You Gotta Love eBay Authenticity Guarantee !!!

We have sold on your platform since 1997 under two companies moving thousands of high-end items with zero authenticity issues. Your Authenticity Guarantee program for fine jewelry over 500 dollars creates major problems for sellers buyers and eBay itself. While the idea is reasonable alongside the 30-day return policy that lets buyers consult trusted jewelers.

the programâ€™s execution fails. Every mounted item we submit gets the same vague response stating it is genuine but with a slight discrepancy. This wording is unacceptable. An item is either authentic or not. If there is a discrepancy it should not be certified as authentic. This unclear language scares buyers and causes unneeded returns.

Two recent cases show the issue.

First a 2500 dollar platinum ring from Stuller a top jewelry mounting company was flagged for four tiny 18k gold accents worth under 20 dollars that tested at 17k by XRF. As a certified appraiser with 35 years of experience and past ties to GIAâ€™s Santa Monica lab I know soldering small pieces uses lower-karat solder to flow properly which affects karat readings. The ring was genuine but the discrepancy note alarmed the buyer leading to a return.

Second an 1840s 18k gold brooch we had listed a while ago actually forgot the item was on still. Gold since doubled in value the brooch weighing 23 grams sold for 1200 dollars. We had listed it for scrap value at the time Now this was flagged for a loose stone and they GIA could not confirmed diamond weight due to mine and rose cuts. I CAN AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO TAUGHT ME. The same discrepancy message led the buyer to reject it. Later they realized the gold alone was worth double their payment. This cost eBay a 19 percent commission and 15 percent promoted listing fee while the buyer missed a great deal.

Are GIA students using our items for training and flagging minor issues to meet academic goals? This hurts everyone. The program must give clear results authentic or not with no vague terms. We demand a review to fix this ensure qualified evaluators and stop baseless returns.

continentalcollectibles

32064 View listings

Posted 11 months ago·Last reply 6 months ago

14 comments

1fabulousfind

·6 months ago

23940 View listings

I received notification of earrings in 14k gold that did not pass authenticity.. Clearly marked and testing with acid plus checked by the estate handler before I even purchased them.

Like who is checking these items..!!

3rdhandtreasures

·10 months ago

104 View listings

I am extremely suspicious of what is going on here. The item I ordered passed the inspection and seemingly disappeared after that. They say they handed it off, but there is no evidence they did so.

r_lresale

·10 months ago

800 View listings

I recently sold a 14k white gold necklace that went through the program and got the same result about it's real but the metal purity was wrong or something. It was my first (and last) time I will sell jewelry that goes through authenticity.

ryry-jj

·11 months ago

1912 View listings

The situations you describe with the authenticity appraisers doesn't bother me at all. Sellers were giving new info and they made their decisions based upon it...nothing wrong with that. If the second buyer valued the brooch more than the gold, that's their prerogative, too

Heck, I had a house sold until the buyer had it inspected and the inspector mentioned the house may need new piping soon...or may not...but the buyer walked away when I didn't pay for it. People gather info and make decision.

I have always believed in win-win scenarios when making a sale, never for the sake of someone else making 14-19%, however we want to calculate the math, off the sale. Making money should be the derivative of a successful win-win transaction

broto_64

·11 months ago

0 View listings

Oh, I am 100% certain that the authenticity folks jump through corporate hoops to meet metric standards, and that this affects their acceptance ratio, absolutely.

Also as far as the "good old days," that ship sailed long ago. I want to remind you this isn't ebay you're talking to here, we're all members (and most of us are sellers) who registered on this forum to post and give advice and be generally helpful but the one thing we can not do, is change how ebay does things... Well, in certain exceptional cases a few of the members have been known to hail one of ebay's workers and then it is possible they look into things and maybe something changes as a result but, you're talking chances of a snowball in heck there.

I have never sold anything through their authenticity program, it is a shame that anything over a certain value must go through that by default but... As far as their "letters" increasing returns, I don't doubt that it gives the buyer a reason but you did admit yourself the jewelry you sold had minor defects so maybe you ought to add that to your "condition description" field and at least save yourself some return postages.

jonathanbrightlight

·11 months ago

0 View listings

You can think itâ€™s 14.9% all you want, but youâ€™re clearly wrong.

