Promoted Listings Policy

[amricons]

This is eBay's Fall policy high points from their site.  There are 12 bullet points.  (listed below of this post)  My question is does anyone  know what the  10th point

• " Removal of duplicated promoted and organic listings in search"  means ? "

Talked to CS reps and they have different answers and bottom like is eBay does not have any specific critria. Have seen talk that what eBay is going to do is to eliminate the sellers "organic listing".   ( In effect increasing fees to the basic fee + promoted %)  Since every promoted listing is a duplicate listing ??

Does anyone know or have any idea what eBay is actually doing as they put this new policy in effect in September.

New policies from Fall update

• Increase your business efficiency with Multi-User Account Access
• Create Promoted Listings on your mobile device
• Increased visibility for Promoted Listings in search results
• New managed payments features to help you run your business
• Some Terapeak functionality is available in Seller Hub
• Additional seller protections benefits for Top Rated Sellers
• New return shipping label credit for false claims
• Refund deduction for used and damaged returns
• Advance listing upgrade fee increase in eBay Motors
• Removal of duplicated promoted and organic listings in search
• Reserve price increase for some eBay Motors categories
• New "Offers to buyers" feature to send offers to buyers that have added items to carts

[2ndchancegoodies]

Yes they mentioned this in the 2019 Seller Fall Update see Ebay link below for info

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2019-fall/growth-tools.html

[2ndchancegoodies]

When you promote your item it would show your item twice, one would be the promoted item and the other would be your normal item not promoted, they plan on removing one of those so there is no duplication from what I understand.

[acem4]

Yes.  Before, when you promoted a listing, the regular listing showed up and a duplicate listing showed up marked promoted.  Thus 2 listings of the same item.  The new policy will eliminate the original listing and just show the promoted one.  Thus 1 listing.

[tyler@ebay]

Hi @amricons - our weekly chat is today and is going to be hosted by the Promoted Listing team directly. I encourage you to participate if you can, as they will be able to answer questions and looking for feedback.

Link here. Thanks!

[dirk12955]

---

@2ndchancegoodies wrote:

When you promote your item it would show your item twice, one would be the promoted item and the other would be your normal item not promoted, they plan on removing one of those so there is no duplication from what I understand.

---

That should remove some of the clutter.

[herasonlinemarket]

Well the promoted listings aren't showing up if the person is using ad block on their machine or phone.  We're locked in to a 30-day window with promoted listings and I am going to take all of my items off since they aren't being viewed.  Hope ebay comes up with a better solution for promoted listings great idea but only if it works.

[amricons]

So far, we have 2 issues.

1. We thought the promoted listing program was about promoting eBay items outside of the site.

2. Understand the duplicate listing issue but if they are going to eliminate one of the listing,  and it seems it will be the organic one. Doesn't that leave the promoted one which from which eBay gets more money but does not produce any benefits for the extra money paid.  So they get FVF + Promoted %. In addition, one  of the ranking critria is the amount you spend which amounts to sellers bidding for position.  Seems to be at a min unethical if bring back some older programs that failed and abandon the the past.  There was a time the SEC 's programs such as "key word" bidding were used but dropped. Now eBay seems to be putting those failed SEO plans in play but due them having control , they can do whatever they want.

3. If you dig deep enough, they have a list of critria of how this policy is to work but they all end with the same old subjective result rather than objective standards.

[amricons]

Also,  this policy has interfered with search, which in our opinion may have impacted sales. For example, if one uses the Lowest price filter, one gets a list now that has missing listings, promoted listing etc so the buyers are getting upset as are not getting what they want to look at and the sellers are no longer on a level playing field.  Buyers do not want to look thru a random list when they have selected specific search. We may be wrong but when we use the various search filters we seem to be looking at a random card deck , instead of the ordered list that used to be there. The fact that in essence the new policy, no matter what they say id a bidding war for placement is not right and buyers are not happy. We know what we are going to do.

[theteamsetguy]

I have ad blockers on all of my computers and still see the promoted listings. In my opinion promoted listings are most beneficial if you sell something that has many sellers. If you are selling one of a kind collectibles you are wasting money. 

[bradleyfineartgallery]

I'm also having problems with Promoted Listings... a buyer asked to cancel a transaction, so I did. eBay credited back the Final Value Fee but not the promoted fee. I called CS to ask why and they said the promoted listing fee is never credited back unless you call. Further, she said that if someone returns something, you have to call CS to get the ad fee credited back AND wait a minimum of 24 hours to see the credit, That just seems insane to me. Is that right? eBay wants EVERY seller who takes a return on a promoted item to call customer service? That seems like a colossal amount of manpower for a very simple thing. Help? Anyone? 

I ended all my promoted listings until I get some clarification on this point. I really can't call every time but it's hundreds if not thousands of dollars in some cases.