Removal of "Seller Refurbished" option. Further eBay sabotage of small businesses.

[gwzcomps]

Got an email today that eBay was going to be removing the "Seller Refurbished" option from listings.  Seems it is because we are competing against eBay ambition to give special privileges to their preferred vendors selling refurbished goods.  Obviously there is no stopping that move since eBay is anti small business behind the scenes.  I just find it to be quite disappointing as some of the stuff being sold as "Refurbished" by eBay preferred vendors isn't any more refurbished than what everyone else sells.  Seems borderline discriminatory IMO.

[heckofagame]

So, they are moving them to "used". Aren't they technically "used"? You wouldn't refurbish a new item.

[gwzcomps]

Seller refurbished refers to used items that a seller refurbished.  Usually by doing things like replacing consumable parts with new ones, cleaning, and bringing back to a "factory" state.  Now we are forced to just mark everything as used.

[heckofagame]

It is possible there will be an item specific where you can select "refurbished"?

[dariudaudery_0]

Seller refurbished is fairly similar to Used condition mentioning what was done to the item.

Would not make a big deal out of it, just mention in the listing what was done to the item.

[jda05121]

So mention what you did in the description.....

[gwzcomps]

Seems people are forgetting that buyers don't read the description.

[gwzcomps]

It wouldn't show in a meaningful way in the search results.  Also wouldn't be searchable through filters.

[heckofagame]

Couldn't one just put the word "refurbished" in the title?

[bashort]

I never did like "seller refurbished" and would always bypass such items when buying, to me a used item on ebay is a item that works as it should regardless of if it had been repaired or not.

[gwzcomps]

That will be an interesting question.  Might be a waste of a keyword, but worth a shot.

[gwzcomps]

People do misuse the condition, but in theory that should be a self correcting issue.  I would be shocked if the stuff I am selling as refurbished is any less refurbished than eBay preferred sellers.

[coolections]

Refurbished actually just means it is a used item that works. Obviously before replacing parts it did not work. I don't see the big deal as long as the item works.

[chapeau-noir]

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@gwzcomps wrote:

Seller refurbished refers to used items that a seller refurbished.  Usually by doing things like replacing consumable parts with new ones, cleaning, and bringing back to a "factory" state.  Now we are forced to just mark everything as used.

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@gwzcomps   I sell seller-refurbished tech (peripherals) and my POV is that eBay may have decided to limit the refurbished category to Certified Refurbished so there's a sort of audit trail.  Not all sellers are like us and take time and have significant skill in refurbishing, and I'll bet the category has been abused. 

What I would do is simply add 'refurbished' to the title and then use the condition description to describe seller refurbished and what that is - it'll pop up right under the title so will be evident to anyone looking at it.

[gwzcomps]

I feel you neglected to do a simple search before posting your comment.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/refurbish

to furbish again; renovate; brighten: