Changing Store Status Timing

[m60driver]

Are there any advantages or disadvantages as to when to change a store status.  I want to temporarily upgrade to a larger store for about two months to clear out some old inventory before returning to the smaller store on an annual subscription.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Are you currently on an annual or month-to-month commitment?

If you're on an annual basis, then upgrading your store subscription level will re-set the full year commitment, and if you downgrade after 2 months there will be a significant early termination fee (probably more than keeping your current level and  just paying for all those extra insertions).

 If you currently have a month-to-month type of subscription, then any upgrade will take effect immediately during the month you upgrade, so that can be timed  to have lots of extra free insertions during the upgrade month. Downgrading would take effect on the first day of the next calendar month.

http://pages.ebay.com/stores/subscriptionterms.html

[m60driver]

I currently have an annual subscription.  I want to temporarily upgrade the size of the store, but only on a month-to-month basis for maybe two months and then return to my current store level on an annual basis.

[long-gone]

From the nobody*s_perfect link :

When changing from a yearly Stores subscription to a monthly Stores subscription with more benefits:

• Fees for your current yearly subscription for the current invoice month are prorated and the unused portion of your current subscription (for the current invoice month) is credited back to you. Your new monthly subscription fee is also prorated for the current invoice month and your subscription is treated as a new subscription. You will be charged an early termination fee for cancellation of your yearly Stores subscription.

[nobody*s_perfect]

You can't put your current annual subscription on hold.

In order to switch to a mont-to-month subscription, you would have to cancel it (paying an early termination fee if you're not in the final month of it already). Then do your month-to-month store at a higher level.  Then start a new subscription (either month-to-month or annual) at the original  subscription  level.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

When I upgraded my basic store to a premium I was on a yearly subscription. When I upgraded I changed the subscription type to a monthly for a few months so if these level change was not right I could downgrade at no additional cost. Doing it the way I did I did not get the yearly discount for a couple of months but had a safety net incase I wanted to change back. As things may have changed since then it would be a good idea to call and speak to the sales department before you make any changes that way you will know what to expect.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

If upgrading the cancelation fee for a yearly store subscription usually does not apply. Although it has been a couple of years since I switched I may have waited till the final month on my old subscription  so that there would be little or no cancelation fee's. This is why you really should talk to the sales department before making any changes.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Talking to the "sales department" (AKA customer support) can lead to misinformation. The published store subscription policy as linked above  is pretty clear, it even includes lots of specific examples.  

If you upgrade your subscription, that is not a cancellation so  there is no early termination fee.  But the one-year commitment restarts, so that's not a good strategy for a seller who only wants to have the upgrade for a couple of months.

[m60driver]

So it sounds like I can upgrade without a cancellation fee.  That makes sense since I am now paying more.  And then once I no longer need to the larger store after a few months then I can go back and begin an annual subscription to the smaller store again.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@m60driver wrote: ... once I no longer need to the larger store after a few months then I can go back and begin an annual subscription to the smaller store again.

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If you do that you will pay an early termination fee, for downgrading the Store.  From the page that I linked to above, regarding the terms of service for store subscriptions:

When downgrading your Stores subscription (changing your Stores subscription level to one with fewer benefits):

• If you have a yearly subscription and you downgrade to a lower yearly Stores subscription level prior to the last calendar month of the subscription:
  • You’re charged an early termination fee. In addition, you’re billed at the current higher subscription fee rate for the calendar month during which you elect to downgrade.

In other words, if you upgrade from a Basic store to Premium, and then downgrade the subscription back to Basic after 3 months, you will be charged n Early Termination Fee of $179.85.

[m60driver]

 I understand that if I purchase a yearly subscription that I will get an early termination fee.   But my plan is to upgrade for two months or so on a month-by-month plan and not with an annual subscription.  And then, hopefully after I have liquidated some stock, go back to an annual plan with the smaller store size.  From what I gather this is possible.

[nobody*s_perfect]

In that case, you will have an early termination fee for your current yearly subscription.