Small Business who is leaving EBay because of eBay

[thepinkcontroller]

Thought I would save some of you the trouble of selling on eBay I’d you haven’t started already.

TLDR: eBay harasses you for things out of your control, doesn’t listen to you, the threatens you with banning every week…even with a %100 seller rating

Long:
5 years ago after having my Shopify store for 2 years, someone from EBay business contacted me about their new Shopify plug-in. I said cool and they set everything up (you had more free listings as a business and some other perks). I got an order here and there and all was well. No complaints.
A few months ago, orders started picking up so I wanted to scale  and I began using my perks but EBay yanked their plug-in and Business team I guess. And then a blizzard hit. Most customers were fine. They understood blizzard is not within anyone’s realm of control. They waited or ordered anyway when told there would be a delay. I had two…two people freak out and cuss us up and down. eBay sided with them, then me…,then them…then me, removed their reviews and gave me my money.
But the time spent arguing with them…crazy. Way too much. And no one listens or reads at EBay. They will ask for things like tracking numbers (which I send to customers dang near immediately. Longest wait time for a tracking number from me is 24 hours and that’s me waiting for it to generate) and you’ve already sent them the tracking number. They will ask  for proof you sent the item…um I can’t fake the USPS, FED EX, Pitney Bowes website and a tracking number with their address, so you have proof. It’s called a tracking number. *Well let me see the receipt where you paid for the shipping…a physical receipt. *.
Erm why would I have that? I try to do everything digital. I have an email receipt, I have a packing slip, I have a credit card receipt. *Nope, can’t accept that*
And they will do this over and over…and over. They will tell you, make sure you have enough stock for your customers…I do but I sell in several places…and you know what that means? Sometimes you run out! You order more or I will even send straight from manufacturer (in essence Drop Ship) just to get it to customer with minimal wait (as minimal as I can away) . I have even refunded customers after telling them we don’t have it they will have to wait…EBay says tsk tsk…you’re creating a bad customer experience. And restrict your listings and ability to promote on their page. And threaten to ban your account. Meanwhile I’m sitting at %100 love from the customers. Glowing reviews on the page. But because items are delayed, which few care about…eBay restricts me. Today they have a customer a refund saying she didn’t get her item. Shipping shows it will be there in THREE DAYS. I’ve told customer this. Told eBay this. Shared tracking links from 3 websites…  /end rant.

[thepinkcontroller]

I don’t think they do (work for eBay) . Sometimes folk just like to have their say(as I had mine) and tell you how wrong you are. Oddly I expected these responses from Reddit when I ranted there…they instead gave good advice and support, no snark.

Wait..maybe you’re right, maybe they do work for eBay! 

[thepinkcontroller]

Oh it most definitely is.

I am good at customer service. I often send gifts to anyone inconvenience, I get very personal with customers, and step in if my girls hint there is any kind of issue with an item.  I did that once here for a customer, as her item was lost (not my fault, at least eBay didn’t do a refund for that one, but customer was calm about it anyway) I let her pick out something else AND sent her a gift, happy customer.  But I see eBay is not allowing for extended customer experience. I worked at Apple for some years, (not at the store) but I learned from the best about how to treat customers. 
I do that,  and mistakenly thought that’s how they were doing it here. 
either way, I don’t keep my eggs all on one basket, thank goodness. So I can focus more on the other platforms and customers there and enjoying helping them rather than if someone is trying to scam the system here. Thanks for your input.

[heckofagame]

Highly unlikely as they are stated to be one of a kind. 

[bonjourami]

"Wait..maybe you’re right, maybe they do work for eBay! "

If thats the case I want a raise.

[bonjourami]

Im sorry, if you were canceling transactions, thats not considered good 'customer service'. Not on Ebay, anyway.Ebay doesnt like unhappy customers.Im sure 'working at Apple', and selling on Ebay is a whole different ballgame. Just sayin'. Why even compare the two?

