Unsolicited FREE Shipping turned on and Item Specific overload!

[mr_lincoln]

I created 6 listings this evening and noticed that when I worked down the listing form to about the picture uploader the screen flickered and a ton of Item Specifcs appeared (pic below).  I was doing a Cast Iron skillet and if you read through the Item Specifcs you will realize MOST have nothing to do with a cast iron skillet.  If someone were to click the Accept all they would be SOOOOO NOT as Described it wouldn't be funny.  Who is doing all of this!

On my 3rd listing I happened to notice the Free Shipping was turned on ... hmmm, I didn't do that, I ship virtually nothing free.  So I went and checked the 2 prvious listings that went live and sure enough Free Shipping was turned on.  This all stated at the same time the new Item Specific mega list appeared.

Every new listing had the Free Shipping checked ...

[ymeagainlord]

Has anyone tagged any blues on this new huge irrelevant list of IS appearing?

[mr_lincoln]

@ymeagainlord I am in the process of creating a thread on the Technical Issues board and looping Doug and Tyler in on it. 

[livadia]

@mr_lincoln

I got the same sort of crazy "list" of irrelevant "features" eBay thought I should add when I was trying to list earlier today.  I just ignored it, but I'll admit, I was scratching my head at what in heck was going on now...   😞

[divwido]

It looked like those were specifics for a ring.  Until it asked if it had a tripod.

Item specifics make no sense to me to start with, but that list is insane.  Or inane, both work.

[divwido]

I hope that isn't another new thing eBay is doing.

[ymeagainlord]

This was actually addressed in a thread a couple of days ago

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Fear-the-product-categories-or-catalogue-or-whatever-is-going-...

[hollysfinds]

I got the same kind of crazy list yesterday.

The list that they gave me had NOTHING at all to do with the item that I was listing.

Thank goodness I could just ignore it !!

[ittybitnot]

It looked like those were specifics for a ring.  Until it asked if it had a tripod.

ROFL

Just some more of that artificial intelligence and alternate reality working together for a better marketplace experience.  Maybe there was a lack of volunteers filling in those things, so ebay will do it for you.  Wonder still if "accept all" would give you a boost in search?  Just think of all the categories you item would appear???? KWS by eBay. 

[stuff4divas]

Happened to me while revising listings.

If we choose all, and the buyer returns as INAD, do we blame it on eBay's recommendations? 😄

[mr_lincoln]

@stuff4divas

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@stuff4divas wrote:

Happened to me while revising listings.

If we choose all, and the buyer returns as INAD, do we blame it on eBay's recommendations? 😄

---

I created a thread on this subject on the Techniccal Issues board and looped some eBay Team members in on it.  And to your point, if an unsuspecting new Seller simply clicks Accept All they set themselves up for a potentional INAD or SNAD claim and potential return or scam return - empty box or brick.

As I look at the various lists that were returned to me on different items there was a pattern ... it was like the AI program was taking individual words from the main item title and returning item specifics from other items that had those words in their titles but were totally unrelated.

The list is so long it actually now takes more time to get through it.

But the issue that concerned me more was Free Shipping being turned on as the Default ... that's really a bush league move on eBay's part to push their FEA (Free Everything Agenda), sorry but that's how I feel about it based on everything else they are doing so yeh, that's a real criticism.

[mr_lincoln]

@divwido

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@divwido wrote:

I hope that isn't another new thing eBay is doing.

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Of course it is ... probably some BETA software development applied to Selling accounts across all the categories on the venue to see the effect it may or may not have on listings.  It might work fine for new items like T-Shirts but for collectibles it will probably fall short.

[stuff4divas]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@stuff4divas

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@stuff4divas wrote:

Happened to me while revising listings.

If we choose all, and the buyer returns as INAD, do we blame it on eBay's recommendations? 😄

---

I created a thread on this subject on the Techniccal Issues board and looped some eBay Team members in on it. 

But the issue that concerned me more was Free Shipping being turned on as the Default ... that's really a bush league move on eBay's part to push their FEA (Free Everything Agenda), sorry but that's how I feel about it based on everything else they are doing so yeh, that's a real criticism.

