Ebay's total disregard for sellers...re: new 15 day limit on putting items on sale

[coniferclothingcompany]

I have been a seller for a few years, have done everything right according to Ebay, gone along with new policies (offer guaranteed delivery, free shipping, have 100% positive fb etc) and was a TPS Plus until the free shipping requirement. This morning I found out that Ebay has instituted a policy that an item that was on promotion cannot be put back on sale for 15 days. I sell clothing and this policy is going to significantly hurt my sales. Over the weekend I put a large part of my store on promotion and consequently had a significant boost in sales. I now can't put any of those items back on sale for 15 days. If I were to put some of these items back on sale next weekend and would get a similar boost in sales how is that a bad thing? I called Ebay and was told that buyers have complained about sellers marking items up and immediately putting them on sale. So instead of targeting those sellers and working with them Ebay institutes a blanket policy that affects all sellers. When I run a promotion it's generally 10-20% off. I do not mark up items before they go on sale. Increased volume of purchases as a result of a promotion is good for me and ultimately Ebay too. Also, there is no way to tell which items are eligible to be put on promotion. If I go to the promotions page and format a sale there is no indication as to which items are beyond the 15 day restriction. Finally, as a seller shouldn't I have received prior notice to this policy? I found out from another seller.

I have always been one to defend Ebay when others complain about policies as a great venue for selling but after they have made free shipping a requirement for TRS Plus and now this I am very discouraged. I would think I am the kind of seller Ebay wants to keep happy as I am making them money. It feels like Ebay is trying to get rid of sellers like me.

[frenchblueshutters]

Yes I Understand that I have seen Similar... But No Anchor Store was running a Going out of Business Sale.. Most discounted things by 10 to 20 %.. That is not even something to Compare this Massive Problem to

[longleaftreasures]

The problem here is twofold. 

1.  Ebay has incentivised using promotion sales as a way to increase visibility which in turn has helped sellers make sales more so than the pricing itself.

2. Bulk mark down availability, ease of use to mark items down by type, length of time listed, etc. 

Well maybe threefold

3. Loss of perceived value to the consumer. Lets face it, this is how our brains work which is why these marketing concepts are so popular among retailers.

I set prices on new items at tag price and then mark down, the perceived value to the consumer is real due to the fact that these items sold in a big box store for that price.  If someone is marking something up way higher than tag price on a new item and then marking down then, I agree, that is deceptive.  Used items are priced at the high end of recent sold prices and marked down if needed and after a few weeks of selling like items I can get a better feel for the market.  Much of this is subjective but as always the market will decide what the value of something is if you let it.  Supply and demand works everytime. It is the consumers responsibility to pay what they feel an item is worth and society has become used to "getting a deal" mainly from websites such as eBay.  Point being that noone is forcing a person to buy anything from any retailer. There is choice everywhere.  The FTC rules are again nanny state government interfering in a supposed free society because of the actions of a few bad retailers and it is some what sketchy as to wither or not it would apply to a venue such as eBay.  We are letting lawyers regulate us to death and make us into a bunch of crying babies everytime something doesn't go our way.  The hand holding is beyond ridiculous at this point.  Has congress spoken on this issue?  They are the body in this country who's job it is to make law.  What I'm seeing is regulations put forth by the FTC which technically is law but should not be, as that is a group of unelected bureaucrats.

Bottom line idc about not having markdowns other than the bulk edit functionality of it, as long as the algorithms are fixed, our listings are visible and it doesn't hurt sales(which it already has for me)

Just my 2 cents. Sorry for the long rant .

[longleaftreasures]

There are other options on eBay to run sales that do not involve Markdown Manager.

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Could you expand on this statement please because I'm not seeing those options.  Other than bogo which is still not working for me.  Thanks in advance for your help. 

[longleaftreasures]

The advantage is not losing $1000 a month in lost wages by wasting my time relisting things and working on inventory when I can list it GTC and leave it be. When I'm not worrying about my inventory and relisting every day, I can dedicate my time to things that pay much better than eBay sales. The sales I get as a result of fresh listings every day (the 30 day thing) do not amount to more than $1000 of surplus revenue above and beyond what I normally sell. I also do auctions to boost revenue (boosts it for that week, and brings in new customers), so I think the GTC works well for me.

