Sellers Beware of New "Handy Assembly Charge" Feature Ebay Has Added To All Furniture Listings

[mostexcellentdesigns]

Ebay has added a new option on all used furniture listings which has done nothing but confuse and turn off my potential buyers. They added this box just below the Make An Offer button: Chair assembly from Handy - $72.00Handy will email you to schedule service. Handy Terms & Privacy Policy apply  We only sell used furniture and none of it needs assembly and I've already had several potential buyers ask why they have to pay for assembly (and these are only the ones who asked for an explanation and not the ones who just moved on to another seller's listing). This feature should be an option for a seller to add to their listing. Ebay has said this feature is here to stay even on my items that don't need assembly. Charish here we come. 

[Anonymous]

---

@readabouthorses wrote:

@Anonymous

So Trinton ... I gotta ask. Has Ebay made absolutely sure that these people who might be coming to my home are in fact legit and trustworthy?

I ask this because just recently in my state a family had a terrible experience with one of the people that were recommended by that service called HomeAdvisor. Turns out the guy was a con artist, had a criminal record and was not anyone I would want to invite into my home.

So what happens if a buyer chooses this service and gets ripped off? Who is responsible? The seller? Ebay? Does the service provider take care of any damages this person might do in a home? What if a buyer chooses the service and pays for it and the guy never shows up? How do they get a refund of their money? 

---

Hi @readabouthorses, the answers you are looking for are in the link I provided previously. If you have additional questions beyond what is in the FAQ, you are welcome to contact Handy's Customer Service for more information.

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone, I'm not certain why this service has raised such a high level of concern within the Community and want to reassure everyone that Handy is a reputable service that we are partnered with to provide installation and assembly options. This is an optional service and only you can determine if it provides value to you based on the product you purchase, the unique installation needs you may have and how you feel about hiring a professional in general. I want to reassure everyone that there is no reason to be concerned with this feature, as it is a perfectly normal installation service similar to any other you may find in your area. There is no cause for alarm and I encourage anyone who has concerns to simply read the FAQ or contact Handy directly with questions.

[gracieallen01]

@Anonymous

Hello Trinton,

As many have mentioned, I think the primary concern is "the way it has been implimented", both without the seller's being advised or forewarned AND the fact that it is inappropriate for many of the listings upon which it has been placed.

Perhaps a careful review of how it has been placed and where it has been placed should be considered.  I'm sure ebay is 'paid' per placement, but that shouldn't mean that it is carelessly place where inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

---

@gracieallen01 wrote:

@Anonymous

Hello Trinton,

As many have mentioned, I think the primary concern is "the way it has been implimented", both without the seller's being advised or forewarned AND the fact that it is inappropriate for many of the listings upon which it has been placed.

Perhaps a careful review of how it has been placed and where it has been placed should be considered.  I'm sure ebay is 'paid' per placement, but that shouldn't mean that it is carelessly place where inappropriate.

---

Hi @gracieallen01, we definitely keep an eye on any new additions to the site and have already made adjustments to the feature by removing outdoor furniture, for example. While I know there were concerns with this appearing on some items (such as plaques or posters) since the service does help with installation or hanging of items on various types of walls, this does still provide value for those items. 

This is not the only feature showcased in this manner - we have partnered with SquareTrade for a number of years to offer warranties on electronic items. In instances where these are appearing on inappropriate listings and the listing was not created with the wrong category we will take steps to improve. Happy to continue taking examples to pass along!

[birdloner]

Can't I simply say "I don't want this on my listing" -- it is MY listing and I am paying for it, either with my store or through a listing charge. This makes me VERY ANGRY. I have not sold a single one of these sets of wind bells and they require NO INSTALLATION. I had some other check my listing and they said that is one of the first things they notice --- installation costs more than the item. Will be calling today.

[gracieallen01]

---

@birdloner wrote:

Can't I simply say "I don't want this on my listing" -- it is MY listing and I am paying for it, either with my store or through a listing charge. This makes me VERY ANGRY. I have not sold a single one of these sets of wind bells and they require NO INSTALLATION. I had some other check my listing and they said that is one of the first things they notice --- installation costs more than the item. Will be calling today.

---

No.  Well, you can, but it probably won't do you any good.

ebay wants it there - it's an ebay 'partner' and ebay makes money from it and ebay thinks it's a great idea.

[luckythewinner]

Ebay has added a new option on all used furniture listings 

They may be adding it to some listings, but not to all of them. I just looked at a dozen used tables and chairs and none of them had that option. 

This feature should be an option for a seller to add to their listing

If it were an option, no seller would choose and eBay would not earn any comissions from it. 

[adkhighker]

"This feature should be an option for a seller to add to their listing

If it were an option, no seller would choose and eBay would not earn any comissions from it."

You nailed it. 

