Service Metrics

[matrixmedical]

Am currently paying the extra 5% eBay fee for high items as not described. 80% of these items were due to buyers not paying attention to the listing, not knowing how to operate the equipment etc. This includes one sale where the "buyer" said the item was defective, then proceeded to return an empty 1 ounce envelope hoping to scam me. I kept the sale and the "buyer" was removed from eBay, but eBay will not change anything that relates to service metrics so that one will stick.

Had another buyer say the item was defective, turns out he only turned on one of two power switches as it worked perfectly when returned. Most other buyers are buying the wrong size blood pressure cuff or one that has a different hose fitting, bought a patient monitor not realizing that some component was not included etc. Have been selling on eBay for 27 years so I know what I am doing, very detailed descriptions, photos etc. It is very frustrating that I am paying 5% extra due to the inability of buyers to pay attention or mark the item as ordered by mistake vs. defective or missing parts. I understand that my peers in the Business and Industrial category are how I am being compared, but this is such a broad category that I imagine that in my case of selling medical equipment, there are more instances of people buying the wrong item vs. other types of equipment.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @matrixmedical 

-One of the important things to do when a Buyer processes a bogus return is to use the Report Buyer link on the sold transaction.  

-I assume with your longevity that you are familiar with eBay's Seller protections:  Seller protections | eBay

[caldreamer]

The problem most customers don't even bother to read the description.   You should increase your prices to cover this 5% loss in revenue.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

In my experience, blood pressure monitoring equipment is a high risk sale because it is common for even the top brands of the product to avoid failing to measure accurately for some portion of the population.

It often takes me three tries before I find a monitor which measures properly on my body. The professional grade automated equipment in a doctor's office often is incorrect when my blood pressure is measured, and a manual measurement with a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer is required.

I do not leave negative FB or reviews for such products, but these are objectively, failed transactions. They should be expected and your business and customer service strategies should reflect the fact that they need not be the results of buyer ignorance, laziness or other error. These devices are prone to incompatibility.

[bonanza125]

If an item is giving you a high return rate then you have a decision to make. Keep on selling these items and risk buyers returning the item or stop selling the item all together and only sell items you feel will not be returned. I deal with this all the time. Certain items I just will not sell on Ebay cause buyers would return them if the item doesn't fit or may not be able to know exactly how to use it. 

[matrixmedical]

I don't think the eBay seller protection works, at least not with feedback removal as I just had someone say that I changed the price after they made the purchase and tried to scam them and eBay/robot said they would not remove it because "the buyer found an issue with the item that wasn't described in the listing" OK, what does that have to to with a price change after they complete the purchase which did not and cannot happen?

[matrixmedical]

Not blood pressure monitors, BP cuffs. People buy the wrong size, buy two tube cuff when they need one, buy a cuff with a different fitting from there hose. They don't bother to take the time look at the photos etc. and now I will pay about $3000 this year in extra 5% fees on what are mostly $20 or less sales. Will likely stop selling BP cuffs on eBay.

[mam98031 · Accepted solution]

@matrixmedical 

I'm sorry to hear you are having these issues.  They can be very difficult to work out of for sure.  

One thing that may help is to change your return policy.  Your current one will encourage buyers that made a mistake when purchasing to file it as an INAD because they don't want to pay return shipping.  Plus you allow a generous amount of time to file a return.  I would suggest you consider going to a 30 day policy with Seller pays shipping.  That will help to encourage buyer to file for the return for the correct reason.  And properly filed Buyer Remorse returns do not count against you in the Service Metrics.

About the only way to work out of this issue is to reduce INADs and increase transactions so you can dilute the numbers. 

So do everything you can to prevent INADs.  Consider what I said about your return policy.  Also if a buyer contacts you directly about an issue, try to resolve it without the buyer filing an INAD.  Filing a claim is not a requirement to fixing an issue with a buyer to include a return and refund.

Run a sale.  Do a Mark Down sale in an effort to increase transactions.  I know you have a pretty good sales history, but diluting the numbers in the Service Metrics will help you get out of this problem quicker.

Good Luck !!!

