How to get out of Below Standard

[Anonymous]

I have been selling on eBay for 23 years and always had Above Standard rating.  I was put in ICU for Covid Pneumonia in December unexpectedly and missed shipping out 2 orders in time because I was IN ICU but there's no way to explain to anyone.  I can show hospital records to PROVE that I wasn't able to send them out (I work alone).  I was able to explain to the 2 clients and gave them a refund even though I sent out the orders once I was able to. But since eBay keeps everything for the last 12 months instead of going month by month, my rating won't get any higher for a YEAR.  This is keeping my listings from being shown, and has cut my income by 75%!!!  I can't continue selling on this platform if I'm unable to speak to someone about this.  I will be forced to go somewhere else.  

[fab_finds4u]

The only way to improve is to sell more with no defects.

BtW, you are violating the digital delivered goods policy and that's not a good thing if eBay finds out.

[mr_lincoln]

@Anonymous   What category do you list the house plans in?

[iart]

I would be much less worried about your rating and more worried about violating eBay policy on digital goods (as noted by fab_finds4u).

[luckythewinner]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I have been selling on eBay for 23 years and always had Above Standard rating.  I was put in ICU for Covid Pneumonia in December unexpectedly and missed shipping out 2 orders in time because I was IN ICU but there's no way to explain to anyone.  I can show hospital records to PROVE that I wasn't able to send them out (I work alone).  I was able to explain to the 2 clients and gave them a refund even though I sent out the orders once I was able to. But since eBay keeps everything for the last 12 months instead of going month by month, my rating won't get any higher for a YEAR.  This is keeping my listings from being shown, and has cut my income by 75%!!!  I can't continue selling on this platform if I'm unable to speak to someone about this.  I will be forced to go somewhere else.  

---

Shipping two orders late by itself will not put you Below Standard.

There is more to your situation that you either do not understand or that you are not sharing with us.

[2013grotz]

---

@iart wrote:

I would be much less worried about your rating and more worried about violating eBay policy on digital goods (as noted by fab_finds4u).

---

 Trying to read this and understand to learn.  I looked over the digital goods rules, and wouldn't OP be by rules incapable to fufill the ebay policy on digital goods by being "Below Standard" (i.e. "not in good standing")?

[popblox]

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

@Anonymous   What category do you list the house plans in?

---

The category is Building Plans & Blueprints. I'm not familiar with any exceptions to the digital goods policy, but I checked about 10 listings from different sellers and it looks like an email with a PDF is the primary method of delivery for this category (I didn't even see a listing that physically shipped anything).

@Anonymous 

I can't find the policy/announcement, but there are considerations that eBay takes into account for personal emergencies, specifically for Covid. I highly recommend you send a message to eBay for Business on Facebook with a brief explanation and ask them what information they require to re-evaluate your situation.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/

[fab_finds4u]

They have to be approved to sell digitally delivered goods in the format and category they used. They only excluded 11 countries so that's  not cool since it's  a US only item.

They could also be violating intellectual property rights. 

[2013grotz]

---

@fab_finds4u wrote:

They have to be approved to sell digitally delivered goods in the format and category they used. They only excluded 11 countries so that's  not cool since it's  a US only item.

They could also be violating intellectual property rights. 

I looked through the rules and tabbed several things that seem to be amiss regarding OPs listings (like the requirement for an explicit statement that the item isn't covered by the ebay buyer MBG).  But that was the point that seemed odd/interesting that I thought I'd ask about.  Whatever "seller account in good standing" means in ebay's interpretation...

But I'm guessing that good money would say OP is completely unaware of the digital goods policy.

[fab_finds4u]

This is true. Your rating has to be minus 4% before you become NARU over feedback.

Several defects in a short period of time plus a policy violation or two can be the kiss of death.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Very sorry this happened to you and glad you seem to be on the mend. 

Below is a link to eBay’s policy on Seller Standards. There are some tips and directions on what to do when your account falls Below Standard. You do not want to delay in fixing this issue. After two months, eBay may revisit your account, looking for improvement. 

I read with some alarm that you apparently are violating some policy rules. Read the policy on digitally delivered goods and then make corrections to you your listing asap. Link included below.

Good luck in your efforts.

PS— while we all sympathize with your dire predicament, why did you not place your listings on Time Away or end them when you first fell ill? In the future, recommend you have an emergency plan. Perhaps you could enlist a friend to do this for you if you should ever become incapacitated again. Ebay considers this a responsibility of importance when using its platform. Best of luck to you moving forward.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-performance-policy?id=4347

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/electronically-delivered-items-policy...

[mr_lincoln]

---

@popblox wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

@Anonymous   What category do you list the house plans in?

---

The category is Building Plans & Blueprints. I'm not familiar with any exceptions to the digital goods policy, but I checked about 10 listings from different sellers and it looks like an email with a PDF is the primary method of delivery for this category (I didn't even see a listing that physically shipped anything).

@Anonymous 

I can't find the policy/announcement, but there are considerations that eBay takes into account for personal emergencies, specifically for Covid. I highly recommend you send a message to eBay for Business on Facebook with a brief explanation and ask them what information they require to re-evaluate your situation.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/

---

Thank you @popblox , that's what I found when I created a listing with the OP's title using one of their listings.  I could not find the (exception and thus allowed) category the Help pages listed when I browsed categories.  But in reading eBay's Policy my opinion (for what its worth right?!?) is that the OP is not in violation of the Electronically delivered policy since no "key" is involved.  I am however wondering how the delivery confirmation works and if the OP has any late shipping defects on their account because no tracking is involved ...

[janet9988]

In addition

You also can not put your Facebook page on here.

[fab_finds4u]

They need eBay's approval to list a PDF in building plans and blueprints  category because it is a digitally delivered item.

If they don't  have approval then it has to go in the classified format in Everything Else.

Do they even have the rights to republish something they did not create?

[popblox]

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

I am however wondering how the delivery confirmation works and if the OP has any late shipping defects on their account because no tracking is involved ...

---

Ditto - and also wondering about chargebacks due to no tracking? 

I was very surprised to see what appears to be a free-for-all in this category on the electronic delivery. There were 1,000+ listings for blueprints under $100 and every listing that I saw was PDF to email.  I haven't built a house in over a decade, but, at the time, my blueprints were $1,200!