eBay

tyler@ebay · ‎11-03-2021

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!

Tyler,

ittybitnot · ‎11-03-2021

were these sellers indeed not informed that their accounts were being included in the testing phase?

@eleanor*rigby

It was my understanding via the eBay staff response that it was a function of the BUYER'S ID, not the seller's. For example, no matter where the buyer makes an offer they will be faced with this screen. Another buyer, not included in the rollout, will not see the screen, even if they are making an offer with the same seller as the buyer above.

tyler@ebay · ‎11-03-2021

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

Since store home pages got a revamp, just wondering: any plans to revamp the listing page design as well?

Not that I've heard @my-cottage-books-and-antiques - any wishlist items you'd like to see that I can throw that team's way?

Tyler,

coffeebean832 · ‎11-03-2021

We need a variations column added to the reports available through the Payments section of Seller Hub. I've submitted this feedback before through the comments link- but it's really important so I'm hoping you'll submit the feedback through your end, as well.

jasmen@ebay · ‎11-03-2021

@a_c_green wrote:

Hi all,

What is the current status of the ongoing problem with Khoros being unable to retrieve the poster's avatar, feedback count and item listings from eBay? In particular, what further work (debugging, testing, etc.) has been performed on this since this time last week? Thanks...

Hello @a_c_green ! There's been a lot of testing and roll outs in play, we're hoping to have it fixed as soon as possible!

Jasmen,
Community Team

a_c_green · ‎11-03-2021

@lacemaker3 wrote:
The question was about international sellers, who don't have an eBay website in their own country, so they choose to register and sell on eBay.com. Are they restricted to only selling to buyers in the USA, as a strict interpretation of the policy that was quoted would indicate?

Why would they not be allowed to sell to buyers in their own country, for example?

I don't know if I'm offering clarity or confusion with this followup question, so apologies if it's the latter... 😉

If I'm a Sri Lankan seller who's registered there, I'm still using the eBay.com site in the U.S. because I don't have my own. Thus if I sell something to a Sri Lankan buyer, the eBay.com site would see that as a foreign shipment, would it not? I don't see how I'd be able to generate a Sri Lankan shipping label on the US site, so at minimum I would need to ship it over the counter and then mark it as Shipped on-line. I kind of doubt that the tracking (if any) would be accepted for upload to the listing.

There are plenty of U.S. sellers (and I believe the majority of Sri Lankan sellers) who are dropshipping items from elsewhere, mostly China, but those sales are regarded as domestic U.S. if that's where the Ship-To: address indicates. I'm not sure how one would carve out an exception for a foreign seller who's making a domestic sale to someone in his own country, but using the U.S. site to do it.

ittybitnot · ‎11-03-2021

but I'm not sure I understand your question.

jasmen@ebay

That's ok.

glasser · ‎11-03-2021

Here's a little suggestion:

Change the designation of Above Standard Seller to Quality Seller.

May seem small but could be a bit of a moral booster. I have been on eBay for 20+ years, sell around 50-75 items per year for around $20K. Have 100% positive feedback, zero defects and yet I am only "above standard." Truth is I am everything a TRS is except 100 items in 12 months.

I know that designation is not widely seen but always makes me feel like C+ student when I am really more likely an A- student. I am sure there is quite a large cohort in the above standard band. Don't they all deserve a little holiday cheer!

coffeebean832 · ‎11-03-2021

tyler@ebay wrote:
@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
Since store home pages got a revamp, just wondering: any plans to revamp the listing page design as well?
Not that I've heard @my-cottage-books-and-antiques - any wishlist items you'd like to see that I can throw that team's way?

tyler@ebay- The mobile app has tons of sponsored ads between the item title and the item description. I've gotten feedback from numerous buyers that they didn't know there was an item description because they thought the ads- typically seen at the bottom of a page- were the bottom of the page. My wishlist item is for the item specifics and description to appear above sponsored ads on the app's small screen.

For the desktop view- my wishlist item relates to variation listings. When multiple variations are in stock- drop down choice defaults to "select"- in other words- no variation is selected. When only one variation has stock left- the system automatically chooses that item as the default.

This creates a problem when the lead pic shows multiple colors and the buyer thinks they're getting all colors since the system didn't force them to choose a color from the drop down. My specific request is that the drop down does not preselect the last variation with stock- but instead remains on the "select" option at the top where no variation is pre-selected. This will force buyers to see that they're buying a specific color.

a_c_green · ‎11-03-2021

jasmen@ebay wrote:

@a_c_green wrote:

What is the current status of the ongoing problem with Khoros being unable to retrieve the poster's avatar, feedback count and item listings from eBay? In particular, what further work (debugging, testing, etc.) has been performed on this since this time last week? Thanks...

Hello @a_c_green ! There's been a lot of testing and roll outs in play, we're hoping to have it fixed as soon as possible!

