Community Chat, January 22 @ 1:00 pm PT - General Topics

[brian@ebay]

Join the Community team here at 1 PM PT on January 22nd for our Weekly Chat with eBay Staff. We don't have a set topic this week, so please bring any general questions you may have about buying or selling.

The chat will be open for questions from 1-2 pm PT, at which point we'll close thread from additional responses. After this time, we'll continue to work on responding to any queries that might still be unanswered.

If you're new to the chat, welcome!  Simply Reply to this post with your question from 1-2 PM Pacific Time and we'll be happy to look into it for you.

*Please note that we're not able to address account-specific queries. Questions regarding your account should be directed to eBay Customer Service.

[gwzcomps]

---

tyler@ebay wrote:

---

@gwzcomps wrote:

tyler@ebay 

Followup from last week and your statement:

"From an order of operations standpoint, an eBay Money Back Guarantee request is going to trump a stated return policy. While a buyer is not allowed to make a false claim, without evidence that they have abused our system we'd see this as an assumption and wouldn't invalidate their coverage from our protection program. "

If this is true then why aren't we still protected on blatantly obvious false claims regardless of return policies?

In my eyes these mishandling of policies consistently demonstrate one thing. eBay only cares about what the buyers do if it hurts eBay's bottom line. eBay is not concerned with the seller's losses despite what lines we are spoon-fed. Despite what eBay wants to think, the sellers are the ones paying the fees and keeping your lights on.

If eBay is actually committed to improving the quality of buyers then prove it by enforcing your polices in these situations:

1. Dealing with buyers that make multiple accounts to circumvent blocks.
2. Dealing with buyers that make multiple accounts to circumvent site policy violations.
3. Dealing with buyers that somehow are magically able to circumvent buyer requirements settings.
4. Dealing with buyers that file false claims.

#1 & #2 Do the same account verification and linking you do to buyers as you do sellers. Make it so we only have to block one ID to block all linked accounts.
#3 Never got an answer from CS but I don't know how some buyers are getting around people's buyer requirements without changing to a different account.
#4 Yes I know you guys have claimed buyers who file false claims get dealt with. Give us proof. Either give us a way to use the buyer requirements to stop them from making purchases from us or remove the strikes on our service metrics on all provable false claims.

In the middle of being sick so hopefully this is coherent and intelligible.

---

Hi @gwzcomps - thanks for your insights into ways we could change to make you feel more secure! I'll make sure they are shared with the right teams.  

With regards to your first question: there isn't anything that we would consider blatantly obvious, since most things are subjective. Something we would consider blatant is if we see that there is a pattern of abuse from a buyer. Otherwise, if you as a seller qualify for protections by offering free returns or are a Top Rated seller offering 30 day returns you are able to report the buyer for us to review and to grant you access to issue a less than full refund as well as protect your seller performance (as you know).

---

Pretty blatantly obvious when a buyer opens a case saying a part is missing when the listing clearly said it wasn't included.

[medallion-trading-company]

I'll be honest, I've done EXACTLY what you've said here in situations where I'm concerned about a sketchy buyer.

However, I sell a lot of high dollar items and RARELY have any dishonest buyers. i don't think it's typical what you have described.

But, if you take a video of you shipping the item, that is packing it and putting in the box AND giving it to the counter so that there's no question, upload it to youtube and send the buyer the link to let them know you have it 'for their records'.  That will divert any dishonesty from the get.

Also make sure the serial number is in the video. Do the same thing if there is a return. Ask the post office to hold it for you and pick it up at the counter doing the same thing.

Be well.

[brian@ebay]

---

@medallion-trading-company wrote:

Hello, so I've spent a lot of my time on this and I am pretty frustrated with the lack of effort regarding my concerns.

In addition to spending numerous hours (yes hours) with customer support and literally receiving a different, inconclusive response every time I spoke to somebody new, my efforts through them ended witth 'somebody will call you back in 24 hours with an answer' only to get a message from eBay saying that my contact information is not up to date. That was an obviously just a tactive to end further communication because my account is up to date and has been for years. It's just such a slap in the face to be treated like I am unimportant and worse, stupid.

