Community Chat, October 2 @ 1:00 pm PT - General Topics

[Anonymous]

Join the Community team here at 1 PM PT on October 2nd 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 on buying or selling.

The chat will be open for questions from 1-2 pm PT, at which point we'll close thread. While no additional questions can be submitted after this time, we'll continue to work on responding to any queries that may 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 

[brian@ebay]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

Another question related to the Perfect Listing video. The video advises using a white background (or editing software to create a white background) for photos. I want to add that, in a recent ebay podcast, ebay mentioned---with approval---a seller who uses a white background for his gallery photo, but black backgrounds for his other photos (because his items "pop" better on a black background). Would ebay also approve of a seller using white for the gallery photo, and so-called "lifestyle photos" for the rest of the photos?

And, related to that, any timeline for wider distribution of ebay's white background tool? Specifically, any chance it will make it to Android before next year? Or to PCs?

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques using lifestyle photos is a sellers choice, we just recommend using white backgrounds as they tend to look better. If you'd like to do the main photo with a white background and include additional lifestyle photos, that would be fine. 

We  don't have any new information on when the white background tool may be available on Android or PC at this time. 

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Thanks Brian. So no need to repeat condition in the description field. And no need to fill out item specifics for attributes that are covered by catalog data. Juts want to make sure I'm reading your post correctly. And yes, of course, fill out as many IS as I can, and add some if I think they are relevant.

Correct?

[readabouthorses]

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tyler@ebay wrote:

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@rosevelyn wrote:

Will Paypal be collecting fees on gross amount with this announcement, which I just received now in my email?

"In 2018, PayPal and eBay worked together to implement a solution to comply with laws that require eBay to collect and remit tax on applicable transactions. Those transactions that require eBay to collect tax are currently divided into two separate charges - one for the item purchased and another for the associated tax.

Effective November 2019, PayPal and eBay will change the way these transactions are processed and how taxes are collected and remitted.
 
For transactions that require eBay to collect tax from buyers, the tax amount will be included in the gross purchase amount to be processed. Once settled, the tax amount will be automatically deducted for remittance to the applicable taxing authority.
 
You do not need to take any action.
 
Learn more about Internet Tax at ebay Seller Center."

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Hi @rosevelyn - from my understanding, that is correct: The PayPal processing fee applies to the gross transaction value (item value, shipping and sales tax). Thanks!

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So how will this play out when a buyer returns something and wants a refund? Since they see one amount (item value, shipping and sales tax) won't they want all of that refunded? How will a seller refund the sales tax portion?

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Thanks Brian. I usually use white or black backgrounds, but for some things, I do think lifestyle photos can be better (especially with the holidays coming up...holiday decor IMHO can be better displayed if at least some of the photos put the item in a holiday setting).....But white for Gallery photo? OK, works for me....

[a_c_green]

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brian@ebay wrote:
The buyers zip code is determines the tax paid. When a buyer provides their zip code + 4, we can determine the tax for their jurisdiction. 

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I've never heard of a sales tax based on a full 9-digit ZIP. Surely a 5-digit ZIP would be sufficient to identify a locality and any locally-based sales tax. Can you give an example?

If it really does require a 9-digit ZIP for correct calculation of the total sales tax for that buyer, and if it's based on the buyer's eBay address rather than an alternate Ship To location for wherever he's shipping it, this would be an ideal time to require that buyers have a validated (via USPS) eBay address when registering.

[tyler@ebay]

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@dgn5009 wrote:

Hi, a bit of feedback on the app changing listings to accept best offer. For the last two weeks, I've received daily e-mails/messages of "Congratulations! Your listing can now accept best offers!" The issue is that for the items I want to receive offers on, I select that option. For ones where I'm firm, I don't. The result of this is that daily, I have to go back into multiple listing, and turn off an option that was turned on without my consent. This is not only annoying to me as a seller, but if a buyer were to offer on these listings before I manually turn them off, they'd be disappointed as well as I'd decline.

I've heard this can be avoided by not listing on the app. My question is, is EBay really going to force me into destop listings for everythng to avoid this? I had (up till now) liked the convenience of the app. But if things are being changed without my consent, I'll have to avoid it.  Surely there is a way to opt out of yet another unwanted change being forced on sellers?

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Hi @dgn5009 - ultimately we want to help your items convert into a sale: it's more money for you, and more money for us. 

On listings where your asking price is above the average selling price for similar items in the category we will add Best Offer if the item hasn't sold after 8 days. You aren't required to accept the offers, but we want to make sure you can receive them in case you receive one you'd be willing to consider. 

You are able to remove that option from listings that have it added, but know that it is possible it will be put back on if the item doesn't sell in the future. 

Also, to be clear, this isn't something that is app-specific. It may be done for listings created on the app or on a PC. Thanks!

[krys888]

Our area is like that. Some parts of the zip are in the city limits while other parts of that same zip are county, so there’s no city sales tax in those neighborhoods. I know, its weird, but its probably more common in our rural areas. That +4 number tells something in the system where those tax boundaries are, I guess.

[dhbookds]

On listings where your asking price is above the average selling price for similar items in the category we will add Best Offer if the item hasn't sold after 8 days

Is this true on ANY listing by ANY seller? 

[vrykalak]

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@krys888 wrote:

A lot of us are getting notifications from paypal that an item sold but not getting notifications from ebay and the listing is still listed. There’s a long thread on this in the forum. I’ve got a customer right now, for example, that insists she paid for an item but I’m showing its still unpaid. 

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I had this happen last week: Paypal sent me the usual email saying it had been paid, but eBay didn't acknowledge the payment until several hours later.