[mam98031]

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@matrixmedical wrote:

I don't think the eBay seller protection works, at least not with feedback removal as I just had someone say that I changed the price after they made the purchase and tried to scam them and eBay/robot said they would not remove it because "the buyer found an issue with the item that wasn't described in the listing" OK, what does that have to to with a price change after they complete the purchase which did not and cannot happen?

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Getting feedback removed that breaks the feedback policy does work.  First try the automated version of getting it removed.  Best to be specific in your description of the issue.  Quote from the Feedback Policy if you can.

Go to the Seller Help page. Towards the bottom of the screen you will see a place to click on to submit the feedback for removal.
https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp/feedback?id=5566

You will get an email with a disposition.  It is not uncommon for this to get denied.  The next step would be to contact Ebay directly and appeal that.  If you can show them where it breaks policy it is highly likely you can get it removed.  Keep in mind that you need to handle these thing quickly.  If the feedback gets too old, Ebay can't help even if it were to qualify to be removed.

On each Ebay page there is a link to contact Customer Service at the top of the page and again at the bottom of the page.

I would suggest that you contact Ebay for Business on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the better trained CSRs.

Here are your options for contacting Ebay Customer Service. Please be aware that for social media CS, you send them a Private Message and briefly explain what your problem or issue is. Feel free to leave your Name, address, phone number and/or your email address in this message. It is private and secure and it may help to speed up the response for you.

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/ebay

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

Your options will be on the left. If you use the link below you can only get to the Automated Assistant or Chat box type AGENT in the box and hit enter. You will then get more options. Not all options are available 24/7. It will depend on staffing available. So sometimes you can request a call back and sometimes you can't. Sometimes you have the Chat option available and other times it won't me. If it is important to you to use one of those options, just try back later.

If you use a cell phone or other mobile device, you may need to turn off your Spam filter so that Ebay can call you.

If you are a seller outside of the US or Canada, you will need to use the Chat Option.

https://www.ebay.com/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

https://www.ebay.com/help/home

[siliconalleyelectronics]

I understand the frustration with service metrics, a lot of this is because what service metrics actually tracks and how it works isn't made totally clear by eBay. Service metrics does not track closed INAD returns that are confirmed to be at the fault of the seller but rather all INAD returns from the moment they are opened regardless of outcome. This includes INAD returns that are closed with cases, fraud, returns that are closed due to not being shipped, or by the buyer closing the return manually. I have been told by eBay CS that the only reason they are not counted is if the return is reported as not legitimate by enough sellers so that their buyer protection status is revoked though this is difficult to track or verify and appears very inconsistent. The system is totally automated with no option for appeals or manual intervention. The general solution to this is to include a note or message to buyers to contact you prior to opening a return or to sell cheap, low return, and high volume products within the same product category to dilute the metric which is made necessary by the fact that you are measured against peers that are all doing the same thing.

[jonathanbrightlight]

@siliconalleyelectronics 

It's actually spelled out fairly clearly.  If you go to your service metrics and click the Learn More link, it takes you to this page: https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/service-metrics-policy?id=4769

Which says this:

"We count all opened cases because even if you resolved the issue promptly, it indicates that the transaction didn't go as smoothly for the buyer as it could have."

I don't think that could be much clearer.  Yes, you have to go to one additional page to see it, but if they tried to put every relevant piece of information on that service metrics page it would be busy and cumbersome.

[mam98031]

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@siliconalleyelectronics wrote:

I understand the frustration with service metrics, a lot of this is because what service metrics actually tracks and how it works isn't made totally clear by eBay. Service metrics does not track closed INAD returns that are confirmed to be at the fault of the seller but rather all INAD returns from the moment they are opened regardless of outcome. This includes INAD returns that are closed with cases, fraud, returns that are closed due to not being shipped, or by the buyer closing the return manually. I have been told by eBay CS that the only reason they are not counted is if the return is reported as not legitimate by enough sellers so that their buyer protection status is revoked though this is difficult to track or verify and appears very inconsistent. The system is totally automated with no option for appeals or manual intervention. The general solution to this is to include a note or message to buyers to contact you prior to opening a return or to sell cheap, low return, and high volume products within the same product category to dilute the metric which is made necessary by the fact that you are measured against peers that are all doing the same thing.

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I disagree.  While I too don't like the Service Metrics, the policy is clear.  Have you ever visited the Policy pages?  I think it may help you to better understand.