First ebay is adding the Make Offer option to sellers' listings without our consent. Now they're adding this Handy Assembly Charge thing without our consent. What's next? Are they going to start accepting lowball offers by buyers through Make Offer without the sellers' consent?

Not only is it sad that they can add these options to sellers' listings without the seller knowing anything about it, but it's getting so confusing for buyers, as well, when they come here that it's no small wonder that buyers will go elsewhere were things are less confusing, following right behind the sellers who are leaving ahead of them. 

[go-bad-chicken]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Hi everyone, I'm not certain why this service has raised such a high level of concern within the Community and want to reassure everyone that Handy is a reputable service that we are partnered with to provide installation and assembly options. 

---

Trinton you seem to have chosen to come to this conversation wearing your rose colored glasses.

eBay's new reputable partner appears to find it necessary to indemnify themselves from any and all responsibility for the actual services that they are providing to eBay's customers IN CAPITAL LETTERS, within their own terms of service, and which eBay is selling to its customers on behalf of Handy. 

Handy Terms Of Service

b. Background Checks. Handy checks the backgrounds of Professionals via third party background check services. However, each Requester should exercise caution and common sense to protect its personal safety and property, just as you would when interacting with any person whom you do not know. BY USING THE HANDY PLATFORM, THE REQUESTER AGREES TO HOLD HANDY FREE FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LIABILITY OR DAMAGE THAT MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. HANDY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT, WHETHER ONLINE OR OFFLINE, OF ANY USER INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS, AND WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, INJURY OR DAMAGE ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

Reputable?

[beardedbovine]

---

@a_c_green wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@beardedbovine wrote:

brian@ebay

I'm all for ways to keep our fees down, but things like this should be very clearly marked as an advertisement to eliminate buyer confusion and make it clear it's not a service offered by the seller. The placement should not be within the box that includes price, shipping, offers, etc. Stick it in a separate box and label it as a sponsored service.

A lot of items showing the Handy services are not relevant. It's shown on all picture frames under home & garden --> home decor --> frames

A 4x6 tabletop picture frame offers the option of paying $36 for Handy to come hang it on your wall. The OP of this thread has pre-assembled furniture but the service offered is for assembly. The placements just don't make sense; there's no filter.

---

Hi @beardedbovine, happy to clarify that while hanging a picture frame on standard drywall may not be the most common use of this service, some people do have brick, stone, or concrete walls and installation for these surfaces pose additional challenges. Additionally, there are many who are unable to hang pictures/frames due to health restrictions and the Handy service provides a great value to those individuals.

---

Given that this topic has been lying dormant for a month now, it might have been best left alone, but your answer above seems to be lunging at one minor point while ignoring all of the other major objections in the same post. 

Let's put them here in bulleted form so that each can be addressed separately:

• Things like this should be very clearly marked as an advertisement to eliminate buyer confusion, and make it clear it's not a service offered by the seller.
  
  
• The placement should not be within the box that includes price, shipping, offers, etc. Stick it in a separate box and label it as a sponsored service.
  
  
• A lot of items showing the Handy services are not relevant. It's shown on all picture frames under home & garden --> home decor --> frames. A 4x6 tabletop picture frame offers the option of paying $36 for Handy to come hang it on your wall.
  [This one was answered already.]
  
  
• The OP of this thread has pre-assembled furniture but the service offered is for assembly. The placements just don't make sense; there's no filter.
  

If eBay is going to continue with that third-party assembly idea, the problems and suggestions above really need to be taken into consideration. As with other innovations from eBay, it appears to have been pushed into public use without proper testing. A lot more refinement (especially in where the service should or should not be placed) is desperately needed.

---

@a_c_green

Thank you for pointing out that my main points were not addressed. Plus, the one that was address ignored the fact that it was a very small 4x6" tabletop frame... not a wall-hanging frame.

Sorry I'm bringing this back up after a few weeks, but I haven't logged on for a while and the points still haven't been addressed.

[a_c_green]

---

@beardedbovine wrote: 
Thank you for pointing out that my main points were not addressed. Plus, the one that was address ignored the fact that it was a very small 4x6" tabletop frame... not a wall-hanging frame.

Sorry I'm bringing this back up after a few weeks, but I haven't logged on for a while and the points still haven't been addressed.

---

Your timing could not be more perfect.  The Weekly Chat is going on right now (through 2:00 p.m. Pacific time) at this link here: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/Community-Chat-Jan-16-from-1-00-pm-PT-Gene...

If you need a link to point them back here at this thread, the link below will get them back to your post of today: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Sellers-Beware-of-New-quot-Handy-Assembly-Charge-quot-Feature/...

[drinkwine1204]

I sell some small garden flags, 12" x 18". Some of my listings have an offer to put up a flag pole for $99. It is right below my price. When I saw this I thought that would be very confusing to buyers, have had 2 buyers message me to ask, "what is the size" when it is listed at least twice on every listing. 