If you find 7 days is great and you make lots of money doing that, then by all means keep doing that.

Cheers, C.

Do you use variation listings?  I would like to do GTC but have had issues with sold items in variation listings being relisted when renewed. Thanks

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[frenchblueshutters]

Never in My EBAY NIGHTMARES for the Last 8 Years Have I EVER only Made $70 for the Week.. And All the Bills are Due this week... I am Depressed and Disheartened, How the People at Ebay Who Decided to Pull the Plug on so Many People Making a Living without a Second thought at to What it would do, BECAUSE They HAVE Never Had to Make A Living Selling Anything. They Don't Even Know How the Marketing Tools Attract Buyers. I was Told to Let Things Level Out.. REALLY. Hard to do without Electricity or Internet or a Roof Over Your Head which is My Next Step. WHY do we Pay for an Anchor Store??? They TOOK AWAY the BIGGEST DRAW for the ANCHOR STORE. I went from Close to $1000 a Week sometimes to $70. I tried to explain things to People who are asking me and They Say That is INSANE, and they don't even sell on Ebay. I am Beyond Words.. I Put My Life Blood into My Business..

[dhbookds]

Have you read the thread pinned to the top of the board.........??  They have rescinded part of changes to MM.

[longleaftreasures]

I completely understand. I have sold on eBay off and on since the beginning (mainly as a hobby or way to get extra $$ for something special) until last year when I lost my job and my dad(which made me the caregiver for my disabled stepmom)in the span of a month. I knew they were closing where I worked so I started my eBay and was slowly building it to help until I could find a new job but with my stepmom it is allowing me to care for her without hiring help.  I have diligently worked to build it this whole year and just upgraded to a premium store(like others have said the message in the update was misleading) my sells have tanked and this was my biggest month last year.  I mean I sell mostly summer stuff, this is a disaster for me.  By the time they get everything fixed my items will no longer be in demand.  I'm looking at other platforms.  I wanted to expand out anyway but just was not quite ready yet. Hopefully local sales will see me through this glitch until I can build things up elsewhere.  Don't lose heart it will be harder but hopefully not impossible.  You know what they say "Adapt or die"  or "Life's a _____"  either way we got to figure out how to make grocery money .

[frenchblueshutters]

WHERE Is thes Ammendment I went to Page 1 at the Top of the Thread and Nothing. Please Let me Know where to find it.

[longleaftreasures]

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Markdown-Manager-Update/m-p/28694630?ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252...

[flippintickled]

I cannot fill out the survey. I tried... it gave me a message saying the survey is closed, but thanks for trying, basically!

[castlemagicmemories]

Brian.T announced in another thread that they have rescinded the policy regardin a 14 day wait on Markdown Manager, due to public outcry.

[flippintickled]

LOL!

[flippintickled]

TOTALLY TOTALLY AGREE!! I own a Brick and Mortar Consignment Store, and many of the items I sell on eBay are consigned. I have agreed with a client on pricing, in many instances. This will demolish that endeavor!! NO WAY!!

[flippintickled]

I totally agree that it would be a "friendlier" approach to us "good sellers" if eBay spent time, money, and resources to find a solution such as you suggest. BUT, they won't (or at least not without us continuously BARKING by calling, etc... and even then, it isn't extremely likely!) They made this "Blanket" decision, because it was more cost-effective for them to do so... they would spend more time, money, resources on individualizing the policy. Instead, they issued a "Blanket" to save time and money, and passed the COST of time and money spent onto ALL sellers, unfortunately! They know they are risking losing good sellers over this policy, along with a few other policies recently or soon-to-be implemented. But, they have surely figured that THAT loss is LESS than it would cost to approach it differently, for now!

[ifyouloveit]

He is gone emerald, either fired or on vacation for 7 weeks.