Community Chat, January 27 @ 1:00 pm PT - General Topics

[tyler@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!

[coinslabz26]

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tyler@ebay wrote:

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@coinslabz26 wrote:

Hello, hope everyone has been well!

Coin sellers received an email that coins, paper money, and bullion could be listed on 1/25 for those already in managed payments. Unfortunately someone forgot to release fees for sellers with stores.

I don't know my start date for MP but would like very much to have some ability to plan my business around a new potential fee structure. Can you guys please get us help with this?

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Hi @coinslabz26 - the payments team posted about that email earlier today (link here), which was a surprise to me too. It seems that the addition of coins is going to be a phased roll out. That is to say, I think you have some time before that registration email hits your inbox. 

I've gotten it confirmed from the payments team in the past that you should expect to see the fee schedule update once the categories begin to get added. So at this point I think you should expect to see something on the Help Pages by the 1st. 

However - if that's not the case give me a tag and I'll get it sent up the chain and request more info. Thanks!

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Thank you. I genuinely appreciate the update and had not seen the new scheduled start dates. That is very helpful.

Obviously not your fault, but they really should tell us the fee cost....As little as 4 days notice of whether or not an entire category is going to get their entire inventory devalued seems like it should have more notice.

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edit: A reply to your comment can be found here

[inceptions]

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@crazystuff4sale wrote:

This acceptance scan issue is much bigger than one post office. That is why I raised the issue here on behalf of all the sellers all over the country affected by this. Ebay should not be punishing sellers for USPS shortcomings. That is what I am concerned about.

I am glad to hear that the problem hasn't affected you.

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Again, USPS will scan your scan form. If you are not providing one, that is the source of your problem. They are not obligated to scan individual packages - they are obligated to scan the scan forms.

[motherhen2]

Is there a reason I keep getting kicked into Log In every time I try to get into my Activity Selling section?

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[bigw1231]

No I have had a few calls with the managed payment people. New issue and cannot get a response or guidance needed to address the problem. I dont get it.

[tyler@ebay]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

This envelope is available in the ebay shipping supplies store. Can you confirm that this qualifies for the new eBay Standard Envelope for Trading Cards?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-8-Paperboard-Mailjacket-Envelope-No-padding/254808890842?hash=item3b53c...

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Hi @my-cottage-books-and-antiques - based on the stated dimensions on the Seller Center page (link here) these look like they work!

[crazystuff4sale]

Thanks. I am aware of scan forms. I was not aware of the USPS not being obligated to scan all packages. Is that policy published somehwere?...I guess Ebay service metrics should not be based on getting that scan on every package.

[carolynnq]

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@coinslabz26 wrote:

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tyler@ebay wrote:

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@crazystuff4sale wrote:

Since the beginning of December 2020 USPS is no longer doing acceptance scans on all items dropped of at the post office or picked up from mailboxes. Some items get the acceptance scan but many are never scanned until they reach the regional or destination facility.
This has been very widely reported all over the internet including on this Ebay Community forum. These are in no way isolated incidents. USPS has changed the way they do business. Ebay management should be very well aware of this USPS issue!
My question is: When is Ebay going to officially acknowledge this and make changes to the service metrics program to account for this change?

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Hi @crazystuff4sale - there have been no announced changes to the Service Metrics program. Our shipping team is in regular contact with couriers, and if there are process changes to the way they handle acceptance scans (not just operational delays or misses due to COVID/Holiday rushes and delays), it would be something we would take into consideration. Thanks!

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@crazystuff4sale 

That is not a USPS issue it is your local post office taking matters into their own hands. I had the same problem you have to either go to war with them or find a new post office.

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My PO scans only 1st class and priority mail. Media mail and parcel post does not get scanned. It's trucked 400 miles to Bell Gardens and is gets acceptance scans there. 

[bxqy3000]

About a week ago, I made a post hoping someone could help me with this situation I have. I'm hoping this comment will provide help on how I can resolve this matter.

