Hi everyone 
Join us here at 1 PM PT on Wednesday, April 17 for the Weekly Community Chat with eBay Staff. There is no set topic this week, so bring your general eBay buying and selling questions to discuss.
See you this afternoon!
@mendelsons wrote:
@mendelsons wrote:
AUTO ACCEPTING RETURNS
We are getting more problems than solutions for eBay's now handling auto accepting returns.
We are sending messages outside of the returns console as directed by eBay CS to handle the return prior to accepting the return to get more clarification from the buyer if they would like a replacement or how to handle it.
I must say this is causing more problems than solutions and cannot understand how or why eBay would take communication away between the buyer and seller. Why are we being forced to communicate outside the return case ?
Not happy with the auto accepting feature at all.
Please advise.
RickHi @mendelsons, after a return is accepted or auto accepted it isn't necessary to continue communication in the majority of situations. Further communication can delay the resolution of a return and create complications or confusion for buyers. Sellers can set up their return policy to include refunds or exchanges. If the buyer chooses a return for refund option instead of an exchange then the system will honor this. If replacement or exchange is selected by the buyer then the return will not auto accept, which will allow communication within the return prior to the seller accepting the return.
_____
So if the buyer make a mistake and selects the wrong option to return and it auto accepts even though they wanted a replacement - this is what causes problems not all buyers understand how to use the return console let alone sending messages outside the console which shows up in another location.
My point is that sellers are perfectly capable of handling these situations that eBay has removed out ability to take care of the customers problems and causing more problems.
On another note with the return process we had one today where the the return label if I purchased it from eBay would be $30 for shipping an item back to us. It cost the buyer $15 to send it to them using the same method. This is retail UPS Ground - both ways. We get a pretty good discount from UPS and I assume eBays is better than ours so I'm wondering why is eBay gouging sellers for return shipping cost ? Seems like the return business must be producing better profits than in other areas.
There are definitely situations where communication is appropriate after a return is accepted. While not every seller experienced the problems we saw occurring with communication in a return after it's accepted, they definitely were happening with many other sellers. These issues were impactful enough that we needed to make a change to remove these problems and make the experience better.
Typically, if a seller purchases a label through eBay then we'll provide the buyer a return label at the same cost the original label cost. If returning an item costs more than it did to ship it originally, we'll cover the additional cost from our pockets. I'll need more details about the transaction mentioned to know exactly what occurred, so I'll send you an email shortly to get more details.
@mendelsons wrote:
Brian,
Can I please get some follow up to the shipping problems we are seeing from 2 weeks ago.. I have tried to contact you a couple times using the same email but not getting a reply.
Thanks,
Rick
Hi @mendelsons
I got an update today on this. I've emailed you with the details. Thanks!
@mg152 wrote:
alan@ebay wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:
alan@ebay wrote:
@goodluckselling wrote:
Has eBay staff been able to coordinate with the eBay managed payments team to do a weekly chat yet? Many sellers are discussing eBay managed payments and we asked about a month ago for this opportunity to talk to this team.
Thanks
Hi @goodluckselling,
No luck so far. I'll check in and see if we can get them on soon.
Feel free to tag the Community Team on threads where there are open questions regarding managed payments.
Thanks.This would be great as I've been invited into the program but I have questions and concerns I need addressed before I make that leap. It is fantastic that PP is now being added to the program, but still there are questions before I'm comfortable in signing up.
Well.... my advice is don't wait for a chat.
You can call and speak to managed payments specialists on 800-456-3229.
Can we call and ask to be invited in? I am over PP! Been with them since day 1 and they recently let me down big time. I lost $119. Nothing to do with eBay but my PP credit card.
Hi @mg152, I'm not sure if an invite can be extended, but that team can definitely give you more information about the invite process and if they are able to get your account added.
@goodluckselling wrote:
brian@ebay wrote:
@goodluckselling wrote:
alan@ebay wrote:
@goodluckselling wrote:
Has eBay staff been able to coordinate with the eBay managed payments team to do a weekly chat yet? Many sellers are discussing eBay managed payments and we asked about a month ago for this opportunity to talk to this team.
Thanks
Hi @goodluckselling,
No luck so far. I'll check in and see if we can get them on soon.
Feel free to tag the Community Team on threads where there are open questions regarding managed payments.
