eBay

mugfalia · ‎11-05-2021

So, ebay "time away".

Has anyone ever considered legal action over their seller rating being absolutely destroyed when they sell items whilst on "time away"?
I've come across 2 cases where people have had to close quite successful ebay businesses because of this issue where you are issued defects when items are sold and your shop is on "time away". And I'm sure based on what I've seen this evening that a successful case for loss of earnings could be brought against ebay in those cases.
Sure, i know now that the system is flawed and that you should not under any circumstances allow sales when you're away, but ebay do state in their own information that your delivery dates will be automatically updated when your store is on time away and that buyers will be shown a message telling them you are away.
Despite this they still insist the delivery time suggests a negative experience for the buyer.
Even though ebay have told the buyer the item will arrive later than usual, and extended the delivery times to reflect this... so the buyer is fully aware... its a negative experience if i dont ship something in the time I've told ebay, and ebay have told the buyer I wont be shipping anything.
I have tonight managed to get them to acknowledge that my store was closed between the 16th and the 22nd October using their own "time away" setting, and despite them trying every trick in the book to make me believe otherwise that the buyers were made aware of this by them, and that I could not possibly have shipped my items before the date I did, and that the items were in fact delivered on time based on this, yet still the defects cant be corrected.

This they tell me is because I cant prove i posted the items. Apparently the tracking showing delivery 2 days after I posted them (and one day ahead of estimated delivery) on a 2 day service isn't proof that I posted them 2 days before delivery.
You heard that right, I can almost accept that they think I'm a liar and me stating the date I posted them cant be trusted despite the fact I bought the labels through ebay... and the customer having received them one day before their estimated delivery date, is not proof enough that I posted them on time.
It would be funny if it wasn't so frustrating.

I do wonder why ebay seem to want to treat their sellers this way?
They must realise the whole managed payments thing has lost a lot of sellers money, and also time in terms of accounting...
They must see that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are really getting their acts together in terms of becoming an outlet for a lot of businesses...
Why do they insist on making sellers feel like they are treated like fools by them?

mtgraves7984 · ‎11-05-2021

I think that with such a lengthy Time Away, your listings should have been hidden. Sorry you're going through this.

slippinjimmy · ‎11-05-2021

Since you are in the UK I don't know if the policy is exactly the same as in the US.

Here DELIVERY time is secondary to SHIPPING time, if you receive an acceptance scan within your handling time it doesn't matter if the package is delivered late.

While eBay does adjust the delivery dates they don't seem to alter your handling time if you allow purchases while away, you would need to bulk change your handling time if you are going to take the risk of allowing purchases while away.

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep

katzrul15 · ‎11-05-2021

Legal action? No.

You are clearly upset.

However, you can hide your listings while you are away and most Sellers, unless just gone for 1-2 days or have changed their handling time on all listings to 10+ DAYS or whatever, just hide the listings.

Buyers are unreasonable and impatient. E-Bay metrics apply regardless, even during Hurricanes and power outages and mudslides, etc.

If you cannot ship timely, you should always hide the listings and resume when you can ship timely.

Not what you want to hear, but that is unfortunately what should apply.

....... "The Ranger isn't gonna like it Yogi"......... Boo-Boo knew what he was talking about!

Posting ID Only.......
Yes, I have no Bananas, only Flamethrowers.......

stainlessenginecovers · ‎11-05-2021

You have to manually change the 'handling time' to match your time away.

Gone 7 days and handling time was 2 days? You need to change every listing to 10 days.

It states 'You are still responsible for everything in your listings while away'.

I do 'buy it now' only.

I 'hide' all listings'

Much safer.

femmefan1946 · ‎11-05-2021

If you are Away for more than a weekend, you should HIDE your listings so that you will not accidentally mislead a customer into buying when you cannot ship.

7794heather · ‎11-05-2021

I put my store on Time Away when I came down with Covid. I did NOT want to deal with customers, finding, packaging and mailing with how I felt. I hid my listings. Did not get one message, one sale, recovered and put my store back to Live.

Not sure why you did not hide your listings. If its a day or two I can see why not, but a week? Next time I would consider that if I were you so you don't run into this again.

classynottrashylingerie · ‎11-05-2021

I did time away during the summer and adjusted the handling time. I also posted a message on my storefront. I NEVER stop sales simply because when that is done, buyers come to look and see zero merchandise. Those buyers will never come back. All my sold items are sent out the day or next day I get home. In my over 22 years on here, I have not had one issue with this. I preferred the “vacation settings” to time away because it’s unrealistic to think someone will travel for only 2 weeks.

classynottrashylingerie · ‎11-05-2021

I respectfully disagree. My buyers have no issue with waiting till I return. Doing it for years now. Maybe it’s the type of merchandise I sell, who knows.

femmefan1946 · ‎11-05-2021

when that is done, buyers come to look and see zero merchandise. Those buyers will never come back.

