eBay

tyler@ebay · ‎05-26-2021

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.

The chat thread will remain open until 2 PM PT at which point we'll close it from additional responses. After that time, we'll continue to work on responding to any queries that might still be unanswered.

To post your question, click Reply in the lower right corner of this post, type your question, and hit submit between 1-2 PM Pacific Time. The format of our chat mirrors the format of our Community Discussion Boards, where each post will appear in the thread chronologically. The Community Team will review each question as it comes in, and will quote the original question in our reply. This quote and the reply will appear later in the thread, so just keep scrolling down to see our answers.

Missed the chat? Send your questions to the podcast by calling 888-723-4630 or email us at podcast@ebay.com and maybe your questions will make it on the air! Or listen to past episodes while you wait for next Wednesday!

Tyler,

vrykalak · ‎05-26-2021

Under "Related Content" on this page it says "This Board will be renamed soon"

Does that apply to this weekly chat board?

If so, will you give us the new link before signing off this week?

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Edit: Reply to this post can be read here

glgenterprise · ‎05-26-2021

I am getting absolutely nowhere with a specific and clear listing violation. I have been in contact with trust & safety every day since I discovered this on Sunday, and nothing has gotten resolved.

There is a seller selling essentially the same item that I am. That’s totally fine. What is not fine is that he specifically has mentioned my listing in not flattering terms. Which is not allowed under the UA – to mention items from another member in any way, shape, or form in a listing.

I called and spoke at length to several reps on Sunday, and was assured it would be addressed. As of Monday afternoon, nothing had changed. Tuesday morning I spoke with Trust & Safety, again. I was again assured that it would marked a priority item. As of this afternoon, still nothing has changed. We are way past the 24-48 hour window from my initial reporting.

In addition to this violation, the seller has a URL listed in his description, which is also a violation.

I’ve asked that at minimum any reference to my listing be removed. Ideally, I’d prefer the listing be removed, and the seller be warned. Realistically eBay is not going to do that and give up a large FVF.

I understand that specific actions taken against the seller won’t be shared with me – but it is obvious that basic issues have not been addressed, since the listing has not changed even by a single letter since I first reported it.

I need to know if there is anything further that can be done. I have resisted messaging the seller, as when I asked him some questions about the item on my buyer account, he ended up blocking me. He doesn’t sell much, and if he gets all the way to the close of the auction without this getting resolved, I sincerely doubt anything eBay would do at that point would really matter to him.

It is very disheartening when I have been a excellent seller, followed all the rules for 20 years, have paid way more in FVFs over the years that eBay will ever collect from this seller, and nothing is getting resolved.

I’m happy to forward the item numbers in question if you think there is something more that can be done.

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here

bowens · ‎05-26-2021

is there any activity on the current packing slip format? It hasn't been a good change for me.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

clarkphilatelics · ‎05-26-2021

Upcoming changes to VAT regulations in Europe – How will eBay sellers be impacted?

Excerpts from an eBay email received yesterday:

“Starting July 1, eBay will be required to collect and remit VAT on orders up to a value of €150 imported into the EU and sold to consumers. There will no longer be a VAT exemption for small shipments up to €22. For shipments over €150, the buyer will be charged VAT following arrival of the goods in the country of delivery.”

“Share IOSS number for EU imports: In cases where eBay has collected VAT on your shipment into the EU (up to a value of €150), always electronically provide to your carrier the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) number provided by eBay. Otherwise, your buyers may have to pay VAT again on delivery.”

UPU First Class Mail International regulations prohibit Merchandise:

Abut three years ago UPU regulations were changed: “Letters and flats must contain only documents and cannot contain any other goods.”

What happens to sellers of inexpensive lightweight items?

Sellers of lower cost lightweight items will no longer be able to ship items like postage stamps, postcards, trading cards, photographs, or color slides “under the radar” by First Class Mail International. If the IOSS number is required on the outside of the envelope, will a customs form also be required? If so, how will sellers ship a five-dollar item? How can sellers survive if the cost of postage jumps from under $1.50 to more than ten dollars?

What can eBay do to help sellers?

The double whammy of no €22 VAT exemption and an eight-fold postage increase not snuff out international sales of lower priced items? Where was eBay when the UPU changed First Class Mail International regulations?

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Edit: Reply to this post can be read here

clarkphilatelics · ‎05-26-2021

Another international shipping question:

A buyer in Italy complained about collection of customs duties on a collectible postage stamp. The amount stated by buyer may have been more than the 22% VAT. From what I could determine the HS code used should not have resulted in any import duty. Why has eBay not published a list of applicable HS codes related to each selling category and provided guidance to sellers and buyers about potential tariffs?

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here

brittanie@ebay · ‎05-26-2021

@bowens wrote:

is there any activity on the current packing slip format? It hasn't been a good change for me.