Thanks.Thanks for the reply. Sellers are discussing eBay managed payments and the pro and con areas, I want to try and get some clarification in a few areas. The following info is found in your https://pages.ebay.com/payment/2.0/terms.html last updated in Nov 2018
Can eBay staff help us understand this area better?
Credits - In some circumstances, you might be eligible for a payments processing fee or chargeback fee credit in accordance with eBay's policies and procedures. To qualify for a payments processing fee credit, you must refund a buyer in resolution of a refund, return or cancellation request regarding the transaction that was the subject of the payments processing fee, and we need to receive reimbursement for the costs we incurred in connection with the processing of the initial transaction payment.
1. if you go through the resolution center and issue refunds for returns or cancellations you may qualify for a payment processing fees credit,
2. and as long as eBay can recover their cost in connection with the initial payment.
Does the terms of use mean that moving forward with eBay managed payments that in order to receive a credit on processing fees when refunds and or returns happen that both of these instance above need to be met?
Also I have a question about this area as well
Chargeback Fees - Upon the conclusion of a chargeback investigation and/or re-presentment that results in a seller being found responsible for the chargeback amounts, we charge a $20 chargeback fee, excluding any applicable sales tax, for each chargeback. Sellers may appeal the chargeback fee within 30 days from when we invoice the chargeback fee if they believe that they have been charged in error.
Farther down in this terms of use document you are saying "You agree to provide timely information to assist in our chargeback investigations"
Could eBay staff help us understand the basic scenario's of how sellers can help in your investigation? Keep in mind this is part of the terms of use for managed payments area of this document.
ThanksHi @goodluckselling, I recommend that you call the payments team as they are the best source of information regarding Managed Payments. You can reach them here 800-456-3229.
They are not the best source of info. I have already lost confidence in that team when a leader has to contact you via eBay message to apologize for the wrong info the phone rep gave you.
We want their answers documented so we can use the hard copy for future use.
Good Luck Selling!
Hi @goodluckselling - alan@ebay is looking into this and will update you when he has more info. Thanks!
@ritasloft wrote:
Hello all!
I just processed a "didn't fit" buyer remorse return for an item with FREE returns by providing a full item cost refund, but without refunding the original shipping cost, and (importantly) allowing the buyer to simply keep the item (a pair of jeans) instead of returning them.
Apparently the buyer eBay notifications and/or email called attention to this only being a "partial" refund which precipitated a flurry of emails between the buyer and myself about why it was a only a partial refund, they never had this happen before, usually they get shipping refunded too, etc. etc.
*Phew!*
I've not had this issue with any other of my legit "didn't fit" free returns refunds without refunding original shipping at all, so this leads me to suspect that the workflow and buyer-presented verbiage when issuing a full item-cost refund before the item is shipped back is very different than what they see when getting the same item-only refund after a seller has received the return and issued a refund (I hope this makes sense, please let me know if I need to clarify).
Would it be possible to have the workflow and critically the buyer email/notification verbiage reviewed (and adjusted if needed) for free returns remorse reasons to please not present a 100% item-cost refund, sans origin shipping, as only a partial refund on the occasion sellers elect to allow the buyers to keep the item?
Hi @ritasloft - this is a really interesting situation - I'm going to get it reported and reviewed.
@sisterhoodofthejewel wrote:
Sorry to tag onto this thread, but am unable to join the weekly chat. Have contacted eBay cs 3 times asking for help & am unable to access. Please help. SisterhoodoftheJewel.
Hi @sisterhoodofthejewel - After taking a look at things I want to clarify that you did reach the Weekly Chat. We post a new thread each Wednesday and open it at the top of the hour for you to reply to with your question.
If you are looking at old threads, they will always remain locked and you won't be able to post anything to it.
If you want to bookmark a page to always find the latest chat you can use this one: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/bd-p/weekly-chat.
Thanks!
Below you will find a recap of our Weekly Chat with the eBay Community Team for April 17, 2019. We hope to see you at our next chat!
The Community Discussion Boards
I am unable to join the weekly chat. Help!
Joining the Weekly Chat is as easy as replying to our opening post within the hour that the chat is open (from 1-2 pm Pacific Time). During this time, questions we receive will be reviewed and answered either during the chat or shortly after
I received the following response to a survey of the community forum. What does it mean? :valuesurvey.communityexperience.response.tooSoon
We are looking into this message for any necessary action that needs to be taken.
Returns
Why does eBay step in early on some eBay Money Back Guarantee requests?
