to get below 2%. This will be for the 10/20 evaluation.
Exactly what can I look at for this amount? I have been looking everywhere for my # of transactions in this period/
this is with a BOGO sale - buy one get on e x % off.
Also I can't see where to start the BOGO can you tell me how?
Thanks, Norman Hinds
wooden_flower
MentorSep 6, 2026 at 8:35 PMOn your dashboard, click see monthly breakdown. You’ll need to add up your sales October 25 - Sept 26 (to date). There isn’t a running total.
On this page -https://www.ebay.com/sh/mktv2/promotionmanager/dashboard - click create discount, then select sales event. After that you should see the different types of sales, inlcuding BOGO.
I don’t have a store any longer since I am retired, so I can’t see the page where you select the type of sale.
normanchas
OPSep 6, 2026 at 9:50 PMthanks, I'll try that
normanchas
OP3 weeks agoWooden_Flower.. again thanks for all your help. Your suggestion that I generate more sales to get me in compliance was great. And the tip to do a BOGO or other discount. Well as I feared I tried to do a % markdown in my store and for 2 days it didn't put a discount on my lots. I just got off the phone with someone in that dept. and they said YES. If I am below standard I will not be allowed to run promos. Now I'm trying to get in compliance and they're not helping me. I'm really frustrated now.
wooden_flower
Mentor3 weeks ago@normanchas
Again I disagree with customer service. You should be able to use the store tools - you cannot promote your items, but you should be able to create a sales event.
Did you select sales event as I suggested? That may be a different path than selecting discounts on the left side. I do suggest the BOGO to really bump the number of items sold.
I have never seen a seller report back that they were not able to use their store tools - this is what we always suggest as a way to get back to above standard.
normanchas
OP3 weeks agoAgain, thanks.. I could not see how to use the BOGO you suggested. I did a 20% off sale. I do them a lot and I know how to do it. I added 167 items but none ended up with a discount.
wooden_flower
Mentor3 weeks ago@normanchas
Your items show the 20% off - see your store page here - https://www.ebay.com/str/normanhindsphilatelics?_tab=sales
Under the create discount tab did you try the volume discount selection? BOGO might be there.
normanchas
OP3 weeks agoWooden_Flower also I tried today to run many .99 starting price lots to generate sales. I was ready to start a listing and I saw there is a .25 additional fee. Now I never use any things that would call for a fee. I also asked the agent about this and she said YES that is another thing due to the below standard. I just feel I'm in a bad catch 22 situation with no way out.
wooden_flower
Mentor3 weeks ago · Edited@normanchas
That is not right - there is no additional insertion fee for being below standard. There is only the additional final value fee.
If you have a basic store, you should be able to run up to 250 auctions in stamps without an insertion fee. I assume they were in stamps. How many were you trying to add? ($.25 is the normal insertion fee at the basic store level, so I can tell your store has not been downgraded.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling-fees/store-fees?id=4809
normanchas
OP3 weeks agoI never pay an insertion fee with my basic store. Maybe they dropped me from basic to starter?
wooden_flower
Mentor3 weeks ago · Edited@normanchas
No, the $.25 says you’re still at basic - a starter store pays $.30 each.
With a basic store, you get 250 auctions, but only in certain categories. You also get 1,000 fixed price insertions.
You can go to your selling home page to the “promotional offer” box - it will show you how many insertions you get and how many you have used.
normanchas
OP3 weeks agoI think I get 250 free listings a month and then .25 I never go over 250
normanchas
OP3 weeks agoOK I see now. I have never gone over 250
wooden_flower
Mentor3 weeks ago@comics-scifi-collectibles
Do you know of any changes for below standard sellers like not being able to use store tools?
Thanks!
comics-scifi-collectibles
Mentor3 weeks ago@wooden_flower No. I am only aware of Below Standard sellers not being able to use Promoted Listings.