Losing Top rated status over tracking?

[lovecraft68]

Last couple of weeks my sales have slowed down drastically. I'm not a high volume seller, but its been crickets for two weeks. This morning I received an e-mail from E-bay talking about a grace period on my top seller status. I have two months to make sure I upload tracking to 90% of my sales

I print all labels through e-bay and always have and I believe the tracking is automatically sent to the buyer, just as I receive it when I buy something, so I do not understand this at all. 

As for other things, I have not had a negative feedback in well over a year, no cases opened against me, no complaints or any other issues

But I listed a comic last night and it didn't show up on the list until page 5 and no longer says top rated even though if I go to my sellers dashboard it says I still have that status.

Any ideas or suggestions? 

[retrobiz]

I just got the same message and asked the question under 'Shipping' because some of my items are remaining in the 'ready to be shipped' cue even after I print my label and I thought that might be the problem.  Read my post and see if any of that sounds familiar.  I find it doubly strange that someone else has gotten the message now.  I did talk to ebay and their non-answer is there also.  Good luck, I think we will need it.

[robbie31415]

It has to be scanned by your handling time.

You can have a shipment with 5 day handling, and print label same day and ship it 4 days later. If that is your handling time.

Or you can create a label on the 5th day and send it.

Makes no difference. Your package just has to be validated based on your handling.

[ed8108]

---

@lovecraft68 wrote:

 To send them a label that's going to cost $4.50 for a comic they bought for $3 doesn't make sense. 

---

Sending buyer a return label has to do with principal & promoting buyer honesty.

[lovecraft68]

Refunding them their money and telling them to keep the comic is also being honest. If they're a collector they won't mind a free comic and I always tell them if they really don't want it to give it away to someone who would like it. 

I've never had anyone complain about that method. 

[lovecraft68]

Now that is interesting and makes sense, could be yet another glitch. I know sometimes if someone buys multiple items, even if I combine the shipping that one of the items may still look like it hasn't shipped and I have to go in and mark it as shipped. 

E-bays non answers are why I come here, Other members are much more helpful and then you can find out-like we just did-someone else is having the same problem.

Thanks for letting me know. 

[fern*wood]

---

@lovecraft68 wrote:

Now that is interesting and makes sense, could be yet another glitch. I know sometimes if someone buys multiple items, even if I combine the shipping that one of the items may still look like it hasn't shipped and I have to go in and mark it as shipped. 

---

Do you add the tracking number to the multiple items purchased?  I'm not sure just marking it as shipped will count toward your percentage on the shipping metrics.

[mam98031]

@lovecraft68 

I'm sorry to hear you are having these issues.  I know you are hoping it is short lived and I hope the same for you.

The requirement to upload tracking has nothing to do with the buyer getting notified of the tracking number.  It is all about Ebay.  And since you purchase your shipping on Ebay it is auto uploaded.  So their statement is a curious one for sure.

Sellers haven't been evaluated on negative FB for years.  The important things for you to watch on a regular basis [at least weekly] is your Seller Dashboard.

https://sellerstandards.ebay.com/dashboard?region=US

It is very important to regularly review this information because you can see where you might have a problem coming and fix it BEFORE you have trouble.

For your listings to qualify for the TRS+ discount on the FVF you must comply with three things.

1. Your account must be TRS

2. You must offer 1 day handling.

3. You must offer Free Returns [with the exception of a few categories]

Your newest listing doesn't comply with 2 or 3 so it doesn't qualify for TRS+

Don't count on this being a glitch.  Be proactive and find out for sure.  The impact to the health of your account is too great, not to mention the added 6% FVF you'd have to pay if you fall below standard.

If you don't mind, do a couple things please.  Review your Seller Dashboard that I gave you a link above for.  If you are having a problem with tracking, it will show up there and you can even get a detailed report for every item that has caused this issue.

Also if you would cut and past the body of the email you got from Ebay in a post here.  Just remember to black out any personal information.  But we may spot something in that email that you didn't.

So review your Dashboard CLOSELY and copy the email here.  We need to zero in on the problem to be able to properly help you.

Keep your Chin up.  We will try to help you.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Achieving TRS status is just too much work.  I like to think most of us have other commitments and things to do / enjoy in our personal lives than be on eBay 24/7. 

What does bother me at times is that some of the changes eBay makes, ends up creating me to work more to revise listings. I understand that software changes can create hick-ups, but like right now, I'm being told that I have 716 items to revise for 'item specifics'. I have worked on this issue what seems like the last two years off and on and when I list a new item, I work through the item specifics before listing, but it just seems the number to revise never goes down. 

One day handling is too much work. I'm not running to the post office every day (gas prices) nor schedule pick-ups because my carrier can come anywhere between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. (seriously) and I won't just leave my packages on the porch for the pirates. 

I don't believe in automatic returns. That is why I try to be as detailed as possible, answer questions, and even note in my listings a variation of 'see photos', 'read details', & 'ask questions if needed'. 

[lovecraft68]

I agree with everything you said. I have too much going on to promise a one day turn around all the time and spot on as far as item specifics go. I sell comics and the list of fields to fill in is ridiculous and some I would have to spend time researching to get the answer so I gave up going backwards to keep fixing them. 

E-Bay forgets that often less is more. They used to be so simple to list and now for some items its a laundry list of things to fill in. 

Amazon started the e-book market-which I do well in-and to this day they have only made minor changes and by far are the easiest platform to publish through.  They saw it wasn't broken and didn't need to fix it. 

What E-bay does have going for it is this community which has always been very helpful and informative and friendly. I think the sellers make E-bay what it is....its not management, that's for sure.

[fern*wood]

---

@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:

Achieving TRS status is just too much work.

---

You are a top rated seller on this ID.

[mam98031]

@lovecraft68 

You misunderstand the requirements to be TRS.  You do NOT have to have a one day handling time  I'm TRS and I have a 2 day handling with a return policy of 30 days, buyer pays shipping.  I've been TRS since around the date it started years ago.

I think you are confusing the requires to have a listing qualify for the discount of 10% off the FVF.  That is called TRS+.  If you are TRS you can have some or none of your listings qualify for the discount.