Promoted Listings Standard - Ad Rate Minimum Increasing (1% to 2%)

[wastingtime101]

Got this e-mail from eBay:

We're continuously evaluating the performance and impact quality of Promoted Listings Standard as a tool to drive seller success. As part of this work, effective July 11, we’ll be changing the minimum ad rate for Promoted Listings Standard from 1% to 2%. While we recognize this impacts your business, this change will ensure your campaigns remain competitive in reaching buyers in our growing marketplace, and also allow us to deliver products and services that drive best-in-class returns for eBay sellers.

Just in the past year, we’ve added new Promoted Listings Standard features like an all-in-one campaign dashboard and downloadable reports that provide sellers with a convenient way to review important campaign data. On July 11, we’ll be rolling out a new feature that’ll allow sellers to edit multiple listings at once for both Bulk and Simple campaigns. This’ll make it quicker to adjust ad rates versus having to make manual changes for each campaign.

And there’s more to come.

Next steps

We’d encourage you to adjust your ad rates that are below 2% on or before July 11 to 2% or higher so that your promoted listings can continue to appear in advertising placements across the eBay network. If you decide not to make any changes, those listings will still be active but won’t be promoted.

[ci1000]

So don't use it.

[collectfest]

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@greatstuff80 wrote:

I think the idea may be to drive away small sellers in favor of big sellers with big ad budgets. They publicly practically said so months ago that they were looking for more high end luxury sellers. What they have done thus far does not appear to be working. But ebay does not seem to understand that.

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Its working, a whole lot of superb antique dealers. 

[valueaddedresource]

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@nuclearomen wrote:

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@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

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@nuclearomen wrote:

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The increase to PLS is likely based on two things, 1 PLA's flopped, while being used by really big sellers most smaller sellers don't get a benefit to using Advanced unless they are dealing with large quantities and can offer cheaper prices to compete.  

---

I think this is an interesting take.  Just curious, what makes you say it was a flop?  Not doubting it, as it seems like there was a blitz & then I never heard about it again.   I'm heavy into PL's (and at way more than 1% so this won't affect me) but I've never tried PLA's & don't intend to.   I've not gotten the email either, I wonder if it's cause I already promote at way more than 1%.   I'm just curious if you have any evidence as to PLA's flopping or if it's just your opinion?  

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it's evident in just the fact that they are raising the minimal elected percentage in PLS to 2% - even though majority of those who use PLS already elect more then 1%-2%. It's evident in your statement: "I've never tried PLA's & don't intend to." - yes, and this will be the statement from 99.9% (if not 100%) of the people who reply here about PLA's. I can tell you why you "never tried PLA's and don't intend to" - because you don't deal in quantity - you sell one off items - pre-owned - in clothing - nothing against that, but category saturated with millions of sellers - on ALL platforms not just ebay. I do sell in quantity, but not enough to use PLA's and make profit, not stocking 100+ of something. PLA's are designed for ebay's large sellers (meaning those who deal in large quantities - not sellers who have lots of feedback and 4,000+ items but only 1 or 2 of each item) and who can afford to budget out money for promotions on those items. I know 2 sellers on ebay that use PLA's but they are record labels (and not small labels, they are longtime very large labels who have their foot in every platform/market possible) can afford to budget an expense for per click listings and whom use PLA's on their own releases (not others). PLS are designed for the smaller sellers (those selling one off or few quantity) where the fee only applies if the item sells on that PL. Thus majority of sellers will be using PLS and not PLA, but ebay rolled out the PLA hoping others would use it also, and possibly some small percentage of small sellers do (with millions of sellers on the platform be hard to say there isn't) but economically, it isn't viable for small sellers to do PLA's unless profit being made far out weighs the cost to do them.

I hear people talk about how they elect ebay's silly suggested rates or more, that's fine, if seller feel they really need to but there is no actual data to support those suggested or higher rates on PLS's generally are justified, via tera peak or any other report. I sell more on 2%-3% then sellers I know electing 15%+ but everything depends on category / item one is peddling. 

---

To add to this as far as PLA being a flop in the sense of low adoption rates - listen to how eBay talks about it on earnings calls or anywhere that analysts might hear them.....it's still a "nascent beta program" despite the fact it's been a thing for over a year (originally only for select sellers) and open to most sellers on the platform for at least 9 months now.

Translation - they are trying to set very low expectations for PLA on Wall Street because hardly anyone has signed up and/or the ones who have aren't spending near enough.

Another interesting point to look at both PLA and PL Express for auctions is how often eBay is throwing out ad fee discount promotions for them.

I've seen limited 50%-80% off PLA fee promos targeting various categories or countries/eBay sites at least every couple months since last year if not more often and right now eBay Australia is running $0.99 PL Express promo instead of the $2.99-$4.99+ average ad rates that are usually applicable.