Two weeks ago I brought it to these community chats only to be told that my issue would be resolved at the next evaluation. I asked direct questions that were not answered and again got zero support regarding my concern. Of course the issue WAS NOT resolved when the evaluation occurred on January 20th. Of course it wasn't. I was unwilling to keep pressing for answers at that time, knowing that I was being dismissed, in the hopes that the information I was given was correct. It wasn't. In fact, it was again pretty insulting. And in the end, nothing was resolved. AGAIN.

I am hoping you can actually help me resolve this. I am hoping somebody will take the time and effort to do what needs to be done, and the right thing. All I am asking is for eBay to do what eBay has promised me as a Top Rated seller, nothing more.

So my issue is this...

I have two SNAD cases counting against me in my SERVICE METRICS (not seller performance) despite the fact that I have a commitment from eBay per their own seller protections that I would not.

The first open return for not as described, the buyer indicated that the necklace was not the same length as described in the auction. I would have accepted the return regardless, I offer free returns. When I refunded, I uploaded a picture showing that the necklace is the exact length described using a measuring tape. I also sent a picture of that in the messages to the buyer. So, this return was opened as not as described 'falsely' and according to eBay protections will not count against me in my service metrics. Yet, it is.

The second open return for not as described, the buyer thought the item was not authentic but then took it to a jeweler and discovered it was. She never returned the item. I escalated it and this was closed out in my favor. The buyer left positive feedback. This is also counting against me in my service metrics despite obviously being innacurately opened as not as described.

This matters because, as of my next evaluation, I will be in the 'very high' range and paying 5% more on selling fees erroneously. At this point, it is important for somebody to look into it and have these returns removed from my seller service metrics as promised by eBay.

Thank you


*Edited post to remove personally identifiable information ~ alan@ebay

---

Hi @medallion-trading-company, I'm happy to clarify the enhanced protections for Top Rated sellers. There are two things sellers must do for the enhanced protections to apply.

First, the seller must issue a voluntary full or partial refund. If eBay is asked to step in and resolve a return (as you described happening on your second return) then the enhanced protections no longer apply.

Second, the seller must report the buyer within the return flow for either misusing the Not As Described reason or for using/altering an item. It doesn't sound like you reported the buyer for the first return based on the information shared in your post. If that's the case then it explains why the enhanced protections did not apply. 

[tyler@ebay]

---

@automotivepartsrecyclrs wrote:

What would you do?

We are on the East Coast Buyer is on west coast in Haiwaii

Buyer purchases a item on a saturday after the post office is closed.

Buyer contacts us 3 hours after purchase wanting faster shipping paid by them delivered on Monday/Tuesday. Now Sunday is not a business day and monday is MLK Day. 

We spend the time to look into this. USPS/Fedex closest delivery is Wednesday or Thursday. UPS Says tuesday but it would be $175.00. So we let this buyer know what we can do. No reply at all.

Sunday night my crew comes in and packages up all sales from Saturday/Sunday so all are scan sheet ready to go for tuesday. 

Get a return request from this buyer AFTER all is packaged up reasoning "No longer want"

Now how do you handle such a mess? The shipment is now at the USPS not scanned in just dropped off at the dock door to be processed the next business day.

Keep in mind you can't redo a scan sheet.

---

Hi @automotivepartsrecyclrs - what a frustrating situation! It definitely sounds like you did everything you could for this customer.  While it may not be feasible to intercept or otherwise recall the item now that it's been dropped with USPS (though you may have luck if you have a connection at your local office), it sounds like the best course of action is to accept the return they opened and have them send it back once it gets to them.  Thanks!

[Anonymous]

---

@autopiacarcare wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@greg213213 wrote:

I was looking at laptop computers and very few of the items had been promoted listings, but just regular listings.

