eBay

alan@ebay · ‎04-06-2017

Hello,

Please use this thread if you have any questions or wish to discuss today's announcement.

Thank you.

Alan - eBay Community Manager

If a member's response helped, please give it a Helpful. If you are the author of a thread and a member's response resolved your question, please click "Accept as Solution." More on Accepted Solutions.

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scrappy_coco1 · ‎04-29-2017

To heidi@ebay: Regarding your response to @mnelson0215, I think we all know that these "new tools" are highly unlikely to increase our volume enough to make increase total profit. Let's not forget all of the hours put in running to the post office like a crazy person just to make "Top Rated" because USPS loses everything Media Mail unless you get a paper receipt at the post office - so now, I will need to spend more hours on all of this just to match profit let alone increase it. Your company insults sellers' intelligence. "features and benefits" will not help, lower costs will. It is Low- very Low to do this- I'm outraged.

mens-business-shirts-online · ‎04-29-2017

I have a few questions and it would be great to get a response.

1. Since the last update, I have been getting some technical issues with my premium storefront. Under promotional offers, I have 1,000 fixed price listings and it has been stuck on Used/Left: 12/988 and I am now charged with insertion fees with every automated relisting. I am not sure if anyone else is experiencing this. Do I need to sign up for the anchor storefront to resolve this? With the boost in eBay voucher, I wouldn't mind upgrading.

2. Will you guys be adding an option where we can list multiple locations for our items as I have inventory for the same item in 3 separate continents. Rather than creating 3 separate listings, this option will help increase the global ranking of my items. I am happy to just offer a flatrate rate worldwide postage of $0.00.

3. I also have not had the time to individually delete scripts from my listings. Would these listings be deleted or would the script just be deactivate?

Thank you for your help.

sglifeandhome · ‎05-01-2017

I could not agree more! I was going to this board today to aske the very same question! We have to WORK HARDER to keep our top rated seller status, and OUT INCENTIVE TO DO SO IS CUT IN HALF??

Greatly dismayed by this, to say the least! Why has this been done??

sglifeandhome · ‎05-01-2017

AGain, I couldn't agree more. Ebay just making work harder to sellers, less money to sellers, and more money for themselves. I don't get this!! Hey Ebay!! YOUR SELLERS ARE MAKING YOU THE MONEY!

springs_2013 · ‎05-01-2017

@sglifeandhome wrote:
I could not agree more! I was going to this board today to aske the very same question! We have to WORK HARDER to keep our top rated seller status, and OUT INCENTIVE TO DO SO IS CUT IN HALF??
Greatly dismayed by this, to say the least! Why has this been done??

I believe this has been done to pay for the new tool options that will be made available to sellers. I do not use any of the "tools" eBay roll out, but I am forced to pay for it. It is what it is. No matter how upset we are about the new policies, there's absolutly nothing we can do about it other than leave. It's their sandbox and if we want to play in it, we have to follow their rules!

lindyslucky · ‎05-01-2017

Thank you for reading what I wrote and replying!

My comment on "customize the days we work" was meant to be a bit sarcastic.

Whatever was intended by that term, one of the best reasons to try to make money on ebay is that the work(except for shipping) can be done as we desire and are able.

A flexible schedule, for us, is very important for a variety of personal reasons and family obligations.

Our daily schedule is often unknown to us.

If we wanted a set schedule, we might be better off selling our time, rathar than merchandise and getting a "real" job. Ok, one of us already has done that.

eBay has not been the modest income stream we had hoped.

We have not been listing as we should, slow sales suck the ambition out of us.

For right now we are going to keep trying. We have way too much to sell.

Ah, well another challenge. Not up for it.

Thank you once again for your reply.

It feels so nice to have interaction with other sellers.

Anonymous · ‎05-01-2017

@mens-business-shirts-online wrote:

I have a few questions and it would be great to get a response.

1. Since the last update, I have been getting some technical issues with my premium storefront. Under promotional offers, I have 1,000 fixed price listings and it has been stuck on Used/Left: 12/988 and I am now charged with insertion fees with every automated relisting. I am not sure if anyone else is experiencing this. Do I need to sign up for the anchor storefront to resolve this? With the boost in eBay voucher, I wouldn't mind upgrading.

2. Will you guys be adding an option where we can list multiple locations for our items as I have inventory for the same item in 3 separate continents. Rather than creating 3 separate listings, this option will help increase the global ranking of my items. I am happy to just offer a flatrate rate worldwide postage of $0.00.

3. I also have not had the time to individually delete scripts from my listings. Would these listings be deleted or would the script just be deactivate?

Thank you for your help.

