eBay

garymi6 · ‎03-22-2017

Its important. Its bound to drag exposure for regular listings down even further. Now that the TRS discount is slashed in half, its not worth having 1 day handling for many sellers (like myself) anymore. Not everyones orders go in bubble wrappers and small boxs. Its just not worth it if your packing heavy or big, time consuming orders anymore. Dropping TRS and not opting into this new program thats horrible for average to medium sized sellers, will push listings further and further down the page for otherwise great sellers.

As the article im posting a link to at the bottom mentions, ebay does intend for us to pay for the shipping refund a buyer gets if their package is past the guaranteed date. Money will come from our pockets. So if your not big enough to absorb the losses, or sell items with many many multiples where its finacially worth it to do everything to stay on the top of the list. For the average seller of single item listings though, your getting the shaft.

Ebays new changes make it so you have to jump through hoops to get the TRS exposure (because the discount is almost useless now). Take 30 day returns and ship next day for peanuts, but if you dont, exposure goes down. Now with this and the new promoted listings, you will have to pay ebay way more in for the listing, AND have to refund shipping (or take it back if they want) if it doesnt make it in 3 days.

So, if we dont want to get buried by big business compitition, and continue to get the same exposure we get today, we would need to continue to jump through hoops for the now useless TRS Plus listing discounts, pay extra for promoted listings, and offer 3 day guaranteed delivery or the shippings free. Just to end up at the same exposure. As it sits now only bigger companies can afford to absorb all these expenses. Its just wrong.

Is this the new direction the new young CEO wants to go? Hes dong a major diservice to many of his best sellers. He seems to forget that unlike Amazon (Amazon Prime - which is what he is attempting to compete with), ebay doesnt have a warehouse full of employees to expidite shipping. Plus they dont own the merchandise, nor have 3rd party items in their possession. Its not their guarantee to make, and to then make US refund shipping if its a day past their made up date!? Ridiculous.

Am I alone on this one?

Under the new eBay program, if a product doesn't arrive in the guaranteed time, both eBay and the seller will chip in to refund shipping costs. If an item was shipped for free, eBay and the seller will provide an eBay coupon, expected to be $5, Lawton said. Two-thirds of the products on eBay include free shipping, according to the company.

annadryl · ‎03-22-2017

There will be those buyers that HOPE the package is a little late every time the weather is bad so they can collect their refund or credit. And ebay will make it look like an ebay benefit, paid for by ebay. Yikes, this past year there was almost always shutdown weather somewhere. The carriers can't control that.

vintagecraze50 · ‎03-22-2017

It was my understanding on the initial thread that Ebay pays for the shipping if the postal service does not come through AS LONG as YOU the seller get the package to the post office within your stated handling time and get a scan. That is what is suppose to happen.

def.a.posting.id · ‎03-23-2017

its certainly going to keep the post office busy...

all these packages flying back and forth...

stonevintage · ‎03-23-2017

I was picturing the photo in the news last week where another semi truck got split in two by a train (driver ok). These mega companies that will guarantee door to door, that may have hundreds of packages on one single outbound truck.... but I guess they probably have some kind of insurance for that.

dhbookds · ‎03-23-2017

I guess they probably have some kind of insurance for that.

yep.....now you're understanding........the big guys will have a deal with the shippers that at least partially covers them........both will write off their losses...

Ebay has budgeted x amount to cover small sellers and will write that off.......just as we write off return costs........

Advertising (coupons/loss leaders) is always a write off........with the hopes that increased sales will increase profits above the write off.......

tamaralea · ‎03-23-2017

@stonevintage I was under the impression that the stated handling time must be 0-1 day. This whole concept is for buyers who want things fast.

readabouthorses · ‎03-23-2017

@tamaralea wrote:
@stonevintage I was under the impression that the stated handling time must be 0-1 day. This whole concept is for buyers who want things fast.

That was my understanding as well. It was mentioned multiple times that handling needed to be 0/1 day.

I also don't understand why they (eBay) keep harping on if we want more information or to be kept up to date why we need to sign up? So they will only be sharing further information on this program with those who sign up?

I'm sort of glad that I won't even be considering this program when I get back to listing again. There is no possible way I could meet 0/1 day handling.

tamaralea · ‎03-23-2017

I COULD meet the 0-1 day handling, as I've been doing it for 2 years as a TRS. However, I refuse to do it for a measly 1% discount. I am actually looking forward to selling at a more relaxed pace.

tamaralea · ‎03-23-2017

That should have read, "I am looking forward to SHIPPING at a more relaxed pace." I don't think I could SELL at a more relaxed pace.

tev4all · ‎03-23-2017

@readabouthorses wrote:
@tamaralea wrote:
@stonevintage I was under the impression that the stated handling time must be 0-1 day. This whole concept is for buyers who want things fast.
That was my understanding as well. It was mentioned multiple times that handling needed to be 0/1 day.

I also don't understand why they (eBay) keep harping on if we want more information or to be kept up to date why we need to sign up? So they will only be sharing further information on this program with those who sign up?

I'm sort of glad that I won't even be considering this program when I get back to listing again. There is no possible way I could meet 0/1 day handling.

To keep those not onboard with this "great idea" in the dark as to what is really gonna happen come the fall update. Sellers not opted in to one of the two optional gaurantees will also be held to a gauranteed date. When they don't meet that date they will be charged a fee for not doing so.

the next great ad push "ebay, where everything has a guaranteed delivery date."

sign up for future updates here

stonevintage · ‎03-23-2017

Oops! You're right. Well that leaves me out too and I don't mind. Does bug me though that some will be ok if their package arrives late thru no fault of their own and are immune for neg for that - and some won't. It's a bad rule being enforced for some and not for others. So, it's a penalty for those not able to offer 1 day shipping.

jlr_enterprise · ‎03-23-2017

We sell on amazon and offer 2 day guarretted more people pay for it than we though would. it's an up charge of $20 + weight. UPS and Fedex both guarentte their delivery dates for ground and air (except for weather delays) You have to open a case with them to get the shipping refunded.

USPS doesn't guarrette anything but PM express (even then the PO has to sign saying they tendered the package in time) and when they are late you will have to jump through hoops to get the shipping refunded and you have to go to your local post office to do so.

klassic*kids · ‎03-23-2017

@tamaralea wrote:
@stonevintage I was under the impression that the stated handling time must be 0-1 day. This whole concept is for buyers who want things fast.

@tamaralea I am a little confused on this. Do they mean tracking and uploading in 0-1 day or do they mean an acceptance scan in 0-1 day? And if they mean acceptance scans what happens with PO's that don't scan immediately?

Happy 2018! May this upcoming year be a prosperous one!