Why Keep Top Rated Seller Status?

[retronmore]

I am a top rated seller and I am now really considering dropping my Top Rated Seller status. I sell on average about 10 K per month (TRS discount use to be %20) and I would get a pretty decent discount at the end of the month and it would be "worth" it. 

Since the update last year to extend the return days requirement to 30 days, I have had a few buyers that have waited nearly a month to return an item. Not enough to make me want to drop my status, but a couple of those items were $100 or more and in one case, I had a buyer return a $300 pair of shoes after 28 days "too tight". They were obviously worn out a handful of times but there is nothing I can do about it. Not only do I have to accept this obvious rental, the once $300 shoes are now worth about $200. 

Now that eBay has increased performance standards, dropped the discount from 20% to 10%, and are telling us that if we don't offer 60 DAY RETURNS and FREE RETURN SHIPPING our listings will be buried at the bottom, even as a top rated seller, what is the point? I am really considering dropping the TRS by my name and offering 14 day returns (like what most clothing/shoe dealers should allow).

[d-k_treasures]

You wouldn't be losing TRS with the changes, all you would lose is the TRS+ dog(and pony) show badge in the listings that offer what ebay wants along with the now 10% FVF discount.

TRS is still good for 100.00 priority mail insurance vs. 50.00. Oh - and an extra 3% off for CommBasePlus(for now).

The regular TRS dog show badge will still show on your feedback page.

[skatesave]

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@dhbookds wrote:

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@retronmore wrote:

Check the 2017 Summer Seller update. 

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I have..........and can find nothing about " listings will be buried at the bottom, even as a top rated seller" w/o 60 free returns.........

They are talking about putting a 30/60 day return filter in, just as they have a free shipping filter, but nothing says they will penalize listings that don't comply with 60 day/free return.

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They are not going to tell you that they are burying your listings if you do not conform ......  Lol.  They simply will do so because they can.

[kattinsanity]

You're right~~they can still have the badge but without the perks and they don't have to jump through the hoops.  It will also be easier to keep the badge.

I've been TRS for several years now but had the TRS+ perks before that.  I changed to no returns and 3 day handling and I still have the TRS badge.  I think seeing the TRS on your feedback page is enough for most buyers.  I don't think they look for it in your listings that much.  If the perks don't mean that much to you, you can do most anything you want as far as TOS goes and still remain a TRS.  That no returns policy has helped me several times.

[thatsallfolks]

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@retronmore wrote:
So you feel like offering a 60 day return policy is the norm? In your case, since you mostly sell media, should it take a buyer 57 days to decide that they just didn't like it? Maybe it's not such a big deal if the sale were under $5 or $10 but would you have the same opinion if you sold something with a much heftier price tag?

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I look at it as a positive; I'd rather not do business with a buyer who explicitly filters his/her searches to look for sellers who offer 60-day returns. So if they never see my listings, I can avoid that group automatically. It's as if eBay gave us a new way to block potentially troublesome buyers.

[luckythewinner]

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@retronmore wrote:

I am a top rated seller and I am now really considering dropping my Top Rated Seller status.

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I didn't think you could opt out of Top Rated Seller status. Isn't is awarded to qualifying sellers automatically based solely on sales volume and defect rates? 

As a TRS you can opt out of TRS Plus by listing items that do not qualify, but I did not think you could opt out of TRS. And even if you could, why would you want to?

[thatsallfolks]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@retronmore wrote:

I am a top rated seller and I am now really considering dropping my Top Rated Seller status.

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I didn't think you could opt out of Top Rated Seller status. Isn't is awarded to qualifying sellers automatically based solely on sales volume and defect rates? 

As a TRS you can opt out of TRS Plus by listing items that do not qualify, but I did not think you could opt out of TRS. And even if you could, why would you want to?

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You are correct. I think some people incorrectly use TRS and TRS+ interchangeably.

[tev4all]

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@tamaralea wrote:

Ask yourself this.....What type of person is going to search for 60 day returns?  

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Some bargain hunting re-listers come to mind, needing inventory to list.  Not that anything is wrong with being one, but some, I believe,  will take full advantage of the situation.

[divwido]

Spring Seller update.

[divwido]

I completely agree, but I'm a bit mad about it.  I closed a store on another site to go all in on eBay.  Now I'm planning on adding two other sites.  I cannot afford to sell with these new demands.

And anyone who sells new clothing might as well quit now.

I've supported eBay for years.  That update was the end.  Well, that and the twenty plus  active content listings I was just forced to end or fix.  I chose end. 