Again, clear sign they are struggling to get sellers on board with those ad types and are trying to pull levers to see what might move the needle.

They also have two new ad types coming soon - Cost Per Click Promoted Display ads that show at the top of the View Items page and seller funded direct Google ads.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/New-Promoted-Listings-Ad-Types-Coming-Soon/td-p/33000051

I suspect those will also be slow to catch on with sellers so....they've decided to milk the one cash cow that has done all the heavy lifting (PL Standard) even more.  Unfortunately old Bessie can only take so much and I'm afraid eBay may be nearing that tipping point.

[katzrul15]

Disappointed to receive the email today.

Not because 1% is more, but because of the wording and again, a take it or leave it scenario.

Did someone at e-Bay hit the "destruct" button vs the launch codes to Rocket this Ship?

What site changes 43 items a week for months on end?  And does it intentionally??

Change can be difficult, but 2021 and into 2022 feel like an all out brawl/battle to just find ways to "be" on this site.

Slay the Dragon, endure the locusts, wrestle the winged monkeys, swat the sand flies, build boat for flood, paddle with 1 oar, run barefoot thru lava pit, climb ravine to jump to ledge to swing over to tar pits and try to wrangle wolverines who are in charge of handing out parachutes before embarking on next leg in prop plane.......

Oddly, I just want the ability to offer our wares and make a fair price.  No ideals of wealth or power or tropical sunsets.  Work hard, reap rewards.

Nutz.

[ci1000]

It may be a flop and this could be the end of eBay as so many have predicted for the past 10 years.  If you have been on eBay for any length of time you have muddled through the implementation of the following short list of changes eBay has made:

GTC – Good till Cancelled Listings

Managed Payments

Item Specifics

Category changes

Rant and vent all you want but eBay will not change this.  It doesn’t matter what their motives are… Increased profit or placating their stockholders. It’s a fact, so my question is how are you going to deal with yet another bull**bleep** change? Are you going to bail or figure out how to make this work for you?

I just want to sell my stuff, ship it and pay the rent.  Pretty simple in the big picture.

[buybaycoins]

Don't pay for promoted listings.

[ci1000]

Like I said before.  You don't like it don't use it.  Whatever you decide, at least you have the choice.

[katzrul15]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

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@nuclearomen wrote:

---

@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

---

@nuclearomen wrote:

---

---

The increase to PLS is likely based on two things, 1 PLA's flopped, while being used by really big sellers most smaller sellers don't get a benefit to using Advanced unless they are dealing with large quantities and can offer cheaper prices to compete.  

---

I think this is an interesting take.  Just curious, what makes you say it was a flop?  Not doubting it, as it seems like there was a blitz & then I never heard about it again.   I'm heavy into PL's (and at way more than 1% so this won't affect me) but I've never tried PLA's & don't intend to.   I've not gotten the email either, I wonder if it's cause I already promote at way more than 1%.   I'm just curious if you have any evidence as to PLA's flopping or if it's just your opinion?  

---

it's evident in just the fact that they are raising the minimal elected percentage in PLS to 2% - even though majority of those who use PLS already elect more then 1%-2%. It's evident in your statement: "I've never tried PLA's & don't intend to." - yes, and this will be the statement from 99.9% (if not 100%) of the people who reply here about PLA's. I can tell you why you "never tried PLA's and don't intend to" - because you don't deal in quantity - you sell one off items - pre-owned - in clothing - nothing against that, but category saturated with millions of sellers - on ALL platforms not just ebay. I do sell in quantity, but not enough to use PLA's and make profit, not stocking 100+ of something. PLA's are designed for ebay's large sellers (meaning those who deal in large quantities - not sellers who have lots of feedback and 4,000+ items but only 1 or 2 of each item) and who can afford to budget out money for promotions on those items. I know 2 sellers on ebay that use PLA's but they are record labels (and not small labels, they are longtime very large labels who have their foot in every platform/market possible) can afford to budget an expense for per click listings and whom use PLA's on their own releases (not others). PLS are designed for the smaller sellers (those selling one off or few quantity) where the fee only applies if the item sells on that PL. Thus majority of sellers will be using PLS and not PLA, but ebay rolled out the PLA hoping others would use it also, and possibly some small percentage of small sellers do (with millions of sellers on the platform be hard to say there isn't) but economically, it isn't viable for small sellers to do PLA's unless profit being made far out weighs the cost to do them.

I hear people talk about how they elect ebay's silly suggested rates or more, that's fine, if seller feel they really need to but there is no actual data to support those suggested or higher rates on PLS's generally are justified, via tera peak or any other report. I sell more on 2%-3% then sellers I know electing 15%+ but everything depends on category / item one is peddling. 