I bought a few items couple weeks ago using a card that is NOT LINKED TO PAYPAL. Upon checking to see if my card processed through on purchasing my orders, I noticed a "fee" or hold as you would call it, that was in the amount of $2.70. The description that was provided was called "Paypal on eBay mark." I've read that this type of hold is to verify the card used is legitimate for purchases. After the card is verified, the hold is removed.

But that hold has been processed for my next months statement and I am not about to pay for something that I'm not aware of. If someone could help me, or have had similar situations like this, it would be great.

Thanks!

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edit: a reply to your question can be found here

[donsdetour]

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@inceptions wrote:

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@crazystuff4sale wrote:

This acceptance scan issue is much bigger than one post office. That is why I raised the issue here on behalf of all the sellers all over the country affected by this. Ebay should not be punishing sellers for USPS shortcomings. That is what I am concerned about.

I am glad to hear that the problem hasn't affected you.

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Again, USPS will scan your scan form. If you are not providing one, that is the source of your problem. They are not obligated to scan individual packages - they are obligated to scan the scan forms.

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They are obligated to scan any picked up items. It stops internal theft as well as tracks items.

The workers are just not doing the job.

of course if multiples, a scan form does aid the worker.

[mr_lincoln]

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@inceptions wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

Good afternoon eBay Support Team!

Subject:  Seller notes on the Listing form

I was wondering if it would be possible to have the "Add notes" function on the listing form instead of being available AFTER an item is listed live and available for sale? 

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@mr_lincoln 

You mean "in addition to" not "instead of" right? 😊

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tyler@ebay, @inceptions   YES ... BOTH places ... on the Listing form and where it currently is, good catch.

[tyler@ebay]

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@crazystuff4sale wrote:

and if they are missed due to holiday rush and Covid19 it should be eligible to have late shipment defetcs removed by the Seller help tool and people are reporting that defect removal is usually denied.

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Hi @crazystuff4sale - any announced changes or protections would be made here. If there are specific transactions that you would like reviewed the best course of action is to contact Customer Support. 

[donsdetour]

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@bigw1231 wrote:

No I have had a few calls with the managed payment people. New issue and cannot get a response or guidance needed to address the problem. I dont get it.

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All the problems with MP I do wounder what is going on.

It have been a couple of years since they rolled this out and they are still having customer difficulty????

I can NOT say it is a good thing the CS on MP. 

I do know the times make it difficult: and the over load is also difficult but.......

I wish I had advice for you but I don't other than: Advice is to keep trying.

[brittanie@ebay]

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@forgottenape wrote:

why was a buyer allowed to open an inr case before the delivery window opened and deman a refund before that window closed?

and why was he then able to open another case through paypal for the same reason?

and why was a hold placed for both cases?

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@forgottenape - While I can't look into the specific cases here, I can provide general information for your questions.

There are a few reasons a buyer may be able to open a case before the estimated delivery date has passed. If you'd like to know the specific reason this case was opened, you may want to contact customer service.

eBay and PayPal's protection programs are separate, so it is possible for a member to open a case on both sites, however, if they opened a case on eBay first and then open a case on PayPal, the eBay case should close, as a buyer can't have two open cases with both sites.

I can only speak to eBay's process and we do put funds on hold when a case is opened to make the funds available if a refund is needed. Once the case is closed the funds are returned if they are not refunded. 

The top take away for this is if you need more information on your next steps, getting in touch with customer service would be your best bet. 

[inceptions]

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@crazystuff4sale wrote:

Thanks. I am aware of scan forms. I was not aware of the USPS not being obligated to scan all packages. Is that policy published somehwere?...I guess Ebay service metrics should not be based on getting that scan on every package.

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When the scan form is scanned, it provides an acceptable scan on every package tied to the form.

There are plenty of things USPS doesn't do and they don't provide policies for each one. The reason they provide a scan form is so that you can get your acceptance scans - that's the policy.

