disneyshopper
Join the Community team here at 1 PM PT on October 9th 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 
1 BEST ANSWER
Accepted Solutions
Promotions/Markdown Manager
Q: Are there any current known issues going on with Promotions Manager? There seems to be a long delay a lot of times between scheduled start and end times and actual start and end times.
A: Most of the time these promotions will go live immediately. In some situations (such as when a large number of items are included in the promotion or within certain categories), there can be a delay as the request is processed of up to 24 hours. This period of time allows us to review the items being marked down in the same way we review listings when they are first created. This helps us minimize any listing violations or prohibited items being posted to the site.
That all being said, we have received a number of reports lately of promotions not going processing for quite some time beyond the normal indexing period. We are currently investigating and will update the Community when there is more information to provide.
Q: I'd like to know why Volume Discounts cannot apply to buyers who order more than one item number from the same seller? It seems as if a buyer must buy 2 or more of the same item to qualify.
A: Volume Discounts are specifically for when a buyer is purchasing more than a single quantity of the same item. This is a feature that sellers have been asking for, as it is much easier to control your profit margin when setting item specific discounts.
Q: What about volume discounts for buyers who are ordering different items?
A: If a seller would like to provide discounts for purchasing multiple different items, they can do so through the other promotional tools available on eBay (such as Promotions Manager).
Internet Sales Tax
Q: I am trying to understand who gets charged what and why for sales tax purposes and if the term "sales" tax in some cases is actually "use tax”. I have specific examples I’d like assistance understanding tax liability with, can you help?
A: First and foremost we do need to state that we are not tax experts and are not allowed/able to provide tax advice, accounting advice, or anything resembling such. What we can say is that in states that have required eBay to collect sales tax under Marketplace Facilitator laws, we always base the 'whether or not to charge' and the percentage amount upon the buyer's stated location at checkout. For any specific tax responsibility questions you may have, we recommend that you contact a tax professional.
eBay Money Back Guarantee
Q: I would like to know why ebay makes it so easy for the buyer to just click INAD or damaged and force a seller to take a return resulting in loss of any profit and in some cases lose money on a transaction?
A: If a buyer receives an item that doesn't match the listings description then we want it to be easy to resolve the matter. That being said, we do place return reasons that are considered not as described reasons at the bottom of the list, and the buyer has to expand the list of return reasons to see these options. This helps minimize the number of returns where the incorrect return reason is selected. Ultimately, we look at the reason the buyer selected when they opened the return, such as damaged or not as described.
Q: Could you please answer why ebay would force a return when the buyer opens the return for a damaged item, but then in comments says the box is damaged?
A: We want to reiterate that the reason the buyer selected when opening the return is what we will look to if asked to step in. Opening a return for Damaged item is a not as described return reason. Messages sent by a buyer are a separate piece of information and won’t be used to invalidate the buyer’s return reason. A big reason for this is that these messages typically require interpretation by us, and those messages can be interpreted several different ways. For example, a buyer claiming that the box was damaged could mean that the items packaging was damaged, the item itself was damaged (the buyer may refer to the item as a box), or that something within the item that resembles a box shape is damaged. Because these messages are so subjective, we won’t attempt to interpret them. Instead, we will use the reason the buyer selected when opening the return.
Q: I had a buyer request to return due to item being defective. I offer free returns and therefore, sent them a return label. When I received the product back, there was nothing wrong with the product. I reported the buyer for returns abuse and want to know if I’m protected on returns like this?
A: If you are Top Rated and report the buyer for opening a false not as described return, then we will credit your invoice for up to $6 to help subsidize the return shipping cost. You would also be protected from feedback, defects, and service metrics.
Q: For sellers who offer ANY type of returns why not make the buyer contact the seller first?
A: We do! When a buyer opens a return request you are notified and able to work with them. You can use this time to arrange return shipping and provide guidance on any return specifications you'd like.
Q: What protections exist for sellers when the item received back isn't what was shipped in the first place? Specifically I have questions about this policy, as it seems to have been updated recently.
A: It looks like that policy is specific to altered items. A completely different item being returned is not considered an altered item. If you receive a completely different item back than what the buyer received, you should contact Customer Service to see what options are available.
Top Rated Seller Protections
Q: My question is about seller protection: Buyer receives exactly what they order but says "wore them, don't fit well, are uncomfortable, bigger than I thought (or smaller) I need to return them" In about half the cases they claim not as described because they do not fit. In about 100% of the cases, the items are essentially ruined and I cannot resell them (worn, out of package, no packaging included with return etc.). Do the new seller protections offer me any recourse? Am I just expected to take the loss because the buyer doesn't like them, they don't fit, they are uncomfortable or other (not my problem) issues.
