Suspension for not uploading tracking?

[1stmobileuk]

I'm not a regular on forums, it's not something I generally have the time to get involved with, but I was intrigued to read an article on another forum about eBay suspension. I'm no allowed to post a link to the article on here (as far as I'm aware) but it's on a forum called WebRetailer and is entitled "eBay Account Suspended? Why It Happens and What You Should Do

This is from a guy in the US who is selling help to get people reinstated after a suspension. He is adamant that not uploading tracking details can lead to eBay suspension, but he has been challened by a couple of people who say it's not the case and have challenged him to prove it, which he is unable or unwilling to do. 

But I'm curious to know if this is true, as in most cases I don't upload tracking details. So can you be suspended for not uploading tracking? I mean in general, not as part of a claim. I've never heard of it and can find no reference to it anywhere. 

[helloandgoodmorning]

These are the .com discussion boards, not the .co.uk discussion boards.

I looked at the policies on .co.uk and they look like the same standards as US for tracking. The only requirements are for TRS status or INR claim seller protection, otherwise it's optional as noted above.

[fab_finds4u]

You may disagree with me but I didn't pull that out of thin air.  It came straight from the link I posted.  Go read it, ALL OF it.  It doesn't just pertain to seller requirements for Power Sellers.   Scroll to the  area showing the  gray background.   

PLEASE READ

Tracking uploaded on time and validated
Transactions where you upload tracking details within your stated handling time, and the carrier scanned the shipping label either before or after your handling time.

Note, that directly below that  it says REQUIREMENTS- All Sellers 5%  eBay Top Rated Sellers 95%.  The lookback period is 3 months.  

eBay tells you right there ALL SELLERS are required to have tracking uploaded on time and validated for 5% of their sales.  

[1stmobileuk]

We rarely use eBay/Shutl's delivery service. We had horrendous problems with Hermes earlier this year with 20 out of around 60 parcels going missing, and trying to get ANYTHING done about it is impossible. I tried again later and they "lost" 4 out of 21. 

We sometimes use the UPS Next day service as it's cheaper than RM but the drop-off time is around 11 a.m. which is a bit early for us. I can send something via Special Delivery right up to 5 pm as we're just yards from the post office. 

[helloandgoodmorning]

---

@fab_finds4u wrote:

You may disagree with me but I didn't pull that out of thin air.  It came straight from the link I posted.  Go read it, ALL OF it.  It doesn't just pertain to seller requirements for Power Sellers.   Scroll to the  area showing the  gray background.   

PLEASE READ

Tracking uploaded on time and validated
Transactions where you upload tracking details within your stated handling time, and the carrier scanned the shipping label either before or after your handling time.

Note, that directly below that  it says REQUIREMENTS- All Sellers 5%  eBay Top Rated Sellers 95%.  The lookback period is 3 months.  

eBay tells you right there ALL SELLERS are required to have tracking uploaded on time and validated for 5% of their sales. 

---

I have highlighted the key part of that:

Tracking uploaded on time and validated
Transactions where you upload tracking details within your stated handling time, and the carrier scanned the shipping label either before or after your handling time.

If you don't upload tracking at all then you don't have to meet the 5%.

[1stmobileuk]

This is where I'm unsure, but it should be noted I'm primarily talking about the UK site and those new rules haven't been introduced yet.

I do remember either reading or hearing something earlier that says this only applies to transactions where tracking has been uploaded, and only for items valued over £20 as eBay are aware that many small items are not sent tracked.

[1stmobileuk]

Re. uploading tracking, I've never had a problem when the buyer has opened a case and we have then added the tracking number to prove the item was delivered.

I do appreciate the pending (in the UK) rule change that effectively says eBay will ignore tracking details uploaded when a claim comes in, they have to be uploaded when the item is shipped or you'll lose the case. Buyer wouldn't stand a chance in a court of law though.

