Scaling my biz and cant list over $50k
I run a sports collectibles business and recently acquired a significant inventory and have been scaling and selling but now can't list anymore as it says I have a $50,000 listings and selling limit. I can't even request an increase. has anyone encountered this? It pretty much caps any hope I have of scaling here.
20 comments
rugerskick
·9 months agoEbay does not allow smaller sellers to grow at a fast rate. They want to see certain periods of time of success as a seller at a certain level, before increasing the limits. We've all been through it. Also large jumps in sales and new/high dollar items inckuding collectibles could mean other things that may be signs of illegal activity. Eventually your limits will be increased, after no problems for a period of time at your current limits.
onefootflipper
·10 months agoSomeone else mentioned that ebay standard envelope items are somehow working against you. They are not. My other account used to be 100 percent standard envelope and they upgraded my limits on that account to the moon and back.
However, if you actually have high end inventory then I would concentrate on that and not on recovering the nickles and dimes. I have timed my card processes and found that it is not worth listing a card if I can't sell it for $4 plus shipping. $2.99 plus shipping is still worth shipping out if it is already listed but isn't worth listing in the first place if you haven't already done so.
Lot that cheap stuff up, or sell it live somewhere.
tobaccocardyahoo
·10 months agoYou can scale up but not necessarily at the rate you desire based on your track record.
Working against you is your decision to list very inexpensive items and use ESE to ship.
Your FB makes it clear that your goal is high volume which requires limited labor to be profitable. And generally leads to less customer satisfaction.
Ebay really does not want hundreds or thousands of $2 items from sellers. Low priced items use the same overhead that higher priced items do, and Ebay makes more money when you you sell more expensive items.
If you are going to use your labor more effectively, it is likely you should not be listing worthless commons.
reallynicestamps
·10 months agoMight have something to do with your Defect rate.
It's been my observation that negative and neutral feedback is left by naive buyers who can't work out how to open Disputes.
And the resolution of Disputes is private, unlike feedback.
You have five neg/neutral FB vs 105 positive. That's a lot of not particularly happy customers.
pickapaper
·10 months ago@hobbygurubreaks
In the business you are in, you are dealing with a lot of picky buyers and need to do everything to can to keep from getting neutrals and negatives. If you advertise and charge to ship a certain way, you need to do that. (You are not allowed to downgrade shipping, i.e. charge for GA but ship FC.)
Potential buyers looking at your listings can/will read the feedback replies you leave for your customers and this reflects on how you deal with problems. Your replies to your neuts and negs reveal somewhat of an attitude which could be a turnoff to future buyers. Buyers don't care if you ran out of supplies or had a family emergency. They just expect to have their item shipped quickly in the transportation method listed and received in the condition described; they don't want excuses, exceptions, or substitutions.
hobbygurubreaks
OP10 months agoI appreciate that feedback and the reality is I encounter 2 of every 100 or so orders of people that without fail will complain and leave negative feedback no matter what. Both ironically received their cards with no issues yet left negative feedback. I honestly think they need to be exposed more as horrible buyers and someone as a small biz owner you can tell to go take a hike for future business. Neutral ones are understandable, the USPS completely butchered his shipment.
I 100% have a personality and attitude in that I go the extra mile for all of our customers and often include extra free things too. If I am going to get dinged for 1-2 bad apples, I can live with that. I'm a human not some robot.
redlinear
·10 months ago@hobbygurubreaks
Funny.... Had you come here, complaining about bad feedback?
All you would hear is how feedback doesn't matter.
reallynicestamps
·10 months ago@redlinear
Feedback doesn't matter to eBay's assessment of our accounts.
But it does matter to the assessment of customers, and to the Usual Suspects who hang around on these Boards.
Statements can differ yet still both be true.
hobbygurubreaks
OP10 months agoI'll rarely complain about that - I just now there's always a few miserable souls that will complain if the sun is shining aka "its too bright outside today". Life goes on. Appreciate the feedback! What's nice is once product is sold you get that space to list more so not the end of the world.
mam98031
·10 months agoDo you have another selling account? On this account you have sold a little more than 450 items over the lifetime of this account. Most of those sales have happened in the last 90 days or so. Not likely enough data to come to the conclusions you have above.
hotwheelsbum
·10 months agoBut when 4 out of 5 out of that 2 for every 100 is related to shipping issues, damaged cards, charging customers one service, then using a cheaper service, that's clearly a Seller issue, NOT a "Buyer" issue as you so claim.
And your 100% personality and attitude that you claim to "go the extra mile" for all your customers sure is not reflected in those responses to your Negatives and Neutrals. It's quite the opposite. Plus, remember, this is what we see out in the open. It'd be interesting to see what your Service Metrics are behind the scenes, issues not aired out in public. There's a reason why you haven't had your limits raised yet. Trust me, some of us "in the know"......Know. Work on becoming a better Seller, the rewards you seek will come.
aeparts1
·10 months agoI'd be worrying about getting fewer negatives & neutrals first, then once you figure that out start to scale up the business.
mam98031
·10 months ago@hobbygurubreaks
When a seller desires to increase their selling limits, they are allowed to request an increase once every 30 days. Mark your calendar and every 30 days request an increase until you have your selling limit well above anything you think you will ever need. Below is a link to where you can go to ask for a selling limit increase. It is the third option in the link below.
https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp/sl
Keep in mind that it is likely going to take you a few months to get your limit raised that high. Your stats as a seller do matter in this process.
mam98031
·10 months ago@hobbygurubreaks
Have you tried what I stated above yet. It usually doesn't take long to reply with an answer.
hobbygurubreaks
OP10 months agoYes, it just said I'm not eligible etc etc when I clicked to ask for a limit raise.
mam98031
·10 months agoOK, then they see something on your account that needs to improve. Mark the date you asked for the limit increase and in 30 days try again.
Are you ok with your stats in the Service Metrics?
Are you OK with the stats on your Seller Dashboard?
Possibly there is an issue you need to resolve. Let us know what you see in both links as we may be able to give you advice on how to resolve some of the issues you see on one or both of those links.
BTW I respect that you feel you are doing just fine. And in your eyes you may be right, but something told Ebay not to increase your rates, so there has to be a reason for that and discovering it allows you to work towards resolving that before you ask for another increase next month.
hobbygurubreaks
OP9 months agomy issue is I have been plagued by people saying they didnt receive their cards and I do mail them but the PWE option isnt trackable and people (buyers) file a "did not receive" claim . I message them - they go dar and then ebay refunds them and dings me. Its really is disheartening how bad its hurt my profile which now says "below standard"
dhbookds
·9 months agonow says "below standard"
well, that's the reason they won't increase your limits.......
babyers88
·10 months agoyou can check again next month, in the meantime strive for perfection, the increases are pretty much automatic. Realistically it could take a year to get to where you want to be.
Look at your seller metrics and take any and all corrective action needed and that takes 90 days to adjust if anything is not good.
mam98031
·10 months agoI offered similar advice in the post just above yours. But what do you mean by correction take 90 days? What kind of corrections are you talking about that take that long if Ebay agrees it should be removed?