Hi @mens-business-shirts-online - Happy to help here. For your question in number 1, I would suggest contacting our customer service teams here: https://ocsnext.ebay.com/ocs/cuhome?from_ocs=1 They'll be able to look at your account specifically to see what may be causing the problem and help to resolve it.

As for 2, I'm not 100% sure if this option is on the road map but I do think it's a great call out. No guarantees but definitely be on the lookout for any changes.

Active content won't cause your listings to be removed/deleted. Instead, the active content itself will be hidden from your listings. It may cause your descriptions and such to look weird but it shouldn't impact you otherwise. Check out: http://pages.ebay.com/sell/itemdescription/bestpractices.html for more information.

tdlclifford · ‎05-02-2017

I have been a TRS Plus since the inception of the program, because that was what I was doing anyway. Then the program kept changing. EBay just could not quit. More and more restrictions. 30 day returns?? Sellers are responsible for USPS delivery times?? Sellers are responsible when USPS fails to scan a package and provide tracking??

Due to a blizzard, and NO USPS service, I had 8 packages unable to mail on time. I had to call eBay twice to get these removed from my late delivery stats.

I allowed returns 3 times when buyers changed their minds about purchases, NOT because the items were "not as described" and I still got dinged for returns??!! I called eBay about that and was told not to worry about the return rate since it was within the parameters. So what if I get a return that eBay upholds as "not as described"??? What happens to my parameters when that return is added to the others?

Your "boost" in listings searches for TRS is a joke. I've checked my listings in searches and people without the vaunted badge get shown ahead of me in Best Match searches. Sometimes I have to go through several pages to find my listing. Big boost, thanks!

eBay, I doubt whether any of your staff are even going to read this so I'm probably just venting into the air: I'm done with your silly requirements. I'm no longer interested in being a TRS Plus for your measly 10% discount and some free advertising. Yesterday I changed all the listings in my mid-level store to 2 day handling and 14 day returns. I may even go to NO returns. I bet many other small to mid-level store sellers like myself will do the same. Maybe that's what you wanted when you came up with the change. Taking all those extra billions in fees on shipping wasn't enough, now you want to make even more from the people who are actually doing all the work: the sellers. Greed will get eBay in the end.

mam98031 · ‎05-02-2017

@tdlclifford

I have been a TRS Plus since the inception of the program, because that was what I was doing anyway. Then the program kept changing. EBay just could not quit. More and more restrictions. 30 day returns??

You do not have to have a 30 day return policy to be TRS. That is one of the requirement for TRS+, which is different. TRS+ is for the discount ONLY. You can be TRS without having your listings be TRS+.

Due to a blizzard, and NO USPS service, I had 8 packages unable to mail on time. I had to call eBay twice to get these removed from my late delivery stats.

You didn't say if they removed them or not. If they didn't, join the Weekly Chat tomorrow on the Discussion Forums, someone there may be able to help you.

I allowed returns 3 times when buyers changed their minds about purchases, NOT because the items were "not as described" and I still got dinged for returns??!!

If you resolved the returns while in the "Request" stage, they did NOT count against you. If they were escalated by the buyer to a claim, then yes they would count against you. But if you are going to accept the return, there is no reason your buyer should have needed to escalate the Request to Ebay.

If you are just talking about the "Return Rate" on your Dashboard. That does NOT count against you. It is just a stat that Ebay provides. For me, I find it rather useless for several reasons, but Ebay feels it is important.

I called eBay about that and was told not to worry about the return rate since it was within the parameters. So what if I get a return that eBay upholds as "not as described"??? What happens to my parameters when that return is added to the others?

You just got a CSR that had no idea what they are talking about. The Return Rate is not currently held against a seller. There are NO "parameters". It is NOT counted against a seller. On your Dashboard you will see a line item called "Cases closed without seller resolution". Now that one will count against you. That is when a Request gets escalated to a Claim. Then if the claim closes in the buyer's favor it does count against you. But ONLY if the Request is escalated to a Claim.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

tdlclifford · ‎05-02-2017

Yes, as I said, the 8 packages from the blizzard were removed after 2 calls to eBay, and a lot of wasted time on the phone. I had to explain the situation to 4 people before I got someone who could help me. Twice.

You are right, I was a TRS Plus and now I'm just TRS. Not worth the hurdles and eBay baloney for a few miserable bucks to be Plus. My time and happiness are worth more than one day shipping.

All the returns I allowed are counted against me. They were not escalated by the buyers, I refunded minus shipping, maybe that's why eBay leaves them on there. They are listed as cases closed without seller resolution. I called eBay and once again wasted a lot of time on the phone to be told not to worry since I haven't hit the threshold.