---

To add to this as far as PLA being a flop in the sense of low adoption rates - listen to how eBay talks about it on earnings calls or anywhere that analysts might hear them.....it's still a "nascent beta program" despite the fact it's been a thing for over a year (originally only for select sellers) and open to most sellers on the platform for at least 9 months now.

Translation - they are trying to set very low expectations for PLA on Wall Street because hardly anyone has signed up and/or the ones who have aren't spending near enough.

Another interesting point to look at both PLA and PL Express for auctions is how often eBay is throwing out ad fee discount promotions for them.

I've seen limited 50%-80% off PLA fee promos targeting various categories or countries/eBay sites at least every couple months since last year if not more often and right now eBay Australia is running $0.99 PL Express promo instead of the $2.99-$4.99+ average ad rates that are usually applicable.

Again, clear sign they are struggling to get sellers on board with those ad types and are trying to pull levers to see what might move the needle.

They also have two new ad types coming soon - Cost Per Click Promoted Display ads that show at the top of the View Items page and seller funded direct Google ads.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/New-Promoted-Listings-Ad-Types-Coming-Soon/td-p/33000051

I suspect those will also be slow to catch on with sellers so....they've decided to milk the one cash cow that has done all the heavy lifting (PL Standard) even more.  Unfortunately old Bessie can only take so much and I'm afraid eBay may be nearing that tipping point.

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Yes.  Bessie is not fairing well.

[nuclearomen]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

---

@nuclearomen wrote:

---

@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

---

@nuclearomen wrote:

---

---

The increase to PLS is likely based on two things, 1 PLA's flopped, while being used by really big sellers most smaller sellers don't get a benefit to using Advanced unless they are dealing with large quantities and can offer cheaper prices to compete.  

---

I think this is an interesting take.  Just curious, what makes you say it was a flop?  Not doubting it, as it seems like there was a blitz & then I never heard about it again.   I'm heavy into PL's (and at way more than 1% so this won't affect me) but I've never tried PLA's & don't intend to.   I've not gotten the email either, I wonder if it's cause I already promote at way more than 1%.   I'm just curious if you have any evidence as to PLA's flopping or if it's just your opinion?  

---

it's evident in just the fact that they are raising the minimal elected percentage in PLS to 2% - even though majority of those who use PLS already elect more then 1%-2%. It's evident in your statement: "I've never tried PLA's & don't intend to." - yes, and this will be the statement from 99.9% (if not 100%) of the people who reply here about PLA's. I can tell you why you "never tried PLA's and don't intend to" - because you don't deal in quantity - you sell one off items - pre-owned - in clothing - nothing against that, but category saturated with millions of sellers - on ALL platforms not just ebay. I do sell in quantity, but not enough to use PLA's and make profit, not stocking 100+ of something. PLA's are designed for ebay's large sellers (meaning those who deal in large quantities - not sellers who have lots of feedback and 4,000+ items but only 1 or 2 of each item) and who can afford to budget out money for promotions on those items. I know 2 sellers on ebay that use PLA's but they are record labels (and not small labels, they are longtime very large labels who have their foot in every platform/market possible) can afford to budget an expense for per click listings and whom use PLA's on their own releases (not others). PLS are designed for the smaller sellers (those selling one off or few quantity) where the fee only applies if the item sells on that PL. Thus majority of sellers will be using PLS and not PLA, but ebay rolled out the PLA hoping others would use it also, and possibly some small percentage of small sellers do (with millions of sellers on the platform be hard to say there isn't) but economically, it isn't viable for small sellers to do PLA's unless profit being made far out weighs the cost to do them.

I hear people talk about how they elect ebay's silly suggested rates or more, that's fine, if seller feel they really need to but there is no actual data to support those suggested or higher rates on PLS's generally are justified, via tera peak or any other report. I sell more on 2%-3% then sellers I know electing 15%+ but everything depends on category / item one is peddling. 

---

To add to this as far as PLA being a flop in the sense of low adoption rates - listen to how eBay talks about it on earnings calls or anywhere that analysts might hear them.....it's still a "nascent beta program" despite the fact it's been a thing for over a year (originally only for select sellers) and open to most sellers on the platform for at least 9 months now.

Translation - they are trying to set very low expectations for PLA on Wall Street because hardly anyone has signed up and/or the ones who have aren't spending near enough.

Another interesting point to look at both PLA and PL Express for auctions is how often eBay is throwing out ad fee discount promotions for them.

I've seen limited 50%-80% off PLA fee promos targeting various categories or countries/eBay sites at least every couple months since last year if not more often and right now eBay Australia is running $0.99 PL Express promo instead of the $2.99-$4.99+ average ad rates that are usually applicable.