A: The enhanced protections for Top Rated Sellers give sellers the option to give a partial refund if an item is returned damaged, used, or altered. Doing a partial refund also comes with feedback, defect, and seller metric protection for the seller. You can view the partial refund guideline table here to see when and how much of a partial refund can be given in different circumstances. Additionally, if a buyer falsely reports an item is not as described, sellers can report the buyer to us and receive up to a $6 credit on their monthly invoice, along with feedback, defect, and seller metrics protections.
Q: I know about the new seller "protections" for Top Rated Sellers. Are there any similar protections for the sellers who have not reached that level yet?
A: Top Rated is definitely a great goal to aim for as you grow your business, and while you are on your way to Top Rated, you can enjoy similar (though not identical) protection by offering free returns. This will allow them to issue a less than full refund in certain situations. This is in addition to the other ways we work to protect all members who sell on eBay regardless of their seller rating.
Q: Is the option to offer a partial refund for damaged items an option in the return process if you qualify?
A: The partial refund option is available in all returns as long as the seller qualifies to offer partial refunds (free returns or Top Rated).
Listings
Q: Exactly what does it mean when the message "eBay note:This listing hasn't had any sales in at least 16 months. Please consider updating it" appears on a listing? I’ve had it appear and I make changes to the title, pictures, condition, description, price, promote level, etc. and that message remains even though the listing HAS been updated.
A: We will send this to the Seller Hub team and see if they can get us more detail about exactly what this message is meant to advise.
Q: Lately I’m seeing more items come up that could be in violation of policy. I’d like to hear why eBay lets someone who had items removed relist items after they were pulled by eBay before?
A: Our teams dedicated to reviewing potential violations are still here and reviewing reports. We definitely encourage you to continue reporting items you feel may be in violation of our policies so we can review and take appropriate action. While we can't discuss the result of our investigations or any action that is taken on another member’s account, we do take violations of our listing policies seriously and there is an escalating series of consequences for members who do not properly address these issues.
Q: Amazon has longer product titles. I think eBay should extend them past the 80 characters currently allowed for this reason. The app is difficult because customers don’t see how to press read more of the description.
A: Thank you for sharing your feedback! We'll pass this along for consideration and can recommend utilizing as many item specifics as possible to provide potential buyers with the details they may need 
Zip Codes
Q: Why does the zip code on eBay differ from the zip code on USPS sometimes?
A: The ZIP code on eBay is usually the one input by the buyer at checkout, which is then verified by USPS when/if you print a label with them. There are situations in which a ZIP code may be changed to a more specific one if a buyer's address is located on/near the border between two ZIP codes.
Q: We've encountered an issue wherein the new Print Shipping Label page shows the buyer's zip code is invalid (which is true after looking the address up). However, after switching to the Classic Label printing page, the zip code was automatically corrected. I was wondering if this is a cosmetic issue?
A: Without a item number we wouldn't be able to look into this further to see what might have happened. That being said, if you run into this again I encourage you to take some screenshots for reference later or contact Customer Service at that time to report the problem. Our zip code verification is based on information from USPS, and it is possible that this information has not been updated to align with recent changes by USPS.
eBay Catalog
Q: One of the items I sell is associated with 2 unrelated categories. Who would I talk to to see about getting these combined?
A: The best team to work on this with is the catalog team! You can reach them directly at sdsupport@eBay.com.
Q: Ebay auto adding INCORRECT item specifics. Please, stop auto adding them. Let the seller add what applies. This is something that is easy for a seller to miss, and then the item is not as described. There are also too many duplicate/conflicting item specifics ie. for a woman’s top, there are the following for Features: knit, knit top; High-Low, Hi-Lo. For Accents there are: knit, knitted; High Low, Hi-Lo, High-Low. What is the buyer supposed to check? What is the seller supposed to check?
A: The only time eBay automatically fills in the item specifics is when a seller elects to use our catalog data. Since it is not feasible for eBay to manually create all item specifics for every item listed on eBay, we rely on our sellers to generate these details and let us know when changes need to be made. This is why you are seeing different versions of the same thing (eg. High low, hi-log, High-Low). If you run into anything that needs adjustment, please email sdsupport@eBay.com and they'll be happy to make any needed adjustments.
Technical Issue: Traffic Report
Q: My eBay store’s traffic report hasn’t updated since October 4th. I talked with Customer Service and they told me that traffic reports could take a week or longer to update. Why can’t sellers receive real time traffic reports like most other e-commerce sites?
A: My understanding is that Traffic Reports should update daily, but there is a known issue that is causing updates to be several days behind. This is definitely something we're working to fix!
Best Offer
Q: Twice in the last month, I replied to an offer with a counteroffer, then someone else bought the item for full price the next day. Does receiving or sending an offer improve my search ranking?
A: We have no information indicating that the Best Match algorithm takes outstanding offers into account when considering your items' placement in search results. You can view more about what is considered in Best Match here.