And if you love this site, the fees are the reason eBay can keep operating, so why are you hating on the fees?

continentalcollectibles

OP11 months ago

32064 View listings

Your right that's what they tell you its actually 14.9 Percent but you are paying that on the Sales tax that YOU DO NOT COLLECT and THE SHIPPING THAT YOU DO NOT COLLECT figure it out when you pay 14.9 percent TO EBAY ON THE TOTAL SALE on something that doesn't go to You IT WORKS OUT AT 19 PERCENT .And Yes Mam I know demanding eBay to do anything doesn't work I'm trying to get them to read this as a Suggestion in fact EVERYTIME I POST ON HERE MY ALGORIYTHMS DROP ALMOST IMMEADIATLY. I just posting what is happening read others on here WHY DOES EBAY HAVE BUYER SELLER GUARANTEE and make you go through this ridiculous AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEE. Its a Great Deal for GIA they get merchandise to give the Students for authentication but if It gets declined for a loose stone that it ridiculous. EVERY SINGLE ITEM WE HAVE HAD SET GETS THAT SAME REPSONSE and the eBay Concierge Service Representative for authenticity guarantee told me it was a automatic response if its not a loose stone because all they can do is approximate they need to stop saying it authenticated then in the same breath saying its not authenticated that's all. heck I made over a thousand extra dollars on the last one .Sadly the buyer agreed to return it then once they realized the gold alone was worth double she was begging to repurchase it eBay is Losing Money and Customers over this.

continentalcollectibles

OP11 months ago

32064 View listings

Sorry my one arm is handicap so unless I type real slow I make lots of Punctuation and spelling errors. Not sure if your understanding what happens. When the items sell over $500 we have no choice it automatically gets sent out for Authenticity Guarantee to GIA in Carlsbad unless its a loose stone that you can measure exactly and weigh exactly they almost always say Its been inspected and its authentic BUT WITH MINOR DISCREPENCY'S to cover their butts since its set all you can do is approximate then THAT SAME MESSAGE GETS SENT TO THE BUYER and it gives them the option to go ahead anyways and purchase it or return it. Unless your a savvy buyer and trust your seller this is scaring lots of buyers. I've read many on the boards that complain they wanted to purchase it but got scared. I have no Problem I actually pulled all our high end jewelry its not worth posting on here with the cost involved un less you make eBay You partner and give up 50 percent of your sales Your never going back to the good old days, Believe me we have tried it three times now every time our sale exp[lode over 50 percent just like they promise but lose on every sale so were nopt selling Gold and Diamonds on here over 500 any more

mam98031

·11 months ago

Owner / Operator19714 View listings

That is OK, I'm not the Grammar Police. You are doing fine. What would help is a space between paragraphs. It makes post so much easier to read.

I think you may be exaggerating, your account does not appear to have every transaction being a lost to you for returns.

Now the authentication process I'm not really very familiar with. Let me phone a couple friends and maybe they can help.

@albertabrightalberta

@comics-scifi-collectibles

comics-scifi-collectibles

·11 months ago

1933 View listings

@mam98031 wrote:
That is OK, I'm not the Grammar Police. You are doing fine. What would help is a space between paragraphs. It makes post so much easier to read.

I think you may be exaggerating, your account does not appear to have every transaction being a lost to you for returns.

Now the authentication process I'm not really very familiar with. Let me phone a couple friends and maybe they can help.

@albertabrightalberta

@comics-scifi-collectibles

@continentalcollectibles I do know that other sellers have had 14k jewelry rejected as not passing the 14k test. I personally do not know much about jewelry.

mam98031

·11 months ago

Owner / Operator19714 View listings

@comics-scifi-collectibles

Thank you for popping in. I thought you might be able to help the OP with the Authenticity process. Jewelry is a small number of their listings.

mam98031

·11 months ago

Owner / Operator19714 View listings

@continentalcollectibles

What category are you paying 14.9% FVF without any Promotional Fee?

As to fees on Sales Tax, we paid PayPal our fees on the total amount the buyer paid to include shipping and fees when they were our money processor. So now that Ebay is, for the last 5+ years, Ebay collects it.

Yes you can rework the math to make it appear that the Ebay selling fees are higher than they are, but the fact is there is no Category that has 19% FVFs. Now you may be calculating your COGS [cost of good sold] and include other number to come up with the 19%, that is fine, it is just not what the percentage that Ebay charges on the transactions.