You're right, the return rate on the Dashboard is useless. Now that I've stopped one day shipping and 30 day returns, I'm not even going to bother with the Dashboard. Just makes the blood boil to look at it. The time is better spent listing.

vermonter53 · ‎05-02-2017

@mam98031 wrote:
@tdlclifford

I have been a TRS Plus since the inception of the program, because that was what I was doing anyway. Then the program kept changing. EBay just could not quit. More and more restrictions. 30 day returns??
You do not have to have a 30 day return policy to be TRS. That is one of the requirement for TRS+, which is different. TRS+ is for the discount ONLY. You can be TRS without having your listings be TRS+.

****** Ebay used to make it almost worth it for the 20% discount on fvf but now they have taken that away?? Corporate GREED!

Due to a blizzard, and NO USPS service, I had 8 packages unable to mail on time. I had to call eBay twice to get these removed from my late delivery stats.
You didn't say if they removed them or not. If they didn't, join the Weekly Chat tomorrow on the Discussion Forums, someone there may be able to help you.

******In my experience the chats or online seminars or what ever you want to call them are mostly a waste of time because your email questions never get addressed. They only seem to answer certain pre screened? questions that they want to answer to make themselves sound better but have no reall benefit to most sellers.

I allowed returns 3 times when buyers changed their minds about purchases, NOT because the items were "not as described" and I still got dinged for returns??!!
If you resolved the returns while in the "Request" stage, they did NOT count against you. If they were escalated by the buyer to a claim, then yes they would count against you. But if you are going to accept the return, there is no reason your buyer should have needed to escalate the Request to Ebay.

If you are just talking about the "Return Rate" on your Dashboard. That does NOT count against you. It is just a stat that Ebay provides. For me, I find it rather useless for several reasons, but Ebay feels it is important.

****** I have to disagree again here. I had a return which I accepted with no problem and confirmed my return address. After four days and it hadn't' been shipped out to me, I suddenly see the buyer had escalated it to Ebay because as they said "It was purchased as a gift but the recipient was on the road and would not get back in time to meet the deadline for sending it back. So they escalated it to Ebay and it went against me as Item not as described and case closed without seller resolution. No amount of wasted time on the phone took care of the issue. The buyer told me in an email that they would do everything they could to have that negative mark removed from my record..which actually did nothing because they couldn't. The case had already been decided in the buyers favor????? SO YES! it did count against me and stayed there and the best part................it was decided in the buyers favor simply because I had a return policy. Facts of the matter had nothing to do with it. Make sense to you? It didn't to me either.

I called eBay about that and was told not to worry about the return rate since it was within the parameters. So what if I get a return that eBay upholds as "not as described"??? What happens to my parameters when that return is added to the others?
You just got a CSR that had no idea what they are talking about. The Return Rate is not currently held against a seller. There are NO "parameters". It is NOT counted against a seller. On your Dashboard you will see a line item called "Cases closed without seller resolution". Now that one will count against you. That is when a Request gets escalated to a Claim. Then if the claim closes in the buyer's favor it does count against you. But ONLY if the Request is escalated to a Claim.

******* As previously stated it did count against me, right or wrong! The biggest problem I see is Ebay doesn't seem to make it "RIGHT" when we have been wronged! Things should be decided by the facts of the case PERIOD!! but they're not.

mam98031 · ‎05-02-2017

@vermonter53

I have to disagree again here. I had a return which I accepted with no problem and confirmed my return address. After four days and it hadn't' been shipped out to me, I suddenly see the buyer had escalated it to Ebay because as they said "It was purchased as a gift but the recipient was on the road and would not get back in time to meet the deadline for sending it back. So they escalated it to Ebay and it went against me as Item not as described and case closed without seller resolution.

You are NOT "disagreeing" with what I said, you are reinforcing it. Your Request got escalated to a claim and most certainly Ebay closes those the vast majority of time in favor of the buyer. And that causes it to count against you. BUT if it were to stay in the Request stage, it would not have.

Now IF you kept all your communications with this buyer inside of the Request and/or in Ebay M2M, all you need to do is call Ebay, point them in the right direction. Lead them to the emails between the two of you setting up the item to be returned to you. And direct them to the label you provided the buyer so they could ship the item back. It is rarely easy or quick to talk with Ebay CRSs, but it is what you need to do if you want this removed from your record.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

itsyourtreasures · ‎05-03-2017

That's actually a good thing to removed the 3rd party **bleep**. When looking at your item there are ad's for your item below it. It persuades people to buy there instead of from you. Its the only good thing, I see coming from the seller release this year. Aside from those who do a bad job selling and can't meet their standards pay more.

hakintouch · ‎05-03-2017

FIrst of all, It is not a surprise eBay is making the change to charge sellers more if the seller is below standard.

