Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us for the Weekly Chat with eBay Staff. We don't have a specific topic this week, so feel free to share any general buying or selling questions you may have!
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@vociferous_commenter wrote:
RE: eBay's confusing announcement on seller protections and carrier delays:
- Seller Protections need to be across both "Seller Performance" as well as "Service Metrics".
It doesn't do much good to have protections for a sub-item in one set of criteria if the seller is exposed in another.- True and comprehensive "Seller Protections" need to include INR, shipping defects for lates, "cases closed without seller resolution", as well as shipments that may unfortunately be lost completely (as sadly, many will be).
- Protections need to include negative and neutral feedback removal (particularly on any TRP listing with free 30-day returns).
Some sellers are reporting negs being removed for INRs, others are having problems (inconsistent enforcement and/or poor CS training?) Not sure why FB wouldn't be included in these seller protections in the 1st place?- Ebay keeps stating that a buyer can’t open an INR until it has passed the delivery estimate, but others keep refuting that based on actual direct experience.
Ebay needs to clarify this process & policy.- Ebay's help pages need to be updated to include all above. Ebay’s help page that covers INR process is woefully lacking substance and details.
- The whole “voluntary refunding buyers resulting in no protections” if true is absurd. Ebay simply needs to correct this policy.
The announced protections are for Seller Performance, and do not currently include Service Metrics. As far as Service Metrics are concerned, we are already comparing you to your peers (sellers that sell on the same site, with the same category, price, shipping and handling time, etc.) and so there are no new protections, as the design of Service Metrics already accounts for the increase of INRs across the board.
This is a flawed notion. There are well-documented regional issues (particularly within USPS) which will negatively impact sellers ship....
Thanks for your input @vociferous_commenter - it will be shared with the appropriate teams.
@mcdougle4248 wrote:
I don't know if the change in the display of accepted payments is intentional or not. I would just like to share that I don't like it and would rather know what is accepted before I get to check out.
Hi @mcdougle4248 - thanks for sharing this input!
@mam98031 wrote:
tyler@ebay wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:
I'm in need of some help in understanding the Seller Protections being offered to sellers due to the Pandemic and the restructuring of USPS. Both as we know has a significant impact to our delivery times.
I am aware of the recent announcement Ebay made on the subject and I'm grateful for the protection offered within that announcement.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/How-we-re-responding-to-USPS-delays/ba-p/31134359
Some clarifications are needed. It has been explained to me by an Ebay member that this protection does NOT cover FB removal for late delivery. Why is that, the two things are joined at the hip? Late delivery due to the Pandemic and USPS restructuring.
Now there has been mixed information about removing INRs in the Service Metrics when Ebay deems it should fall under this extended seller protection. I have been assured that the INR is suppose to be REMOVED from the Service Metrics if Ebay deems the INR is to be covered by this additional protection.
The other thing I need clarification on is the process for an INR itself. We can't appeal an INR that we voluntarily refund so we have to let it wait for Ebay to process the refund, at our expense and then if we find the need to appeal it because it is later received, we then can appeal it. But if we voluntarily refund, we are just stuck. Yes / No / Maybe???
And if we let the INR wait to be closed and refunded by Ebay [at our expense] is that creating a DEFECT on the Seller Dashboard like INADs do if Ebay has to step in?
Hi @mam98031 - happy to help clarify where I can!
"Some clarifications are needed. It has been explained to me by an Ebay member that this protection does NOT cover FB removal for late delivery. Why is that, the two things are joined at the hip?"
The announced protections are designed to protect your ability to qualify as a Top Rated Seller. Since feedback is not considered when evaluating your performance, it is not something that was included.
"Now there has been mixed information about removing INRs in the Service Metrics when Ebay deems it should fall under this extended seller protection. I have been assured that the INR is suppose to be REMOVED from the Service Metrics if Ebay deems the INR is to be covered by this additional protection."
There have been no announcements made regarding removal of service metric dings for INRs that are opened due to carrier delays. When we asked about this received the following answer:
- The announced protections are for Seller Performance, and do not currently include Service Metrics. As far as Service Metrics are concerned, we are already comparing you to your peers (sellers that sell on the same site, with the same category, price, shipping and handling time, etc.) and so there are no new protections, as the design of Service Metrics already accounts for the increase of INRs across the board. We are continuing to monitor the situation and may make further announcements regarding Seller Protection as appropriate
"The other thing I need clarification on is the process for an INR itself. We can't appeal an INR that we voluntarily refund so we have to let it wait for Ebay to process the refund, at our expense and then if we find the need to appeal it because it is later received, we then can appeal it. But if we voluntarily refund, we are just stuck. Yes / No / Maybe???"