If the bay is making all this money from this advertising, why don't our fees go down? 

[Anonymous]

---

@birdloner wrote:

Can't I simply say "I don't want this on my listing" -- it is MY listing and I am paying for it, either with my store or through a listing charge. This makes me VERY ANGRY. I have not sold a single one of these sets of wind bells and they require NO INSTALLATION. I had some other check my listing and they said that is one of the first things they notice --- installation costs more than the item. Will be calling today.

---

Hi @birdloner, do you have an item number to share? I looked at a listing of yours for wind bells and I don't see the Handy Assembly service on your listing. We have removed this from some categories, so the wind chimes category may no longer have this service included. Definitely happy to look into this further if you can give me more details 

[lintbrush*]

---

@drinkwine1204 wrote:

I sell some small garden flags, 12" x 18". Some of my listings have an offer to put up a flag pole for $99. It is right below my price. When I saw this I thought that would be very confusing to buyers, have had 2 buyers message me to ask, "what is the size" when it is listed at least twice on every listing. 

If the bay is making all this money from this advertising, why don't our fees go down? 

---

I didn't realize small $10 garden flags were so complex to install. 

That is ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

---

@beardedbovine wrote:

---

@a_c_green wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@beardedbovine wrote:

brian@ebay

I'm all for ways to keep our fees down, but things like this should be very clearly marked as an advertisement to eliminate buyer confusion and make it clear it's not a service offered by the seller. The placement should not be within the box that includes price, shipping, offers, etc. Stick it in a separate box and label it as a sponsored service.

A lot of items showing the Handy services are not relevant. It's shown on all picture frames under home & garden --> home decor --> frames

A 4x6 tabletop picture frame offers the option of paying $36 for Handy to come hang it on your wall. The OP of this thread has pre-assembled furniture but the service offered is for assembly. The placements just don't make sense; there's no filter.

---

Hi @beardedbovine, happy to clarify that while hanging a picture frame on standard drywall may not be the most common use of this service, some people do have brick, stone, or concrete walls and installation for these surfaces pose additional challenges. Additionally, there are many who are unable to hang pictures/frames due to health restrictions and the Handy service provides a great value to those individuals.

---

Given that this topic has been lying dormant for a month now, it might have been best left alone, but your answer above seems to be lunging at one minor point while ignoring all of the other major objections in the same post. 

Let's put them here in bulleted form so that each can be addressed separately:

• Things like this should be very clearly marked as an advertisement to eliminate buyer confusion, and make it clear it's not a service offered by the seller.
  
  
• The placement should not be within the box that includes price, shipping, offers, etc. Stick it in a separate box and label it as a sponsored service.
  
  
• A lot of items showing the Handy services are not relevant. It's shown on all picture frames under home & garden --> home decor --> frames. A 4x6 tabletop picture frame offers the option of paying $36 for Handy to come hang it on your wall.
  [This one was answered already.]
  
  
• The OP of this thread has pre-assembled furniture but the service offered is for assembly. The placements just don't make sense; there's no filter.
  

If eBay is going to continue with that third-party assembly idea, the problems and suggestions above really need to be taken into consideration. As with other innovations from eBay, it appears to have been pushed into public use without proper testing. A lot more refinement (especially in where the service should or should not be placed) is desperately needed.

---

@a_c_green

Thank you for pointing out that my main points were not addressed. Plus, the one that was address ignored the fact that it was a very small 4x6" tabletop frame... not a wall-hanging frame.

Sorry I'm bringing this back up after a few weeks, but I haven't logged on for a while and the points still haven't been addressed.

---

Hi @beardedbovine, happy to address these additional concerns:

• The service is marked as being offered from Handy and the related links take members to Handy's Terms & Conditions. I'm open to passing along suggestions for how to better clarify this service if you have them - perhaps including the Handy logo? 
• Supplemental services offered for listings are always placed in this location for consistency and to highlight the option for buyers. 
• Though a small frame meant for a table surface is likely not to be hung on the wall, the option is there for those who would like to do so. This would be an appropriate listing to have Handy's services included on.
• I checked the OPs listings and couldn't find one that offered Handy Assembly service for pre-assembled furniture. We've made adjustments since the service was first offered so their may not be an issue any longer. That being said, if anyone has an example I will be happy to pass this along.

I understand that some sellers are getting questions from potential buyers and are concerned that this service being included on their listings may lead to a loss in sales. I encourage everyone to share this link to buyers who have questions about Handy and consider that while we are happy to review any examples of this service being available on listings that wouldn't make sense, ultimately this option encourages buyers to purchase items that they may otherwise pass on because of the assembly or installment requirements that they may not feel qualified for.