---

I don't plan on going along with the free returns, so I will lose my + sign and therefore that measly downsized 10% reward eBay gives TRS+ listings for abiding by those ever more restrictive rules. A REAL bonus for being such GREAT sellers. It's like the less work you do, the better the rewards.

I will opt out of free returns since I was automatically joined in. At 1st i thought it might be OK, but after reading the fine print on the free return shipping campaign, the partial refund offers if item is opened, damaged, etc doesn't even apply to what I sell and eBay is taking away the restocking fees.

So I would have to pay to have a buyer who defectived my item return it, not be able to partially refund them due to the defected return item, not get a restocking fee, blah blah blah ... which would not only wipe out my profit, but put me in a deficit. No thanx!

[mr_lincoln]

@stuff4divas

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@stuff4divas wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@stuff4divas

---

@stuff4divas wrote:

Happened to me while revising listings.

If we choose all, and the buyer returns as INAD, do we blame it on eBay's recommendations? 😄

---

I created a thread on this subject on the Techniccal Issues board and looped some eBay Team members in on it. 

But the issue that concerned me more was Free Shipping being turned on as the Default ... that's really a bush league move on eBay's part to push their FEA (Free Everything Agenda), sorry but that's how I feel about it based on everything else they are doing so yeh, that's a real criticism.

---

I don't plan on going along with the free returns, so I will lose my + sign and therefore that measly downsized 10% reward eBay gives TRS+ listings for abiding by those ever more restrictive rules. A REAL bonus for being such GREAT sellers. It's like the less work you do, the better the rewards.

I will opt out of free returns since I was automatically joined in. At 1st i thought it might be OK, but after reading the fine print on the free return shipping campaign, the partial refund offers if item is opened, damaged, etc doesn't even apply to what I sell and eBay is taking away the restocking fees.

So I would have to pay to have a buyer who defectived my item return it, not be able to partially refund them due to the defected return item, not get a restocking fee, blah blah blah ... which would not only wipe out my profit, but put me in a deficit. No thanx!

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You obviously know and understand the numbers ... on heavy items from 4 lbs to 12 lbs and coast to coast shipping the amount I would be agreeing to pay up front is like $ 15 to $ 40.  So I may elect to be selective on which items I offer it on and those that I don't.

How did you know you were "opted in"?  Did they send you a message with the happy news or did Free Returns just start happening?

And the million dollar question, where and how does one Opt Out?

[stuff4divas]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@stuff4divas

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@stuff4divas wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@stuff4divas

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@stuff4divas wrote:

Happened to me while revising listings.

If we choose all, and the buyer returns as INAD, do we blame it on eBay's recommendations? 😄

---

I created a thread on this subject on the Techniccal Issues board and looped some eBay Team members in on it. 

But the issue that concerned me more was Free Shipping being turned on as the Default ... that's really a bush league move on eBay's part to push their FEA (Free Everything Agenda), sorry but that's how I feel about it based on everything else they are doing so yeh, that's a real criticism.

---

I don't plan on going along with the free returns, so I will lose my + sign and therefore that measly downsized 10% reward eBay gives TRS+ listings for abiding by those ever more restrictive rules. A REAL bonus for being such GREAT sellers. It's like the less work you do, the better the rewards.

I will opt out of free returns since I was automatically joined in. At 1st i thought it might be OK, but after reading the fine print on the free return shipping campaign, the partial refund offers if item is opened, damaged, etc doesn't even apply to what I sell and eBay is taking away the restocking fees.

So I would have to pay to have a buyer who defectived my item return it, not be able to partially refund them due to the defected return item, not get a restocking fee, blah blah blah ... which would not only wipe out my profit, but put me in a deficit. No thanx!

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You obviously know and understand the numbers ... on heavy items from 4 lbs to 12 lbs and coast to coast shipping the amount I would be agreeing to pay up front is like $ 15 to $ 40.  So I may elect to be selective on which items I offer it on and those that I don't.

How did you know you were "opted in"?  Did they send you a message with the happy news or did Free Returns just start happening?

And the million dollar question, where and how does one Opt Out?

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That's a good idea to select the lighter weight 1st class shipping items.

I got an eBay message saying I was qualified to offer free returns. There will probably be an 'opt out' on the site preferences once it actually rolls out, supposedly on June 1.