Service Metrics - EBay has given enough information to prove racketeering

[sonoranboutique]

This is about the Service Metrics page (not  the Seller Dashboard.)  If you go to this page and it says you have a "Very High" rating, starting today you are paying 40% higher fees: https://www.ebay.com/sh/prf/service-metrics

This is based on your "Item Not As Described" return rates, which cannot be disputed, even if the buyer lies about why they returned the item.  In a recent Q&A video where someone asks about this, EBay admitted that "incorrect returns exist", but the solution they offered was that they "only measure your performance against closely related peers that face a similar risk."

This is flawed logic, and thus, EBay has admitted to racketeering.  Why?  The reason "incorrect returns" are incorrect is because they are received randomly and are out of the seller's control.  So let's say the peer average in your category is 3 "incorrect returns" a month.  This doesn't mean every seller in your category gets exactly 3.  Some people will get 0 or 1, while some will randomly get 7 through bad luck.  If you are the one with bad luck, you are punished.   So EBay has admitted that a certain percentage of sellers with bad luck will be charged extra fees each month.

EBay has admitted that, each month, a percentage of unlucky sellers will randomly be charged more fees for something Ebay calls "incorrect returns", which cannot be disputed.

[zamo-zuan]

---

@goodluckselling wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@zamo-zuan wrote:

---

Try searching "3211" on eBay, and set the category to motor mounts. Look how many of them actually have adopted GD. Only a small handful of sellers.

---

eBay is looking at high-level categories, not subcategories.

---

Right.  When you look at your service metric page the ratings are based by the main category.  I do not think eBay needs to filter down any extra sub cats?  There are a number of attributes that all have to be met to be included in any peer seller group including similar volume of transactions that I left out earlier.

If we look at the list again  In red is how eBay defines each of these areas

• comparable volume of transactions, = sellers with a 3 month look back versus other sellers with a 3 month look back would be in the same peer group for this attribute.
• that sell items in the same category as you, = eBay is using just the main category
• with a similar price, = eBay is using  50.00 to 100.00  I do not know any other break downs on price? Maybe 50 dollar increments?
• item condition, = new versus new would be same peer group for this attribute
• return policy, and = seller accepts returns versus other sellers who accept returns
• estimated delivery date. =  If a seller has 3 business days for estimated deliver then all sellers with less than or equal to 10 business days would be in the same peer group for this attribute

To me that is a lot of exact comparisons that other sellers in my categories would have to meet the same specifics as I have to be my peer seller in that category.

These definitions also give us some insight into how to make changes should we get a very high rating.  By the way this info is on the Monitor your service metrics page  -  Click here to read more on this

Good Luck Selling!

---

For the record, the "Comparable volume of transactions" was NOT there when that was originally posted. Not even sure where you found that, to be honest. But if you look at the help button for service metrics page, it does NOT list that.

That's one of the things I've been saying is required for the system to be fair. Aside from your post (which added that in the "quote" but it was NOT in the original message)... I've not seen confirmation of that anywhere.

If that one is true, then there's only a couple people in the category who can compete with us, period. We are partners with them, and the sellers we've had meetings with said they too are in High or worse.... So I am still doubtful if that is true at all.

But if it is, that is one big step towards a fair system. The only other thing required then, would be a way to fight false claims...

 Where, exactly, did you find that list?

[bubbleman2010]

Its easier to goggle the RICO Act read it and see if what ebays doing might fall into that violation..

[goodluckselling]

@zamo-zuan  Yes I understand the volume attribute is not showing in the help pop up message.  It is showing in the monitor your service metric page with much more definition as I outlined as best as I could.  Use the link I provided.

Also at the bottom of the page are some FAQ that answer some of the questions being asked in this thread.

Good Luck Selling!

[Anonymous]

---

@goodluckselling wrote:

@zamo-zuan  Yes I understand the volume attribute is not showing in the help pop up message.  It is showing in the monitor your service metric page with much more definition as I outlined as best as I could.

---

I don't see where it's specified either except for this part which separates sellers with more or less than 400 transactions in a specific category over the period of 3 months.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/service-metrics-policy?id=4769

• Sellers with 400 or more transactions during the last 3 months are evaluated on their transactions during the previous 3-month period
• Sellers with fewer than 400 transactions during the last 3 months are evaluated on their transactions over the previous 12-month period

Never mind, I found it.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/monitor-service-metrics?id=4785

Your peer benchmarks show you how you compare to other sellers with similar items, prices, shipping options and terms of sale.

Comparing your rate of ‘Item not as described’ returns and ‘Item not received’ requests will give you a clear understanding of how well you're doing in these areas compared to similar sellers.

For ‘Item not as described’ returns, your peers are other sellers with a comparable volume of transactions, that sell items in the same category as you, with a similar price, item condition, return policy, and estimated delivery date.

[gracieallen01]

---

@bubbleman2010 wrote:

Its easier to goggle the RICO Act read it and see if what ebays doing might fall into that violation..

---

Somehow, I can't see the DOJ considering any action under the current political setting.

[goodluckselling]

@zamo-zuan  because of your condition (new parts)  you are correct in that only a few other sellers will be in your peer group.  That is also how I am understanding this from your perspective.  But it also explains why the other sellers who you have communicated with are also in a high or very high area.

It also gives you some info on what to do differently to make sure your service metric rating will go down. 

• You are active in how eBay works probably much more than the others and
• you understand how to monitor this probably better than the others, and
• you can make changes quicker than the others so for you
• because you are actively pursuing a successful ebay selling career probably more so than the others
• you should thrive in this area.

Good Luck Selling!

[bubbleman2010]

You just never know what the legal eagles are up to and sometimes a someone gets a Goober suprise suprise...

