Community Chat, September 1 @ 1:00 pm PT - General Topics

[tyler@ebay]

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!

[mam98031]

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jasmen@ebay wrote:

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@glenvonnie wrote:

Hi Tyler,

Is it true that ending listings and then using "Sell Similar" refreshes listings and results in more views, or does editing all your listings without making any changes does the same ?

Are items that have been listed for a long time likely to appear farther down in search results ?

Thanks

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Hey @glenvonnie! It's a rumor I have heard before but it's not true either way, the views on the listing and sold history can help boost your best match results. You can also check here for best match optimization as well! 

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This has not always been the case.  Certainly things may have changed in recent years.  But there was a time that when you did a  RELIST that the sold history followed the listing for up to about 90 days.  Buyers nor sellers could see it, but it was considered.  The Sell Similar was a fresh new listing so that all the old views were not considered, so didn't weigh the new listing down and the listing was refreshed, all new and shiny.

So you are saying that a listing that is created Via Sell Similar are not considered a new listing with the opportunities offered to a new listing.  That no matter what we do short of creating a new listing from scratch, we can't get rid of the old views that aren't always an asset.  Besides a Sell Similar may not even be for the same product as the original listing, just something similar to it.

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here. 

[velvet@ebay]

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@tsme35 wrote:

WOW, I got just got screwed by ebay, guy gets a broken fishing rod, I request pictures so I can file USPS insurance claim, he opens a CC dispute, no pictures, no way to return. My only choices are challenge or accept and pay, no way to get the fishing rod back so I can file claim. I've been hearing ebay doesn't have the sellers back when it comes to disputes but this is proof right here. 

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@tsme35 While we don't have control over the payment dispute process, it's still a good idea to ask the buyer to comply with any request you received from the carrier for the insurance claim. If they're unwilling to do this, then we'd encourage you to report them here and even add them to your blocked bidder/buyer list so you don't chance selling to them again in the meantime. 

[myhomeschooldelights]

I just mentioned the exact same problem to tyler@ebay .  I use media all the time, but my Payments summary says Priority was used.  Order details confirm media though.  Weird glitch.  Been going on for several days.

[mam98031]

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@disneyshopper wrote:

Many resellers think using SELL SIMILAR will help listings as they get a new item number and the listings will then appear as "new".  However, several years ago, I tried that, instead of using RELIST.  I found no improvement in sales, and I stopped.  Using SELL SIMILAR takes longer, as you have to do it one-by-one.  Since I found no Improvement in sales, I stopped.  I END my listings in batches when they approach 90 days.  I then RELIST them in a couple of weeks or so.

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There is a much easier way to accomplish refreshing your listings.  Do a Bulk Edit.  Change something in those listings that you can using the Bulk Editor.  Handling time, your return policy, something from they numerous items that can be changed with the editor.  Then submit them.

This will cause your listings to Re-index.  The re-indexing may take a few hours or longer.  Then if you changed something you really didn't want to change, bulk edit again and set it to whatever it is you prefer.  They will re-index again if you need to do this.

[gracieallen01]

@friskya 

If there were an 'enforceable' no returns option, wouldn't that discourage buyers from buying or returning to buy more?

[jasmen@ebay]

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@stuff4divas wrote:

can anyone help this person?

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Payments/eBay-takes-me-to-Payoneer-Sign-Up-page-instead-of-Sign-In-pag...

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Thanks for being so helpful @stuff4divas I will follow up with them shortly! 

[velvet@ebay]

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@tools* wrote:

I had two returns. eBay provided the shipping labels and I was overcharged by $29. I corresponded with Velvet on Facebook and after a two-week delay, she finally explained that the overcharge was because each USPS Priority Mail package weighed 96 pounds. I explained that you can't ship a 96-pound package by USPS Priority Mail, and that the actual weight of each package was 5 pounds.

What do I have to do to get a refund from eBay? Credit card chargeback? Small claims court? News media?

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Hi @tools*! It's great to talk to you again, although I wish it were under different circumstances. The information I provided you on Facebook was accurate and it's not something we can pursue further for you given the status of the listing/weight. 