---

Hi @greg213213, I just ran a search for laptops and sorted by ending soonest to test this out; in the results, everything is organized by the ending soonest filter correctly with the exception of the results that are promoted listings. If you can give me a URL that is showing something different, I'll be happy to investigate further.

---

@Anonymous  - Can you look into this one please? https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=UF535&_sacat=0&_ipg=200&_sop=16

Supposed to be sorted by price highest first, but I see some lower ones in out of order places that don't say "sponsored".

For example:

I see it go from $136.00 to $118.98 to $132.76

And then I see one at $128.98 then a few in the $88-$89 range and then $127.16

---

Hi @autopiacarcare, the example you are referring to is in order correctly when you take into account the cost of shipping. I saw the same thing you are describing with one item being $136, the next listed at $118.98, and the following listed at $132.76, but the item for $118.98 has a $15.00 shipping cost (totaling $133.98). The later examples that are in the $88-$89 range have shipping costs of $38.39, making the price + shipping ordered correctly. If you have any examples where the price + shipping is not in the order it should be, and the listing is not a promoted listing, please let me know!

[vrykalak]

Once this week and once last week, I carefully typed a response, and said post...and it was erased, and I got an error message saying something about not having access. 
This is immensely frustrating.
I try to remember to save a copy of everything I write, but sometimes I forget.

[brian@ebay]

---

@krys888 wrote:

Checking in again to see if there are any plans yet to add the Combined Total request feature to the ebay app since the feature encourages multiple item sales. Thank you.

---

Hi @krys888, this feedback has been shared with the mobile team and they are aware of the desire to have this added to the mobile apps. However, the Community team isn't aware of future plans regarding this feature being implemented in the mobile app.

[Anonymous]

---

@vrykalak wrote:

@vrykalak wrote:

@greg213213 wrote:

Are there any plans to fix the search? I was searching for an item and used the "ending soonest" and when it came up it had multiple items that were mixed in that didn't end for 10 to 20 days. Someone needs to check this out as it will drive buyers away if it shows items that are all over the end time.

Hi @greg213213, it is likely that you were seeing Promoted Listings in search results that would not have any filters you used applied. I'll be happy to double check this if you can provide me with the URL for the search results you were looking at.

Hi @vrykalak, I did not say anything about keywords. Promoted listings will be related to the keywords you used, they just do not currently apply any filters that are used to further refine search beyond the initial keyword results.

---

Okay, that's a little better.
I jumped to that conclusion because I have often seen search results--near the top of the first page--that contain NONE of my keywords, and most searches yield results that are missing some of my keywords.
When someone sets up a search, they truly only want to see results that match those keywords. 
I've frequently asked for a switch I can set that says: don't show me any results that don't contain all of my keywords. 
Now you say the PTB have decided to show results that violate the filters I've set, too.
eBay's search engine used to be the best in the world. 
It certainly isn't any more, and hasn't been for years.

---

Hi @vrykalak, I believe we have discussed this before, but there is a switch that you can set that says don't show me any results that don't contain all of my keywords. You can find this in the Advanced search options, here: https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch.

[medallion-trading-company]

Why would I issue a full or voluntary refund on an item that the buyer didn't return back to me. So that doesn't make sense.  They opened the returned, realized they were wrong and never sent the item back. Refunding wasn't even a question.  The case was obviously closed out in my favor because they buyer didn't return it. So it is an impossibility for me to have done what you suggested.

Second, on the first return I contacted eBay ALL THE WAY THROUGH the process. And I voluntarily issued the refund, so I met both criteria there.  I was told by ebay to add the picture of the length when I issued the refund. I did that.

Can I please get these removed?

[coffeebean832]

---

brian@ebay wrote:

---

---

Hi @medallion-trading-company, I'm happy to clarify the enhanced protections for Top Rated sellers. There are two things sellers must do for the enhanced protections to apply.

First, the seller must issue a voluntary full or partial refund. If eBay is asked to step in and resolve a return (as you described happening on your second return) then the enhanced protections no longer apply.