Frankly, there are not many buyers who buy from you or from me or from stainlessenginecovers*.

They buy from eBay.

If they don't see your (or my or SEC's) listings, they do see someone else who has similar items.

And they happily buy from eBay.

We do all the work, and eBay gets all the credit.

When we don't do the work, eBay gets the blame-- and then in turn blame us.

I preferred "vacation" too, but there were some few sellers who objected that they never had time or money for a vacation-- not realizing that the setting could be used for less happy reasons like being in ICU or attending granny's memorial service. Not everyone understands metaphor.

*Nothing personal stainless. You were just the name above my last post.

px_455 · ‎11-05-2021

I went on a short vacation just a few weeks ago, set my time away to start one day before leaving and to re-start the day after I returned. I allowed sales to continue during that time but made it so I wouldn't have to ship until I got back.

I saw absolutely no hiccups, it was really the best way for me, I may have lost a few sales in all but I have no complaints, my experience.

mugfalia · ‎11-09-2021

Thanks for the responses. Just a few thoughts on the replies...

"Buyers are unreasonable and impatient. E-Bay metrics apply regardless, even during Hurricanes and power outages and mudslides, etc. "

My experience is that most buyers are fine, and in these cases not a single buyer has reported late delivery, they are all ebay deciding that the customer has had a "negative experience".
This is despite the fact that ebay tell sellers on time away:

However, buyers will see a message at the top of your listings letting them know that you are on time away
The estimated delivery date will also be automatically updated in the Postage and Delivery section of your listings, so you don't need to make any manual changes

So its not a negative experience if ebay do what they say they will do.
"If you cannot ship timely, you should always hide the listings and resume when you can ship timely. "
Then why do ebay tell me that they will inform my buyer before purchase of the delay in shipping.
And why do they say:

If you allow item sales, your time away can be up to 15 days

"You have to manually change the 'handling time' to match your time away. "
That isnt what ebay say. See above - "you don't need to make any manual changes".

"If you are Away for more than a weekend, you should HIDE your listings so that you will not accidentally mislead a customer into buying when you cannot ship."
Again... not what ebay say. Ebay say THEY will update the delivery estimate.
I checked on the 17th on one of my listings and the estimated delivery time showing was the 28th, so clearly the delivery times are being updated. All items I shipped on my return were delivered on the 27th.

"Not sure why you did not hide your listings."
Because you are guaranteed to lose sales you will never recover. And ebay tells me I dont need to because... "The estimated delivery date will also be automatically updated in the Postage and Delivery section of your listings, so you don't need to make any manual changes"

Even ebays customer advisors admit its wrong.
In my communications they confirm my store was on time away from the 16th to the 22nd. That an item I sold on the 17th would have updated delivery times based on this... and in the very same communication they tell me that I should have shipped it by the 19th.
They also quote from their own information telling me i have to "uphold commitments" which isnt an issue, because even they define "commitments" as relating to items sold before I set "time away".

What it boils down to is this. Ebay "Time Away" is a worthless feature because despite them saying they will inform customers of delays in shipping and delivery, they still decide its a negative experience for the buyer... with no consideration of the negative experience the seller is experiencing.

Anyway... I best get back to my Facebook shop integration.

forward-motion · ‎11-09-2021

I learned really quick after one time of putting my account in vacation mode that you are still expected to ship on time, so there is NO vacation time. I now end all my listings prior to leaving and relist when I get back. I am not sure why they offer such a thing when it means nothing.

laststopgeneralstore · ‎11-09-2021

I don't now where you are located but I have used the time away feature twice this year(almost a month apart each time) with no issues and I allowed buyers to purchase items. You can be away for up to 15 days and allow buyers to purchase item but if it's more than 15 days then they will hide your listings(shut your store down). My time away was 13 & 15 days respectively. Both times I had no issues or defects. I only had 1 buyer from both that ended up canceling because they didn't realize and/or read that I was away. I live in the US so it may be different than other countries but in my experience it worked great.

px_455 · ‎11-09-2021

@forward-motion wrote:
I learned really quick after one time of putting my account in vacation mode that you are still expected to ship on time, so there is NO vacation time. I now end all my listings prior to leaving and relist when I get back. I am not sure why they offer such a thing when it means nothing.

Because you always have to STOP your sales in the settings.