Regards,
As part of ebay Open 2022, director of product management & search, Pravesh Katyal, explains how ebay is further punishing sellers ability to rank based on aspects that remain completely outside of their control.
Katyal explains the more SNAD and INR claims you receive, the lower you will rank.
Too bad sellers have no control over the garbage estimated delivery dates ebay gives to buyers. ebay ignores sellers shipping policies, including handling times, and ebay is the one who decides what the estimates are.
What Katyal is saying is the more buyers who lie about the reasons for their returns, and open cases for INR's as a result of ebay's incompetence, the lower sellers will rank as a result.
I have been hammered with constant item not received claims this entire year! All orders were shipped within my stated handling time, all were received by buyers.
How are we supposed to avoid INR's when we haven't an ounce of control over what the delivery estimates are?
And let's face it, buyers are rarely ever honest about the reasons for their returns.
So this explains why my store has been trashed in search this year and I'm getting practically zero traffic. All those INR's have destroyed my business, and at no fault of my own. I've tried extending my handling times, ebay just ignores it.
Remember sellers, ebay says its your fault ebay lied to your buyers with junk delivery estimates.
Here's the video where Katyal explains how ebay is further trashing its sellers:
Fundamental Training Session: How to Make Search and Promoted Listings Work for You
@katzrul15 wrote:
@mr_lincoln wrote:@vintage_sterling_spoon_rings , @katzrul15
It is abundantly clear that the issue with sales being off on eBay is because of eBay. I "think" they may be improving the algorithms as September set new all-time highs for sold items and dollars compared to all previous Septembers ... however, the four (4) previous months (yep going back to MAY) were horrible. So I am still in recovery mode here ...
Mr. L
@mr_lincoln - yes, all the way back to MAY for us as well - and we too, are in recovery mode for certain. September was an improvement, but nothing like Jan-Mar each month.
@katzrul15 My Sept-Oct 30 day PLS Campaign comes to an end tomorrow and it has performed like others did prior to this year. A big surge of sales at the beginning of the PLS then a gradual decline over the 30 days then a small spike at the end ... the 3 I ran earlier this year just failed miserably. All the "peaks" on the chart below are weekends ... this accounted for over half the sales in September. Now, historically, the week after one of these PLS sales go flat before rebounding, so I will be interested to see if that trend holds.
@mr_lincoln wrote:
@katzrul15 wrote:
@gamersbaystore wrote:Exactly! My rank has been down the tubes as well, and I suspect it has something to do with all those INR's I had. My traffic died off in March as well and never came back, its only gotten far worse since.
Its disgraceful how ebay punishes sellers for getting ripped off and harassed by freeloading buyers. A seller gets robbed, then told they're being punished for it with a hit to their metrics, its ate up.
Get enough of those INR's and SNADS, then you're stuck paying inflated fees. The policies are designed to ensure everyone fails miserably and ebay makes more money.
We had a rash of the fraud and those "returns"/chargebacks do not roll off for a year. Skews your ratios on a singular level. If this penalty phase is true, it truly explains why we suddenly dropped off the radar.
Not our items or what we are selling - we were dropped in rank due to the fraud. And are now paying 10-12% in PLs to re-gain exposure.
This is messed up.
can you weigh in on this?
It would explain "why" sellers experienced sudden/abrupt changes in sales.
Hi @katzrul15 ,
Several issues here in reading the OP and a few other posts ...
1. Seller metrics & Ranking: One of THE biggest issues is eBay having the No returns acceped setting for pretty much ALL item on eBay. If they would limit that to specific categories where it might apply OR for Grading values like "Junk - Parts only" then it would cut down on a lot of INAD - SNAD issues. Meaning, block the INAD-SNAD reason for returns on Junk-Parts only. At the end of the day eBay wants ALL Sellers to be like a WalMart or other store that pretty much accepts returns without question and refunds their customers. You may recall that years ago eBay created the INAD return to force Sellers to pay the return shipping which allowed them to dance around the No returns accepted setting by Sellers ... right there is the issue, eBay CREATED an environment that promoted Buyers to lie and Sellers had a hand in it "thinking" if they use the No returns Accepted setting they were guarantying their sales would stick. I read MANY posts where Sellers complain a Buyer wants to return something but they have No returns accepted listed ...