[zamo-zuan]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@goodluckselling wrote:

@zamo-zuan  Yes I understand the volume attribute is not showing in the help pop up message.  It is showing in the monitor your service metric page with much more definition as I outlined as best as I could.

---

I don't see where it's specified either except for this part which separates sellers with more or less than 400 transactions in a specific category over the period of 3 months.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/service-metrics-policy?id=4769

• Sellers with 400 or more transactions during the last 3 months are evaluated on their transactions during the previous 3-month period
• Sellers with fewer than 400 transactions during the last 3 months are evaluated on their transactions over the previous 12-month period

Never mind, I found it.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/monitor-service-metrics?id=4785

Your peer benchmarks show you how you compare to other sellers with similar items, prices, shipping options and terms of sale.

Comparing your rate of ‘Item not as described’ returns and ‘Item not received’ requests will give you a clear understanding of how well you're doing in these areas compared to similar sellers.

For ‘Item not as described’ returns, your peers are other sellers with a comparable volume of transactions, that sell items in the same category as you, with a similar price, item condition, return policy, and estimated delivery date.

---

It only lists how many months though.. not what a "comparable" volume actually is. Does that mean under/over 400? Hard to tell what that means. I just hope it's a fair amount.

Still don't understand how we could possibly be "higher" either, considering our software verification. There's nothing else we could do to actually verify the correct items are sent. Almost every return is a buyer error, unless in the rare cases of listing errors (which our main products have been revised over the years to be extremely correct).

If there's nothing else we could do, and we are "high", and we have software specifically to help verify, what does that make everyone else?

---

@goodluckselling wrote:

@zamo-zuan  because of your condition (new parts)  you are correct in that only a few other sellers will be in your peer group.  That is also how I am understanding this from your perspective.  But it also explains why the other sellers who you have communicated with are also in a high or very high area.

It also gives you some info on what to do differently to make sure your service metric rating will go down. 

• You are active in how eBay works probably much more than the others and
• you understand how to monitor this probably better than the others, and
• you can make changes quicker than the others so for you
• because you are actively pursuing a successful ebay selling career probably more so than the others
• you should thrive in this area.

Good Luck Selling!

---

 If we're high, and the people in our "peer group" are also high, then who exactly is the "average" or "low" in our peer group...?

Considering our double step verification makes it basically impossible to send a wrong item, yet people claim defects when it's not/wrong item when they purchase wrong/etc anyway... what exactly could we do to improve our rate any more than it is?

The correct items are being sent in nearly every return case. 

The problem is that there's no way for us to appeal these claims. We have evidence to show it in many cases (like the ones I mentioned earlier). Just no way to do it. 

Considering we're not "very high", it's not a huge deal for us. But as mentioned... if we're "High"... everyone else in the category must be grabbing a short straw.

(PS - We just had a customer who asked us to verify the items they received were correct for their vehicle on Friday, then today sent a message complaining that 72 hours have passed - even though it was a weekend and noone was in the office - and they did a SNAD ??? Obviously abusing the system, because they don't even want to do a return, they just want us to confirm the parts are correct for their VIN#. It's ridiculous that we can't fight this type of case...)

[gracieallen01]

This is true - stranger things have happened.

[bubbleman2010]

They just hit a 52 week stock low so I figure its running 5 by 5 and its all good...

[zamo-zuan]

---

@bubbleman2010 wrote:

They just hit a 52 week stock low so I figure its running 5 by 5 and its all good...

---

Ouch. There hasn't been much complaints about the new fees either... I would guess that once some big sellers get hit with 4% FVF, they will make a storm out of the issue... 

[bubbleman2010]

Most of the players left in Aug. of 15 following Icahns advice at $28.26 and shifted to paypal in Dec. at $34.25. ebays been using offshore account money for buybacks to keep the ship afloat,but thats about drained so the old gal might be taking on water..

[zamo-zuan]

---

@bubbleman2010 wrote:

Most of the players left in Aug. of 15 following Icahns advice at $28.26 and shifted to paypal in Dec. at $34.25. ebays been using offshore account money for buybacks to keep the ship afloat,but thats about drained so the old gal might be taking on water..

---

Well key timings for the changes on eBay... The hype was at the end of last year, March is when they started implementing the "tools" to prepare for catalog based... then it was rolled out in the next months...

I hope the stocks send a clear message that the direction they are going is NOT GOOD... as sellers have been saying this whole time. 

If anything is going to cause some realization, it's data in the stock reports that they can not hide. 

[castlemagicmemories]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@zamo-zuan wrote:

---

As I said, I feel very bad for any others in our category, because if we're high at a higher software verification than most businesses have... it must be extremely unfair to sellers who don't have verification + do not do free returns.

---

That's exactly the point. eBay wants sellers to evaluate how to reduce SNADs.

For some it will mean better descriptions, photos, etc and those sellers likely won't change meaning they'll either pay higher fees or leave.

For a small few it will mean better inventory & shipping management.

For others it will mean identifying specific products that have a high rate of SNADs and choosing to remove those items from their inventory.

And for the rest it means a push into free returns. These are sellers who are doing everything right but they have an unfair peer comparison because of the high-level category evaluation. eBay would love it if every seller offered free returns.

---

All true.  It has been reported by sellers as buyers for some time that there is a very high incidence of true and legitimate SNADs.  It will probably hit those who sell in categories prone to returns harder~categories such as clothing.  But maybe the fact that the category is prone to returns will be represented in the peer comparison.  After all, if your peers all have many returns due to the nature of what you sell, then the allowance should be higher.

[gracieallen01]

I wonder what the pep talk to the street is going to be this time.  I figure they were expecting this so there probably won't be much change in the current program.