This is something we've sent feedback about, because there is not currently a way for CS to appeal a request that has been voluntarily refunded.
What about the INR's that are closed by Ebay intervention, do those create a defect on the SH for cases not resolved by seller?
Hi @mam98031 - if an INR is escalated to eBay and found in the buyer's favor it would count as a case closed without resolution.
@lew1228 wrote:
Dear E-Bay Staff - This is my 1st Time on the Weekly Chat with E-Bay Staff. Am a Top Rated Seller (Collectibles/Sports-Cards), Have been Selling on E-Bay for 4 Years, and was Recently Invited to become a Member of the E-Bay Council (?) . My Questions are Three=Fold: FIRST - ( 1 ) MANAGED PAYMENTS - The Delay in having access to Funds from Sales is Dis-Heartening and Negatively Impacts Sellers Business Operations. With PAY-PAL, you made a Sale, and you had Access to the Funds Right Away, so IF you wanted to make a Purchase with Funds from your Recent Sale, you could. Now it takes 1-2 Days for E-bay to send those Funds to my Bank, and Followed by an E-Mail your Funds have been sent, and that it may take 3-4 Days to Arrive. Now that has not been the Case, except for the very my 1st Time with Managed Payments, but there is a Delay, from Sale, to Posting with my Bank of 3 Days. Why can we not utilize Managed Payments, and Still have funds go Directly into PAY-PAL, like previously ? It seems to me that MANAGED PAYMENTS, benefits BUYERS ( ie., More Ways to Pay), but Burdens SELLERS, in that our Recent Sales Funds are Tied Up, in Transit, for a Minimum of 2-3 Days. SECOND (2) - CUSTOMER SERVICE : We really need to have the CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE Number, Re-Instituted !! I know we now have the Call Back Tool, but for those who are not Computer Savvy, or are New to E-Bay, the Old Method was Far Better. I have seen the comments on Group Discussions, and I know COVID-19, was originally Given as the Reason for the Change, but that is not applicable any longer. And Far Too Often, Even when utilizing the Call Back Tool, Multiple Times, I and others have received a Message that Reads "UNAVAILABLE at this Time" . When you have an Issue, when you need assistance, right then and there, it really helps to have someone you can speak with, and who can guide you through. Live Customer Service Reps are vitally necessary, for both Buyers and Sellers, and for the Smooth, Efficient Operation of the E-Bay Sales Platform. Finally, THIRD ( 3 ) - I miss not being able to Send PERSONALIZED INVOICES. Unfortunately, Now all the Invoices are Generic Invoices. My Kind, Personalized Invoices helped to Generate Business., and Led to much Positive Feedback from Buyers in the Past. I really hope I did this Correctly. Thanks, in Advance, for your Time and Consideration. Look Forward to hearing back from you soon … Respectfully, Mark L. (lew1228)
@lew1228 You can speak with the payments team here about questions or concerns you may have. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a change in how we offer customer service as our employees are now working from home. I don't have any new information on possible changes to phone support, but the 'Have us call you' is available when needed. Lastly, I'm not aware of any upcoming changes to invoices. I appreciate your feedback!
@ryanpmc22 wrote:
Hi. In the extensive database of past sales that are searchable by EBay sellers and buyers, EBay's price data does not appear to capture the price reductions when a lower offer is accepted by the seller (with respect to a "Best Offer" listing). In this way, the "Sold for" prices are arguably artificially inflated, misleading, and suggest that items have a higher value than they actually do in the EBay marketplace. I am a subscriber to EBay's Terapeak research service, and the problem exists there as well. I was only able to figure this out after comparing my own transactions with the database. I would be happy to be proven wrong or corrected. EBay staff, am I missing something? Do you see this as a problem? Thanks, Ryan
@ryanpmc22 I'm not aware of this. I'll send it over to our Terapeak team to get their thoughts though and let you know what I hear back. Thanks!
@dentalsales4u wrote:
I had a buyer open a return case when they had nothing to return.
The manufacture was picking up the defective unit and sending them a replacement. The buyer wanted the replacement upgraded to next day air.
They opened the return case requesting that I pay the extra it was going to cost them to have the replacement overnighted.
I agreed, but the partial refund failed.
The only way to get the refund done was for eBay to escalate the case and push the refund through and then closed the case.
I received a defect for no seller resolution for this.
I was told the defect would be removed, but it's still showing on my dash board.
How long does it take for this defect to be removed?
@dentalsales4u it can take a couple weeks for a defect to show as removed. I see the case in question so I'm going to follow up on this to make sure it's taken care of.