This is a Community Forum. Ebay employees don't stop by very often. You are just stuck with your peers here the vast majority of time.

And you get a discount on the FVFs because of your Store Level.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees?id=4822

Basic fees for most categories

In the table below, you'll find the basic fees for items listed in most categories and the number of zero insertion fee listings you'll get each month.

Category	Insertion fee	Final value fee % + per order fee
Most categories, including eBay Motors > Parts & Accessories, Automotive Tools & Supplies, and Safety & Security Accessories. For vehicles, see our Motors fees.	First 250 listings free per month, then $0.35 per listing	13.6% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500 calculated per item 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500
Books & Magazines Movies & TV (except Movie NFTs) Music (except Vinyl Records and Music NFTs categories)	15.3% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500 calculated per item 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500
Coins & Paper Money (except Bullion)	13.25% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500 calculated per item 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500
Coins & Paper Money > Bullion	13.6% if total amount of the sale is $7,500 or less, calculated per item 7% if total amount of the sale is over $7,500, calculated per item
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories > Women > Women's Bags & Handbags	15% if total amount of the sale is $2,000 or less, calculated per item 9% if total amount of the sale is over $2,000, calculated per item
Select Collectibles categories: Comic Books & Memorabilia Non-Sport Trading Cards Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop > Sports Trading Cards Toys & Hobbies > Collectible Card Games	13.25% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500 calculated per item 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500
Jewelry & Watches (except Watches, Parts & Accessories)	15% if total amount of the sale is $5,000 or less, calculated per item 9% if total amount of the sale is over $5,000, calculated per item
Jewelry & Watches > Watches, Parts & Accessories	15% on total amount of the sale up to $1,000 calculated per item 6.5% on the portion of the sale over $1,000 up to $7,500 calculated per item 3% on the portion of the sale over $7,500
The following NFT categories: Art NFTs CCG NFTs Emerging NFTs Movie NFTs Music NFTs Non-Sport Trading Card NFTs Sport Trading Card NFTs	5% on total amount of the sale
Select Business & Industrial categories: Heavy Equipment Parts & Attachments > Heavy Equipment Printing & Graphic Arts > Commercial Printing Presses Restaurant & Food Service > Food Trucks, Trailers & Carts	$20	3% on total amount of the sale up to $15,000 calculated per item 0.5% on the portion of the sale over $15,000
Musical Instruments & Gear > Guitars & Basses	Free	6.7% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500 calculated per item 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500
Select Clothing, Shoes & Accessories categories: Men > Men's Shoes > Athletic Shoes Women > Women's Shoes > Athletic Shoes	Free if starting price is $150 or more*- See: Notes for Basic fees	8% if total amount of the sale is $150 or more. The per order fee is not charged 13.6% if total amount of the sale is less than $150

Notes for Basic fees

* Starting price is the starting price (auction-style listings) or Buy It Now price (fixed price listings) of your listing, and doesn't include shipping, handling, taxes, or fees.

continentalcollectibles

OP11 months ago

32064 View listings

Sorry unless I'm reading this wrong its 15 Percent but I think its actually 14.9 and I should change the costing 19 percent commission to 19 percent cost of sale after all WHO KEEPS THAT 14.9 PERCENT OF THE SALES TAX AND SHIPPING? eBay DOES. I don't Care we signed on to it and its keeping big dividend checks coming to the share holders. I would not leave this site for anything. I love the people on here unlike others I am not ashamed or afraid to tell the truth. that's all communicating with others doesn't make us bad People. here is the cut and paste off the jewelry section.

15% if total amount of the sale is $5,000 or less, calculated per item
9% if total amount of the sale is over $5,000, calculated per item

mam98031

·11 months ago

Owner / Operator19714 View listings

@continentalcollectibles

So both buyers filed a Request for Return if I understand what you wrote correctly?

Have you gotten them back yet? Seems you would be happy to get that brooch back since it is worth more than you sold it for, or did I misunderstand that?

The FVF isn't 19% for jewelry, unless you are including something other than the selling fees in that amount. And the 15% you pay for Promoting the listings is a decision each of us makes for ourselves. IMHO it is a really high amount, but you have every right to choose to pay that much more in fees for a sale.

"We demand a review to fix this ensure qualified evaluators and stop baseless returns." Sadly that isn't going to work. Demanding them to revise policies usually don't get any action by Ebay.