2. INR: This one is a bit of a mystery unless it relates to some new shipping service (like the one for baseball cards) where tracking was inconsistent by the carrier (USPS in this case). While it is not widely published, ANY Seller can call for an extension of an INR claim and eBay will grant up to 4 days. During Covid they upt that to 10 days BUT Sellers had to make the effort to call ...now contacting Home Office is more of a challenge but as far as I know they will still Extend INR claim windows for Sellers. Again, during Covid we had several INR claims levied against us but each time we got the extension PLUS filing a Missing mail piece with USPS which often shook the package loose in 2 days.
3. INAD - SNAD defects: eBay explained that the best way to get defects removed on a bogus return is to use the Report Buyer link on the transaction and then process the return through to completion. It's part of the Seller Protection and defects will be removed ... I've seen that on the report they send out. For myself, if a Buyers lies about a return I report them, period. I don't get a lot of returns and most work out to where I can resell the item but a few have not. Those get the Buyer reported for sure, defects removed and less than Positive FB blocked.
4. Seller metrics are subjective: If you read the Accepted Solution by the OP you will read some points I have made about Seller Metrics in general. It is a Subjective system right down to the Return rating comparing us to our "Peers" ... unless one is selling brand new T-shirts and/or under ware most Sellers have no Peers who sell ... the ... exact ... same ... things, so comparisons are worthless. INAD-SNAD returns are subjective because of the lying environment eBay created ... nothing to do with Sellers, that one is on eBay.
In closing, not all Sellers are honest either so there DOES need to be some safeguards in place but not all of the ones currently in place fit the bill.
Mr. L
Whats good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
@eunster1313 wrote:What's good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
@mr_lincoln wrote:
@katzrul15 wrote:
@gamersbaystore wrote:Exactly! My rank has been down the tubes as well, and I suspect it has something to do with all those INR's I had. My traffic died off in March as well and never came back, its only gotten far worse since.
Its disgraceful how ebay punishes sellers for getting ripped off and harassed by freeloading buyers. A seller gets robbed, then told they're being punished for it with a hit to their metrics, its ate up.
Get enough of those INR's and SNADS, then you're stuck paying inflated fees. The policies are designed to ensure everyone fails miserably and ebay makes more money.
We had a rash of the fraud and those "returns"/chargebacks do not roll off for a year. Skews your ratios on a singular level. If this penalty phase is true, it truly explains why we suddenly dropped off the radar.
Not our items or what we are selling - we were dropped in rank due to the fraud. And are now paying 10-12% in PLs to re-gain exposure.
This is messed up.
can you weigh in on this?
It would explain "why" sellers experienced sudden/abrupt changes in sales.
Hi @katzrul15 ,
Several issues here in reading the OP and a few other posts ...
1. Seller metrics & Ranking: One of THE biggest issues is eBay having the No returns acceped setting for pretty much ALL item on eBay. If they would limit that to specific categories where it might apply OR for Grading values like "Junk - Parts only" then it would cut down on a lot of INAD - SNAD issues. Meaning, block the INAD-SNAD reason for returns on Junk-Parts only. At the end of the day eBay wants ALL Sellers to be like a WalMart or other store that pretty much accepts returns without question and refunds their customers. You may recall that years ago eBay created the INAD return to force Sellers to pay the return shipping which allowed them to dance around the No returns accepted setting by Sellers ... right there is the issue, eBay CREATED an environment that promoted Buyers to lie and Sellers had a hand in it "thinking" if they use the No returns Accepted setting they were guarantying their sales would stick. I read MANY posts where Sellers complain a Buyer wants to return something but they have No returns accepted listed ...
2. INR: This one is a bit of a mystery unless it relates to some new shipping service (like the one for baseball cards) where tracking was inconsistent by the carrier (USPS in this case). While it is not widely published, ANY Seller can call for an extension of an INR claim and eBay will grant up to 4 days. During Covid they upt that to 10 days BUT Sellers had to make the effort to call ...now contacting Home Office is more of a challenge but as far as I know they will still Extend INR claim windows for Sellers. Again, during Covid we had several INR claims levied against us but each time we got the extension PLUS filing a Missing mail piece with USPS which often shook the package loose in 2 days.
3. INAD - SNAD defects: eBay explained that the best way to get defects removed on a bogus return is to use the Report Buyer link on the transaction and then process the return through to completion. It's part of the Seller Protection and defects will be removed ... I've seen that on the report they send out. For myself, if a Buyers lies about a return I report them, period. I don't get a lot of returns and most work out to where I can resell the item but a few have not. Those get the Buyer reported for sure, defects removed and less than Positive FB blocked.