@bowens - I'm sorry to hear that that is the case. What in particular did you want to submit feedback on for the new packing slips? That team has been working hard on improvements and I'd be happy to get that to them.

Brittanie,
Community Team

brian@ebay · ‎05-26-2021

@vrykalak wrote:

Under "Related Content" on this page it says "This Board will be renamed soon"

Does that apply to this weekly chat board?

If so, will you give us the new link before signing off this week?

@vrykalak that's a good question! Some boards were renamed during the Community restructure, and you can read more about that here. The Weekly Chat with eBay Staff board was renamed to Weekly Discussion with eBay Staff, so not a major change. The link is the same, so you don't need to do anything different 🙂

Brian,
Community Team

tyler@ebay · ‎05-26-2021

@glgenterprise wrote:

I am getting absolutely nowhere with a specific and clear listing violation. I have been in contact with trust & safety every day since I discovered this on Sunday, and nothing has gotten resolved.

There is a seller selling essentially the same item that I am. That’s totally fine. What is not fine is that he specifically has mentioned my listing in not flattering terms. Which is not allowed under the UA – to mention items from another member in any way, shape, or form in a listing.

I called and spoke at length to several reps on Sunday, and was assured it would be addressed. As of Monday afternoon, nothing had changed. Tuesday morning I spoke with Trust & Safety, again. I was again assured that it would marked a priority item. As of this afternoon, still nothing has changed. We are way past the 24-48 hour window from my initial reporting.

In addition to this violation, the seller has a URL listed in his description, which is also a violation.

I’ve asked that at minimum any reference to my listing be removed. Ideally, I’d prefer the listing be removed, and the seller be warned. Realistically eBay is not going to do that and give up a large FVF.

I understand that specific actions taken against the seller won’t be shared with me – but it is obvious that basic issues have not been addressed, since the listing has not changed even by a single letter since I first reported it.

I need to know if there is anything further that can be done. I have resisted messaging the seller, as when I asked him some questions about the item on my buyer account, he ended up blocking me. He doesn’t sell much, and if he gets all the way to the close of the auction without this getting resolved, I sincerely doubt anything eBay would do at that point would really matter to him.

It is very disheartening when I have been a excellent seller, followed all the rules for 20 years, have paid way more in FVFs over the years that eBay will ever collect from this seller, and nothing is getting resolved.

I’m happy to forward the item numbers in question if you think there is something more that can be done.

Hi @glgenterprise - I'm sorry to hear about what you've been encountering. I'm happy to review your contacts with Customer Support to ensure the proper action is being taken, I'll reach out to you privately for more information.

Tyler,

c.b. · ‎05-26-2021

I have concern about an ebay charge on our bank account that ebay c/s cannot see where it came from ebay... but my bank is showing originated from ebay. It is reported to the bank, and the bank is investigating, but whether it has to do with ebay or not, there could be something going on that should be reported to someone at ebay immediately. it may be explained... but, just in case, who can i alert so someone can get a jump on it if necessary?

tyler@ebay · ‎05-26-2021

@clarkphilatelics wrote:

Another international shipping question:

A buyer in Italy complained about collection of customs duties on a collectible postage stamp. The amount stated by buyer may have been more than the 22% VAT. From what I could determine the HS code used should not have resulted in any import duty. Why has eBay not published a list of applicable HS codes related to each selling category and provided guidance to sellers and buyers about potential tariffs?

Hi @clarkphilatelics - I don't have much insight into this process other than what's outlined here I'm afraid. I'm happy to request more information and will keep you updated as I hear back.

Thanks!

Tyler,

glgenterprise · ‎05-26-2021

Thank you!

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎05-26-2021

One of the most effective ways to sell books on ebay is to lot them together...sometimes by author, sometimes by genre, even the color of the bindings. Now, with the new item specifics, ebay requires "title" and "author", but obviously when selling a lot I have multiple titles and sometimes multiple authors. It has been suggested that we use "Custom bundle" as an item specific, which then provides a certain number of characters to describe the lot But this does not really answer the question: what do we put in the Title and Author item specific? They are required, so we can't simply ignore them and use Custom Bundle.

And I guess as an additional question: Could the IS team modify this in some way, to take into consideration the needs of lot sellers (and buyers).

bowens · ‎05-26-2021

I can no longer print on a half sheet of paper. The labels I use have an adhesive label for the shipping on one half, and a blank sheet on the other half for the packing slip.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

gwzcomps · ‎05-26-2021

When is eBay going to start paying us to troubleshoot and maintain your site? Seeing several new required IS that are just downright stupid. If you aren't willing to pay competent people to set them up properly maybe just don't change them at all?

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Edit: Reply to this post can be read here