While stepping in earlier than normal is a rare occurrence, the situation that brought up this concern was one where the buyer was having some difficulty printing the shipping label. These returns are actioned in such a way that the seller’s account is not negatively impacted.
I can’t find the return in the returns section of Seller Hub now that eBay has been asked to step in. Where can I view the details?
You can returns from the Resolution Center (here), which can be found by clicking on Cases within the Orders section of Seller Hub.
In a situation where the buyer is having trouble with the label, should I send the buyer to Customer Service or is there some other solution I should provide?
Directing a buyer to Customer Service is the best course of action in these kinds of situations. We will be able to help troubleshoot and identify if there is a problem and take the correct action from there. If you want to add a little extra for your buyers in addition to directing them to Customer Service I would recommend something like the following:
"So sorry to hear you are running into issues printing the return label. Sometimes problems can be resolved by clearing your cache & cookies or trying another browser. If that doesn't work, I suggest you contact eBay Customer Service so they can check into any issues on their end and help you get this addressed. We look forward to resolving your concerns and are here if you need anything else!"
Once a return has been accepted or auto-accepted, the option to message through the request disappears. Why is this?
After a return is accepted or auto-accepted it isn't necessary to continue communication in the majority of situations. Further communication can delay the resolution of a return and create complications or confusion for buyers. Sellers can set up their return policy to automatically refund in some situations or to allow the buyer to request an exchange. If the buyer chooses the return for a refund option when they want a replacement or an exchange, you are still able to communicate with them via eBay messages to work this out.
To clarify, the ability to communicate with a buyer is still available, just not always within the return itself. Sellers can message their buyers through the eBay message system when needed. If needed, we can see and review these messages just like we can with communication within a return.
What determines the cost of the return shipping label?
Typically, if a seller purchases a label through eBay then we'll provide the buyer a return label that does not charge a seller more than the original cost of shipping. If an eBay label was not used, the return cost may exceed the original cost of shipping, but this would be based on the weight and dimensions the seller provided in their listing. If no weight or dimension information was provided then we will estimate this information based on the category the item was listed in.
I have a situation where my buyer was notified they received a “partial” refund for a remorse return refund I issued minus the original shipping. I am wondering what the wording is for this kind of notice as it seemed to raise some concerns for them?
We are going to look into this further to confirm what information is communicated to the buyer and we will work on any necessary improvements to minimize confusion.
Free Returns
Can a seller offer Free Returns with a 14-day return policy?
Only certain categories have retained the option to offer a 14-day return policy. You can find more details in our 2018 Spring Seller Update. To quote from the FAQ:
"Certain product categories have unique retail standards and sellers will be able to offer variations on the new returns policy options. Categories that will continue to have the option to offer 14-day returns include Collectibles & Art, Cameras & Photo and Medical, Mobility & Disability Equipment."
Are we able to deduct a portion of the refund when we offer Free Returns?
Sellers who offer Free Returns are able to deduct up to 50% of the cost of the item in the event that the return was damaged or altered by the buyer. A seller must adhere to eBay guidance on these types of refunds to be eligible to make these kinds of deductions and qualify for related Seller Protections.
Relisting Fee Credits
My understanding is that when listing an auction with the basic listing tool (from the app or when the seller is not classified as a business), the seller is charged a listing fee for the first time the auction is listed; after that, if the item has not sold, ebay provides up to 8 auto-relists for "free". Is that correct?
The “automatically relist this item” feature available to some members does not count towards zero insertion fee listings and is free of charge. Seller-created or relisted items may be counted towards zero insertion fee listings both at the time of listing and upon each renewal (in the case of Good ‘Til Cancelled), depending on the tool used and the seller’s subscription level.
Listing forms
How many listing forms are there?
There are 2 main listing forms at this time.
What are they called?
These tools have been called different things over the years, but in their current forms can be referred to as The Quick Listing Tool and The Advanced Listing Tool. When in doubt, referring to these as the “basic” and “advanced” listing forms would also be fine.
GTC
My sales are down, but I thought that changing fixed price listing durations to Good ‘Til Cancelled was going to increase my sales. What is is going on?
We believe that the move to Good 'Til Cancelled will bring better exposure and increase external search engine traffic. Ultimately we want your items to be found and sell - and we feel confident this is the best way to get the most exposure for your items.
