Not the most disastrous update we've seen

[rw011164]

This update is certainly not the worst or most disastrous update we have seen though it is substantial in its impact.

I am not sure it will attain ebay's desired results. It seems like hitting sellers harder while asking for more out of them may prove counterproductive. 

I do think this update will cause sellers to make adjustments, perhaps major adjustments. We are contemplating that as well.

While it is not good news at all, I have seen many worse updates and yet this one will cause us to make some big adjustments. EBay certainly made much more from us prior to these adjustments we will have to make.

On the positive note, offsite advertising being reduced is a step in the right direction (it was a stupid move to begin with) it is really the only positive I find in this update

[mscarlett1450]

I lost my TRS late last year due to slump in sales so I'm out the discount anyway.  Don't see much advantage in trying to get it back.  I've slowed down on listing items and won't be making any purchases to resell this year. 

While they took away half of the TRS discount they are giving credits to pay for promoting listings???  Don't understand this at all.  Also there's no added seller's protection in this update.  Time to rethink selling here. 

[baggs-2024]

And... YOU CANNOT USE THOSE CREDITS if you do not list multi-quantity items.  Lovely, huh?

3rd party ads?  They are not going away, just ones with pictures are going away, to be replaced by promoted new multi-quantity ebay items, so prepare yourself.

[brad62853]

@rw011164

I agree, this update isn't as "disaterous" to sellers, in particular those not in the Big Box category, as others we've seen come down the pike over the last 8 years. What I do believe about this update is we can now see eBay's "true colors" for what they are and IMO have been for a good number of years.

eBay introduced the TRS program in Fall 2009 Seller Update, touting how working hard and being compliant with eBay's vision for the future would assure sellers the opportunity to grow their business on eBay and be more profitable. Sellers complied, worked hard and were rewarded with a 20% discount off ALL their FVF's.

Then, in the March 2011 Seller Update eBay announces that in July 2011 they will begin assessing FVF charges on shipping costs as well as the item(s) being purchased. This was two fold in it's design to 1.) stop those sellers who were avoiding paying fees by charging high shipping & low item prices and 2.) push sellers in general to their vision of free shipping which of course costs sellers some degree of profitability.

Next, the Spring 2012 Seller Update wherein eBay changed the requirements for that 20% FVF discount to TRS sellers so that only items sold by TRS sellers which offered 1-day handling and a minimum 14-day return policy would be eligible for the discount. Both the 2015 & 2016 Spring Seller updates brought higher fees for store owners and a reduction of free listings for non-store sellers along with a host of increased fees for listing upgrades.

Still, sellers sucked it up, continued to work hard and  keep up with eBay's compliancy policies. And now, eBay says "we don't care what we said in 2009 or how hard you've worked to help us grow by following our vision and meeting the complaincy requirements. We're cutting your  eTRS discount in half and raising the FVF for you suckers who bought into previous store subscription promotions. You don't like it? We don't care what you like"

[letmefindpeacelord]

Ebay reducing advertising?  So charge the sellers more hugh?  It is a testament to how ebay has operated for years with more and more corporate greed.  The auction status is disappearing and everyone has to raises their prices as sellers and then nothing sells.  Selling my items for pennies on the dollar and still ebay continues to make millions and millions but disrespects its sellers more and more with every update.  Deplorable.

[mscarlett1450]

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@baggs-2017 wrote:

And... YOU CANNOT USE THOSE CREDITS if you do not list multi-quantity items.  Lovely, huh?

3rd party ads?  They are not going away, just ones with pictures are going away, to be replaced by promoted new multi-quantity ebay items, so prepare yourself.

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Yeah, just found it.

**Promoted listings is only for multi-quantity, fixed price listings. Ad fees are calculated based on the ad rate selected. These fees are in addition to all standard selling fees and any other applicable fees

Well that sucks.  I sell vintage glass and pottery which doesn't lend itself well to multi-quantity listings.  So this update doesn't do anything for me but increase my FVF from 9% to 9.15% for nothing. 

[njrtsr]

The worst update since I joined (2009) was the one where they put FVF on the shipping charges. That doubled many sellers' fees!

The best one was when they finally did away with the draconian DSR standard that forced sellers to avoid getting ratings of 1's and 2's on 99.5% (one half of one percent!) on all transactions. The "defect system" that replaced it wasn't popular but it was much more lenient.

This update impacts me little, since I gave up TRS awhile ago when the tracking requirements came into effect.