Top Rated Seller status for Good Sellers with Lower sales rate

[moxiedrinker]

I seem doomed to never being a Top-Rated seller because I don't sell a ton of items. But rate high on all other factors. This should be corrected so that loyal small sellers get better satus.

[skeletonstore]

Top rated used to mean something.  Trust me it doesn't mean anything any more.  It's kinda like USPS. Priority used to be a relatively premium service, often times crossing the country in a few days if near a major hub.  Now it's ridiculously over priced and 1st class often costs as much as Priority used to cost.  Same with the new rating system.  Practically any active seller can get the rating. They could give you the rating right now but your listing count is similar to mine,  not enough activity.  Ebay only wants active sellers, not sellers who list 70 items and wait for sales.  They want you listing 70 items a day,  every day and creating a scenario that part of your listing will refresh every 30 days keeping your account healthy.  They don't want you to stop there though.  They want the process to start again so you have double the amount refreshing after 60 days and then triple after 90 days etc.  They will reward you with a boost then.  

[b86fiero]

Best to check the eBay requirements for achieving Top Rated status.  You don't have to sell a ton of items to be top rated.  Do you offer 1 day shipping and 30 day returns?

Best wishes.

[stainlessenginecovers]

All you need is 100 transactions a year; that's 8 a month, 2  a week (worth $1000). Far from needing to sell 'a ton' of items.

For the 'once in a while seller' it's plenty correct as that type of seller is not a Top Rated Seller.

.08 is a DUI

16 to get a Driver License

70% to get a 'C'

There are plenty of 'requirements' in this world.

[skeletonstore]

If you're cutting close to the bone and have only long tail items then 100 sales can be elusive.  Also a lot of his items are under $10 so he'll have to sell more than 100 in order to get the $1000 threshold.  You really need at least a couple hundred items to start to chop into the threshold.  With each month that passes you'll be losing numbers.  I've got till the end of this month to get 10 sales or i lose my TRS status. I sometimes go weeks without a sale.  Trust me it's very hard to sell when you only have 70 items for sale.  You're behind the 8 ball and it gets worse being above standard. Then you have to decide whether it's worth it.  If you don't have 400-500 items to list in say a week-10 days it's not worth it or worth offering special things like free shipping and free returns etc. Makes no sense to act like a TRS+ seller and have a reduction in search standing,  no badge and ebay will show you NO LOVE by not even showing your items half the time.  

[moxiedrinker]

It means something to me. Just because I don't sell a ton of stuff. I do not qualify for it. I think that is wrong . Great service to buyers should be the most important factor.

[moxiedrinker]

I don't deal in high price items. So that's a no go.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Except for a discount on shipping (small and going away in a couple months per USPS), being TR doesn't mean much.

There is no 'kick' in best match searches

You ONLY get the TRS Star if you are TRS PLUS- which gives 10% off fees but you have to do 1 day shipping and 30 day returns. 

Being Above Avg doesn't hurt anyone. 

[skeletonstore]

I know but aside from the discount,  the only way it really works is if you list a lot.  I've done many experiments of the past year and know what really works and what doesn't.  I also found that by listing,  I mean as long as an actual listing was created, that's all ebay's algorithm cares about.  I'm not talking about listing holy grails and other precious objects or having extensive descriptions,  videos,  elaborate title lines etc...A picture a blah title,  duplicate the 1 sentence title for the description and as far as ebay's algorithm knows you're active,  especially if you can add 30-50 items quickly that way.  Last winter/spring I was literally listing items with titles like "such and such object #1, #2, #3" etc.  As long as I was flooding a single category ebay's algorithm thought I had the goods.  Piecemealing was remarkably effective.  Other sellers were attacking me left and right but it was working for the brief time I ran that experiment.  

[skeletonstore]

I thought there was a boost?  They took that away?  I still say no matter what level you are,  the only way to get the ratings or to sell regularly is to list often and you don't even need elaborate descriptions.  Your picture should tell a thousand words.  That's all anyone will notice anyway.  

[stainlessenginecovers]

Descriptions are VERY important for used items or items nobody has seen sitting on a store shelf at numerous stores for the past 5-50 years.

But, for instance, you have a RU121 Manual that is 

a.) not opened in the pictures (just folded up, 2 sides shown only) 

b.) listed as 'for parts not working' (how can a paper booklet with writing on it be for 'parts not working'?? 

c.) Why wouldn't you include that in the RU121 that you are selling? 

d.) 60 day return? Why so long?? 30 day is required for Top Rated

[rugerskick]

Whats wrong with Top Rated?

[lepke1979]

Is the issue getting to 100 transactions? Or $1,000? If the former, can you try to find some cheap items (preferable replinishable) that you can sell at slightly advice making money or break even?

Can also maybe just go on Facebook or Craigslist and look out for free stuff that you think might be worth something and sell on eBay to get that number up.

[luckythewinner]

Regardless of where eBay set the eligibility criteria, someone would come along and say the criteria should be loosened just enough to include them. 

Joking aside ... 

List enough low-priced, high-volume, break-even items to get you there. Then you can join us and reap the rewards of being "Top Rated" - you know, the high traffic and the low fees and the risk-free transactions! 

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

List enough low-priced, high-volume, break-even items to get you there. Then you can join us and reap the rewards of being "Top Rated" - you know, the high traffic and the low fees and the risk-free transactions! 

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