[tyler@ebay]

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@greg5000 wrote:

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tyler@ebay wrote:

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@christopher0 wrote:

Have been trying to collect the $21.50 coupon eBay owes me for completing a promotion of theirs--

(this one) https://pages.ebay.com/promo/2019/0612/coupon40.html

Sold $43 worth of items during the event, so $21.50 is what I was promised.

All I have gotten from eBay for 3 months now is THE RUN AROUND as well as blatantly being IGNORED.

I have come to believe, that eBay, like most (sunshine) companies, when they owe you something they will give you the run around & ignore you until you forget or give up.

My Original post on August 5th 2019

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/eBay-not-valuing-their-Promotions/qaq-p/30101030

I have already posted in TWO separate Weekly Chat With eBay Staff on August 7th 2019 

(seen here) https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/Community-Chat-August-7-1-00-pm-PT-General...

and September 18th 2019 (Seen here) https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/Community-Chat-September-18-1-00-pm-PT-Pro...

Both Tyler and Alan of eBay staff have promised to look into my "issue" and promised a response. I have not heard from either of them since.

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Hi @christopher0 - I'm sorry that this has been such a frustrating and prolonged process. We're still waiting on more information to confirm that your listings qualified for the promotion. If we are able to see that they qualified we will issue you a coupon. Thanks for your continued patience!

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Hi Tyler,

Do you know why it takes so long to confirm this? 

I've had many promotions on credit cards that needed to be activated, and if I wasn't sure if I had activated them and called, they would always be able to tell me real-time over the phone.

Greg

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Hi @greg5000 - I don't have insight into the marketing team's processes to verify this, I'm afraid. But I do know that it's a pain point that is being worked on. Hopefully we'll see it get easier in the future!

[brian@ebay]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

Given the emphasis on Item Specifics, I have a suggestion: It would be great if ebay provided some definitions or examples of certain terms they suggest we use. Also, if ebay reviewed their IS and eliminated things like "Text Books" and "Textbooks" as a type of book for example  give us one or the other, but not a choice.  Could you pass this on the appropriate team?

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques Item Specific terms are generated by Sellers, which is why you may see similar ones like 'Text Books' and 'Textbooks'. You can contact at sdsupport@ebay.com to provide feedback directly to the Item Specifics team about improvements that can be made to Item Specifics. 

[greg5000]

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tyler@ebay wrote:

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@christopher0 wrote:

So you guys have been waiting for more information for 2 months now? Am I supposed to really believe that? There is nothing that you can tell me today what you have been doing for 2 months now?

 I hope you realize that in my original post I stated my concern about CLICKING the activation button did not seem to work, and I thought there was a bug or error on eBay's end. Then me calling support and telling them this exact concern way back during when that promo was offered.

In the end I feel like I will be paying for the mistake of the BIG Company. 

"Sorry our APP was bugged and did not register when you clicked on activate. You are out of luck. Have a nice day!"

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Hi @christopher0 - we have been waiting on more information for two months. From our initial review only one of the items you listed during that time qualified for the coupon as the terms and conditions stipulated time frames during which a qualifying item had to be listed and sold. We've escalated it several times now and are awaiting more details.

I know this is frustrating, and if I had more information to provide you I would do so, but at this point I don't.  

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Tyler,

With all due respect, the longer a Customer has to wait for an answer or resolution to a problem, the more frustrated they typically become.  Then over time they lose faith and may move on.

Could you possibly assign a "point person" in Customer Support that can resolve this?

Greg

[krys888]

OMG! Is this for everything? I sell collectibles. NOT cool! I do NOT have the time to go in every day and check to turn those off! We’re in slow internet areas and that is insane! Please tell me I’m not misreading this! Do NOT automatically let people make offers on my listings, please!

[postcardcountry]

Since ya'll have mentioned the importance of item specifics....

Question One:

Has anyone gone through each category / sub category / sub sub category to the very end of the tree to be sure there are valid item specifics for each little end of the tree?

I don't have specific examples at my finger tips, but I know there are some items who will get specifics that are so general they might as well not be there.   As I start listing, I will start keeping track of them for a future conversation.

Question Two:

In many cases, the item specifics have drop down boxes of choices.  If mine desired information is not there, can I just enter the correct answer?   example - postcards for California.  Many cities are listed but the smaller towns are not.  So I put the town in under city.  If I remember correctly the capital of New Jersey, Trenton is not on the list.  Can I fill in with information if it doesn't match the drop down box and have it be used?

[vrykalak]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@vrykalak wrote:

I'd like to revisit the mysterious appearing/disappearing external links in my listings for 3 Man from U.N.C.L.E. shirts. To wit:
- I have six listings, but they only represent three shirts, each one listed in two Categories.
- All six listings are identical except for details in the Descriptions...and the Categories: each one is listed in a Men's Clothing category and a Women's clothing category
- I have listed them many times in the last few years, but suddenly last month, 5 of the 6 have mythical "external links" that must be removed...i.e., one of the 6 is fine, and its partner--identical in EVERY WAY except category--has an external link
- all six listings ended, and I relisted them, with no changes of any kind. Now only 2 of them have external links, and the other four are fine...so 3 of the listings that had external links last month don't have them now. AND the two that now have external links are not for the same item, which means their partners--identical in EVERY WAY except category--are fine.
Can you say impossible?

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Hi @vrykalak, we are unable to research your question and assist further without examples. Please provide item numbers for the listings in question.

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I've provided the numbers a couple of times. 
The point is: either the listings have external links or they don't. 
Prior to August, none of these listings had external links.
In August, 5 of 6 had external links.
In September, only 2 of them did. 
The listings come in pairs, identical except listed in different categories.
It is impossible for 5 of 6 to have external links, because #6 is identical to one of the the other 5.