Second, the seller must report the buyer within the return flow for either misusing the Not As Described reason or for using/altering an item.

---

Brian, for clarification- if the buyer is reported from the Seller Hub Orders page or from the eBay help page- or even by contacting CS to submit a report- does that mean seller protections would not apply? The report must be done through the return flow?

[buyselljack2016]

Pretty blatantly obvious when a buyer opens a case saying a part is missing when the listing clearly said it wasn't included.

Same thing happens when a buyer purchases the clearly listed, shown, described "right side" item, and the then opens a claim of wrong item sent providing the comment ......  "I needed the left side".

Nothing conclusive there to show that it was a "false return" claim.

Seller has to refund including shipping in both directions.

[brian@ebay]

---

@labs118 wrote:

Hi 
Is there any reason the ebay mobile app help has not been working the Mobile App boards?
It seems like the Mobile App was so important to ebay yet they seem to have stopped answering there .
I don't believe a call to CS would be of any help  for an App issue
The iOS board has not seen activity since 1/9 & just yesterday 1/21 finally a few posts appeared on the Android board.

When answering on the boards I would always direct Mobile App questions to those boards but have not bothered in the last week because there are so many posts there with 0 replies from other members as well as ebay Mobile app team
Can you shed any light
Thanks 
 

---

Hi @labs118, I'm not sure why there haven't been as many responses lately. We'll reach out to the mobile team to see if they can spend some time on those boards and answer questions 🙂

[Anonymous]

---

@krys888 wrote:

Sounds like you’re having a pay-to-play conflict. (Like the monkey that can’t get his hand out of the box unless he drops some of the bananas.) You’re trying to have your cake and eat it too. Points:

1. Buyers are spending money and expect integrity of the search, that ebay claims of “ending soonest” and/or “lowest price” are adherent to Truth-In-Advertising rules; that “ending soonest” is not being misrepresented.

2. Sellers are spending money to get top placement for their listings. But if buyers can’t trust the search, then there is less incentive for them to search and therefore less visibility for promoted listings.

3. Using “buyers are used to **bleep** service and searches that are nonsense” as a justification for low standards doesn’t seem like a leader-brand strategy. Lowering the bar because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make sense, with all due respect.

---

Hi @krys888, happy to elaborate: 

1. While I can see there are some members in this discussion who were expecting search results to work differently, overall we are not receiving this kind of feedback from our buyers. Sponsored/promoted listings are a common occurrence on multiple online venues, and may not take into account various filtering options when those options pose a direct conflict to the purpose of a promoted listing.

2. The feedback we've received from buyers does not support this assumption. 

3. Your feedback is noted and truly appreciated. We will definitely make adjustments if we find that a site feature is negatively impacting the experience of our Community overall.

[vrykalak]

Hi @vrykalak, I believe we have discussed this before, but there is a switch that you can set that says don't show me any results that don't contain all of my keywords. You can find this in the Advanced search options, here: https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch.

[brian@ebay]

---

@inceptions wrote:

Hi brian@ebay (mentioning you because you commented on a thread about this back on 1/9)

Can we get an update on when to expect a fix for the significantly over-stated estimated delivery times shown on item listings?

I have reported this several times in the last year and so have other sellers. It's been going on for months and months without any fix. This bug killed sales during the holidays as eBay was showing buyers that delivery would be after Christmas when it wasn't even close to the Christmas delivery cut-off. It is still not fixed.

When I ship same or next day and have done so religiously for 15 years, my buyers should not see delivery estimates to my own zip code of 6 days for Priority Mail and 7 days for First Class. I have never failed to meet the top-rated shipping metrics.

Below is a link to a related thread:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Technical-Issues/Estimated-Shipping-shows-10-days-no-matter-what-shipp...

These overstated handling times are killing sales and negatively impacting the livelihood of sellers and revenue for eBay.

How can we get this bug escalated to highest priority?

Thanks!

---

Hi @inceptions, I don't have an update on this. I'll bring it up again with our tech team and if I get new information then I'll be sure to share it with you.