It just sounds as if your post office or carrier was doing you a favor that they no longer have or want to take time to do - since the scan form is for that purpose, you are covered.

[lacemaker3]

I would like to ask for an update about the Illinois sales/use/ROT tax situation, where it appears that eBay did not correctly handle the Illinois ROT/use tax for one specific situation: for sellers based/nexus in Illinois, who made sales that were delivered to buyers/shipping addresses in Illinois, during 2020. It appears that for these sales only, eBay incorrectly collected Illinois Use tax from the buyers and remitted it to Illinois DOR, when they should have been exempt. Instead, the sellers were supposed to collect Illinois ROT (sales) tax from the buyers and remit it themselves (the same as in previous years before the marketplace facilitator legislation).

On this thread, brian@ebay promised last week to investigate the situation with the sales tax team, but there haven't been any updates since then.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Is-Sales-tax-remitted-by-eBay-directly-to-my-state/m-p/3153717...

Background on the issue:

The taxes in Illinois were origin based (charged at the seller's location), not destination based (charged at the buyer's location). It also appears that the ROT (what Illinois calls their sales tax) is the seller's liability, but they are allowed and expected to pass the tax on to their buyers. This meant that, under the Illinois Marketplace Facilitator law, the tax due for buyers in Illinois for Marketplaces Sales, was different if the seller was also based in Illinois (intrastate sales, subject to ROT), than it was for sales from marketplace sellers who did not have a nexus in Illinois (subject to Use Tax). 

In 2020, the Illinois Marketplace Facilitator legislation stated that if both the seller and the buyer were based in Illinois (an intrastate sale), the transaction was exempt from the Marketplace requirement for the Marketplace Facilitator (eBay) to collect and remit  Use Tax on the sale. Instead, for intrastate sales, the sellers were still required to collect and remit the ROT (sales) tax, the same as in previous years. 

It appears that eBay did not collect or remit the Illinois tax correctly in 2020, in this one specific scenario: when both buyer and seller were in Illinois. eBay collected the Use Tax for these sales, which should have been exempt. And eBay did not apply the seller's sales tax tables, which (assuming they had been set up correctly in 2019) would have correctly collected the ROT (sales) tax, which would have been included with the payment sent to the sellers. These sellers would then have had the correct amount of ROT (sales) tax to remit to Illinois DOR as they are required to do. Since eBay did not collect either the Use Tax or the ROT Tax correctly, the sellers are not stuck having to pay the ROT tax to Illinois DOR when they didn't receive it for their eBay sales because eBay messed up. Several sellers have reported that Illinois DOR has told them they can't get any credit for the Use Tax which eBay invalidly collected and remitted for those sales.

It appears that the Illinois Use Tax, which applies for Marketplace Sales from remote sellers (those who do not have a nexus in Illinois) was collected correctly in 2020 by eBay.

Illinois has now changed their Marketplace Facilitator tax law, so that beginning Jan 1, 2021, all Marketplace Sales are subject to Illinois Use Tax which is collected and remitted by the Marketplace Facilitator, no matter where the seller is located. This means that Illinois-based sellers will not have to deal with this, after 2020.

The bottom line is that, because of eBay's mistake in not collecting the Illinois tax correctly for intrastate sales (in Illinois only), the sellers have to pay the ROT (sales) tax themselves, and Illinois DOR is getting paid double, because they have (or will) received the Use Tax for those sales from eBay.

Because this was eBay's mistake, eBay should make the seller's whole as much as is possible, and give the seller's the Use Tax for their intrastate sales to Illinois buyers, which they can apply towards their ROT liability to Illinois DOR. This is not a perfect solution, because for some locations in Illinois, the ROT is charged at a higher percentage rate than the Use tax. But it would help.

eBay can then recover the amount of the Use tax they collected invalidly, by applying it as a credit towards their Use Tax submitted to Illinois DOR.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here