[ten_o_nine]

A few months ago, orders started picking up so I wanted to scale  and I began using my perks but EBay yanked their plug-in and Business team I guess. And then a blizzard hit. Most customers were fine. They understood blizzard is not within anyone’s realm of control. They waited or ordered anyway when told there would be a delay. I had two…two people freak out and cuss us up and down. eBay sided with them, then me…,then them…then me, removed their reviews and gave me my money.

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You can't scale if you don't have the money to scale, you cannot scale by drop shipping.

[ten_o_nine]

They will ask  for proof you sent the item…um I can’t fake the USPS, FED EX, Pitney Bowes website and a tracking number with their address, so you have proof. It’s called a tracking number. *Well let me see the receipt where you paid for the shipping…a physical receipt. *.
Erm why would I have that? I try to do everything digital. I have an email receipt, I have a packing slip, I have a credit card receipt. *Nope, can’t accept that*

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Who is asking all these questions, no one ever asked me all those questions.

[greatmidwestcoin]

I'm beginning to think other selling websites are posting here for a FREE advertisement to get eBay sellers to abandon ship. Or - there must be an unwritten rule among some sellers that they MUST leave with a farewell post here. With so many leaving, us remaining sellers will have less competition! Yea!!! 🤑 They sure are a wordy bunch. 😄 

[bonjourami]

And most want to blame Ebay for their own failure to follow the selling criteria here.What it comes down to is a lack of personal responsibility.(and they want everybody to leave with them.)

[greatmidwestcoin]

OMG - You have FREE WILL. Is someone MAKING you use the USPS? I have mailed over 10,000 expensive packages with the USPS over the past 23 years. They only lost one item, which was a book - and that was before tracking was around. Sounds like you may not be shipping correctly. FREEWILL - It is a choice to continue to use a business that you claim is so terrible. Clue - UPS/FedEx.

[bonjourami]

This tells the story in a nutshell.

" They will tell you, make sure you have enough stock for your customers…I do but I sell in several places…and you know what that means? Sometimes you run out! You order more or I will even send straight from manufacturer (in essence Drop Ship) just to get it to customer with minimal wait (as minimal as I can away) . I have even refunded customers after telling them we don’t have it they will have to wait…EBay says tsk tsk…you’re creating a bad customer experience. And restrict your listings and ability to promote on their page. "

Well, how dare they?

[greatmidwestcoin]

The new younger gen doesn't want to put the time in to own and run a business. Just say'in. Money doesn't fall from the sky just because one is standing outdoors looking up waiting for it.

You mention many things that you are doing incorrectly in an attempt to run a small business. They are so obvious. Possibly you should take some courses in Business, inventory management, etc. Just a suggestion.

My sales are up 72% year-to-date. Hmm, go figure.

[greatmidwestcoin]

So you worked at Apple, but gave that up to sell on eBay................................ 🤣

[ms.rodriguez*]

I did not bother reading your entire post.  First, most of us seller here for years with different IDS.  I am sure none of us were threatened with a ban.  Sure, some of us including myself might have gotten a 3 day mini vacation (restriction) but we learned to comply and not list those items again. Running out of stock is a no-no. If you can NOT keep track of it, do NOT sell in multiple locations.   NO ONE is going to side with you on this one.   Nothing ticks a buyer more than an item being out of stock.   So do NOT list stuff if you do not have it. 

Receipts are important.   Ebay wants to make sure that the items are not stolen. If you are a seller, start paying for items in a manner that you gives you a receipt that ebay will accept.   I do hope that your seller account has more than 11 feedbacks.

If you want to leave, no one cares. Every day, people leave ebay but everyday, people join ebay.  You can NOT leave technically until 180 days after your last sold item was delivered. So if you are leave, end all of your listings tonight.  Goodluck.

[greatmidwestcoin]

Nice post. It couldn't be more obvious what this seller is doing wrong, but it is clear they aren't interested in listening to eBay or others for suggestions or help.  That's a big shame, in my opinion. Blaming others for your failures has never been a good fix.