[rei-npkrlma]

Top Rated Seller meant the world to me when I obtained the "status" and I've worked SO hard to maintain it, but these latest changes is just taking all the wind out of my sails, so to speak.

I may even drop my store and just go with the 50 free items, sell the way I need to to make a single buck or two here and there (small seller, small ticket items) and see how it goes. I'm waffling back and forth though, because I like it that I can post more items with the store, so not totally sure  about that. Wrestling with that decision something awful. Mine is up for renewal on June 1st.

Anyway, that's my problem, but the reduction in discount, the constant raise in shipping fees, unreasonable demands for perfection and "judgment" on when our items shipped based on the tracking scan, which sometimes my USPS doesn't get right away  (not often, that that "once in a while" hurts ME, not them or the buyer!)... Add all that to this insane 60 day (i.e. "why not just be rent-an-item from me, I'm looking to go bankrupt!) return and we've got a complete recipe for the impossible. At least when you're selling small ticket items.

So one thing I did decide (sorry for venting first, couldn't help myself) is to just stop worry about the Top Rated Seller status and do business the way I need to to keep my selling even slightly profitable. I need to work at home as I take care of my mom and am so freakin' against gov't hand outs I want/need to stay independent. eBay is really hurting me with all this. In spite of it all though, I do enjoy selling here for the most part. I just don't understand why they keep horse-whipping sellers. So many of us are really pretty decent, honest people trying to do our best. (sniff)

[thatsallfolks]

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@rei-npkrlma wrote:

Add all that to this insane 60 day (i.e. "why not just be rent-an-item from me, I'm looking to go bankrupt!) return

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Where in the Summer Update does it say that you have to offer 60-day returns to maintain TRS?

[wildpitchsports]

It's all a joke anymore. Buyers rent, steal, lie, etc on here. That's what eBay is known for now. Someplace you can probably steal an item from someone from. They don't read. There is no buyer accountability. They lie. Your return policy is not honored. Over 50% of my transactions the past 3 years all of a sudden are all "broken", "not as described" or some nonsense. The holidays are the best. They buy stuff, brand new, use it for 28 days then say it is broken. eBay will give them your money back + you being out the shipping. It's a joke anymore. I used to list 400+ items a month with no issues years ago. Now, past few years, almost every listing has an issue. Not a coincidence. I hold my breath every time I drop something off at the post office now for even the most simplest of sales. I have taken most of my inventory off here. Tired of losing money.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@thatsallfolks wrote:

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@rei-npkrlma wrote:

Add all that to this insane 60 day (i.e. "why not just be rent-an-item from me, I'm looking to go bankrupt!) return

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Where in the Summer Update does it say that you have to offer 60-day returns to maintain TRS?

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It doesn't.

It talks about free returns and 30 or 60 day returns ---what they will be doing for those sellers --- it says NOTHING about TRS.

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2017summer/returns.html

To help you grow your sales and attract buyers, starting this summer we will increase exposure of free returns and 30-day or 60-day returns without restocking fees by:

• Giving buyers options to search for and filter by these returns policies
• Highlighting these returns policies when buyers visit your listings
• Featuring listings with these returns policies in eBay marketing campaigns

Additional control when you offer free returns

Starting this fall, sellers who offer free returns can decide if they want to offer less than a full refund in cases where an item is returned that is not in the same condition that it was in when you shipped it (e.g., a damaged item or an open-box return).

[fortys-tech-n-stuff]

Top rated seller status never is taken into my purchasing decision from sellers.  I rarely even look at the seller name, I just buy  it, I know ebay got my back. 

[fortys-tech-n-stuff]

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@wildpitchsports wrote:
It's all a joke anymore. Buyers rent, steal, lie, etc on here. That's what eBay is known for now. Someplace you can probably steal an item from someone from. They don't read. There is no buyer accountability. They lie. Your return policy is not honored. Over 50% of my transactions the past 3 years all of a sudden are all "broken", "not as described" or some nonsense. The holidays are the best. They buy stuff, brand new, use it for 28 days then say it is broken. eBay will give them your money back + you being out the shipping. It's a joke anymore. I used to list 400+ items a month with no issues years ago. Now, past few years, almost every listing has an issue. Not a coincidence. I hold my breath every time I drop something off at the post office now for even the most simplest of sales. I have taken most of my inventory off here. Tired of losing money.

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Yeah if 50% of your transactions are defective, there is something wrong.  I would say 5% is closer to what it should be.