4. Seller metrics are subjective: If you read the Accepted Solution by the OP you will read some points I have made about Seller Metrics in general. It is a Subjective system right down to the Return rating comparing us to our "Peers" ... unless one is selling brand new T-shirts and/or under ware most Sellers have no Peers who sell ... the ... exact ... same ... things, so comparisons are worthless. INAD-SNAD returns are subjective because of the lying environment eBay created ... nothing to do with Sellers, that one is on eBay.
In closing, not all Sellers are honest either so there DOES need to be some safeguards in place but not all of the ones currently in place fit the bill.
Mr. L
Speaking of geese ... they will be flying south soon ...
@mr_lincoln wrote:
@eunster1313 wrote:What's good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
@mr_lincoln wrote:
@katzrul15 wrote:
@gamersbaystore wrote:Exactly! My rank has been down the tubes as well, and I suspect it has something to do with all those INR's I had. My traffic died off in March as well and never came back, its only gotten far worse since.
Its disgraceful how ebay punishes sellers for getting ripped off and harassed by freeloading buyers. A seller gets robbed, then told they're being punished for it with a hit to their metrics, its ate up.
Get enough of those INR's and SNADS, then you're stuck paying inflated fees. The policies are designed to ensure everyone fails miserably and ebay makes more money.
We had a rash of the fraud and those "returns"/chargebacks do not roll off for a year. Skews your ratios on a singular level. If this penalty phase is true, it truly explains why we suddenly dropped off the radar.
Not our items or what we are selling - we were dropped in rank due to the fraud. And are now paying 10-12% in PLs to re-gain exposure.
This is messed up.
can you weigh in on this?
It would explain "why" sellers experienced sudden/abrupt changes in sales.
Hi @katzrul15 ,
Several issues here in reading the OP and a few other posts ...
1. Seller metrics & Ranking: One of THE biggest issues is eBay having the No returns acceped setting for pretty much ALL item on eBay. If they would limit that to specific categories where it might apply OR for Grading values like "Junk - Parts only" then it would cut down on a lot of INAD - SNAD issues. Meaning, block the INAD-SNAD reason for returns on Junk-Parts only. At the end of the day eBay wants ALL Sellers to be like a WalMart or other store that pretty much accepts returns without question and refunds their customers. You may recall that years ago eBay created the INAD return to force Sellers to pay the return shipping which allowed them to dance around the No returns accepted setting by Sellers ... right there is the issue, eBay CREATED an environment that promoted Buyers to lie and Sellers had a hand in it "thinking" if they use the No returns Accepted setting they were guarantying their sales would stick. I read MANY posts where Sellers complain a Buyer wants to return something but they have No returns accepted listed ...
2. INR: This one is a bit of a mystery unless it relates to some new shipping service (like the one for baseball cards) where tracking was inconsistent by the carrier (USPS in this case). While it is not widely published, ANY Seller can call for an extension of an INR claim and eBay will grant up to 4 days. During Covid they upt that to 10 days BUT Sellers had to make the effort to call ...now contacting Home Office is more of a challenge but as far as I know they will still Extend INR claim windows for Sellers. Again, during Covid we had several INR claims levied against us but each time we got the extension PLUS filing a Missing mail piece with USPS which often shook the package loose in 2 days.
3. INAD - SNAD defects: eBay explained that the best way to get defects removed on a bogus return is to use the Report Buyer link on the transaction and then process the return through to completion. It's part of the Seller Protection and defects will be removed ... I've seen that on the report they send out. For myself, if a Buyers lies about a return I report them, period. I don't get a lot of returns and most work out to where I can resell the item but a few have not. Those get the Buyer reported for sure, defects removed and less than Positive FB blocked.
4. Seller metrics are subjective: If you read the Accepted Solution by the OP you will read some points I have made about Seller Metrics in general. It is a Subjective system right down to the Return rating comparing us to our "Peers" ... unless one is selling brand new T-shirts and/or under ware most Sellers have no Peers who sell ... the ... exact ... same ... things, so comparisons are worthless. INAD-SNAD returns are subjective because of the lying environment eBay created ... nothing to do with Sellers, that one is on eBay.
In closing, not all Sellers are honest either so there DOES need to be some safeguards in place but not all of the ones currently in place fit the bill.
Mr. L
Speaking of geese ... they will be flying south soon ...
(Speaking of geese ... they will be flying south soon ...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88MHrk0qA1c
Not sure what (or where) the 'Buyer Level' page is or even how it affects sellers. I looked for it but it seems you need to be renting an 'eBay Store' to get one.
I only spend about 5 hours a week on my eBay account but by being retired and having time to address each and every sale when it happens I've never seen any of the problems being talked about in this thread.
Guess there are advantages to being a 'little guy' here on eBay.