Handling Time & Estimated Delivery Dates
Q: I realize that ebay removed the handling time being shown in favor of the estimated ship date but does that get skewed if the buyer always ships in one day? I try for one day handling all the time so I understand that even when I offer 2-3 day handling, ebay estimates are based on what I usually do?
A: The estimated delivery date calculation takes into account historical shipping times. However, sellers are protected from late delivery defects as long as they ship the item out within their stated handling time. If you normally ship within 1-business day and we estimated deliveries based on this, but you select 2-business day handling, you will be protected as long as you ship it within 2 business days.
Q: Would ebay consider a disclaimer in listings if the seller has 5+ days handling time?
A: While we do put a disclaimer like this if the seller’s handling time is 10 days or longer, we don't have any plans to add the extended handling time statement to other handling times. We’ll pass along your request to the appropriate teams for consideration!
Q: I have used vacation settings for years in my store. Usually I just set it to block purchases and then have nothing to worry about. Recently I went on a trip and set my handling time to 10 days (so this would display prominently in the listing). A buyer purchased an item while I was gone and became upset, stating they "just saw that I had 10 days handling" and wanted to know why I couldn't ship immediately. I’m wondering why the buyer did not seem to notice prior to purchase that I had extended handling time or that I was on vacation? Does it show the same on all devices?
A: The shipping and estimated delivery information is the same across browsers and our app, so the handling time and estimated delivery date should have been present before your buyer made their purchase. Changing your handling time and placing the store on vacation was the appropriate thing to do in these situations, so we can confirm you took the correct steps on your end.
Try Selling Promotion: Sell $30, Get $10
Q: I would like to know if ebay will honor a $10.00 promotion for selling, that I activated on one of my IDs, which has now disappeared? I cannot find the email, the promotion, or any sign of it now and would like to know where it went. It was supposed to be good through the 13th if I sold $30.00 worth per the rules.
A: We can confirm that anyone who received and activated this promotion will remain eligible for the coupon, even if the promotion is no longer showing in your account. We also want to provide some context as to why this promotion has disappeared from some members' accounts: the promotion was sent to a larger audience than intended, so it was cancelled and administratively removed.
In order to qualify, the seller must have RSVP'd for the promotion, listed during the promotion period (October 4th - October 13th), and sold 1 or more items for a total of $30 or more by the sell by date. The coupon will be for the amount of $10 and there is a limit of 1 coupon per seller for those who activated the promotion (as it is not available for any new sellers).
Again, we will be honoring the coupon for anyone that received it and qualified. For those qualifying sellers who list and sell 1 or more items during the promotion period, a coupon will be sent out within 2 weeks of October 31st.
I was happy to see that Volume Pricing was added to Bulk Edit. I have tried revising several listings by adding a discount for bulk purchases.
I went to a couple of the listings that I used bulk edit to add volume pricing. It does not display on the listing. I click to Revise the listing individually, scrolled down to the bottom, and the option is checked. Decided to Submit again, and it still doesn't work.
I don't get any errors. It just doesn't work.
I opted into the promo to get discount FVF if I sold an item with volume pricing, but it doesn't work.
@inthewoodspam wrote:
I would like to know if ebay will honor a $10.00 promotion for selling, that I activated on one of my IDs, which has now disappeared? I cannot find the email, the promotion, or any sign of it now and would like to know where it went. It was supposed to be good through the 13th if I sold $30.00 worth per the rules.
Hi @inthewoodspam - I'm happy to check it out - can you give me any more detail about what the promotion was and which account received it?
@captb_54 wrote:
Just a suggestion for the future. Don't do FALL UPDATE or mess with things right before 4th qtr ever. Do everything in winter and summer and stop the Fall. You know that even though IT guys tell you no problems there are always bugs, Always. And 4th qtr is not time to deal with them.
Hi @captb_54 - thanks for the input on this - we'll make sure that it gets to the right team for consideration!
@captb_54 wrote:Just a suggestion for the future. Don't do FALL UPDATE or mess with things right before 4th qtr ever. Do everything in winter and summer and stop the Fall. You know that even though IT guys tell you no problems there are always bugs, Always. And 4th qtr is not time to deal with them.
I agree as I'm confident many others do as well when it has to do with the structure or data contained in a listing. Every year sellers ask Ebay to please be more considerate of our needs to be working on sourcing inventory and creating listings for the holiday season. But every year we have the Fall Update since at least 2014, it could be further back than that.
I don't mine changes in cosmetic things or the addition of Seller Protections, but when it affects the design, layout or functionality of a listing, sellers need time to work with that and not take away from the needs of the Holiday season. Both Ebay and seller would be stronger for it and make a little more money IMHO.
My vote is Winter and Spring. Keeping in mine when those seasons actually start.