Why the sellers are getting to the low standard is depending on the eBay only. No matter what the buyers did, the solution is always on the buyer's side. We are selling IT and computer related products and most items are over $500 and the investment is not just some random moey picked from the tree.

We gave our best service to buyers and even warranty expired we still service for free of charge at least once for all. But there were 3 fraudulant claims happened and eBay support was totally off the grid at making the decisions.We lost over $2000 with the claims and we were given negative on those cases. The support personnels were not responsible for their actions and keep bouncing back and forth for a long time and later told us "It passed 30 days already so we cannot do anything" .

One return was opened for over a month and we contacted eBay multiple times to close the return after 5 days to ship the item. Two weeks passed and the customer service said they can ship anytime they want. After 30 days still not closed and the buyer did not ship the items back but eBay did not close the case.

Finally we received the items but not the products we shipped and it took 46 days to return. The products were replaced with defective items and eBay support was just being so blind that they cannot read the detail. When we keep pushing the issue, we received an email saying we did not contact after 5 days period allowed the buyer to return the itme so replied with the date and time detail of the calls we made. There was no more communication and the case was just simply ignored as negative to us.

Another loss with negative due to eBay money back guarantee on us.

Then a buyer finally made a $16 return and eBay just simply made the decision saying seller did not solve the issue. We offered the value of the item and we would not refund the shipping as buyer made the choice to get expedited shipping instead of free shipping. But eBay made the fraudulant buyer get off with $16 that is considered pocket change but the negative took us out of top rated seller.

I started to realized the eBay's policy to make the sellers below standard so when the Spring seller update take effect, eBay will be making double on fees!!

It is a nasty way of doing business on the sellers.

If eBay is going to say money back guarantee, eBay must honor the word and pay from their own funds instead of making others loose their hard earned money to fraudulant buyers.

There are people open return request without contacting the sellers and 99.9% of those are fraudulant with our experience. The people who are honest do not open the case right away. We have some customers contacted us about their issue and requested to return their items.Even we posted as no return accepted, we made our buyers happy and accept their requests.

Our opinion is simple and sorry if it is offensive for the people making decision like they own the world.

The people making decision are employees and they do not know how to run a business and deal with different kind of crooks. So, they just make decisions by the documents they see but not the reality.

Slowly sellers are finding other friendly venue to continue the business and we are mostly relying on local customers and our own site to generate revenue.

Now eBay is adding 4% on top of the fees after making sellers to become below standard and I hope eBay will realize what kind of dirty business and how people feel about eBay itself.

The sales on eBay is down 37% to 55% compare to previous year and so many sellers we knew closed their account as they got frustrated with the eBay's policies.

Is there any consideration on the action eBay had done and revise the agreement?

Is there any chance eBay will realize that eBay is not Amazon? We sell on Amazon and if the shipping label is printed through Amazon, the "Item did not arrive" claims are taken care by Amazon.

The seller's policy is the policy effective and Amazon do not make the sellers honor their policy. Amazon carry their own inventory and the sellers can let Amazon handle the process. If eBay is going to make decisions on our behalf, we will be happy to ship our inventory to eBay's distribution center (which do not exist).

Mainpoint is, the sellers are paying eBay founder's fancy resident in Portola Valley and the whole eBay's operation to generate billions but eBay need to acknowledge the value of the people paying higher fees for all the employees.

Will ebay change their attitude towards the sellers?

vermonter53 · ‎05-03-2017

You are NOT "disagreeing" with what I said, you are reinforcing it. Your Request got escalated to a claim and most certainly Ebay closes those the vast majority of time in favor of the buyer. And that causes it to count against you. BUT if it were to stay in the Request stage, it would not have.

**************Yes I am disagreeing with what you said! First of all Ebay should NOT almost always decide in favor of the buyer. They should make a decision based on the "facts". Unfortunately it seems this is seldom the case in my experience as well as others.

Now IF you kept all your communications with this buyer inside of the Request and/or in Ebay M2M, all you need to do is call Ebay, point them in the right direction. Lead them to the emails between the two of you setting up the item to be returned to you. And direct them to the label you provided the buyer so they could ship the item back. It is rarely easy or quick to talk with Ebay CRSs, but it is what you need to do if you want this removed from your record.

***********************In reference to "all you need to do is call Ebay"??? That was a joke. I not only pointed them in the right direction but led them there step by step, explaining everything as I went. Had facts, logic or even common sense prevailed, this would have been taken care of but it was not and I did more than what you have mentioned and it did me no good but waste a couple hours of my time. If everything you say were actually true, then Ebay would be a much better place to sell. But, unfortunately many many times things are not handled correctly or I could say even honestly in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I have had good interaction with Ebay's CSR at times and have been happy with the results but it is the times when I get cheated or penalized for someone elses error or deceit that it is upsetting to me.