In particular, what further work (debugging, testing, etc.) has been performed on this since this time last week?

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask them for specifics, given the length of time that this has been affecting all users. Thanks...

-----

Edit: A reply to your question can be found here.

jasmen@ebay · ‎11-03-2021

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

Thanks jasmen@ebay but that doesn't really answer my question. Sellers listing on .com must ship to the US, it isn't an option to block the US. So if a seller is in Sri Lanka and they are registered on .com are they only allowed to sell to the US and their own country until they meet all of those requirements? If so, how does that make sense since shipping from Sri Lanka to the US is selling internationally.

When they are registered on .com they automatically have to stick to the rules on the .com site. It's a great question for sure @pjcdn2005 that I don't have an answer for at this moment. But they will have to have 10 transactions in the US before they can ship internationally. This is only the case if they are from a country that doesn't have their own site. If I get more info on the why behind it I will be sure to update you!

Jasmen,
Community Team

dhbookds · ‎11-03-2021

tyler@ebay wrote:
@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
Since store home pages got a revamp, just wondering: any plans to revamp the listing page design as well?
Not that I've heard @my-cottage-books-and-antiques - any wishlist items you'd like to see that I can throw that team's way?

I would like my EBAY categories to show up on the listing page.........these are not ones I have made, but ebay categories, which is one of the choices in Stores...... Only 3 cats show up on the listing page. I've been trying for 4-5 months to get this done....everyone wants to hear about it......but no one ever gives any feedback on why/when it will happen..............

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-03-2021

@ittybitnot

Thanks for the correction. The posts/threads I read were from sellers whose buyers had contacted them about it, so, yes--the test is running from the buyer's side.

Same questions twisted around, then. Were sellers sent notice of this test, so they knew how to respond if/when a buyer contacted them about it? Are buyers given any notice about this test?

Just seems like another awkward rollout to me.

jasmen@ebay · ‎11-03-2021

@eleanor*rigby wrote:

Several sellers have posted threads on the Selling board regarding the new feature requiring immediate payment (or a variation thereof) on the "offer" feature. These sellers seem to have been blindsided by the change and claim to have learned about it from their buyers.

Now we learn that this is a limited testing situation with a small group of sellers; however, were these sellers indeed not informed that their accounts were being included in the testing phase? Were they really given no notice or any specifics on what to expect?

Hi @eleanor*rigby tests are regularly run on our end are not always announced. If you'd like to tag me on the thread where members are upset about it we're happy to get that feedback in the right hands!

Jasmen,
Community Team

pjcdn2005 · ‎11-03-2021

@a_c_green wrote:
@lacemaker3 wrote:
The question was about international sellers, who don't have an eBay website in their own country, so they choose to register and sell on eBay.com. Are they restricted to only selling to buyers in the USA, as a strict interpretation of the policy that was quoted would indicate?
Why would they not be allowed to sell to buyers in their own country, for example?
I don't know if I'm offering clarity or confusion with this followup question, so apologies if it's the latter... 😉

If I'm a Sri Lankan seller who's registered there, I'm still using the eBay.com site in the U.S. because I don't have my own. Thus if I sell something to a Sri Lankan buyer, the eBay.com site would see that as a foreign shipment, would it not? I don't see how I'd be able to generate a Sri Lankan shipping label on the US site, so at minimum I would need to ship it over the counter and then mark it as Shipped on-line. I kind of doubt that the tracking (if any) would be accepted for upload to the listing.

There are plenty of U.S. sellers (and I believe the majority of Sri Lankan sellers) who are dropshipping items from elsewhere, mostly China, but those sales are regarded as domestic U.S. if that's where the Ship-To: address indicates. I'm not sure how one would carve out an exception for a foreign seller who's making a domestic sale to someone in his own country, but using the U.S. site to do it.

I guess I don't see how a transaction that is drop shipped from China would be considered as a 'domestic transaction'. If that is what ebay wants...new international sellers to ship only to the US, they need to make that clear in the help pages as it isnt clear to me. Plus, it doesn't make sense to me. If I was in Sri Lanka, there isn't a whole lot of difference from me shipping to the US or shipping to Canada or Europe. It's all overseas.

tyler@ebay · ‎11-03-2021

@eleanor*rigby wrote:

As a buyer, I haven't had to file for a return request in ages; however, I've heard a rumor that buyers are now required to upload photographic evidence for SNAD returns.

Can you verify this? And, if it's true, could you discuss options for buyers who don't have the resources necessary to upload photos?

Thanks!

Hi @eleanor*rigby - for the past few years some buyers have occasionally been required to upload photos to proceed with a return.

In a situation where a buyer is being required to provide photos and has no way to provide them, they should contact CS and work with them directly on the return so they can review all possible options.

Tyler,