Community Chat, April 7 @ 1:00 pm PT - General Topics

[brittanie@ebay]

Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us for the Weekly Chat with eBay Staff. We don't have a specific topic this week, so feel free to share any general buying or selling questions you may have.

The chat thread will remain open until 2 PM PT at which point we'll close it from additional responses. After that time, we'll continue to work on responding to any queries that might still be unanswered.

To post your question, click Reply in the lower right corner of this post, type your question, and hit submit between 1-2 PM Pacific Time. The format of our chat mirrors the format of our Community Discussion Boards, where each post will appear in the thread chronologically. The Community Team will review each question as it comes in, and will quote the original question in our reply. This quote and the reply will appear later in the thread, so just keep scrolling down to see our answers.

Missed the chat? Send your questions to the podcast by calling  888-723-4630 or email us at podcast@ebay.com and maybe your questions will make it on the air! Or listen to past episodes while you wait for next Wednesday!

[jonathankirkland]

Good afternoon,

I've noticed that scammers are still alive and healthy and pulling the scams over and over again that they have been for years.

One of these once-less-popular scams seemingly has gained a lot of momentum lately. Long story short: the seller sells an expensive item then provides a fake tracking number and the item is 'delivered' but to another address other than the buyers address. Ebay shows item 'delivered' (not caring that it's to the wrong address), and refunds the buyer without further communication.

Another scam that seems to be going strong is the 'empty box scam'. Buyers, seems to be a lot of them using reshippers, claim they receive an empty box and sometimes even provide an obviously FAKE police report, and again, ebay refunds them.

From where I am sitting it almost looks like ebay is encouraging this type of scam and in fact is becoming an accomplice to numerous crimes including petty theft, grand theft, interstate commerce and wire fraud.

I want to know what is being done by ebay to cut down on these scams and discourage scammers from committing this type of fruad?

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here

[carlqsportscards]

I uploaded tracking late on an order of 14 items. I thought that was only supposed to count as 1 late. It's showing as 14 late. Dropped my percentage from 98 to 91, which means I won't be top rated next month. Am I remembering incorrectly, or is that how it's figured now?

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[ayeres_books]

Is there any update on when, or if, Managed Payments sellers will be able to list in the Adults Only category? It's been a very long time since that category was closed to MP sellers and it's frustrating to be sitting on inventory while watching those that have resisted switching to Managed Payments continue selling without restriction. If that category is simply going to be closed to Managed Payments sellers permanently, Ebay should announce that definitively so that we can make other arrangements.

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here

[star.fighter]

Hello - I was wondering if anyone got my mssg and had dealt with the problem of links leading to the wrong item?  I am out 350 dollars because of the wrong link, and i was hoping someone would at least acknowledge that i sent in the tech info.  As i said there... i have videos showing how the link malfunctioned.  I haven't tested it lately, so it may be fixed, but it would have helped to have someone confirm receipt.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[gwzcomps]

With eBay's continuing inability to maintain a functional site or quality customer service what is eBay doing to retain sellers?  With recent things I have participated in, it seems that seller retention has some degree of importance to the company.  I know eBay's inability to hold up their end of the deal has given me more motivation to sell less here.  In the past 6 months I have gone from 90% on eBay to 60% eBay and a 40% combination of Facebook, local, and direct sales.

I just find it disappointing  that eBay's unwillingness to listen to their sellers and improve as a company is hurting the relationships they had with sellers.  I personally miss the day where eBay was the place to be vs now its more like the 💩 bug ridden site where you can make money when you aren't getting scammed.

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Edit: A reply to your comments can be found here

[wooden_flower]

If I sell an item for local pickup, and the buyer is paying in cash, how do I mark it paid? Especially if I don't have the app, so no QR code to mark the item picked up.   I have not found anything that describes how to deal with a cash payment.

thanks!

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[gwzcomps]

Also brian@ebay My invoices don't specify the mystery charges eBay is getting me for.  I don't know what to do at this point.  I'd rather not have to go the court route to get answers.

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here

[ky-thrill]

When is Managed Payments going to support listings in the Adult Items category.  A small percentage of my inventory on E-Bay is adult items and coins.  I am being forced into managed payments despite having items to sell that aren't supported.  I'm still not certain if coins are supported for everyone.

Customer support told me that 15% if my inventory had to be in that category, to get opted out.  Their suggestion was to open a new account.  So I did, and after only a few item sales (which weren't adult items, so maybe my mistake mixing inventory to get feedback on a new account), I was prompted that new account needed to enroll in managed payments.

