@luxe_auto_parts I'd love to hear the conclusions you'd draw. You sell in a lucrative space that gains successes from the consumer that is an enthusiast and fanatic. I expect that your consumers have particular tastes and needs and they rely not only on the trust and quality your listings need to communicate but also on a level of service that meets their expectations. Granted the expectations of an auto enthusiast could be classified differently on items they can patiently wait for versus a replacement that may be in quick demand OR even diferent if buying a shirt or shoes from another retailer.
Do you feel the need to consider the preferences that may change among generations for your business or do you rely on the shared behaviors of the auto enthusiast consumer ?
First of all: who, when, where and how did say to you selling used auto parts (let's call it recycling) is a "lucrative space"? Sorry, but are you an expert in this field? Have you done some researches? I know you could have an access to some data being eBay stuff member, but you don't have any idea what's going on "behind the scene", unless you're an auto parts retailer too. How many steps do you think auto parts sellers do before make some profit? How long is a payback period in this niche? It takes so many efforts and money to really become a profitable company in this niche.
And now a few suggestions you couldn't dig from my words:
1) first, and the most important to me: you can't satisfy one group by making another unhappy/unsatisfied. I'm telling about buyers and sellers. You keep implementing new rules, some of which are silly and harmful for sellers. You decided to make some changes and jump on the bandwagon by implementing new security protocols (https). Ok, no problem, this is really a good idea, I'm totally in, BUT! - you wrote a freaking article, sent a couple e-mails with announcements/new rules and that's it. I didn't see you helping the sellers with their listings. Yeah-yeah-yeah, you did make some kind of html-code checker, so that you'll know if something wrong with your code, and your description field will look like a button buyers need to click to see what's there. Nobody will do this, and guess what? This leads to increasing in the number of returns, 'cause buyer "didn't see/didn't read" what you were saying about item you sold. I asked you about it and never got an answer: what should those sellers, who already paid for hostings w/o security protocol (to store photos, data, etc.) do? They have to pay out of pocket. Again. This is just an example, I can give you a few more, which bug and drive me crazy.
Auto parts sellers HAVE to be in touch with their customers, and they HAVE to provide customers with company's phone numbers, e-mails and etc. in case something goes wrong. And ebay SUDDENLY decides to make these changes, and from now on, if a seller/buyer mentions a phone number or an e-mail in his message he can be penalized/charged FVF for doing that. You may know auto parts sellers sell (sorry for the pun) parts as retailers. It means customers come/pick/pay/go. And now I might be charged FVF, I’m under suspicion if I deactivate my listing and if I have previously sent my phone number or an e-mail addresses to the buyer who asked something about it.
2) Do you know how much does it cost to ship a bumper, or a seat, or a tranny? It costs an arm and a leg to send enormously sizes parts. And you (saying "you" I mean eBay itself as a company, of course) suggest to exceed return period and make it free for buyers? We’d all bear losses if we’d accept your suggestions. It seems to me like a platform job to attract new customers/visitors. You're as much interested in having huge audience as the sellers are. Give us some options: provide us with some low-cost shipping services (and don't even mention those "discounts" you're offering now, ‘cause this is a mock) or make them free for sellers too, as Amazon did for theirs sellers. Offer some new Store Types with Free Shipping option. Cover all returns from your pocket making them free for sellers too.
I can keep writing all day, but I have things to do, so...
Do your job and please, let us do our job.