Again, clear sign they are struggling to get sellers on board with those ad types and are trying to pull levers to see what might move the needle.

They also have two new ad types coming soon - Cost Per Click Promoted Display ads that show at the top of the View Items page and seller funded direct Google ads.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/New-Promoted-Listings-Ad-Types-Coming-Soon/td-p/33000051

I suspect those will also be slow to catch on with sellers so....they've decided to milk the one cash cow that has done all the heavy lifting (PL Standard) even more.  Unfortunately old Bessie can only take so much and I'm afraid eBay may be nearing that tipping point.

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@valueaddedresource 
indeed, and great point on the low rates.

I didn't know about those coming additions to PL's - haven't been on community much past several months - I got bored of reading / replying the same things all the time - thanks for the link - I'll give a visit check it out.  

[nuclearomen]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

Disappointed to receive the email today.

Not because 1% is more, but because of the wording and again, a take it or leave it scenario.

Did someone at e-Bay hit the "destruct" button vs the launch codes to Rocket this Ship?

What site changes 43 items a week for months on end?  And does it intentionally??

Change can be difficult, but 2021 and into 2022 feel like an all out brawl/battle to just find ways to "be" on this site.

Slay the Dragon, endure the locusts, wrestle the winged monkeys, swat the sand flies, build boat for flood, paddle with 1 oar, run barefoot thru lava pit, climb ravine to jump to ledge to swing over to tar pits and try to wrangle wolverines who are in charge of handing out parachutes before embarking on next leg in prop plane.......

Oddly, I just want the ability to offer our wares and make a fair price.  No ideals of wealth or power or tropical sunsets.  Work hard, reap rewards.

Nutz.

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@katzrul15 
the disappointment is that ebay is demanding the increase by not giving sellers the option of Full Control to what they elect, even though it's only 1% increase to the minimal and many sellers seasoned with PLS already elect more then what they are asking, there is still the aspect that they are taking away option that isn't their merchandise to be electing any minimal. Some items can't afford to elect more then 1% on top of their already high FVF's, Shipping etc... and the growing inflation isn't helping anyone's sales as of late. Instead of trying to suck more money from sellers ebay should be looking at ways to save their sellers on fees and keep the rate of transactions higher then to decease the possibility of sellers using PLS's and increase sales in that area.  

[nuclearomen]

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@ci1000 wrote:

It may be a flop and this could be the end of eBay as so many have predicted for the past 10 years.  If you have been on eBay for any length of time you have muddled through the implementation of the following short list of changes eBay has made:

GTC – Good till Cancelled Listings

Managed Payments

Item Specifics

Category changes

Rant and vent all you want but eBay will not change this.  It doesn’t matter what their motives are… Increased profit or placating their stockholders. It’s a fact, so my question is how are you going to deal with yet another bull**bleep** change? Are you going to bail or figure out how to make this work for you?

I just want to sell my stuff, ship it and pay the rent.  Pretty simple in the big picture.

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@ci1000 
yeah, but you know anything ebay does they won't change, especially from anything discussed on these boards - they care less. As for me, the increase means nothing, I'll keep using PLS as always have and won't change a thing, even if I have elect a percent or 2 more later, my profit will remain regardless, even if I have to give $1 extra from a sale that already cost me $0.80 extra on the PLS sale. 

[blueshoeboutique]

Same here. We have historically used 1% across the board, but the rate of fee increases is too much. When this change takes effect, we just won't promote anymore. Might hurt our sales, but things are so slow on eBay right now that I guess it won't make a big difference. At least we still have our Amazon store.

I hope at some point eBay realizes they can't just keep squeezing sellers for more and more fees to make up for the overall decline in sales volume. Well, maybe they can...but I hope enough sellers quit promoting that this will backfire on eBay.

[vintagecraze50]

You betcha. 

[vintagecraze50]

Up and up your prices must go and where it stops nobody knows. LOL.

[gracieallen01]

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@chlipp-78 wrote:

The fact that they're making this change almost immediately after they started charging promoted fees on shipping shows just how greedy they are and how little respect they have for sellers... that was a huge change against sellers and they couldn't even give it two or three months to let it blow over. It's like hurricane season where one storm is immediately followed by another storm without hesitation... so destructive and sickening. 

At what point will sellers stand together and say enough is enough? We really need a social media presence with hundreds of thousands of followers, like an accountability account, so if they decide to hurt us they will at least receive negative publicity for it that can't be ignored... right now the backlash is too small and scattered to get them to listen. Negative publicity won't stop them from making greedy moves, but it could get them to think twice and slow them down. 

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Never - and ebay knows it.