I know another seller who was prompted to switch a new account to managed payments after only 1 transaction!

So opening a new account to sale in non-supported categories no longer seems like a viable option for those being forced into managed payments, but who have less than 15% of their inventory in restricted categories not supported by managed payments.

Why can't E-Bay just allow sellers to opt out of Managed Payments, when they have a history of listing items in categories not supported by managed payments, regardless if it is 1% or 15% of their inventory?  How about a common sense approach, like letting those folks move into managed payments, once managed payments fully supports the items they have to sale?

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[tyler@ebay]

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

Good afternoon,

I've noticed that scammers are still alive and healthy and pulling the scams over and over again that they have been for years.

One of these once-less-popular scams seemingly has gained a lot of momentum lately. Long story short: the seller sells an expensive item then provides a fake tracking number and the item is 'delivered' but to another address other than the buyers address. Ebay shows item 'delivered' (not caring that it's to the wrong address), and refunds the buyer without further communication.

Another scam that seems to be going strong is the 'empty box scam'. Buyers, seems to be a lot of them using reshippers, claim they receive an empty box and sometimes even provide an obviously FAKE police report, and again, ebay refunds them.

From where I am sitting it almost looks like ebay is encouraging this type of scam and in fact is becoming an accomplice to numerous crimes including petty theft, grand theft, interstate commerce and wire fraud.

I want to know what is being done by ebay to cut down on these scams and discourage scammers from committing this type of fruad?

---

Hi @jonathankirkland - we review accounts based on buyer behavior as well as member reports. Action is taken on repeat offenders, from limiting the types of items they can buy (blocks on category, blocks on listing type) to broader account level restrictions like temporary or permanent suspension. 

[tyler@ebay]

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@ayeres_books wrote:

Is there any update on when, or if, Managed Payments sellers will be able to list in the Adults Only category? It's been a very long time since that category was closed to MP sellers and it's frustrating to be sitting on inventory while watching those that have resisted switching to Managed Payments continue selling without restriction. If that category is simply going to be closed to Managed Payments sellers permanently, Ebay should announce that definitively so that we can make other arrangements.

---

Hi @ayeres_books - there hasn't been an announcement made as to when Adult-Only items will be included in managed payments. I know that it is planned for inclusion, but I do not have a timeline to share with you. 

Thanks!

[gwzcomps]

"Why can't E-Bay just allow sellers to opt out of Managed Payments, when they have a history of listing items in categories not supported by managed payments, regardless if it is 1% or 15% of their inventory? How about a common sense approach, like letting those folks move into managed payments, once managed payments fully supports the items they have to sale?"

Simple.  People like me would intentionally start selling items in those categories so I could avoid using mismanaged payments and their 💩 support.

[dhbookds]

Since I tend to express my criticism........a note of appreciation:

Thanks for the changes to the packing slip.......which includes a variety of choices.

Also..........glad to see the announcement that shipping choices for the buyers will include ALL the options we use on the listing..... 

Sellers have been asking for both changes for several years.........glad they finally came to pass.......please pass on to the responsible people. 

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Edit: A reply to your comment can be found here

[ky-thrill]

I'm saying if you have a history of it.  I can go back on currency and adult items and see I was selling them long before being asked to enroll in managed payments.  I was even given an exemption for MP in 2019 because of those items, but I could not get one now (I have listed more items outside those categories, lowering my overall percentage of those items).

That's different than you get a MP notice in March and start listing those items in March.

[tyler@ebay]

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@gwzcomps wrote:

With eBay's continuing inability to maintain a functional site or quality customer service what is eBay doing to retain sellers?  With recent things I have participated in, it seems that seller retention has some degree of importance to the company.  I know eBay's inability to hold up their end of the deal has given me more motivation to sell less here.  In the past 6 months I have gone from 90% on eBay to 60% eBay and a 40% combination of Facebook, local, and direct sales.

I just find it disappointing  that eBay's unwillingness to listen to their sellers and improve as a company is hurting the relationships they had with sellers.  I personally miss the day where eBay was the place to be vs now its more like the 💩 bug ridden site where you can make money when you aren't getting scammed.

---

Hi @gwzcomps - there's a number of initiatives to connect with sellers: from regular check-ins (previous ones here), to virtual meet-ups, the Up & Running grants and working to engage with the community.

I'm sorry to hear that your experiences have led to a decreased percentage of your business being with eBay. While I don't have a solution for you that will correct that, please know that I surface your input and feedback regularly to the broader internal eBay audience.