[tsme35]

I don't even mine if they file a return, that should be a requirement before they can open a dispute. Ebay can ask the "item" be returned but there's no way to make them. I can't see anything from the dispute that it was broken, if it is broken and I challenge I'm out another $20, either way I can't file a insurance claim with the PO. Even now the PO requires inspection, so that won't happen either.

[friskya]

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

@friskya 

If there were an 'enforceable' no returns option, wouldn't that discourage buyers from buying or returning to buy more?

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Wouldn't eBay continue to offer sellers incentives to continue accepting returns/refunds? 

I never suggested it should be applied across the site - just to certain categories and then, as an option for the seller. The buyer, of course, would continue to have the option of buying from someone who does offer returns.

I just don't believe that a seller should be coerced/forced into doing returns based on the premise that "the buyer is never wrong and the seller is never right", which seems to be the current status.

[tyler@ebay]

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@farmlandparts wrote:

I had a customer buy a cheap part from us and he was able to get a return approved 2 days before he even received the part. He chose doesn't fit as the reason and in the notes wrote wrong part sent.

It's frustrating enough that returns are automatically approved without any contact from Ebay or the customer. Let alone before he even received it.

When I happened to notice the return and that he hadn't received it I asked him what he actually received if it wasn't the right part and to send a photo of what he received knowing that wasn't possible because he didn't have it yet.

His response was it was too hard to send a photo in Ebay messages but if I gave him my personal email he could send me a photo.

So we are stuck paying for him to ship it back for a bogus reason. Thankfully it wasn't something heavy. I've heard of this happening to others why can't the system be fixed to not let the customers make a return until tracking shows it has delivered?

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Hi @farmlandparts - a return can be automatically accepted on your behalf in a number of scenarios. There are a few more details about that here.  Based on what you've shared here it sounds like it was accepted because you offer returns, the buyer selected a remorse reason for the return and is responsible for paying for the return shipping. 

I see your point about the timing - being able to open a return before delivery confirms receipt - I'll get a suggestion made to see if that can be improved!

[buyselljack2016]

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@glenvonnie wrote:

Hi,

On the Seller Financial Summary Page, my last 5 items which were shipped 1st Class, with 1st Class Postage being paid, are shown as having been shipped with Priority Mail. This started a couple of days ago.

I thought I had made a mistake and voided and reprinted two labels.

It's not a major issue, the labels printed out properly for 1st Class.

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May go back more than that. Not exactly what you are saying, but we had posts in the past where someone insisted that they sent their items "Retail Ground"  with an eBay label because that was what the record said.  That was shown because that is the way it was listed, and the service the buyer selected. Of course it did not ship that way.  

[tsme35]

When I ask for pictures they immediately filed a CC dispute, there needs to be a buffer for sellers, I'm pulling all my high dollar items off, I'm out $70 now with no way to file insurance claim.

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Edit: A reply to your comment can be found here. 

[tincan630]

Ebay has "upgraded' the search for anything bar and made it absolutely useless! I used to be able to get a drop down list of my previous searches or if I typed the first letter of a word I'd get a drop down list of my previous searches that began with that letter. Now I get a nonsense list of things that I have no interest in. The only way I can still search the way I want to is to constantly go back and forth to advanced search, which wastes my time and has made ebay no longer user friendly.  At least for this disgruntled user!!!!!!!!!!!

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Edit: A reply to your comment can be found here. 

[postcardcountry]

I have noticed an odd problem....I am hoping you can explain eBay's math....

Seller Hub --> Seller Level 

Transaction defect rate      1 of 1080 items   ---   .09 percent      ?????????

when I see all, it shows only 1 defect

.09 percent would be 97 items

Return rate does the same thing

1 of 1079 transactions   ----  .09 percent  ???????

when I see all, it shows only 1 defect

If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would start to question all of eBay's math.

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here. 

[myhomeschooldelights]

velvet@ebay 

@tsme35 

I think the main point here as well as with  @farmlandparts message, is there is no way for a seller to do what you're suggesting if eBay automatically accepts a return (even before a customer receives no less).  The system is not allowing us to communicate with buyers and makes it very, very easy for them to simply choose any reason they want to get their money back.  Some dispute it on their charge cards.  Communication has always been key to excellent customer service.  If we have no ability to respond and communicate before a return is automatically authorized, it really cripples us.