eBay

videoandstuff · ‎12-20-2019

I saw the post, copied below, from June 2019 that says if you have an eBay store and use vacation mode- you still must still within your stated shipping goal day amount. And if you don't you will be penalized even if you were in a vacation mode period.

Is that correct? If so, then why have a vacation mode? I ask because I am considering upgrading to a eBay store and found the vacation mode an attractive feature.

Thank you for any information on this question.

--------copied post--- Bold added by me to call attention to my questioned area----

06-27-2019 02:58:27 PM

The primary reason I signed up for a store was to use the Vacation mode.

Turns out eBay is either dishonest or inept. Not sure which.

When you turn it on, your items are flagged saying "the seller is gone until XX/XX so your item may ship late". OK, fine... eBay also states that you have to meet shipping dates to avoid penalties.

Now any rational human being would figure that means that - if you're gone 5 days - that your "target date" AS FLAGGED TO ANYONE LOOKING AT YOUR ITEMS - would be the "adjusted date". Only makes sense.

Only - nope. eBay still holds you accountable for your 1-day (or whatever your goal is) turn time to ship items, even though the customer has clearly made the decision they're happy to wait for your REAL scheduled ship date.

The end result is that you can be downgraded and lose discounts (oh my, eBay gets to keep more of your money - hooray).

Is this REALLY the way to treat your best customers, eBay? If your instructions said "NOTE: Using Vacation Mode will result in your account being penalized for anything shipped later than your normal non-vacation standards, so you must hide ALL of your items". The way it's worded now, no one would think it works like it actually does.

So I'm really wondering if it makes any sense at all to have an eBay store at all. If you don't have lots of items, chances are good you'll never pay for the extra monthly hit. And I gotta say - knowing I paid extra so I could take advantage of a "shipping trap" (whether set up dishonestly or just by inept writers / coders) does NOT make me happy.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-20-2019

The vacation mode option was set up many years ago, before eBay started using shipping time as one of their factors for evaluating seller performance. So the basic setting is merely an "Away" message.

To avoid being marked down for late shipping, you can either (1) revise your handling time to reflect your actual anticipated shipping time; or (2) use the vacation setting option to block sales.

This problem comes up all the time. eBay programmers really should update the vacation setting so that the seller's expected shipping date is the day after their vacation ends.

pink.fish.rule · ‎12-20-2019

Well we have been told that a solution that seems simple to us may require many man hours of recoding etc etc..

Or that's just the latest excuse for not actually fixing anything that doesn't cost ebay $$

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-20-2019

@pink.fish.rule wrote:
Well we have been told that a solution that seems simple to us may require many man hours of recoding etc etc.. .

Well, that's their job, and this oversight has cause untold extra penalties, aggravation, and lost hours for sellers over a period of many years -- ever since eBay introduced evaluation based on shipping time.

corvettestainless · ‎12-20-2019

or not necessarily ship the day after, but vacation mode should simply turn off on the date selected and then handling time starts as normal. For now- 3 other notes:

1.) Vacation mode does NOT work on Auctions

2.) You HAVE to take Vacation mode off- manually. Just because you state you'll be back on the 26th, Vacation mode will stay showing on your listings forever.

3.) If you 'block and hide' purchases (Buy it now only), it may take a day or 2 before your listings show up again. a.) you have to manually take it off. b.) If you have a 'sidebar' on your 'store' listings (shown where the description is) that shows your store categories, this will disappear for up to a week when you 'return' from vacation.

videoandstuff · ‎12-20-2019

Thank you everyone for the replies.

It sounds more and more like the vacation mode is a poorly designed useless feature.

Ebay are you out there. Seems like this is something that should be fixed quickly.

Your sellers need it.

Thank you

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-20-2019

It's not useless. Vacation mode will allow you to show a note at the top of your listing saying that you are away and show your date of return.

If you want to keep your listings up you can change your handling time so that the delivery date reflects your increased handling time. Or, with vacation mode, you can hide your listings so that they can't be purchased.

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-20-2019

At the very least the information in the area where you turn vacation mode on and off should be clearer so that sellers realize that they will be penalized if they don't change their handling time.

corvettestainless · ‎12-20-2019

It does state that- somewhere and it's not hidden because I saw it the first time I used it. "you are still responsible for processing orders as set up" (paraphrasing)

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-20-2019

If it is there, it isn't as obvious or clear as it should be considering how many people have come to the boards believing that they were protected for late delivery because they were on vacation mode. Unless something has recently changed, I don't recall seeing that though I haven't looked very hard for it as I already know how it works.

disneyshopper · ‎12-20-2019

Anytime I know I will be away, even for 2 or 3 days, I use the vacation mode to HIDE my listings, so no one can make a purchase. Using the bulk edit, I can certainly change my handling time, but I prefer to simply NOT sell anything and actually go on a vacation, away from it all.

disneyshopper
Volunteer Community Member

Anonymous · ‎12-20-2019

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

If it is there, it isn't as obvious or clear as it should be considering how many people have come to the boards believing that they were protected for late delivery because they were on vacation mode. Unless something has recently changed, I don't recall seeing that though I haven't looked very hard for it as I already know how it works.

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share some screenshots of the Vacation Settings. This feature does not automatically hide a seller's listings as some sellers may want to continue to receive orders while away, but ensure their buyers or potential buyers know they are out of the office. The option to hide fixed price listings is clearly stated within the Vacation Settings, as pictured below. The away message will change based on if a seller chooses to hide their fixed price listings, or if they set a return date. The seller can also set up an automatic response to incoming messages on eBay. If a seller does choose to keep his listings visible and available for purchase and will be away long enough that their handling time may be impacted, they can extend the handling time in their listings in the Bulk Edit tool. This feature won't affect any active auctions, so be sure to consider the end time of any auctions you currently have listed when planning your vacation. If you will be back in time to ship out within your handling time, then you may not need to make changes. If you won't be back in time to ship and don't want to elongate your handling time, you may want to consider ending your auctions early.

For more information on this feature, feel free to review our related Help Page.

dhbookds · ‎12-20-2019

will be away long enough that their handling time may be impacted, they can extend the handling time in their listings in the Bulk Edit tool.

Can implies that they are able to extend the handling time; in reality sellers MUST extend the handling time in order not to be sanctioned for late shipment..........THAT is what is NOT clear in the vacation settings and something we have been asking for, for years..........

In the help pages, it says:

If you decide not to hide your fixed price listings, make sure you can still meet your stated handling and shipping times.

THAT should also be in the vacation setting information..........

@Anonymous

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-20-2019

@Anonymous wrote: ... If a seller does choose to keep his listings visible and available for purchase and will be away long enough that their handling time may be impacted, they can extend the handling time in their listings in the Bulk Edit tool. ....

The whole point of this discussion is that the adjustment of handling time should happen automatically.

myboardid · ‎12-20-2019

I know some things happen to others that never happen to me, but I use my vacation settings all the time. I have never had a delay in getting them turned on - it has always been absolutely instant. I have also never had a problem turning them back off, it has never taken more than a few seconds, literally. And I have never had the store categories list disappear, not ever.

I even use them if I get an overwhelming number of sales and know I'm going to have trouble packing them by my one day deadline. I will turn them on for just a few hours.

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Successful and experienced seller since 1997, over 70,000 feedback, boardie since the boards were begun.