Send Coupons To Buyer Groups

[valueaddedresource]

In case you missed it - eBay is finally rolling out sending coupons to buyer groups.

It looks like they may have messed up the link in the seller hub overview but you can also find it by going to Marketing>Buyer Groups.

You can currently segment by timeframe of less than 31 days to over 6 months and theoretically by category, though it only shows me "all inventory" (not sure if this is working as intended).

Once you create the group it will either suggest current coupons to send if you already have them set up or prompt you to create one.

I will say it's disappointing that after a 4 month delay from the initial timeframe in the Fall Update, it still doesn't include options to send to repeat buyers or followers that were promised.  It shows repeat buyers on the main dashboard screen, but I don't see any way to segment by that.

tyler@ebay  - can we get an update on when the full functionality for this tool will be available please?

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Looks like they fixed the link in the Seller Hub overview.

[ckimodog]

@valueaddedresource 

You are indeed a "valued resource."  Thank you.  

[tyler@ebay]

Hi @valueaddedresource - I'm happy to make that request. I'll let you know if I hear back!

[valueaddedresource]

tyler@ebay  - I noticed today the option to segment by category is no longer showing, so I'm guessing that's a "no" to the previous question about whether it was working as intended when it only showed "all inventory"?

It's disappointing this was rolled out without the promised repeat buyer and follower functionality, even more so if some of the limited segmenting it *did* roll out with isn't working properly and had to be removed. ☹️

Can you get an update for us on that segmenting by category and also on the still awaited repeat buyer and followers segmenting as well, please?

[tyler@ebay]

Hi @valueaddedresource - I heard back on this:

Sellers can still filter their buyers based on the transaction time period (so some segmentation capability is currently available). 

We know that repeat buyer /follower and category-based segmentation is something people are excited to see, and we are working on adding that capability. However, we do not have a time period for that release to share at this time. 

Thanks!

[valueaddedresource]

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tyler@ebay wrote:

Hi @valueaddedresource - I heard back on this:

Sellers can still filter their buyers based on the transaction time period (so some segmentation capability is currently available). 

We know that repeat buyer /follower and category-based segmentation is something people are excited to see, and we are working on adding that capability. However, we do not have a time period for that release to share at this time. 

Thanks!

---

Thanks tyler@ebay  but that doesn't really answer the question or address the concern about this not really being the tool we were promised 6 months ago.

Like the newsletter sign up in About tab, it *really* negatively impacts seller trust and faith in eBay when features that are stated as definitively happening are later abandoned (either directly or simply by continued indefinite delays) with no notice, explanation or transparency.

If these things had just been one off comments presented as "possibly, coming soon" "we're exploring the idea" or whatever that would be one thing but I would think (hope?) something wouldn't make it  into a planned long in advance Seller Update with a semi-definitive timeframe (in the coming weeks, next month, etc) without there being a very high degree of certainty that the feature was ready for release on time and would provide the promised functionality. 

If there was a snag or something happened at the last minute necessitating a delay, that would be understandable....with communication and a clear idea of what we can expect.

Instead now we're left with the impression that anytime eBay announces something we shouldn't hold our breath because it may not really happen or we may only get part of the promised functionality and then eBay will simply move on to "other priorities".  That is an absolutely terrible way to go about trying to be the "seller platform of choice".

[valueaddedresource]

tyler@ebay  - today's announcement about sending coded coupons to buyer groups says:

• Open up new opportunities: Define category-specific buyer groups to use when your seasonal inventory has the most potential to sell.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Store-subscribers-can-now-send-coded-coupons-to-buyer-gr... 

However, as I pointed out above, defining category-specific buyer groups was apparently intended to be part of the initial rollout but didn't work and was then removed.  I checked just now and nope, still not there.

You might want to either have them take that part out or even better...fix whatever the problem was so that functionality actually works. 😉

[tvr-inc]

Not sure what I am supposed to do with this. All you can do is create a group for a time period. Well thats useless. How about giving us more choices to pick certain products or Repeat buyers. I have not seen anyone yet who actually uses this. Should have not made announcments until it was something workable.

[tyler@ebay]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

tyler@ebay  - today's announcement about sending coded coupons to buyer groups says:

• Open up new opportunities: Define category-specific buyer groups to use when your seasonal inventory has the most potential to sell.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Store-subscribers-can-now-send-coded-coupons-to-buyer-gr... 

However, as I pointed out above, defining category-specific buyer groups was apparently intended to be part of the initial rollout but didn't work and was then removed.  I checked just now and nope, still not there.

You might want to either have them take that part out or even better...fix whatever the problem was so that functionality actually works. 😉

---

Thanks @valueaddedresource - I'll get that reported. 🙂

[tyler@ebay]

Hi @valueaddedresource - I got word this afternoon that the Announcement has been updated (link here) to reflect that that feature will be available in the coming weeks. 

Thanks!

[valueaddedresource]

Thanks tyler@ebay !

[valueaddedresource]

I just noticed today that the option to segment by categories is back!

Like a lot of recent design changes in Seller Hub, it's a little clunky to have to select a drop down, then click a link that takes you to a different screen, then select the categories but it does work.

Hopefully they'll be adding in those missing options for segmenting by repeat buyers and followers "soon" too!

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Thanks, @valueaddedresource  that's good to know!

[lepke1979]

Does anyone know if this will send coupons only the one time or will it continue to send coupons to the same group each time you do it?

For instance, if I did a coupon % for More Than 31 Days Ago and then did the same or different percentage for More Than 3 Months Ago or More than 6 Months Ago. It will send the coupon to the More Than 31 Days Ago group?