[missjen831]

---

@1stmobileuk wrote:
This is where I'm unsure, but it should be noted I'm primarily talking about the UK site and those new rules haven't been introduced yet.

I do remember either reading or hearing something earlier that says this only applies to transactions where tracking has been uploaded, and only for items valued over £20 as eBay are aware that many small items are not sent tracked.

---

The responders who said tracking is not a requirement and that you won't be restricted are right. Some here obviously overlooked where it says that shipments without tracking are NOT included in the calculations as long as the buyer doesn't indicate they arrived late. There is nothing in the policy that says all sellers are required to ship with tracking. Nothing.

[1stmobileuk]

Yes, noted. I wasn't aware that I was on .com and not .co.uk when I started the post.

I'm not even sure WHY I was on .com!

[helloandgoodmorning]

---

@1stmobileuk wrote:
Yes, noted. I wasn't aware that I was on .com and not .co.uk when I started the post.

I'm not even sure WHY I was on .com!

---

It's been posted before that there are links on the .co.uk selling pages that direct people to the .com discussion boards instead of the .co.uk discussion boards. We see a lot of posts from people who think they're on the UK site. If you can find the page that directed you here please post a link.

alan@ebay, can you partner with the UK site and look into this?

[1stmobileuk]

I can't remember to be honest. I found it via one of the "visit the community" link in the Help section, but I've been reviewing a lot today so it could have been anywhere. I was definitely on the .uk site to begin with.

[1stmobileuk]

Thanks, appreciated.

[pjcdn2005]

---

@rixstuff wrote:

Usually the tracking auto loads once you print the label from MyEbay.  I would never NOT print the label from here or upload the tracking.  Without it it is too easy for buyers to claim you never sent it or they never got it and get the item AND the refund.  Also the INR dispute counts as a defect and enough of those get you suspended.  BUT not using Ebay labels alone isnt enough to get you suspended.  Using them though and providing tracking or proof of delivery will go a long way towards saving your bacon in a dispute and prevent the defects.

It sounds like either the suspended seller was careless about answering disputes (by providing tracking) or had to many complaints about non-delivery that he couldnt defend without that tracking.  But not using it is not an Ebay crime in itself.

---

Just a comment on the bolded part.  If you have too many INR's ebay may change the delivery time on your listings but you don't get defects or get suspended for INR's.

[coolections]

There are many past Ebay sellers who are very bitter and will blog about anything they can negative about Ebay. The person obviously never told the "real' reason for the suspension. Most here have have been around long enough know the reason and it isn't from not inputting tracking. Moral of the story don't believe everything negative you read about Ebay.

[1stmobileuk]

I always assumed there was something else. But the guy who wrote the article, who is selling a service to get suspended sellers reinstated, was absolutely adamant that a seller could be suspended for not uploading tracking. Several people questioned it but he refused to budge, but then he refused to accept almost anything anybody else was saying anyway. The whole debate was a bit odd.

[pjcdn2005]

@missjen831

Now I'm confused so I'm going to ask what you think.  Although I disagreed with fabs about non trs sellers having to upload tracking, the link that they posted does have some info that I don't recall seeing before. It's a bit confusing to explain so please bear with me...

On that page there is a section titled:

Number of defect rates that affect your rating

and on the 4th chart below that heading it shows a chart for Tracking Uploaded on Time and Validated and gives a 5% under all sellers.  I realize that tracking being uploaded or tracking at all is not required by non trs so where did that 5% come in?

Plus, isn't the way that it is worded (see below) make it sound as if all sellers can have a max of 5% of transactions that are not uploaded on time and validated and trs can have a max of 95% percentage of transactions where tracking is not uploaded on time and/or validated? 

I think that it is supposed to read that trs can have a maximum of 5% of transactions that don't have tracking uploaded and validated and that 95% of their transactions must be uploaded on time and validated.  The all sellers portion shouldn't be in there at all.  Does that sound right?

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/seller-levels-performance-standards/seller-levels-performance-stan...