While visibility and traffic definitely increase your chances of a successful sale, buyers will still select items that match what they are looking for at the best value, so be sure to price your items competitively in addition to providing great photos and detailed descriptions.
Any idea what percentage of eBay listings are fixed price GTC versus auctions?
We are checking to see if this information is publicly available anywhere. We will update here if we find anything.
What happens with watchers under the GTC system?
If you watch an item that's GTC it will send an alert to you that it is 'ending soon' as it approaches its renewal date.
Does the "watch" continue until the item sells?
An item will remain on your watch list until:
- The listing is no longer available on eBay. (ie: seller ended the item more than 60 days ago, listing was administratively removed, etc)
- You manually remove the listing from your list.
Managed Payments
Will there be a weekly chat dedicated to managed payments?
We’ll check in and see if we can get them on soon. In the meantime, feel free to tag the Community Team on threads where there are open questions regarding managed payments. While we are limited in what we can answer, we are happy to review and provide clarification where possible or direct you to the managed payments teams (800-456-3229).
Can we call and ask to be added to managed payments?
While you may not be able to request an invite at this time, the managed payments team can definitely give you more information about the invite process and if they are able to get your account added.
In order to receive a credit on processing fees when refunds or returns happen, do both of the following qualifications have to be met:
- if you go through the resolution center and issue refunds for returns or cancellations you may qualify for a payment processing fees credit,
- and as long as eBay can recover their cost in connection with the initial payment.
Our managed payments teams will be best equipped to clarify this information.
In the terms of use, it states, "You agree to provide timely information to assist in our chargeback investigations". Can you elaborate on what kind of steps a seller can take to help in a chargeback investigation?
This question is also something best handled by our managed payments team.
Does being in managed payments boost your item placement in search results?
We want to take this opportunity to clarify that while our Best Match algorithm takes a variety of factors into consideration when determining what items to showcase to a buyer, the idea that certain factors “boost” search placement is a misconception. Our managed payments team will be able to go into more detail on if and when this payment option will have an impact on search placement.
Somebody mentioned earlier that PayPal is going to be added to managed payments. When will this occur?
We announced on April 8th that PayPal is being added to Managed Payments. You can see more details here.
If a buyer chooses PayPal will the seller will pay transaction fees for both eBay managed payments and PayPal?
When a seller receives payment via Managed Payments, the only fees that would apply to them would be those associated with Managed Payments. The buyer's payment method would not impact the seller's experience, nor would the seller be aware of what method of payment the buyer used.
Store Subscriptions - Insertion Fee Credits
Are there any plans to remove the requirement for auction listings be in certain categories to qualify for insertion fee credits?
We don't currently have any plans to change how free listings work with your store subscription, but we are happy to send your feedback over for consideration
Gift Card Refund
I have been waiting on a refund to some eBay gift cards for over two months. Can you help in this situation?
We reached out to the buyer that raised this concern and confirmed the refund has been credited back to the gift cards in question.
Combed Shipping Discounts & The Request Total Feature
Why can some of my buyers request a total and others cannot?
This could be due to the settings on the seller’s side or because of a factor on the buyer’s side. While there are a variety of factors that could be present for a seller in this kind of situation, detailed information on how to ensure your buyer’s can request a total to received an invoice with combined shipping discounts can be found in a response from our team in the Weekly Chat on April 3rd (here). For a specific issue, we would need to review the situation before the purchase is made to determine what might be the cause of the problem.
The eBay Mobile App
The iOS App erases the handling charge on a draft when you edit. Are you aware of this issue?
We've gotten this to the mobile team for review.
Is there an update on the Mobile app free relists question that was asked in post #41 of the Weekly Chat on January 16th?
We don't have an answer at this point. We will touch base and update when more information becomes available.
Seller Hub
On April 12 I saw a substantial drop in our impressions on promoted listings. What is going on?
This is a known technical issue with the way that impressions are displaying in Seller Hub. While the promoted listings are getting visibility and this is recording properly internally, the way it is being displayed is not accurate. We are working to resolve this as soon as possible.
Duplicate Listing Policy
We recently had a lot of our listings removed due to duplicate listings. When researching this, it looks like the “duplicates” were promoted listings. What is happening?
When it comes to duplicate listings, a promoted listing would not count as a duplicate (since it has the same item number as the original). If you have two listings with different item numbers that are the same product, that could be considered a duplicate listing. More details on this policy can be found here.
